EX-4.3 3 a2200675zex-4_3.htm EX-4.3

Exhibit 4.3

 

 

TAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.,
Issuer

 

and

 

U.S. Bank National Association,
Trustee

 


 

Indenture

 

Dated as of [·], 2010

 


 

Subordinated Debt Securities

 

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

 

1

Section 101.

Definitions

 

1

Section 102.

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

 

7

Section 103.

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

 

7

Section 104.

Acts of Holders; Record Dates

 

8

Section 105.

Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company

 

10

Section 106.

Notice to Holders; Waiver

 

10

Section 107.

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

 

11

Section 108.

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

 

11

Section 109.

Successors and Assigns

 

11

Section 110.

Separability Clause

 

11

Section 111.

Benefits of Indenture

 

11

Section 112.

Governing Law

 

11

Section 113.

Legal Holidays

 

11

ARTICLE TWO

SECURITY FORMS

 

12

Section 201.

Forms Generally

 

12

Section 202.

Form of Face of Security

 

12

Section 203.

Form of Reverse of Security

 

14

Section 204.

Form of Legend for Global Securities

 

18

Section 205.

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

 

18

ARTICLE THREE

THE SECURITIES

 

19

Section 301.

Amount; Issuable in Series

 

19

Section 302.

Denominations

 

22

Section 303.

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

 

22

Section 304.

Temporary Securities

 

23

Section 305.

Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange

 

24

Section 306.

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

 

25

Section 307.

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

 

26

Section 308.

Persons Deemed Owners

 

27

 

i



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

Section 309.

Cancellation

 

28

Section 310.

Computation of Interest

 

28

Section 311.

CUSIP Numbers

 

28

Section 312.

Original Issue Discount

 

28

ARTICLE FOUR

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

28

Section 401.

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

 

28

Section 402.

Application of Trust Money

 

29

ARTICLE FIVE

REMEDIES

 

30

Section 501.

Events of Default

 

30

Section 502.

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

 

31

Section 503.

Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

 

32

Section 504.

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

 

32

Section 505.

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

 

33

Section 506.

Application of Money Collected

 

33

Section 507.

Limitation on Suits

 

33

Section 508.

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest

 

34

Section 509.

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

 

34

Section 510.

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

 

34

Section 511.

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

 

34

Section 512.

Control by Holders

 

34

Section 513.

Waiver of Past Defaults

 

35

Section 514.

Undertaking for Costs

 

35

ARTICLE SIX

THE TRUSTEE

 

35

Section 601.

Certain Duties and Responsibilities

 

35

Section 602.

Notice of Defaults

 

36

Section 603.

Certain Rights of Trustee

 

36

Section 604.

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

 

39

Section 605.

May Hold Securities

 

39

Section 606.

Money Held in Trust

 

39

 

ii



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

Section 607.

Compensation and Reimbursement

 

39

Section 608.

Conflicting Interests

 

40

Section 609.

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

 

40

Section 610.

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

 

40

Section 611.

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

 

42

Section 612.

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

 

43

Section 613.

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

 

43

Section 614.

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

 

43

Section 615.

Not Bound to Act

 

45

ARTICLE SEVEN

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

 

45

Section 701.

Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

 

45

Section 702.

Reports by Trustee

 

45

Section 703.

Reports by Company

 

45

ARTICLE EIGHT

CONSOLIDATION, AMALGAMATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

 

46

Section 801.

Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

 

46

Section 802.

Successor Substituted

 

46

ARTICLE NINE

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

47

Section 901.

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

 

47

Section 902.

Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders

 

48

Section 903.

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

 

49

Section 904.

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

 

50

Section 905.

Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

 

50

Section 906.

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

 

50

ARTICLE TEN

COVENANTS

 

50

Section 1001.

Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

 

50

Section 1002.

Maintenance of Office or Agency

 

50

Section 1003.

Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

 

51

Section 1004.

Existence

 

52

Section 1005.

Statement as to Compliance

 

52

 

iii



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

Section 1006.

Waiver of Certain Covenants

 

52

ARTICLE ELEVEN

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

52

Section 1101.

Applicability of Article

 

52

Section 1102.

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

 

52

Section 1103.

Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

 

53

Section 1104.

Notice of Redemption

 

53

Section 1105.

Deposit of Redemption Price

 

54

Section 1106.

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

 

54

Section 1107.

Securities Redeemed in Part

 

55

ARTICLE TWELVE

PURCHASE OR REPAYMENT OF SECURITIES BY THE COMPANY AT THE OPTION OF THE HOLDER

 

55

Section 1201.

Applicability of Article

 

55

Section 1202.

Notice of Repayment Date

 

55

Section 1203.

Deposit of Repayment Price

 

56

Section 1204.

Securities Payable on Repayment Date

 

56

Section 1205.

Securities Repaid in Part

 

56

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

SINKING FUNDS

 

56

Section 1301.

Applicability of Article

 

56

Section 1302.

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

 

57

Section 1303.

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

 

57

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

 

57

Section 1401.

Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

 

57

Section 1402.

Defeasance and Discharge

 

58

Section 1403.

Covenant Defeasance

 

58

Section 1404.

Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

 

58

Section 1405.

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

 

60

Section 1406.

Reinstatement

 

61

ARTICLE FIFTEEN

SUBORDINATION

 

61

Section 1501.

Securities Subordinated to Senior Indebtedness

 

61

 

iv



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

Section 1502.

Effectuation of Subordination by Trustee

 

64

Section 1503.

Knowledge of Trustee

 

64

Section 1504.

Trustee’s Relation to Senior Indebtedness

 

65

Section 1505.

Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness Not Impaired

 

65

ARTICLE SIXTEEN

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

65

Section 1601.

Indenture and Securities Solely Corporate Obligations

 

65

Section 1602.

Execution in Counterparts

 

66

Section 1603.

Waiver of Jury Trial

 

66

 

v



 

Certain Sections of this Indenture relating to Sections 310 through 318, inclusive, of the U.S. Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended:

 

Trust Indenture
Act Section

 

Indenture Section

 

§310(a)(1)

 

609

 

(a)(2)

 

609

 

(a)(3)

 

Not Applicable

 

(a)(4)

 

Not Applicable

 

(b)

 

608

 

 

 

610

 

§ 311(a)

 

613

 

(b)

 

613

 

§ 312(a)

 

701

 

(b)

 

702

 

(c)

 

702

 

§ 313(a)

 

703

 

 

 

703

 

(b)

 

703

 

(c)

 

703

 

(d)

 

703

 

§ 314(a)

 

704

 

(a)(4)

 

101

 

 

 

1004

 

(b)

 

Not Applicable

 

(c)(1)

 

102

 

(c)(2)

 

102

 

(c)(3)

 

Not Applicable

 

(d)

 

Not Applicable

 

(e)

 

102

 

§ 315(a)

 

601

 

(b)

 

602

 

(c)

 

601

 

(d)

 

601

 

(e)

 

514

 

§ 316(a)

 

101

 

(a)(1)(A)

 

502

 

 

 

512

 

(a)(1)(B)

 

513

 

(a)(2)

 

Not Applicable

 

(b)

 

508

 

(c)

 

104

 

§317(a)(1)

 

503

 

(a)(2)

 

504

 

(b)

 

1003

 

§ 318(a)

 

107

 

 

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

 

vi


 

INDENTURE, dated as of [·], 2010, among TAL International Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (herein called the “Company”), having its principal executive offices located at 100 Manhattanville Road, Purchase, New York 10577 and U.S. Bank National Association, a trust company under the laws of the United States (the “Trustee”).

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

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

 

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

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually 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 101.                                Definitions.  For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(4)                                  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;

 

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

 

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(6)                                  all references to dollars and $ shall mean U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

 

Act”, when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 104.

 

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 614 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

 

Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11 of the U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

 

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, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

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.

 

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

 

Company Request” or “Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by any one of the president, any vice-president (whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “vice-president”), the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the secretary or any assistant secretary and any other natural person designated as an officer of the Company by by-law or by Board Resolution and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Corporate Trust Office”, with respect to the Trustee, means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee in St. Paul, Minnesota at which at any particular time its corporate trust

 

2



 

business shall be principally administered, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company.

 

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

 

Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1403.

 

Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.

 

Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1402.

 

Depositary” means, with respect to Securities of any series issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, any Person that is designated to act as Depositary for such Securities as contemplated by Section 301.

 

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 501.

 

Exchange Act” means the U.S. 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 104.

 

Global Security” means a Security that evidences all or part of the Securities of any series and bears the legend set forth in Section 204 (or such legend as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities).

 

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

 

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 301.

 

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

 

3



 

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, exercise of a Holder’s option to require the Company to purchase or repay the Security or otherwise.

 

Notice of Default” means a written notice of the kind specified in Section 502.

 

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any one of the president, any vice-president (whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “vice-president”), the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the secretary or any assistant secretary, and any other natural person designated as an officer of the Company by by-law or by Board Resolution and delivered to the Trustee. The officer signing an Officer’s Certificate given pursuant to Section 1004 shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Company.

 

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be internal or external counsel for the Company, and who shall be acceptable to the Trustee.

 

Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(3)                                  Securities as to which Defeasance has been effected pursuant to Section 1402; and

 

(4)                                  Securities that have been paid pursuant to Section 306 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 protected purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company;

 

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given, made or taken any request, demand, authorization,

 

4



 

direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action hereunder as of any date, (A) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of such date upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof to such date pursuant to Section 502, (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 301, (C) the principal amount of a Security denominated in one or more currencies or currency units other than U.S. dollars 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 301, 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 that a Responsible Officer of 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 and may be the Company in such capacity.

 

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

 

Place of Payment”, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as contemplated by Section 301, and as determined by the Trustee and the Company.

 

Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 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.

 

Record Date” means any Regular Record Date or Special Record Date.

 

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.

 

5



 

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 301.

 

Repayment Date”, when used with respect to Securities of any series, the terms of which provide each Holder an option to require the Company to purchase or repay the Securities held by such Holder, means the date, if any, fixed for such purchase or repayment pursuant to this Indenture.

 

Repayment Price”, when used with respect to Securities of any series, the terms of which provide each Holder an option to require the Company to purchase or repay the Securities held by such Holder, means the price, if any, at which such purchase or repayment is to occur pursuant to this Indenture.

 

Responsible Officer” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer of the Trustee with direct responsibility for administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

 

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

 

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

 

Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.

 

Senior Indebtedness” means all of the indebtedness of, or indebtedness guaranteed by, the Company for borrowed money (including the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any such borrowed money and any commitment fees for unborrowed amounts which, if borrowed, would constitute Senior Indebtedness), whether currently outstanding or hereafter incurred, unless, under the instrument evidencing the same or under which the same is outstanding, it is expressly provided that such indebtedness is subordinate to other indebtedness and obligations of the Company.

 

Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 307.

 

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

 

Subordinated Indebtedness” shall mean the Securities and all other indebtedness of, or guaranteed by, the Company whether or not outstanding as of the date of this Indenture, which is by its terms made subordinate and junior in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness.

 

6



 

Trust Indenture Act” means the U.S. 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.

 

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

 

U.S. Government Obligation” has the meaning specified in Section 1404.

 

Section 102.                                Compliance Certificates and Opinions.  Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

 

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (except for certificates provided for in Section 1004) shall include substantially:

 

(1)                                  a 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, such individual has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him or her to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

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

 

Section 103.                                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.

 

7



 

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 104.                                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 an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 601) 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.

 

For the purposes of this Indenture, 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,

 

8



 

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 any notice, declaration, request or direction referred to in the next paragraph. 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 106.

 

The Trustee may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to join in the giving or making of (i) any Notice of Default, (ii) any declaration of acceleration referred to in Section 502, (iii) any request to institute proceedings referred to in Section 507(2) or (iv) any direction referred to in Section 512, in each case with respect to Securities of such series. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to join in such notice, declaration, request or direction, 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 Trustee 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 Trustee, at the Company’s expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Company in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 106.

 

With respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section, the party hereto that sets such record date 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 other party hereto in writing, and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 106, on or prior to the existing Expiration Date. If an Expiration Date is not designated with respect to

 

9



 

any record date set pursuant to this Section, the party hereto that set such record date 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; provided that the Expiration Date shall not be later than the 180th day after such record date.

 

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 105.                                Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company.  Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, 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, 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, or by overnight courier or facsimile or other electronic transmission, to the Company addressed to it at the address of its principal executive offices or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

Section 106.                                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 or her 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.  Any notice mailed in the manner prescribed by this Indenture shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given whether or not received by any particular Holder.  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.

 

10


 

In the case of Global Securities, notices or communications to be given to Holders shall be given to the Depository, in accordance with its applicable policies from time to time.

 

Section 107.                                Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.  If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under the Trust Indenture 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 that 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 108.                                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 109.                                Successors and Assigns.  All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.  All agreements of the Trustee, any additional trustee and any Paying Agents in this Indenture shall bind their respective successors and assigns.

 

Section 110.                                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, and a Holder shall have no claim therefor against any party hereto.

 

Section 111.                                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 and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

 

Section 112.                                Governing Law.  This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York, as applied to contracts made and performed within the State of New York without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.

 

Section 113.                                Legal Holidays.  In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment 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) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, or at the Stated Maturity; provided, however, that no interest shall accrue on such amount for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, or Stated Maturity, as the case may be, to the date of such payment.

 

11



 

ARTICLE TWO

 

SECURITY FORMS

 

Section 201.                                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, other appropriate Company authorization 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 or other appropriate Company authorization, 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 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities. If all of the Securities of any series established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution or other appropriate Company authorization are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver a record of such action at the time of issuance of each Security of such series, but an appropriate record of such action shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series.

 

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

 

Section 202.                                Form of Face of Security.

 

[Insert any legend required by Section 204]

 

[Insert any legend required by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.]

 

TAL International Group, Inc.


[Insert title of Securities]

 

No.

CUSIP No.

 

 

Issue Date

Stated Maturity:

 

12



 

TAL International Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to                    , or registered assigns, the principal sum of                                              Dollars on [if the Security is to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — , and to pay interest thereon from or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, [semi-annually] on                       and                            in each year, commencing                          , at the rate of       % per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, [if applicable, insert— ; 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 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.]

 

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

 

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.

 

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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.

 

Dated:

 

 

TAL International Group, Inc.

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

Section 203.                                Form of Reverse of Security.  This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of                           , 2010 (herein called the “Indenture,” which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), among the Company and U.S. Bank National Association (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 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 — , [initially] limited in aggregate principal amount to $                                 , provided that the Company may, without the consent of any Holder, at any time and from time to time, increase the initial principal amount.]

 

[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 also redeemable as set forth hereinafter.)]

 

[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

 

14



 

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
Operations of the
Sinking fund

 

Redemption Price
For 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.]

 

[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 ¾ 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.]

 

[If applicable—, insert reference to any other right of the Company to redeem a Security of this series.]

 

[If applicable, insert ¾ 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 applicable, insert provisions with respect to the option of Holders to require purchase or repayment of Securities of this series by the Company at the option of the Holder and the

 

15



 

issuance of Securities in lieu of Securities purchased or repaid by the Company at the option of the Holder.]

 

[If applicable, insert provisions requiring an adjustment to the interest rate in certain circumstances.]

 

The indebtedness evidenced by this Security is, to the extent provided in the Indenture, subordinate to the prior payment in full of all other liabilities of the Company except liabilities which by their terms rank in right of payment equally with or subordinate to subordinated indebtedness of the Company, including the Securities, 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 or her behalf to take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided and (c) appoints the Trustee as his or her attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.  Each Holder hereof, by his or her acceptance hereof, waives all notice of the acceptance of the subordination provisions contained herein and in the Indenture by each holder of Senior Indebtedness whether now outstanding or hereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, and waives reliance by each such holder upon said provisions.

 

[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 ¾ 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 ¾ 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.]

 

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected, or in certain cases the unanimous consent of each of such Holders. 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 herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

 

16



 

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 90 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 $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

 

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company or the Trustee 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 that are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

17



 

Section 204.                                Form of Legend for Global Securities.  Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 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 205.                                Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.  Subject to Section 614, 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.

 

Dated:

 

 

U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

18



 

ARTICLE THREE

 

THE SECURITIES

 

Section 301.                                Amount; Issuable in Series.

 

(a)                                  The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture may not exceed $[·].

 

(b)                                 The Securities are subordinated and unsecured indebtedness of the Company.

 

(c)                                  The Securities may be issued in one or more series. There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution or other appropriate Company authorization and, subject to Section 303, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officer’s Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series,

 

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

 

(2)                                  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 304, 305, 306, 906, 1107 or 1303 and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

 

(3)                                  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;

 

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

 

(5)                                  the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the series will be issued;

 

(6)                                  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;

 

(7)                                  the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on any Securities of the series shall be payable, the place or places where the Securities of such series may be presented for registration of transfer or exchange, any restrictions that may be applicable to any such transfer or exchange in addition to or in lieu of those set

 

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forth herein, and the place or places where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series may be made;

 

(8)                                  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 the manner in which any election by the Company to redeem the Securities shall be evidenced;

 

(9)                                  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;

 

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

 

(11)                            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, a financial or economic measure or pursuant to a formula, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

 

(12)                            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 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 101;

 

(13)                            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);

 

(14)                            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 502;

 

(15)                            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

 

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Maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed to be the principal amount shall be determined);

 

(16)                            the manner in which any election by the Company to defease any Securities of the series pursuant to Section 1402 or Section 1403 shall be evidenced; whether any Securities of the series other than Securities denominated in U.S. dollars and bearing interest at a fixed rate are to be subject to Section 1402 or Section 1403; or, in the case of Securities denominated in U.S. dollars and bearing interest at a fixed rate, if applicable, that the Securities of the series, in whole or any specified part, shall not be defeasible pursuant to Section 1402 or Section 1403 or both such Sections;

 

(17)                            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 204 and any circumstances in addition to or in lieu of those set forth in Clause (2) of the last paragraph of Section 305 in which any such Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for registered Securities, 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 and any other provisions governing exchanges or transfers of any such Global Security;

 

(18)                            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 502;

 

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

 

(20)                            if applicable, any conversion, exercise or exchange provisions, including the terms on which and the period during which such conversion, exercise or exchange may occur;

 

(21)                            any additional or different subordination terms applicable to Securities of the series;

 

(22)                            CUSIP or other identifying numbers of the Securities; and

 

(23)                            any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 901(5)).

 

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 or other appropriate Company authorization referred to above and (subject to Section 303) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officer’s Certificate referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at one time and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or other appropriate

 

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Company authorization referred to above and (subject to Section 303) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officer’s Certificate referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto with respect to a series of Securities, additional Securities of a series may be issued, at the option of the Company, without the consent of any Holder, at any time and from time to time.

 

If any of the terms of the series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution or other appropriate Company authorization, 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 Officer’s Certificate setting forth the terms of the series.

 

Section 302.                                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 301. 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 integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

Section 303.                                Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.  The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any one of the president, any vice-president (whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “vice-president”), the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the secretary or any assistant secretary, with or without additional titles or positions (or any Person designated by one of them in writing as authorized to execute and deliver Securities or any Person designated by the Board of Directors as authorized to execute and deliver Securities), and delivered to the Trustee. 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 or other appropriate Company authorization as permitted by Sections 201 and 301, 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 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,

 

(1)                                  if the form of such Securities has been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution or other appropriate Company authorization as permitted by Section 201, that such form has been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

 

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(2)                                  if the terms of such Securities have been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution or other appropriate Company authorization as permitted by Section 301, that such terms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

 

(3)                                  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 301 and of the preceding paragraph, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, including in the event that the size of a series of Outstanding Securities is increased as contemplated by Section 301, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officer’s Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 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 and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 309, 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 304.                                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 that are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company 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 305.                                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 that 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 or the Trustee 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 304, 906, 1107 or 1303 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 1103 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 (1), (2), (3) and (4) below shall apply only to Global Securities:

 

(1)                                  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.

 

(2)                                  Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, no Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for registered Securities, 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 (A) such Depositary has notified the Company that it is unwilling or unable or no longer permitted under applicable law to continue as Depositary for such Global Security and the Company does not appoint another institution to act as Depositary within 60 days, (B) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to such Global Security, (C) the Company so directs the Trustee by a Company Order or (D) 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 301.

 

(3)                                  Subject to Clause (2) 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.

 

(4)                                  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 304, 306, 906, 1107 or 1303 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 306.                                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.

 

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If there shall be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a protected purchaser in good faith, 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 mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the mutilated, 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 307.                                Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.  Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid to the Trustee by 10:00 a.m. (local time at the Place of Payment) on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid on such Interest Payment Date 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 (1) or (2) below:

 

(1)                                  The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at

 

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the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 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 106, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following Clause (2).

 

(2)                                  The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, 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 308.                                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 307) 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.

 

None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Global Security, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, or any agent of the Company or the Trustee, from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by any Depositary, as a Holder, with respect to such Global Security or impair, as between such Depositary and owners of beneficial interests

 

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in such Global Security, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of such Depositary (or its nominee) as Holder of such Global Security.

 

Section 309.                                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 in accordance with its customary procedures.

 

Section 310.                                Computation of Interest.  Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 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.

 

Section 311.                                CUSIP Numbers.  The Company in issuing any series of the Securities may use CUSIP numbers, if then generally in use, and thereafter with respect to such series, the Trustee may use such numbers in any notice of redemption with respect to such series, provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities of that series or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities of that series, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.

 

Section 312.                                Original Issue Discount.  If any of the Securities is an Original Issue Discount Security, the Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (i) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on such Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (ii) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

ARTICLE FOUR

 

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

Section 401.                                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 and the rights, duties, protections, immunities and indemnities of the Trustee 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

 

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(1)                                  either:

 

(A)                              all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Securities which have been mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306 and (ii) Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

(B)                                all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

 

(i)                                     have become due and payable, or

 

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

 

(iii)                               are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements 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 subclause (B)(i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such 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;

 

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

 

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

 

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 607, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of Clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and the last paragraph of Section 1003 shall survive.

 

Section 402.                                Application of Trust Money.  Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 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

 

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the principal and any premium and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee.

 

ARTICLE FIVE

 

REMEDIES

 

Section 501.                                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):

 

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

 

(2)                                  default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and such default continues for a period of five days; or

 

(3)                                  default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement 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 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in 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

 

(4)                                  the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

(A)                              commences a voluntary case,

 

(B)                                consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

 

(C)                                consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, or

 

(D)                               makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or

 

(5)                                  a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 

(A)                              is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case;

 

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(B)                                appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or

 

(C)                                orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

 

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

 

Section 502.                                Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.  Except as provided in the last sentence in this paragraph, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default due to the Default in payment of principal of, or any premium or interest on, any series of Securities, or because of the Company’s default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or agreement applicable to such series of Securities but not applicable to all Outstanding Securities of any series, shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding may declare the principal of all Securities of that series (or, if such Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified by the terms thereof) and any premium and all accrued and unpaid interest accrued on all such Securities 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), premium and interest shall become immediately due and payable.  Except as provided in the last sentence to this paragraph, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default resulting from the Company’s default in the performance of any other of the covenants or agreements in this Indenture applicable to all Outstanding Securities of any series under this Indenture, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of all Securities then Outstanding (treated as one class) may declare the principal of all Securities (or, if any Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified by the terms thereof) and any premium and all accrued and unpaid interest accrued on all Securities 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), premium and interest shall become immediately due and payable.  Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default of the type described in clause (4) or (5) of Section 501, the principal amount of all Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (or, if any Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified by the terms thereof) and any premium and all accrued and unpaid interest on all the Securities shall become immediately due and payable without further action by any Person.

 

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 rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:

 

(1)                                  the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

 

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(A)                              all overdue interest on all Securities of that series,

 

(B)                                the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Securities of that series that have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities,

 

(C)                                to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and

 

(D)                               all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel;

 

and

 

(2)                                  all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series that have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 513.

 

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

 

Section 503.                                Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.  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 504.                                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 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 to the Trustee under Section 607.

 

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

 

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trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and be a member of a creditors’ or other similar committee.

 

Section 505.                                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 506.                                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 607;

 

SECOND: To the payment of all Senior Indebtedness if and to the extent required by Article 15 or other subordination provisions applicable with respect to a series of Securities;

 

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; and

 

FOURTH: The balance, if any, to the Company, its successors or assigns or to whoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

Section 507.                                Limitation on Suits.  No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

 

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

 

(2)                                  the Holders of 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;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

it being understood and intended that no one or more of 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 508.                                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 307) interest on such Security on the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on the Redemption Date or date for repayment, as the case may be) 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 509.                                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.

 

Section 510.                                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 306, 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 511.                                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.

 

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Section 512.                                Control by Holders.  The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that:

 

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

 

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

 

(3)                                  the Holders have provided the Trustee with reasonable indemnification acceptable to the Trustee against liability and expenses arising from such action.

 

Section 513.                                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:

 

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

 

(2)                                  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.

 

Section 514.                                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 reasonable 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.

 

ARTICLE SIX

 

THE TRUSTEE

 

Section 601.                                Certain Duties and Responsibilities.  The duties and responsibilities of the Trustee shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act. The obligation of the Trustee to commence or continue any act, action or proceeding for the purpose of enforcing any rights of the Trustee or the Holders of Securities hereunder shall be conditional upon the Holders of Securities furnishing, when required by notice in writing from the Trustee, sufficient funds to commence or continue such act, action or proceeding and indemnity reasonably satisfactory to

 

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the Trustee to protect and hold harmless the Trustee against the costs, charges and expenses and liabilities that may be incurred thereby and any loss and damage it may suffer by reason thereof. None of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers unless indemnified as aforesaid.

 

Section 602.                                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. 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 603.                                Certain Rights of Trustee.  Subject to the provisions of Section 601:

 

(1)                                  The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, 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.

 

(2)                                  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.

 

(3)                                  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, conclusively rely upon an Officer’s Certificate.

 

(4)                                  The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the 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.

 

(5)                                  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 satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

 

(6)                                  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

 

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attorney during the Company’s normal business hours; provided, however, that the Trustee shall cause its agents and attorneys to agree in writing to hold in confidence all such information except to the extent disclosure may be required by law and except to the extent that the Trustee, in its sole judgment, may determine that such disclosure is consistent with its obligations hereunder.

 

(7)                                  The Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder, and the Trustee may also employ advisors and experts to assist in the performance of the Trustee’s powers and duties under this Indenture.

 

(8)                                  The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in its capacities hereunder including as Securities Registrar and Paying Agent.

 

(9)                                  The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is delivered to the Trustee in accordance with an appropriate manner of delivery as set forth elsewhere in this Indenture, and such notice references the Securities or this Indenture.

 

(10)                            None of the Trustee or any agent shall have any responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of an interest in a Global Security, a member of, or a participant in, the depositary or other person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the depositary or its nominee or of any participant or member thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Securities or with respect to the delivery to any participant, member, beneficial owner or other person (other than the depositary) of any notice (including any notice of redemption or repayment) or the payment of any amount or delivery of any Notes (or other security or property) under or with respect to such Notes.  All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders in respect of the Notes shall be given or made only to or upon the order of the registered Holders (which shall be the depositary or its nominee in the case of a Global Security).  The rights of beneficial owners in any Global Security shall be exercised only through the depositary subject to the applicable rules and procedures of depositary.  The Trustee and each agent may rely and shall be fully protected in relying upon information furnished by the depositary with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.

 

(11)                            None of the Trustee or any agent shall have any obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Security (including any transfers between or among the depositary participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Security).

 

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(12)                            The Company acknowledges that neither the Trustee or any Paying Agent makes any representations as to the interpretation or characterization of the transactions herein undertaken for tax or any other purpose, in any jurisdiction.  The Company represents that it has fully satisfied itself as to any tax impact of this Indenture before agreeing to the terms herein, and is responsible for any and all federal, state, local, income, franchise, withholding, value added, sales, use, transfer, stamp or other taxes imposed by any jurisdiction in respect of this Indenture.

 

(13)                            The Company agrees to pay any and all stamp and other documentary taxes or duties which may be payable in connection with the execution, delivery, performance and enforcement of this Indenture.

 

(14)                            To the extent that the consent or authorization of any regulatory authority is required for the Company’s or the Trustee’s performance under the Notes or this Indenture, none of the Trustee or any agent shall have any duty or obligation to determine whether such approval, consent or authorization is required or any duty or obligation to obtain such consent.  The Company shall notify the Trustee and the Agents, as applicable, in writing if the approval, consent or authorization of any regulatory authority, as applicable, is required for the Company’s or the Trustee’s performance under the Securities or this Indenture and whether or not such consent has been obtained by the Company.

 

(15)                            The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it with respect to the Securities in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount Outstanding of the Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture.  The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion, rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

 

(16)                            Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Trustee or any Agent be liable under or in connection with this Indenture for indirect, special, incidental, punitive or consequential losses or damages of any kind whatsoever, including but not limited to lost profits, whether or not foreseeable, even if the Trustee or such Agent has been advised of the possibility thereof and regardless of the form of action in which such damages are sought.

 

(17)                            The Trustee may at any time request, and the Company shall, deliver an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the specimen signatures and the names of individuals and/or titles of Officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officer’s Certificate may be signed by any Person authorized to sign an Officer’s Certificate, including any Person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.

 

(18)                            Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, in no event shall the Trustee be liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this

 

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Indenture because of circumstances beyond its control, including, but not limited to, acts of God, flood, war (whether declared or undeclared), terrorism, fire, riot, strikes or work stoppages for any reason, embargo, government action, including any laws, ordinances, regulations or the like which restrict or prohibit the providing of the services contemplated by this Indenture, inability to obtain material, equipment, or communications or computer facilities, or the failure of equipment or interruption of communications or computer facilities, and other causes beyond its control whether or not of the same class or kind as specifically named above.

 

Section 604.                                Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.  The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except for the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture, of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

 

Section 605.                                May Hold Securities.  The Trustee, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in their individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 608 and 613, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights they would have if they were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.

 

Section 606.                                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, or to invest, any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.

 

Section 607.                                Compensation and Reimbursement.  The Company agrees:

 

(1)                                  to pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation as shall be agreed to in writing between the Company and the Trustee for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

 

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

 

(3)                                  to indemnify and save harmless the Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any and all liabilities, losses, costs, claims, actions, damages, expenses, including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of its advisors and legal counsel, or demands whatsoever which may be brought against the Trustee or which it may suffer or incur as a result or arising out of the performance of its duties and obligations under this Indenture, the exercise of its rights hereunder and the

 

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administration of this Indenture, save only in the event of negligence or willful misconduct of the Trustee. It is understood and agreed that this indemnification shall survive the termination or the discharge of this Indenture, payment of the Securities or the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

 

(4)                                  when the Trustee incurs any expenses or renders any services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 501(4) or Section 501(5), such expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under the Bankruptcy Law;

 

(5)                                  in connection with the payment obligations of the Company in this Section 607, the parties hereto hereby recognize that the Trustee shall have a claim prior to the Securities on all money or property held by the Trustee in connection with this Indenture, except sums that are held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Securities; and

 

(6)                                  the provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture, payment of the Securities or the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

 

The obligations of the Company under this Section 607 shall not be subordinated to the payment of Senior Indebtedness.

 

Section 608.                                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 Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series or the senior debt indenture, dated the date hereof, between the Company and the Trustee as amended or supplemented.

 

Section 609.                                Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.  There shall at all times be a 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 shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000. 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 610.                                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 611.

 

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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 611 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 the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 611 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the Trustee being removed may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

If at any time:

 

(1)                                  the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 608 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

 

(2)                                  the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 609 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or

 

(3)                                  the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged 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 or other appropriate Company authorization may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (B) subject to Section 514, any Holder 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.

 

If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of the Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee 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 611.  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 611, become the

 

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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 611, 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 a 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 106. 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 611.                                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 that (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates;

 

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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 612.                                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 (including this transaction), shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion, consolidation or sale 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 613.                                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).

 

Section 614.                                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 306, 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 $100,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of

 

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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 all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent (including the authenticating agency contemplated by this Indenture), 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 that shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give notice of such appointment in the manner provided in Section 106 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.

 

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

 

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

 

Dated:

 

 

U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

As Authenticating Agent

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

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Section 615.                                Not Bound to Act.  The Trustee shall retain the right not to act and shall not be liable for refusing to act if, due to a lack of information or for any other reason whatsoever, the Trustee, in its sole judgment, determines that such act might cause it to be in non-compliance with any applicable anti-money laundering or anti-terrorist legislation, regulation or guideline. Further, should the Trustee, in its sole judgment, determine at any time that its acting under this Indenture has resulted in its being in non-compliance with any applicable anti-money laundering or anti-terrorist legislation, regulation or guideline, then it shall have the right to resign on 10 days written notice to the Company, provided that (i) the Trustee’s written notice shall describe the circumstances of such non-compliance; and (ii) if such circumstances are rectified to the Trustee’s satisfaction within such 10 day period, then such resignation shall not be effective.

 

ARTICLE SEVEN

 

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

 

Section 701.                                Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.  The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders of each series of Securities. If the Trustee is not the Securities Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee as of each regular record date for the payment of interest on the Securities of a series and before each related Interest Payment Date, and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Holders of each series of Securities.

 

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 702.                                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 703.                                Reports by Company.  The Company shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other reports as may be required by the Trust Indenture Act; provided that any such information, documents or reports filed electronically with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act

 

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shall be deemed filed with, and delivered to, the Trustee at the same time as filed with the Commission.

 

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

 

ARTICLE EIGHT

 

CONSOLIDATION, AMALGAMATION, MERGER,
CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

 

Section 801.                                Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.  The Company shall not merge, consolidate or otherwise combine with another Person or sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to another Person, unless:

 

(1)                                  (i) the Company is the surviving Person, or (ii) the Person formed by or surviving any such merger, consolidation or combination (if other than the Company) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or disposition shall have been made (a) is a corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof and (b) assumes all of the Company’s obligations hereunder and under all Securities Outstanding pursuant to a supplemental indenture reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee;

 

(2)                                  any such merger, consolidation or other combination, or sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition would not result in an Event of Default, nor any event which, after any requirement for the giving of notice or lapse of time, become an Event of Default; and

 

(3)                                  the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such merger, consolidation or other combination, or sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or disposition of assets and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

 

Section 802.                                Successor Substituted.  Upon any consolidation or amalgamation 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 801, the successor Person formed by or resulting from such consolidation or amalgamation 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,

 

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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 901.                                Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.  Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

 

(1)                                  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

 

(2)                                  to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of some or all of the Holders of all or any series of Securities or of particular Securities within a series (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 such particular Securities) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; provided, however, that in respect of any such additional covenant, such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default in the performance of such covenant (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such default; or

 

(3)                                  to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of some or all of the Holders of all or any series of Securities or of particular Securities within a series (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 such particular Securities); or

 

(4)                                  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

 

(5)                                  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 (A) shall neither (i) 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 (ii) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (B) shall become effective only when there is no Security described in clause (i) Outstanding; or

 

(6)                                  to secure the Securities; or

 

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(7)                                  to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 201 and 301; or

 

(8)                                  to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 611; or

 

(9)                                  to comply with the requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

 

(10)                            to provide for the issuance of additional Securities in accordance with this Indenture; or

 

(11)                            to conform this Indenture or any supplemental indenture relating to the Securities of any series to any provision of the “Description of Debt Securities” section of the base prospectus which is part of the registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the Commission to which this Indenture is filed as an exhibit, or in any similar section in any prospectus supplement accompanying such base prospectus describing the terms of any series of Securities to the extent such provision is intended to be a verbatim recitation hereof; or

 

(12)                            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 change to this Indenture, provided that such action pursuant to this Clause (12) shall not adversely affect the legal rights of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect.

 

Section 902.                                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 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 if the supplemental indenture shall expressly provide that any provision to be changed or eliminated shall apply to fewer than all the Outstanding Securities hereunder or under a particular series under this Indenture, then, to the extent not inconsistent with the Trust Indenture Act, any such consent may be given by Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities hereunder or under such series to which such change or elimination shall apply; provided, further, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby (whether or not such affected Securities comprise all Securities under this Indenture or under a particular series),

 

(1)                                  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

 

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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 502, 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 a Holder’s 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

 

(2)                                  if any Security provides that the Holder may require the Company to repurchase such Security, impair such Holder’s right to require repurchase of such Security on the terms provided therein; or

 

(3)                                  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

 

(4)                                  modify the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the subordination of any Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of such Securities; or

 

(5)                                  modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 513 or Section 1006, 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 1006, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 611 and 901(8).

 

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

 

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 903.                                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, in addition to the documents required by Section 102, and (subject to Section 601) shall

 

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be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel and an Officer’s Certificate 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 such Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

Section 904.                                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 905.                                Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.  Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 906.                                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 1001.                          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 1002.                          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 such location as determined by the Company and the Trustee.

 

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 1003.                          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 10:00 a.m. (local time at the Place of Payment) on each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any of the Securities of that series, deposit in an account established for the purpose of providing 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 by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto; 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 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; 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, 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 or newspapers published in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not

 

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be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

 

Section 1004.                          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 corporate existence.

 

Section 1005.                          Statement as to Compliance.  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 which complies with Trust Indenture Act Section 314(a)(4) and need not comply with Section 102, stating as to each signer thereof that:

 

(1)                                  a review of the activities of the Company during such year and of performance under this Indenture has been made under his supervision, and

 

(2)                                  as of the end of such year and at the date of the certificate to the best of his knowledge, based on such review, (a) the Company is not in default in the fulfillment of any of its obligations under this Indenture, or specifying each such default known to him and the nature and status thereof and (b) no event has occurred and is continuing which is or after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

 

Section 1006.                          Waiver of Certain Covenants.  Subject to Section 502 and Section 902, and except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 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 Section 301(c)(18), 901(2) or 901(7) for the benefit of the Holders of such series or in Section 1005 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

 

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

Section 1101.                          Applicability of Article.  Subject to any law restricting the redemption of the Securities, Securities of any series that are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities) in accordance with this Article.

 

Section 1102.                          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 301 for such Securities. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of the Securities of any series (including any such redemption affecting only a

 

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single Security), the Company shall, at least 45 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 Officer’s Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.

 

Section 1103.                          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 more than 45 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 more than 45 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 that has been or is to be redeemed.

 

Section 1104.                          Notice of Redemption.  Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 45 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his address appearing in the Security Register.

 

All notices of redemption shall state:

 

(1)                                  the Redemption Date;

 

(2)                                  the Redemption Price;

 

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(3)                                  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;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(7)                                  if applicable, the CUSIP or other identifying numbers of the Securities of that series.

 

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, unless otherwise specified or contemplated by Section 301, shall be irrevocable.

 

Section 1105.                          Deposit of Redemption Price.  Prior to 10:00 a.m. (local time at the Place of Payment) on 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, deposit in an account established for the purpose as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date or the Securities of the series provide otherwise) accrued interest on, all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date.

 

Section 1106.                          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, if applicable, with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, 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 307.

 

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 1107.                          Securities Redeemed in Part.  Any Security that 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

 

PURCHASE OR REPAYMENT OF SECURITIES BY THE COMPANY
AT THE OPTION OF THE HOLDER

 

Section 1201.                          Applicability of Article.  Subject to any applicable law restricting the purchase or repayment of the Securities by the Company at the option of the Holder, Securities of any series the terms of which provide to each Holder the option to require the Company to purchase or repay such Securities in certain circumstances shall, upon exercise of such option, be repayable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

 

Section 1202.                          Notice of Repayment Date.  Notice of any Repayment Date with respect to Securities of any series shall, unless otherwise specified by the terms of the Securities of such series, be given by the Company not less than 30 nor more than 90 days prior to such Repayment Date to each Holder of Securities of such series in accordance with Section 106.

 

Such notice shall state:

 

(a)                                  the Repayment Date;

 

(b)                                 the Repayment Price;

 

(c)                                  the place or places where, and the date by which, such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Repayment Price;

 

(d)                                 a description of the procedures which a Holder must follow to exercise the purchase or repayment option;

 

(e)                                  that exercise of the purchase or repayment option to elect repayment is irrevocable; and

 

(f)                                    such other information as the Company may consider appropriate for inclusion.

 

No failure of the Company to give the foregoing notice shall limit any Holder’s right to exercise a repayment right.

 

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Section 1203.                          Deposit of Repayment Price.  Prior to 10:00 a.m. (local time at the Place of Payment) on the Repayment Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, deposit in an account established for the purpose provided in Section 1003) an amount of money sufficient to pay the Repayment Price of and (unless the Repayment Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of such series that are to be repaid on that date.

 

Section 1204.                          Securities Payable on Repayment Date.  Holders having duly exercised the option to require purchase or repayment by the Company on any Repayment Date as specified in the form of Security for such series as provided in Section 203, the Securities of such series so to be purchased or repaid shall, on the Repayment Date, become due and payable at the Repayment Price applicable thereto and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Repayment Price and accrued interest) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for purchase or repayment in accordance with the terms of such Security, provided the option has been duly exercised and the Security duly surrendered as specified in the form of such Security, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Repayment Price together with accrued interest to the Repayment Date; provided, however, that installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Repayment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.

 

If any Security shall not be paid upon due exercise of the option and surrender thereof for purchase or repayment, the Repayment Price shall, until paid, bear interest from the Repayment Date at the rate prescribed therefor in such Security.

 

Section 1205.                          Securities Repaid in Part.  Any Security that by its terms may be purchased or repaid by the Company in part at the option of the Holder and that is to be purchased or repaid only in part by the Company shall be surrendered at any office or agency of the Company designated for that purpose pursuant to Section 1002 (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, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unpurchased or unrepaid portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

 

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

 

SINKING FUNDS

 

Section 1301.                          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 301 for such Securities.

 

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The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of any series of 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 series of Securities, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 1302. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of the series as provided for by the terms of such Securities.

 

Section 1302.                          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 (a) 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 series or (b) have been purchased or repaid by the Company through the exercise of an option by the Holder as provided for in 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 1303.                          Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.  Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s 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, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities pursuant to Section 1302 and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 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 1103 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 1104. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1106 and 1107.

 

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

 

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

 

Section 1401.                          Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.  Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301, Sections 1402 and 1403 shall apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, in either case, denominated in U.S. dollars and bearing interest at a fixed rate, in accordance with any applicable requirements provided pursuant to Section 301 and upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article; and the Company may elect, at its option at any time, to have Sections 1402 and 1403 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, designated pursuant to

 

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Section 301 as being defeasible pursuant to such Section 1402 or 1403, in accordance with any applicable requirements provided pursuant to Section 301 and upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article. Any such election to have or not to have Sections 1402 and 1403 apply, as the case may be, shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities.

 

Section 1402.                          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, or if this Section shall otherwise apply 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 1404 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: (1) the rights of Holders of such Securities to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 1404 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, (2) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 304, 305, 306, 1002 and 1003, (3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties, indemnities and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (4) this Article. Subject to compliance with this Article, the Company may exercise its option (if any) to have this Section applied to the Securities of any series notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option (if any) to have Section 1403 applied to such Securities.

 

Section 1403.                          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, or if this Section shall otherwise apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, (1) the Company shall be released from its obligations under Section 1005 and any covenants provided pursuant to Section 301(c)(18), Section 901(2) or Section 901(7) for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and (2) the occurrence of any event specified in Section 501(5) shall be deemed not to be or result in an Event of Default, in each case with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1404 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, whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or by reason of any reference in any such Section to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected thereby.

 

Section 1404.                          Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.  The following shall be the conditions to the application of Section 1402 or 1403 to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be:

 

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(1)                                  The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee that satisfies the requirements contemplated by Section 609 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, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations that 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 (C) a combination thereof, in each case sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or 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 that 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 Company (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 Company 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.

 

(2)                                  In the event of an election to have Section 1402 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 (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the date of this instrument, there has been a change in the applicable U.S. federal income tax law, in either case (A) or (B) to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Securities will not recognize gain or loss for U.S. 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 U.S. 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.

 

(3)                                  In the event of an election to have Section 1403 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 U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and

 

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Covenant Defeasance to be effected with respect to such Securities and will be subject to U.S. 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.

 

(4)                                  No event that 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 the deposit referred to in clause (1) or, with regard to any such event specified in Section 501(4), 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).

 

(5)                                  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 the Trust Indenture Act).

 

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

 

(7)                                  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 the Investment Company Act or exempt from registration thereunder.

 

(8)                                  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 (in each case, subject to the satisfaction of the condition in clause (4)).

 

Section 1405.                          Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions.  Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, 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 Section 1406, the Trustee and any such other trustee are referred to collectively as the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 1404 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 1404 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

 

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Obligations held by it as provided in Section 1404 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 1406.                          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 1402 or 1403 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 1405 with respect to such Securities in accordance with this Article; provided, however, that if the Company makes any payment of principal of or any premium or interest on any such Security following such reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights (if any) of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money so held in trust.

 

ARTICLE FIFTEEN

 

SUBORDINATION

 

Section 1501.                          Securities Subordinated to Senior Indebtedness.  The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that the indebtedness evidenced by the Securities and the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on each and all of the Securities is hereby expressly subordinated, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, in right of payment to the prior payment in full of Senior Indebtedness.

 

Anything in this Indenture or in the Securities to the contrary notwithstanding, the indebtedness evidenced by the Securities shall be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, to all Senior Indebtedness. Senior Indebtedness shall continue to be Senior Indebtedness and entitled to the benefits of these subordination provisions irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of Senior Indebtedness or extension or renewal of Senior Indebtedness.

 

(1)                                  (a)                                  In the event the Company shall default in the payment of any Senior Indebtedness when the same becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or on a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise, then, unless and until such default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist, no direct or indirect payment (in cash, property or securities or by set-off or otherwise) shall be made or agreed to be made on account of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities, or as a sinking fund for the Securities, or in respect of any redemption, retirement, purchase or other acquisition of any of the Securities.

 

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(b)                                 Upon the happening of an event of default with respect to any Senior Indebtedness, permitting the holders thereof to accelerate the maturity thereof (other than under circumstances when the terms of Section 1501(1)(a) are applicable), then, unless and until such event of default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist, no direct or indirect payment (in cash, property or securities or by set-off or otherwise) shall be made or agreed to be made on account of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the Securities, or as a sinking fund for the Securities, or in respect of any redemption, retirement, purchase or other acquisition of any of the Securities, during any period:

 

(i)                                     of 90 days after written notice of such default shall have been given to the Company by any holder of Senior Indebtedness; or

 

(ii)                                  in which any judicial proceeding shall be pending in respect of such default and a notice of acceleration of the maturity of such Senior Indebtedness shall have been transmitted to the Company in respect of such default.

 

(2)                                  In the event of:

 

(a)                                  any insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, readjustment, composition or other similar proceeding relating to the Company, its creditors or its property,

 

(b)                                 any proceeding for the liquidation, dissolution or other winding-up of the Company, voluntary or involuntary, whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings,

 

(c)                                  any assignment by the Company for the benefit of creditors, or

 

(d)                                 any other marshalling of the assets of the Company,

 

all Senior Indebtedness (including any interest accruing after the commencement of such proceedings) shall first be paid in full before any payment or distribution, whether in cash, securities or other property, shall be made to any Holder of Securities on account of the Securities. Any payment or distribution, whether in cash, securities or other property (other than securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment the payment of which is subordinate, at least to the extent provided in this Article with respect to the Securities, to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness at the time outstanding and to any securities issued in respect thereof under any such plan of reorganization or readjustment), which would otherwise (but for the provisions of this Article) be payable or deliverable in respect of the Securities shall be paid or delivered directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders until all Senior Indebtedness (including any interest thereon accruing after the commencement of any such proceedings) shall have been paid in full.

 

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(3)                                  In the event that any Security shall be declared due and payable as the result of the occurrence of any one or more defaults in respect thereof, under circumstances when the terms of Section 1501(2) are not applicable, no payment shall be made in respect of any Securities unless and until all Senior Indebtedness shall have been paid in full or such declaration and its consequences shall have been rescinded and all such defaults shall have been remedied or waived.

 

(4)                                  If any payment or distribution of any character or any security, whether in cash, securities or other property (other than securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment the payment of which is subordinate, at least to the extent provided in the provisions of this Article with respect to the Securities, to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness at the time outstanding and to any securities issued in respect thereof under any such plan or reorganization or readjustment), shall be received by any Holder of Securities in contravention of any terms hereof and before all the Senior Indebtedness shall have been paid in full, such payment or distribution or security shall be received in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered and transferred to, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness at the time outstanding, in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, or, if applicable, to any trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee, agent or other Person making payment or distribution of assets of the Company, to the extent necessary to pay all such Senior Indebtedness in full. In the event of the failure of any Holder of Securities to endorse or assign any such payment, distribution or security, each holder of Senior Indebtedness is hereby irrevocably authorized to endorse or assign the same.

 

(5)                                  Nothing contained herein shall impair, as between the Company and the Holder of any Securities, the obligation of the Company to pay to the Holder thereof the principal thereof and interest thereon as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with the terms of such Security, or prevent the Holder of any Securities from exercising all rights, powers and remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law or pursuant to the terms of this Indenture and the Security, upon a default or Event of Default under this Indenture, all subject to the rights of the holders of the Senior Indebtedness to receive cash, securities or other property otherwise payable or deliverable to the Holders of the Securities.

 

(6)                                  Senior Indebtedness shall not be deemed to have been paid in full unless the holders thereof shall have received cash equal to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness then outstanding. Upon the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of Securities shall be subrogated to all rights of any holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive any further payments or distributions applicable to the Senior Indebtedness until all amounts owing on the Securities shall have been paid in full, and such payments or distributions received by the holders of the Securities by reason of such subrogation, of cash, securities or other property which otherwise would be paid or distributed to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, shall, as between the Company and its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, on the one hand, and the Holders

 

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of Securities, on the other hand, be deemed to be a payment by the Company on account of Senior Indebtedness and not on account of Securities.

 

The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, readjustment, composition or other similar proceeding relating to the Company within the meaning of this Section. Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 601, and the Holders of Securities shall be entitled to rely upon a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors or other liquidating agent making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities, for the purpose of ascertaining the person entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article.

 

In the event that the Trustee determines, in good faith, that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Section, the Trustee may request such person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such person, as to the extent to which such person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, and as to other facts pertinent to the rights of such person under this Section, 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 1502.                          Effectuation of Subordination by Trustee.  Each Holder of Securities, by his acceptance thereof, authorizes and directs the Trustee in his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate, as between the Holders of the Securities and the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the subordination provided in this Article and appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

Section 1503.                          Knowledge of Trustee.

 

Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture, shall (a) prevent the Company from setting aside in trust or depositing with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, at any time, except during the pendency of any of the proceedings or upon the happening or continuance of any of the events referred to in Section 1501, moneys for the payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the Securities, or (b) prevent the application by the Trustee or Paying Agent of any moneys deposited with it hereunder by or on behalf of the Company to the payment of or on account of the principal of, or the premium, if any, or interest on the Securities, if the Trustee or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, did not have written notice of any event prohibiting such application by the close of business on the Business Day immediately prior to the date of such application.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article or any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any Senior Indebtedness or of any default or event of default with respect to any Senior Indebtedness or any fact or facts which would prohibit the making of any payment of moneys to or by the Trustee, or the taking of

 

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any other action by the Trustee, unless and until the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company, any Holder of Securities, any paying or conversion agent of the Company or the holder or representative of any class of Senior Indebtedness who shall have been certified by the Company or otherwise established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee to be such holder or representative or by the trustee under any indenture pursuant to which Senior Indebtedness shall be outstanding.

 

Section 1504.                          Trustee’s Relation to Senior Indebtedness.  The Trustee shall be entitled to all rights set forth in this Article with respect to any Senior Indebtedness at the time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in Section 613 or elsewhere in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.  Nothing in this Article shall subordinate to Senior Indebtedness the claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 607.

 

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

 

Section 1505.                          Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness Not Impaired.  No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce the subordination herein shall at any time or in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any non-compliance 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.

 

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.

 

ARTICLE SIXTEEN

 

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

Section 1601.                          Indenture and Securities Solely Corporate Obligations.  No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of this Indenture, any supplemental indenture, or of any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as

 

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such, of the Company or of any successor corporation, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or any of the Securities or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issue of such Securities.

 

Section 1602.                          Execution in Counterparts.  This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

Section 1603.                          Waiver of Jury Trial.  EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

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

 

 

TAL International Group, Inc.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

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