0001193125-13-267433.txt : 20130621 0001193125-13-267433.hdr.sgml : 20130621 20130621160356 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-13-267433 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-3 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 10 FILED AS OF DATE: 20130621 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20130621 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: HHG Distributing, LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001332303 IRS NUMBER: 202455875 STATE OF INCORPORATION: IN FISCAL YEAR END: 0331 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-189515-01 FILM NUMBER: 13927147 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: C/O GREGG APPLIANCES, INC. STREET 2: 4151 EAST 96TH STREET CITY: INDIANAPOLIS STATE: IN ZIP: 46240 BUSINESS PHONE: 317-571-7795 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: C/O GREGG APPLIANCES, INC. STREET 2: 4151 EAST 96TH STREET CITY: INDIANAPOLIS STATE: IN ZIP: 46240 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: hhgregg, Inc. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001396279 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-RADIO TV & CONSUMER ELECTRONICS STORES [5731] IRS NUMBER: 208819207 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0331 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-189515 FILM NUMBER: 13927148 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4151 EAST 96TH STREET CITY: INDIANAPOLIS STATE: IN ZIP: 46240 BUSINESS PHONE: 317-848-8710 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4151 EAST 96TH STREET CITY: INDIANAPOLIS STATE: IN ZIP: 46240 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Gregg Appliances Inc CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001318157 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-RADIO TV & CONSUMER ELECTRONICS STORES [5731] IRS NUMBER: 000000000 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-189515-02 FILM NUMBER: 13927149 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4151 EAST 96TH ST CITY: INDIANAPOLIS STATE: IN ZIP: 46240 BUSINESS PHONE: 317-848-8710 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4151 EAST 96TH ST CITY: INDIANAPOLIS STATE: IN ZIP: 46240 S-3 1 d556791ds3.htm FORM S-3 FORM S-3
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 21, 2013

Registration Statement No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

hhgregg, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   20-8819207

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

4151 East 96th Street

Indianapolis, IN 46240

(317) 848-8710

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

 

 

Dennis L. May

President and Chief Executive Officer

hhgregg, Inc.

4151 East 96th Street

Indianapolis, IN 46240

(317) 848-8710

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

 

 

Copies of all communications to:

Christina Melendi, Esq.

Bingham McCutchen LLP

399 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10022-4689

(212) 705-7000

 

 

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

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

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

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

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

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

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

 

Large accelerated filer   ¨    Accelerated filer   x
Non-accelerated filer   ¨  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller reporting company   ¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each class of

securities to be registered(1)

 

Amount

to be

registered(1)

 

Proposed

maximum

offering price(1)

 

Proposed

maximum

aggregate

offering price(1)(2)

  Amount of
registration fee

Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share

       

Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share

       

Warrants

       

Senior or Subordinated Debt Securities(3)

       

Guarantees of Debt Securities (4)

       

Total

      $300,000,000   $40,920(5)(6)

 

 

(1) There are being registered pursuant to this registration statement such indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock, such indeterminate principal amount of debt securities and such indeterminate amount of warrants as may be offered from time to time pursuant to the prospectus contained in the registration statement with an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $300,000,000 or the equivalent thereof in foreign currencies. The securities registered hereunder may be sold by the issuer separately, together or as units with other securities registered hereunder. The securities to be sold by the selling stockholders will be shares of common stock only. There are also being registered hereunder contracts that may be issued by the registrants under which the counterparty may be required to purchase or sell the other securities registered hereunder. These contracts would be issued together with securities registered hereunder. There are also being registered hereunder an indeterminate amount or number of shares of the securities as may be issuable upon conversion or exchange of debt securities, preferred stock or warrants or pursuant to anti-dilution provisions thereof. If any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount, the offering price of such debt securities shall be in such greater principal amount as shall result in an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $300,000,000, less the aggregate dollar amount of all securities previously issued pursuant to this registration statement. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable upon conversion of, or in exchange for, or upon exercise of, convertible or exchangeable securities.
(2) Pursuant to Rule 457(o) and Form S-3 General Instruction II.D., which permit the registration fee to be calculated on the basis of the maximum offering price of all securities listed, the table does not specify information as to the amount of any particular security to be registered.
(3) The debt securities may be issued without guarantees or may be guaranteed by one or more of the registrants named below under “Table of Additional Registrants.”
(4) The guarantees of debt securities may be issued by one or more of the registrants named below under “Table of Additional Registrants” and may be issued without consideration. Pursuant to Rule 457(n), no registration fee is payable with respect to any such guarantees.
(5) Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933.
(6) The registrant paid a filing fee of $11,160 in connection with the registration of securities on a registration statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-160421, filed on July 2, 2009 (the “2009 Registration Statement”). $7,937.55 of the filing fee previously paid in connection with the 2009 Registration Statement relates to the portion of securities registered under the 2009 Registration Statement that were not sold. Pursuant to Rule 457(p), $7,937.55 of the filing fee from the 2009 Registration Statement is being carried forward to this registration statement.

THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(A), MAY DETERMINE.

 

 

 


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TABLE OF ADDITIONAL REGISTRANTS*

 

Exact Name of Additional

Registrant as Specified in its

Charter

 

State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization

 

I.R.S. Employer Identification No.

Gregg Appliances, Inc.   Indiana   35-1049508
HHG Distributing, LLC   Indiana   20-2455875

 

* Gregg Appliances, Inc. is a subsidiary of hhgregg, Inc. and HHG Distributing, LLC is a subsidiary of Gregg Appliances, Inc. The address including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of the additional registrants is 4151 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240, (317) 848-8710.


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. No securities may be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION,

Dated: June 21, 2013

PROSPECTUS

$300,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Debt Securities

 

 

LOGO

hhgregg, Inc.

4151 East 96th Street

Indianapolis, IN 46240

(317) 848-8710

 

 

We may offer from time to time:

 

   

Shares of our common stock;

 

   

Shares of our preferred stock;

 

   

Warrants to purchase any of the other securities that may be sold under this prospectus;

 

   

Debt securities which may or may not be guaranteed by one or more of our subsidiaries, Gregg Appliances, Inc. and HHG Distributing, LLC; and

 

   

Any combination of these securities.

Selling stockholders may also offer shares of our common stock from time to time in connection with this offering. The securities we and/or selling stockholders offer will have an aggregate public offering price of up to $300 million. We will provide specific terms of any offering, including the price to the public of the securities, in supplements to this prospectus. These securities may be offered separately or together in any combination and as separate series. You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement and free writing prospectus carefully before you invest in our securities.

We and/or selling stockholders may sell these securities on a continuous or delayed basis directly, through agents, dealers or underwriters as designated from time to time, or through a combination of these methods. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution”. We and/or selling stockholders, as applicable, reserve the sole right to accept, and together with any agents, dealers and underwriters, reserve the right to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of securities. If any agents, dealers or underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth any applicable commissions or discounts. Our net proceeds, and the net proceeds of any selling stockholders, if applicable, from the sale of securities also will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will also contain more specific information about the offering, including the names of any selling stockholders, if applicable.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HGG”.

 

 

INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES INVOLVES RISKS.

SEE “RISK FACTORS” ON PAGE 4.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is             , 2013


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1   

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     1   

OUR COMPANY

     3   

RISK FACTORS

     4   

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     4   

USE OF PROCEEDS

     4   

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES THAT WE MAY SELL

     4   

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     5   

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     7   

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES AND GUARANTEES

     8   

SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

     19   

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     19   

LEGAL MATTERS

     21   

EXPERTS

     21   

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     21   

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     21   

 

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In this prospectus, “hhgregg” refers to hhgregg, Inc.

In this prospectus, “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to hhgregg, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

In this prospectus, references to “common stock,” “preferred stock”, “debt securities” and “warrants” are to the common stock and preferred stock of hhgregg, and warrants or debt securities issued by hhgregg.

You should rely only on information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Neither we nor selling stockholders have authorized any person to provide you with information that differs from what is contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. If any person does provide you with information that differs from what is contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the securities to which it relates, or an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where offers or sales are not permitted. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, even though this prospectus may be delivered or shares may be sold under this prospectus on a later date. Our business, financial condition, results of operation and prospects may have changed since those dates.

About This Prospectus

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we may from time to time, offer and sell to the public any or all of the securities described in the registration statement in one or more offerings, and the selling stockholders may from time to time offer and sell shares of our common stock in one or more offerings.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we and/or selling stockholders may offer. Each time securities are offered, we or the selling stockholders, if applicable, will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices, and terms of the securities we offer. The prospectus supplement will contain more specific information about the offering, including the names of any selling stockholders, if applicable. The prospectus supplement also may add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus, together with applicable prospectus supplements, includes all material information relating to this offering. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the information in the accompanying prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. Please carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described below under the section entitled “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.”

We and/or selling stockholders may sell the securities to or through underwriters, dealers, or agents or directly to purchasers. We and our agents and the selling stockholders reserve the sole right to accept and to reject in whole or in part any proposed purchase of securities. A prospectus supplement, which we or the selling stockholders will provide each time securities are offered, will provide the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents involved in the sale of the securities, and any applicable fee, commission, or discount arrangements with them.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), provide a “safe harbor” for forward-looking statements to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their companies. Some of the statements in this document and any documents incorporated by reference constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our businesses or our industries’ actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Such statements include statements about our plans, strategies, prospects, changes, outlook and trends in our business and the markets in which we operate; statements around our ability to grow within our existing and new markets; our drivers of customer loyalty, referrals and repeat business; the impact of a motivated full-time sales force; timeline for new stores to generate positive cash flow and cash payback; our ability

 

 

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to expand our store concept to markets where there is demand for our product mix and customer service; expectations around future store growth; expectations around becoming a national retailer; future focus on enhancing store productivity within existing markets, evolving our sales mix, enhancing our service offerings and expanding our customer base; our approach to building store density; impact of our store development strategy on our results of operation, net sales growth and capital expenditures; the number of store openings in a fiscal year; how we enhance our brand image and customer experience; awareness around our financing offers and expectations around testing new offerings; other new credit offerings; non-recourse nature of financing offerings; increasing our service offerings; changes to our e-commerce experience; the benefits of improvements in technology used in our operations; improvements to customer delivery capabilities; the richness of our products’ features and innovations; our ability to compete in our market and industry; brand recognition and reputation; customer purchases of higher-margin, feature rich products; the outcome and impact of legal proceedings; payment of dividends; emphasis on appliances in our marketing strategies; expectations around the U.S. housing market and general economy; new product tests and launches and offerings; impact of accounting policies and estimates; expectations around capital expenditures; our revolving credit facility; ability to fund operations; ability to refinance existing indebtedness; ability to obtain additional debt financing; future payments under our Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plan; our interest rate risk; and our tax assets. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “tends,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially because of market conditions in our industries or other factors that are in some cases beyond our control. All of the forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this prospectus or the date of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as the case may be, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Some of the key factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations are:

 

   

the effect of general and regional economic and employment conditions on our net sales;

 

   

our ability to maintain a positive brand perception and recognition;

 

   

our ability to successfully execute our strategies and initiatives;

 

   

our ability to roll out new credit offerings to customers;

 

   

our ability to maintain the security of customer, associate and our information;

 

   

the impact of average selling prices on net sales;

 

   

competition in existing, adjacent and new metropolitan markets;

 

   

competition from internet retailers;

 

   

ability to modify our product mix based on changes in consumer trends and preferences;

 

   

our ability to effectively manage and monitor our operations, costs and service quality;

 

   

our reliance on a small number of suppliers;

 

   

rapid inflation or deflation in core product prices;

 

   

the failure of manufacturers to introduce new products and technologies;

 

   

customer acceptance of new technology;

 

   

our dependence on our key management personnel;

 

 

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our ability to attract and retain qualified sales personnel;

 

   

our ability to negotiate with our suppliers to provide product on a timely basis at competitive prices;

 

   

the identification and acquisition of suitable sites for our stores and the negotiation of acceptable leases for those sites;

 

   

fluctuation in seasonal demand;

 

   

our ability to maintain our rate of growth and penetrate new geographic areas;

 

   

our ability to maintain and upgrade our information technology systems;

 

   

the effect of a disruption at our regional distribution centers;

 

   

changes in cost for advertising; and

 

   

changes in trade regulation, currency fluctuations and prevailing interest rates.

Other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are more fully described in the “Risk Factors” section and elsewhere herein. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included herein are made only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we do not undertake and specifically decline any obligation to update any of these statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to these statements to reflect future events or developments.

Our Company

We are a specialty retailer of home appliances, televisions, computers, consumer electronics, home entertainment furniture, mattresses, fitness equipment and related services operating under the name hhgregg™. As of March 31, 2013, we operated 228 stores in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. We differentiate ourselves from our competitors by providing our customers with a consultative and educational purchase experience. We also distinguish ourselves by offering next-day delivery on many of our products. Our superior customer purchase experience has enabled us to successfully compete against the other leading video and appliance retailers over the course of our operating history.

We design our stores to be visually appealing to our customers and to highlight our premium selection of appliances and consumer electronics. We carry approximately 350 models of major appliances in stock and a large selection of TVs, consumer electronics, computers and mobile products, home entertainment furniture, mattresses and fitness equipment. We utilize flat panel television display walls, appliance displays and digital product centers to showcase our broad selection of products with advanced features and functionality. Our new store prototypes typically range from 25,000 to 30,000 square feet and are located in power centers or freestanding locations in high traffic areas, as close as feasible to our major competitors. We drive store traffic and enhance our brand recognition through year-round television advertising, weekly newspaper inserts, direct mail, e-mail and web promotions.

We are a Delaware corporation and the address of our principal executive offices is 4151 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240. Our telephone number is 317-848-8710 and our website is www.hhgregg.com. Please note that any references to www.hhgregg.com in the registration statement and this prospectus are inactive textual references only and that the information contained in hhgregg’s website is neither incorporated by reference into this registration statement or prospectus nor intended to be used in connection with this offering.

 

 

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Risk Factors

An investment in our securities is risky. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the specific risks discussed in our other filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013 filed with the SEC on May 20, 2013, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, together with all of the other information contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, or otherwise incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The risks and uncertainties described in our SEC filings are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us, or that we currently see as immaterial, may also harm our business. If any of the risks or uncertainties described in the applicable prospectus supplement or our SEC filings or any such additional risks and uncertainties actually occur, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

If we offer debt securities and/or preference equity securities under this prospectus, then we will, at that time, provide a ratio of earnings to fixed charges and/or ratio of combined fixed charges and preference dividends to earnings, respectively, in the applicable prospectus supplement for such offering.

Use of Proceeds

We intend to use the net proceeds from any sale of securities by us for working capital, store growth and other general corporate purposes. In the case of a sale of common stock by any selling stockholders, we will not receive any of the proceeds from such sale.

General Description of Securities That We May Sell

We may offer and sell, at any time and from time to time:

 

   

Shares of our common stock, par value $.0001 per share;

 

   

Shares of our preferred stock, par value $.0001 per share;

 

   

Warrants to purchase any of the other securities that may be sold under this prospectus;

 

   

Our debt securities, in one or more series, which may be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and which may be guaranteed by one or more of the subsidiaries identified in this prospectus, in each case consisting of notes or other unsecured evidences of indebtedness; or

 

   

Any combination of these securities.

Selling stockholders may also offer shares of our common stock from time to time in connection with this offering. The terms of any securities offered will be determined at the time of sale. We may issue debt securities that are exchangeable for and/or convertible into common stock or any of the other securities that may be sold under this prospectus. When particular securities are offered, a supplement to this prospectus will be filed with the SEC, which will describe the terms of the offering and sale of the offered securities.

 

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Description of Capital Stock

The following description of our capital stock is not complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, which are included as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and by the provisions of applicable Delaware law.

Authorized and Outstanding Shares

Our authorized capital stock consists of 150,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.0001 per share.

As of May 31, 2013, there were 31,504,454 shares of our common stock outstanding, which were held by 71 stockholders of record.

Common Stock

Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters on which stockholders are entitled or permitted to vote. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that, except as otherwise provided by law, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy at a meeting at which a quorum is present, shall be the act of the stockholders.

Delaware law requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon to authorize certain extraordinary actions, such as mergers, consolidations, dissolutions of the corporation or an amendment to the certificate of incorporation of the corporation. There is no cumulative voting for the election of directors. Upon a liquidation, our creditors and any holders of preferred stock with preferential liquidation rights will be paid before any distribution to holders of our common stock. The holders of our common stock would be entitled to receive a pro rata amount per share of any excess distribution. Holders of common stock do not have preemptive or subscription rights. There are no conversion rights, redemption rights, sinking fund provisions or fixed dividend rights with respect to our common stock. All outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and nonassessable.

Preferred Stock

Our certificate of incorporation empowers our board of directors to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock from time to time in one or more series. The board also may fix the designation, privileges, preferences and rights and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of those shares, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights, terms of sinking funds, liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of the series. We will describe the particular terms of any preferred stock in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. Terms selected could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of our common stock or adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of the holders of our common stock without any further vote or action by the stockholders. The rights of holders of our common stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of any preferred shares that may be issued in the future. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of decreasing the market price of our common stock and may adversely affect the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock. Although there are no shares of preferred stock currently outstanding and we have no present intention to issue any shares of preferred stock, any issuance could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire a majority of our outstanding voting stock.

Registration Rights

In connection with our initial public offering in 2007, we entered into a registration rights agreement with FS Equity Partners V, L.P. and FS Affiliates V, L.P. (or the FS Funds), the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, A.S.F. Co-Investment Partners II, L.P., the Jerry W. Throgmartin 2007 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust, Jerry W. Throgmartin, Gregg W. Throgmartin and Dennis L. May which enable them to require us to file a registration statement registering their shares for resale to the public.

 

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Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, the FS Funds may make three demands for registration and the permitted transferees of Jerry W. Throgmartin may make one demand for registration so long as the holder or holders request the registration of registrable common stock having a fair market value of at least $25,000,000. Upon a demand for registration, every party to the agreement and their permitted transferees that hold registrable common stock can request to be included in the registration on a pro rata basis. Each party to the registration rights agreement and their permitted transferees that hold registrable common stock also has unlimited piggyback registration rights subject only to a determination by the underwriters that the success of the offer or the offering price would be adversely affected by the inclusion of securities of the parties.

Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, we agreed to indemnify the selling stockholders against liabilities arising out of any actual or alleged material misstatements or omissions in any registration statement that we have filed relating to the offering of common stock by the selling stockholders, other than liabilities arising from information supplied by the selling stockholders for use in connection with the registration statement or prospectus. The selling stockholders have agreed to indemnify us against liabilities arising out of any actual or alleged material misstatements or omissions in any registration statement or prospectus in connection with the registration rights to the extent that the misstatements or omissions were made in reliance upon written information furnished to us by the selling stockholders expressly for use in connection with the registration statement or prospectus.

Under the registration rights agreement, in general, we are responsible for paying the expenses of registration (other than underwriting discounts and commissions on the sale of shares), including the fees and reasonable expenses of counsel to the selling stockholders.

Potential Anti-takeover Effect of Delaware Law, Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

We are subject to the “business combinations” provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, such provisions prohibit a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in various “business combination” transactions with any “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an “interested stockholder,” unless:

 

   

the board of directors approved the transaction before the “interested stockholder” obtained such status;

 

   

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an “interested stockholder,” the “interested stockholder” owned at least 85% of our outstanding common stock at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding those shares owned (i) by persons who are directors and are also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which the participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plans will be tendered in the tender or exchange offer; or

 

   

on or subsequent to such date, the business combination or merger is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by two-thirds of the holders of the outstanding common stock not owned by the “interested stockholder.”

A “business combination” is defined to include mergers, asset sales and other transactions resulting in financial benefit to a stockholder. In general, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock or within three years did own 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock. The statute could prohibit or delay mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts.

Provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws providing that only a majority of the board of directors, the chairman of the board of directors or the chief executive officer may call special meetings of stockholders may have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of us, or of discouraging a third party from attempting to acquire control of us. Amendment of these provisions requires the affirmative vote of holders of 66 2/3% of our outstanding capital stock. In addition, our certificate of incorporation

 

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allows our board of directors to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock that could have, when issued, voting rights or preferences that could impede the success of any hostile takeover, or delay a change in control or change in our management.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “HGG”.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Investor Services. The transfer agent’s address is 250 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021 and the telephone number is (800) 622-6757.

Description of Warrants

The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer and sell under this prospectus and any related warrant agreements and warrant certificates. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any warrants offered, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement, which may differ from the terms we describe below.

General

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

The prospectus supplement will describe, among other things, the following terms, where applicable, of warrants that we may offer:

 

   

the title of the warrants;

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

the price or prices at which the warrants will be issued and any terms for the adjustment of the price or prices;

 

   

the aggregate number of warrants;

 

   

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

 

   

the price or prices at which the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants may be purchased, including provisions for adjustment of the exercise price of the warrant;

 

   

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

 

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

the maximum or minimum number of warrants which may be exercised at any time.

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

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase for cash the amount of debt securities or number of shares of preferred stock or common stock at the exercise price as will in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

Warrants may be exercised as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the warrants offered thereby. Upon receipt of payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the purchased securities. If less than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the remaining warrants.

Enforceability of Rights of Holders of Warrants

Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, that holder’s warrants.

Description of Debt Securities and Guarantees

We may issue debt securities in one or more distinct series. This section summarizes the terms of the debt securities that are common to all series. Most of the financial terms and other specific terms of any series of debt securities that we offer will be described in a prospectus supplement to be attached to the front of this prospectus. Since the terms of specific debt securities may differ from the general information we have provided below, if any information contained in a prospectus supplement contradicts the information below, you should rely on information in the prospectus supplement.

As required by federal law for all bonds and notes of companies that are publicly offered, the debt securities are governed by a document called an “indenture”. An indenture is a contract between us and a financial institution acting as trustee of holders of the debt securities on behalf of the holders of the debt securities. The trustee has two main roles. First, the trustee can enforce the rights of holders of the debt securities against us if we default. There are some limitations on the extent to which the trustee acts on behalf of holders of the debt securities, described later under “—Events of Default.” Second, the trustee performs certain administrative duties for us.

 

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The debt securities will be either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities. We will issue the senior debt securities under a senior indenture between us and a trustee. We will issue the subordinated debt securities under a subordinated indenture between us and the same or another trustee. The senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are collectively referred to in this prospectus as the indenture, and each of the trustee under the senior indenture and the trustee under the subordinated indenture are referred to in this prospectus as the trustee. Any debt securities issued by us may be guaranteed by one or more of our subsidiaries, each of which we refer to in this section as a guarantor. Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement the debt securities will be direct unsecured obligations of hhgregg.

Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities, the indenture, and any guarantee of any debt securities. We urge you to read the indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a holder of debt securities. For example, in this section, we use capitalized words to signify terms that are specifically defined in the indenture. Some of the definitions are repeated in this prospectus, but for the rest you will need to read the indenture. We have filed the form of the indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement that we have filed with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find More Information,” below, for information on how to obtain a copy of the indenture. In addition, most of the financial terms and other specific terms of any series of debt securities that we offer will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

General

Each series of debt securities, unless specified otherwise in the prospectus supplement, will be unsecured obligations of hhgregg. Any senior unsecured debt securities that we issue will rank equally with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of us. Any subordinated debt securities that we issue will be expressly subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of our senior indebtedness. In addition, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities, including trade payables, of our subsidiaries that do not guarantee the debt securities, and the claims of creditors of those subsidiaries, including trade creditors, will have priority as to the assets and cash flows of those subsidiaries.

Any debt securities proposed to be sold under this prospectus and the attached prospectus supplement (“offered debt securities”) and any debt securities issuable upon conversion or exchange of other offered securities (“underlying debt securities”), may be issued under the indenture in one or more series.

You should read the prospectus supplement for the terms of the offered debt securities, including the following:

 

   

the title of the debt securities and whether the debt securities will be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities of hhgregg;

 

   

the total principal amount of the debt securities and any limit on the total principal amount of debt securities of the series;

 

   

the price or prices at which hhgregg will offer the debt securities;

 

   

if not the entire principal amount of the debt securities, the portion of the principal amount payable upon acceleration of the maturity of the debt securities or how this portion will be determined;

 

   

the date or dates, or how the date or dates will be determined or extended, when the principal of the debt securities will be payable;

 

   

the interest rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, that the debt securities will bear, if any, or how the rate or rates will be determined, the date or dates from which any interest will accrue or how the date or dates will be determined, the interest payment dates, any record dates for these payments and the basis upon which interest will be calculated, if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

 

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any optional redemption provisions;

 

   

any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to repurchase or otherwise redeem the debt securities;

 

   

if other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies of the debt securities;

 

   

whether the amount of payments of principal, premium or interest, if any, on the debt securities will be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method, which could be based on one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices, and how these amounts will be determined;

 

   

the place or places, if any, other than or in addition to The City of New York, of payment, transfer, conversion and/or exchange of the debt securities;

 

   

if the denominations in which the offered debt securities will be issued are other than denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000;

 

   

the applicability of defeasance provisions of the indenture and any provisions in modification of, in addition to, or in lieu of, any of these provisions;

 

   

any provisions granting special rights to the holders of the debt securities upon the occurrence of specified events;

 

   

any changes or additions to the events of default or covenants contained in the indenture;

 

   

whether the debt securities will be convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities and the applicable terms and conditions;

 

   

the terms of any guarantees by any of our subsidiaries;

 

   

subordination provisions, if any, that will apply, to the extent different from those set forth below;

 

   

the form of note or other instrument representing the debt if not issued in book entry form; and

 

   

any other terms of the debt securities.

Covenants

The supplemental indenture with respect to any particular series of debt securities may contain covenants including, without limitation, covenants restricting or limiting:

 

   

the incurrence of additional debt, including guarantees, by us and our subsidiaries;

 

   

the making of various payments, including dividends, by us and our subsidiaries;

 

   

our business activities and those of our subsidiaries;

 

   

the issuance of other securities by our subsidiaries;

 

   

asset dispositions;

 

   

sale-leaseback transactions;

 

   

transactions with affiliates;

 

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a change of control;

 

   

the incurrence of liens; and

 

   

mergers and consolidations involving us and our subsidiaries.

For purposes of this prospectus, any reference to the payment of principal of or premium or interest, if any, on debt securities will include additional amounts if required by the terms of the debt securities, subject to the maximum offering amount under this prospectus.

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that may be issued thereunder from time to time. The indenture also provides that there may be more than one trustee thereunder, with respect to one or more different series of indenture securities. See “—Resignation of Trustee,” below. At a time when two or more trustees are acting under the indenture, each with respect to only certain series, the term “indenture securities” means the one or more series of debt securities with respect to which each respective trustee is acting. In the event that there is more than one trustee under the indenture, the powers and trust obligations of each trustee described in this prospectus will extend only to the one or more series of indenture securities for which it is trustee. If two or more trustees are acting under the indenture, then the indenture securities for which each trustee is acting would be treated as if issued under separate indentures.

We have the ability to issue indenture securities with terms different from those of indenture securities previously issued and, without the consent of the holders thereof, to reopen a previous issue of a series of indenture securities and issue additional indenture securities of that series unless the reopening was restricted when that series was created.

Methods of Calculating and Paying Interest on our Debt Securities

Each series of our debt securities will bear interest at a fixed or variable rate per annum shown on the front cover of the prospectus supplement under which that series is issued.

Provisions Relating Only to the Senior Debt Securities

The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other senior and unsubordinated debt and senior in right of payment to any of our subordinated debt, including the subordinated debt securities. The senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated to all of our secured debt and to all debt, including trade debt, of our subsidiaries, except as to subsidiaries that guarantee the debt. We will disclose the amount of our secured debt in the prospectus supplement.

Provisions Relating Only to the Subordinated Debt Securities

The subordinated debt securities will rank junior in right of payment to all of our senior indebtedness. Senior indebtedness will be defined to include all notes or other evidences of debt not expressed to be subordinate or junior in right of payment to any of our other debt. The debt will be structurally subordinated to all debt, including trade debt, of our subsidiaries, except as to subsidiaries that guarantee the debt.

If the offered securities are subordinated debt securities, the supplemental indenture may provide that no cash payment of principal, interest and any premium on the subordinated debt securities may be made:

 

   

if we fail to pay when due any amounts on any senior indebtedness;

 

   

if our property is, or we are, involved in any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or bankruptcy; and

 

   

in other instances specified in the supplemental indenture.

 

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Conversion or Exchange Rights

If any series of our debt securities are convertible or exchangeable, the applicable prospectus supplement will specify:

 

   

the type of securities into which it may be converted or exchanged;

 

   

the conversion price or exchange ratio, or its method of calculation; and

 

   

how the conversion price or exchange ratio may be adjusted if our debt securities are redeemed.

Events of Default

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the following will be events of default with respect to any series of debt securities or guarantees:

 

   

default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on the debt securities;

 

   

default in payment when due of the principal of or any premium on the debt securities;

 

   

default in the performance or breach of various covenants after applicable notice and/or grace period; and

 

   

various events of bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to us.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe any additional events of default.

If an event of default occurs with respect to debt securities of a series then outstanding and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding, by a notice in writing to hhgregg (and to the trustee if given by the holders), may, and the trustee at the request of such holders shall, declare the principal amount (or, if the debt securities of that series are original issue discount securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on all of the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately, and the same (or specified portion thereof) shall become immediately due and payable. A declaration of default under the indenture or under other payment obligations could give rise to cross-defaults and acceleration with respect to the debt securities or such other payment obligations.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to debt securities of any series (or of all series, as the case may be) has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee as provided in the indenture, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series (or of all series, as the case may be) then outstanding, by written notice to hhgregg and the trustee, may rescind such declaration and its consequences under the circumstances specified in the applicable debenture.

The indenture will provide that no such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

With respect to the debt securities of any series, the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of such series then outstanding 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, provided that:

 

   

such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with the indenture;

 

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the trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction; and

 

   

the trustee need not take any action which might involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the holders of debt securities of such series not consenting.

No holder of any debt security of any series or any related coupons shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

 

   

the holder has previously given written notice to the trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to the debt securities of that series;

 

   

the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding shall have made written request to the trustee to institute proceedings in respect of the event of default in its own name as trustee under the indenture;

 

   

such holder or holders have offered to the trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

 

   

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

 

   

no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the trustee during such 60-day period by the holders of a majority or more in principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding.

However, no holder of a debt security has the right under the indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other holders of debt securities of the same series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such holders or to enforce any right under the indenture, except in the manner provided in the indenture and for the equal and ratable benefit of all holders of debt securities of the same series.

Every year we will be required to deliver to the trustee a certificate as to our performance of our obligations under the indenture and as to any defaults.

Mergers, Consolidations and Certain Sale of Assets

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the indenture will provide that we may not:

 

   

consolidate with or merge into any other person or entity or permit any other person or entity to consolidate with or merge into us in a transaction in which we are not the surviving entity, or

 

   

transfer, lease or dispose of all or substantially all of our assets to any other person or entity unless:

 

   

the resulting, surviving or transferee entity shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof and such resulting, surviving or transferee entity shall expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered in form satisfactory to the trustee, all of our obligations under the debt securities and the indenture;

 

   

immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the resulting, surviving or

 

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transferee entity as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by such entity at the time of such transaction), no default or event of default would occur or be continuing; and

 

   

we shall have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with the indenture.

Modification and Waiver

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the indenture will provide that hhgregg and the trustee may amend or supplement the indenture or the debt securities without notice to or the consent of any holder for clarification, corrections, and legal compliance purposes, including as follows:

 

   

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

 

   

to provide for uncertificated debt securities in addition to or in place of certificated debt securities;

 

   

to make any change that does not adversely affect the interests thereunder of any holder;

 

   

to qualify the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the Trust Indenture Act, or to comply with the requirements of the SEC in order to maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

   

to evidence the succession of another person to hhgregg and that person’s assumption of hhgregg’s covenants;

 

   

to add to hhgregg’s covenants;

 

   

to add any additional events of default;

 

   

to secure the debt securities;

 

   

to establish the form or terms of debt securities;

 

   

to evidence the appointment of a successor trustee under the indenture;

 

   

to close the indenture with respect to authentication and delivery of additional series of debt securities; or

 

   

to supplement the indenture in order to permit the defeasance and discharge of any series of debt securities.

The indenture will provide that hhgregg and the trustee may make modifications and amendments to the indenture, and waive past defaults, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount at maturity of the outstanding debt securities in a series; provided, however, that no such modification or amendment may, without the consent of each holder affected thereby,

 

   

change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any installment of interest on, any debt security;

 

   

reduce the principal amount of, or premium, if any, or interest on, any debt security;

 

   

reduce the amount of a debt security’s principal that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration, following a default:

 

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change the place of payment of, the currency of payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, any debt security;

 

   

impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the stated maturity (or, in the case of a redemption, on or after the redemption date) of any debt security;

 

   

adversely affect any right to convert or exchange any debt security that is convertible or exchangeable; or

 

   

reduce the stated percentage of outstanding debt securities the consent of whose holders is necessary to modify, or amend the indenture or waive a past default.

Governing Law

Any issued debt securities and the indenture will be governed by the laws of the state of New York.

Concerning the Trustee

The indenture will provide that, except during the continuance of an event of default or default, the trustee will not be liable, except for the performance of such duties as are specifically set forth in such indenture. If an event of default has occurred and is continuing, the trustee will use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise as a prudent person would exercise under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

The indenture and provisions of the Trust Indenture Act incorporated by reference in the indenture contain limitations on the rights of the trustee, should it become our creditor, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases or to realize on certain property received by it in respect of any such claims, as security or otherwise. The trustee is permitted to engage in other transactions; provided, however, that if it acquires any conflicting interest, it must eliminate such conflict or resign.

Defeasance

The following provisions will be applicable to each series of debt securities unless we state in the applicable prospectus supplement that the provisions of covenant defeasance and full defeasance will not be applicable to that series.

The indenture will provide that we will be deemed to have paid and will be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of any issued series of debt securities and the provisions of the indenture or will be released from our obligations to comply with covenants relating to those debt securities as described above or in the applicable prospectus supplement, (which may include obligations concerning subordination of our subordinated debt securities) if, among other things:

 

   

we have irrevocably deposited with the trustee, in trust, money and/or U.S. Government Obligations (as defined in the indenture) that through the payment of interest and principal in respect of those monies and/or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the series of debt securities on the stated maturity of such payments and any applicable sinking fund or analogous payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and the debt securities;

 

   

such defeasance shall not result in a breach, or constitute a default, under the indenture or any other material agreement of hhgregg;

 

   

we have delivered to the trustee either (i) an opinion of counsel to the effect that holders will not recognize additional income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of hhgregg’s exercise of the defeasance or covenant defeasance, or (ii) a ruling directed to the trustee received from the Internal Revenue Service to the same effect as the aforementioned opinion of counsel; and

 

   

hhgregg has delivered to the trustee an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all the conditions precedent to full defeasance have been complied with.

 

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In the event we exercise our option to omit compliance with certain covenants and provisions of the indenture with respect to a series of debt securities and the debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of an event of default that remains applicable, the amount of money and/or U.S. Government Obligations on deposit with the trustee will be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities at the time of their stated maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities at the time of the acceleration resulting from such event of default, however, we will remain liable for such payments.

We cannot defease our obligations to register the transfer or exchange of our debt securities; to replace our debt securities that have been stolen, lost or mutilated; to maintain paying agencies; or to hold funds for payment in trust. We may not defease our obligations if there is a continuing event of default on securities issued under the applicable indenture, or if depositing amounts into trust would cause the trustee to have conflicting interests with respect to other of our securities.

Resignation of Trustee

Each trustee may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of indenture securities provided that a successor trustee is appointed to act with respect to these series. In the event that two or more persons are acting as trustee with respect to different series of indenture securities under one of the indentures, each of the trustees will be a trustee of a trust separate and apart from the trust administered by any other trustee.

Guarantees

The debt securities of any series that we issue may be guaranteed by one or more of our direct or indirect subsidiaries. However, the indentures governing our guaranteed debt securities will not require that any of our subsidiaries be a guarantor of any series of guaranteed debt securities. As a result, the guarantors of any series of our guaranteed debt securities may differ from the guarantors of any other series of guaranteed debt securities. In the event we issue a series of guaranteed debt securities, the specific guarantors of the debt securities of that series will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each subsidiary guarantor of the debt securities is exempt from Exchange Act reporting pursuant to Rule 12h-5 under the Exchange Act as: (i) hhgregg has no independent assets or operations; (ii) the guarantees of the subsidiary guarantors are full and unconditional and joint and several; and (iii) there are no subsidiaries of hhgregg other than the subsidiary guarantors.

If we issue a series of guaranteed debt securities, a description of some of the terms of the guarantees of those debt securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, including any limitations that may be applicable to the guarantee due to other debt arrangements or otherwise. Unless otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement relating to a series of guaranteed debt securities, each guarantor of the debt securities of such series will unconditionally guarantee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on and any other amounts payable with respect to, each debt security of such series and the due and punctual performance of all of the our other obligations under the applicable indenture with respect to the debt securities of such series, all in accordance with the terms of such debt securities and the applicable indenture.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement relating to a series of guaranteed debt securities, the applicable indenture will contain provisions to the effect that the obligations of each guarantor under its guarantees and such indenture shall be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such guarantor, result in the obligations of such guarantor under such guarantees and such indenture not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under applicable law. However, there can be no assurance that, notwithstanding such limitation, a court would not determine that a guarantee constituted a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under applicable law. If that were to occur, the court could void the applicable guarantor’s obligations under that guarantee, subordinate that guarantee to other debt and other liabilities of that guarantor or take other action detrimental to holders of the debt securities of the applicable series, including directing the holders to return any payments received from the applicable guarantor.

 

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The applicable prospectus supplement relating to any series of guaranteed debt securities will specify other terms of the applicable guarantees, which may include provisions that allow a guarantor to be released from its obligations under its guarantee under specified circumstances or that provide for one or more guarantees to be secured by specified collateral.

Unless otherwise expressly stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, each guarantee will be the unsubordinated and unsecured obligation of the applicable guarantor and will rank on a parity in right of payment with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and guarantees of such guarantor. Each guarantee (other than a secured guarantee) will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future secured indebtedness and secured guarantees of the applicable guarantor to the extent of the value of the collateral securing that indebtedness and those guarantees. Consequently, in the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to any guarantor that has provided an unsecured guarantee of any debt securities, the holders of that guarantor’s secured indebtedness and secured guarantees will be entitled to proceed directly against the collateral that secures that secured indebtedness or those secured guarantees, as the case may be, and such collateral will not be available for satisfaction of any amount owed by such guarantor under its unsecured indebtedness and unsecured guarantees, including its unsecured guarantees of any debt securities, until that secured debt and those secured guarantees are satisfied in full. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, the indentures will not limit the ability of any guarantor to incur secured indebtedness or issue secured guarantees.

Unless otherwise expressly stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, each secured guarantee will be an unsubordinated obligation of the applicable guarantor and will rank on a parity in right of payment with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and guarantees of such guarantor, except that such secured guarantee will effectively rank senior to such guarantor’s unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and guarantees in respect of claims against the collateral securing that secured guarantee.

Global Securities

We may issue debt securities as registered securities in book-entry form only. A global security represents one or any other number of individual debt securities. All debt securities represented by the same global security have the same terms.

Each debt security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all debt securities issued in book-entry form.

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary or its nominee, unless special termination situations arise. As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all debt securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that has an account with the depositary. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the debt security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. The depositary that holds the global security will be considered the holder of the debt securities represented by the global security.

 

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If debt securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

 

   

an investor cannot cause the debt securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain certificates for his or her interest in the debt securities, except in the special situations we describe below;

 

   

an investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the debt securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the debt securities;

 

   

an investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the debt securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective;

 

   

the depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in a global security. We and the trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in a global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way;

 

   

DTC requires that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security deposited in its book-entry system use immediately available funds. Your broker or bank may also require you to use immediately available funds when purchasing or selling interests in a global security; and

 

   

financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in a global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the debt security. There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries.

Generally, a global security will be terminated and interests in it will be exchanged for certificates in non-global form, referred to as certificated securities only in the following instances:

 

   

if the depositary notifies us and the trustee that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for that global security;

 

   

if the depositary ceases to be a clearing agency and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 90 days;

 

   

if we determine that we wish to terminate that global security; or

 

   

if an event of default has occurred with regard to the debt securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived, and the owner of beneficial interests in the global security requests that certificated securities be delivered; we discuss defaults above under “Events of Default.”

The prospectus supplement may list situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of debt securities covered by the prospectus supplement. If a global security is terminated, only the depositary, and not we or the applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions in whose names the debt securities represented by the global security will be registered and, therefore, who will be the holders of those debt securities.

 

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Payment and Paying Agent

Unless specified otherwise in a prospectus supplement, in the event certificated registered debt securities are issued, the holders of certificated registered debt securities will be able to receive payments of principal and of interest on their debt securities at the office of the paying agent. All payments of interest may be received at the offices of such paying agent upon presentation of certificated debt securities and all payments of principal may be received at such offices upon surrender of the debt securities. We also have the option of mailing checks or making wire transfers to the registered holders of the debt securities. Unless specified otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will maintain a paying agent for the debt securities in The City of New York at all times that payments are to be made in respect of the debt securities and, if and so long as the debt securities remain outstanding.

Selling Stockholders

Information about selling stockholders, if any, including their identities and the common stock to be registered on their behalf, will be set forth in a prospectus supplement, in a post-effective amendment or in filings we make with the SEC under the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

All of the common stock currently held by the selling stockholders was issued and outstanding as of the date of the filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and was acquired in connection with either our reorganization in 2007, a private placement in 2009, the exercise of stock options or in open market purchases. Please refer to “Description of Capital Stock —Registration Rights” for a description of selling stockholders who may offer or sell common stock. Selling stockholders shall not sell any of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus until we have identified such selling stockholders, any relationship any selling stockholder has had with us in the three years prior to any such sale, the total number of shares held by each selling stockholder before and after the sale and the number of shares of common stock being offered for resale by such selling stockholders in a subsequent prospectus supplement. However, the selling stockholders may sell or transfer all or a portion of their common stock pursuant to any available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

Plan of Distribution

We and/or selling stockholders may sell the securities in and outside the United States through underwriters or dealers, directly to purchasers, including our affiliates, through agents, or through a combination of any of these methods. The prospectus supplement will include the following information:

 

   

the terms of the offering;

 

   

the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;

 

   

the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters;

 

   

the purchase price of the securities;

 

   

the net proceeds from the sale of the securities;

 

   

any delayed delivery arrangements;

 

   

any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation;

 

   

any public offering price;

 

   

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

 

   

any commissions paid to agents;

 

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the terms of any arrangement entered into with any dealer or agent; and

 

   

any information about selling stockholders, if applicable.

Sale Through Underwriters or Dealers

If underwriters are used in the sale of any of these securities, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless we inform you otherwise in any prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

During and after an offering through underwriters, the underwriters may purchase and sell the securities in the open market. These transactions may include overallotment and stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover syndicate short positions created in connection with the offering. The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid, which means that selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other broker-dealers for the offered securities sold for their account may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the offered securities are repurchased by the syndicate in stabilizing or covering transactions. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the offered securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue these activities at any time.

Some or all of the securities that we offer though this prospectus may be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom we sell these securities for public offering and sale may make a market in those securities, but they will not be obligated to and they may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Accordingly, we cannot assure you of the liquidity of, or continued trading markets for, any securities that we offer.

If dealers are used in the sale of securities, we will sell the securities to them as principals. They may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. We will include in the prospectus supplement the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.

Direct Sales and Sales Through Agents

We and/or selling stockholders may sell the securities directly, and not through underwriters or agents. Securities may also be sold through agents designated from time to time. In the prospectus supplement, we will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities, and we will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

We and/or selling stockholders may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act, as amended, or the Securities Act, with respect to any sale of those securities. We will describe the terms of any such sales in the prospectus supplement.

Delayed Delivery Contracts

If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, we and/or selling stockholders may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us or selling stockholders, if applicable, at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

 

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General Information

We and/or selling stockholders may have agreements with the agents, dealers and underwriters to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments that the agents, dealers or underwriters may be required to make. Agents, dealers and underwriters may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for, us or selling stockholders in the ordinary course of their businesses.

Legal Matters

The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Bingham McCutchen LLP, New York, New York.

Experts

The consolidated financial statements of hhgregg, Inc. and subsidiaries as of March 31, 2013 and 2012, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended March 31, 2013, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2013 have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance on the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

Where You Can Find More Information

We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and its rules and regulations. The Exchange Act requires us to file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Copies of these reports, proxy statements and other information can be read and copied at: SEC Public Reference Room, 100 F Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.

The SEC maintains a Web site that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. These materials may be obtained electronically by accessing the SEC’s Web site at http://www.sec.gov.

We make available, free of charge on our Web site, our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file these documents with, or furnish them to, the SEC. These documents are posted on our Web site at www.hhgregg.com—select the “Investor Relations” link and then the “Financials and SEC Filings” link.

We also make available, free of charge on our Web site, the charters of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Executive Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, as well as the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Whistleblower Policy, Related Party Policy, Director Nomination Policy and the Corporate Governance Guidelines. These documents are posted on our Web site at www.hhgregg.com—select the “Investor Relations” link and then the “Corporate Governance” link.

Copies of any of the above-referenced documents will also be made available, free of charge, upon written request to: hhgregg, Inc., Director of Finance, 4151 E 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240.

Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference

The SEC allows us to incorporate into this prospectus information we file with the SEC in other documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and information we later file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as amended, until all of the securities that are part of this offering have been sold. The documents we have incorporated by reference are:

 

   

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2013 filed with the SEC on May 20, 2013;

 

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Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on June, 21, 2013;

 

   

Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 2, 2013 and June 20, 2013; and

 

   

the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on July 16, 2007.

Notwithstanding the above, information that is “furnished” to the SEC shall not be incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus or the related registration statement.

We will provide, without charge, to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Requests may be made in writing or by telephoning: the Company’s Secretary at hhgregg, Inc., 4151 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240, (317) 848-8710.

You should read the information in this prospectus together with the information in the documents incorporated by reference.

 

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$300,000,000

 

 

LOGO

hhgregg, Inc.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Debt Securities

 

 

Prospectus

 

 

The date of this prospectus is             , 2013


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PART II

Information Not Required In Prospectus

Item 14. Other Expenses Of Issuance And Distribution

The following is an estimate, subject to future contingencies, of the expenses to be incurred by the co-registrants in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered:

 

Registration Fee

   $ 40,920   

Legal Fees and Expenses

      

Accounting Fees and Expenses

      

FINRA Filing Fee

   $ 45,500   

Trustee Fees and Expenses

      

Blue Sky Fees and Expenses

      

Printing and Engraving Fees

      

Rating Agency Fees

      

Miscellaneous

      

TOTAL

      

 

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

Item 15. Indemnification Of Directors And Officers

hhgregg, Inc.:

Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that all of our directors, officers, employees and agents shall be entitled to be indemnified by us to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL.

Article VII of our Certificate of Incorporation provides:

Our company, to the full extent permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL as amended from time to time, shall indemnify all persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto. It further provides that expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding or to which the officer or director may be entitled to indemnification hereunder shall be paid by us in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay the amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by us as authorized by our certificate of incorporation.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the provisions of our certificate of incorporation, or otherwise, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against these liabilities (other than the payment of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in a successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to the court of its appropriate jurisdiction the question whether indemnification by us is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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We will pay for or reimburse reasonable expenses incurred by a director and may pay for or reimburse reasonable expenses incurred by an officer in defending any action, suit, or proceeding in advance of the final disposition thereof upon (i) receipt of a written affirmation of the director’s or officer’s good faith belief that the director or officer has met the standard of conduct prescribed by Delaware law; (ii) receipt of an undertaking of the director or officer to repay the amount paid by us if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer is not entitled to indemnification by us and (iii) a determination that the facts then known to those making the determination would not preclude indemnification under the DGCL.

In addition, we have entered into customary indemnity agreements with each of our directors and executive officers.

Gregg Appliances, Inc.:

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to this registrant’s directors or officers pursuant to the following provisions, or otherwise, this registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is therefore unenforceable.

The Indiana Business Corporation Law permits an Indiana corporation to indemnify its directors and officers from liability for his or her conduct if such conduct was in good faith, and he or she reasonably believed when acting in his or her official capacity with the corporation, that such conduct was in the corporation’s best interest. If the individual was not acting in his or her official capacity with the corporation, then indemnification is permitted for good faith conduct with the reasonable belief that such conduct was at least not opposed to the best interest of the corporation. In the case of a criminal proceeding, indemnification is permitted if the individual either had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was lawful or had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. Unless limited by its articles of incorporation, a corporation must indemnify a director or officer, who is wholly successful in the defense of any proceeding to which the director or officer is a party by virtue of being a director or officer of the corporation, against reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding. Indemnification can be made in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding if certain procedural requirements are met.

This registrant’s Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation require the full indemnification of this registrant’s directors and permit full or partial indemnification of this registrant’s officers or any individuals serving at this registrant’s request as a director, officer, partner, member, manager, trustee, employee or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise whether or not for profit, against liability and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by him or her arising out of any claim or action, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative in which they become involved by reason of being or having been in any such capacity. To be entitled to indemnification these persons must have met the standard of conduct for indemnification specified in the Indiana Business Corporation Law, and described above.

This registrant will pay for or reimburse reasonable expenses incurred by a director and may pay for or reimburse reasonable expenses incurred by an officer in defending any action, suit, or proceeding in advance of the final disposition thereof upon (i) receipt of a written affirmation of the director’s or officer’s good faith belief that the director or officer has met the standard of conduct prescribed by Indiana law; (ii) receipt of an undertaking of the director or officer to repay the amount paid by this registrant if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer is not entitled to indemnification by this registrant and (iii) a determination that the facts then known to those making the determination would not preclude indemnification under the Indiana Business Corporation Law.

In addition, in the ordinary course of our business, this registrant from time to time enters into contracts under which this registrant and its directors and officers are provided with standard rights of indemnification against liability that they may incur in their capacities as such and in connection with activities performed under the terms of such contracts.

 

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HHG Distributing, LLC:

Section 23-18-2-2 of the Indiana Business Flexibility Act states that, unless the limited liability company’s articles of organization provide otherwise, a limited liability company may indemnify and hold harmless any member, manager, agent, or employee from and against any and all claims and demands, except in the case of action or failure to act by the member, agent, or employee which constitutes willful misconduct or recklessness and subject to any standards and restrictions set forth in a written operating agreement. The Operating Agreement of HHG Distributing, LLC (“HHG”) does not prohibit or limit, or create any standards or restrictions with respect to, the ability of HHG to provide indemnification as described under Section 23-18-2-2 of the Indiana Business Flexibility Act.

Item 16. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement*
  3.1    Certificate of Incorporation of hhgregg, Inc. (1)
  3.2    By-Laws of hhgregg, Inc. (1)
  3.3    Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Gregg Appliances, Inc.**
  3.4    Second Amended and Restated By-Laws of Gregg Appliances, Inc.**
  3.5    Articles of Organization of HHG Distributing, LLC**
  3.6    Operating Agreement of HHG Distributing, LLC**
  4.1    Specimen common stock certificate (2)
  4.2    Form of Senior or Subordinated Indenture**
  4.3    Form of Senior Debt Security*
  4.4    Form of Subordinated Debt Security*
  4.5    Form of Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock*
  4.6    Form of Certificate for Preferred Stock*
  4.7    Form of Warrant*
  4.8    Form of Warrant Agreement*
  5.1    Opinion of Bingham McCutchen LLP**
12.1    Computation of Ratio/Deficiency of Earnings to Fixed Charges*
23.1    Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm**
23.2    Consent of Bingham McCutchen LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)**
24    Power of Attorney**
25.1    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Senior or Subordinated Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939*

 

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* To be filed with a Current Report on Form 8-K or a Post-Effective Amendment to the registration statement.
** Filed herewith.
(1) Incorporated by reference to the same-numbered exhibit to Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-142181) filed by the Registrant with the SEC on April 18, 2007.
(2) Incorporated by reference to the same-numbered exhibit to Amendment No. 2 to Form S-1 (File No. 333-142181) filed by the Registrant with the SEC on June 29, 2007.

Item 17. Undertakings

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

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

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933.

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

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

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

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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

 

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That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i) If the Registrant is relying on Rule 430B:

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

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

(ii) If the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities the undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

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

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

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

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

 

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That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 15 above, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

II-6


Table of Contents

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Indianapolis, state of Indiana, on June 21, 2013.

 

HHGREGG, INC.
By:  

/s/ Dennis L. May

  Dennis L. May
  President and Chief Executive Officer
  (Principal Executive Officer)
By:  

/s/ Jeremy J. Aguilar

  Jeremy J. Aguilar
  Chief Financial Officer
  (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Dennis L. May and Jeremy J. Aguilar, and each or either of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments including pre- and post-effective amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or his substitute, each acting alone, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/    Dennis L. May        

Dennis L. May

   President, Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Director   June 21, 2013

/s/    Jeremy J. Aguilar        

Jeremy J. Aguilar

   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)   June 21, 2013

/s/    Lawrence P. Castellani        

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Lawrence P. Castellani     

/s/    Benjamin D. Geiger        

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Benjamin D. Geiger     

/s/    Catherine A. Langham        

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Catherine A. Langham     

/s/    John M. Roth        

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

John M. Roth     

/s/    Charles P. Rullman        

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Charles P. Rullman     

/s/    Michael L. Smith         

  

Chairman of the Board and Director

 

June 21, 2013

Michael L. Smith     


Table of Contents

/s/    Peter M. Starrett        

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Peter M. Starrett     

/s/    Gregg W. Throgmartin        

Gregg W. Throgmartin

   Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Director   June 21, 2013

/s/    Kathleen C. Tierney        

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Kathleen C. Tierney     

/s/    Darell E. Zink        

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Darell E. Zink     


Table of Contents

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Indianapolis, state of Indiana, on June 21, 2013.

 

GREGG APPLIANCES, INC.
By:  

/s/    Dennis L. May

  Dennis L. May
  President and Chief Executive Officer
  (Principal Executive Officer)
By:  

/s/    Jeremy J. Aguilar

  Jeremy J. Aguilar
  Chief Financial Officer
  (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Dennis L. May and Jeremy J. Aguilar, and each or either of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments including pre- and post-effective amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or his substitute, each acting alone, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/    Dennis L. May

Dennis L. May

   President, Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Director   June 21, 2013

/s/    Jeremy J. Aguilar

Jeremy J. Aguilar

   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)   June 21, 2013

/s/    Lawrence P. Castellani

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Lawrence P. Castellani     

/s/    Benjamin D. Geiger

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Benjamin D. Geiger     

/s/    Catherine A. Langham

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Catherine A. Langham     

/s/    John M. Roth

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

John M. Roth     

/s/    Charles P. Rullman

  

Director

 

June 21, 2013

Charles P. Rullman

    

/s/    Michael L. Smith

  

Chairman of the Board and Director

 

June 21, 2013

Michael L. Smith     


Table of Contents

/s/ Peter M. Starrett

   Director   June 21, 2013
Peter M. Starrett     

/s/ Gregg W. Throgmartin

Gregg W. Throgmartin

   Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Director   June 21, 2013

/s/ Kathleen C. Tierney

   Director   June 21, 2013
Kathleen C. Tierney     

/s/ Darell E. Zink

   Director   June 21, 2013
Darell E. Zink     


Table of Contents

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Indianapolis, state of Indiana, on June 21, 2013.

 

HHG DISTRIBUTING, LLC.
By:  

/s/ Dennis L. May

  Dennis L. May
  President and Chief Executive Officer
  (Principal Executive Officer)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Dennis L. May and Jeremy J. Aguilar, and each or either of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments including pre- and post-effective amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or his substitute, each acting alone, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Dennis L. May

   Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   June 21, 2013
Dennis L. May          and Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

/s/ Lawrence P. Castellani

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

Lawrence P. Castellani     

/s/ Benjamin D. Geiger

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

Benjamin D. Geiger     

/s/ Catherine A. Langham

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

Catherine A. Langham     

/s/ John M. Roth

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

John M. Roth     

/s/ Charles P. Rullman

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

Charles P. Rullman     

/s/ Michael L. Smith

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

Michael L. Smith     

/s/ Peter M. Starrett

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

Peter M. Starrett     

/s/ Gregg W. Throgmartin

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

Gregg W. Throgmartin     

/s/ Kathleen C. Tierney

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

Kathleen C. Tierney     

/s/ Darell E. Zink

   Director of Gregg Appliances, Inc., its sole member  

June 21, 2013

Darell E. Zink     


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number
   Description
  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement*
  3.1    Certificate of Incorporation of hhgregg, Inc. (1)
  3.2    By-Laws of hhgregg, Inc. (1)
  3.3    Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Gregg Appliances, Inc.**
  3.4    Second Amended and Restated By-Laws of Gregg Appliances, Inc.**
  3.5    Articles of Organization of HHG Distributing, LLC**
  3.6    Operating Agreement of HHG Distributing, LLC**
  4.1    Specimen common stock certificate (2)
  4.2    Form of Senior or Subordinated Indenture**
  4.3    Form of Senior Debt Security*
  4.4    Form of Subordinated Debt Security*
  4.5    Form of Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock*
  4.6    Form of Certificate for Preferred Stock*
  4.7    Form of Warrant*
  4.8    Form of Warrant Agreement*
  5.1    Opinion of Bingham McCutchen LLP**
12.1    Computation of Ratio/Deficiency of Earnings to Fixed Charges*
23.1    Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm**
23.2    Consent of Bingham McCutchen LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)**
24    Power of Attorney**
25.1    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for Senior or Subordinated Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939*

 

* To be filed with a Current Report on Form 8-K or a Post-Effective Amendment to the registration statement.
** Filed herewith.
(1) Incorporated by reference to the same-numbered exhibit to Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-142181) filed by the Registrant with the SEC on April 18, 2007.
(2) Incorporated by reference to the same-numbered exhibit to Amendment No. 2 to Form S-1 (File No. 333-142181) filed by the Registrant with the SEC on June 29, 2007.
EX-3.3 2 d556791dex33.htm EX-3.3 EX-3.3

Exhibit 3.3

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

GREGG APPLIANCES, INC.

The above corporation (hereinafter referred to as the “Corporation”) existing pursuant to the Indiana Business Corporation Law, as amended (the “Act”), desiring to give notice of corporate action effectuating amendment and restatement of its Articles of Incorporation and all amendments thereto (the “Articles of Incorporation”) sets forth the following facts:

ARTICLE I

Name

Section 1.01. The name of the Corporation is Gregg Appliances, Inc.

Section 1.02. The date of incorporation of the Corporation is June 1, 1960.

ARTICLE II

Purposes

The purposes for which the Corporation is formed are to engage in and to transact any and all lawful business for which corporations may be incorporated under the Act.

ARTICLE III

Shares

Section 3.01. Number of Shares. The Corporation is authorized to issue a total of One Hundred Ten Million (110,000,000) shares.

Section 3.02. Designation of Classes, Number and Par Value of Shares. The shares of authorized capital shall be divided into One Hundred Million (100,000,000) shares of Common Stock, without par value (“Common Stock”), as hereinafter provided and Ten Million (10,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock, without par value (“Preferred Stock”), as hereinafter provided.

Section 3.03. Voting Rights. Each holder of Common Stock shall have the right to vote on all matters presented to shareholders and shall be entitled on all matters, including election of directors, to one vote for each share of Common Stock registered in his name on the books of the Corporation.


ARTICLE IV

Registered Office and Registered Agent

Section 4.01. Registered Office. The street address of the Corporation’s initial registered office is 251 East Ohio Street, Suite 1100, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204.

Section 4.02. Registered Agent. The name of the Corporation’s initial registered agent at such registered office is CT Corporation System.

ARTICLE V

Indemnification

Section 5.01. Rights to Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses.

(a) The Corporation shall indemnify as a matter of right every person made a party to a proceeding because such person is or was

(i) a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation,

(ii) an officer of the Corporation, or

(iii) while a director or officer of the Corporation, serving at the Corporation’s request as a director, officer, partner, member, manager, trustee, employee, or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise, whether for profit or not, (each an “Indemnitee”) against all liability incurred by such person in connection with the proceeding; provided that it is determined in the specific case that indemnification of such person is permissible in the circumstances because such person has met the standard of conduct for indemnification specified in the Act. The Corporation shall pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by an Indemnitee in connection with any such proceeding in advance of final disposition thereof in accordance with the procedures and subject to the conditions specified in the Act. The Corporation shall indemnify as a matter of right an Indemnitee who is wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any such proceeding, against reasonable expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the proceeding without the requirement of a determination as set forth in the first sentence of this paragraph.

(b) Upon demand by a person for indemnification or advancement of expenses, as the case may be, the Corporation shall expeditiously determine whether the person is entitled thereto in accordance with this Article and the procedures specified in the Act.

(c) The indemnification provided under this Article shall apply to any proceeding arising from acts or omissions occurring before or after the adoption of this Article.

 

2


Section 5.02. Other Rights Not Affected. Nothing contained in this Article shall limit or preclude the exercise or be deemed exclusive of any right under the law, by contract or otherwise, relating to indemnification of or advancement of expenses to any individual who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or the ability of the Corporation to otherwise indemnify or advance expenses to any such individual. It is the intent of this Article to provide indemnification to directors and officers to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law consistent with the terms and conditions of this Article. Therefore, indemnification shall be provided in accordance with this Article irrespective of the nature of the legal or equitable theory upon which a claim is made, including without limitation negligence, breach of duty, mismanagement, corporate waste, breach of contract, breach of warranty, strict liability, violation of federal or state securities laws, violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or violation of any other state or federal laws.

Section 5.03. Definitions. For purposes of this Article:

(a) The term “director” means an individual who is or was a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation or an individual who, while a director of the Corporation, is or was serving at the Corporation’s request as a director, officer, partner, member, manager, trustee, employee, or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise, whether for profit or not. A director is considered to be serving an employee benefit plan at the Corporation’s request if the director’s duties to the Corporation also impose duties on, or otherwise involve services by, the director to the plan or to participants in or beneficiaries of the plan. The term “director” includes, unless the context requires otherwise, the estate or personal representative of a director.

(b) The term “expenses” includes all direct and indirect costs (including without limitation counsel fees, retainers, court costs, transcripts, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, all other disbursements or out-of-pocket expenses) actually incurred in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of a proceeding or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this Article, applicable law or otherwise.

(c) The term “liability” means the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement, penalty, fine, excise tax (including an excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan), or reasonable expenses incurred with respect to a proceeding.

(d) The term “party” includes an individual who was, is or is threatened to be made a named defendant or respondent in a proceeding.

(e) The term “proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether formal or informal.

 

3


ARTICLE VI

MANNER OF ADOPTION AND VOTE

The foregoing amendment was adopted, and the filing of these Second Amended and Restated Articles was duly approved, by the Board of Directors of the Corporation by resolution on February 2, 2010 and by those shareholders of the Corporation required to vote with respect to the filing of the foregoing amendments by Unanimous Written Consent on February 2, 2010.

The manner of the adoption of the Second Amended and Restated Articles and the vote by which they were adopted constitute full legal compliance with the provisions of the Act, the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the Corporation.

(Signature Page Follows)

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned officer executes these Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, and verifies subject to penalties of perjury that the facts contained herein are true, this 2nd day of February, 2010.

 

GREGG APPLIANCES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Aguilar

  Jeremy Aguilar, CFO

This instrument was prepared by Janice Wilken, Attorney at Law, ICE MILLER LLP, One American Square, Suite 2900, Indianapolis, Indiana 46282-0002.

EX-3.4 3 d556791dex34.htm EX-3.4 EX-3.4

Exhibit 3.4

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF GREGG APPLIANCES, INC.

ARTICLE I.

Records Pertaining to Share Ownership

Section 1.1. Recognition of Shareholders. Gregg Appliances, Inc. (the “Corporation”) is entitled to recognize a person registered on its books as the owner of shares of the Corporation as having the exclusive right to receive dividends and to vote those shares, notwithstanding any other person’s equitable or other claim to, or interest in, those shares.

Section 1.2. Transfer of Shares. Shares are transferable only on the books of the Corporation, subject to any transfer restrictions imposed by the Articles of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or an agreement among shareholders and the Corporation. Shares may be so transferred upon presentation of the certificate representing the shares, endorsed by the appropriate person or persons, and accompanied by (a) reasonable assurance that those endorsements are genuine and effective, and (b) a request to register the transfer. Transfers of shares are otherwise subject to the provisions of the Indiana Business Corporation Law (the “Act”) and Article 8.1 of the Indiana Uniform Commercial Code.

Section 1.3. Certificates. Each shareholder is entitled to a certificate signed (manually or in facsimile) by at least two officers of the Corporation, setting forth (a) the name of the Corporation and that it was organized under Indiana law, (b) the name of the person to whom issued, (c) the number and class, and series of shares represented, and (d) a conspicuous statement that the Corporation will furnish to the holder of the certificate on request, in writing and without charge, a summary of the designations, relative rights, preferences, and limitations applicable to each such class of shares, and the variations in rights, preferences, and limitations determined for each series within a class (and the authority of the Board of Directors to determine variations for future series). The Board of Directors shall prescribe the form of the certificate.

Section 1.4. Lost or Destroyed Certificates. A new certificate may be issued to replace a lost or destroyed certificate. Unless waived by the Board of Directors, the shareholder in whose name the certificate was issued shall make an affidavit or affirmation of the fact that his certificate is lost or destroyed, shall advertise the loss or destruction in such manner as the Board of Directors may require, and shall give the Corporation a bond of indemnity in the amount and form which the Board of Directors may prescribe.

ARTICLE II.

Meetings of the Shareholders

Section 2.1. Annual Meetings. Annual meetings of the shareholders shall be held each year at 10:00 a.m. on the second (2nd) Tuesday of the sixth (6th) month following the end of each fiscal year (or, if such day is a legal holiday, on the next succeeding day not a legal holiday), or on such other date as may be designated by the Board of Directors.

 

1


Section 2.2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the shareholders may be called from time to time by the Board of Directors, or by a majority of the voting shareholders. Special meetings of the shareholders shall be called upon delivery to the Secretary of the Corporation of one or more written demands for a special meeting of the shareholders describing the purposes of that meeting and signed and dated by the holders of at least 25% of all the votes entitled to be cast on any issue proposed to be considered at that meeting.

Section 2.3. Notice of Meetings. The Corporation shall deliver or mail written notice stating the date, time, and place of any shareholders’ meeting and, in the case of a special shareholders’ meeting or when otherwise required by law, a description of the purposes for which the meeting is called, to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting, at such address as appears in the records of the Corporation and at least 10, but no more than 60, days before the date of the meeting. A shareholders’ meeting shall be held at such place, either in or out of the State of Indiana, as may be specified by the Board of Directors in the respective notice for such meeting.

Section 2.4. Waiver of Notice. A shareholder may waive notice of any meeting, before or after the date and time of the meeting as stated in the notice, by delivering a signed waiver to the Corporation for inclusion in the minutes. A shareholder’s attendance at any meeting, in person or by proxy (a) waives objection to lack of notice or defective notice of the meeting, unless the shareholder at the beginning of the meeting objects to holding the meeting or transacting business at the meeting, and (b) waives objection to consideration of a particular matter at the meeting that is not within the purposes described in the meeting notice, unless the shareholder objects to considering the matter when it is presented.

Section 2.5. Record Date. The Board of Directors may fix a record date, which may be a future date, for the purpose of determining the shareholders entitled to notice of a shareholders’ meeting, to demand a special meeting, to vote, or to take any other action. A record date may not exceed 70 days before the meeting or action requiring a determination of shareholders. If the Board of Directors does not fix a record date, the record date shall be the 10th day prior to the date of the meeting or other action,

Section 2.6. Voting by Proxy. A shareholder may appoint a proxy to vote or otherwise act for the shareholder pursuant to a written appointment form executed by the shareholder or the shareholder’s duly authorized attorney-in-fact. An appointment of a proxy is effective when received by the Secretary or other officer or agent of the Corporation authorized to tabulate votes. The general proxy of a fiduciary is given the same effect as the general proxy of any other shareholder. A proxy appointment is valid for 11 months unless otherwise expressly stated in the appointment form.

Section 2.7. Voting Lists. After a record date for a shareholders’ meeting has been fixed, the Secretary shall prepare an alphabetical list of all shareholders entitled to notice of the meeting, arranged by voting group and within each voting group by class of shares, and showing the address and number of shares held by each shareholder. The list shall be kept on file at the

 

2


principal office of the Corporation or at a place identified in the meeting notice in the city where the meeting will be held. The list shall be available for inspection and copying by any shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting, or by the shareholder’s agent or attorney authorized in writing, at any time during regular business hours, beginning 5 business days before the date of the meeting through the meeting. The list shall also be made available to any shareholder, or to the shareholder’s agent or attorney authorized in writing, at the meeting and any adjournment thereof. Failure to prepare or make available a voting list with respect to any shareholder’s meeting shall not affect the validity of any action taken at such meeting.

Section 2.8. Quorum; Approval. At any meeting of shareholders, a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on a matter by a voting group at the meeting constitutes a quorum of that voting group. If a quorum is present when a vote is taken, action on a matter is approved by a voting group if the votes cast in favor of the action exceed the votes cast in opposition to the action, unless a greater number is required by law, the Articles of Incorporation, or these Bylaws. If more than one voting group is entitled to vote on a matter, approval by each voting group is required for the matter to be approved by the shareholders as a whole.

Section 2.9. Action by Consent. If not otherwise determined pursuant to Section 5 of this Article II, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to take action without a meeting is the date the first shareholder signs the consent to such action.

Section 2.10. Presence. Any or all shareholders may participate in any annual or special shareholders’ meeting by, or through the use of, any means of communication by which all shareholders participating may simultaneously hear each other during the meeting. A shareholder so participating is deemed to be present in person at the meeting.

Section 2.11. Place of Meetings. Meetings, of the shareholders of the Corporation shall be held at such place, either in or out of the State of Indiana, as may be specified by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE III.

Board of Directors

Section 3.1. Powers and Duties. All corporate powers are exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the Corporation are managed under the direction of, the Board of Directors, unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation.

Section 3.2. Number and Terms of Office; Qualifications. The number of directors which shall constitute the Board of Directors shall initially be eleven (11) and thereafter shall be as fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors. Each director shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his successor is elected and qualified, or until his earlier resignation or removal. Directors need not be stockholders.

Section 3.3. Removal. Unless the Articles of Incorporation state otherwise, any director may he removed with or without cause either by action of the directors, or by action of the shareholders taken at a meeting that was called for the purpose of removing the director and the notice of which states that one of the purposes of the meeting is removal of the director.

 

3


Section 3.4. Vacancies. If a vacancy occurs on the Board of Directors, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the number of directors, the Board of Directors may fill the vacancy. If the directors remaining in office constitute fewer than a quorum of the Board, the directors remaining in office may fill the vacancy by the affirmative vote of a majority of those directors. Any director elected to fill a vacancy holds office until the next annual meeting of the shareholders and until a successor is elected and qualifies.

Section 3.5. Annual Meetings. Unless otherwise agreed by the Board of Directors, the annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held immediately following the annual meeting of the shareholders, at the place where the meeting of shareholders was held, for the purpose of electing officers and considering any other business which may be brought before the meeting. Notice is not necessary for any annual meeting.

Section 3.6. Regular and Special Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors establishing a method for determining the date, time, and place of those meetings. Notice is not necessary for any regular meeting. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held upon the call of the President or of any 2 directors and upon 48 hours’ written or oral notice specifying the date, time, and place of the meeting. Notice of a special meeting may be waived in writing before or after the time of the meeting. The waiver must be signed by the director entitled to the notice and filed with the minutes of the meeting. Attendance at or participation in a meeting waives any required notice of the meeting, unless at the beginning of the meeting (or promptly upon the director’s arrival) the director objects to holding the meeting or transacting business at the meeting and does not thereafter vote for or assent to action taken at the meeting.

Section 3.7. Quorum. A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors consists of a majority of the number of directors specified in Section 2 of this Article III. If a quorum is present when a vote is taken, action on a matter is approved if the action receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present.

Section 3.8. Action by Consent. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting if the action is taken by all directors then in office. The action must be evidenced by one or more written consents describing the action taken, signed by each director, and included in the minutes. Action of the Board of Directors taken by consent is effective when the last director signs the consent, unless the consent specifies a prior or subsequent effective date.

Section 3.9. Committees. The Board of Directors may create one or more committees and appoint members of the Board of Directors to serve on them. Each committee may have one or more members, who serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. The creation of a committee and appointment of members to it must be approved by the greater of (i) a majority of all the directors in office when the action is taken, or (ii) the number of directors required under Section 7 of this Article III to take action. All rules applicable to action by the Board of Directors apply to committees and their members. The Board of Directors may specify the authority that a committee may exercise; however, a committee may not (a) authorize distributions, except a committee may authorize or approve a reacquisition of shares if done according to a formula or method prescribed by the Board of Directors, (b) approve or propose to shareholders action that

 

4


must be approved by shareholders, (c) fill vacancies on the Board of Directors or on any of its committees, (d) amend the Articles of Incorporation, (e) adopt, amend, or repeal these Bylaws, (f) approve a plan of merger not requiring shareholder approval, or (g) authorize or approve the issuance or sale or a contract for the sale of shares, or determine the designation and relative rights, preferences, and limitations of a class or series of shares, except the Board of Directors may authorize a committee to so act within limits prescribed by the Board of Directors.

Section 3.10. Presence. The Board of Directors may permit any or all directors to participate in any annual, regular, or special meeting by any means of communication by which all directors participating may simultaneously hear each other during the meeting. A director so participating is deemed to be present in person at the meeting.

Section 3.11. Compensation. Each director shall receive such compensation for service as a director as may be fixed by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV.

Officers

Section 4.1. Officers. The Corporation shall have a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and such other officers and/or assistant officers as the Board of Directors or the President designates. The same individual may simultaneously hold more than one office.

Section 4.2. Terms of Office. Officers are elected at each annual meeting of the Board of Directors and serve for a term expiring at the following annual meeting of the Board of Directors. An officer who has been removed pursuant to Section 4 of this Article IV ceases to serve as an officer immediately upon removal; otherwise, an officer whose term has expired continues to serve until a successor is elected and qualifies.

Section 4.3. Vacancies. If a vacancy occurs among the officers, the Board of Directors may fill the vacancy. Any officer elected to fill a vacancy holds office until the next annual meeting of the Board of Directors and until a successor is elected and qualifies.

Section 4.4. Removal. Any officer may be removed by the Board of Directors at any time with or without cause.

Section 4.5. Compensation. Each officer shall receive such compensation for service in office as may be fixed by the Board of Directors.

Section 4.6. Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer, subject to the control of the Board, shall have general charge and supervision and authority over the business and affairs of the Corporation, and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as are incident to this office and as may be assigned to him by the Board. If and so long as, the Chief Executive Officer shall be a duly elected and incumbent member of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer may be designated as Chairman and shall preside at all Shareholder Meetings and, if designated as Chairman or if no other Director is designated as Chairman, at Board Meetings.

 

5


Section 4.7. President. The President shall be Chief Operating Officer, subject to the control of the Chief Executive Officer and the Board, and shall have general charge of and supervision and authority over the operations of the Corporation, and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as are incident to this office and as may be assigned to him by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board. In the case of the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer, the President shall fulfill the duties of the Chief Executive Officer.

Section 4.8. Vice President. The Vice President has all the powers of, and performs all the duties incumbent upon, the President during the President’s absence or disability. The Vice President has such other powers and duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.

Section 4.9. Secretary. The Secretary is responsible for (a) attending all meetings of the shareholders and the Board of Directors, (b) preparing true and complete minutes of the proceedings of all meetings of the shareholders, the Board of Directors, and all committees of the Board of Directors, (c) maintaining and safeguarding the books (except books of account) and records of the Corporation, and (d) authenticating the records of the Corporation. If required, the Secretary attests the execution of deeds, leases, agreements, powers of attorney, certificates representing shares of the Corporation, and other official documents by the Corporation. The Secretary serves all notices of the Corporation required by law, the Board of Directors, or these Bylaws. The Secretary has such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.

Section 4.10. Treasurer. The Treasurer is responsible for (a) keeping correct and complete books of account which show accurately at all times the financial condition of the Corporation, (b) safeguarding all funds, notes, securities, and other valuables which may from time to time come into the possession of the Corporation, and (c) depositing all funds of the Corporation with such depositories as the Board of Directors shall designate. The Treasurer shall furnish at meetings of the Board of Directors, or when otherwise requested, a statement of the financial condition of the Corporation. The Treasurer has such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe,

Section 4.11. Assistant Officers. The Board of Directors or the President may from time to time designate and elect assistant officers who shall have such powers and duties as the officers whom they are elected to assist specify and delegate to them, and such other powers and duties as the Board of Directors or the President may from time to time prescribe. An Assistant Secretary may, during the absence or disability of the Secretary, discharge all responsibilities imposed upon the Secretary of the Corporation, including, without limitation, attest the execution of all documents by the Corporation.

ARTICLE V.

Miscellaneous

Section 5.1. Records. The Corporation shall keep as permanent records minutes of all meetings of the shareholders, the Board of Directors, and all committees of the Board of Directors, and a record of all actions taken without a meeting by the shareholders, the Board of

 

6


Directors, and all committees of the Board of Directors. The Corporation or its agent shall maintain a record of the shareholders in a form that permits preparation of a list of the names and addresses of all shareholders, in alphabetical order by class of shares showing the number and class of shares held by each. The Corporation shall maintain its records in written form or in a form capable of conversion into written form within a reasonable time. The Corporation shall keep a copy of the following records at its principal office: (a) the Articles of Incorporation then currently in effect, including all amendments, (b) the Bylaws then currently in effect, including all amendments, (c) all resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors with respect to one or more classes or series of shares and fixing their relative rights, preferences, and limitations, if shares issued pursuant to those resolutions are outstanding, (d) minutes of all shareholders’ meetings, and records of all actions taken by shareholders without a meeting, for the past 3 years, (e) all written communications to shareholders generally during the past 3 years, including annual financial statements furnished upon request of the shareholders, (f) a list of the names and business addresses of the current directors and officers, and (g) the most recent annual report filed with the Indiana Secretary of State.

Section 5.2. Execution of Contracts and Other Documents. Unless otherwise authorized or directed by the Board of Directors, all written contracts and other documents entered into by the Corporation shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by any officer of the Corporation.

Section 5.3. Accounting Year. The accounting year of the Corporation begins on the first (1st) day of April of each year and ends on the last day in March of the succeeding year.

Section 5.4. Corporate Seal. The Corporation has no seal.

ARTICLE VI.

Amendment

These Bylaws may be amended or repealed only by the Board of Directors. The affirmative vote of a majority of all the directors is necessary to amend or repeal these Bylaws.

 

By:  

/s/ Jeremy Aguilar

Date:  

 

 

7

EX-3.5 4 d556791dex35.htm EX-3.5 EX-3.5

Exhibit 3.5

ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION

OF

HHG DISTRIBUTING, LLC

The undersigned organizer (“Organizer”), hereby forms a limited liability company under the Indiana Business Flexibility Act (“Act”) and does hereby adopt as the Articles of Organization of such limited liability company the following:

Article 1. Name. The name of the limited liability company shall be HHG Distributing, LLC (“Company”).

Article 2. Registered Office and Registered Agent.

A. The street address of the registered office of the Company in Indiana is 4151 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240.

B. The name of the registered agent of the Company at the above registered office is Michael D. Stout.

Article 3. Duration. The Company shall come into existence on the date the Articles of Organization are filed with the Secretary of State of Indiana, and shall continue in perpetuity, unless sooner dissolved in accordance with the Company’s operating agreement as amended from time to time.

Article 4. Management. The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by the Company’s managers and its members, in accordance with and as provided in, the Company’s operating agreement, as amended from time to time.

Dated: June 28, 2004.

 

ORGANIZER

/s/  Paul F. Lindemann

Paul F. Lindemann, Organizer
EX-3.6 5 d556791dex36.htm EX-3.6 EX-3.6

Exhibit 3.6

OPERATING AGREEMENT

FOR

HHG DISTRIBUTING, LLC

THIS OPERATING AGREEMENT (“Agreement”), is made and entered into as of the 31st day of January, 2005 (the “Effective Date”), by and between HHG Distributing, LLC, an Indiana limited liability company (the “Company”), and Gregg Appliances, Inc., an Indiana corporation (the “Member”), as the sole member of the Company. The Company was organized as a limited liability company under the Indiana Business Flexibility Act, as amended, Ind. Code 23-18-1-1 et seq. (the “Act”). Certain defined terms used in this Agreement are set forth in Schedule 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof. In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

PURPOSES

As set forth in the Articles of Organization of the Company (the “Articles”), the purpose of the Company is to engage in and do any act in furtherance of any and all lawful businesses and activities for which limited liability companies may be formed under the Act.

ARTICLE II

ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

Section 2.01. Formation; Member. The Company was formed pursuant to the Act upon the filing of the Articles on June 28th, 2004. The rights and obligations of the Member shall be as provided under the Act, the Articles and this Agreement. The Member agrees to each of the provisions of the Articles.

Section 2.02. Principal Place of Business. The principal place of business of the Company shall be c/o Gregg Appliances, Inc., 4151 E. 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240, or such other address as may be established by the Member (the “Principal Office”).

Section 2.03. Registered Office and Registered Agent. The Company’s registered office shall be at its Principal Office and the name of its initial registered agent at such address shall be Jerry W. Throgmartin. The Company may designate another registered office or agent at any time by following the procedures set forth in the Act.

Section 2.04. Duration. The existence of the Company shall continue in perpetuity, unless and until the Company is dissolved in accordance with Article IX or the Act.


ARTICLE III

MEMBERS AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE

Section 3.01. Name and Address of Member. The name of the Member and its last known business or mailing address is listed on Exhibit A attached hereto. The Member shall update Exhibit A from time to time as necessary to accurately reflect the information therein.

Section 3.02. Capital Contributions. The initial Capital Contribution to the Company of the Member is set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto. The Member shall not be obligated to make any Capital Contributions other than the initial Capital Contribution specified in this Section 3.02.

Section 3.03. Capital Accounts.

(a) An individual capital account (the “Capital Account”) shall be established and maintained on behalf of the Member. The Capital Account of the Member shall consist of (i) the amount of cash the Member has contributed to the Company, plus (ii) the fair market value of any property the Member has contributed to the Company, net of any liabilities assumed by the Company or to which such property is subject, plus (iii) the amount of profits or income (excluding tax-exempt income) allocated to the Member, less (iv) the amount of losses and deductions allowed to the Member, less (v) the amount of all cash distributed to the Member, less (vi) the fair market value of any property distributed to the Member, net of any liability assumed by such Member or to which such property is subject, less (vii) the Member’s share of any other expenditures which are not deductible by the Company for federal income tax purposes or which are not allowable as additions to the basis of Company property, and (viii) subject to such other adjustments as may be required under the Code.

(b) The Member shall not have any liability or obligation to restore a negative or deficit balance in its Capital Account.

Section 3.04. Member Loans or Services. Loans or services by the Member to the Company shall not be considered Capital Contributions unless otherwise designated by the Member.

Section 3.05. Admission of Additional Members. The Member may admit Additional Members to the Company, who will be entitled to participate in the rights of Members as described herein, with admission thereof on such terms as are determined by the Member. Any such Additional Members shall be allocated net income, gains, losses, deductions and credits by such method as may be provided in this Agreement or any successor agreement hereto.

ARTICLE IV

GOVERNANCE OF THE COMPANY

Section 4.01. Management by the Member. As provided in the Articles, management of the business and affairs of the Company is vested in the Member.

 

2


Section 4.02. Action by the Company. The Company shall act only by or under the authority of its Member.

Section 4.03. Delegation of Certain Management Authority. The Member may delegate to one or more officers of the Company or one or more employees of the Company any management responsibility or authority. The Member may create such offices, appoint such officers and delegate therein such responsibility or authority as they determine to be appropriate. The Member hereby appoints Jerry W. Throgmartin as the President and Secretary of the Company, to serve in such capacities until his successor is duly appointed.

ARTICLE V

ACCOUNTING AND RECORDS

Section 5.01. Records and Accounting. The books and records of the Company shall be kept, and the financial position and the results of its operations recorded, in accordance with the accounting methods elected to be followed by the Company for federal income tax purposes. The books and records of the Company shall reflect all Company transactions and shall be appropriate and adequate for the Company’s business. The fiscal year of the Company for financial reporting and for federal income tax purposes shall be the calendar year.

Section 5.02. Access to Records. The books and records of the Company, to the extent required by the Act, shall be maintained at the Company’s Principal Office, and the Member and its duly authorized representatives shall have access to where they are located and have the right to inspect and copy them during ordinary business hours.

Section 5.03. Annual Tax Information. The Company shall use its best efforts to deliver to the Member within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year all information necessary for the preparation of the Member’s federal and state income tax returns. The Company shall also use its best efforts to prepare, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, a financial report of the Company for such fiscal year containing a balance sheet as of the last day of the year then ended, an income statement for the year then ended, a statement of sources and applications of funds, and a statement of reconciliation of the Capital Account of the Member.

Section 5.04. Accounting Decisions. All decisions as to accounting matters, except as otherwise specifically set forth in this Agreement, shall be made by the Member. The Member may rely upon the advice of its accountants as to whether such decisions are in accordance with accounting methods followed for federal income tax purposes.

Section 5.05. Federal Income Tax Elections. The Member shall make all elections for federal income tax purposes.

 

3


ARTICLE VI

ALLOCATION AND DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 6.01. Allocation of Net Income, Net Loss or Capital Gains. The net income, net loss, or capital gains of the Company for each fiscal year of the Company shall be allocated 100% to the Member.

Section 6.02. Distributions. Cash or other property shall be distributed to the Member at such time as the Member shall determine.

ARTICLE VII

TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS

Section 7.01. One Member. If the Member is the sole member of the Company, then: (i) the Member may Transfer all or any portion of its Interest to another Person at any time; and (ii) an assignee of its Interest may become a member of the Company in accordance with the terms of an agreement between the Member and the assignee.

Section 7.02. Multiple Members. If the Company has at least two (2) members, then a member may Transfer all or any portion of its Interest to another Person at any time. If such member Transfers its entire Interest to another Person and such Person is admitted as an Additional Member of the Company in accordance with Section 3.05, the Member shall cease to be a Member and shall not have any power to exercise any rights of a Member.

Section 7.03. Pledge of Interests. The pledge or granting of a security interest, lien or other encumbrance in or against all or any portion of a Member’s Interest shall be a Transfer subject to the restrictions of this Article VII; provided, that, in any event, the foreclosure of or exercise of other secured party remedies with respect to such pledge, security interest, lien or other encumbrance resulting in a Transfer of any such Interest shall nonetheless be a Transfer subject to the restrictions of this Article VII.

ARTICLE VIII

DISSOCIATION OF A MEMBER

The Member ceases to be a Member upon the occurrence of either of the following events: (a) the Member voluntarily withdraws from the Company; or (b) the Member Transfers its entire Interest to another Person and such Person is admitted as an Additional Member of the Company in accordance with the terms of Section 3.05 (each, an “Event of Dissociation”).

ARTICLE IX

DISSOLUTION AND WINDING UP

Section 9.01. Dissolution. The Company shall be dissolved and its affairs wound up on the first of the following to occur (a) a determination by the Member that the Company shall be

 

4


dissolved; or (b) at such earlier time as may be provided by applicable law. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or the Act, the Member hereby agrees that the business of the Company shall be continued upon the occurrence of an Event of Dissociation and that the Company shall not be dissolved upon the occurrence of an Event of Dissociation other than pursuant to the terms of Section 9.01(a).

Section 9.02. Winding Up. Upon dissolution, the Member shall proceed to wind up and liquidate the business and affairs of the Company, and the Company may only carry on business that is appropriate to wind up and liquidate the business and affairs of the Company. The Member shall follow the procedure for disposing of known claims set forth in Ind. Code § 23-18-9-8 and shall publish notice of the dissolution of the Company pursuant to Ind. Code § 23-18-9-9.

Section 9.03. Distribution of Assets. Upon the winding up of the Company, the assets shall be distributed as follows:

(a) To creditors, including the Member if it is a creditor of the Company to the extent permitted by law, in the order of priority as provided by law to satisfy the liabilities of the Company whether by payment or by the establishment of adequate reserves, excluding liabilities for distributions to the Member pursuant to Article VI;

(b) To the Member to repay any loans to the Company or to satisfy any liabilities for distributions pursuant to Article VI which remain unpaid; and

(c) To the Member in respect of its Capital Account after giving effect to all contributions, distributions and allocations for all periods.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.01. Amendments. The Member and the Company may amend this Agreement from time to time by written instrument reflecting such amendment.

Section 10.02. Complete Agreement. This Agreement, the Articles and the exhibits and schedules attached hereto constitute the complete and exclusive statement of agreement between the Member and the Company with respect to its subject matter and supersede all prior written and oral statements and no representation, statement, or condition or warranty not contained in this Agreement or the Articles will be binding on the parties or have any force or effect whatsoever.

Section 10.03. Governing Law. This Agreement and the rights of the parties under this Agreement will be governed by, interpreted, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Indiana.

Section 10.04. Binding Effect; Conflicts. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties, and their respective members, successors and assigns. This Agreement is subject to, and governed by, the Act and the Articles. In the event of a direct

 

5


conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the mandatory provisions of the Act or the provisions of the Articles, the provisions of the Act or the Articles, as the case may be, will be controlling.

Section 10.05. Headings. All headings herein are inserted only for convenience and ease of reference and are not to be considered in the construction or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement.

Section 10.06. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid, unreasonable, or unenforceable under the present or future laws effective during the term of this Agreement, such provision will be fully severable; this Agreement will be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, unreasonable, or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of this Agreement; and the remaining provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force and effect and will not be affected by the illegal, invalid, unreasonable, or unenforceable provision or by its severance from this Agreement. Furthermore, in lieu of such illegal, invalid, unreasonable, or unenforceable provision, there will be added automatically as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such illegal, invalid, unreasonable, or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be legal, valid, reasonable, and enforceable.

Section 10.07. Additional Documents and Acts. Each party agrees to promptly execute and deliver such additional documents, statements of interest and holdings, designations, powers of attorney, and other instruments, and to perform such additional acts, as the other party may determine to be necessary, useful or appropriate to effectuate, carry out and perform all of the terms, provisions, and conditions of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Section 10.08. No Third Party Beneficiary. This Agreement is made solely and specifically among and for the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns. This Agreement is expressly not intended for the benefit of any creditor of the Company or any other third party. No creditor or other third party will have any rights, interest, or claims under the Agreement or be entitled to any benefits under or on account of this Agreement as a third party beneficiary or otherwise.

Section 10.09. Notices. Any notice to be given or to be served upon the Company or the Member in connection with this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been given and received when delivered to the address specified by the party to receive the notice. Such notices will be given to the Member at the address specified on Exhibit A. Any party may, at any time by giving five days’ prior written notice to the other party, designate any other address in substitution of the foregoing address to which such notice will be given.

Section 10.10 Title to Company Property. Legal title to all property of the Company will be held and conveyed in the name of the Company.

 

6


Section 10.11 No Remedies Exclusive. To the extent any remedies are provided herein for a breach of this Agreement, the Articles or the Act, such remedies shall not be exclusive of any other remedies the aggrieved party may have, at law or in equity.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

7


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the Effective Date.

 

“COMPANY”
HHG DISTRIBUTING, LLC
By:  

/s/  Jerry W. Throgmartin

  Jerry W. Throgmartin, President
“MEMBER”
GREGG APPLIANCES, INC.
By:  

/s/  Jerry W. Throgmartin

  Jerry W. Throgmartin, President

 

8


Schedule I

to

Operating Agreement

Schedule of Definitions

The terms used in this Agreement with their initial letters capitalized shall have, unless the context otherwise requires or unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, the meanings specified in this Schedule I. Any capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings set forth in the Act. The singular shall include the plural, and the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter, and vice versa, as the context requires. When used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Additional Member” means any individual or Entity admitted as a Member pursuant to Section 3.05.

Capital Contribution” means the total value of cash and agreed fair market value of property contributed and agreed to be contributed to the Company by the Member.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. All references in this Agreement to sections of the Code shall include any corresponding provision or provisions of any succeeding law.

Entity” means any association, corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company, joint stock association, joint venture, firm trust, business trust, cooperative, or foreign associations of like structure.

Interest” means the entire ownership interest of the Member in the Company at any particular time, including the right of the Member to any and all benefits to which the Member may be entitled as provided in this Agreement and under the Act, together with the obligations of the Member to comply with all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

Person” means an individual or an Entity.

Transfer” when used as a noun, means any “assignment” as that term is used in Ind. Internal Code § 23-18-6-3.1 and -4.1, and any gift, sale, exchange, assignment, conveyance, alienation or other transfer, whether voluntary or involuntary, and any Transfer to a receiver, bankruptcy trustee, judgment creditor, lienholder, holder of a security interest, pledge or other encumbrance, and Transfer upon judicial order or other legal process. “Transfer”, when used as a verb, means to gift, sell, exchange, assign, convey, alienate, pledge or otherwise transfer, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

 

I-1


Exhibit A

to

Operating Agreement

Name and Address of Member

 

Member

   Capital Contribution  

Gregg Appliances, Inc.

   $ 100   

4151 E. 96th Street

  

Indianapolis, IN 46240

  

 

A-1

EX-4.2 6 d556791dex42.htm EX-4.2 EX-4.2

FORM OF SENIOR OR SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

EXHIBIT 4.2

[FORM OF SENIOR OR SUBORDINATED INDENTURE]

HHGREGG, INC.

TO

[SENIOR/SUBORDINATED] INDENTURE

DATED AS OF                     


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE ONE

 

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

     1   

Section 1.01.

 

Definitions

     1   

Section 1.02.

 

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

     10   

Section 1.03.

 

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

     11   

Section 1.04.

 

Acts of Holders; Record Dates

     11   

Section 1.05.

 

Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company

     13   

Section 1.06.

 

Notice to Holders; Waiver

     13   

Section 1.07.

 

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

     14   

Section 1.08.

 

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

     14   

Section 1.09.

 

Successors and Assigns

     14   

Section 1.10.

 

Separability Clause

     14   

Section 1.11.

 

Benefits of Indenture

     14   

Section 1.12.

 

Governing Law

     14   

Section 1.13.

 

Legal Holidays

     14   

ARTICLE TWO

 

SECURITY FORMS

     15   

Section 2.01.

 

Forms Generally

     15   

Section 2.02.

 

Form of Face of Security

     15   

Section 2.03.

 

Form of Reverse of Security

     16   

Section 2.04.

 

Form of Legend for Global Securities

     20   

Section 2.05.

 

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

     20   

ARTICLE THREE

 

THE SECURITIES

     20   

Section 3.01.

 

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

     20   

Section 3.02.

 

Denominations

     23   

Section 3.03.

 

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

     23   

Section 3.04.

 

Temporary Securities

     24   

Section 3.05.

 

Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange

     25   

Section 3.06.

 

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

     26   

Section 3.07.

 

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

     27   

Section 3.08.

 

Persons Deemed Owners

     28   


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

Section 3.09.

 

Cancellation

     28   

Section 3.10.

 

Computation of Interest

     29   

ARTICLE FOUR

 

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

     29   

Section 4.01.

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

     29   

Section 4.02.

 

Application of Trust Money

     30   

ARTICLE FIVE

 

REMEDIES

     30   

Section 5.01.

 

Events of Default

     30   

Section 5.02.

 

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

     31   

Section 5.03.

 

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

     32   

Section 5.04.

 

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

     32   

Section 5.05.

 

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

     33   

Section 5.06.

 

Application of Money Collected

     33   

Section 5.07.

 

Limitation on Suits

     34   

Section 5.08.

 

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest

     34   

Section 5.09.

 

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

     34   

Section 5.10.

 

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

     35   

Section 5.11.

 

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

     35   

Section 5.12.

 

Control by Holders

     35   

Section 5.13.

 

Waiver of Past Defaults

     35   

Section 5.14.

 

Undertaking for Costs

     36   

Section 5.15.

 

Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

     36   

ARTICLE SIX

 

THE TRUSTEE

     36   

Section 6.01.

 

Certain Duties and Responsibilities

     36   

Section 6.02.

 

Notice of Defaults

     36   

Section 6.03.

 

Certain Rights of Trustee

     36   

Section 6.04.

 

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

     37   

Section 6.05.

 

May Hold Securities

     38   

Section 6.06.

 

Money Held in Trust

     38   

Section 6.07.

 

Compensation and Reimbursement

     38   

 

-ii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

Section 6.08.

 

Conflicting Interests

     38   

Section 6.09.

 

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

     39   

Section 6.10.

 

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

     39   

Section 6.11.

 

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

     40   

Section 6.12.

 

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

     41   

Section 6.13.

 

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

     41   

Section 6.14.

 

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

     42   

ARTICLE SEVEN

 

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

     43   

Section 7.01.

 

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

     43   

Section 7.02.

 

Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

     43   

Section 7.03.

 

Reports by Trustee

     44   

Section 7.04.

 

Reports by Company

     44   

ARTICLE EIGHT

 

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

     44   

Section 8.01.

 

Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

     44   

Section 8.02.

 

Successor Substituted

     45   

ARTICLE NINE

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

     45   

Section 9.01.

 

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

     45   

Section 9.02.

 

Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders

     46   

Section 9.03.

 

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

     47   

Section 9.04.

 

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

     48   

Section 9.05.

 

Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

     48   

Section 9.06.

 

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

     48   

ARTICLE TEN

 

COVENANTS

     48   

Section 10.01.

 

Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

     48   

Section 10.02.

 

Maintenance of Office or Agency

     48   

Section 10.03.

 

Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

     49   

Section 10.04.

 

Statement by Officers as to Default

     50   

Section 10.05.

 

Existence

     50   

Section 10.06.

 

Maintenance of Properties

     50   

 

-iii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

Section 10.07.

 

Payment of Taxes and Other Claims

     50   

Section 10.08.

 

Maintenance of Insurance

     51   

Section 10.09.

 

Waiver of Certain Covenants

     51   

ARTICLE ELEVEN

 

OPTIONAL REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

     51   

Section 11.01.

 

Applicability of Article

     51   

Section 11.02.

 

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

     51   

Section 11.03.

 

Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

     52   

Section 11.04.

 

Notice of Redemption

     52   

Section 11.05.

 

Deposit of Redemption Price

     53   

Section 11.06.

 

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

     53   

Section 11.07.

 

Securities Redeemed in Part

     54   

ARTICLE TWELVE

 

SINKING FUNDS

     54   

Section 12.01.

 

Applicability of Article

     54   

Section 12.02.

 

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

     54   

Section 12.03.

 

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

     54   

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

 

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

     55   

Section 13.01.

 

Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

     55   

Section 13.02.

 

Defeasance and Discharge

     55   

Section 13.03.

 

Covenant Defeasance

     55   

Section 13.04.

 

Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

     56   

Section 13.05.

 

Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions

     58   

Section 13.06.

 

Reinstatement

     58   

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

 

SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES

     59   

Section 14.01.

 

Securities Subordinate to Senior Debt

     59   

Section 14.02.

 

Payment Over of Proceeds Upon Dissolution, Etc

     59   

Section 14.03.

 

No Payment When Senior Debt in Default

     60   

Section 14.04.

 

Payment Permitted If No Default

     61   

Section 14.05.

 

Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Debt

     61   

Section 14.06.

 

Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights

     62   

 

-iv-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page  

Section 14.07.

 

Trustee to Effectuate Subordination

     62   

Section 14.08.

 

No Waiver of Subordination Provisions

     62   

Section 14.09.

 

Notice to Trustee

     63   

Section 14.10.

 

Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent

     63   

Section 14.11.

 

Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Debt

     64   

Section 14.12.

 

Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Debt; Preservation of Trustee’s Rights

     64   

Section 14.13.

 

Article Applicable to Paying Agents

     64   

Section 14.14.

 

Defeasance of this Article Fourteen

     64   

 

-v-


Certain Sections of this Indenture relating to Sections 310 through 318, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939:

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

  

Indenture Section

ss.310(a)(1)    6.09
(a)(2)    6.09
(a)(3)    Not Applicable
(a)(4)    Not Applicable
(b)    6.08
ss.311(a)    6.13
(b)    6.13
ss.312(a)    7.01
(b)    7.02
(c)    7.02
ss.313(a)    7.03
(b)    7.03
(c)    7.03
(d)    7.03
ss.314(a)    7.04
(a)(4)    1.01
(b)    Not Applicable
(c)(1)    1.02
(c)(2)    1.02
(c)(3)    Not Applicable
(d)    Not Applicable
(e)    1.02
ss.315(a)    6.01
(b)    6.02
(c)    6.01
(d)    6.01
(e)    5.14
ss.316(a)    1.01
(a)(1)(A)    5.02
(a)(1)(B)    5.13
(a)(2)    Not Applicable
(b)    5.08
(c)    1.04
ss.317(a)(1)    5.03
(a)(2)    5.04
(b)    10.03
ss.318(a)    1.07

 

NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture


[SENIOR/SUBORDINATED] INDENTURE, ss.310(a)(1)dated as of             , between hhgregg, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company”), having its principal office at 4151 E 96th St, Indianapolis, IN 46240, and             , a              duly organized and existing under the laws of              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 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, for and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of series thereof, as follows:

ARTICLE ONE

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:

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

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

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

(d) unless otherwise specifically set forth herein, all calculations or determinations of a Person shall be performed or made on a consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

(e) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an Article or a Section refers to an Article or a Section, as the case may be, of this Indenture; and

(f) 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.


Certain terms, used principally in Article 14, are defined in that Article.

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

Authenticating Agent means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.14 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Bankruptcy Code means Title 11, United States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, or any similar United States federal or state law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership, winding-up, liquidation, reorganization or relief of debtors or any amendment to, succession to or change in any such law.

Board of Directors means either the board of directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee of that board.

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, 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 executive order to close.

Capital Lease Obligation means, at any time any determination thereof is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at such time be required to be capitalized on the balance sheet in accordance with GAAP.

Capital Stock means (i) in the case of a corporation, capital stock, (ii) in the case of any association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) or capital stock and (iii) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited) and any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, such partnership.

“Cash Equivalents” means (i) United States dollars, (ii) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of less than six months from the date of acquisition, (iii) certificates of

 

2


deposit and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of less than one year from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities of less than one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any lender party to the Credit Agreement or with any domestic commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $ million and a [Rating of              or better], (iv) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (ii) and (iii) entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (iii) above, (v) commercial paper having the highest rating obtainable from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, and in each case maturing within twelve months after the date of acquisition, and (vi) money market funds at least 95% of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (i)-(v) of this definition.

Change of Control means the occurrence of any of the following:

(i) the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation) in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole to any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act);

(ii) the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company;

(iii) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any Person or group (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of the voting power of the voting stock of the Company by way of merger or consolidation or otherwise; or

(iv) the Continuing Directors cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the directors of the Company then in office.

For purposes of this definition, any transfer of an Equity Interest of an entity that was formed for the purpose of acquiring voting stock of the Company shall be deemed to be a transfer of such portion of such voting stock as corresponds to the portion of the equity of such entity that has been so transferred.

Commission means the Securities and Exchange Commission, 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.

Common Stock of any Person means Capital Stock of such Person that does not rank prior, as to the payment of dividends or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of such Person, to shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.

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

 

3


Continuing Directors means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors who (i) was a member of such Board of Directors on the Issue Date, or (ii) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board at the time of such nomination or election.

Company Request or Company Order means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its Chief Operating Officer, its Chief Financial Officer, its President, and, without duplication, by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, and delivered to the Trustee.

Corporate Trust Office means the principal office of the Trustee in at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered.

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

Covenant Defeasance has the meaning specified in Section 13.03.

Default means any event that is, or after the giving of notice or the 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 Securities of any series issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act that is designated to act as Depositary for such Securities as contemplated by Section 3.01.

Disqualified Stock means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than upon a Change of Control of the Company in circumstances where the holders of the Securities would have similar rights), in whole or in part on or prior to one year after the Stated Maturity of the Securities.

Equity Interests means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (including any Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).

Event of Default has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

Expiration Date has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

 

4


GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

Global Security means a Security that evidences all or part of the Securities of any series and bears the legend set forth in Section 2.04 (or such legend as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for such Securities).

Guarantee means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner (including, without limitation, by way of a pledge of assets or through letters of credit and or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part of any Indebtedness.

Hedging Obligations means, with respect to any Person, the Obligations of such Person under (i) interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements, and (ii) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest rates.

Holder means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.

Immediate Family Member means, with respect to any individual, such individual’s spouse (past or current), descendants (natural or adoptive, of the whole or half blood) of the parents of such individual, such individual’s grandparents and parents (natural or adoptive), and the grandparents, parents and descendants of parents (natural or adoptive, of the whole or half blood) of such individual’s spouse (past or current).

“Incur” means, with respect to any obligation of any Person, to create, issue, incur, assume or directly or indirectly guarantee or in any other manner become directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness (and incurrence, incurred, incurable and incurring shall have meanings correlative to the foregoing).

Indebtedness means, with respect to any Person, whether or not contingent, (i) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money or for the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than current trade liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business and payable in accordance with customary practices) or which is evidenced by a note, bond, debenture or similar instrument, (ii) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (iii) all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person, (iv) all Hedging Obligations of such Person, (v) all liabilities secured by any Lien on any property owned by such Person even if such Person has not assumed or otherwise become liable for the payment thereof to the extent of the value of the property subject to such Lien, and (vi) to the extent not otherwise included, any guarantee by such person of any other Person’s indebtedness or other obligations described in clauses (i) through (v) above.

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, including, for all purposes of this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, respectively. The term Indenture shall also include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01.

 

5


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.

Investment Company Act means the Investment Company Act of 1940 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

Issue Date means the date of initial issuance of the Securities pursuant to this Indenture.

Lien means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in any asset and any filing of, or agreement to give, any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction).

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.

Notice of Default means a written notice of the kind specified in Section 5.01(d).

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

Officers’ Certificate means a certificate signed by two Officers or by an Officer and either an Assistant Treasurer or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Opinion of Counsel means an opinion from legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company or 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, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(i) (Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

 

6


(ii) Securities 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 satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(iii) Securities as to which Defeasance has been effected pursuant to Section 13.02; and

(iv) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 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 satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company;

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given, made or taken any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action hereunder as of any date, (A) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof which would be due and payable as of such date upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof to such date pursuant to Section 5.02, (B) if, as of such date, the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of a Security is not determinable, the principal amount of such Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount as specified or determined as contemplated by Section 3.01, (C) the principal amount of a Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined as of such date in the manner provided as contemplated by Section 3.01, of the principal amount of such Security (or, in the case of a Security described in Clause (A) or (B) above, of the amount determined as provided in such Clause), and (D) 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, waiver or other action, 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 or any premium or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Company.

Person means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof (including any subdivision or ongoing business of any such entity or substantially all of the assets of any such entity, subdivision or business).

 

7


Place of Payment, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 3.01.

“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 to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

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

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.

Responsible Officer, when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the Corporate Trust Administration of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee) or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

Restricted Subsidiary means a Subsidiary of the Company other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

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

Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

Security Register and Security Registrar have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

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

[IF SUBORDINATED INDENTURE: Senior Bank Debt means (i) the Indebtedness outstanding under the senior credit facility, if any, and (ii) all Obligations incurred by or owing to the holders or their agent or representatives of such Indebtedness outstanding under the senior credit facility if any, (including, but not limited to, all fees and expenses of counsel and all other interest, charges, fees and expenses).

 

8


Senior Debt means

(i) with respect to the Company, the principal of and interest (including post-petition interest whether or not allowed as a claim) on, and all other amounts owing in respect of, (a) Senior Bank Debt, and (b) any other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Company under the terms of this Indenture (including, but not limited to, reasonable fees and expenses of counsel and all other charges, fees and expenses incurred in connection with such Indebtedness), unless the instrument creating or evidencing such Indebtedness or pursuant to which such Indebtedness is outstanding expressly provides that such Indebtedness is on a parity with or subordinated in right of payment to the Securities; and

(ii) with respect to any Subsidiary Guarantor, the principal of and interest (including post-petition interest whether or not allowed as a claim) on, and all other amounts owing in respect of, (a) Senior Bank Debt and (b) any other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by such Subsidiary Guarantor under the terms of this Indenture (including, but not limited to, reasonable fees and expenses of counsel and all other charges, fees and expenses incurred in connection with such Indebtedness), unless the instrument creating or evidencing such Indebtedness or pursuant to which such Indebtedness is outstanding expressly provides that such Indebtedness is on a parity with or subordinated in right of payment to the Subsidiary Guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Senior Debt shall not include (v) any Indebtedness that is represented by Disqualified Stock, (w) any liability for federal, state, local, or other taxes, (x) any Indebtedness among or between the Company, any Restricted Subsidiary or any of their Affiliates, (y) any trade payables and any Indebtedness to trade creditors (other than amounts accrued thereon) incurred for the purchase of goods or materials, or for services obtained, in the ordinary course of business or any Obligations to trade creditors in respect of any such Indebtedness, or (z) any Indebtedness (other than Senior Bank Debt) that is incurred in violation of this Indenture.

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

Stated Maturity means with respect to any installment of interest or principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which such payment of interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the original documentation governing such Indebtedness, and shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.

Subsidiary means with respect to any Person, (i) 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 (ii) 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).

 

9


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 “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 in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 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.

Unrestricted Subsidiary means any Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination shall be an Unrestricted Subsidiary (as designated by the Board of Directors of the Company, as provided below) and any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Subsidiary of the Company (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if all of the following conditions apply: (a) neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries provides credit support for any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument evidencing such Indebtedness), (b) such Subsidiary is not liable, directly or indirectly, with respect to any Indebtedness other than Unrestricted Subsidiary Indebtedness, and (c) such Unrestricted Subsidiary does not own any Capital Stock of any Subsidiary of the Company that has not theretofore been or is not simultaneously being designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a board resolution giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complies with the foregoing conditions. The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary.

U.S. Government Obligation has the meaning specified in Section 13.04.

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”.

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 such certificates and opinions as may be required under the Trust Indenture Act. Each such certificate or opinion shall be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, if to be given by an officer of the Company, or an Opinion of Counsel, if to be given by counsel, and shall comply with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and any other requirements set forth in this Indenture.

 

10


Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (except for certificates provided for in Section 10.04) shall include:

(1) statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(2) 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;

(3) 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

(4) 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 of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such 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 knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters 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; Record Dates.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given, made 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 agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such

 

11


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.

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.

The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.

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.

The Company may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to give, make or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders of Securities of such series, 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 (i) any Notice of Default, (ii) any declaration of acceleration referred to in Section 5.02, (iii) any request to institute proceedings referred to in Section 5.07(2) or (iv) any direction referred to in Section 5.12. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to take the relevant action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided that no such action shall be effective hereunder unless taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Company from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled 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 Company, at its own expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Trustee in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 1.06.

 

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With respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section, the Company may designate any day as the Expiration Date and from time to time may change the Expiration Date to any earlier or later day; provided that no such change shall be effective unless notice of the proposed new Expiration Date is given to the Trustee in writing, and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 1.06, on or prior to the existing Expiration Date. If an Expiration Date is not designated with respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section, the Company shall be deemed to have initially designated the 180th day after such record date as the Expiration Date with respect thereto, subject to its right to change the Expiration Date as provided in this paragraph.

Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Security may do so with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Security or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any part of such principal amount.

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:

(1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention:    ; or

(2) 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 the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument 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 provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein 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 (if any), and not earlier than the earliest date (if any), 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. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

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.

 

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Section 1.07. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act which is required under such Act to be a part of and govern this Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act which may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to 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.

Section 1.09. Successors and Assigns.

All agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns. All agreements in this Indenture by the Trustee shall bind its successors.

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 to the extent permitted by applicable law.

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 of Senior Debt and the Holders, 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 law of the State of New York.

Section 1.13. Legal Holidays.

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated 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 of any Security 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 at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity.

 

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ARTICLE TWO

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 Depositary therefor or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution thereof. 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.

[Insert any legend required by the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder.]

 

 

  

 

  

 

No.                $            

hhgregg, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Delaware (herein called the Company, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to             , or registered assigns, the principal sum of          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              of each year, commencing             , at the rate of     % per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, provided that any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate of     % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand. 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

 

15


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 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 and any overdue premium shall bear interest at the rate of     % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue principal or premium shall be payable on demand. Any such interest on overdue principal or premium which is not paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate of     % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest on interest shall be legally enforceable), from the date of such demand until the amount so demanded is paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue interest shall be payable on demand.]

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in              in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that 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.

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 under its corporate seal.

 

Dated:  

 

    hhgregg, Inc.
Attest:       By:  

 

 

    Title:  

 

Title:        

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

 

16


as of              (herein called the Indenture, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), between the Company and             , as Trustee (herein called the Trustee , which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, the holders of Senior Debt 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 [if applicable, insert — limited in aggregate principal amount to $        ].

[If applicable, insert — The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 days’ notice by 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 [if applicable, insert 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 [if applicable, insert on or before     %, and if redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning              of the years indicated,

Year              Redemption Price              Year              Redemption 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 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 days’ notice by 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 [if applicable, insert 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 the 12-month period beginning              of the years indicated,

 

Year

  Redemption Price for
Redemption  Through
Operation of the Sinking Fund
  Year   Redemption Otherwise
Than Through
Operation  of the Sinking
Fund
     
     
     

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 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.]

 

17


[If applicable, insert — Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not, prior to         , redeem any Securities of this series as contemplated by [if applicable, insert — 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.]

[If applicable, insert — The sinking fund for this series provides for the redemption on in each year beginning with the year and ending with the year      of [if applicable, insert — 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 [if applicable, insert — mandatory] sinking fund payments may be credited against subsequent [if applicable, insert — mandatory] sinking fund payments otherwise required to be made [if applicable, insert — , in the inverse order in which they become due.]

[If the Security is subject to redemption of any kind, insert — In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.]

The indebtedness evidenced by this Security is, to the extent set forth in the Indenture, subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full in cash or Cash Equivalents of all Senior Debt, and this Security is issued subject to the provisions of the Indenture with respect thereto. Each Holder of this Security, by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions, (b) authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided and (c) appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

[If applicable, insert — The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of [the entire indebtedness of this Security] [or] [certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security] [, in each case] upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.]

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

[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 to 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, premium and 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 premium and interest, if any, on the Securities of this series shall terminate.]

 

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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 more than 50% 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 specified percentages 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 be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

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 any premium 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 any premium 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 and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same 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 $         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 and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

 

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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.

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

Section 2.04. Form of Legend for Global Securities.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for the Securities evidenced thereby, every Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depositary or a nominee thereof. This Security may not be exchanged in whole or in part for a Security registered, and no transfer of this Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person other than such Depositary or a nominee thereof, except in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture.

Section 2.05. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.

The Trustee’s certificates of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

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

 

 

 

  As Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Officer

ARTICLE THREE

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 in one or more series. There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution and, subject to Section 3.03, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series;

(a) the title of the Securities of the series (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from Securities of any other series);

 

20


(b) 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 Section 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06 or 11.07 and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 3.03, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

(c) the Person to whom any interest on a Security of the series shall be payable, if other than 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;

(d) the date or dates on which the principal of any Securities of the series is payable;

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

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

(g) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Company to redeem the Securities shall be evidenced;

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

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

(j) if the amount of principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index or pursuant to a formula, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(k) if other than the currency of the United States of America, the currency, currencies or currency units in which the principal of or any premium or interest on any

 

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Securities of the series shall be payable and the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in the currency of the United States of America for any purpose, including for purposes of the definition of Outstanding in Section 1.01;

(l) if the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series is to be payable, at the election of the Company or the Holder thereof, in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the currency, currencies or currency units in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Securities as to which such election is made shall be payable, the periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made and the amount so payable (or the manner in which such amount shall be determined);

(m) if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of any Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02;

(n) if the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of any Securities of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior to the Stated Maturity, the amount which shall be deemed to be the principal amount of such Securities as of any such date for any purpose thereunder or hereunder, including the principal amount thereof which shall be due and payable upon any Maturity other than the Stated Maturity or which shall be deemed to be Outstanding as of any date prior to the Stated Maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed to be the principal amount shall be determined);

(o) if applicable, that the Securities of the series, in whole or any specified part, shall be defeasible pursuant to Section 13.02 or Section 13.03 or both such Sections and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Company to defease such Securities shall be evidenced;

(p) if applicable, that any Securities of the series shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in such case, the respective Depositaries for such Global Securities, the form of any legend or legends which shall be borne by any such Global Security in addition to or in lieu of that set forth in Section 2.04 and any circumstances in addition to or in lieu of those set forth in Clause (2) of the last paragraph of Section 3.05 in which any such Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities registered, and any transfer of such Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name or names of Persons other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof;

(q) any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 5.02;

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

(s) if applicable, that the Securities of the series are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock or other securities of the Company, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which, and the

 

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limitations and restrictions, if any, upon which, any Securities of the series shall be convertible or exchangeable, in whole or in part, into Common Stock or other securities of the Company; and

(t) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 9.01(e)).

All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above and (subject to Section 3.03) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officers’ Certificate referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.

If any of the terms of the 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 the terms of the series.

Section 3.02. Denominations.

The Securities of each series shall be issuable only in registered form without coupons and only in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01. In the absence of any such specified denomination 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 President or one of its Vice Presidents, under its corporate seal reproduced thereon 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.

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 deliver such Securities. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been established by 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 Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,

(a) if the form of such Securities has been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution as permitted by Section 2.01, that such form has been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

 

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(b) 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

(c) 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, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

If such form or 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.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.01 and of the 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 Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 3.01 or the Company Order and Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to such preceding paragraph at or prior to the 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.

Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. 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, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never 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 deliver, temporary Securities 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.

 

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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 deliver in exchange therefor one or more definitive Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount. 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 and tenor.

Section 3.05. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.

The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee 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 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 a 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 deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

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

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

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.

 

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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 (a) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities of that series (or of that series and specified tenor, as the case may be) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of any such Securities selected for redemption under Section 11.03 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (b) 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 provisions of clauses (a), (b), (c) and (d) below shall apply only to Global Securities:

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

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, no Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities registered, and no transfer of a Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof unless (i) such Depositary (A) has notified the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or (B) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, (ii) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to such Global Security or (iii) there shall exist such circumstances, if any, in addition to or in lieu of the foregoing as have been specified for this purpose as contemplated by Section 3.01.

(c) Subject to Clause (b) above, any exchange of a Global Security for other Securities may be made in whole or in part, and all Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security or any portion thereof shall be registered in such names as the Depositary for such Global Security shall direct.

(d) Every Security authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, a Global Security or any portion thereof, whether pursuant to this Section, Section 3.04, 3.06, 9.06 or 11.07 or otherwise, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Security, unless such Security is registered in the name of a Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof.

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 (a) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (b) such security or indemnity as

 

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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 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.

Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Securities, 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 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 (a) or (b) below:

(a) 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, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in

 

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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 expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be given to each Holder of Securities of such series in the manner set forth in Section 1.06, 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 (b).

(b) 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, 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 and any premium and (subject to Section 3.07) any 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.

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 cancelled 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 may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of as directed by a Company Order.

 

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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 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

ARTICLE FOUR

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of Securities herein expressly provided for), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

(a) either:

(i) all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (A) Securities which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06 and (B) Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (A) have become due and payable, or (B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or (C) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose money in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be.

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

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

 

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Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.07, the obligations of the Trustee to any Authenticating Agent under Section 6.14 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 4.02 and the last paragraph of Section 10.03 shall survive.

Section 4.02. Application of Trust Money.

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance 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 any premium and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee.

ARTICLE FIVE

REMEDIES

Section 5.01. Events of Default.

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 be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

(a) default in the payment of any interest upon any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of that series at its Maturity; or

(c) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due by the terms of a Security of that series; or

(d) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant 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 continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a Notice of Default hereunder; or

(e) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of

 

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(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(f) the commencement by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary, or the filing by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary, or the making by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in furtherance of any such action; or

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

Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or 5.01(f)) with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal amount of all the Securities of that series (or, if any Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified by the terms thereof) to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in clause (e) or (f) of Section 5.01 with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs, the principal

 

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amount of all the Securities of that series (or, if any Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified by the terms thereof) shall automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration 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 written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may waive any existing Event of Default and its consequences under this Indenture except a continuing Event of Default in payment of interest or premium on, or the principal of, the Notes.

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

The Trustee shall not be required to act upon an Event of Default unless it has actual knowledge of such Event of Default.

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

The Company covenants that if:

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

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof, 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 any premium and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and premium 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 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 enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of any judicial proceeding relative to the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), its property or its creditors, the Trustee shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, to take any and all actions authorized under the

 

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Trust Indenture Act in order to have claims of the Holders and the Trustee allowed in any such proceeding. In particular, the Trustee shall be authorized 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.

No provision of this Indenture 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; provided, however, that the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders, vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and be a member of a creditors’ or other similar committee.

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 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 or any premium or interest, upon presentation of the Securities 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;

[IF SUBORDINATED INDENTURE: SECOND: To the extent provided in Article Fourteen, to the holders of Senior Debt of the Company in accordance with Article Fourteen;] and

THIRD: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities 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 for principal and any premium and interest, respectively.

 

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Section 5.07. Limitation on Suits.

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

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

(b) the Holders of not less than 25% 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;

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

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

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders 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 of such Holders.

Section 5.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and any premium and (subject to Section 3.07) interest on such Security on the respective Stated 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 had been instituted.

 

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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 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

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

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

Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults.

The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of such series; or

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

 

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Section 5.14. Undertaking for Costs.

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, a court may require any party litigant in such suit to file an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and may assess costs against any such party litigant, in the manner and to the extent provided in the Trust Indenture Act; provided that neither this Section nor the Trust Indenture Act shall be deemed to authorize any court to require such an undertaking or to make such an assessment in any suit instituted by the Company.

Section 5.15. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws.

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

ARTICLE SIX

THE TRUSTEE

Section 6.01. Certain Duties and Responsibilities.

The duties and responsibilities of the Trustee shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.

Section 6.02. Notice of Defaults.

If a default occurs hereunder with respect to Securities of any series, the Trustee shall give the Holders of Securities of such series notice of such default as and to the extent provided by the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that in the case of any default of the character specified in clause (d) of Section 5.01 with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term default means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03. Certain Rights of Trustee.

Subject to the provisions of Section 6.01:

(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;

 

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(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 shall 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 reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney; and

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

Section 6.04. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.

The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the 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. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

 

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

Section 6.07. Compensation and Reimbursement.

The Company agrees

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

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

(c) to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of 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.

Section 6.08. Conflicting Interests.

If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. To the extent permitted by such Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series [or a trustee under — list here any prior indentures between the Company and the Trustee that have not been satisfied and discharged and that may be excluded by the proviso to Section 310(b)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act].

 

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Section 6.09. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.

There shall at all times be one (and only one) Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of each series, which may be Trustee hereunder for Securities of one or more other series. Each Trustee shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such, and has a combined capital and surplus of at least $         and has its Corporate Trust Office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York. If any such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section and to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series 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.

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.

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.

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.

If at any time:

(a) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 6.08 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

(b) 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; or

(c) 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, (A) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (B) subject to Section 5.14, 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.

 

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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. 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.

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 to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided in Section 1.06. 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.

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.

In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (a) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to

 

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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, (b) 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 (c) 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.

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

No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

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 or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.13. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or any such other obligor).

 

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Section 6.14. Appointment of Authenticating Agent.

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 the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon original issue and upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $          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 give notice of such appointment in the manner provided in Section 1.06 to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

 

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The Trustee agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section, and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for such payments, subject to the provisions of Section 6.07.

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 alternative certificate of authentication in the following form:

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

 

 

 

  As Trustee
By  

 

  As Authenticating Agent
By  

 

  Authorized Officer

ARTICLE SEVEN

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 January 15 and July 15 in each year, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities of each series as of the preceding December 31 or June 30, as the case may be, 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;

excluding from any such list names and addresses received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar.

Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.

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.

 

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The rights of Holders to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act.

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 any disclosure of information as to names and addresses of Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee.

The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto.

A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.

Section 7.04. Reports by Company.

The Company shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant to such Act; provided that any such information, documents or reports required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act shall be filed with the Trustee within 15 days after the same is so required to be filed with the Commission.

ARTICLE EIGHT

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

Section 8.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.

The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, and the Company shall not permit any Person to consolidate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to the Company, unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or trust, shall be organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America, 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 satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on all the Securities and the performance or observance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

 

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(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company or any Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing;

(c) if, as a result of any such consolidation or merger or such conveyance, transfer or lease, properties or assets of the Company would become subject to a mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest or other encumbrance which would not be permitted by this Indenture, the Company or such successor Person, as the case may be, shall take such steps as shall be necessary effectively to secure the Securities equally and ratably with (or prior to) all indebtedness secured thereby; and

(d) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction been complied with.

Section 8.02. Successor Substituted.

Upon any consolidation of the Company with, or merger of the Company into, any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

ARTICLE NINE

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 9.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.

Without 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 satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

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

 

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(b) 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

(c) to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such additional Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such additional Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series); or

(d) to add to 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 to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form; or

(e) to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture in respect of one or more series of Securities, provided that any such addition, change or elimination (i) shall neither (A) apply to any Security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (B) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (ii) shall become effective only when there is no such Security Outstanding; or

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

(g) 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; or

(h) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture, provided that such action pursuant to this clause (h) shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect.

Section 9.02. Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders.

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may 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,

 

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(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or any other Security which 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 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), or modify the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the subordination of the Securities in a manner materially adverse to the Holders; or

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

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.09, 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 10.09, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Section 6.11 and clause (h) of Section 9.01.

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

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.

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. 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.

 

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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.

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.

ARTICLE TEN

COVENANTS

Section 10.01. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest.

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of the Securities and this Indenture.

Section 10.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency.

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

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain

 

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an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. 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. 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 or any premium 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 any premium and 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, prior to each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such amount, such sum to be held as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act. The Company will cause each Paying Agent 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) comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act applicable to it as a Paying Agent and (2) during the continuance of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any payment in respect of the Securities of that series, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent for payment in respect of the Securities of that series.

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 or any premium or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable shall 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 or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation in             , 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.

 

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Section 10.04. Statement by Officers as to Default.

The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an Officers’ Certificate, stating whether or not to the best knowledge of the signers thereof the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) and, if the Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge.

Section 10.05. Existence.

Subject to Article Eight, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or franchise if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.

Section 10.06. Maintenance of Properties.

The Company will cause all properties used or useful in the conduct of its business or the business of any Restricted Subsidiary to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order and supplied with all necessary equipment and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof, all as in the judgment of the Company may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation or maintenance of any of such properties if such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, desirable in the conduct of its business or the business of any such Restricted Subsidiary and not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.

Section 10.07. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims.

The Company will pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, (a) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Company or any Subsidiary or upon the income, profits or property of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, and (b) all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies which, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the property of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings.

 

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Section 10.08. Maintenance of Insurance.

The Company shall, and shall cause its Restricted Subsidiaries to, keep at all times all of their properties which are of an insurable nature insured against loss or damage with insurers believed by the Company to be responsible to the extent that property of similar character is usually so insured by corporations similarly situated and owning like properties in accordance with good business practice. The Company shall, and shall cause its Restricted Subsidiaries to, use the proceeds from any such insurance policy to repair, replace or otherwise restore the property to which such proceeds relate.

Section 10.09. Waiver of Certain Covenants.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of such series, the Company may, with respect to the Securities of any series, omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in any covenant provided pursuant to clause (r) of Section 3.01 or clause (b) or (g) of Section 9.01 for the benefit of the Holders of such series or in any of Sections 10.05 to 10.07, inclusive, if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least 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 ELEVEN

OPTIONAL 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 such Securities) 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 or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for such Securities. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all the Securities of any series (including any such redemption affecting only a single Security), the Company shall, at least 45 days prior to but no more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee of such Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities 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.

 

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Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed.

If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed (unless all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed or unless such redemption affects only a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of a portion of the principal amount of any Security of such series, provided that the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of any Security shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) for such Security. If less than all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed (unless such redemption affects only a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series and specified tenor not previously called for redemption in accordance with the preceding sentence.

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

The provisions of the two preceding paragraphs shall not apply with respect to any redemption affecting only a single Security, whether such Security is to be redeemed in whole or in part. In the case of any such redemption in part, the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of the Security shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) for such Security.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any 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 60 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:

(a) the Redemption Date;

(b) the Redemption Price;

(c) if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series consisting of more than a single Security are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption of any such Securities, the principal amounts) of the particular Securities to be redeemed and, if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series consisting of a single Security are to be redeemed, the principal amount of the particular Security to be redeemed;

 

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(d) 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;

(e) that on the Redemption Date, if such is the case, the right of the holders of each such Security to convert the Securities shall terminate;

(f) the place or places where each such Security is to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price; and

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case.

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

Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price.

Prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money 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.

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, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date will 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 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 any premium 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 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 of like tenor, 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 TWELVE

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 any series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for such Securities.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of any Securities 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 such Securities is herein referred to as an optional sinking fund payment. If provided for by the terms of any Securities, 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 as provided for by the terms of such Securities.

Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

The Company (1) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a series (other than any 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 any Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as and to the extent provided for by the terms of such Securities; provided that the Securities to be so credited have not been previously so credited. The Securities to be so credited shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price, as specified in the Securities so to be redeemed, 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 30 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for such Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any,

 

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which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities pursuant to Section 12.02 and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 15 days prior to 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 THIRTEEN

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

Section 13.01. Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

The Company may elect, at its option at any time, to have Section 13.02 or Section 13.03 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, designated pursuant to Section 3.01 as being defeasible pursuant to such Section 13.02 or 13.03, in accordance with any applicable requirements provided pursuant to Section 3.01 and upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article. Any such election shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for such Securities.

Section 13.02. Defeasance and Discharge.

Upon the Company’s exercise of its option (if any) to have this Section applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations, with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1304 are satisfied (hereinafter called Defeasance). For this purpose, such Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Securities 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), subject to the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (a) the rights of Holders of such Securities to receive, solely from the trust fund described in and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of and any premium and interest on such Securities when payments are due, (b) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03, (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 (if any) to have this Section applied to any Securities notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option (if any) to have Section 13.03 applied to such Securities.

Section 13.03. Covenant Defeasance.

Upon the Company’s exercise of its option (if any) to have this Section applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, (a) the Company shall be released from its obligations under clause (c) of Section 8.01, Sections 10.06 through 10.08, inclusive, and any covenants provided pursuant to clause (r) of Section 3.01 or clause (b) or (g) of Section 9.01 for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities; and (b) the occurrence of any event specified in

 

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clause (d) of Section 5.01 (with respect to any of clause (c) of Section 8.01, Sections 10.06 through 10.08, inclusive, and any such covenants provided pursuant to clause (r) of Section 3.01 or clause (b) or (g) of Section 9.01 shall be deemed not to be or result in an Event of Default, in each case will respect to such Securities as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 13.04 are satisfied (hereinafter called Covenant Defeasance). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to such Securities, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such specified Section (to the extent so specified in the case of clause (d) of Section 5.01), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or Article or by reason of any reference in any such Section or Article to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected thereby.

Section 13.04. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

The following shall be the conditions to the application of Section 13.02 or Section 13.03 to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be:

(a) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee which satisfies the requirements contemplated by Section 6.09 and agrees to comply with the provisions of this Article applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefits of the Holders of such Securities, (i) money in an amount, or (ii) 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 one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (iii) 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 any such other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, the principal of and any premium and interest on such Securities on the respective Stated Maturities, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and such Securities. As used herein, U.S. Government Obligation means (x) any security which is (i) a direct obligation of the United States of America for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged or (ii) an obligation of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, which, in either case (i) or (ii), is not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and (y) any depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any U.S. Government Obligation which is specified in Clause (x) above and held by such bank for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt, or with respect to any specific payment of principal of or interest on any U.S. Government Obligation which is so specified and held, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of principal or interest evidenced by such depositary receipt.

 

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(b) In the event of an election to have Section 13.02 apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (ii) since the date of this instrument, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case (i) or (ii) to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Securities will not recognize gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, Defeasance and discharge to be effected with respect to such Securities and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such deposit, Defeasance and discharge were not to occur.

(c) In the event of an election to have Section 13.03 apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Securities will not recognize gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and Covenant Defeasance to be effected with respect to such Securities and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such deposit and Covenant Defeasance were not to occur.

(d) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that neither such Securities nor any other Securities of the same series, if then listed on any securities exchange, will be delisted as a result of such deposit.

(e) No event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to such Securities or any other Securities shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit or, with regard to any such event specified in clause (e) or (f) of Section 5.01, at any time on or prior to the 90th day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until after such 90th day).

(f) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act (assuming all Securities are in default within the meaning of such Act).

(g) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party or by which it is bound.

(h) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act unless such trust shall be registered under such Act or exempt from registration thereunder.

(i) At the time of such deposit, (i) no default in the payment of any principal of or premium or interest on any Senior Debt shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) no event of default with respect to any Senior Debt shall have resulted in such Senior Debt becoming, and continuing to be, due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable (unless payment of such Senior Debt has been made or duly provided for), and (iii)

 

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no other event of default with respect to any Senior Debt shall have occurred and be continuing permitting (after notice or lapse of time or both) the holders of such Senior Debt (or a trustee on behalf of such holders) to declare such Senior Debt due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable.

(j) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.

Section 13.05. Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions.

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and U.S. Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee or other qualifying trustee (solely for purposes of this Section and, the Trustee and any such other trustee are referred to collectively as the Trustee) pursuant to Section 13.04 in respect of any Securities 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 such 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 any premium and interest, but money so held in trust 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 Outstanding Securities.

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 U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 13.04 with respect to any Securities 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 to effect the Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, with respect to such Securities.

Section 13.06. Reinstatement.

If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money 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 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

 

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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 so held in trust.

[IF SUBORDINATED INDENTURE:]

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES

Section 14.01. Securities Subordinate to Senior Debt.

The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of a Security, by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth in this Article (subject to the provisions of Article Four and Article Thirteen), the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on each and all of the Securities are hereby expressly made subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Debt.

Section 14.02. Payment Over of Proceeds Upon Dissolution, Etc.

In the event of (a) any insolvency or bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or proceeding in connection therewith, relative to the Company or to its creditors, as such, or to its assets, or (b) any liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary and whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, or (c) any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of assets or liabilities of the Company, then and in any such event specified in (a), (b) or (c) above (each such event, if any, herein sometimes referred to as a Proceeding) the holders of Senior Debt will be first entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of all Senior Debt, or provision shall be made for such payment, in cash or Cash Equivalents or otherwise in a manner satisfactory to the holders of Senior Debt, before the Holders of the Securities are entitled to receive any payment or distribution of any kind or character, on account of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on or other obligations in respect of the Securities or on account of any purchase or other acquisition of Securities by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (all such payments, distributions, purchases and acquisitions herein referred to, individually and collectively, as a Securities Payment), and to that end the holders of Senior Debt shall be entitled to receive, for application to the payment thereof, any Securities Payment which may be payable or deliverable in respect of the Securities in any such Proceeding.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, the Trustee receives payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, before all the Senior Debt is paid in full in cash or Cash Equivalents, then and in such event such Securities Payment shall be paid over or delivered forthwith to the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee, agent or other Person making payment or distribution of assets of the Company for application to the payment of all Senior Debt remaining unpaid, to the extent necessary to pay the Senior Debt in full in cash or Cash Equivalents.

 

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For purposes of this Article only, the words “any payment or distribution of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include a payment or distribution of stock or securities of the Company provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment authorized by an order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction in a reorganization proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy law or of any other corporation provided for by such plan of reorganization or readjustment which stock or securities are subordinated in right of payment to all then outstanding Senior Debt to at least the same extent as the Securities are so subordinated as provided in this Article; provided, however, that (a) if a new corporation results from such reorganization or readjustment, such corporation assumes any Senior Debt not paid in full in cash or Cash Equivalents in connection with such reorganization or readjustment and (b) the rights of the holders of such Senior Debt are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all of its properties and assets as an entirety to another Person upon the terms and conditions set forth in Article Eight shall not be deemed a Proceeding for the purposes of this Section if the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer such properties and assets as an entirety, as the case may be, shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions set forth in Article Eight.

Section 14.03. No Payment When Senior Debt in Default.

In the event that any Senior Payment Default (as defined below) shall have occurred and be continuing, then no Securities Payment shall be made unless and until such Senior Payment Default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist or all amounts then due and payable in respect of Senior Debt shall have been paid in full, or provision shall have been made for such payment, in cash or Cash Equivalents or otherwise in a manner satisfactory to the holders of Senior Debt. Senior Payment Default means any default in the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Senior Debt when due, whether at the Maturity thereof or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

In the event that any Senior Nonmonetary Default (as defined below) shall have occurred and be continuing, then, upon the receipt by the Company and the Trustee of written notice of such Senior Nonmonetary Default from the representatives of holders of the Designated Senior Debt to which such default relates, the Company may not make any payments on account of the Securities or on account of the purchase or redemption or other acquisition of Securities for a period (the blockage period) commencing on the date the Company and Trustee receive such written notice and ending on the earlier of (a) the 179th day after the date of such receipt of such written notice and (b) the date, if any, on which the Designated Senior Debt to which such default relates is discharged or such default is waived or otherwise cured. In any event, not more than one blockage period may be commenced during any period of 360 consecutive days and there shall be a period of at least 181 consecutive days in each period of 360 consecutive days when no blockage period is in effect. For all purposes of this paragraph, no Senior Nonmonetary Default that existed or was continuing on the date of commencement of any blockage period with respect to the Designated Senior Debt initiating such blockage period will be, or can be, made the basis for the commencement of a subsequent blockage period unless such default has

 

60


been cured or waived for a period of not less than 180 consecutive days. Senior Nonmonetary Default means the occurrence or existence and continuance of any event of default, or of any event which, after notice or lapse of time (or both), would become an event of default, under the terms of any instrument pursuant to which any Designated Senior Debt is outstanding, permitting (after notice or lapse of time or both) one or more holders of such Senior Debt (or a trustee or agent on behalf of the holders thereof) to declare such Senior Debt due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, other than a Senior Payment Default.

In the event and during the continuation of any default in the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Senior Debt beyond any applicable grace period with respect thereto, or in the event that any event of default with respect to any Senior Debt shall have occurred and be continuing permitting the holders of such Senior Debt (or a trustee on behalf of the holders thereof) to declare such Senior Debt, and shall have resulted in such Senior Debt becoming or being declared, due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, unless and until such event of default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist, or in the event any judicial proceeding shall be pending with respect to any such default in payment or event of default, then no Securities Payment shall be made.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall make any Securities Payment to the Trustee or any Holder prohibited by the foregoing provisions of this Section, then and in such event, subject to Section 14.04, such Securities Payment shall be paid over and delivered forthwith to the holders of the Senior Debt remaining unpaid, to the extent necessary to pay in full all the Senior Debt.

The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any Securities Payment with respect to which Section 14.02 would be applicable.

Section 14.04. Payment Permitted If No Default.

Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in any of the Securities shall prevent (a) the Company, at any time except during the pendency of any Proceeding referred to in Section 14.02 or under the conditions described in Section 14.03, from making Securities Payments, or (b) the application by the Trustee of any money deposited with it hereunder to Securities Payments or the retention of such Securities Payment by the Holders, if, at the time of such application by the Trustee, it did not have knowledge that such Securities Payment would have been prohibited by the provisions of this Article.

Section 14.05. Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Debt.

Subject to the payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of Senior Debt, or the provision for such payment, in cash or Cash Equivalents or otherwise in a manner satisfactory to the holders of Senior Debt, the Holders of the Securities shall be subrogated (equally and ratably with the holders of all Indebtedness of the Company which by its express terms is subordinated to Indebtedness of the Company to substantially the same extent as the Securities are subordinated to the Senior Debt and is entitled to like rights of subrogation by reason of any payments or distributions made to holders of such Senior Debt) to the rights of the holders of such Senior Debt to receive payments and distributions of cash, property and

 

61


securities applicable to the Senior Debt until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities shall be paid in full. For 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 would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article, and no payments over pursuant to the provisions of this Article to the holders of Senior Debt by Holders of the Securities or the Trustee, shall, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Debt and the Holders of the Securities, be deemed to be a payment or distribution by the Company to or on account of the Senior Debt.

Section 14.06. Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights.

The provisions of this Article are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders on the one hand and the holders of Senior Debt on the other hand. Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Securities is intended to or shall (a) impair, as among the Company, its creditors other than 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 of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms; or (b) affect the relative rights against the Company of the Holders of the Securities and creditors of the Company other than the holders of Senior Debt; or (c) prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article of the holders of Senior Debt to receive cash, property and securities otherwise payable or deliverable to the Trustee or such Holder.

Section 14.07. Trustee to Effectuate Subordination.

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

Section 14.08. No Waiver of Subordination Provisions.

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 any such holder may have or be otherwise 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 of the Securities, without incurring responsibility to the Holders of the Securities and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities to the holders of Senior Debt, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of

 

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payment of, or renew, increase or alter, Senior Debt, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner Senior Debt or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which Senior Debt is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing Senior Debt; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the payment or collection of Senior Debt; and (d) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 14.09. Notice to Trustee.

The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any fact known to the Company which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities, unless and until the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder of Senior Debt or from any trustee therefor; and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section at least three Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Security), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purpose for which such money was received and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it within three Business Days prior to such date.

Subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Debt (or a trustee therefor) to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of Senior Debt (or a trustee therefor). 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, 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, 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 14.10. Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such Proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of

 

63


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.

Section 14.11. Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Debt.

The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Debt and shall not be liable to any such holders if it shall in good faith mistakenly pay over or distribute to Holders of Securities or to the Company or to any other Person cash, property or securities to which any holders of Senior Debt shall be entitled by virtue of this Article or otherwise.

Section 14.12. Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Debt; Preservation of Trustee’s Rights.

The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article with respect to any Senior Debt which may at any time be held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Debt, and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

Nothing in this Article shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.07

Section 14.13. Article Applicable to Paying Agents.

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 shall in 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 in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided, however, that Section 14.14 shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if it or such Affiliate acts as Paying Agent.

Section 14.14. Defeasance of this Article Fourteen.

The subordination of the Securities provided by this Article is expressly made subject to the provisions for defeasance or covenant defeasance in Article Thirteen hereof and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, upon the effectiveness of any such defeasance or covenant defeasance, the Securities then outstanding shall thereupon cease to be subordinated pursuant to this Article Fourteen.

[Signatures on following page]

 

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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. In proving the existence of this Indenture it shall not be necessary to produce more than one copy.

SIGNATURES

 

Dated as of  

 

    ISSUER:
      HHGREGG, INC.
      By:  

 

      Name:  
      Title:  
      TRUSTEE
      [            ], AS TRUSTEE
      By:  

 

      Name:  
      Title:  

 

65

EX-5.1 7 d556791dex51.htm EX-5.1 EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

June 21, 2013

hhgregg, Inc.

4151 East 96th Street

Indianapolis, Indiana 46240

 

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 of hhgregg, Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to hhgregg, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its subsidiaries listed on Schedule 1 hereto (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), by a Registration Statement on Form S-3, dated June 21, 2013 (the “Registration Statement), of an indeterminate amount of the Company’s securities having an aggregate public offering price of up to $300 million to be offered from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 of the Act. Such securities include senior debt securities of the Company (“Senior Debt Securities”), subordinated debt securities of the Company (“Subordinated Debt Securities” and, together with the Senior Debt Securities, “Debt Securities”), guarantees of Debt Securities by the Subsidiary Guarantors (“Subsidiary Guarantees”), common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”), preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Preferred Stock”), and warrants issued by the Company to purchase Debt Securities, Common Stock, Preferred Stock or other securities (“Warrants” and, together with the Debt Securities, Subsidiary Guarantees, Common Stock and Preferred Stock, the “Securities”). The Registration Statement, as supplemented by a prospectus supplement, will also provide for the resale of the Company’s Common Stock that may be sold from time to time by certain stockholders of the Company identified in such prospectus supplement as selling stockholders (the “Selling Stockholders”).

The Debt Securities are to be issued pursuant to a senior indenture and/or a subordinated indenture, which may include a Subsidiary Guarantee, a form of which has been filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Indenture”) and is to be entered into, in each case, between the Company and a trustee (the “Trustee”). Each indenture may be supplemented, as applicable, in connection with the issuance of each series of Debt Securities by a supplemental indenture or other appropriate action of the Company creating such series. The Securities may be sold pursuant to an underwriting agreement, placement agency agreement, subscription agreement or other contract, which will be in substantially the form to be filed as an exhibit to a report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or an amendment to the Registration Statement. The Debt Securities, Warrants and Preferred Stock are to be issued in forms to be filed as exhibits to a report filed under the Exchange Act or an amendment to the Registration Statement.

As to all matters of fact (including factual conclusions and characterizations and descriptions of purpose, intention or other state of mind, including our opinion expressed in paragraph 5 below, insofar as it relates to the shares of Common Stock held by Selling Stockholders being fully paid), we have relied, with your permission, entirely upon written actions by the board of directors of the Company and certificates of certain officers of the Company and have assumed, without independent inquiry, the accuracy of those certificates and written actions by the board of directors of the Company.


hhgregg, Inc.

June 21, 2013

Page 2

 

As counsel to the Company, in rendering the opinions hereinafter expressed, we have examined and relied upon originals or copies of such corporate records, agreements, documents and instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for purposes of this opinion.

We have assumed:

 

  (i) the genuineness of all signatures, the conformity to the originals of all documents reviewed by us as copies, the authenticity and completeness of all original documents reviewed by us in original or copy form and the legal competence of each individual executing any document;

 

  (ii) that any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Registration Statement from time to time will not exceed the maximum authorized number of shares of Common Stock under the current Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as the same may have been amended, minus that number of shares of Common Stock that may have been issued and are outstanding, or are reserved for issuance for other purposes, at such time;

 

  (iii) that any shares of Preferred Stock issued pursuant to the Registration Statement from time to time will not exceed the maximum authorized number of shares of Preferred Stock under the current Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as the same may have been amended, minus that number of shares of Preferred Stock that may have been issued and are outstanding, or are reserved for issuance for other purposes, at such time;

 

  (iv) that at least $2,500,000 will be advanced to the Company in payment of the consideration for the Debt Securities;

 

  (v) that (1) the execution, delivery and performance by the Company, and each of the Subsidiary Guarantors, if applicable, of the applicable Indenture will not violate the laws of the jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, as the case may be, of the Company and each such Subsidiary Guarantor, or any other applicable laws (excepting the law of the State of New York); and (2) the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and each such Subsidiary Guarantor of the applicable Indenture and Subsidiary Guarantee will not constitute a breach or violation of any agreement or instrument that is binding upon the Company or any such Subsidiary Guarantor; and

 

  (vi) that, at the time of each issuance and sale of Securities, the Company, and each Subsidiary Guarantor, if applicable, will continue to be validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization or formation, as the case may be, with the requisite corporate or limited liability company, as the case may be, power and authority to issue and sell such Securities.


hhgregg, Inc.

June 21, 2013

Page 3

 

This opinion is limited solely to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), as applied by courts located in Delaware and the internal, substantive laws of the State of New York as applied by courts located in New York without regard to choice of law, in each case to the extent that the same may apply to or govern the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement. We express no opinion as to the effect of events occurring, circumstances arising, or changes of law becoming effective or occurring, after the date hereof on the matters addressed in this opinion.

Each opinion set forth below with respect to enforceability is subject to the following general qualifications:

 

  (a) the effect of applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, marshaling, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws and rules of law affecting the enforcement generally of creditors’ or secured parties’ rights and remedies;

 

  (b) rights to indemnification and contribution may be limited by applicable law or equitable principles, and exculpatory provisions and waivers of the benefits of statutory provisions may be limited on public policy grounds;

 

  (c) general principles of equity, including without limitation concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief and limitation of rights of acceleration, regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law; and

 

  (d) we express no opinion with respect to the enforceability of:

 

  i. consents to, or restrictions upon, judicial relief or, except to the extent that such waivers or consents are made enforceable by New York General Obligations Law Section 5-1402 (applied by a New York State court), jurisdiction or venue;

 

  ii. advance waivers of claims, defenses, rights granted by law, or notice, opportunity for hearing, evidentiary requirements, statutes of limitation, trial by jury or at law, or other procedural rights;

 

  iii. waivers of broadly or vaguely stated rights; and

 

  iv. provisions for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty or a forfeiture.


hhgregg, Inc.

June 21, 2013

Page 4

 

Based on such examination and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

 

1. With respect to Debt Securities to be issued under the Indenture and any Subsidiary Guarantees included in the Debt Securities, when (a) the Trustee is qualified to act as Trustee under any Indenture, (b) the Trustee has duly authorized, executed and delivered the Indenture, (c) the applicable Indenture has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company, and any Subsidiary Guarantor, if applicable, to the Trustee, (d) the applicable Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, (e) the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly constituted and acting committee thereof (such Board of Directors or committee being hereinafter referred to as the “Board”) has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of such Debt Securities, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, (f) the board of directors or manager or members, as the case may be, of each Subsidiary Guarantor has taken all necessary corporate or limited liability company, as the case may be, action to approve the terms of the applicable Indenture and Subsidiary Guarantee, and (g) such Debt Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Indenture, and the applicable definitive placement agency, underwriting, subscription or similar agreement approved by the Board, or upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase Debt Securities, upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, such Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits of the applicable Indenture and such Subsidiary Guarantees included in such Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor party thereto, enforceable against each such Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits of the applicable Indenture.

 

2. With respect to any particular series of shares of Preferred Stock, when both (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the shares of Preferred Stock, the terms of the offering thereof, and related matters, including the adoption of a certificate of designation relating to such Preferred Stock conforming to the DGCL (a “Certificate”) and the Certificate has been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, and (b) certificates representing the shares of Preferred Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered either (i) in accordance with the applicable definitive placement agency, underwriting, subscription or similar agreement approved by the Board, upon payment of the consideration therefor (not less than the par value of the Preferred Stock), (ii) upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase Preferred Stock and payment of the consideration therefor (not less than the par value of the Preferred Stock) provided for therein, or (iii) upon conversion or exercise of any other Security, in accordance with the terms of such Security or the instrument governing such Security providing for such conversion or exercise as approved by the Board and for the stated consideration (not less than the par value of the Preferred Stock), then the shares of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.


hhgregg, Inc.

June 21, 2013

Page 5

 

3. With respect to shares of Common Stock, when both (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the offering of shares of Common Stock and related matters, and (b) certificates representing the shares of Common Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered either (i) in accordance with the applicable definitive placement agency, underwriting, subscription or similar agreement approved by the Board, upon payment of the consideration therefor (not less than the par value of the Common Stock), (ii) upon the exercise of Warrants to purchase Common Stock and payment of the consideration therefor (not less than the par value of the Common Stock) provided for therein, or (iii) upon conversion or exercise of any other Security, in accordance with the terms of such Security or the instrument governing such Security providing for such conversion or exercise as approved by the Board, for the stated consideration (not less than the par value of the Common Stock), then the shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

4. With respect to the Warrants, when both (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Warrants and related matters, and (b) the Warrants have been duly executed and delivered against payment therefor, pursuant to the applicable definitive placement agency, underwriting, subscription, warrant or similar agreement duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and any applicable warrant agent and the certificates for the Warrants have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and any applicable warrant agent, then the Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

5. The shares of Common Stock held by Selling Stockholders have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder. In rendering this opinion, we are opining only as to the specific legal issues expressly set forth therein, and no opinion shall be inferred as to any other matter or matters. This opinion is intended solely for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities subject to the Registration Statement and is not to be relied upon for any other purpose.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/  Bingham McCutchen LLP

 

BINGHAM McCUTCHEN LLP


Schedule 1

 

Subsidiary

  

Jurisdiction of Organization

Gregg Appliances, Inc.    Indiana
HHG Distributing, LLC    Indiana
EX-23.1 8 d556791dex231.htm EX-23.1 EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

hhgregg, Inc.:

We consent to the use of our report with respect to the consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated by reference herein and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.

/s/  KPMG LLP

Indianapolis, Indiana

June 21, 2013

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