-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, M6dmwS4AtzghyJhQQJdwUqFLg8WSC/wTv+QpYYsjsIe3zBDUWWYkbtoBDW2aniB0 9SrgpSqYcPl1Q9Q4RN+mQA== 0001104659-09-034398.txt : 20090522 0001104659-09-034398.hdr.sgml : 20090522 20090522083237 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001104659-09-034398 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-3 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 7 FILED AS OF DATE: 20090522 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20090522 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Crocs, Inc. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001334036 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RUBBER & PLASTICS FOOTWEAR [3021] IRS NUMBER: 202164234 FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-159412 FILM NUMBER: 09846905 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6328 MONARCH PARK PLACE CITY: NIWOT STATE: CO ZIP: 80503 BUSINESS PHONE: 3038487000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6328 MONARCH PARK PLACE CITY: NIWOT STATE: CO ZIP: 80503 S-3 1 a09-14112_1s3.htm S-3

Table of Contents

 

As filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on May 22, 2009

 

Registration No. 333-        

 

 

 

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form S-3

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Crocs, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

20-2164234

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

 

6328 Monarch Park Place

Niwot, Colorado 80503

(303) 848-7000

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

 

Erik Rebich
General Counsel and Secretary
Crocs, Inc.
6328 Monarch Park Place
Niwot, Colorado 80503
(303) 848-7000

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

 

With a copy to:

 

Nathaniel G. Ford, Esq.

Jason Day, Esq.
Faegre & Benson LLP
3200 Wells Fargo Center
1700 Lincoln Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
(303) 607-3500

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement, as determined by market conditions.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer  x

Accelerated filer  o

Non-accelerated filer  o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

Smaller reporting company  o

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Each Class of Securities to be
Registered

 

Amount to be
Registered(1)

 

Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price
per Unit(2)

 

Proposed Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price(3)

 

Amount of
Registration
Fee(4)

 

Common Stock(5), Preferred Stock(5), Debt Securities(5), Stock Purchase Contracts(5), Warrants(5)

 

$

75,000,000

 

N/A

 

$

75,000,000

 

$

4,185

 

 

(1)            There are being registered under this registration statement such indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock and such indeterminate number of debt securities, stock purchase contracts, and warrants of the registrant, all at indeterminate prices, as shall have an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $75,000,000.  Any securities registered under this registration statement may be sold separately or as units with other securities registered hereunder.

(2)            The proposed maximum offering price per unit is not specified as to each class of securities to be registered, pursuant to General Instruction II.D of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The proposed maximum offering price per unit will be determined from time to time by the registrant in connection with, and at the time of, the issuance of the securities registered hereunder.

(3)            Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457 under the Securities Act.

(4)            Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act.

(5)            Pursuant to Rule 457(i) under the Securities Act, the securities registered hereunder also include such indeterminate number of shares of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, stock purchase contracts, and warrants as may be issued upon exercise, settlement, exchange or conversion of securities as may be offered pursuant to any prospectus or prospectus supplement filed with this registration statement. In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act, the securities registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of securities as may be issuable with respect to the securities being registered hereunder as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.

 

                The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 



Table of Contents

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission becomes effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 22, 2009

 

PROSPECTUS

 

GRAPHIC

 

$75,000,000

 

Debt Securities

Preferred Stock

Common Stock

Stock Purchase Contracts

Securities Warrants

 


 

By this prospectus, we may from time to time offer debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, stock purchase contracts and/or securities warrants in one or more offerings and in amounts, at prices and on terms that we will determine at the time of such offerings. We will provide specific terms of the securities offered and the terms and conditions of the transactions in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus, each applicable prospectus supplement, and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus and each applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.

 

Our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “CROX.”

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information or to make additional representations. We are not making or soliciting an offer of any securities other than the securities described in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We are not making or soliciting an offer of these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted or in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. You should not assume that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents.

 

Investing in these securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” on page 1 of this prospectus and in the prospectus supplement we will deliver with this prospectus.

 

The securities may be sold by us to or through underwriters or dealers, directly to purchasers or through agents designated from time to time, or through a combination of these methods. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus. If any underwriters

 



Table of Contents

 

are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters and any applicable discounts or commissions and over-allotment options will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement. This prospectus may not be used to sell any securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

The aggregate market value of our outstanding common equity held by non-affiliates as of May 11, 2009 was approximately $227.9 million. We have not issued any securities under Form S-3 during the last 12 months.

 

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

 


 

This prospectus is dated            , 2009

 



Table of Contents

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using the “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, stock purchase contracts, or warrants described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to an aggregate initial dollar amount of $75,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and terms of the offered securities. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described below under “Information Incorporated By Reference.”

 

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. This document may only be used where it is legal to sell these securities. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, or in any prospectus supplement, is accurate as of any date other than its date regardless of the time of delivery of the prospectus or prospectus supplement or any sale of the securities.

 

This prospectus does not contain all the information provided in the registration statement we filed with the SEC. We urge you to read carefully both this prospectus and the prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus, together with the information incorporated herein by reference and as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information,” before deciding whether to invest in any of the securities being offered.

 

This prospectus and the related prospectus supplements may include trademarks, service marks and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.

 

i



Table of Contents

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION; INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available over the Internet at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. You may also read and copy any document we file with the SEC at their Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information. We maintain a web site at www.crocs.com. The information on our web site is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement and you should not consider it a part of this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to separate documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement and later information filed with the SEC will update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below that we have previously filed with the SEC (other than information deemed furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules, including Items 2.02 and 7.01 of Form 8-K):

 

·                  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008;

 

·                  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009;

 

·                  Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on February 13, 2009, February 17, 2009, February 19, 2009, March 2, 2009, March 20, 2009 and March 31, 2009; and

 

·                  The description of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on January 24, 2006, as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

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

 

Corporate Secretary

Crocs, Inc.
6328 Monarch Park Place
Niwot, Colorado 80503
(303) 848-7000

 

ii



Table of Contents

 

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus, any prospectus supplement delivered with this prospectus, and the documents we incorporate by reference may contain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include statements as to industry trends and our future expectations and other matters that do not relate strictly to historical facts and are based on certain assumptions of our management.  These statements are often identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “estimate,” or “continue,” and similar expressions or variations. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of our management based on information currently available to us.  Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, among others, the risks described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” under Item 1A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and other filings we have made with the SEC. These factors include, without limitation:

 

·macroeconomic issues, including, but not limited to, the current global financial crisis;

·our ability to obtain adequate financing;

·our ability to effectively manage our future growth or declines in revenue;

·changing fashion trends;

·our defense and the ultimate outcome of a pending class action lawsuit;

· our ability to accurately anticipate and respond to seasonal or quarterly fluctuations in demand for our products;

·our management and information systems infrastructure;

·our ability to obtain and protect intellectual property rights;

· our reliance on third party manufacturing and logistics providers for the production and distribution of products;

·our reliance on a single source supply for certain raw materials;

·inherent risks associated with the manufacture, distribution and sale of our products overseas;

·our ability to develop and sell new products;

·our limited operating history;

·our ability to accurately forecast consumer demand for our products;

·our ability to maintain effective internal controls;

·our ability to attract, assimilate and retain management talent;

·our ability to respond to further adverse changes in the retail environment;

·our ability to effectively market and maintain a positive brand image;

·the effect of competition in our industry; and

·the effect of potential adverse currency exchange rate fluctuations.

 

We caution the reader to carefully consider such factors. Furthermore, such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

 

iii



Table of Contents

 

THE COMPANY

 

We are a designer, manufacturer, distributor, worldwide marketer, and brand manager of footwear for men, women and children. We aspire to be the global leader in molded footwear design and development.  Crocs shoes combine fun colors and innovative design and we manufacture a product offering that provides new and exciting molded footwear products that feature fun, comfort and functionality. We design and sell a broad offering of footwear, apparel, gear and accessories that utilize our proprietary closed cell-resin, called Croslite.  Croslite is a unique material that enables us to produce an innovative, soft, lightweight, non-marking, slip and odor-resistant shoe. Shoes made with Croslite have been certified by US Ergonomics to reduce peak pressure on the foot, reduce muscular fatigue while standing and walking and to relieve the musculoskeletal system.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 6328 Monarch Park Place, Niwot, Colorado 80503, and our telephone number is (303) 848-7000  Our Internet address is http://www.crocs.com.  We are not including the information contained on our website as a part of, or incorporating it by reference into, this prospectus.

 

RISK FACTORS

 

Prior to making an investment decision with respect to the securities that we may offer, prospective investors should carefully consider the specific factors set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information appearing in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, in light of their particular investment objectives and financial circumstances.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus, the net proceeds from the sale of the securities to which this prospectus relates will be used for general corporate purposes. General corporate purposes may include repayment of debt, acquisitions, investments, additions to working capital, capital expenditures and advances to or investments in our subsidiaries. Net proceeds may be temporarily invested prior to use. We will have significant discretion in the use of any net proceeds.

 

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended December 31,

 

Three Months
Ended March 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2005

 

2006

 

2007

 

2008

 

2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

 

 

22.2

 

31.5

 

26.7

 

 

 

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2009 and for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2004, our earnings were insufficient to cover fixed charges by $17,355,000, $170,520,000 and $1,521,000, respectively.  Fixed charges consist of interest on all indebtedness and one-third of rentals, which we believe is a reasonable approximation of the interest factor of such rentals.  For the periods indicated above, we had no outstanding shares of preferred stock.  Therefore, the combined ratios of earnings to fixed charges and preferred stock dividends are identical to the ratios presented above for all such periods.

 

DIVIDEND POLICY

 

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock.  We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.  Any future determination to declare cash dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors, subject to compliance with covenants under any existing financing agreements, which may restrict or limit our ability to declare or pay dividends, and will depend on our financial condition, results

 

1



Table of Contents

 

of operations, capital requirements, general business conditions, and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. We issued a stock dividend in connection with our 2-for-1 stock split, which was effected in the form of a 100% common stock dividend distributed on June 14, 2007.

 

2



Table of Contents

 

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

 

This section describes the general terms and provisions of our debt securities.  When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities we will provide the specific terms of the series in a prospectus supplement.  Accordingly, for a description of the terms of any series of debt securities, you must refer to both the prospectus supplement relating to that series and the description of the debt securities in this prospectus.  To the extent the information contained in the prospectus supplement differs from this summary description, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

 

The debt securities will be issued under an indenture between us and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as trustee, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.  As used in this prospectus, “debt securities” means the debentures, notes, bonds and other evidences of indebtedness that we issue and the trustee authenticates and delivers under the indenture.

 

We have summarized the material terms and provisions of the indenture in this section. We have also filed the form of the indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The indenture and the debt securities will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York. You should read the form of indenture for additional information before you buy any debt securities. The summary that follows includes references to section numbers of the indenture so that you can more easily locate these provisions.

 

General

 

The debt securities will be our direct obligations, which may be secured or unsecured, senior or subordinated and convertible into shares of our common stock or preferred stock.  The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue and permits us to issue debt securities from time to time. Debt securities issued under the indenture will be issued as part of a series that has been established by us under the indenture.  The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and set forth in an officers’ certificate or in one or more supplemental indentures.

 

A prospectus supplement relating to a series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering.  These terms will include some or all of the following:

 

·             the title and type of the debt securities;

 

·             any limit on the total principal amount of the debt securities;

 

·             the price at which the debt securities will be issued;

 

·             the date or dates on which the principal of and premium, if any, on the debt securities will be payable;

 

·             the maturity date of the debt securities;

 

·             if the debt securities will bear interest:

 

·                  the interest rate on the debt securities, and whether the interest rate will be fixed or variable, or the method used to determine the rate at which the debt securities will bear interest;

·                  the date from which interest will accrue;

·                  the record and interest payment dates for the debt securities;

·                  the first interest payment date; and

·                  any circumstances under which we may defer interest payments;

 

·             any optional redemption provisions that would permit us or the holders of debt securities to elect redemption of the debt securities prior to their final maturity;

 

·             any mandatory redemption or sinking fund provisions that would obligate us to redeem the debt securities prior to their final maturity;

 

3



Table of Contents

 

·             whether the debt securities will be secured or unsecured;

 

·             any subordination provisions;

 

·             the terms applicable to any debt securities issued at a discount or premium from their stated principal amount;

 

·             the securities exchanges(s) on which the debt securities will be listed, if any;

 

·             whether any underwriter(s) will act as market maker(s) for the debt securities;

 

·             the extent to which a secondary market for the securities is expected to develop;

 

·             if the debt securities will be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, preferred stock, or other debt securities at our option or the option of the holders, the provisions relating to such conversion or exchange;

 

·             the currency or currencies in which the debt securities will be denominated and payable, if other than U.S. dollars;

 

·             any provisions that would permit us or the holders of the debt securities to elect the currency or currencies in which the debt securities are paid;

 

·             any events of default or covenants;

 

·             any provisions regarding modification or waiver of terms of the indenture or debt securities;

 

·             any requirements or procedures upon a consolidation, merger or sale of the company;

 

·             any provisions relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture;

 

·             whether we will issue the debt securities in whole or in part in the form of global securities and, if so, the depositary for those global securities;

 

·             any special tax implications of the debt securities;

 

·             any provisions relating to covenant defeasance and legal defeasance;

 

·             any provisions relating to any security provided for the debt securities; and

 

·             any other terms of the debt securities.

 

Denominations

 

Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, the debt securities will be issued only in registered form, without coupons, in denominations of $1,000 each or multiples of $1,000. If we ever issue bearer securities, we will summarize provisions of the indenture that relate to bearer securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Payment; Transfer

 

Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, we will designate a place of payment where you can receive payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities or transfer the debt securities. Even though we will designate a place of payment, we may elect to pay any interest on the debt securities by mailing a check to the person listed as the owner of the debt securities in the security register or by wire transfer to an account designated by that person in writing not less than ten days before the date of the interest payment.  There will be no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities, but we may require you to pay any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with a transfer or exchange of the debt securities.

 

4



Table of Contents

 

Covenants and Events of Default

 

We will describe in the prospectus supplement any restrictive covenants and events of default applicable to an issue of debt securities.

 

Conversion and Exchange Rights

 

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the debt securities are convertible or exchangeable into common stock or preferred stock.  Those terms will include:

 

·            whether the debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for common stock or preferred stock;

 

·            the conversion price or exchange ratio, or manner of calculation;

 

·            the conversion or exchange period;

 

·            provisions regarding whether conversion or exchange will be at our option or at the option of the holders;

 

·            the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price or exchange ratio; and

 

·            provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of the redemption of the debt securities.

 

Limited Liability of Some Persons

 

No past, present or future stockholder, incorporator, employee, officer or director of ours or any successor corporation or any of our affiliates will have any personal liability for our obligations under the indenture or the debt securities because of his, her or its status as a stockholder, incorporator, employee, officer or director.

 

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

Our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, provides that we may issue up to 250,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. A description of the material terms and provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, and our amended and restated bylaws affecting the rights of the common stock is set forth below. The description is intended as a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the restated certificate of incorporation , as amended, and our amended and restated bylaws incorporated herein by reference.

 

The following is a summary of the material features of our capital stock:

 

Common Stock

 

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share in the election of directors and on all other matters on which stockholders are entitled or permitted to vote. Holders of common stock are not entitled to cumulative voting rights. Therefore, holders of a majority of the shares voting for the election of directors can elect all the directors. Subject to the terms of any outstanding series of preferred stock, the holders of common stock are entitled to dividends in amounts and at times as may be declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor. Upon our liquidation or dissolution, holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably in all net assets available for distribution to stockholders after payment of any liquidation preferences to holders of preferred stock. Holders of common stock have no redemption, conversion or preemptive rights.

 

Preferred Stock

 

Our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, permits us to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, from time to time, in one or more series and with such designation and preferences for each series as are stated in the resolutions providing for the designation and issue of each such series adopted by our board of

 

5



Table of Contents

 

directors. Our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, authorizes our board of directors to determine the voting, dividend, redemption and liquidation preferences and limitations pertaining to such series. The board of directors, without stockholder approval, may issue preferred stock with voting rights and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power of the holders of our common stock and could have certain anti-takeover effects. We have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock. The ability of the board of directors to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company or the removal of existing management.

 

Anti-Takeover Effects

 

Provisions of Delaware law, our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, and our amended and restated bylaws could have the effect of delaying or preventing a third party from acquiring us, even if the acquisition would benefit our stockholders. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors and in the policies formulated by the board of directors and to discourage types of transactions that may involve our actual or threatened change of control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited proposal for a takeover that does not contemplate the acquisition of all of our outstanding shares, or an unsolicited proposal for the restructuring or sale of all or part of us.

 

Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute.

 

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, an anti-takeover law. Subject to exceptions, the statute prohibits a publicly-held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

·                                          Prior to such date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

·                                          Upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding, those shares owned (1) by persons who are directors and also officers and (2) by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or

 

·                                            On or after such date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 662/3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

 

For purposes of Section 203, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder, with an “interested stockholder” being defined as a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years prior to the date of determination whether the person is an “interested stockholder,” did own, 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock.

 

In addition, certain provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, and amended and restated bylaws may have an anti-takeover effect. These provisions may delay, defer or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt of our company that a stockholder might consider in his or her best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by our stockholders. The following summarizes these provisions.

 

Election, Appointment and Removal of Directors.

 

Our amended and restated bylaws and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, include provisions classifying our board of directors into three classes with staggered three-year terms. Accordingly, only one third of our board of directors will be elected at each annual meeting. Only our board of directors is authorized to fill vacant directorships or increase the size of our board. Directors may only be removed for cause by holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote at an election of directors.

 

6



Table of Contents

 

Stockholder Action; Special Meeting of Stockholders.

 

Our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, eliminates the ability of stockholders to act by written consent. Our amended and restated bylaws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by the Chairman of the Board or by a majority of our board of directors.

 

Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholders Proposals and Directors Nominations.

 

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders, or to nominate candidates for election as directors at an annual meeting of stockholders, must provide us with timely written notice of their proposal. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at our principal executive offices not less than 120 days before the date in the current year that corresponds to the date of the previous year’s annual meeting. If, however, no meeting was held in the prior year or the date of the annual meeting has been changed by more than 30 days from the date contemplated in the notice of annual meeting, notice by the stockholder in order to be timely must be received no later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which the date of the annual meeting is publicly announced. Our amended and restated bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions may preclude stockholders from bringing matters before an annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

Authorized But Unissued Shares.

 

Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock are available for our board to issue without stockholder approval. We may use these additional shares for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of our company by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or other transaction.

 

Amendment of Bylaws.

 

Our directors are expressly authorized to amend our amended and restated bylaws.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

Computershare Trust Company, Inc. has been appointed as the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock.

 

Listing

 

Our common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “CROX.”

 

Indemnification of Certain Persons

 

Our amended and restated bylaws require us to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. We have entered into indemnification agreements with all of our directors and executive officers. We currently maintain and intend to continue to maintain directors’ and executive officers’ liability insurance.

 

Limitations of Director Liability

 

Our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, limits personal liability of our directors for breaches by the directors of their fiduciary duties to the fullest extent provided by Delaware law. Such provisions eliminate the personal liability of directors for damages occasioned by breach of fiduciary duty, except for liability based on the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders, liability for acts or omissions not made in good faith, liability for acts or omissions involving intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law, liability based on payments of improper dividends, liability based on a transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit, liability based on violation of state securities laws and liability for acts occurring prior to the date such provision

 

7



Table of Contents

 

was added. Any amendment to, or repeal of, such provisions will not adversely affect any right or protection of a director for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.

 

DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS

 

We may issue stock purchase contracts obligating holders to purchase from us and obligating us to sell to the holders, a specified number of shares of common stock or other securities at a future date or dates. The price per share and number of shares of the securities may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the stock purchase contracts. The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations in a specified manner.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement and any documents incorporated by reference will describe the terms of any stock purchase contracts. The description in the prospectus supplement will not necessarily be complete, and reference may be made to the stock purchase contracts, and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to the stock purchase contracts. In the applicable prospectus supplement, we will also discuss any material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the stock purchase contracts.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES WARRANTS

 

This section describes the general terms and provisions of the securities warrants.  The prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the securities warrants offered through that prospectus supplement and any general terms outlined in this section that will not apply to those securities warrants.

 

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

 

We have summarized the material terms and provisions of the securities warrant agreements and securities warrants in this section.  You should read the applicable forms of securities warrant agreement and securities warrant certificate for additional information before you buy any securities warrants.

 

General

 

If we offer securities warrants, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe their terms.  If securities warrants for the purchase of debt securities are offered, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of those securities warrants, including the following where applicable:

 

·                       the offering price;

 

·                       the currencies in which the securities warrants are being offered;

 

·                       the designation, aggregate principal amount, currencies, denominations and terms of the series of the debt securities that can be purchased if a holder exercises the securities warrants;

 

·                       the designation and terms of any series of debt securities or preferred stock with which the securities warrants are being offered and the number of securities warrants offered with each debt security, share of preferred stock or share of common stock;

 

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

 

8



Table of Contents

 

·                       the principal amount of the series of debt securities that can be purchased if a holder exercises the securities warrant and the price at which and currencies in which the principal amount may be purchased upon exercise;

 

·                       the date on which the right to exercise the securities warrants begins and the date on which the right expires;

 

·                       United States federal income tax consequences; and

 

·                       any other terms of the securities warrants.

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the securities warrants for the purchase of debt securities will be in registered form only.

 

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

 

·                       the offering price;

 

·                       the total number of shares that can be purchased if a holder of the securities warrants exercises them and, in the case of securities warrants for preferred stock, the designation, total number and terms of the series of preferred stock that can be purchased upon exercise;

 

·                       the designation and terms of the series of debt securities or preferred stock with which the securities warrants are being offered and the number of securities warrants being offered with each debt security, share of preferred stock or share of common stock;

 

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

 

·                       the number of shares of preferred stock or shares of common stock that can be purchased if a holder exercises the securities warrant and the price at which the preferred stock or common stock may be purchased upon each exercise;

 

·                       the date on which the right to exercise the securities warrants begins and the date on which the right expires;

 

·                       United States federal income tax consequences; and

 

·                       any other terms of the securities warrants.

 

Securities warrants for the purchase of preferred stock or common stock will be in registered form only.

 

A holder of securities warrant certificates may:

 

·                       exchange them for new certificates of different denominations;

 

·                       present them for registration of transfer; and

 

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

 

Until any securities warrants to purchase debt securities are exercised, the holder of these securities warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities that can be purchased upon exercise, including any right to receive payments of principal, premium or interest on the underlying debt securities or to enforce covenants in the indenture.  Until any securities warrants to purchase preferred stock or common stock are exercised, holders of these securities warrants will not have any rights of holders of the underlying preferred stock or common stock, including any right to receive dividends or to exercise any voting rights.

 

9



Table of Contents

 

Exercise of Securities Warrants

 

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

 

A holder of securities warrants may exercise them by following the general procedure outlined below:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Amendments and Supplements to Securities Warrant Agreements

 

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

 

Common Stock Warrant Adjustments

 

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, the exercise price of, and the number of shares of common stock covered by, a common stock warrant will be adjusted in the manner set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement if certain events occur, including:

 

·                  if we issue capital stock as a dividend or distribution on the common stock;

 

·                  if we subdivide, reclassify or combine the common stock;

 

·                  if we issue rights or warrants to all holders of common stock entitling them to purchase common stock at less than the current market price; or

 

·                  if we distribute to all holders of common stock evidences of our indebtedness or our assets, excluding certain cash dividends and distributions described below, or if we distribute to all holders of common stock rights or warrants, excluding those referred to in the bullet point above.

 

Except as stated above, the exercise price and number of shares of common stock covered by a common stock warrant will not be adjusted if we issue common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for

 

10



Table of Contents

 

common stock, or securities carrying the right to purchase common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock.

 

Holders of common stock warrants may have additional rights under the following circumstances:

 

·                 a reclassification or change of the common stock;

 

·                 a consolidation or merger involving our company; or

 

·                 a sale or conveyance to another corporation of all or substantially all of our property and assets.

 

If one of the above transactions occurs and holders of our common stock are entitled to receive stock, securities, other property or assets, including cash, with respect to or in exchange for common stock, the holders of the common stock warrants then outstanding will be entitled to receive upon exercise of their common stock warrants the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities or property that they would have received upon the reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance if they had exercised their common stock warrants immediately before the transaction.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus in any one or more of the following ways:

 

·                  directly to investors, including through a specific bidding, auction, or other process;

 

·                  to investors through agents;

 

·                  directly to agents;

 

·                  to or through brokers or dealers;

 

·                  to the public through underwriting syndicates led by one or more managing underwriters;

 

·                  to one or more underwriters acting alone for resale to investors or to the public; and

 

·                  through a combination of any such methods of sale.

 

Our common stock or preferred stock may be issued upon conversion of our debt securities or preferred stock or in exchange for our debt securities. Securities may also be issued upon exercise of warrants and we reserve the right to sell securities directly to investors on their own behalf in those jurisdictions where they are authorized to do so.

 

If we sell securities to a dealer acting as principal, the dealer may resell such securities at varying prices to be determined by such dealer in its discretion at the time of resale without consulting with us and such resale prices may not be disclosed in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Any underwritten offering may be on a best efforts or a firm commitment basis. We may also offer securities through subscription rights distributed to our stockholders on a pro rata basis, which may or may not be transferable. In any distribution of subscription rights to stockholders, if all of the underlying securities are not subscribed for, we may then sell the unsubscribed securities directly to third parties or may engage the services of one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, including standby underwriters, to sell the unsubscribed securities to third parties.

 

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

 

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

 

·                  at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

11



Table of Contents

 

·                  at prices related to prevailing market prices; or

 

·                  at negotiated prices.

 

Any of the prices may represent a discount from the then prevailing market prices.

 

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

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will, where applicable:

 

·                  identify any such underwriter, dealer or agent;

 

·                  describe any compensation in the form of discounts, concessions, commissions or otherwise received from us by each such underwriter or agent and in the aggregate by all underwriters and agents;

 

·                  describe any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers;

 

·                  identify the amounts underwritten; and

 

·                  identify the nature of the underwriter’s or underwriters’ obligation to take the securities.

 

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

 

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If disclosed in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with those derivative transactions third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and such prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or from others to settle those short sales or to close out any related open borrowings of securities, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivative transactions to close out any related open borrowings of securities. If the third party is or may be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act, it will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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

 

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

 

The lead underwriters may also impose a penalty bid on other underwriters and selling group members

 

12



Table of Contents

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Under agreements into which we may enter, underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of the securities may be entitled to indemnification by us against or contribution towards certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the applicable securities laws.

 

Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with us, perform services for us or be our tenants in the ordinary course of business.

 

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

 

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

 

Underwriters, dealers or agents that participate in the offer of securities, or their affiliates or associates, may have engaged or engage in transactions with and perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business for which they may have received or receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Faegre & Benson LLP, Denver, Colorado, will issue an opinion about the legality of the securities offered under this prospectus.  Any underwriters will be represented by their own legal counsel.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and the effectiveness of Crocs, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference (which reports (1) express an unqualified opinion on the financial statements and includes explanatory paragraphs relating to (a) the existence of

 

13



Table of Contents

 

substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and (b) the adoption on January 1, 2007 of the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, and (2) express an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting).  Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

14



Table of Contents

 

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14.  Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

 

Our estimated expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered are set forth in the following table.

 

SEC Registration Fee

 

$

4,185

 

Legal Fees and Expenses*

 

300,000

 

Trustee Fees and Expenses*

 

30,000

 

Accounting Fees and Expenses*

 

250,000

 

Printing and Engraving Fees*

 

250,000

 

Rating Agency Fees*

 

100,000

 

NASDAQ and Other Listing Fees*

 

60,000

 

Miscellaneous*

 

10,000

 

Total

 

$

1,004,185

 

 


* Estimated pursuant to instruction to Item 511 of Regulation S-K.

 

Item 15.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers

 

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) provides, in effect, that any person made a party to any action by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company may and, in some cases, must be indemnified by the Company against, in the case of a non-derivative action, judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by him as a result of such action and in the case of a derivative action, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), if in either type of action he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. This indemnification does not apply, in a derivative action, to matters as to which it is adjudged that the director, officer, employee or agent is liable to the Company, unless upon court order it is determined that, despite such adjudication of liability, but in view of all the circumstances of the case, he is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for expenses and, in a non-derivative action, to any criminal proceeding in which such person had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

 

Our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, provides that no director is liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. Our amended and restated bylaws require us to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. We have entered into indemnification agreements with all of our directors and executive officers and have purchased directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

 

Any underwriting agreement will provide for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, or otherwise.

 

Item 16.  Exhibits

 

The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement:

 

Exhibit No.

 

Document

 

 

 

1.1*

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement.

 

 

 

4.1

 

Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Crocs, Inc. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Crocs, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-8, filed on March 9, 2006 (File No. 333-132312)).

 

 

 

4.2

 

Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Crocs, Inc. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Crocs, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on

 

II-1



Table of Contents

 

 

 

July 12, 2007 (File No. 000-51754)).

 

 

 

4.3

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of Crocs, Inc. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Crocs, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-8, filed on March 9, 2006 (File No. 333-132312)).

 

 

 

4.4

 

Form of Common Stock Certificate (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Crocs, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed on August 15, 2005 (File No. 333-127526)).

 

 

 

4.5†

 

Form of Indenture for Debt Securities.

 

 

 

4.6*

 

Form of Debt Security.

 

 

 

4.7*

 

Form of Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate.

 

 

 

4.8*

 

Form of Stock Purchase Contract.

 

 

 

4.9*

 

Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock.

 

 

 

5.1†

 

Opinion of Faegre & Benson LLP.

 

 

 

12.1†

 

Calculation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

 

 

 

23.1†

 

Consent of Faegre & Benson LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

 

 

23.2†

 

Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

 

 

 

24.1†

 

Power of Attorney (included on the signature page hereof).

 

 

 

25.1†

 

Statement of Eligibility of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. under the Indenture for Debt Securities.

 


*

To be filed, if necessary, after the effectiveness of this registration statement as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment hereto or filed as an exhibit to a report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Filed herewith.

 

Item 17.  Undertakings

 

(a)                                  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

II-2



Table of Contents

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

II-3



Table of Contents

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(d)                                 The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

(1)                                  For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

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

 

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

 

II-4


 


Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Niwot and the State of Colorado, on the 22nd day of May, 2009.

 

 

 

CROCS, INC.

 

By:

/s/ John Duerden

 

 

John Duerden

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints John Duerden and Russell C. Hammer, and each or either of them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments or supplements (including post-effective amendments) to the registration statement on Form S-3, and to sign any and all additional registration statements relating to the same offering of securities as those that are covered by the registration statement that are filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement and any amendment thereto has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of Crocs, Inc. in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

(i) Principal Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ John Duerden

 

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

 

May 22, 2009

John Duerden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(ii) Principal Financial Officer and

 

 

 

 

Principal Accounting Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Russell C. Hammer

 

Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice

 

May 22, 2009

Russell C. Hammer

 

President—Finance, and Treasurer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(iii) Directors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ W. Stephen Cannon

 

Director

 

May 22, 2009

W. Stephen Cannon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/Raymond D. Croghan

 

Director

 

May 22, 2009

Raymond D. Croghan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Ronald L. Frasch

 

Director

 

May 22, 2009

Ronald L. Frasch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Peter A. Jacobi

 

Director

 

May 22, 2009

Peter A. Jacobi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Richard L. Sharp

 

Chairman of the Board

 

May 22, 2009

Richard L. Sharp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Thomas J. Smach

 

Director

 

May 22, 2009

Thomas J. Smach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Ronald R. Snyder

 

Director

 

May 22, 2009

Ronald R. Snyder

 

 

 

 

 



Table of Contents

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

Document

 

 

 

1.1*

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement.

 

 

 

4.1

 

Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Crocs, Inc. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Crocs, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-8, filed on March 9, 2006 (File No. 333-132312)).

 

 

 

4.2

 

Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Crocs, Inc. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Crocs, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on July 12, 2007 (File No. 000-51754)).

 

 

 

4.3

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of Crocs, Inc. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Crocs, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-8, filed on March 9, 2006 (File No. 333-132312)).

 

 

 

4.4

 

Form of Common Stock Certificate (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Crocs, Inc.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed on August 15, 2005 (File No. 333-127526)).

 

 

 

4.5†

 

Form of Indenture for Debt Securities.

 

 

 

4.6*

 

Form of Debt Security.

 

 

 

4.7*

 

Form of Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate.

 

 

 

4.8*

 

Form of Stock Purchase Contract.

 

 

 

4.9*

 

Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock.

 

 

 

5.1†

 

Opinion of Faegre & Benson LLP.

 

 

 

12.1†

 

Calculation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

 

 

 

23.1†

 

Consent of Faegre & Benson LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

 

 

23.2†

 

Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

 

 

 

24.1†

 

Power of Attorney (included on the signature page hereof).

 

 

 

25.1†

 

Statement of Eligibility of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. under the Indenture for Debt Securities.

 


*

To be filed, if necessary, after the effectiveness of this registration statement as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment hereto or filed as an exhibit to a report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Filed herewith.

 


EX-4.5 2 a09-14112_1ex4d5.htm EX-4.5

Exhibit 4.5

 

 

CROCS, INC.

 

TO

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

 

Trustee

 


 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of                     , 20

 


 

 



 

CROCS, INC.

 

Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and

 

Indenture, dated as of                             , 20

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

 

Indenture Section

§310(a)(1)

 

609

(a)(2)

 

609

(a)(3)

 

Not Applicable

(a)(4)

 

Not Applicable

(a)(5)

 

609

(b)

 

608, 610

(c)

 

Not Applicable

§311(a)

 

613

(b)

 

613

§312(a)

 

701, 702(a)

(b)

 

702(b)

(c)

 

702(c)

§313(a)

 

703(a)

(b)

 

703(a)

(c)

 

703(a)

(d)

 

703(b)

§314(a)

 

704, 1008

(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)

 

104(h), 502, 512

(a)(1)(B)

 

104(h), 513

(a)(2)

 

Not Applicable

(b)

 

508

(c)

 

104(h)

§317(a)(1)

 

503

(a)(2)

 

504

(b)

 

1003

§318(a)

 

107

(c)

 

107

 


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

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

Parties

1

Recitals

1

 

 

ARTICLE ONE

 

 

 

Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application

 

 

 

Section 101.

Definitions

1

 

Act

2

 

Affiliate

2

 

Authenticating Agent

2

 

Authorized Newspaper

2

 

Bearer Security

2

 

Board of Directors

2

 

Board Resolution

2

 

Business Day

2

 

Clearstream

2

 

Commission

2

 

Company

3

 

Company Request

3

 

Corporate Trust Office

3

 

Corporation

3

 

Coupon

3

 

Debt Securities

3

 

Defaulted Interest

3

 

Depositary

3

 

Designated Currency

3

 

Dollar

3

 

Euro

3

 

Euroclear

4

 

European Communities

4

 

Event of Default

4

 

Exchange Rate

4

 

Exchange Rate Agent

4

 

Exchange Rate Officer’s Certificate

4

 

Foreign Currency

4

 

GAAP

4

 

Global Exchange Agent

4

 

Global Exchange Date

4

 

Global Security

4

 

Government Obligations

4

 



 

 

Holder

4

 

Indebtedness

5

 

Indenture

5

 

Interest

5

 

Interest Payment Date

5

 

Maturity

5

 

Mortgage

5

 

Officers’ Certificate

5

 

Opinion of Counsel

5

 

Original Issue Discount Security

5

 

Outstanding

5

 

Paying Agent

6

 

Person

6

 

Place of Payment

6

 

Predecessor Security

6

 

Preferred Stock

6

 

Redemption Date

7

 

Redemption Price

7

 

Registered Security

7

 

Regular Record Date

7

 

Remarketing Entity

7

 

Repayment Date

7

 

Repayment Price

7

 

Responsible Officer

7

 

Security Register

7

 

Special Record Date

7

 

Stated Maturity

7

 

Subsidiary

7

 

Trust Indenture Act

7

 

Trustee

7

 

United States

8

 

United States Alien

8

 

Voting Stock

8

 

 

 

Section 102.

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

8

 

 

 

Section 103.

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

9

 

 

 

Section 104.

Acts of Holders

9

 

 

 

Section 105.

Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company

12

 

 

 

Section 106.

Notice to Holders; Waiver

12

 

 

 

Section 107.

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

13

 

 

 

Section 108.

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

13

 

ii



 

Section 109.

Successors and Assigns

13

 

 

 

Section 110.

Separability Clause

13

 

 

 

Section 111.

Benefits of Indenture

13

 

 

 

Section 112.

Governing Law

14

 

 

 

Section 113.

Legal Holidays

14

 

 

 

Section 114.

Exemption from Individual Liability

14

 

 

 

Section 115.

Counterparts

14

 

 

 

Section 116.

Force Majeure

14

 

 

 

Section 117.

Waiver of Jury Trial

15

 

 

 

ARTICLE TWO

 

 

 

Debt Security Forms

 

 

 

Section 201.

Forms Generally

15

 

 

 

Section 202.

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

15

 

 

 

Section 203.

Debt Securities in Global Form

16

 

 

 

ARTICLE THREE

 

 

 

The Debt Securities

 

 

 

Section 301.

Amount Unlimited; Issuance in Series

16

 

 

 

Section 302.

Denominations

20

 

 

 

Section 303.

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

20

 

 

 

Section 304.

Temporary Debt Securities

22

 

 

 

Section 305.

Registration; Registration of Transfer and Exchange

25

 

 

 

Section 306.

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Debt Securities

28

 

 

 

Section 307.

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

29

 

 

 

Section 308.

Persons Deemed Owners

31

 

 

 

Section 309.

Cancellation

31

 

 

 

Section 310.

Computation of Interest

32

 

 

 

Section 311.

Certification by a Person Entitled to Delivery of a Bearer Security

32

 

 

 

Section 312.

Judgments

32

 

iii



 

ARTICLE FOUR

 

 

 

Satisfaction and Discharge

 

 

 

Section 401.

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

32

 

 

 

Section 402.

Application of Trust Money and Government Obligations

34

 

 

 

Section 403.

Satisfaction, Discharge and Defeasance of Debt Securities of any Series

34

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE FIVE

 

 

 

Remedies

 

 

 

Section 501.

Events of Default

36

 

 

 

Section 502.

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

38

 

 

 

Section 503.

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

38

 

 

 

Section 504.

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

39

 

 

 

Section 505.

Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Debt Securities or Coupons

40

 

 

 

Section 506.

Application of Money Collected

40

 

 

 

Section 507.

Limitation on Suits

41

 

 

 

Section 508.

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest

41

 

 

 

Section 509.

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

42

 

 

 

Section 510.

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

42

 

 

 

Section 511.

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

42

 

 

 

Section 512.

Control by Holders of Debt Securities

42

 

 

 

Section 513.

Waiver of Past Defaults

43

 

 

 

Section 514.

Undertaking for Costs

43

 

 

 

Section 515.

Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws

43

 

 

 

ARTICLE SIX

 

 

 

The Trustee

 

 

 

Section 601.

Certain Duties and Responsibilities

44

 

 

 

Section 602.

Notice of Default

44

 

 

 

Section 603.

Certain Rights of Trustee

44

 

iv



 

Section 604.

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Debt Securities

45

 

 

 

Section 605.

May Hold Debt Securities or Coupons

46

 

 

 

Section 606.

Money Held in Trust

46

 

 

 

Section 607.

Compensation and Reimbursement

46

 

 

 

Section 608.

Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

47

 

 

 

Section 609.

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

47

 

 

 

Section 610.

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

47

 

 

 

Section 611.

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

49

 

 

 

Section 612.

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

50

 

 

 

Section 613.

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

51

 

 

 

Section 614.

Authenticating Agent

51

 

 

 

ARTICLE SEVEN

 

 

 

Holders’ Lists and Reports By Trustee and Company

 

 

 

 

Section 701.

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

52

 

 

 

Section 702.

Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

52

 

 

 

Section 703.

Reports by Trustee

53

 

 

 

Section 704.

Reports by Company

53

 

 

 

ARTICLE EIGHT

 

 

 

Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease

 

 

 

 

Section 801.

Company May Consolidate, etc. Only on Certain Terms

53

 

 

 

Section 802.

Successor Corporation Substituted

54

 

 

 

ARTICLE NINE

 

 

 

Supplemental Indentures

 

 

 

 

Section 901.

Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders

54

 

 

 

Section 902.

Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

56

 

 

 

Section 903.

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

57

 

 

 

Section 904.

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

57

 

 

 

Section 905.

Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

57

 

 

 

Section 906.

Reference in Debt Securities to Supplemental Indentures

57

 

v



 

ARTICLE TEN

 

 

 

Covenants

 

 

 

 

Section 1001.

Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

58

 

 

 

Section 1002.

Maintenance of Office or Agency

58

 

 

 

Section 1003.

Money for Debt Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

59

 

 

 

Section 1004.

Corporate Existence

60

 

 

 

Section 1005.

Maintenance of Properties

60

 

 

 

Section 1006.

Payment of Additional Amounts

61

 

 

 

Section 1007.

Payment of Taxes and Other Claims

61

 

 

 

Section 1008.

Officer’s Certificate as to Default

62

 

 

 

Section 1009.

Waiver of Certain Covenants

62

 

 

 

ARTICLE ELEVEN

 

 

 

Redemption of Debt Securities

 

 

 

 

Section 1101.

Applicability of Article

62

 

 

 

Section 1102.

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

62

 

 

 

Section 1103.

Selection by Trustee of Debt Securities to be Redeemed

63

 

 

 

Section 1104.

Notice of Redemption

63

 

 

 

Section 1105.

Deposit of Redemption Price

64

 

 

 

Section 1106.

Debt Securities Payable on Redemption Date

64

 

 

 

Section 1107.

Debt Securities Redeemed in Part

65

 

 

 

ARTICLE TWELVE

 

 

 

Sinking Funds

 

 

 

 

Section 1201.

Applicability of Article

65

 

 

 

Section 1202.

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Debt Securities

66

 

 

 

Section 1203.

Redemption of Debt Securities for Sinking Fund

66

 

 

 

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

 

 

 

Repayment at the Option of Holders

 

 

 

 

Section 1301.

Applicability of Article

67

 

 

 

Section 1302.

Repayment of Debt Securities

67

 

 

 

Section 1303.

Exercise of Option; Notice

67

 

 

 

Section 1304.

Election of Repayment by Remarketing Entities

68

 

vi



 

Section 1305.

Securities Payable on the Repayment Date

68

 

 

 

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

 

 

 

Meetings of Holders of Debt Securities

 

 

 

 

Section 1401.

Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

69

 

 

 

Section 1402.

Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

69

 

 

 

Section 1403.

Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

69

 

 

 

Section 1404.

Quorum; Action

69

 

 

 

Section 1405.

Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

70

 

 

 

Section 1406.

Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

71

 

 

 

ARTICLE FIFTEEN

 

 

 

Defeasance

 

 

 

 

Section 1501.

Termination of Company’s Obligations

71

 

 

 

Section 1502.

Repayment to Company

73

 

 

 

Section 1503.

Indemnity for Government Obligations

73

 

vii



 

INDENTURE (the “Indenture”) dated as of                                 , between CROCS, INC., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the “Company”), having its principal place of business at 6328 Monarch Park Place, Niwot, Colorado 80503, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, (hereinafter called the “Trustee”), having a Corporate Trust Office at 230 West Monroe Street, Suite 2900, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

 

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 debentures, notes, bonds and other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the “Debt Securities”).

 

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

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Debt Securities of any series created and issued on or after the date hereof by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the benefit of all Holders of such Debt Securities or of any such series, 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 or by Commission rule or regulation under the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, as in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed, except as provided in Section 905, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 



 

“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 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Debt Securities.

 

“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper in an official language of the country of publication or in the English language customarily published on each Business Day, whether or not published on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, and of general circulation in the place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of such place.  Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any Business Day.

 

“Bearer Security” means any Debt Security established pursuant to Section 201 which is payable to bearer including, without limitation, unless the context otherwise indicates, a Debt Security in global bearer form.

 

“Board of Directors” means either the board of directors of the Company, or the executive or any other committee of that board duly authorized to act in respect hereof.

 

“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.  Where any provision of this Indenture refers to action to be taken pursuant to a Board Resolution (including the establishment of any series of the Debt Securities and the forms and terms thereof), such action may be taken by any committee of the Board of the Company or any officer or employee of the Company authorized to take such action by a Board Resolution.

 

“Business Day,” when used with respect to any Place of Payment, means any day which is not a Saturday or Sunday and which is not a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in that Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking S.A.

 

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

 

2



 

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

 

“Company Request” and “Company Order” mean, respectively, except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by the Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the President or a Vice President (any references to a Vice President of the Company herein shall be deemed to include any Vice President of the Company whether or not designated by a number or word or words added before or after the title “Vice President”), the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, an Assistant Controller, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company or by another officer of the Company duly authorized to sign by a Board Resolution, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at 230 West Monroe Street, Suite 2900, Chicago, Illinois 60606, Attention:  Corporate Trust Services, except that, with respect to presentation of the Debt Securities for payment or registration of transfers or exchanges and the location of the Security Registrar, such term means the office or agency of the Trustee in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at 608 Second Avenue South, N9303-121, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55479, Attention: Corporate Trust Operations.

 

The term “corporation” includes corporations, associations, companies and business trusts.

 

The term “coupon” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

 

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

 

“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.

 

“Depositary” means, with respect to the Debt Securities of any series issuable or issued in the form of a Global Security, the Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 301 until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Debt Securities of any such series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Debt Securities of that series.

 

“Designated Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 312.

 

“Dollar” or “$” means the coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

 

“Euro” means the single currency of the European Monetary Union as defined under EC Regulation 1103/97 adopted under Article 235 of the EU Treaty and under EC

 

3



 

Regulation 974/98 adopted under Article 109l(4) of the EU Treaty or under any successor European legislation from time to time.

 

“Euroclear” means Euroclear SA/NV, as operator of the Euroclear System.

 

“European Communities” means the European Economic Community, the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Atomic Energy Community.

 

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

 

“Exchange Rate” shall have the meaning specified as contemplated in Section 301.

 

“Exchange Rate Agent” shall have the meaning specified as contemplated in Section 301.

 

“Exchange Rate Officer’s Certificate,” with respect to any date for the payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on any series of Debt Securities, means a certificate setting forth the applicable Exchange Rate and the amounts payable in Dollars and Foreign Currencies in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on Debt Securities denominated in Euro, any other composite currency or Foreign Currency, and signed by the Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the President, a Vice President, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer or the Controller of the Company or the Exchange Rate Agent appointed pursuant to Section 301, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

“Foreign Currency” means a currency issued by the government of any country other than the United States of America.

 

“GAAP” means, as of the date of any determination with respect thereto, generally accepted accounting principles as used by the Financial Accounting Standards Board and/or the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, consistently applied and maintained throughout the periods indicated.

 

“Global Exchange Agent” has the meaning specified in Section 304.

 

“Global Exchange Date” has the meaning specified in Section 304.

 

“Global Security” means a Debt Security issued to evidence all or part of a series of Debt Securities in accordance with Section 303.

 

“Government Obligations” means, in respect of any series of Debt Securities, securities of (i) the government which issued the currency in which Debt Securities of such series are denominated and/or in which interest is payable on the Debt Securities of such series or (ii)  agencies of such government the full and timely payment upon which is guaranteed by the full faith and credit of such government.

 

“Holder,” with respect to a Registered Security, means a Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register and, with respect to a Bearer Security or a coupon, means the bearer thereof.

 

4



 

“Indebtedness” means (i) all items of indebtedness or liability (except capital and surplus) which in accordance with GAAP would be included in determining total liabilities as shown on the liability side of a balance sheet as at the date as of which indebtedness is to be determined, (ii) indebtedness secured by any Mortgage existing on property owned subject to such Mortgage, whether or not the indebtedness secured thereby shall have been assumed, and (iii) guarantees, endorsements (other than for purposes of collection) and other contingent obligations in respect of, or to purchase or otherwise acquire, indebtedness of others, unless the amount thereof is included in indebtedness under the preceding clause (i) or (ii); provided, however, that any obligations or guarantees of obligations in respect of lease rentals, whether or not such obligations or guarantees of obligations would be included as liabilities on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries, shall not be included in Indebtedness.

 

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented, amended or restated by or pursuant to one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, unless the context otherwise requires, shall include the terms of a particular series of Debt 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,” with respect to any Debt Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Debt Security.

 

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

 

“Mortgage” means and includes any mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest, conditional sale or other title retention agreement or other similar encumbrance.

 

“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, an Assistant Controller, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture) be an employee of or counsel for the Company, or who may be other counsel acceptable to the Trustee, which is delivered to the Trustee.

 

“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Debt 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 Debt Securities means, as of the date of determination, all Debt Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

 

5



 

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

 

(ii)           Debt Securities or portions thereof for whose payment or redemption money or Government Obligations 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 Debt Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto; provided, however, that if such Debt 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; and

 

(iii)          Debt Securities in exchange for or in lieu of which other Debt Securities have been authenticated and delivered, or which have been paid, pursuant to this Indenture;

 

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Debt Securities Outstanding have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, Debt Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt 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 such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Debt Securities which the Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded.  Debt 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 Debt Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt 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 (and premium, if any) or interest on any Debt Securities on behalf of the Company.

 

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

 

“Place of Payment,” when used with respect to the Debt Securities of any series means any place where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Debt Securities of that series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 301.

 

“Predecessor Security” of any particular Debt Security means every previous Debt Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Debt Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Debt Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in lieu of a lost, destroyed or stolen Debt Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed or stolen Debt Security.

 

“Preferred Stock,” as applied to the capital stock of any corporation, means stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such corporation, over shares of stock of any other class of such corporation.

 

6



 

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

 

“Registered Security” means any Debt Security in the form of Registered Securities established pursuant to Section 201 which is registered in the Security Register.

 

“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Registered Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 301.

 

“Remarketing Entity,” when used with respect to Debt Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity, means any person designated by the Company to purchase any such Debt Securities.

 

“Repayment Date,” when used with respect to any Debt Security to be repaid upon exercise of an option for repayment by the Holder, means the date fixed for such repayment pursuant to this Indenture.

 

“Repayment Price,” when used with respect to any Debt Security to be repaid upon exercise of an option for repayment by the Holder, means the price at which it is to be repaid pursuant to this Indenture.

 

“Responsible Officer” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer of the Trustee assigned by it to administer its corporate trust matters.

 

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

 

“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 Debt Security or any installment of interest thereon, means the date specified in such Debt Security or a coupon representing such installment of interest as the fixed date on which the principal of such Debt Security or such installment is due and payable.

 

“Subsidiary” means any Person more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock, except for directors’ qualifying shares, of which shall at the time be owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more of the Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more other Subsidiaries.

 

“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed, except as provided in Section 905.

 

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

 

7



 

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

 

“United States” means the United States of America (including the District of Columbia) and its possessions.

 

“United States Alien” means any Person who, for United States Federal income tax purposes, is a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual, a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust, or a foreign partnership one or more of the members of which is, for United States Federal income tax purposes, a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual or a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust.

 

“Voting Stock,” as applied to the stock (or the equivalent thereof) of any Person, means stock (or the equivalent thereof) of any class or classes, however designated, entitled in the ordinary course to vote in an election of directors of such Person, other than stock (or such equivalent) having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

8



 

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.

 

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 or her certificate or opinion is based is 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 opinions or representations with respect to such matters is erroneous.

 

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

 

Section 104.         Acts of Holders.

 

(a)           Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing.  If Debt Securities of a series are issuable in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Debt Securities voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article Fourteen, or a combination of such instruments and any such record.  Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee, and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company.  Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments and so voting at any such meeting.  Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or the holding by any Person of a Debt Security, 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 record of any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 1406.

 

(b)           The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved in any manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

 

9



 

(c)           The ownership of Registered Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.

 

(d)           The principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities in the amount and with the serial numbers therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory.  The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (1) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (2) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other person, or (3) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (4) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding.

 

(e)           The fact and date of execution of any such instrument or writing, the authority of the Person executing the same and the principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

 

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

 

(g)           For purposes of determining the principal amount of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series the Holders of which are required, requested or permitted to give any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or take any other Act under this Indenture, (i) each Original Issue Discount Security shall be deemed to have the principal amount determined by the Trustee that could be declared to be due and payable pursuant to the terms of such Original Issue Discount Security as of the date there is delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company, such Act by Holders of the required aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and (ii) each Debt Security denominated in a Foreign Currency or composite currency shall be deemed to have the principal amount determined by the Exchange Rate Agent by converting the principal amount of such Debt Security in the currency in which such Debt Security is denominated into Dollars at the Exchange Rate as of the date such Act is delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company, by Holders of the required aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series.

 

(h)           The Company may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series entitled to give, make or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or

 

10



 

permitted by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders of Debt 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 Debt 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 (as defined below) by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Debt 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 Debt 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 Debt 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 Debt Securities of any series entitled to join in the giving or making of (i) any notice of an Event 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 Debt Securities of such series.  If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Debt 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 Debt 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 Debt 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 Debt 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 which sets such record dates 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 Debt 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 any record date set pursuant to this Section, the party hereto which set such record date shall be deemed to have initially designated the 180th day after such record date as the Expiration

 

11



 

Date with respect thereto, subject to its right to change the Expiration Date as provided in this paragraph.

 

Section 105.         Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company.

 

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other 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 (unless otherwise herein expressly provided), if in writing and sent by certified mail or by courier to 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 sent by certified mail or by courier to the Company addressed to the attention of its Secretary at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

Section 106.         Notice to Holders; Waiver.

 

Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, (1) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at such Holder’s address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and (2) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities by publication thereof in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if the Debt Securities of such series are then listed on The International Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and such stock exchange shall so require, in London, and, if the Debt Securities of such series are then listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and such stock exchange shall so require, in Luxembourg and, if the Debt Securities of such series are then listed on any other stock exchange outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, in any other required city outside the United States or, if not practicable, in Europe on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not later than the latest date and not earlier than the earliest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

 

In case, by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service or for any other reason, it shall be impossible or impracticable to mail notice of any event to Holders of Registered Securities when said notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture or of the Debt Securities, then any manner of giving such notice as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee shall be deemed to be a sufficient giving of such notice.  In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is to be given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided above.

 

12



 

In case, by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper, or by reason of any other cause, it shall be impossible or impracticable to make publication of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such method of publication or notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient publication of such notice.  Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

 

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.

 

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

 

Section 107.         Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

 

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

 

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.

 

Section 110.         Separability Clause.

 

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

 

Section 111.         Benefits of Indenture.

 

Nothing in this Indenture or in the Debt Securities or any coupons, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder, any Paying Agent and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

 

13



 

Section 112.         Governing Law.

 

This Indenture and the Debt Securities and any coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

Section 113.         Legal Holidays.

 

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Stated Maturity of any Debt Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Debt Securities or any coupons) 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, and no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Stated Maturity, as the case may be.

 

Section 114.         Exemption from Individual Liability.

 

No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of this Indenture, or of any Debt Security or any coupon, 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 of the Company, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as 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 in any of the Debt Securities or any coupon 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 Debt Securities or any coupon 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 Debt Securities.

 

Section 115.         Counterparts.

 

This Indenture 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 Indenture.

 

Section 116.         Force Majeure.

 

In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable, nor shall the Company be responsible or liable to the Trustee, for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations

 

14



 

hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee or the Company, as the case may be, shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

Section 117.         Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE, AND EACH HOLDER OF A SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE THEREOF, 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 THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURTIES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

ARTICLE TWO

 

Debt Security Forms

 

Section 201.         Forms Generally.

 

The Registered Securities, if any, and the Bearer Securities and related coupons, if any, of each series shall be in substantially the form (including temporary or permanent global form) as shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon, as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange, or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Debt Securities or coupons, as evidenced by their signatures on the Debt Securities or coupons.  If the form of Debt Securities of any series or coupons (including any such Global Security) is established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Debt Securities or coupons.

 

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, Debt Securities in bearer form other than Debt Securities in temporary or permanent global form shall have coupons attached.

 

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

 

Section 202.         Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.

 

The Trustee’s certificate of authentication on all Debt Securities shall be in substantially the following form:

 

15



 

This is one of the Debt Securities, of the series designated herein, described in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

By

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

Section 203.         Debt Securities in Global Form.

 

If Debt Securities of a series are issuable in whole or in part in global form, as specified as contemplated by Section 301, then, notwithstanding clause (10) of Section 301 and the provisions of Section 302, such Global Security shall represent such of the outstanding Debt Securities of such series as shall be specified therein and may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Debt Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Debt Securities represented thereby may from time to time be reduced to reflect exchanges.  Any endorsement of a Global Security to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, of Outstanding Debt Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and upon instructions given by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304.

 

The provisions of the last sentence of Section 303(g) shall apply to any Debt Securities represented by a Debt Security in global form if such Debt Security was never issued and sold by the Company and the Company delivers to the Trustee the Debt Security in global form together with written instructions (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) with respect to the reduction in the principal amount of Debt Securities represented thereby, together with the written statement contemplated by the last sentence of Section 303(g).

 

Global Securities may be issued in either registered or bearer form and in permanent form or, in the case of Bearer Securities, either temporary or permanent form.

 

ARTICLE THREE

 

The Debt Securities

 

Section 301.         Amount Unlimited; Issuance in Series.

 

The aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

 

The Debt Securities may be issued in one or more series.  There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established

 

16



 

in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Debt Securities of any series:

 

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

 

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

 

(3)           the ranking of such Debt Securities;

 

(4)           the limit, if any, upon the aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Debt Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Debt Securities of the series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906, 1107 or 1303 and except for any Debt Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

 

(5)           the date or dates on which the principal and premium, if any, of the Debt Securities of the series are payable;

 

(6)           the rate or rates, if any, at which the Debt Securities of the series shall bear interest, or the method or methods by which such rate or rates may be determined, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable, the Regular Record Date for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date and the circumstances, if any, in which the Company may defer interest payments;

 

(7)           the place or places where, subject to the provisions of Section 1002, the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on Debt Securities of the series shall be payable, any Registered Securities of the series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, Debt Securities of the series may be surrendered for exchange and notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Debt Securities of the series and this Indenture may be served and where notices to Holders pursuant to Section 106 will be published;

 

(8)           if applicable, the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Debt Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

 

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

 

(10)         whether Debt Securities of the series are to be issuable as Registered Securities, Bearer Securities or both, whether Debt Securities of the series are to be issuable

 

17



 

with or without coupons or both and, in the case of Bearer Securities, the date as of which such Bearer Securities shall be dated if other than the date of original issuance of the first Debt Security of such series of like tenor and term to be issued;

 

(11)         whether the Debt Securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of a Global Security or Securities and, in such case, the Depositary and Global Exchange Agent for such Global Security or Securities, whether such global form shall be permanent or temporary and, if applicable, the Global Exchange Date;

 

(12)         if Debt Securities of the series are to be issuable initially in the form of a temporary Global Security, the circumstances under which the temporary Global Security can be exchanged for definitive Debt Securities and whether the definitive Debt Securities will be Registered and/or Bearer Securities and will be in global form and whether interest in respect of any portion of such Global Security payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date prior to the Global Exchange Date shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to a portion of such Global Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date if other than as provided in this Article Three;

 

(13)         whether, and under what conditions, additional amounts will be payable to Holders of Debt Securities of the series pursuant to Section 1006;

 

(14)         the denominations in which any Registered Securities of the series shall be issuable, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, and the denominations in which any Bearer Securities of such series shall be issuable, if other than the denomination of $5,000;

 

(15)         if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Debt Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502;

 

(16)         the currency or currencies of denomination of the Debt Securities of any series, which may be in Dollars, any Foreign Currency or any composite currency, including but not limited to the Euro, and, if any such currency of denomination is a composite currency other than the Euro, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;

 

(17)         the currency or currencies in which payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Debt Securities will be made, any other currency or currencies in which payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or the interest on Registered Securities, at the election of each of the Holders thereof, may also be payable and the periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made, and the Exchange Rate and Exchange Rate Agent;

 

(18)         if the amount of payments of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Debt Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

 

18



 

(19)         if payments of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Debt Securities of the series are to be made in a Foreign Currency other than the currency in which such Debt Securities are denominated, the manner in which the Exchange Rate with respect to such payments shall be determined;

 

(20)         if the Debt Securities of the series are convertible or exchangeable into common stock or preferred stock, the conversion price or exchange ratio therefor, the period during which such Debt Securities are convertible or exchangeable and any terms and conditions for the conversion or exchange of such Debt Securities;

 

(21)         any Events of Default with respect to Debt Securities of such series, if not set forth herein;

 

(22)         any other covenant or warranty included for the benefit of the Debt Securities of the series in addition to (and not inconsistent with) those set forth herein for the benefit of Debt Securities of all series, or any other covenant or warranty included for the benefit of Debt Securities of the series in lieu of any covenant or warranty set forth herein for the benefit of Debt Securities of all series, or any provision that any covenant or warranty set forth herein for the benefit of Debt Securities of all series shall not be for the benefit of Debt Securities of such series, or any combination of such covenants, warranties or provisions and the applicability, if any, of the provisions of Section 1012 to such covenants and warranties;

 

(23)         the terms and conditions, if any, pursuant to which the Company’s obligations under this Indenture may be terminated through the deposit of money or Government Obligations as provided in Articles Four and Fifteen;

 

(24)         the Person or Persons who shall be Security Registrar for the Debt Securities of such series if other than the Trustee, and the place or places where the Security Register for such series shall be maintained and the Person or Persons who will be the initial Paying Agent or Agents, if other than the Trustee; and

 

(25)         any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture).

 

All Debt Securities of any one series and the coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series, if any, shall be substantially identical except, in the case of Registered Securities, as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to such Board Resolution and set forth in such Officers’ Certificate or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.

 

Debt Securities of any particular series may be issued at various times, with different dates on which the principal or any installment of principal is payable, with different rates of interest, if any, or different methods by which rates of interest may be determined, with different dates on which such interest may be payable and with different Redemption or Repayment Dates and may be denominated in different currencies or payable in different currencies.

 

If any of the terms of a series of Debt Securities are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by

 

19



 

the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of the series.

 

Section 302.         Denominations.

 

Debt Securities of each series shall be issuable in such form and denominations as shall be specified in the form of Debt Security for such series approved or established pursuant to Section 201 or in the Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 301.  In the absence of any specification with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, the Registered Securities of such series, if any, shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof and the Bearer Securities of such series, if any, shall be issuable in the denominations of $5,000.

 

Section 303.         Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.

 

(a)           The Debt Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the President or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer or one of its Assistant Treasurers or its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries under its corporate seal reproduced thereon.  The signature of any of these officers and the reproduction of the corporate seal on the Debt Securities may be manual or facsimile.  Coupons shall bear the facsimile signature of an authorized officer of the Company.

 

Debt Securities and coupons 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 Debt Securities or coupons of any series or did not hold such offices at the date of such Debt Securities or coupons.

 

(b)           At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, Debt Securities of any series may be executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee for authentication, and, except as otherwise provided in this Article Three, shall thereupon be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee upon Company Order, without any further action by the Company; provided, however, that, in connection with its original issuance, a Bearer Security may be delivered only outside the United States and, except in the case of a temporary Global Security, only if the Company or its agent shall have received the certification required pursuant to Sections 304(b)(iii) and (iv), unless such certification shall have been provided earlier pursuant to section 304(b)(v) hereof, and only if the Company has no reason to know that such certification is false.

 

To the extent authorized in or pursuant to a Board Resolution and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, such written Company Order may be given by any one officer or employee of the Company, may be electronically transmitted, and may provide instructions as to registration of holders, principal amounts, rates of interest, maturity dates and other matters contemplated by such Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture to be so instructed in respect thereof.  Before authorizing and delivering the first Debt Securities of any series (and upon request of the Trustee thereafter), the Company shall deliver to the Trustee (i) the certificates called for under Sections 201 and 301 hereof and (ii) an Opinion of Counsel described in the next sentence.

 

20



 

In authenticating such Debt Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to any such Debt Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, prior to the initial authentication of such Debt Securities, and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon:

 

(i)                                     a Board Resolution relating thereto and, if applicable, an appropriate record of any action taken pursuant to such resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company;

 

(ii)                                  an executed supplemental indenture, if any, relating thereto;

 

(iii)                               an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the form and terms of the Debt Securities of such series and coupons, if any, pursuant to Sections 201 and 301 and stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the issuance of such Debt Securities have been complied with; and

 

(iv)                              an Opinion of Counsel stating

 

(A)                              that the form of such Debt Securities and coupons, if any, has been established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution or by a supplemental indenture as permitted by Section 201 in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;
 
(B)                                that the terms of such Debt Securities and coupons, if any, have been established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate or by a supplemental indenture as permitted by Section 301 in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and
 
(C)                                that the Indenture and such Debt Securities and coupons, if any, 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 binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and the application of general principles of equity and except further as enforcement thereof may be limited by (i) requirements that a claim with respect to any Debt Securities denominated other than in Dollars (or a Foreign Currency or currency unit judgment in respect of such claim) be converted into Dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or (ii) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments in Foreign Currencies or currency units or payments outside the United States.
 

(c)                                  If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 301 that the Debt Securities of a series are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, then the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section and the Company Order with respect to such series, authenticate and deliver one or more Global Securities in permanent or temporary form that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series to be represented by one or more Global Securities, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the

 

21



 

Depositary for such Global Security or Securities or the nominee of such Depositary and (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions.

 

(d)                                 The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Debt Securities under this Section 303 if the issuance of such Debt Securities will adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Debt Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

 

(e)                                  If all the Debt Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel at the time of issuance of each Debt Security, but such Opinion of Counsel, with appropriate modifications, may instead be delivered at or prior to the time of the first issuance of Debt Securities of such series.

 

(f)                                    Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.  Each Bearer Security shall be dated as of the date specified as contemplated by Section 301.

 

(g)                                 No Debt Security or coupon attached thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Debt Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee, and such certificate upon any Debt Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Debt Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.  Except as permitted by Section 306, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all appurtenant coupons for interest then matured have been detached and cancelled.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Debt Security or portion thereof shall have been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Debt Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 309 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Debt Security or portion thereof has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such Debt Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

 

(h)                                 Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 301 for a Global Security in registered form must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any other applicable statute or regulation.

 

Section 304.                            Temporary Debt Securities.

 

(a)                                  Pending the preparation of definitive Debt Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon receipt of documents required by Sections 301 and 303, together with a Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Debt Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any denomination, substantially of the tenor and terms of the definitive Debt Securities in lieu of which they are issued in registered form or, if authorized, in bearer form with one or more coupons or without coupons, and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Debt Securities may determine, as evidenced by their signatures on such Debt Securities.  In the case of Debt Securities of any series issuable as Bearer Securities, such temporary

 

22



 

Debt Securities may be in global form, representing all or any part of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series.

 

(b)                                 Unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301:

 

(i)                                     Except in the case of temporary Debt Securities in global form, if temporary Debt Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Debt Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay.  After the preparation of definitive Debt Securities of such series, the related temporary Debt Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Debt Securities upon surrender of the temporary Debt Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company in the Place of Payment for such series, without charge to the Holder.  Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Debt Securities of any series (accompanied, if applicable, by all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Debt Securities of the same series of like tenor and terms and of authorized denominations; provided, however, that no Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a Registered Security; and provided, further, that a Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 305.

 

(ii)                                  If Debt Securities of any series are issued in temporary global form, any such temporary Global Security shall, unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301, be delivered to the Depositary for the benefit of Euroclear and Clearstream, for credit to the respective accounts of the beneficial owners of such Debt Securities (or to such other accounts as they may direct).

 

(iii)                               Without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the date specified in, or determined pursuant to the terms of, any such temporary Global Security (the “Global Exchange Date”), the Company shall deliver definitive Debt Securities to the Trustee or the agent appointed by the Company pursuant to Section 301 to effect the exchange of the temporary Global Security for definitive Debt Securities (the “Global Exchange Agent”), in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such temporary Global Security, executed by the Company.  On or after the Global Exchange Date, such temporary Global Security shall be surrendered by the Depositary to the Global Exchange Agent, to be exchanged, in whole or from time to time in part, for definitive Debt Securities without charge and the Trustee or the Global Exchange Agent, if authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 614, shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for each portion of such temporary Global Security, an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Debt Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor and terms as the portion of such temporary Global Security to be exchanged.  Upon any exchange of a part of such temporary Global Security for definitive Debt Securities, the portion of the principal amount and any interest thereon so exchanged shall be endorsed by the Global Exchange Agent on a schedule to such temporary Global Security, whereupon the principal amount and interest payable with respect to such temporary Global Security shall be reduced for all purposes by the amount so exchanged and endorsed.  The definitive Debt Securities to be delivered in exchange for any such temporary Global Security shall be in bearer form, registered form, global registered form or global bearer form, or any combination thereof, as specified as contemplated by Section 301, and, if any combination thereof is so specified, as requested by

 

23



 

the beneficial owner thereof; provided, however, that, in the case of the exchange of the temporary Global Security for definitive Bearer Securities (including a definitive Global Bearer Security), upon such presentation by the Depositary, such temporary Global Security shall be accompanied by a certificate signed by Euroclear as to the portion of such temporary Global Security held for its account then to be exchanged and a certificate signed by Clearstream as to the portion of such temporary Global Security held for its account then to be exchanged, each in the form set forth in Exhibit B to this Indenture; and provided, further, that definitive Bearer Securities (including a definitive Global Bearer Security) shall be delivered in exchange for a portion of a temporary Global Security only in compliance with the requirements of Section 303.

 

(iv)                              The interest of a beneficial owner of Debt Securities of a series in a temporary Global Security shall be exchanged for definitive Debt Securities of the same series and of like tenor and terms following the Global Exchange Date when the account holder instructs Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, to request such exchange on such account holder’s behalf and, in the case of the exchange of the temporary Global Security for definitive Bearer Securities (including a definitive Global Bearer Security), the account holder delivers to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate in the form set forth in Exhibit A-1 and, if applicable, A-2 to this Indenture, dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the Global Exchange Date, copies of which certificate shall be available from the offices of Euroclear and Clearstream, the Global Exchange Agent, any authenticating agent appointed for such series of Debt Securities and each Paying Agent.  Unless otherwise specified in such temporary Global Security, any such exchange shall be made free of charge to the beneficial owners of such temporary Global Security, except that a Person receiving definitive Debt Securities must bear the cost of insurance, postage, transportation and the like in the event that such Person does not take delivery of such definitive Debt Securities in person at the offices of Euroclear and Clearstream.  Definitive Debt Securities in bearer form to be delivered in exchange for any portion of a temporary Global Security shall be delivered only outside the United States.

 

(v)                                 Until exchanged in full as hereinabove provided, the temporary Debt Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Debt Securities of the same series and of like tenor and terms authenticated and delivered hereunder, except that interest payable on a temporary Global Security on an Interest Payment Date shall be payable to Euroclear and Clearstream on such Interest Payment Date only if there has been delivered by Euroclear and Clearstream to the Global Exchange Agent a certificate or certificates in the form set forth in Exhibit B to this Indenture dated no earlier than the first Interest Payment Date, for credit without further interest on or after such Interest Payment Date to the respective accounts of the Persons who are the beneficial owners of such temporary Global Security on such Interest Payment Date and who have each delivered to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate in the form set forth in Exhibit A-1 and, if applicable, A-2 to this Indenture dated no earlier than the first Interest Payment Date.  Any interest so received by Euroclear and Clearstream and not paid as herein provided prior to the Global Exchange Date shall be returned to the Global Exchange Agent which, upon expiration of two years after such Interest Payment Date, shall repay such interest to the Company in accordance with Section 1003.

 

24



 

Section 305.                            Registration; Registration of Transfer and Exchange.

 

The Company shall cause to be kept at one of the offices or agencies to be maintained by the Company in accordance with the provisions of this Section 305 and Section 1002, with respect to the Debt Securities of each series which are Registered Securities, a register (herein sometimes 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 Registered Securities and of transfers of Registered Securities.  Pursuant to Section 301, the Company shall appoint, with respect to Debt Securities of each series which are Registered Securities, a “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering such Debt Securities and transfers and exchanges of such Debt Securities as herein provided.

 

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series of any authorized denomination or denominations, of like tenor and terms and aggregate principal amount.

 

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series of any authorized form and denomination, of like tenor and terms and aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Registered Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency.  Bearer Securities may not be delivered in exchange for Registered Securities.

 

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities or Bearer Securities of any series may be issued in exchange for Bearer Securities (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to a Bearer Security in global form) of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and terms and aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency, with all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default thereto appertaining.  If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured coupon or coupons or matured coupon or coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing coupon or coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless.  If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, interest represented by coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons at an office or agency located outside the United States.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such office or agency in exchange for a Registered Security of the same series and like tenor and terms after the close of business at such office or agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be.

 

25



 

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

 

If at any time the Depositary for the Debt Securities of a series notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Debt Securities of such series or if at any time the Depositary for the Debt Securities of such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 303(h), the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Debt Securities of such series.  If a successor Depositary for the Debt Securities of such series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company’s election pursuant to Section 301(11) shall no longer be effective with respect to the Debt Securities of such series and the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Debt Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver, Debt Securities of such series in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security or Securities representing such series in exchange for such Global Security or Securities.

 

The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine that the Debt Securities of any series issued in the form of one or more Global Securities shall no longer be represented by such Global Security or Securities.  In such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Debt Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver, Debt Securities of such series in definitive form and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security or Securities representing such series in exchange for such Global Security or Securities.

 

If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 301 with respect to a series of Debt Securities, the Depositary for such series of Debt Securities may surrender a Global Security for such series of Debt Securities in exchange in whole or in part for Debt Securities of such series of like tenor and terms and in definitive form on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary.  Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without charge to any Holder,

 

(a)                                  to each Person specified by such Depositary a new Debt Security or Securities of the same series, of like tenor and terms and of any authorized denominations as requested by such person in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Global Security; and

 

(b)                                 to such Depositary a new Global Security of like tenor and terms and in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities delivered to Holders thereof.

 

In any exchange provided for in any of the preceding three paragraphs, the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver Debt Securities (a) in definitive registered form in authorized denominations, if the Debt Securities of such series are issuable as Registered Securities, (b) in definitive bearer form in authorized denominations, with coupons attached, if the Debt Securities of such series are issuable as Bearer Securities or (c) as either Registered or Bearer Securities, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, if the Debt Securities of such series are issuable in either form; provided, however, that no definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered

 

26



 

in exchange for a temporary Global Security unless the Company or its agent shall have received from the person entitled to receive the definitive Bearer Security a certificate substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A-1 and, if applicable, A-2 hereto; and provided further that delivery of a Bearer Security shall occur only outside the United States; and provided further that no definitive Bearer Security will be issued if the Company has reason to know that any such certificate is false.

 

Upon the exchange of a Global Security for Debt Securities in definitive form, such Global Security shall be cancelled by the Trustee.  Registered Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee.  The Trustee shall deliver such Registered Securities to the persons in whose names such Debt Securities are so registered.  The Trustee shall deliver Bearer Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security pursuant to this Section to the persons, and in such authorized denominations, as the Depositary for such Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee; provided, however, that no definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Global Security unless the Company or its agent shall have received from the person entitled to receive the definitive Bearer Security a certificate substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A-1 and, if applicable, A-2 hereto; and provided further that delivery of a Bearer Security shall occur only outside the United States; and provided further that no definitive Bearer Security will be issued if the Company has reason to know that any such certificate is false.

 

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

 

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

 

No charge to any Holder shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities, other than exchanges expressly provided in this Indenture to be made at the Company’s own expense or without expense or without charge to the Holders.

 

The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange Debt Securities of any particular series to be redeemed for a period of fifteen days preceding the first publication of the relevant notice of redemption or, if Registered Securities are outstanding and there is no publication, the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption of Debt Securities of such series selected for redemption under Section 1103 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of such Registered Security being redeemed in part, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security so selected for redemption except that

 

27



 

such a Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and terms of that series, provided that such Registered Security shall be simultaneously surrendered for redemption.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the exchange of Bearer Securities into Registered Securities shall be subject to applicable laws and regulations in effect at the time of exchange; neither the Company, the Trustee nor the Security Registrar shall exchange any Bearer Securities into Registered Securities if it has received an Opinion of Counsel that as a result of such exchanges the Company would suffer adverse consequences under the United States Federal income tax laws and regulations then in effect and the Company has delivered to the Trustee a Company Order directing the Trustee not to make such exchanges thereafter unless and until the Trustee receives a subsequent Company Order to the contrary.  The Company shall deliver copies of such Company Orders to the Security Registrar.

 

Section 306.                            Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Debt Securities.

 

If (i) any mutilated Debt Security or a Bearer Security with a mutilated coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to a Paying Agent outside the United States designated by the Company, or, in the case of any Registered Security, to the Trustee, or (ii) the Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Debt Security or coupon, and there is delivered to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company and the Trustee that such Debt Security or coupon has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its written request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for any such mutilated Debt Security or Bearer Security with a mutilated coupon appertaining to it or to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains (with all appurtenant coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen) or in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security, a new Debt Security of like tenor and terms and principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security or to the Debt Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains; provided, however, that any such new Bearer Security will be delivered only in compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 305.

 

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security or coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Debt Security, pay such Debt Security or coupon; provided, however, that payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and any interest on Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States; and provided, further, that, with respect to any such coupons, interest represented thereby (but not any additional amounts payable as provided in Section 1006), shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the coupons appertaining thereto.

 

Upon the issuance of any new Debt Security or coupons 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 and printing expenses) connected therewith.

 

Every new Debt Security of any series, with its coupons, if any, issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security, or in exchange for a Bearer

 

28



 

Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains, shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security and its coupons, if any, or the destroyed, lost or stolen coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and any such new Debt Security and coupons, if any, shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Debt Securities of that series and their coupons, if any, 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 Debt Securities or coupons.

 

Section 307.                            Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.

 

Interest on any Registered Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.  In case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security of such series after the close of business (at an office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series) on any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business (at such office or agency) on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date and interest will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.  At the option of the Company, payment of interest on any Registered Security may be made by check in the currency designated for such payment pursuant to the terms of such Registered Security mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account in such currency designated by such Person in writing not later than ten days prior to the date of such payment.

 

Any interest on any Registered 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 registered Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of his 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 Registered 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 Registered Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money and/or Government Obligations the payments of principal and interest on which when due (and without reinvestment) will provide money in such amounts as will (together with any money irrevocably deposited in trust with the Trustee, without investment) be 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 and/or Government Obligations when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of

 

29



 

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.  Unless the Trustee is acting as the Security Registrar, promptly after such Special Record Date, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with a list, or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee with respect thereto, of the names and addresses of, and principal amounts of Registered Securities of such series held by, the Holders appearing on the Security Register at the close of business on such Special Record Date.  In the name and at the expense of the Company, the Trustee shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Registered Securities of such series at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date.  Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Registered 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).  In case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at the office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series after the close of business at such office or agency on any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such proposed date of payment and Defaulted Interest will not be payable on such proposed date of payment in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

(2)                                  The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Registered Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Registered 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 Debt Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Debt Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Debt Security.

 

Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 1002, the Holder of any coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security shall be entitled to receive the interest payable on such coupon upon presentation and surrender of such coupon on or after the Interest Payment Date of such coupon at an office or agency maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 1002.

 

Except as the Company and the Trustee may otherwise agree with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security, the Company shall promptly file with the Trustee by each January 15th a written notice specifying the amount of the original issue discount accrued on the Securities

 

30



 

for the previous calendar year, including daily rates and accrual periods, and such other information relating to original issue discount as may be required under the United States Internal Revenue Code and applicable regulations, as amended from time to time.

 

Section 308.                            Persons Deemed Owners.

 

Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or of the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and (subject to Section 307) interest on such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Registered 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.

 

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security and the bearer of any coupon as the absolute owner of such Bearer Security or coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Bearer Security or coupon 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 of a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or any notice which is permitted or required to be given under the Indenture, any consent given or other action taken by the Depositary as Registered Holder, or any selection by the Depositary of any Person to receive payment of principal, interest or other amounts payable on the Securities..

 

Section 309.                            Cancellation.

 

Unless otherwise provided with respect to a series of Debt Securities, all Debt Securities and coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, repayment, transfer, exchange or credit against any sinking fund payment pursuant to this Indenture shall, if surrendered to the Company or any agent of the Company, 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 Debt Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Debt Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee.  No Debt Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Debt Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture.  All cancelled Debt Securities and coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in accordance with its customary procedures and, if requested by the Company in writing, certification of their disposal shall be delivered to the Company.

 

31



 

Section 310.                            Computation of Interest.

 

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Debt Securities of any series, interest on the Debt Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

Section 311.                            Certification by a Person Entitled to Delivery of a Bearer Security.

 

Whenever any provision of this Indenture or a Debt Security contemplates that certification be given by a Person entitled to delivery of a Bearer Security, such certification shall be provided substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 and, if applicable, A-2 hereto, with only such changes as shall be approved by the Company and consented to by the Trustee, whose consent shall not unreasonably be withheld.

 

Section 312.                            Judgments.

 

The Company agrees that, to the fullest extent possible under applicable law and except as may otherwise be specified as contemplated in Section 301, (a) the obligation, if any, of the Company to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Debt Securities of any series and any appurtenant coupons in a Foreign Currency, composite currency or Dollars (the “Designated Currency”) as may be specified pursuant to Section 301 is of the essence, and judgments in respect of such Debt Securities shall be given in the Designated Currency; (b) the obligation of the Company to make payments in the Designated Currency of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on such Debt Securities and any appurtenant coupons shall, notwithstanding any payment in any other currency (whether pursuant to a judgment or otherwise), be discharged only to the extent of the amount in the Designated Currency that the Holder receiving such payment may, in accordance with normal banking procedures, purchase with the sum paid in such other currency (after any premium and cost of exchange) in the country of issue of the Designated Currency in the case of Foreign Currency or Dollars or in the international banking community in the case of a composite currency on the Business Day immediately following the day on which such Holder receives such payment; (c) if the amount in the Designated Currency that may be so purchased for any reason falls short of the amount originally due, the Company shall pay such additional amounts as may be necessary to compensate for such shortfall; and (d) any obligation of the Company not discharged by such payment shall be due as a separate and independent obligation and, until discharged as provided herein, shall continue in full force and effect.

 

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 Debt Securities herein expressly provided for and rights to receive payments of principal and interest thereon and any right to receive additional amounts, as provided in Section 1006) and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture when

 

32



 

(1)                                  either

 

(A)                              all Debt Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered and all coupons appertaining thereto (other than (i) coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities and maturing after such exchange, surrender of which is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 305, (ii) Debt Securities and coupons which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306, (iii) coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities called for redemption or surrendered for repayment and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date or Repayment Date, as appropriate, surrender of which has been waived as provided in Section 1106 or 1303 and (iv) Debt Securities and coupons for whose payment money and/or Government Obligations have 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 cancelled or for cancellation; or
 
(B)                                all such Debt 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 (B)(i), (B)(ii) or (B)(iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose money and/or Government Obligations the payments of principal and interest on which when due (and without reinvestment) will provide money in such amounts as will (together with any money irrevocably deposited in trust with the Trustee, without investment) be sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Debt Securities and coupons of such series for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, and any mandatory sinking fund, repayment or analogous payments thereon, on the scheduled due dates therefor to the date of such deposit (in the case of Debt Securities and coupons which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, if any, and all Repayment Dates (in the case of Debt Securities repayable at the option of the Holders thereof); provided, however, that in the event a petition for relief under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law is filed with respect to the Company within 91 days after the deposit, the obligations of the Company under the Indenture with respect to the Debt Securities of such series shall not be deemed terminated or discharged, and in such event the Trustee shall be required to return the deposited money and Government Obligations then held by the Trustee to the Company;

 

33



 

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

 

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 607 and, if money or Government Obligations 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 and Government Obligations.

 

(a)                                  Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401, 403 or 1501 shall be held in trust and such money and the principal and interest received on such Government Obligations shall be applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Debt Securities, any coupons and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium, if any) and interest for whose payment such money or Government Obligations have been deposited with the Trustee.

 

(b)                                 The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Section 403 or 1501 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such Government Obligations or money were deposited or received.

 

(c)                                  The Trustee shall deliver to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 403 or 1501, provided that the Company in substitution therefor simultaneously delivers to the Trustee, money or other Government Obligations which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, would then be sufficient to satisfy the Company’s payment obligations in respect of the Debt Securities in the manner contemplated by Section 403 or 1501.

 

Section 403.                            Satisfaction, Discharge and Defeasance of Debt Securities of Any Series.

 

If this Section 403 is specified, as contemplated by Section 301, to be applicable to Debt Securities of any series, then, notwithstanding Section 401, (i) the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the Outstanding Debt Securities of any such series and related coupons; (ii) the provisions of this Indenture as it relates to such Outstanding Debt Securities and related coupons shall no longer be in effect (except as to (A) the rights of Holders of Debt Securities to receive, from the trust fund described in subparagraph (1) below, payment of (x) the principal of (and premium, if any) and any installment of principal of (and premium, if any) or

 

34



 

interest on such Debt Securities and related coupons on the Stated Maturity of such principal (and premium, if any) or installment of principal (and premium, if any) or interest or (y) any mandatory sinking fund, repayment or analogous payments applicable to the Debt Securities of that series on that day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Debt Securities, (B) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Debt Securities under Sections 304, 305, 306, 1002, 1003 and 1006, and (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, including those under Section 607 hereof); and (iii) the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, upon Company Order, execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of such indebtedness, when

 

(1)                                  either

 

(A)                              with respect to all Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and related coupons, with reference to this Section 403, the Company has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee irrevocably, as trust funds in trust, money and/or Government Obligations the payments of principal and interest on which when due (and without reinvestment) will provide money in such amounts as will (together with any money irrevocably deposited in trust with the Trustee, without investment) be sufficient to pay and discharge (i) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or interest or, if such series may be redeemed by the Company prior to the Stated Maturity thereof and the Company shall have given irrevocable instructions to the Trustee to effect such redemption, at the date fixed for such redemption pursuant to Article Eleven, and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to Debt Securities of such series on the date on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Debt Securities; or
 
(B)                                the Company has properly fulfilled such other means of satisfaction and discharge as is specified, as contemplated by Section 301, to be applicable to the Debt Securities of such series;
 

(2)                                  the Company has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable with respect to the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and related coupons;

 

(3)                                  such deposit will not result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

 

(4)                                  no Event of Default or event which, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default pursuant to Section 501(1), (2), (3), (6) or (7) with respect to the Debt Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit and no Event of Default under Section 501(6) or Section 501(7) or event which, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default under Section 501(6) or Section 501(7) shall have occurred and be continuing on the 91st day after such date; provided, however, that should that condition fail to be satisfied on or before such 91st day, the Trustee shall promptly, upon satisfactory receipt of evidence of such failure, return such deposit to the Company;

 

35



 

(5)                                  if the Debt Securities of that series are then listed on any domestic or foreign securities exchange, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such deposit, defeasance and discharge will not cause such Debt Securities to be delisted; and

 

(6)                                  the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the entire indebtedness of all Outstanding Debt Securities and related coupons have been complied with.

 

Any deposits with the Trustee referred to in Section 403(1)(A) above shall be irrevocable and shall be made under the terms of an escrow or trust agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee.  If any Outstanding Debt Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to their Stated Maturity, whether pursuant to any optional redemption provisions or in accordance with any mandatory sinking fund requirement, the applicable escrow or trust agreement shall provide therefor and the Company shall make such arrangements as are satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company.

 

Upon the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in this Section 403 with respect to all the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series, the terms and conditions of such series, including the terms and conditions with respect thereto set forth in this Indenture, shall no longer be binding upon, or applicable to, the Company; provided that the Company shall not be discharged from any payment obligations in respect of Debt Securities of such series which are deemed not to be Outstanding under clause (iii) of the definition thereof if such obligations continue to be valid obligations of the Company under applicable law.

 

Notwithstanding the cessation, termination and discharge of all obligations, covenants and agreements (except as provided above in this Section 403) of the Company under this Indenture with respect to any series of Debt Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 607, and the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and the last paragraph of Section 1003, shall survive with respect to such series of Debt Securities.

 

ARTICLE FIVE

 

Remedies

 

Section 501.                            Events of Default.

 

“Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Debt 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, 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 Debt Security of such series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

36



 

(2)                                  default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Debt Security of such series at its Maturity; or

 

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

 

(4)                                  default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Debt Securities of a series other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after there has been given by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder, or

 

(5)                                  the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (B) a decree or order adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

 

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

 

(7)                                  any other Event of Default provided with respect to Debt Securities of such series specified as contemplated by Section 301.

 

37



 

Section 502.                            Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

 

If an Event of Default with respect to Debt Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of Outstanding Debt Securities of such series may declare the principal amount (or, if the Debt Securities of such series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of and all accrued but unpaid interest on all the Debt Securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by such Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) shall become immediately due and payable.  Upon payment of such amount, all obligations of the Company in respect of the payment of principal of the Debt Securities of such series shall terminate.

 

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Debt 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 Debt Securities of such 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

 

(A)                              all overdue installments of interest on all Debt Securities of such series,
 
(B)                                the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Debt Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Debt Securities,
 
(C)                                to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Debt 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 Debt Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Debt Securities of such series which 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.                            Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

 

The Company covenants that if:

 

38



 

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

 

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

 

the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Debt Securities and any related coupons, the amount then due and payable on such Debt Securities and coupons for principal (and premium, if any) and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest upon the overdue principal (and premium, if any) and, upon overdue installments of interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Debt Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

 

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

 

If an Event of Default with respect to Debt 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 Debt Securities of such series and any related coupons 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 the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceedings, or any voluntary or involuntary case under the Federal bankruptcy laws as now or hereafter constituted, relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt Securities of a particular series or any related coupons or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of such Debt Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise,

 

(1)                                  to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal (and premium, if any) and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Debt Securities of such series and any appurtenant coupons and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable

 

39



 

compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

 

(2)                                  to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

and any receiver, assignee, trustee, custodian, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 607.

 

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

 

Section 505.                            Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Debt Securities or Coupons.

 

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Debt Securities or coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Debt Securities or coupons 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 Debt Securities and coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

Section 506.                            Application of Money Collected.

 

After an Event of Default any money or other property distributable in respect of the Company’s obligations under this Indenture shall be paid 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 (and premium, if any) or interest, upon presentation of the Debt Securities or any coupons, or both, as the case may be, 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 (including any predecessor Trustee) for amounts due or reasonably anticipated to become due under Section 607;

 

SECOND:  To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Debt Securities and any coupons, 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 Debt Securities and any coupons for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, respectively.  The Holders of each series of Debt Securities denominated in Euro, any other composite currency or a Foreign Currency and

 

40



 

any matured coupons relating thereto shall be entitled to receive a ratable portion of the amount determined by the Exchange Rate Agent by converting the principal amount Outstanding of such series of Debt Securities and matured but unpaid interest on such series of Debt Securities in the currency in which such series of Debt Securities is denominated into Dollars at the Exchange Rate as of the date of declaration of acceleration of the Maturity of the Debt Securities; and

 

THIRD:  The balance, if any, to the Person or Persons entitled thereto.

 

Section 507.                            Limitation on Suits.

 

No Holder of any Debt Securities of any series or any related coupons 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 Debt Securities of such series;

 

(2)                                  the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

 

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

 

(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 Debt Securities of such 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 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 Debt Security or coupon shall have the right which is absolute and unconditional to receive payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and (subject to Section 307) interest on such Debt Security or payment of such coupon on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Debt Security or coupon (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on the Redemption Date or the Repayment Date, as the case may be) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

41



 

Section 509.                            Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

 

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceedings 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 the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

Section 510.                            Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

 

Except as otherwise provided in 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 Debt Security or coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein.  Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

 

Section 512.                            Control by Holders of Debt Securities.

 

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt 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 Debt Securities of such series, provided, that

 

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

 

(2)                                  subject to the provisions of Section 601, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, determine that the proceedings so directed would be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders of Debt Securities of such series not joining in any such direction; and

 

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

 

42



 

Section 513.                            Waiver of Past Defaults.

 

The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Debt Securities of any such series and any related coupons 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 premium, if any) or interest on any Debt 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 Debt 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.

 

All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Debt Security or coupon by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having a due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant, but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company or the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Debt Security or the payment of any coupons on or after the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Debt Security or coupon (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or Repayment Date, as the case may be).

 

Section 515.                            Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws.

 

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

 

43



 

ARTICLE SIX

 

The Trustee

 

Section 601.                            Certain Duties and Responsibilities.

 

Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee’s duties and responsibilities under this Indenture shall be only those duties and responsibilities specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied duties or responsibilities shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and shall use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.  Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.

 

Section 602.                            Notice of Default.

 

If a default occurring hereunder with respect to Debt Securities of any series is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Debt Securities of such series notice of such default within ninety days after the occurrence thereof as and to the extent provided by the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 501(4) with respect to Debt Securities of such series no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof; and except in the case of default in payment on any Debt Security, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of such Holders. 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 Debt Securities of such series.

 

Section 603.                            Certain Rights of Trustee.

 

Except as otherwise provided in Section 601

 

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

 

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

 

44



 

(c)                                  whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate or an Exchange Rate Officer’s Certificate;

 

(d)                                 the Trustee may consult with counsel 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;

 

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

 

(f)                                    the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney, other than any such books or records containing information as to the affairs of the customers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that the Trustee may examine such books and records relating to customers to the extent that such books and records contain information as to any payments made to such customers in their capacity as Holders of Debt Securities; provided, further, that the Trustee shall treat all information regarding the Company which it receives pursuant to this Indenture and its duties hereunder as confidential and shall not disclose such information unless necessary in order to fulfill its duties under this Indenture or the Trust Indenture Act; and

 

(g)                                 the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder; no Exchange Rate Agent, Global Exchange Agent, Depositary or Paying Agent shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any of them. The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including without limitation its right to be compensated, reimbursed, and indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.

 

Section 604.                            Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Debt Securities.

 

The recitals contained herein and in the Debt Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, and in any coupons, and the information in any registration statement, including all attachments thereto, except the Statement of Eligibility provided by the Trustee on Form T-1, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no

 

45



 

responsibility for their correctness.  The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Debt Securities of any series or any coupons.  The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of any Debt Securities or the proceeds thereof.  The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representations as to the Company’s ability or authority to issue Bearer Securities or the lawfulness thereof.

 

Section 605.                            May Hold Debt Securities or Coupons.

 

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

 

Section 606.                            Money Held in Trust.

 

Money held by the Trustee or any Paying Agent in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.  Neither the Trustee nor any Paying Agent shall be under any liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company in writing.

 

Section 607.                            Compensation and Reimbursement.

 

The Company agrees

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of any claim for which it may seek indemnification pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture; provided, however, the failure to give such notice shall not affect the right to indemnification hereunder except to the extent of actual prejudice. The Company shall be entitled to participate in, and to the extent that it shall wish, to assume the defense of such claim, with counsel satisfactory to the Trustee (and the Trustee shall

 

46



 

cooperate in the defense thereof). The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company shall not be obligated under any settlement agreement relating to any claim under this Indenture to which it has not agreed in writing, which agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section the Trustee shall have a claim prior to the Debt Securities and any coupons upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on particular Debt Securities or any coupons.

 

The provisions of this Section 607 shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee, the defeasance of the Securities and the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.

 

Section 608.                            Disqualification; Conflicting Interests.

 

If the Trustee has or shall acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture.  To the extent permitted by such Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest with respect to any other indenture of the Company or Debt Securities of any series by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to any particular series of Debt Securities.

 

Section 609.                            Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.

 

There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be a corporation that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000, and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority; provided, however, that if Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Trust Indenture Act at any time permit a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of any other jurisdiction to serve as trustee of an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, this Section 609 shall be automatically amended to permit a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of any such other jurisdiction to serve as Trustee hereunder.  If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.  If at any time the Trustee 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.

 

(a)                                  No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee under Section 611.

 

47



 

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

 

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

 

(d)                                 If at any time:

 

(1)                                  the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 608 with respect to the Debt Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Debt Security of such series for at least six months, or

 

(2)                                  the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 609 with respect to any series of Debt Securities 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 with respect to any series of Debt Securities or a decree or order for relief by a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall have been entered in respect of the Trustee in an involuntary case under the Federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law; or a decree or order by a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall have been entered for the appointment of a receiver, custodian, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Trustee or of its property or affairs, or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation, winding up or liquidation, or

 

(4)                                  the Trustee shall commence a voluntary case under the Federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law or shall consent to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, custodian, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Trustee or its property or affairs, or shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or shall take corporate action in furtherance of any such action,

 

then, in any such case, (i) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to such series at any time or (ii) subject to Section 514, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Debt Security of any series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee for the Debt Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

(e)                                  If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Debt Securities, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Debt Securities or one or more series, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Debt Securities of that or those series (it being

 

48



 

understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Debt 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 Debt 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 Debt Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.  If no successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Debt Security of such series for at least six months may, subject to Section 514, 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 Debt Securities of such series.

 

(f)                                    The Company or the successor Trustee shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Debt Securities of such series are issuable as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States.  Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

 

Section 611.                            Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

 

(a)                                  In the case of an appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Debt 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 request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

 

(b)                                 In the case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee upon payment of its charges and each successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Debt 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 Debt Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or

 

49



 

desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Debt 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 Debt Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on the 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 Debt Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

 

(c)                                  Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

 

(d)                                 No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under 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 of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the executing or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto.  In case any Debt 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 Debt Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Debt Securities.  In case any Debt Securities shall not have been authenticated by such predecessor Trustee, any such successor Trustee may authenticate and deliver such Debt Securities, in either its own name or that of its predecessor Trustee, with the full force and effect which this Indenture provides for the certificate of authentication of the Trustee.  If the Trustee’s successor by merger, conversion, consolidation or sale shall not have received the written approval of the Company, such successor shall resign within 20 days after the merger, conversion, consolidation or sale and such vacancy in the office of the Trustee shall be filled in the manner specified in Section 610.

 

50



 

Section 613.                            Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

 

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

 

Section 614.                            Authenticating Agent.

 

The Trustee may upon Company request appoint one or more Authenticating Agents (including, without limitation, the Company or any Affiliate thereof) with respect to one or more series of Debt Securities which shall be authorized on behalf of the Trustee in authenticating Debt Securities of such series in connection with the issue, delivery, registration of transfer, exchange, partial redemption or repayment of such Debt Securities.  Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication of Debt Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication 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 must be acceptable to the Company and, in the case of Registered Securities, must be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any State or the District of Columbia, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000, authorized under such laws to do a trust business and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authorities, and in the case of Bearer Securities and an authenticating agent who is not organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any State thereof or the District of Columbia, is subject to supervision or examination by the appropriate foreign authorities.

 

Any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency business of an authenticating agent shall continue to be an authenticating agent without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or such authenticating agent.

 

An authenticating agent may at any time resign with respect to one or more series of Debt Securities by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company.  The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of any authenticating agent with respect to one or more series of Debt Securities by giving written notice of termination 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 an authenticating agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor authenticating agent.  Any successor authenticating agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an authenticating agent herein.  No successor authenticating agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

 

The Trustee agrees to pay to each authenticating agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section, and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for such payment, subject to the provisions of Section 607.

 

The provisions of Sections 104, 111, 306, 309, 603, 604 and 605 shall be applicable to any authenticating agent.

 

51



 

Pursuant to each appointment made under this Section, the Debt Securities of each series covered by such appointment may have endorsed thereon, in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

 

This is one of the Debt Securities, of the series designated herein, described in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

 

As Authenticating Agent for the Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

 

 

ARTICLE SEVEN

 

Holders’ Lists and Reports By Trustee and Company

 

Section 701.                            Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders.

 

The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee with respect to Debt Securities of each series for which it acts as Trustee:

 

(1)                                  semi-annually, not later than                          and                          in each year, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Registered Securities as of the preceding                              or                           , as the case may be, and

 

(2)                                  at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;

 

provided, however, that if and so long as the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar, no such list need be furnished.

 

Section 702.                            Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.

 

(a)                                  The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders of Registered Securities contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 701 and the names and addresses of Holders of Registered Securities received by the Trustee in its capacity as Paying Agent or Security Registrar, if so acting.  The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 701 upon receipt of

 

52



 

a new list so furnished.  The Trustee shall preserve for at least two years the names and addresses of Holders of Bearer Securities filed with the Trustee by such Holders.

 

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

 

(c)                                  Every Holder of Debt Securities or coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee shall be held accountable by reason of any disclosure of information as to the names and addresses of the Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 703.                            Reports by Trustee.

 

(a)                                  Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 after the first issuance of Debt Securities pursuant to this Indenture and at any other time required by the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture and such other matters as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act in the manner required by the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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

 

Section 704.                            Reports by Company.

 

The Company shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders such information, documents and other reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the time and in the manner pursuant to such Act; provided that such information, documents or reports required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 shall be filed with the Trustee within 15 days after the same is so required to be filed with the Commission. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute notice or 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 rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates or certificates delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 1008).

 

ARTICLE EIGHT

 

Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease

 

Section 801.                            Company May Consolidate, etc. Only on Certain Terms.

 

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

 

53



 

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

 

(1)                                  in case the Company shall consolidate with or merge into another corporation or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any political subdivision thereof or any State thereof and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest (including all additional amounts, if any, payable pursuant to Section 1006) on all the Debt Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

 

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

 

(3)                                  the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been met.

 

Section 802.                            Successor Corporation Substituted.

 

Upon any consolidation with or merger into any other corporation, 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 corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the Company (which term for this purpose shall mean the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument or any successor corporation which shall theretofore have become such in the manner presented in this Article) shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Debt Securities and any coupons.

 

ARTICLE NINE

 

Supplemental Indentures

 

Section 901.                            Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders.

 

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

 

54



 

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

 

(2)                                  to add to the covenants of the Company, for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Debt Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Debt Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or any coupons, to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any property to or with the Trustee, or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or

 

(3)                                  to add any additional Events of Default (and if such Events of Default are to be applicable to less than all series of Debt Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely to be applicable to such series); or

 

(4)                                  to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of (or premium, if any, on) Registered Securities or of principal of (or premium, if any, on) or any interest on Bearer Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Debt Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Debt Securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; or

 

(5)                                  to change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture, provided that any such change or elimination (a) shall become effective only when there is no Debt Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of such provisions or (b) shall not apply to any Debt Security Outstanding; or

 

(6)                                  to establish the form or terms of Debt Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 201 and 301, including but not limited to the addition of provisions to secure, subordinate or provide for the conversion the Debt Securities of such series; or

 

(7)                                  to secure any series of Debt Securities; or

 

(8)                                  to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt 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(b); or

 

(9)                                  to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not be inconsistent with any provision of this Indenture, provided such other provisions shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Debt Securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; or

 

55



 

(10)                            to add to or change or eliminate any provision of this Indenture as shall be necessary or desirable in accordance with any amendments to the Trust Indenture Act, provided such action shall not adversely affect the interest of Holders of Debt Securities of any series or any related coupons 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 Debt Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of such Debt Securities of such series and any related coupons; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security or coupon affected thereby,

 

(1)                                  change the Stated Maturity of the principal or any installment of principal of, or any installment of interest on, any Debt Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the interest thereon or any premium payable upon redemption or repayment thereof, or change any obligation of the Company to pay additional amounts pursuant to Section 1006 (except as contemplated by Section 801(1) and permitted by Section 901(1)), or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502, or change any Place of Payment, or the coin or currency in which any Debt Security or the interest thereon or any coupon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or Repayment Date, as the case may be), or

 

(2)                                  reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt 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 reduce the requirements of Section 1404 for quorum or voting, or

 

(3)                                  modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 513 or Section 1012, 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 Debt 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 1012, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Section 611(b) and 901(8), or

 

(4)                                  adversely affect the right to repayment, if any, of Debt Securities of any series at the option of the Holders thereof.

 

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more

 

56



 

particular series of Debt Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Debt Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Debt Securities of any other series.

 

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of the Debt Securities 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, and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.  The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

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 Debt Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any coupons appertaining thereto 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 as then in effect.

 

Section 906.                            Reference in Debt Securities to Supplemental Indentures.

 

Debt 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 Debt Securities of any series and any appurtenant coupons 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 Debt Securities of such series and any appurtenant coupons.

 

57



 

ARTICLE TEN

 

Covenants

 

Section 1001.                     Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest.

 

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Debt Securities and any appurtenant coupons that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Debt Securities in accordance with the terms of the Debt Securities, any appurtenant coupons and this Indenture.  Any interest due on Bearer Securities on or before Maturity, other than additional amounts, if any, payable as provided in Section 1006 in respect of principal of (or premium, if any, on) such a Debt Security, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the coupon or coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they severally mature.

 

Section 1002.                     Maintenance of Office or Agency.

 

The Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Debt Securities an office or agency where Debt Securities (but, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States, not Bearer Securities or coupons) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Debt Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Debt Securities and this Indenture may be served.  If Debt Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company will maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Debt Securities of such series and the related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment (including payment of any additional amounts payable on Debt Securities of such series pursuant to Section 1006); provided, however, that if the Debt Securities of such series are listed on a stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company will maintain a Paying Agent in any required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Debt Securities of such series are listed on such exchange.  The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of any 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 or demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee its agent to receive all presentations, surrenders, notices and demands, except that Bearer Securities of that series and the related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment (including payment of any additional amounts payable on Bearer Securities of that series pursuant to Section 1006) at the place specified for the purpose pursuant to Section 301(7).

 

No payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on Bearer Securities shall be made at any office or agency of the Company in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided, however, payment of principal of and any premium and interest (including additional amounts payable in respect thereof) on any Bearer Security denominated in Dollars may be made at an office or agency of, and designated by, the Company located in the United States if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or additional amounts in

 

58



 

Dollars at all offices outside the United States maintained for the purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions and the Trustee receives an Opinion of Counsel that such payment within the United States is legal.  Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Debt Securities, at the option of the Holder of any Bearer Security or related coupon, payment may be made by check in the currency designated for such payment pursuant to the terms of such Bearer Security presented or mailed to an address outside the United States or by transfer to an account in such currency maintained by the payee with a bank located outside the United States.

 

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies (in or outside of such Place of Payment) where the Debt Securities of one or more series and any related coupons (subject to the preceding paragraph) 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 an office or agency in each Place of Payment for any series of Debt Securities for such purposes.  The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation and any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

 

Section 1003.                     Money for Debt 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 Debt Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any of the Debt Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal (and premium, if any) or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

59



 

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

 

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of terminating its obligations under this Indenture with respect to Debt Securities of any series or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

 

Any principal and interest received on the Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee or any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Debt Security of any series or any money on deposit with the Trustee or any Paying Agent representing amounts deducted from the Redemption Price or Repayment Price with respect to unmatured coupons not presented upon redemption or exercise of the Holder’s option for repayment pursuant to Section 1106 or 1303 and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal (and premium, if any) or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Debt Security or any coupon appertaining thereto 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 (including the principal and interest received on Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee), and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and each Place of Payment or mailed to each such Holder, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company or as required by applicable abandoned property law.

 

Section 1004.                     Corporate 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, rights (charter and statutory) and franchises, provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or franchise if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.

 

Section 1005.                     Maintenance of Properties.

 

The Company will cause all properties used or useful in the conduct of its business or the business of any Subsidiary to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order and supplied with all necessary equipment and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof, all as in the judgment of the Company may be

 

60



 

necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times, provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the Company from discontinuing the operation or maintenance of any of such properties if such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Company, desirable in the conduct of its business or the business of any Subsidiary and not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.

 

Section 1006.                     Payment of Additional Amounts.

 

If the Debt Securities of a series provide for the payment of additional amounts, the Company will pay to the Holder of any Debt Security of any series or any coupon appertaining thereto additional amounts upon the terms and subject to the conditions provided therein.  Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on, or in respect of, any Debt Security of any series or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any Debt Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of additional amounts provided for in the terms of such Debt Securities and this Section to the extent that, in such context, additional amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to the provisions of this Section and express mention of the payment of additional amounts (if applicable) in any provisions hereof shall not be construed as excluding additional amounts in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

 

If the Debt Securities of a series provide for the payment of additional amounts, at least 10 days prior to the first Interest Payment Date with respect to that series of Debt Securities (or if the Debt Securities of that series will not bear interest prior to Maturity, the first day on which a payment of principal (and premium, if any) is made), and at least 10 days prior to each date of payment of principal (and premium, if any) or interest if there has been any change with respect to the matters set forth in the below-mentioned Officers’ Certificate, the Company will furnish the Trustee and the Company’s principal Paying Agent or Paying Agents, if other than the Trustee, with an Officers’ Certificate instructing the Trustee and such Paying Agent or Paying Agents whether such payment of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Debt Securities of that series shall be made to Holders of Debt Securities of that series or the related coupons who are United States Aliens without withholding for or on account of any tax, assessment or other governmental charge described in the Debt Securities of that series.  If any such withholding shall be required, then such Officers’ Certificate shall specify by country the amount, if any, required to be withheld on such payments to such Holders of Debt Securities or coupons and the Company will pay to the Trustee or such Paying Agent the additional amounts, if any, required by the terms of such Debt Securities and the first paragraph of this Section.  The Company covenants to indemnify the Trustee and any Paying Agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any Officers’ Certificate furnished pursuant to this Section.

 

Section 1007.                     Payment of Taxes and Other Claims.

 

The Company will pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, (1) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Company or any Subsidiary or upon the income, profits or property of the Company or any Subsidiary, and (2) all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies which, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the property of the Company or any Subsidiary, provided,

 

61



 

however, that the Company shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings.

 

Section 1008.                     Officer’s Certificate as to Default.

 

The Company will furnish to the Trustee not more than 120 days after the end of the Company’s fiscal year in each year (beginning with 20   ) a brief certificate from the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Company as to his or her knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture (such compliance to be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture), and, if he or she has knowledge of any default, specifying each such default of which the signer has knowledge and the nature thereof. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any default or any Event of Default, describing such Default or Event of Default in reasonable detail and its status, the cure or waiver of any default or Event of Default, or if the Securities are listed on any stock exchange.

 

Section 1009.                     Waiver of Certain Covenants.

 

The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any covenant or condition set forth in Sections 1004, 1005 and 1007 with respect to the Debt Securities of any series if, before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Debt Securities at the time Outstanding shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such covenant or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such covenant 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 covenant or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

 

ARTICLE ELEVEN

 

Redemption of Debt Securities

 

Section 1101.                     Applicability of Article.

 

Debt Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Debt Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

 

Section 1102.                     Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.

 

The election of the Company to redeem any Debt Securities shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution.  In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all of the Debt Securities of any series, 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 and of the principal amount and the tenor and terms of the Debt Securities of any series to be redeemed.  In the case of any redemption of Debt Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Debt Securities or elsewhere in this

 

62



 

Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.

 

Section 1103.                     Selection by Trustee of Debt Securities to be Redeemed.

 

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Debt Securities of any series, if less than all the Debt Securities of any series with like tenor and terms are to be redeemed and the Securities are Global Securities, the particular Debt Securities to be redeemed shall be selected by the Depository in accordance with its standard procedures. If the particular Debt Securities to be redeemed are not Global Securities, the particular Debt Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series with like tenor and terms 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 portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Debt Securities of such series or any integral multiple thereof which is also an authorized denomination) of the principal amount of Registered Securities or Bearer Securities (if issued in more than one authorized denomination) of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Debt Securities of such series.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 1104.                     Notice of Redemption.

 

Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106 not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Debt Securities to be redeemed.

 

All notices of redemption shall state:

 

(1)                                  the Redemption Date,

 

(2)                                  the Redemption Price,

 

(3)                                  if less than all Outstanding Debt Securities of any series are to be redeemed and such Debt Securities are not Global Securities, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amounts) of the particular Debt Securities to be redeemed,

 

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

 

63



 

(5)                                  the Place or Places of Payment where such Debt Securities, together in the case of Bearer Securities with all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price,

 

(6)                                  that Bearer Securities may be surrendered for payment only at such place or places which are outside the United States, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002,

 

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

 

(8)                                  the CUSIP number, if any.

 

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 106 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

 

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

 

Section 1105.                     Deposit of Redemption Price.

 

On or prior to 11:00 am New York City time 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, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money and/or Government Obligations the payments of principal and interest on which when due (and without reinvestment) will provide money on or prior to the Redemption Date in such amounts as will (together with any money irrevocably deposited in trust with the Trustee, without investment) be sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Debt Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date; provided, however, that deposits with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made with a Paying Agent or Paying Agents located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301.

 

Section 1106.                     Debt Securities Payable on Redemption Date.

 

Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Debt Securities 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 Debt Securities shall cease to bear interest and the coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void.  Upon surrender of any such Debt Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Debt Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of coupons for such interest (at an office or agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 1002), and provided further, that installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Debt Securities, or one or more

 

64



 

Predecessor Securities, registered as such on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.

 

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Bearer Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless.  If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted without interest thereon; provided, however, that interest represented by coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons at an office or agency located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 1002.

 

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

 

Section 1107.                     Debt Securities Redeemed in Part.

 

Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company, the Security Registrar or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, the Security Registrar 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 Debt Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Registered Securities of the same series and of like tenor and terms, of any authorized denominations as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Debt Security so surrendered.

 

ARTICLE TWELVE

 

Sinking Funds

 

Section 1201.                     Applicability of Article.

 

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Debt Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Debt Securities of such series.

 

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Debt Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Debt Securities of any series is herein referred to an “optional sinking fund payment”.  If provided for by the terms of Debt Securities of any series, the amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as

 

65



 

provided in Section 1202.  Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Debt Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Debt Securities of such series.

 

Section 1202.                     Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Debt Securities.

 

The Company (1) may deliver Outstanding Debt Securities of a series (other than any previously called for redemption), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured coupons appertaining thereto, and (2) may apply as a credit Debt Securities of a series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Debt Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Debt Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Debt Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Debt Securities as provided for by the terms of such series; provided that such Debt Securities have not been previously so credited.  Such Debt Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Debt Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.  If as a result of the delivery or credit of Debt Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 1202, the principal amount of Debt Securities to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Debt Securities for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Debt Securities purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

 

Section 1203.                     Redemption of Debt Securities for Sinking Fund.

 

Not less than 45 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Debt Securities (unless a shorter period shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by crediting Debt Securities of that series pursuant to Section 1202 and the basis for any such credit and, prior to or concurrently with the delivery of such Officers’ Certificate, will also deliver to the Trustee any Debt Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered to the Trustee.  Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee or Depository shall select the Debt Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and the Trustee shall 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 Debt Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1105, 1106 and 1107.

 

66



 

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

 

Repayment at the Option of Holders

 

Section 1301.                     Applicability of Article.

 

Debt Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for Debt Securities of such series) in accordance with this Article.

 

Section 1302.                     Repayment of Debt Securities.

 

Each Debt Security which is subject to repayment in whole or in part at the option of the Holder thereof on a Repayment Date shall be repaid at the applicable Repayment Price together with interest accrued to such Repayment Date as specified pursuant to Section 301.

 

Section 1303.                     Exercise of Option; Notice.

 

Each Holder desiring to exercise such Holder’s option for repayment shall, as conditions to such repayment, surrender the Debt Security to be repaid in whole or in part together with written notice of the exercise of such option at any office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment, not less than 30 nor more than 45 days prior to the Repayment Date; provided, however, that surrender of Bearer Securities together with written notice of exercise of such option shall be made at an office or agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 1002.  Such notice, which shall be irrevocable, shall specify the principal amount of such Debt Security to be repaid, which shall be equal to the minimum authorized denomination for such Debt Security or an integral multiple thereof, and shall identify the Debt Security to be repaid and, in the case of a partial repayment of the Debt Security, shall specify the denomination or denominations of the Debt Security or Debt Securities of the same series to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the principal of the Debt Security surrendered which is not to be repaid.

 

If any Bearer Security surrendered for repayment shall not be accompanied by all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default, such Bearer Security may be paid after deducting from the Repayment Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless.  If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Repayment Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted without interest thereon; provided, however, that interest represented by coupons shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 1002.

 

The Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver without service charge to the Holder of any Registered Security so surrendered a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination specified in the foregoing notice, in an aggregate principal amount equal to any portion of the principal of the Registered Security so surrendered which is not to be repaid.

 

67



 

The Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver without service charge to the Holder of any Bearer Security so surrendered a new Registered Security or Securities or new Bearer Security or Securities (and all appurtenant unmatured coupons and matured coupons in default) or any combination thereof of the same series of any authorized denomination or denominations specified in the foregoing notice, in an aggregate principal amount equal to any portion of the principal of the Debt Security so surrendered which is not to be paid; provided, however, that the issuance of a Registered Security therefor shall be subject to applicable laws and regulations, including provisions of the United States Federal income tax laws and regulations in effect at the time of the exchange; neither the Company, the Trustee nor the Security Registrar shall issue Registered Securities for Bearer Securities if it has received an Opinion of Counsel that as a result of such issuance the Company would suffer adverse consequences under the United States Federal income tax laws then in effect and the Company has delivered to the Trustee a Company Order directing the Trustee not to make such issuances thereafter unless and until the Trustee receives a subsequent Company Order to the contrary.  The Company shall deliver copies of such Company Order to the Security Registrar.

 

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

 

Section 1304.                     Election of Repayment by Remarketing Entities.

 

The Company may elect, with respect to Debt Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity, at any time prior to any Repayment Date to designate one or more Remarketing Entities to purchase, at a price equal to the Repayment Price, Debt Securities of such series from the Holders thereof who give notice and surrender their Debt Securities in accordance with Section 1303.

 

Section 1305.                     Securities Payable on the Repayment Date.

 

Notice of exercise of the option of repayment having been given and the Debt Securities so to be repaid having been surrendered as aforesaid, such Debt Securities shall, unless purchased in accordance with Section 1304, on the Repayment Date become due and payable at the price therein specified and from and after the Repayment Date such Debt Securities shall cease to bear interest and shall be paid on the Repayment Date, and the coupons for such interest appertaining to Bearer Securities so to be repaid, except to the extent provided above, shall be void, unless the Company shall default in the payment of such price in which case the Company shall continue to be obligated for the principal amount of such Debt Securities and shall be obligated to pay interest on such principal amount at the rate borne by such Debt Securities from time to time until payment in full of such principal amount.

 

68



 

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

 

Meetings of Holders of Debt Securities

 

Section 1401.                     Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called.

 

If Debt Securities of a series are issuable in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, a meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of such series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Debt Securities of such series.

 

Section 1402.                     Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.

 

(a)                                  The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series issuable as Bearer Securities for any purpose specified in Section 1401, to be held at such time and at such place in the City of New York or in London or as the Trustee shall determine.  Notice of every meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

 

(b)                                 In case at any time the Company, pursuant to a Board Resolution, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Debt Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 1401, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Debt Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the City of New York or in London or for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in subsection (a) of this Section.

 

Section 1403.                     Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.

 

To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series, a Person shall be (1) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Debt Securities of such series, or (2) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Debt Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders.  The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

Section 1404.                     Quorum; Action.

 

The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of such series.  In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes of the time appointed for any such meeting, the

 

69



 

meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Debt Securities of such series, be dissolved.  In the absence of a quorum in any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairperson of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting.  In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairperson of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such adjourned meeting.  Notice of this reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 1402(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened.  Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

 

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series, provided, however, that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series.

 

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Debt Securities of such series and the related coupons, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.

 

Section 1405.                     Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings.

 

(a)                                  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable  for any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Debt Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate.  Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Debt Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 or, in the case of Bearer Securities, by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 104 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities.  Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or other proof.

 

(b)                                 The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairperson of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Debt Securities as provided in Section 1402(b), in which case the Company or the Holders of

 

70



 

Debt Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairperson.  A permanent chairperson and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

 

(c)                                  At any meeting each Holder of a Debt Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount (or the equivalent in Euro, any other composite currency or a Foreign Currency) of Debt Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Debt Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairperson of the meeting not to be Outstanding.  The chairperson of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Debt Security of such series or proxy.

 

(d)                                 Any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 1402 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

 

Section 1406.                     Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings.

 

The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Debt Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series held or represented by them.  The permanent chairperson of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in triplicate of all votes cast at the meeting.  A record, at least in triplicate, of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1402 and, if applicable, Section 1401.  Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairperson and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting.  Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

 

ARTICLE FIFTEEN

 

Defeasance

 

Section 1501.                     Termination of Company’s Obligations.

 

If this Section 1501 is specified, as contemplated by Section 301, to be applicable to any series of Debt Securities and if the Company deposits irrevocably in trust with the Trustee money and/or Government Obligations the payments of principal and interest on which when due (and without reinvestment) will provide money in such amounts as will (together with any money

 

71



 

irrevocably deposited in trust with the Trustee, without investment) be sufficient to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and any installment of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest when due on the Debt Securities of such series and any coupons appertaining thereto on the Stated Maturity of such principal or interest or, if such series may be redeemed by the Company prior to the Stated Maturity thereof and the Company shall have given irrevocable instructions to the Trustee to effect such redemption, at the date fixed for such redemption pursuant to Article Eleven, and any mandatory sinking fund, repayment or analogous payments thereon on the scheduled due dates therefor, the Company’s obligations under Sections 801, 1005, and 1007 and any other covenant determined pursuant to Section 301 to be subject to this Section shall terminate and Sections 501(4) (with respect to Sections 801, 1005, and 1007), 501(5), 501(6), 501(7) and 501(8) (if specified as contemplated by Section 301) shall be deemed not to be an Event of Default, in each case with respect to the Debt Securities of the series for which such deposit was made; provided, however, that (i) no Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities of such series under Section 501(6) or 501(7) or event that with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute such an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the 91st day after such date, (ii) such deposit will not result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, and (iii) such termination shall not relieve the Company of its obligations under the Debt Securities of such series and this Indenture to pay when due the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest and additional amounts on such Debt Securities if such amounts are not paid (or payment is not provided for) when due from the money and Government Obligations (and the proceeds thereof) so deposited.

 

It shall be a condition to the deposit of cash and/or Government Obligations and the termination of the Company’s obligations pursuant to the provisions of this Section with respect to the Debt Securities of any series under Sections 801, 1005, and 1007 and any other covenant determined pursuant to Section 301 to be subject to this Section and the inapplicability of the Events of Default contained in Sections 501(4), 501(5), 501(6), 501(7) and 501(8) to the extent set forth above pursuant to the provisions of this Section with respect to Debt Securities of any series that the Company deliver to the Trustee (i) an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that under the laws in effect on the date such money and/or Government Obligations are deposited with the Trustee, the amount thereof will be sufficient, after payment of all Federal, state and local taxes in respect thereof payable by the Trustee, to pay principal (and premium, if any) and interest when due on the Debt Securities of such series; and (ii) an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated in this Section have been complied with.

 

It shall be an additional condition to the deposit of cash and/or Government Obligations and the termination of the Company’s obligations pursuant to the provisions of this Section under Sections 801, 1005, and 1007 and any other covenant determined pursuant to Section 301 to be subject to this Section and the inapplicability of the Events of Default contained in Section 501(4), 501(5), 501(6), 501(7) and 501(8) to the extent set forth above pursuant to the provisions of this Section, with respect to the Debt Securities of any series then listed on any securities exchange, that the Company deliver an Opinion of Counsel that the Debt Securities of such series will not be delisted from such exchange as a result of such deposit and termination.

 

After a deposit as provided herein, the Trustee shall, upon Company Request, acknowledge in writing the discharge of the Company’s obligations pursuant to the provisions of this Section with respect to the Debt Securities of such series under Sections 801, 1005 and 1007and any

 

72



 

other covenant determined pursuant to Section 301 to be subject to this Section and the inapplicability of the Events of Default contained in Sections 501(4), 501(5), 501(6), 501(7) and 501(8) to the extent set forth above.

 

Section 1502.                     Repayment to Company.

 

The Trustee and any Paying Agent shall promptly pay to the Company upon Company Request or as required by applicable abandoned property law any money or Government Obligations not required for the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Debt Securities of any series for which money or Government Obligations have been deposited pursuant to Section 1501 held by them at any time.

 

The Trustee and any Paying Agent shall promptly pay to the Company upon Company Request any money held by them for the payment of principal (and premium, if any) and interest that remains unclaimed for two years after the Maturity of the Debt Securities for which a deposit has been made pursuant to Section 1501.  After such payment to the Company, the Holders of the Debt Securities of such series and any related coupons shall thereafter, as unsecured general creditors, look only to the Company for the payment thereof.

 

Section 1503.                     Indemnity for Government Obligations.

 

The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the deposited Government Obligations or the principal or interest received on such Government Obligations.

 

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

73



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, and the Company has caused its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

 

CROCS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

  Its

 

 

 

 

[CORPORATE SEAL]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attest:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

  Its

 

 

74



 

EXHIBIT A-1

 

[Form of Certificate of Beneficial Ownership by a

Non-United States Person or by Certain Other Persons]

 

Certificate

 

CROCS, INC.

 

[Insert title or sufficient description of

Debt Securities to be delivered]

 

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture dated as of                                            (the “Indenture”) between Crocs, Inc. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the “Trustee”), covering the above-captioned Debt Securities.  This is to certify that as of the date hereof,                        principal amount of Debt Securities credited to you for our account (i) is owned by persons that are not United States Persons, as defined below; (ii) is owned by United States Persons that are (a) foreign branches of United States financial institutions (as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulations Section 1.165-12(c)(1)(v)) (“financial institutions”) purchasing for their own account or for resale, or (b) United States Persons who acquired the Debt Securities through foreign branches of United States financial institutions and who hold the Debt Securities through such United States financial institutions on the date hereof (and in either case (a) or (b), each such United States financial institution encloses herewith a certificate in the form of Exhibit A-2 to the Indenture); or (iii) is owned by United States or foreign financial institutions for purposes of resale during the restricted period (as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulations Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7)), which United States or foreign financial institutions described in clause (iii) above (whether or not also described in clause (i) or (ii)) certify that they have not acquired the Debt Securities for purposes of resale directly or indirectly to a United States Person or to a person within the United States or its possessions.

 

[Insert if certificate does not relate to an interest payment—We undertake to advise you by tested telex followed by written confirmation if the above statement as to beneficial ownership is not correct on the date of delivery of the above-captioned Debt Securities in bearer form as to all of such Debt Securities with respect to such of said Debt Securities as then appear in your books as being held for our account.]  We understand that this certificate is required in connection with United States tax laws.  We irrevocably authorize you to produce this certificate or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceedings with respect to the matters covered by this certificate.  “United States Person” shall mean a citizen or resident of the United States of America (including the District of Columbia), a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof or an estate or trust that is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless of the source of its income.

 



 

[This certificate excepts and does not relate to          principal amount of Debt Securities credited to you for our account and to which we are not now able to make the certification set forth above.  We understand that definitive Debt Securities cannot be delivered and interest cannot be paid until we are able to so certify with respect to such principal amount of Debt Securities.]*

 

Dated:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[To be dated on or after

 

 

                 (the date

 

 

determined as provided

 

 

in the Indenture)]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Name of Person Entitled to Receive Bearer Security]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Authorized Signatory)

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 


*Delete if inappropriate

 

2



 

EXHIBIT A-2

 

[Form of Certificate of Status as a

Foreign Branch of a United States Financial Institution]

 

Certificate

 

CROCS, INC.

 

[Insert title or sufficient description of

Debt Securities to be delivered]

 

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture dated as of                                            (the “Indenture”), between Crocs, Inc. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, relating to the offering of the above-captioned Debt Securities (the “Debt Securities”).  Unless herein defined, terms used herein have the same meaning as given to them in the Indenture.

 

The undersigned represents that it is a branch located outside the United States of a United States securities clearing organization, bank or other financial institution (as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.165-12(c)(1)(v)) that holds customers’ securities in the ordinary course of its trade or business and agrees, and authorizes you to advise the issuer or the issuer’s agent, that it will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or (C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and the regulations thereunder and is not purchasing for resale directly or indirectly to a United States Person or to a person within the United States or its possessions.  We undertake to advise you by tested telex followed by written confirmation if the statement in the immediately preceding sentence is not correct on the date of delivery of the above-captioned Debt Securities in bearer form.

 

We understand that this certificate is required in connection with the United States tax laws.  We irrevocably authorize you to produce this certificate or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceedings with respect to the matters covered by this certificate.

 

Dated:

 

 

 

[To be dated on or after

 

 

                 (the

 

 

date determined as provided

 

 

in the Indenture)]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Name of Person Entitled to Receive Bearer Security]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Authorized Signatory)

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 



 

EXHIBIT B

 

[Form of Certificate to be Given by Euroclear and Clearstream Banking, S.A.

in Connection with the Exchange of All or a Portion of a

Temporary Global Security or to Obtain

Interest Prior to Exchange]

 

Certificate

 

CROCS, INC.

 

[Insert title or sufficient description of Debt Securities

to be delivered]

 

We refer to that portion,           , of the Global Security representing the above-captioned issue [which is herewith submitted to be exchanged for definitive Debt Securities]* [for which we are seeking to obtain payment of interest]* (the “Submitted Portion”).  This is to certify, pursuant to the Indenture dated as of                                             (the “Indenture”) between Crocs, Inc. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the “Trustee”), that we have received in writing, by tested telex or by electronic transmission from member organizations with respect to each of the persons appearing in our records as being entitled to a beneficial interest in the Submitted Portion a Certificate of Beneficial Ownership by a Non-United States Person or by Certain Other Persons [and, in some cases, a Certificate of Status as a Foreign Branch of a United States Financial Institution, authorizing us to inform the issuer or the issuer’s agent that it will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or (C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and the regulations thereunder]* substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 [and A-2]* to the Indenture.

 

We hereby request that you deliver to the office of                            in                            definitive Bearer Securities in the denominations on the attached Schedule A.

 

We further certify that as of the date hereof we have not received any notification from any of the persons giving such certificates to the effect that the statements made by them with respect to any part of the Submitted Portion are no longer true and cannot be relied on as of the date hereof.

 

Dated:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EUROCLEAR SA/NV, as Operator of the Euroclear System] [Clearstream Banking, S.A.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 


*Delete if inappropriate.

 


EX-5.1 3 a09-14112_1ex5d1.htm EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

[Letterhead of Faegre & Benson LLP]

 

May 22, 2009

 

Crocs, Inc.

6328 Monarch Park Place

Niwot, Colorado 80503

 

Re: Crocs, Inc. — Registration Statement on Form S-3

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel for Crocs, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).  In such capacity, we have examined the above-referenced Registration Statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Registration Statement”), which the Company has filed covering the sale of the following securities (collectively, the “Securities”) having an aggregate initial offering price of up to $75,000,000:

 

(i)                debt securities (the “Debt Securities”), issuable directly or upon exercise of Warrants (as defined below);

 

(ii)             preferred stock (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Company, issuable directly or upon conversion of Debt Securities or upon exercise of Warrants;

 

(iii)          common stock (the “Common Stock”) of the Company, issuable directly or upon conversion of Debt Securities or Preferred Stock, or upon exercise of Warrants;

 

(iv)           warrants to purchase Debt Securities, Preferred Stock, or Common Stock (collectively, the “Warrants”); and

 

(v)              stock purchase contracts to purchase Common Stock or other securities of the Company (the “Stock Purchase Contracts”).

 

The Securities may be offered in separate series, in amounts, at prices, and on terms to be set forth in the prospectus and one or more supplements to the prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement, and in the Registration Statement.  Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement: (a) any Common Stock will be issued under the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”); (b) any series of Preferred Stock will be issued under the Certificate of Incorporation and a certificate of designations (a “Certificate of Designations”) to be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company or a committee thereof and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Secretary of State”) in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law ; (c) any Debt Securities will be issued under one or more indentures in the form filed as Exhibit 4.5 to the Registration Statement, with appropriate insertions (the “Indenture”), to be entered into by the Company and a trustee or trustees to be named by the Company (“Trustee”); (d) any Warrants will be issued under warrant agreements (“Warrant Agreements”), to be entered into by the Company and warrant agents to be named by the Company (each a “Warrant Agent”);

 



 

and (e) any Stock Purchase Contracts may be issued directly by the Company or pursuant to an underwriting or purchase agreement.

 

As part of the corporate actions taken and to be taken in connection with the issuance of the Securities (the “Corporate Proceedings”), the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or certain authorized officers of the Company as authorized by the Board of Directors will, before the Securities are issued and sold under the Registration Statement, authorize the issuance and approve the terms of any Securities to be issued and sold from time to time under the Registration Statement.

 

We have examined or are otherwise familiar with the Certificate of Incorporation, the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, the Registration Statement, such of the Corporate Proceedings as have occurred as of the date hereof, and such other documents, records and instruments as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion.

 

Based on the foregoing and the assumptions that follow, we are of the opinion that:

 

1.             Upon (a) the completion of all required Corporate Proceedings relating to the issuance of the Common Stock, and (b) the execution, issuance and delivery of the certificates representing the Common Stock, the Common Stock will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

2.             Upon (a) the due authorization, execution, acknowledgment, delivery and filing by the Company with, and recording by, the Delaware Secretary of State of the applicable Certificate of Designations, (b) the completion of all required Corporate Proceedings relating to the issuance of the Preferred Stock, and (c) the due execution, issuance and delivery of certificates representing the Preferred Stock pursuant to such Certificate of Designations, the Preferred Stock will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

3.             Upon (a) the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Company and (b) the qualification of such Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), such Indenture will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company.

 

4.             Upon (a) the execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Company, (b) the qualification of such Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, (c) the completion of all required Corporate Proceedings relating to the issuance and terms of the Debt Securities, (d) the due execution and delivery of the Debt Securities, and (e) the due authentication of the Debt Securities by the Trustee, the Debt Securities will be valid and binding obligations of the Company.

 

5.             Upon (a) the completion of all required Corporate Proceedings relating to the issuance and terms of the Stock Purchase Contracts, (b) the due execution and delivery of the Stock Purchase Contracts by the Company, and (c) if applicable, the due authentication of the Stock Purchase Contracts pursuant to an underwriting or purchase agreement, the Stock Purchase Contracts will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

 

6.             Upon (a) the completion of all required Corporate Proceedings relating to the issuance and terms of the Warrants, (b) the due execution and delivery of Warrant Agreements by the Company, (c) the due execution and delivery of the related Warrants, and (d) the due authentication of the related Warrants by the Warrant Agent, the Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

 

2



 

The foregoing opinions assume that (a) the Registration Statement and any amendments or prospectus supplements relating thereto shall have become and be effective pursuant to timely filings under the Securities Act; (b) a prospectus supplement describing each class and series of Securities offered pursuant to the Registration Statement, to the extent required by applicable law, will be timely filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); (c) any Indenture, any Warrant Agreement and any Stock Purchase Contract shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by all parties thereto other than the Company, and the Trustee, the Warrant Agent or any purchaser under a Stock Purchase Contract, as applicable, will have complied with the terms and conditions of the Indenture, the Warrant Agreement or the Stock Purchase Contract, as applicable; (d) the consideration designated in the applicable Corporate Proceedings for any Securities shall have been received by the Company in accordance with applicable law; (e) any Securities issuable upon conversion, exchange, or exercise of any of the other Securities will have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance (in each case, within the limits of the then remaining authorized but unreserved and unissued amounts of such Securities), and duly executed and delivered and validly issued, as the case may be; and (f) at the time of the delivery of the Securities, the Corporate Proceedings related thereto will not have been modified or rescinded; there will not have occurred any change in the law affecting the authorization, execution, delivery, validity or enforceability of such Securities; none of the particular terms of such Securities will violate any applicable law and neither the issuance and sale thereof nor the compliance by the Company with the terms thereof will result in a violation of any issuance limit in the Corporate Proceedings, any agreement or instrument then binding upon the Company or any order of any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company.

 

Without limiting any other qualifications set forth herein, to the extent they relate to enforceability, each of the foregoing opinions is subject to the limitation that the provisions of the referenced instruments and agreements may be limited by bankruptcy or other laws of general application affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and by general equity principles (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and to the effect of generally applicable laws that (a) limit the availability of a remedy under certain circumstances where another remedy has been elected, (b) limit the enforceability of provisions releasing, exculpating or exempting a party from, or requiring indemnification of a party for, liability for its own action or inaction, to the extent the action or inaction involves gross negligence, recklessness, willful misconduct or unlawful conduct, or (c) may, where less than all of a contract may be unenforceable, limit the enforceability of the balance of the contract to circumstances in which the unenforceable portion is not an essential part of the agreed exchange.

 

We have also assumed (i) the accuracy and truthfulness of all public records of the Company and of all certifications, documents and other proceedings examined by us that have been produced by officials of the Company acting within the scope of their official capacities, without verifying the accuracy or truthfulness of such representations, (ii) the genuineness of such signatures appearing upon such public records, certifications, documents and proceedings, (iii) the legal capacity of natural persons who are involved on behalf of the Company to enter into and perform the referenced instrument or agreement or to carry out their role in it, (iv) the satisfaction by each party to the referenced instrument or agreement (other than the Company) of those legal requirements that are applicable to it to the extent necessary to make the referenced instrument or agreement enforceable against it, (v) the compliance by each party to the referenced instrument or agreement (other than the Company) with all legal requirements pertaining to its status as such status relates to its rights to enforce such instrument or agreement against the Company, (vi) the accuracy and completeness of each document submitted for review and the authenticity of each document that is an original or, if such document is a copy, its conformance to an authentic original, (vii) the absence of any mutual mistake of fact or misunderstanding, fraud, duress or undue influence, and (viii) the compliance of the conduct of the parties to the referenced instrument or agreement with any requirement of good faith, fair dealing and conscionability.

 

3



 

We express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of Colorado, the federal laws of the United States of America and the Delaware General Corporation Law.  To the extent that the governing law provision of any of the Securities may relate to the laws of a jurisdiction as to which we express no opinion, the opinions set forth herein are given as if the laws of the State of Colorado govern such agreement.

 

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 16 of Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5)(i) of Regulation S-K.

 

We consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus which is part of the Registration Statement.  In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act, the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, or Item 509 of Regulation S-K.

 

This opinion letter is rendered as of the date first written above and we disclaim any obligation to advise you of facts, circumstances, events or developments which hereafter may be brought to our attention and which may alter, affect or modify the opinion expressed herein.  Our opinion is expressly limited to the matters set forth above and we render no opinion, whether by implication or otherwise, as to any other matters relating to the Company or the Securities.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

FAEGRE & BENSON LLP

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jason Day

 

 

Jason Day

 

4


EX-12.1 4 a09-14112_1ex12d1.htm EX-12.1

EXHIBIT 12.1

 

COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

(Dollars in 000’s)

 

Note:

 

The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is calculated by adding income before taxes plus fixed charges and dividing that sum by fixed charges.

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

Three Months
Ended March 31,

 

 

 

2004

 

2005

 

2006

 

2007

 

2008

 

2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed Charges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

47

 

611

 

567

 

438

 

1,793

 

696

 

Interest portion of annual rentals

 

69

 

629

 

2,601

 

8,914

 

17,197

 

4,366

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total fixed charges

 

116

 

1,240

 

3,168

 

9,352

 

18,990

 

5,062

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before income taxes

 

$

(1,637

)

$

 26,289

 

$

 96,626

 

$

 240,326

 

$

 (189,510

)

$

 (22,207

)

Add:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total fixed charges (from above)

 

116

 

1,240

 

3,168

 

9,352

 

18,990

 

5,062

 

Total earnings for purposes of ratio

 

$

 (1,521

)

$

 27,529

 

$

 99,794

 

$

 249,678

 

$

 (170,520

)

$

 (17,146

)

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

 

 

22.2

 

31.5

 

26.7

 

 

 

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2009 and for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2004, our earnings were insufficient to cover fixed charges by $17,146,000, $170,520,000 and $1,521,000, respectively.  Fixed charges consist of interest on all indebtedness and one-third of rentals, which we believe is a reasonable approximation of the interest factor of such rentals.

 


EX-23.2 5 a09-14112_1ex23d2.htm EX-23.2

EXHIBIT 23.2

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our reports dated March 17, 2009, relating to the financial statements of Crocs, Inc. and subsidiaries, (the Company) (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes explanatory paragraphs relating to (a) the existence of substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and (b) the adoption on January 1, 2007, of the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes), and the effectiveness of Crocs, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Crocs, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2008 and to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.

 

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Denver, Colorado

May 21, 2009

 


EX-25.1 6 a09-14112_1ex25d1.htm EX-25.1

Exhibit 25.1

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

 


 

FORM T-1

 

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

 


 

o CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b) (2)

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

A National Banking Association

 

94-1347393

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or

 

(I.R.S. Employer

organization if not a U.S. national

 

Identification No.)

bank)

 

 

 

 

 

101 North Phillips Avenue

 

 

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

 

57104

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 

Wells Fargo & Company
Law Department, Trust Section

MAC N9305-175

Sixth Street and Marquette Avenue, 17th Floor

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55479

(612) 667-4608

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

 


 

Crocs, Inc.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

20-2164234

(State or other jurisdiction of

 

(I.R.S. Employer

incorporation or organization)

 

Identification No.)

 

 

 

6328 Monarch Park Place

 

 

Niwot, Colorado

 

80503

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 


 

Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 

 



 

Item 1.    General Information.  Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

 

(a)                                  Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Comptroller of the Currency

Treasury Department

Washington, D.C.

 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Washington, D.C.

 

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

San Francisco, California 94120

 

(b)                                 Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

 

Item 2.             Affiliations with Obligor.  If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

 

None with respect to the trustee.

 

No responses are included for Items 3-14 of this Form T-1 because the obligor is not in default as provided under Item 13.

 

Item 15.  Foreign Trustee.   Not applicable.

 

Item 16.  List of Exhibits.               List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of Eligibility.

 

Exhibit 1.

 

A copy of the Articles of Association of the trustee now in effect.*

 

 

 

Exhibit 2.

 

A copy of the Comptroller of the Currency Certificate of Corporate Existence and Fiduciary Powers for Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, dated February 4, 2004.**

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.

 

See Exhibit 2

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.

 

Copy of By-laws of the trustee as now in effect.***

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

Exhibit 6.

 

The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.

 

 

 

Exhibit 7.

 

A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

 

 

Exhibit 8.

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

Exhibit 9.

 

Not applicable.

 



 


*      Incorporated by reference to the exhibit of the same number to the trustee’s Form T-1 filed as exhibit 25 to the Form S-4 dated December 30, 2005 of file number 333-130784-06.

 

**   Incorporated by reference to the exhibit of the same number to the trustee’s Form T-1 filed as exhibit 25 to the Form T-3 dated March 3, 2004 of file number 022-28721.

 

*** Incorporated by reference to the exhibit of the same number to the trustee’s Form T-1 filed as exhibit 25 to the Form S-4 dated May 26, 2005 of file number 333-125274.

 



 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the trustee, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Chicago and State of Illinois on the 21st day of May 2009.

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

 

 

 

 

 

/s/Gregory S. Clarke

 

Gregory S. Clarke

 

Vice President

 



 

EXHIBIT 6

 

May 21, 2009

 

Securities and Exchange Commission

Washington, D.C.  20549

 

Gentlemen:

 

In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the undersigned hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned made by Federal, State, Territorial, or District authorities authorized to make such examination may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

 

 

 

 

 

/s/Gregory S. Clarke

 

Gregory S. Clarke

 

Vice President

 



 

EXHIBIT 7

 

Consolidated Report of Condition of

 

Wells Fargo Bank National Association

of 101 North Phillips Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

at the close of business March 31, 2009, filed in accordance with 12 U.S.C. §161 for National Banks.

 

 

 

 

 

Dollar Amounts
In Millions

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

 

 

 

 

 

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

 

 

 

$

12,028

 

Interest-bearing balances

 

 

 

10,631

 

Securities:

 

 

 

 

 

Held-to-maturity securities

 

 

 

0

 

Available-for-sale securities

 

 

 

102,802

 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

 

 

 

 

 

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

 

 

 

7,380

 

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

 

 

 

1,122

 

Loans and lease financing receivables:

 

 

 

 

 

Loans and leases held for sale

 

 

 

28,411

 

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

 

332,448

 

 

 

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

 

10,240

 

 

 

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

 

 

 

322,208

 

Trading Assets

 

 

 

11,401

 

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

 

 

 

4,281

 

Other real estate owned

 

 

 

1,172

 

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

 

 

 

438

 

Intangible assets

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

 

 

11,381

 

Other intangible assets

 

 

 

13,099

 

Other assets

 

 

 

25,816

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total assets

 

 

 

$

552,170

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits:

 

 

 

 

 

In domestic offices

 

 

 

$

316,654

 

Noninterest-bearing

 

76,832

 

 

 

Interest-bearing

 

239,822

 

 

 

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

 

 

 

55,774

 

Noninterest-bearing

 

1,002

 

 

 

Interest-bearing

 

54,772

 

 

 

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

 

 

 

 

 

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

 

 

 

32,172

 

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

 

 

 

13,234

 

 



 

 

 

Dollar Amounts

 

 

 

In Millions

 

 

 

 

 

Trading liabilities

 

7,432

 

Other borrowed money

 

 

 

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

 

46,503

 

Subordinated notes and debentures

 

16,011

 

Other liabilities

 

19,122

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities

 

$

506,902

 

 

 

 

 

EQUITY CAPITAL

 

 

 

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

 

0

 

Common stock

 

520

 

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

 

29,112

 

Retained earnings

 

17,471

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

(2,007

)

Other equity capital components

 

0

 

 

 

 

 

Total equity capital

 

45,096

 

Noncontrolling (minority) interests in consolidated subsidiaries

 

172

 

 

 

 

 

Total equity capital

 

45,268

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

 

$

552,170

 

 

I, Howard I. Atkins, EVP & CFO of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

 

Howard I. Atkins

 

EVP & CFO

 

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report of Condition and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

 

Dave Hoyt

 

John Stumpf

Directors

Carrie Tolstedt

 

 


GRAPHIC 7 g141121bei001.jpg GRAPHIC begin 644 g141121bei001.jpg M_]C_X``02D9)1@`!`0$`8`!@``#_VP!#``H'!P@'!@H("`@+"@H+#A@0#@T- M#AT5%A$8(Q\E)"(?(B$F*S7J#A(6&AXB)BI*3E)66EYB9FJ*CI*6FIZBIJK*SM+6VM[BYNL+#Q,7& MQ\C)RM+3U-76U]C9VN'BX^3EYN?HZ>KQ\O/T]?;W^/GZ_\0`'P$``P$!`0$! M`0$!`0````````$"`P0%!@<("0H+_\0`M1$``@$"!`0#!`<%!`0``0)W``$" M`Q$$!2$Q!A)!40=A<1,B,H$(%$*1H;'!"2,S4O`58G+1"A8D-.$E\1<8&1HF M)R@I*C4V-S@Y.D-$149'2$E*4U155E=865IC9&5F9VAI:G-T=79W>'EZ@H.$ MA8:'B(F*DI.4E9:7F)F:HJ.DI::GJ*FJLK.TM;:WN+FZPL/$Q<;'R,G*TM/4 MU=;7V-G:XN/DY>;GZ.GJ\O/T]?;W^/GZ_]H`#`,!``(1`Q$`/P#V:BBD)Q0` M5'<7,%I`\]S,D,2#+/(P"@>Y-8'C#QKIOA&S$ER?.NI`?)M4/S/[GT7WKRQ+ M/Q9\4)VO]1N5L='B);S)/E@C'?:O\1]S0!V.O?&70].9HM+BDU.0<>8#LB'_ M``(]?P%"(\@P6I(_[Z?BI-*D\*Z7J<>E>$]&/B75VX^U MW1'E)ZGGH![#\:;X[U3XAZ$L#WVHQ6]I/\J'3EVHC?W22,Y]*!"C1/B]>`2O M?W,6>QNXT_04IT/XO68,B7]Q+CL+N-_T-Y@NX$ MGMIDFB<95XV#`CZBI*\+>S\5_#&5=0TR[74-%E(;S(_FA]`SHZ*3.:6@`HHHH`2N=\:>+K7PCHK7<@$ MES)E+:'/WW]_8=36_-+'!!)-*X2.-2S,>@`ZFO#HA)\4?'LUY=NT6C6*[G+' M`2%3P/8MC)]OI0`S1-$&LBX\<>.+IAIP;ZU6%&3SDCM7IX?3O%5A=Z=J>G.OE MD"XM;D#*9Y5@0<$''!![&O-OACX+?4=$NM86_EM6NEEM`BJ"KQ$`'/<'/0@] MJ]'\,^&(O#>GM;?;)[Z1P%>:X(R5&<*,=!R?SI#*&FZGINBZ6T^D^')H-'7+ M&XA5064=7V9W,O?/I6WJ^DV'B71I+&\02VUPH(8=1W#*>Q'4&N8O_AR]YJ-C M,FN7,%M9Q^2L:+\S19R$)SCCIG'IZ5VT,20Q+%&NU$4*H'8`4`>767P3T^VA MN)-4U6><*&,8A41A1CJW7)_2O'<@YVMD9X-?6I564J0"",$&O#?B[IE]'KRW M::0MKID,:0QSQ(`LC')YQT]/PH`Y_P`*>-=0\+2F%0+O39>)K*4Y1@>I7/0_ MH>];VLZ.FEQP>.O`MRPL0VZ6(?>M6[JP[KV(/3Z1*(KF,A+F#/^K?_`]0:Z$'(S7A MTX;X8^.K;4;%S)H6I*&0J1&.7_H/QKB-7;_`(0[X8V6CQCR]1UW_2+H MC[RQ<87\L#\ZT/B,&\0?%+2-"',<8C1E_P!YMS?^.BN:^)^HB_\`'5XB$>59 M!;:,#H-HY_4G\J!')<"NL\%?#[4?%\AN"_V73HVP]P1DN>X0=S[]!7.:;I]Q MJVI6VGVJEI[F01H!VSU/T`YKZCTK3[?2=+MM/M4"0V\8C4`>G?\`'K3`CTC2 M;30]*@TVQ0I;P+M4$Y)]23W)J\<8I:Q/%&OGP[IT5S'8R7TL]PEO%!&P!9FX M')I#*'C/Q1?>$[>"]BLH[VWF<0"(.5D$K9VD>H[8ZU9\&V6M6VF3W&OSAKV] MG:=H5.5@!``0?0"N8UG7=0\0Z]H6DGPQJ5H(=0CN)Y+B,%%50>C#([]:]'R/ M6@`KFO&OA'_A,=/@LCJ4MFD4OF$(@8/Q@9''2J37$DWQA6"&1C'#I!\]0?E! M+_+D5TFL6,^I:326,LR%5N(P"R>XH`^7]1M5L-3NK-9EF%O,T8D7H^T MXR*KUI>(M&;P_KUWI+W"W!MG"^:HP&R`>GKSS6;3)/0O#['Q?\.-1\/R_/?: M./M5D3U*=U_F/Q%=O\(=>;5?"(LI7+3:<_D\]=AY3],C\*\O^&VIG3/'6GL6 M`CN6-O(#T(8^*NM:$#B&7S`B_[I#+_`..L:0SU^BBB@9X] M:*;W]H.3]!_*N_LB;/\` M:#N`_P#RWW8_X%$,?RKSY[Z[\/\`C">]MB%N;.]D*[AD9W$$$>F#3$>X^"?" M>G>'/M*0:;*EQ$_E&^N,%[GC)*C^%>U=:.!S7$^#?B;IOBB9+">(V6HLORQ, M&WCG??-/=SEW<@8`R M>3@=!0!T#NL<;.QPJ@D_2N+U/XM>%+*R,]M>-?38^2&&-@2?0DC`JAKOB+7] M>:W@T[0-4CT&XYGNX5'GSQ$?P+G*@^O7![5E76AZ,NFW%II7PXU9II8V5)Y@ M%*-CA@68G@T`=3X!TK4";[Q-K*!-0UEE<1?\\80/D7_/M799KG/!.NW.L:,8 M=0MFMM2L&%O=Q,,8<`8(]B,&EU2/Q?=W\D>ESZ;I]FF-LTR--+)Z_+P`*`/, MOBQX.T_0736;2XF#W]RWFPR'<,D;B5/4?0UR4WA'7(S:B.PDN#=6R7*^2N[: MK'`SZ'/\Z])\;^#/&NMZ;$LVI66J"U);V+3XX%T6 M420006TDOSX(ADWKD8P#U!YH$9$5EJ.AZQI\MY:36LGGQR1B1=I8!QT_E7I- MZOV3]H*U=>!<1J?SB8'^5>?W&LS:_?:=;F!49+Z1P5)8DRS!B/PZ5Z%?9NOV M@+.-0#]GB4'\(V/]:`/6*6DI:!GC_P`0,Z!\5M%USI%-Y>\]N&VM^C"N2^)> MFG3O'FH@#Y+DBX0^H8<_J#7J'Q>T)M6\(&\B0M-IS^;QUV'A_P!,'\*XW6$@ M\7^"=#\12_-)IDJ6>I[>OEY`+?3H?^!&@1S7AOP1XC\0A;S2KAV6I3CQC>Z7; ME(=*TK3HWC@C4?O"V2#GT`&!BLN3X@W=E\-K?Q/<6\,MU=2E(H1E5Y<@`]>@ M!H`74?%NL:K;?V;X9T*^L)&7;)?7T(ABM%[G!ZD"N!T0>#]`;BWL#XD>]UN*]:&^W37CLJAEV+\Q[#N/3BK[_$[PL'/EW5 MQ.@_Y:PV&]>N]5\67&GK9:/9';'8`_(=JAB[@=?ITS7HB^ M)]+M])TBZ6&6*'59$BM85B`;+9(RO88&:0%_2-\(Q1% MTN[B5A_`D#9/Y\4#-G5?!>B:IJ=GJ3V<<-W:3K,)8E"E\'.&QU%<)X&/]O?% MK7=;'S0VX=4;ZD(OZ*:UKWX@7,W@74?$1MOL<$_^CZ;&YS)(QX+G]>/]FK/P MCT)M)\("[G7;/J+^<<]=G1?TY_&@#O****`&2QI-"\4BAT=2K*>A!ZBO%;9% M^&_CB[T;4E\SP_JZ["7Y78>`?JN=I]N:]L/2N?\`&7A.U\6Z(]E.1'.F6MYL M9\M\?R/<4`>2WLVM?#'QIYZR-?6DT6R%IF)6>W[+N[%?\\&LFX\8_:O`[^&I M;(?+=>=!*&XC0L6VX_$C-=%IFH1+"_@#QY$T"Q-BSO&ZP'^'#=U]#TQP:Y/Q M1X2U/PI>^3>IYENY_<72#]W*/KV/M3$8=%%%`@HHHH`Z_P`%^*[32M*U;0=5 MWK8:G"P$L8W&)RI&<>AX_*NE/BBTU3X>:5?)/&FI>'+F"26!B`SJORDJ.X*G MMZ5Y71@$]N.AH&=]\6Y].U'6-.UC3KR.X2\M<,$<$KM/&1VZ_I7.^$O#%SXJ MUN.QBRENGSW4W:*/O^)Z"F>&/"FI^*K[R-/B"Q*09[EQ^[B'N>Y]J[&_O8H( M$\`^`T:XEG.+Z_4\RG^+YAT4=ST`X%(!]S%'\0O&=GX?TM2GAW15"ED^ZRC@ MGZMC:/Q->SQ1I%$D<:A410JJ.@`Z"L+P=X3M/".B)96^))G^:XFQ@R/_`(#H M!6_0,6BBB@`I",TM%`'.^+?!FF>+K$0WBF.XC!\FY0#?'[>X]C7FSWOB'P!$ M=%\3Z<-:\/N=B,PW*!_LL>A_V3^!KVJF36\-Q"T,\22Q.,,CJ""/<&@#PY_` M_A[Q0AN?!FM1I*1DZ=>'#K[`GG^?UKF=3\%^)='0,K(<.I4CLPQ0H+'"@L?89KU[^WOB9&0MUX0M;H@?>\D<_DU`U[XF2';: M^#[2U8C[WDXQ^;4`>=:9X-\2:PP%EH]TRG_EI(GEH/Q;%=/'X$T+PRBW7C36 MX@XY&GV9W.WL3U_E]:Z%O#WQ2\0?)J6M0Z;"PY6)PI_).?UK4T/X0:%I\HN= M4EEU:XZDS<)G_=[_`(F@#EXKW7_',(T7PIIHT3P^AVO(/E##W8=?H/Q->C^$ MO!NF>$K`PV:;[B0#SKEA\\A_H/0"MZ&"*WB6&&-(HT&%1%V@#V`I^.:9?OH6AS>3-&`;FY`RRD]%7T..I]ZX"+1/& M6IV9U>*VU2XA(+^?YK98>H&E9WQ-\1ZS#X[N(+?4KBWBLPGDI#(5"DC).!U//>@#W>BOG/6/ MB1XIUAUQJ,EG&B`>7:?+GU8GJ?7TKT#P5XTU"U^']]K7B%I9X[239;2/P\^0 M,+GO\QQG_"@#TRC@^]?.5]XE\6^.-4^SPRW,A:6^T^1^4$CEXY/48R0?I0(^DJ*Y?P%XO3Q?H?VAT6*\MV\NYC7IN[,/8UY M_P#$7XEW\FISZ/H=RUK;6S&.:XC.'E<=0#V4=..30,]HR,XSS2U\TOH7C*&R M&LO;:JD&-_VCS&W`?WL9SC\*]!^%7CS4=7OFT'59&NG$1D@N3][`QE6/?KP: M`/5*`0>AS7@_Q#\7ZSJOBJYT:SNY;>TMYA;I%$^SS'X!+'ZGZ51O=`\=^"PF MHE[N&,'/FV]P95'LPR?UH$?0]%<+IH\0^)]&T;6&8V-T89(YQO,>067YPN#U M"G@],U;&B^+X@%AUM&'4F4[CG_OGI0,\2\9J\?CC6!<*V?MKD@]2I.?Y5]'Z M9/:SZ3:SV;(;9H5,97H%QQ7#_$7X;/XDF_M;262/4`H66-SA9P.G/9ATKS7_ M`(1/QW:QM81Z;JB1.<&*)_W9_(XH$>M:/?\`@*;QA,FE"S_MEBV9$C(WG^+: MW3/KCWKRCXH''Q"U,^GE_P#H`KM/AU\,K_3-5AUO6\6[P9,%JC`D,1C+$<#@ M]!65\1O`WB+4O&=Q>:?ISW4%XJ;'C(PA`P0V>E`'H'P^\.66D>$;%D@C:>[A M6:>0J"7+#.,^@SBL?XS0NO@J`0IMACNTWA1@`8../K7<:-9R:?HME9RD&2WM MTC8KT)"@&C5]*M-;TNXTZ]C\R"=-K#N/0CW!YH&>3_`Z:T74=5A> MI0$[L?B170_&>>S7P?%#,5^T/V/YUPFL?##Q5H5\9=+CDOHE8 MF*XM7VR#ZC.0?I5>W\!^-_$5ZC7MI=*>AN+^3[@_$D_@*8CHO@%;3PEHB6-N_F2,=\ M\Q&#(_K].P%<3\0?A;<:GJ$NLZ"$,TWS3VK';O;NRGU/<4@/3FF@^S&=I(_L M^S<7)&W;ZYZ8Q7*>$;WP+/JMXGAA+5+PC,ICC*EUSU7/;/I[5Y#_`,(GXZ:$ M:<=,U4P?\\BY\L?^/8KTCX;?#FZ\.7+ZOJ\BB]>(QQP1MD1*>N3W/`Z=*!F+ MXY^'[:YXAO+_`,-WMI=W+$-=V/G*)$?ID?7'0UQ_V[QGX*N8TEFO[#)^2.)KB* M/4+349]APCWC!43/4\F@1[+X*\1-XH\,VVIR1B*=B8Y57[NY3@X]CUKH:P?!
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----