0001213900-20-025419.txt : 20200904 0001213900-20-025419.hdr.sgml : 20200904 20200904163125 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001213900-20-025419 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-3 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 7 FILED AS OF DATE: 20200904 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20200904 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001517130 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: FISHING, HUNTING & TRAPPING [0900] IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: E9 FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-248620 FILM NUMBER: 201162144 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 18-19/F, ZHONGSHAN BUILDING A, STREET 2: NO. 154 HUDONG ROAD CITY: FUZHOU STATE: F4 ZIP: 350001 BUSINESS PHONE: 86-591-8727-1266 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 18-19/F, ZHONGSHAN BUILDING A, STREET 2: NO. 154 HUDONG ROAD CITY: FUZHOU STATE: F4 ZIP: 350001 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: China Growth Equity Investment Ltd DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20110331 S-3 1 ea126365-s3_pingtanmarine.htm REGISTRATION STATEMENT

As filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on September 4, 2020

REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 333-          

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

under

the securities act of 1933

 

PINGTAN MARINE ENTERPRISE LTD. 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Cayman Islands

  N/A
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

 

18-19/F, Zhongshan Building A

No. 154 Hudong Road

Fuzhou, China 350001

(86) 591-8727-1266
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Xinrong Zhuo

Chief Executive Officer

Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd.

18-19/F, Zhongshan Building A

No. 154 Hudong Road

Fuzhou, China 350001

(86) 591-8727-1266
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

With a copy to:

 

Yuri Mikulka

Alston & Bird LLP
333 S. Hope Street
Los Angeles, California 90071
(213) 576-1000
 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer ☐

Accelerated filer ☒
Non-accelerated filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☒
  Emerging growth company ☐

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered (1)  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price(1)
   Amount of
Registration Fee(2)
 
         
Ordinary shares, par value $0.001 per share      
Preferred shares, par value $0.001 per share          
Warrants(3)          
Units(4)          
Debt Securities(5)          
Total  $100,000,000   $12,980.00(6)

 

(1)An indeterminate number of securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be offered for sale at prices to be determined. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable upon exercise, conversion, or exchange of other securities or that are issued in units. In accordance with General Instruction II.D. to Form S-3, information as to each class of securities to be registered hereunder is not specified. In accordance with Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act, the registrant is also registering hereunder an indeterminate number of shares that may be issued and resold resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions. Omitted as to each class of securities to be registered pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act and General Instruction II.D of Form S-3. 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 by the registrant of the securities registered hereunder.
(2)The registration fee has been calculated in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(3)The warrants covered by this registration statement may be ordinary shares warrants, preferred shares warrants or warrants to purchase debt securities, and will be issued under a warrant agreement.
(4)Each unit will be issued under a unit agreement and will represent an interest in two or more other securities, which may or may not be separable from one another.
(5)Including an indeterminate number of Debt Securities as may from time to time be issued upon conversion or exchange of any securities registered under this registration statement or upon settlement of purchase contracts.
(6)The registrant previously paid (i) a filing fee of $10,280.90 in connection with the registration of certain securities under Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-213327) which was filed on December 27, 2016 registering an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $100,000,000 and (ii) a filing fee of $1,309.10 in connection with the registration of certain securities under Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-213156) which was filed on August16, 2016 registering an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $13,000,000 (collectively, the “Prior Registration Statements”). No securities were sold under the Prior Registration Statements. The registrant is partially offsetting the registration fee otherwise payable in respect of the securities registered hereunder pursuant to Rule 457(p) promulgated under the Securities Act. 

 

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 Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 

 

  

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

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

 

PROSPECTUS

 

PINGTAN MARINE ENTERPRISE LTD.

 

$100,000,000

 

Ordinary shares
Preferred shares
Debt Securities

Warrants
Units

 

We may offer and sell from time to time, in one or more offerings, together or separately, any combination of the securities described in this prospectus, which we refer to as the “securities.” The aggregate initial offering price of the securities will not exceed $100,000,000. This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to the securities and the general manner in which they may be offered. We will describe the specific terms of the securities that we offer, and the specific manner in which they may be offered, in one or more supplements to this prospectus at the time of each offering and sale.

 

We may offer the securities on a continuous or delayed basis from time to time directly or through underwriters, dealers or agents, in one or more public or private transactions, or through any other means described in the section of this prospectus titled “Plan of Distribution.” The securities may be offered at fixed prices, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. If any offering involves underwriters, dealers or agents, we will describe our arrangements with them in the prospectus supplement that relates to that offering. Our estimated net proceeds from the sale of securities also will be set forth in the relevant prospectus supplement.

 

Our ordinary shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “PME.” On August 31, 2020, the closing sale price of our ordinary shares was $0.90. The aggregate market value of our outstanding voting common equity held by non-affiliates as of August 31, 2020 was $30,286,978. We have not sold any securities offered pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6. during the prior 12 calendar month period up to and including the date of this prospectus.

 

This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement. Before investing, you should carefully read this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement.

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. See the section entitled “Risk Factors” on page 5 of this prospectus and in the documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus for certain risks and uncertainties you should consider.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is      , 2020

 

 

 

 

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ii
   
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY 1
   
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION 3
   
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE 4
   
RISK FACTORS 5
   
USE OF PROCEEDS 5
   
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL 5
   
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES 11
   
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS 17
   
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS 18
   
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION 19
   
LEGAL MATTERS 21
   
EXPERTS 21

 

i

 

 

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference in it, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended, or the Exchange Act. These statements may be made directly in this document or they may be made part of this document by reference to other documents filed with the SEC, which is known as “incorporation by reference.” You can find many (but not all) of these statements by looking for words such as “approximates,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “would,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions in this prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference. Additionally, statements concerning future matters are forward-looking statements.

 

Although forward-looking statements in this prospectus reflect the good faith judgment of our management, such statements can only be based on facts and factors currently known by us. Consequently, forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties and actual results and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in or anticipated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences in results and outcomes include, without limitation, the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the Company’s financial condition, business operations and liquidity; the impact of COVID-19 on our customers and distributors; anticipated growth and growth strategies; need for additional capital and the availability of financing; operational, mechanical, climatic or other unanticipated issues that adversely affect the production capacity of the Company’s vessels; delays in deploying vessels; our ability to successfully manage relationships with customers, distributors and other important relationships; technological changes; competition; demand for our products and services; the deterioration of general economic conditions, whether internationally, nationally or in the local markets in which we operate; and legislative or regulatory changes that may adversely affect our business. You are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made.

 

This prospectus and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the dates that such statements are made.

 

You should read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free-writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect. For more information on the uncertainty of forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any applicable prospectus supplement.

 

ii

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you need to consider in making your investment decision. You should carefully read the entire prospectus including financial statements and other information incorporated by reference into the prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you, including the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and in any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should also carefully read the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including our financial statements, and the exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or “SEC,” using a “shelf” registration process. By using a shelf registration statement, we may, from time to time, sell any or all of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

 

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer and sell any of these securities we will provide a prospectus supplement that contains specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also prepare free writing prospectuses that describe particular securities. Any free writing prospectus should also be read in connection with this prospectus and with any prospectus supplement referred to therein. In this prospectus, any reference to an applicable prospectus supplement may also refer to a free writing prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires.

 

A prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information contained in this prospectus and a prospectus supplement, then you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. Before purchasing any of our securities, you should carefully read both this prospectus and each applicable prospectus supplement, together with the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.”

 

The registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, including exhibits to that registration statement, provides additional information about us and the securities offered under this prospectus. The registration statement may be read at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov or at the SEC’s office mentioned under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” below. Whenever a reference is made in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement to a contract or other document, the reference is only a summary and you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the registration statement for a copy of the contract or other document.

 

Unless the context otherwise indicates, references in this prospectus to “we,” “our”, “us”, “Pingtan”, or the “Company” refer to the business and operations of Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd. and its subsidiaries.

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.

 

You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, as well as information we previously filed with the SEC and have incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the date of the front cover of this prospectus only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date. Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor any distribution of securities pursuant to this prospectus shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has been no change in the information set forth or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or in our affairs since the date of this prospectus.

 

This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, the securities offered by this prospectus, in any jurisdiction to or from any person to whom or from whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation of an offer in such jurisdiction.

 

 

1

 

 

Our Business

 

We are a marine enterprises group primarily engaging in ocean fishing through our wholly-owned operating subsidiary in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) and variable interest entity, Fujian Provincial Pingtan County Ocean Fishing Group Co., Ltd., or Pingtan Fishing. We harvest a variety of fish species with our owned and licensed vessels operating within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and the Arafura Sea of Indonesia. As of June 30, 2020, we own 51 squid jigging vessels, 26 trawlers, 25 seine vessels, 13 drifters, 4 longline fishing vessels, and 2 transport vessels and had exclusive operating license rights to 20 drifters. Additionally, 1 transport vessel was in the modification and rebuilding stage and 1 new krill fishing vessel was in the building stage.

 

We derive our revenue primarily from the sales of frozen seafood products. We market, sell and distribute products all over China, including the Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. We sell our products directly to customers including processors, distributors, restaurant owners and exporters. We have established long-term relationships with a number of customers, who introduce new customers to us from time to time. We are party to an exclusive strategic cooperation agreement to sell our fish products directly to consumers online.

 

We catch nearly 30 different species of fish including squid, ribbon fish, croaker fish and cuttle fish. All of our catch is shipped back to PRC. Our fishing vessels transport frozen catch to cold storage warehouse at nearby onshore fishing bases. We then arrange periodic charted transportation ships to deliver frozen stocks to our cold storage warehouses located in one of China’s largest seafood trading centers, Mawei Seafood Market in Fujian Province.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 18-19/F, Zhongshan Building A, No. 154 Hudong Road, Fuzhou, PRC, and our telephone number is +86 591 8727 1266. Our website address is www.ptmarine.com. The information on our website is not a part of, and should not be construed as being incorporated by reference into, this prospectus.

 

Our ordinary shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “PME.”

 

 

2

 

  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We file annual, quarterly, and special reports and other information with the SEC. The SEC also maintains an Internet web site that contains reports, proxy, and information statements and other information regarding registrants like us that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the site is www.sec.gov.

 

Our Internet address is www.ptmarine.com and our investor relations website is located at http://ir.ptmarine.com. We make available free of charge, on or through our investor relations website, annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.

 

This prospectus constitutes part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC under the Securities Act. Under the registration statement, we may offer from time to time any or all of the securities described in the registration statement up to a maximum aggregate price of $100,000,000. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and the securities, reference is hereby made to the registration statement, including the attached exhibits. The registration statement may be reviewed at the SEC website address set forth above. Statements contained herein concerning any document filed as an exhibit are not necessarily complete, and, in each instance, reference is made to the copy of such document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. Each such statement is qualified in its entirety by such reference.

 

3

 

 

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information from other documents that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus. Information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus, while information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part the information or documents listed below that we have filed with the SEC (Commission File No. 001-35192):

 

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2020;

 

Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020 filed with the SEC on May 11, 2020 and August 17, 2020, respectively;

 

Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 5, 2020 (but excluding the portions of such reports expressly noted as being furnished and not filed);

 

The description of our ordinary shares contained in the registration statement on Form 8-A, including all amendments and reports filed for the purpose of updating such description, filed pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act initially on May 25, 2011 (File No. 001-35192); and

 

All documents filed by us under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus and before the termination of this offering.

 

We also incorporate by reference any future filings (other than Current Reports on Form 8-K furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items unless such Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary) made with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, including those made after the date of the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to the effectiveness of such registration statement, until we file a post-effective amendment that indicates the termination of the offering of the securities made by this prospectus and will become a part of this prospectus from the date that such documents are filed with the SEC. Information in such future filings updates and supplements the information provided in this prospectus. Any statements in any such future filings will automatically be deemed to modify and supersede any information in any document we previously filed with the SEC that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference to the extent that statements in the later filed document modify or replace such earlier statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing statements, no document, report or exhibit (or portion of any of the foregoing) or any other information that we have “furnished” or may in the future “furnish” to the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act shall be incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

We hereby undertake to provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, upon request, orally or in writing, of any such person, a copy of any and all of the information that has been or may be incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to such documents, unless such exhibits have been specifically incorporated by reference thereto. Requests for such copies should be directed to Investor Relations as follows:

 

Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd.
18-19/F, Zhongshan Building A

No. 154 Hudong Road

Fuzhou, China 350001

(86) 591-8727-1266

 

4

 

 

RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in our securities involves risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, in addition to the other information in this prospectus, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, as revised or supplemented by our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and, to the extent applicable, our current reports on Form 8-K, each of which are on file with the SEC and are incorporated herein by reference, and which may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future. There may be other unknown or unpredictable economic, business, competitive, regulatory or other factors that could have material adverse effects on our future results. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, business prospects, financial condition or results of operations could be seriously harmed. This could cause the trading price of our securities to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. Please also read carefully the section above titled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Except as otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of securities offered under this prospectus for general corporate purposes. These purposes may include working capital, repaying, reducing or refinancing indebtedness, financing acquisitions of other companies that we believe will add to and/or expand our service offerings, repurchasing or redeeming our securities, investments, and capital expenditures.

 

The precise amounts and the timing of our use of the net proceeds will depend upon market conditions, the availability of other funds and other factors. Until we use the net proceeds from the sale of any of our securities for general corporate purposes, we may use the net proceeds of an offering to reduce our short-term indebtedness or for temporary investments, or we may hold the net proceeds in deposit accounts we maintain at one or more depository institutions. We will have significant discretion in the use of any net proceeds. Investors will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the proceeds of any sale of the securities.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

 

The following description summarizes the most important terms of our share capital. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For a complete description, you should refer to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, a copy of which has been filed with the SEC, and the applicable provisions of the Companies Law (2020 Revision), as amended (the "Companies Law").

 

General

 

The Company's authorized share capital consists of 125,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$0.001 each, of which 79,055,053 shares were issued and outstanding as of August 31, 2020 and 5,000,000 preferred shares of par value of US$0.001 each, of which no shares are issued and outstanding.

 

All of our issued shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Our shares are issued in registered form, and are issued when registered in our register of members. Each holder of our shares will be entitled to receive a certificate in respect of such shares only if our board of directors resolves that the share certificates shall be issued. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their shares. We may not issue shares to bearer.

 

Dividends

 

The holders of our shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. If any share is issued on terms providing that it shall rank for dividend as from a particular date, that share shall rank for dividend accordingly. Under Cayman Islands law, a Cayman Islands company may pay a dividend only out of either profit or share premium account, provided that in no circumstance may a dividend be paid if this would result in the company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business.

 

5

 

 

Voting Rights

 

Each ordinary share is entitled to one vote on all matters upon which the shares are entitled to vote. Voting at any meeting of shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by the chairman of such meeting or any one shareholder holding at least ten percent of the shares given a right to vote at the meeting, present in person or by proxy or if a poll is required by the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

 

An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast by the shareholders entitled to vote who are present in person or by proxy, or in the case such shareholders are a corporation, by their respective authorized representative, at a general meeting, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of the votes cast by the shareholders entitled to vote who are present in person or by proxy, or in the case such shareholders are a corporation, by their respective authorized representative, at a general meeting. Both ordinary resolutions and special resolutions may also be passed by a unanimous written resolution signed by all the shareholders of our company, as permitted by the Companies Law and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name or making changes to our memorandum and articles of association. Our shareholders may effect certain changes by ordinary resolution, including increasing the amount of our authorized share capital, consolidating and dividing all or any of our share capital into shares of larger amounts than our existing shares, and cancelling any authorized but unissued shares.

 

Cayman Islands law does not prohibit cumulative voting, but our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting.

 

Transfers of Shares

 

Subject to the restrictions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his, her or its shares by an instrument of transfer in writing and in any usual or common form or in a form prescribed by the NASDAQ Stock Market or in any other form as our directors may approve and executed by or on behalf of the transferor (and, if required by our directors, by or on behalf of the transferee).

 

Our board of directors may, in their absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of shares without giving any reason.

 

If our board of directors refuses to register a transfer they are required, within two months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, to send to each of the transferee notice of such refusal.

 

Liquidation

 

On the winding up of our company, if the assets available for distribution amongst our shareholders shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst our shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up, subject to a deduction from those shares in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to our company for unpaid calls or otherwise. If our assets available for distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses are borne by our shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them.

 

The liquidator may, with the sanction of a special resolution of our shareholders, divide amongst the shareholders in species or in kind the whole or any part of the assets of our company, and may for that purpose value any assets and determine how the division shall be carried out as between our shareholders or different classes of shareholders.

 

We are a “limited liability” company incorporated under the Companies Law, and under the Companies Law, the liability of our members is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held by them. Our amended and restated memorandum of association contains a declaration that the liability of our members is so limited.

 

Preemptive Rights

 

The particular terms of any preemptive rights will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Calls on Shares and Forfeiture of Shares

 

Subject to the terms of the allotment, our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their shares. The shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid are subject to forfeiture.

 

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Redemption, Repurchase and Surrender of Shares

 

We may issue shares on terms that such shares are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders thereof, in such manner as our board of directors may deem fit. Our company may also repurchase any of our shares provided that the manner and terms of such purchase have been approved by our board of directors, or are otherwise authorized by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Under the Companies Law, the redemption or repurchase of any share may be paid out of our company’s profits or out of the proceeds of a fresh issue of shares made for the purpose of such redemption or repurchase, or out of capital (including share premium account and capital redemption reserve) if our company can, immediately following such payment, pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Companies Law no such share may be redeemed or repurchased (a) unless it is fully paid up, (b) if such redemption or repurchase would result in there being no shares outstanding, or (c) if the company has commenced liquidation. In addition, our company may accept the surrender of any fully paid share for no consideration.

 

Variations of Rights of Shares

 

If at any time, our share capital is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to any class (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class) may be varied with the consent in writing of the holders of not less than three-quarters of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.

 

General Meetings of Shareholders and Shareholder Proposals

 

As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Companies Law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that we shall hold a general meeting as our annual general meeting each year and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. The annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by our directors and if no other time and place prescribed by them, it shall be held at the registered office of the Company on the second Wednesday in December of each year at 10 o'clock in the morning.

 

Shareholders’ annual general meetings and any other general meetings of our shareholders may be convened by a majority of our board of directors, chief executive officer or the chairman of our board of directors. Advance notice of at least ten days is required for the convening of our annual general shareholders’ meeting and any other general meeting of our shareholders.

 

Cayman Islands law provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles or association allow our shareholders holding shares representing in aggregate, not less than ten percent in par value of the capital of our company which carries the right of voting at general meetings, to requisition an extraordinary general meeting of our company, in which case our directors are obliged to call such meeting and to put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting; however, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any right to put any proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by such shareholders.

 

The quorum at any general meeting is two members being individuals present in person or by proxy or if a corporation or other non-natural person by its duly authorized representative shall be a quorum unless the Company has only one member entitled to vote at such general meeting in which case the quorum shall be that one member present in person or by proxy.

 

Election and Removal of Directors

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that, unless otherwise determined by our company in general meeting, our board will consist of not less than two directors.

 

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The board is divided into three classes: Class A, Class B and Class C and the number of directors in each class shall be as nearly equal as possible. At each annual general meeting, Directors are elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual general meeting. Additional Directors and any vacancies in the board of Directors, including unfilled vacancies resulting from the removal of Directors for cause, may be filled by the vote of a majority of the remaining Directors then in office. All directors shall hold office until the expiration of their respective terms of office and until their successors have been elected and qualified. A Director elected to fill a vacancy resulting from death, resignation, removal of a Director shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the Director who death, resignation or removal shall have created such vacancy and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified.

 

The directors have the power to appoint any person as a director either to fill a casual vacancy on the board or as an addition to the existing board, but so that the number of directors so appointed will not exceed any maximum number stipulated in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, or as may be determined from time to time by the members in general meeting.

 

Our shareholders may also appoint any person to be a director by an ordinary resolution.

 

A director may be removed with or without cause by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders passed at a general meeting.

 

In addition, the office of any director shall be vacated if the director (i) becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors generally , (ii) dies or is found to be or becomes of unsound mind, (iii) resigns his office by notice in writing to our company, (iv) without special leave of absence from our board, is absent from meetings of our board for three consecutive meetings and our board resolves that his office be vacated, or (v) is all the other directors (being not less than two in number) resolve that he should be removed as a director.

 

Proceedings of Board of Directors

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that our business is to be managed and conducted by our board of directors. The quorum necessary for the board meeting may be fixed by the board and, unless so fixed at another number, will be two or more directors.

 

Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that the board may from time to time at its discretion exercise all powers of our company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge our company's undertaking, property and uncalled capital or any part thereof, to issue debentures, debenture stock and other securities whenever money is borrowed or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of our company or of any third party.

 

Inspection of Books and Records

 

Holders of our shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that our Directors shall from time to time determine whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations the accounts and books of our company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of shareholders not being Directors.

 

Changes in Capital

 

Our shareholders may from time to time by ordinary resolution:

 

increase our share capital by such sum, as the resolution shall prescribe and with such rights, priorities and privileges annexed thereto, as the resolution shall prescribe;

 

consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of a larger amount than our existing shares;

 

divide shares into several classes and without prejudice to any special rights previously conferred on the holders of existing shares, attach to the shares respectively as preferential, deferred, qualified or special rights, privileges, conditions or such restrictions which in the absence of any such determination in general meeting may be determined by our directors;

 

sub-divide our existing shares, or any of them into shares of a smaller amount than is fixed by the amended and restated memorandum of association or into shares without par value; or

 

cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person.

 

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Our shareholders may by special resolution, subject to any confirmation or consent required by the Companies Law, reduce our share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner permitted by law.

 

Shareholders’ Suits

 

In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff to sue for a wrong done to us as a company as a general rule and a derivative action may ordinarily not be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English authority, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands courts can be expected (and have had occasion) to follow and apply the common law principles (namely the rule in Foss v. Harbottle and the exceptions thereto) so that a non-controlling shareholder may be permitted to commence a class action against or derivative actions in the name of the company to challenge:

 

(a)an act which is ultra vires or illegal and is therefore incapable of ratification by the shareholders,

 

(b)an act which constitutes a fraud against the minority where the wrongdoers are themselves in control of the company, or

 

(c)an act which requires a resolution with a qualified (or special) majority (i.e. more than a simple majority) which has not been obtained.

 

Indemnification

 

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company's memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide each Director, agent or officer of the Company shall be indemnified out of assets of the Company against any liability incurred by him as a result of any act or failure to act in carrying out his functions other than such liability (if any) that he may incur by his own fraud or willful default. No such Director, agent or officer shall be liable to the Company for any loss or damage in carrying out his functions unless that liability arises through the fraud or willful default of such Director, agent or officer.

 

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers and certain other key employees providing for indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by Cayman Islands law and, in certain respects, the indemnification agreements may provide greater protection than that specifically provided for by Cayman Islands law. The indemnification agreements will not provide indemnification for, among other things, conduct which is found to be knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest, or for willful misconduct. We also intend to obtain policies that insure our directors and officers against certain liabilities they may incur in their capacity as directors and officers. Under these policies, the insurer, on our behalf, may pay amounts for which we have granted indemnification to the directors or officers.

 

We currently carry and intend to continue to carry liability insurance for our directors and officers.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may be permitted with respect to our directors or officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, the Company has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

Directors’ Power to Issue Shares

 

Our board of directors is empowered to issue or allot shares or grant options and warrants with or without preferred, deferred, qualified or other special rights or restrictions.

 

Our Transfer Agent

 

The transfer agent for our securities is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, which is located at 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219, telephone: (718) 921-8311.

 

Listing

 

Our ordinary shares are currently listed for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “PME.”

 

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Preferred Shares

 

The following is a description of general terms and provisions of the preferred shares not otherwise referenced above. The particular terms of any series of preferred shares, including redemption of preferred shares while there is any arrearage in the payment of dividends, will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

All of the terms of the preferred shares are, or will be, contained in resolutions passed by our board of directors, which will be filed with the SEC at or prior to the time of issuance of the series of the preferred shares.

 

We are authorized to issue up to 5,000,000 preferred shares, par value US$0.001 per share. As of August 31, 2020, no preferred shares were issued and outstanding. Subject to limitations prescribed by law, the board of directors is authorized at any time to issue one or more series of preferred shares.

 

The board of directors is authorized to determine, for each series of preferred shares, and the prospectus supplement will set forth with respect to the series the following information:

 

the designation for any series by number, letter or title that shall distinguish the series from any other series of preferred shares;

 

the number of shares in any series;

 

whether dividends on that series of preferred shares will be cumulative;

 

the dividend rate (or method for determining the rate);

 

any liquidation preference per share of that series of preferred shares;

 

any conversion provisions applicable to that series of preferred shares;

 

any redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to that series of preferred shares;

 

any voting rights of that series of preferred shares; and

 

the terms of any other preferences or rights applicable to that series of preferred shares.

 

The preferred shares, when issued, will be fully paid and non-assessable.

 

Dividends

 

Holders of preferred shares will be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the board of directors, cash dividends at the rates and on the dates as set forth in the prospectus supplement. Generally, no dividends will be declared or paid on any series of preferred shares unless full dividends for all series of preferred shares, including any cumulative dividends still owing, have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid. When those dividends are not paid in full, dividends will be declared pro-rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share on each series of preferred shares will bear to each other series the same ratio that accrued dividends per share for each respective series of preferred shares bear to aggregate accrued dividends for all issued and outstanding shares of preferred shares. In addition, generally, unless all dividends on the preferred shares have been paid, no dividends will be declared or paid on our ordinary shares and we may not redeem or purchase any or our ordinary shares.

 

Payment of dividends on any series of preferred shares may be restricted by loan agreements, indentures and other transactions we may enter into.

 

Liquidation

 

If we voluntarily or involuntarily liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs, the holders of each series of preferred shares will be entitled to receive the liquidation preference per share specified in the prospectus supplement plus any accrued and unpaid dividends. Holders of preferred shares will be entitled to receive these amounts before any distribution is made to the holders of ordinary shares. If the amounts payable with respect to preferred shares are not paid in full, the holders of preferred shares will share ratably in any distribution of assets based upon the aggregate liquidation preference for all issued and outstanding shares for each series. After the holders of shares of preferred shares are paid in full, they will have no right or claim to any of our remaining assets.

 

Neither the par value nor the liquidation preference is indicative of the price at which the preferred shares will actually trade on or after the date of issuance.

 

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Voting

 

Generally, the holders of preferred shares will not be entitled to vote except as set forth in the prospectus supplement, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or as otherwise required by law.

 

No Other Rights

 

The shares of a series of preferred shares will not have any preemptive rights, preferences, voting powers or relative, participating, optional or other special rights except as set forth in the prospectus supplement, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or as otherwise required by law.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent for each series of preferred shares will be designated in the prospectus supplement.

 

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

 

We may issue debt securities from time to time, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement and in any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be distributed to you. The terms of any debt securities offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. Unless the context requires otherwise, whenever we refer to the indenture, we also are referring to any supplemental indentures that specify the terms of a particular series of debt securities.

 

We will issue the debt securities under the indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the indenture. The indenture will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the Trust Indenture Act. We have filed the form of indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms (which terms have not currently been determined and are not currently known) of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.

 

The summary below and that contained in any prospectus supplement is qualified in its entirety by reference to all of the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements and any related free writing prospectuses related to the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as the complete indenture that contains the terms of the debt securities.

 

General

 

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue. It provides that we may issue debt securities up to the principal amount that we may authorize and may be in any currency that we may designate. Except for the limitations on consolidation, merger and sale of all or substantially all of our assets contained in the indenture, the terms of the indenture will not contain any covenants or other provisions designed to give holders of any debt securities protection against changes in our operations, financial condition or transactions involving us.

 

We may issue the debt securities issued under the indenture as “discount securities,” which means they may be sold at a discount below their stated principal amount. These debt securities, as well as other debt securities that are not issued at a discount, may be issued with “original issue discount,” or OID, for U.S. federal income tax purposes because of interest payment and other characteristics or terms of the debt securities. Material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to debt securities issued with OID will be described in more detail in any applicable prospectus supplement.

 

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including:

 

the title of the series of debt securities;

 

any limit upon the aggregate principal amount that may be issued;

 

the maturity date or dates;

 

the form of the debt securities of the series;

 

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the applicability of any guarantees;

 

whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt;

 

provisions restricting the declaration of dividends or additional debt;

 

whether the debt securities rank as senior debt, senior subordinated debt, subordinated debt or any combination thereof, and the terms of any subordination;

 

if the price (expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount thereof) at which such debt securities will be issued is a price other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount thereof payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof, or if applicable, the portion of the principal amount of such debt securities that is convertible into another security or the method by which any such portion shall be determined;

 

the interest rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates;

 

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

 

if applicable, the date or dates after which, or the period or periods during which, and the price or prices at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemption provisions;

 

the date or dates, if any, on which, and the price or prices at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable;

 

the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

 

any and all terms, if applicable, relating to any auction or remarketing of the debt securities of that series and any security for our obligations with respect to such debt securities and any other terms which may be advisable in connection with the marketing of debt securities of that series;

 

whether the debt securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of a capital security or securities;

 

the terms and conditions, if any, upon which such capital security or securities may be exchanged in whole or in part for other individual securities; and the depositary for such capital security or securities;

 

if applicable, the provisions relating to conversion or exchange of any debt securities of the series and the terms and conditions upon which such debt securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, including the conversion or exchange price, as applicable, or how it will be calculated and may be adjusted, any mandatory or optional (at our option or the holders’ option) conversion or exchange features, the applicable conversion or exchange period and the manner of settlement for any conversion or exchange;

 

if other than the full 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;

 

additions to or changes in the covenants applicable to the particular debt securities being issued, including, among others, the consolidation, merger or sale covenant;

 

additions to or changes in the events of default with respect to the securities and any change in the right of the trustee or the holders to declare the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, with respect to such securities to be due and payable;

 

additions to or changes in or deletions of the provisions relating to covenant defeasance and legal defeasance;

 

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additions to or changes in the provisions relating to satisfaction and discharge of the indenture;

 

additions to or changes in the provisions relating to the modification of the indenture both with and without the consent of holders of debt securities issued under the indenture;

 

the currency of payment of debt securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars;

 

whether interest will be payable in cash or additional debt securities at our or the holders’ option and the terms and conditions upon which the election may be made;

 

the terms and conditions, if any, upon which we will pay amounts in addition to the stated interest, premium, if any and principal amounts of the debt securities of the series to any holder that is not a “United States person” for federal tax purposes;

 

any restrictions on transfer, sale or assignment of the debt securities of the series; and

 

any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, any other additions or changes in the provisions of the indenture, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations.

 

Conversion or Exchange Rights

 

We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our ordinary shares or our other securities or other property or assets. We will include provisions as to settlement upon conversion or exchange and whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our ordinary shares or our other securities or units of other property or assets that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.

 

Consolidation, Merger or Sale

 

Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the indenture will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the indenture or the debt securities, as appropriate.

 

Events of Default Under the Indenture

 

Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the following are events of default under the indenture with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:

 

if we fail to pay any installment of interest on any series of debt securities, as and when the same shall become due and payable, and such default continues for a period of 90 days; provided, however, that a valid extension of an interest payment period by us in accordance with the terms of any indenture supplemental thereto shall not constitute a default in the payment of interest for this purpose;

 

if we fail to pay the principal of, or premium, if any, on any series of debt securities as and when the same shall become due and payable whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise, or in any payment required by any sinking or analogous fund established with respect to such series; provided, however, that a valid extension of the maturity of such debt securities in accordance with the terms of any indenture supplemental thereto shall not constitute a default in the payment of principal or premium, if any;

 

if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant or agreement contained in the debt securities or the indenture, other than a covenant specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive written notice of such failure, requiring the same to be remedied and stating that such is a notice of default thereunder, from the trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; and

 

if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur.

 

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If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, other than an event of default specified in the last bullet point above, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, due and payable immediately. If an event of default specified in the last bullet point above occurs with respect to us, the principal amount of and accrued interest, if any, of each issue of debt securities then outstanding shall be due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the trustee or any holder.

 

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any waiver shall cure the default or event of default.

 

Subject to the terms of the indenture, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will 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 that series, provided that:

 

the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and

 

subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding.

 

A holder of the debt securities of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding under the indenture or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies only if:

 

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

 

the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee; and

 

the trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 90 days after the notice, request and offer.

 

These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities.

 

We will periodically file statements with the trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indenture.

 

Modification of Indenture; Waiver

 

We and the trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters:

 

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture or in the debt securities of any series;

 

to comply with the provisions described above under “Description of Debt Securities—Consolidation, Merger or Sale;”

 

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

 

to add to our covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities, to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us in the indenture;

 

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to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of debt securities, as set forth in the indenture;

 

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

 

to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of the debt securities of any series as provided above under “Description of Debt Securities—General” to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of the indenture or any series of debt securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of debt securities;

 

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

 

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

 

In addition, under the indenture, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the trustee with the written consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we and the trustee may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:

 

extending the fixed maturity of any debt securities of any series;

 

reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption of any series of any debt securities; or

 

reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver.

 

Discharge

 

Each indenture will provide that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except for specified obligations, including obligations to:

 

provide for payment;

 

register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series;

 

replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series;

 

pay principal of and premium and interest on any debt securities of the series;

 

maintain paying agencies;

 

hold monies for payment in trust;

 

recover excess money held by the trustee;

 

compensate and indemnify the trustee; and

 

appoint any successor trustee.

 

In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, any premium, if any, and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.

 

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Form, Exchange and Transfer

 

We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indenture will provide that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent capital form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, or another depositary named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement with respect to that series. To the extent the debt securities of a series are issued in capital form and as book-entry, a description of terms relating thereto will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indenture and the limitations applicable to capital securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

 

Subject to the terms of the indenture and the limitations applicable to capital securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, we will impose no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.

 

We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.

 

If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:

 

issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or

 

register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part.

 

Information Concerning the Trustee

 

The trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under an indenture will undertake to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by the indenture at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.

 

Payment and Paying Agents

 

Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.

 

We will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments by check that we will mail to the holder or by wire transfer to certain holders. Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will designate the corporate trust office of the trustee as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.

 

All money we pay to a paying agent or the trustee for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.

 

Governing Law

 

The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act is applicable.

 

16

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

 

In this section, we describe the general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the warrants offered through that prospectus supplement and any general terms outlined in this section that will not apply to those warrants.

 

We may issue warrants from time to time in one or more series for the purchase of our ordinary shares or preferred shares or warrants to purchase debt securities or any combination of those securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any shares of ordinary shares or shares of preferred shares or offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from ordinary shares or preferred shares. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent, or any other bank or trust company specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants. The specific terms of a series of warrants will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to that series of warrants along with any general provisions applicable to that series of warrants.

 

Terms. If we offer warrants, the prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the warrants, including the following if applicable to the particular offering:

 

the title of the warrants;

 

the total number and offering price of warrants;

 

the number of shares of ordinary shares or preferred shares purchasable upon exercise of the warrants and the price at which such securities may be purchased upon exercise;

 

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security;

 

in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at, and currency in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

the date on and after which the warrants and related ordinary shares or preferred shares will be separately transferable;

 

the date on with the right to exercise the warrants will commence and the date on which this right will expire;

 

the minimum and maximum about of the warrants which may be exercised at any one time;

 

the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants;

 

any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

a discussion of federal income tax, accounting and other special consideration, procedures and limitations relating to the warrants; and

 

any other terms of the warrants including terms, procedures and limitations related to the exchange and exercise of the warrants.

 

Warrants may be exchanged for new warrants of different denominations, may be presented for registration of transfer and may be exercised at the office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement. Before the exercise of their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of shares of ordinary shares or shares of preferred shares purchasable upon exercise, including the right to receive payments of dividends, if any, on the shares ordinary shares or preferred shares purchasable upon such exercise or to exercise any applicable right to vote, and in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the right to receive payments of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture.

 

17

 

 

Exercise of Warrants. Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase a number of shares of ordinary shares or shares of preferred shares at an exercise price as will in each case be set forth in, or calculable from, the prospectus supplement relating to those warrants. Warrants may be exercised at the times set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants. After the close of business on the expiration date (or any later date to which the expiration date may be extended by us), unexercised warrants will become void. Subject to any restrictions and additional requirements that may be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating thereto, warrants may be exercised by delivery to the warrant agent of the certificate evidencing the warrants properly completed and duly executed and of payment as provided in the prospectus supplement of the amount required to purchase shares of ordinary shares or shares of preferred shares purchasable upon such exercise. The exercise price will be the price applicable on the date of payment in full, as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants. Upon receipt of the payment and the certificate representing the warrants to be exercised properly completed and duly executed at the office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, issue and deliver the shares of ordinary shares or shares of preferred shares purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by that certificate are exercised, a new certificate will be issued for the remaining amount of warrants.

 

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement and other offering material of any warrants we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable warrant agreement, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer warrants. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable warrant agreement if we offer warrants, see “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.” We urge you to read the applicable warrant agreement and the applicable prospectus supplement and any other offering material in their entirety.

 

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

 

In this section, we describe the general terms and provisions of the units that we may offer. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the units offered through that prospectus supplement and any general terms outlined in this section that will not apply to those units.

 

We may issue units under one or more unit agreements, each referred to as a unit agreement, to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as unit agent. The unit agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the units governed by the unit agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of units or interests in those units. We may issue units comprising one or more of the securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit also is the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately at any time or at any time before a specified date.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement relating to the units we may offer will include specific terms relating to the offering, including, among others: the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, and whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; the offering price of the units; any provision for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising those units; whether the units will be issued in fully registered or capital form; and a discussion of federal income tax, accounting and other special considerations, procedures and limitations relating to the units.

 

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement and other offering material of any units we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable unit agreement and unit certificate, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer units. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable unit agreement and unit certificate if we offer units, see “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.” We urge you to read the applicable unit certificate and the applicable prospectus supplement and any other offering material in their entirety.

 

18

 

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

General

 

We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus from time to time in one or more transactions, including without limitation:

 

directly to one or more purchasers;

 

through one or more agents;

 

to or through underwriters, brokers or dealers;

 

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

 

through a combination of any of these methods.

 

The offer and sale of the securities described in this prospectus by us, the underwriters or the third parties described above may be affected from time to time in one or more transactions, including public offerings or privately negotiated transactions, either:

 

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

 

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

at prices related to the prevailing market prices; or

 

at negotiated prices.

 

We will set forth in a prospectus supplement with respect to each offering of securities by us the particular terms of that offering, including:

 

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

 

the offering or purchase price of the offered securities and the net proceeds we will receive from the sale;

 

any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

 

any underwriting discounts or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation;

 

any delayed delivery arrangements;

 

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

 

any securities exchange or markets on which the offered securities may be listed.

 

Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the offered securities may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act and any profits realized by them on resale of the securities and the compensation received by them from us may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Any such underwriter, dealer or agent will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act and may be subject to certain statutory and regulatory liabilities under the Securities Act and Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange Act. We will make copies of this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement available to selling underwriters, dealers or agents for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

 

Any securities that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this prospectus.

 

19

 

 

Underwriters

 

If underwriters are used to sell the offered securities, they will acquire the offered securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the offered securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions. These sales may be made at a fixed public offering price or prices, which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of the sale, at prices related to such prevailing market price or at negotiated prices. We may offer the securities to the public through an underwriting syndicate or through a single underwriter. The underwriters in any particular offering will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Unless otherwise specified in connection with any particular offering of securities, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the offered securities will be subject to certain conditions contained in an underwriting agreement that we will enter into with the underwriters at the time of the sale to them. In a firm commitment underwriting, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the offered securities if they purchase any of the offered securities. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial offering price and any discounts or concessions that the underwriters allow, reallow or pay to dealers.

 

Dealers

 

We may sell the offered securities to dealers as principals. We may negotiate and pay dealers’ commissions, discounts or concessions for their services. The dealer may then resell such securities to the public either at varying prices to be determined by the dealer or at a fixed offering price agreed to with us at the time of resale. Dealers engaged by us may allow other dealers to participate in resales.

 

Agents

 

We may designate agents to sell the offered securities. If an agreement is reached with an agent with respect to a specific offering, including the number of securities and any minimum price below which sales may not be made, then the agent will try to sell such securities on the agreed terms. Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement for any particular offering of securities, each agent will agree to use its best efforts to solicit purchases of the offered securities for the period of its appointment or to sell the offered securities on a continuous basis.

 

An agent could make sales in privately negotiated transactions or using any other method permitted by law, including sales deemed to be an “at the market” offering, as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, including, without limitation, sales made directly on the Nasdaq Capital Market, on any other existing trading market for our securities, or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. An agent will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sales effected through an “at the market” offering.

 

We may also sell the offered securities to one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. These firms will remarket the offered securities upon purchasing them in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to the terms of the offered securities.

 

Direct Sales

 

We may sell the offered securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved.

 

Institutional Purchasers

 

We may authorize agents, dealers or underwriters to solicit certain institutional investors to purchase offered securities on a delayed delivery basis pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified future date. These institutions may include, without limitation, commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies and educational and charitable institutions. Such delayed delivery contracts will be subject to only those conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, which will provide the details of any such arrangement, including the offering price and commissions payable on the solicitations.

 

Indemnification

 

We may make agreements with underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute payments that the underwriters, dealers or agents may be required to make as a result of those civil liabilities.

 

20

 

 

Other Relationships

 

Underwriters, dealers and agents, and their affiliates, may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of their businesses. This includes commercial banking and investment banking transactions. In connection with the distribution of the offered securities, we may enter into swap or other hedging transactions with, or arranged by, the underwriters, dealers or agents, or their affiliates. These underwriters, dealers or agents, or their affiliates, may receive compensation, trading gain or other benefits from these transactions. We will describe any such relationship in any prospectus supplement naming such underwriter, dealer or agent.

 

Stabilization Activities

 

In connection with an offering of securities, underwriters may purchase and sell these securities in the open market. Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of these activities at any time.

 

Passive Market Making

 

Any underwriters who are qualified market makers on the Nasdaq Capital Market may engage in passive market making transactions in the securities listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the securities. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security. If all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

 

Trading Markets and Listing of Securities

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each class or series of offered securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than our ordinary shares, which is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Any shares of ordinary shares offered hereunder will be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or such other exchange or market on which the ordinary shares is listed at the time of such offering. We may elect to list any other class or series of securities on any additional exchange or market, but we are not obligated to do so unless stated otherwise in a prospectus supplement. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a class or series of securities, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Therefore, we cannot give any assurance as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of the offered securities.

 

Compensation

 

In compliance with the guidelines of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), the aggregate maximum discount, commission or agency fees or other items constituting underwriting compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer will not exceed 8% of any offering pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the securities registered hereunder will be passed upon for us by Alston & Bird LLP and Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements of Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd, Inc. appearing in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been audited by BDO China Shu Lun Pan Certified Public Accountants LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in its report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

21

 

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

 

The following table sets forth an estimate of the fees and expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by the Registrant in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered. All the amounts shown are estimates, except for the SEC registration fee.

 

   Amount 
SEC registration fee  $12,980 
Accounting fees and expenses  $* 
Legal fees and expenses  $* 
Printing and miscellaneous fees and expenses  $* 
Total  $* 

 

*These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances, and accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the estimated amount of expenses in connection with any offering of securities.

 

The expenses set forth above relate solely to the preparation and filing of this registration statement. We may incur additional expenses in connection with any offering of the securities registered hereunder.

 

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

 

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company's memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. The Registrant's amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide each Director, agent or officer of the Company shall be indemnified out of assets of the Company against any liability incurred by him as a result of any act or failure to act in carrying out his functions other than such liability (if any) that he may incur by his own fraud or willful default. No such Director, agent or officer shall be liable to the Company for any loss or damage in carrying out his functions unless that liability arises through the fraud or willful default of such Director, agent or officer.

 

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers and certain other key employees providing for indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by Cayman Islands law and, in certain respects, the indemnification agreements may provide greater protection than that specifically provided for by Cayman Islands law. The indemnification agreements will not provide indemnification for, among other things, conduct which is found to be knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest, or for willful misconduct. We also intend to obtain policies that insure our directors and officers against certain liabilities they may incur in their capacity as directors and officers. Under these policies, the insurer, on our behalf, may pay amounts for which we have granted indemnification to the directors or officers.

 

We currently carry and intend to continue to carry liability insurance for our directors and officers.

 

Item 16. Exhibits

 

See the Exhibit Index which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

II-1

 

 

Item 17. Undertakings

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(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 (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) 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 liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

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

 

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

 

II-2

 

 

(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 the registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(6)That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement 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.

 

(7)That:

 

(i)for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of the 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 the registration statement as of the time it was declared effective; and

 

(ii)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.

 

(8)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.

 

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

 

II-3

 

 

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 Fuzhou, province of Fujian, on September 4, 2020.

 

 PINGTAN MARINE ENTERPRISE LTD.
   
 By:/s/ Xinrong Zhuo
  Xinrong Zhuo
  Chief Executive Officer

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Xinrong Zhuo as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full powers of substitution and resubstitution, for each of them and in each of their names, places and steads, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments and any related registration statements thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462 and otherwise) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, and generally to do all such things in their names and behalf in each of their capacities as officers and directors to enable the Company to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and all requirements of the SEC, 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 connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

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

 

Name and Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/ Xinrong Zhuo   Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer   September 4, 2020
Xinrong Zhuo   (Principal Executive Officer)    
         
/s/ LiMing Yung   Chief Financial Officer   September 4, 2020
LiMing Yung   (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)    
         
/s/ Zengbiao Zhu   Director   September 4, 2020
Zengbiao Zhu        
         
/s/ Lin Bao   Director   September 4, 2020
Lin Bao        
         
/s/ XingAn Lin   Director   September 4, 2020
XingAn Lin        
         
/s/ Lin Lin   Director   September 4, 2020
Lin Lin        

 

II-4

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number
   
     
1.1   Form of Underwriting Agreement (*)
     
4.1   Specimen Ordinary Share (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-35192) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2013)
     
4.2   Specimen Warrant Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-35192) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2013)
     
4.3   Specimen Preferred shares Certificate and Form of Certificate of Designation of Preferred shares (*)
     
4.4   Form of Indenture (†)
     
4.5   Form of Debt Securities (*)
     
4.6   Form of Ordinary shares Warrant (including Warrant Certificate) (*)
     
4.7   Form of Preferred shares Warrant (including Warrant Certificate) (*)
     
4.8   Form of Debt Securities Warrant Agreement (including Warrant Certificate) (*)
     
4.9   Form of Unit Agreement (including Unit Certificate) (*)
     
5.1   Legal Opinion of Alston & Bird LLP (†)
     
5.2   Legal Opinion of Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP (†)
     
23.1   Consent of BDO China Shu Lun Pan Certified Public Accountants LLP (†)
     
23.2   Consent of Alston & Bird LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.1 to this Registration Statement (†)
     
23.3   Consent of Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.2 to this Registration Statement (†)
     
24.1   Power of Attorney is contained on the signature page (†)
     
25.1   Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Indenture (**)

 

(*)To be filed by an amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference, if applicable.

 

(**)To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1933, if applicable.

 

(†)Filed herewith.

 

 

II-5

 

 

EX-4.4 2 ea126365ex4-4_pingtanmarine.htm FORM OF INDENTURE

Exhibit 4.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PINGTAN MARINE ENTERPRISE LTD.,
Issuer

AND

[    ],
Trustee

INDENTURE

Dated as of [ ], 20[ ]
DEBT SECURITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page
     
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS 1
Section 1.01 Definitions of Terms 1
     
ARTICLE 2 ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, TERMS, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES 5
Section 2.01 Designation and Terms of Securities 5
Section 2.02 Form of Securities and Trustee’s Certificate 8
Section 2.03 Denominations: Provisions for Payment 8
Section 2.04 Execution and Authentications 9
Section 2.05 Registration of Transfer and Exchange 10
Section 2.06 Temporary Securities 11
Section 2.07 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Securities 12
Section 2.08 Cancellation 12
Section 2.09 Benefits of Indenture 13
Section 2.10 Authenticating Agent 13
Section 2.11 Global Securities 14
     
ARTICLE 3 REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES AND SINKING FUND PROVISIONS 15
Section 3.01 Redemption 15
Section 3.02 Notice of Redemption 15
Section 3.03 Payment Upon Redemption 16
Section 3.04 Sinking Fund 16
Section 3.05 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities 17
Section 3.06 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund 17
     
ARTICLE 4 COVENANTS 17
Section 4.01 Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest 17
Section 4.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency 18
Section 4.03 Paying Agents 18
Section 4.04 Appointment to Fill Vacancy in Office of Trustee 19
Section 4.05 Compliance with Consolidation Provisions 19
     
ARTICLE 5 SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE 19
Section 5.01 Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders 19
Section 5.02 Preservation Of Information; Communications With Securityholders 19
Section 5.03 Reports by the Company 20
Section 5.04 Reports by the Trustee 20

 

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ARTICLE 6 REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT 21
Section 6.01 Events of Default 21
Section 6.02 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee 22
Section 6.03 Application of Moneys Collected 24
Section 6.04 Limitation on Suits 24
Section 6.05 Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver 25
Section 6.06 Control by Securityholders 25
Section 6.07 Undertaking to Pay Costs 26
     
ARTICLE 7 CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE 26
Section 7.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee 26
Section 7.02 Certain Rights of Trustee 27
Section 7.03 Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance or Securities 29
Section 7.04 May Hold Securities 29
Section 7.05 Moneys Held in Trust 29
Section 7.06 Compensation and Reimbursement 30
Section 7.07 Reliance on Officer’s Certificate 30
Section 7.08 Disqualification; Conflicting Interests 31
Section 7.09 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility 31
Section 7.10 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor 31
Section 7.11 Acceptance of Appointment By Successor 32
Section 7.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business 34
Section 7.13 Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company 34
Section 7.14 Notice of Default 34
     
ARTICLE 8 CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS 34
Section 8.01 Evidence of Action by Securityholders 34
Section 8.02 Proof of Execution by Securityholders 35
Section 8.03 Who May be Deemed Owners 35
Section 8.04 Certain Securities Owned by Company Disregarded 35
Section 8.05 Actions Binding on Future Securityholders 36
     
ARTICLE 9 SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES 36
Section 9.01 Supplemental Indentures Without the Consent of Securityholders 36
Section 9.02 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders 37
Section 9.03 Effect of Supplemental Indentures 38
Section 9.04 Securities Affected by Supplemental Indentures 38
Section 9.05 Execution of Supplemental Indentures 38
     
ARTICLE 10 SUCCESSOR ENTITY 39
Section 10.01 Company May Consolidate, Etc 39
Section 10.02 Successor Entity Substituted 39
     
ARTICLE 11 SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE 40
Section 11.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture 40
Section 11.02 Discharge of Obligations 40

 

ii

 

 

Section 11.03 Deposited Moneys to be Held in Trust 40
Section 11.04 Payment of Moneys Held by Paying Agents 40
Section 11.05 Repayment to Company 41
     
ARTICLE 12 IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS 41
Section 12.01 No Recourse 41
     
ARTICLE 13 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 41
Section 13.01 Effect on Successors and Assigns 41
Section 13.02 Actions by Successor 41
Section 13.03 Surrender of Company Powers 42
Section 13.04 Notices 42
Section 13.05 Governing Law 42
Section 13.06 Treatment of Securities as Debt 42
Section 13.07 Certificates as to Conditions Precedent 42
Section 13.08 Payments on Business Days 43
Section 13.09 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act 43
Section 13.10 Counterparts 43
Section 13.11 Separability 43
Section 13.12 Compliance Certificates 43
Section 13.13 U.S.A. Patriot Act 44
Section 13.14 Force Majeure 44
Section 13.15 Table of Contents; Headings 44

 

iii

 

 

INDENTURE

 

INDENTURE, dated as of [        ], 20[  ], among Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd., a Cayman Islands company (the “Company”), and [         ], as trustee (the “Trustee”):

 

WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of debt securities (hereinafter referred to as the “Securities”), in an unlimited aggregate principal amount to be issued from time to time in one or more Series as in this Indenture provided, as registered Securities without coupons, to be authenticated by the certificate of the Trustee;

 

WHEREAS, to provide the terms and conditions upon which the Securities are to be authenticated, issued and delivered, the Company has duly authorized the execution of this Indenture; and

 

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

 

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

 

ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01 Definitions of Terms. The terms defined in this Section (except as in this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) for all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section and shall include the plural as well as the singular. All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or that are by reference in such Act defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (except as herein or any indenture supplemental hereto otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires), shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in said Trust Indenture Act and in said Securities Act as in force at the date of the execution of this instrument.

 

Authenticating Agent” means an authenticating agent with respect to all or any of the Series of Securities appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 2.10.

 

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

 

Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors (or the functional equivalent thereof) of the Company or any duly authorized committee of such Board.

 

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors (or duly authorized committee thereof) and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification.

 

 

 

 

Business Day” means, with respect to any Series of Securities, any day other than a day on which federal or state banking institutions in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, or in the city of the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, are authorized or obligated by law, executive order or regulation to close.

 

Certificate” means a certificate signed by any Officer. The Certificate need not comply with the provisions of Section 13.07.

 

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

 

Company” means Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and, subject to the provisions of Article 10, shall also include its successors and assigns.

 

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

 

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

 

Defaulted Interest” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03.

 

Depositary” means, with respect to Securities of any Series for which the Company shall determine that such Securities will be issued as a Global Security, The Depository Trust Company, another clearing agency, or any successor registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act, or other applicable statute or regulation, which, in each case, shall be designated by the Company pursuant to either Section 2.01 or Section 2.11.

 

Event of Default” means, with respect to Securities of a particular Series, any event specified in Section 6.01, continued for the period of time, if any, therein designated.

 

Exchange Act” means the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder.

 

Global Security” means a Security issued to evidence all or a part of any Series of Securities which is executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary’s instruction, all in accordance with the Indenture, which shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee.

 

2

 

 

Governmental Obligations” means securities that are (a) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (b) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America that, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof at any time prior to the stated maturity of the Securities, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Governmental Obligation or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such Governmental Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt; provided, however, that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Governmental Obligation or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the Governmental Obligation evidenced by such depositary receipt.

 

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.

 

Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into in accordance with the terms hereof and shall include the terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 2.01.

 

Interest Payment Date”, when used with respect to any installment of interest on a Security of a particular Series, means the date specified in such Security or in a Board Resolution or in an indenture supplemental hereto with respect to such Series as the fixed date on which an installment of interest with respect to Securities of that Series is due and payable.

 

Officer” means, with respect to the Company, the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president, the chief financial officer, the chief operating officer, any executive vice president, any senior vice president, any vice president, the treasurer or any assistant treasurer, the controller or any assistant controller or the secretary or any assistant secretary.

 

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any Officer. Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 13.07(b), if and to the extent required by the provisions thereof.

 

Opinion of Counsel” means an opinion in writing subject to customary exceptions of legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company, that is delivered to the Trustee in accordance with the terms hereof. Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 13.07(b), if and to the extent required by the provisions thereof.

 

3

 

 

Outstanding”, when used with reference to Securities of any Series, means, subject to the provisions of Section 8.04, as of any particular time, all Securities of that Series theretofore authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Indenture, except (a) Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or any paying agent, or delivered to the Trustee or any paying agent for cancellation or that have previously been canceled; (b) Securities or portions thereof for the payment or redemption of which moneys or Governmental Obligations in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any paying agent (other than the Company) or shall have been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own paying agent); provided, however, that if such Securities or portions of such Securities are to be redeemed prior to the maturity thereof, notice of such redemption shall have been given as provided in Article 3, or provision satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made for giving such notice; and (c) Securities in lieu of or in substitution for which other Securities shall have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.07.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, association, trust, unincorporated organization, any other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

 

Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 2.07 in lieu of a lost, destroyed or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed or stolen Security.

 

Responsible Officer” when used with respect to the Trustee means any officer of the Trustee assigned by the Trustee to administer its corporate trust matters with respect to this Indenture (which, for the avoidance of doubt, includes without limitation any supplemental indenture hereto).

 

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

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Securityholder”, “holder of Securities”, “registered holder”, or other similar term, means the Person or Persons in whose name or names a particular Security is registered on the Security Register kept for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

 

Security Register” and “Security Registrar” shall have the meanings as set forth in Section 2.05.

 

Series” or “Series of Securities” means each Series of Securities of the Company created pursuant to Article 2.

 

Subsidiary” of any specified Person means any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of capital stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that person or a combination thereof.

 

Trustee” means , and, subject to the provisions of Article 7, shall also include its successors and assigns, and, if at any time there is more than one Person acting in such capacity hereunder, “Trustee” shall mean each such Person. The term “Trustee” as used with respect to a particular Series of the Securities shall mean the trustee with respect to that Series.

 

4

 

 

Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code Sections 77aaa-77bbbb), as amended.

 

U.S.A. Patriot Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-56, as amended and signed into law October 26, 2001.

 

ARTICLE 2
ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, TERMS, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION
AND EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES

 

Section 2.01 Designation and Terms of Securities.

 

(a) The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series up to the aggregate principal amount of Securities of that Series from time to time authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or pursuant to one or more indentures supplemental hereto. Prior to the initial issuance of Securities of any Series, there shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto:

 

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

 

(2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of that Series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of that Series);

 

(3) the maturity date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;

 

(4) the form of the Securities of the Series including the form of the certificate of authentication for such Series;

 

(5) the applicability of any guarantees;

 

(6) whether or not the Securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt;

 

(7) whether the Securities rank as senior debt, senior subordinated debt, subordinated debt or any combination thereof, and the terms of any subordination;

 

5

 

 

(8) if the price (expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount thereof) at which such Securities will be issued is a price other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount thereof payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof, or if applicable, the portion of the principal amount of such Securities that is convertible into another security or the method by which any such portion shall be determined;

 

(9) the interest rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates;

 

(10) the Company’s right, if any, to defer the payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period;

 

(11) if applicable, the date or dates after which, or the period or periods during which, and the price or prices at which, the Company may at its option, redeem such Series of Securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms (including, if applicable, the ability to make any redemption of such Series of Securities conditional on the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent) of those redemption provisions;

 

(12) the date or dates, if any, on which, and the price or prices at which the Company is obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the Securityholder’s option to purchase, the Series of Securities and the currency or currency unit in which the Securities are payable;

 

(13) the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable, if other than denominations of one thousand U.S. dollars ($1,000) or any integral multiple thereof;

 

(14) any and all terms, if applicable, relating to any auction or remarketing of the Securities of that Series and any security for the obligations of the Company with respect to such Securities and any other terms which may be advisable in connection with the marketing of Securities of that Series;

 

(15) whether the Securities of the Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of a Global Security or Securities; the terms and conditions, if any, upon which such Global Security or Securities may be exchanged in whole or in part for other individual Securities; and the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities;

 

(16) if applicable, the provisions relating to conversion or exchange of any Securities of the Series and the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, including the conversion or exchange price, as applicable, or how it will be calculated and may be adjusted, any mandatory or optional (at the Company’s option or the holders’ option) conversion or exchange features, the applicable conversion or exchange period and the manner of settlement for any conversion or exchange, which may, without limitation, include the payment of cash as well as the delivery of securities;

 

(17) if other than the full principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the Series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01;

 

6

 

 

(18) additions to or changes in the covenants applicable to the Series of Securities being issued, including, among others, the consolidation, merger or sale covenant;

 

(19) additions to or changes in the Events of Default with respect to the Securities and any change in the right of the Trustee or the Securityholders to declare the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, with respect to such Securities to be due and payable;

 

(20) additions to or changes in or deletions of the provisions relating to covenant defeasance and legal defeasance;

 

(21) additions to or changes in the provisions relating to satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture;

 

(22) additions to or changes in the provisions relating to the modification of this Indenture both with and without the consent of Securityholders of Securities issued under this Indenture;

 

(23) the currency of payment of Securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars;

 

(24) whether interest will be payable in cash or additional Securities at the Company’s or the Securityholders’ option, the terms and conditions upon which the election may be made;

 

(25) the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the Company shall pay amounts in addition to the stated interest, premium, if any and principal amounts of the Securities of the Series to any Securityholder that is not a “United States person” for federal tax purposes;

 

(26) any restrictions on transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities of the Series; and

 

(27) any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the Securities, any other additions or changes in the provisions of this Indenture, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations.

 

(b) All Securities of any one Series shall be substantially identical except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to any such Board Resolution or in any indentures supplemental hereto.

 

If any of the terms of the Series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Company, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officer’s Certificate of the Company setting forth the terms of the Series.

 

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 dates.

 

7

 

 

Section 2.02 Form of Securities and Trustee’s Certificate. The Securities of any Series and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication to be borne by such Securities shall be substantially of the tenor and purport as set forth in one or more indentures supplemental hereto or as provided in a Board Resolution, and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate, and they may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or designation and such legends or endorsements printed, lithographed or engraved thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any securities exchange on which Securities of that Series may be listed, or to conform to usage.

 

Section 2.03 Denominations: Provisions for Payment. The Securities shall be issuable as registered Securities and in the denominations of one thousand U.S. dollars ($1,000) or any integral multiple thereof, subject to Section 2.01(a)(13). The Securities of a particular Series shall bear interest payable on the dates and at the rate specified with respect to that Series. Subject to Section 2.01(a)(23), the principal of and the interest on the Securities of any Series, as well as any premium thereon in the case of a redemption or repurchase thereof prior to maturity, and any cash amount due upon the conversion or exchange thereof, shall be payable in the coin or currency of the United States of America that at the time is legal tender for public and private debt, at the office or agency of the Company in the continental United States of America maintained for that purpose. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months.

 

The interest installment on any Security that is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for Securities of that Series shall be paid to the Person in whose name said Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such interest installment. In the event that any Security of a particular Series or portion thereof is called for redemption and the redemption date is subsequent to a regular record date with respect to any Interest Payment Date and prior to such Interest Payment Date, interest on such Security will be paid upon presentation and surrender of such Security as provided in Section 3.03.

 

8

 

 

Any interest on any Security that is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for Securities of the same Series (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered holder on the relevant regular record date by virtue of having been such holder; and such Defaulted Interest shall be paid by the Company, at its election, as provided in clause (1) or clause (2) below:

 

(1) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on Securities to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner: the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall not be more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such special record date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor to be mailed, first class postage prepaid, to each Securityholder at his or her address as it appears in the Security Register (as hereinafter defined), not less than 10 days prior to such special record date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered on such special record date.

 

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

 

Unless otherwise set forth in a Board Resolution or one or more indentures supplemental hereto establishing the terms of any Series of Securities pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof, the term “regular record date” as used in this Section with respect to a Series of Securities and any Interest Payment Date for such Series shall mean either the fifteenth day of the month immediately preceding the month in which an Interest Payment Date established for such Series pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof shall occur, if such Interest Payment Date is the first day of a month, or the first day of the month in which an Interest Payment Date established for such Series pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof shall occur, if such Interest Payment Date is the fifteenth day of a month, whether or not such date is a Business Day.

 

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

 

Section 2.04 Execution and Authentications. The Securities shall be signed on behalf of the Company by one of its Officers. Signatures may be in the form of a manual or facsimile signature.

 

The Company may use the facsimile signature of any Person who shall have been an Officer (at the time of execution), notwithstanding the fact that at the time the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered or disposed of such Person shall have ceased to be such an officer of the Company. The Securities may contain such notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication by the Trustee.

 

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A Security shall not be valid until authenticated manually by an authorized signatory of the Trustee, or by an Authenticating Agent. Such signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security so authenticated has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the holder is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any Series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a written order of the Company for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, signed by an Officer, and the Trustee in accordance with such written order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities.

 

Upon the Company’s delivery of any such authentication order to the Trustee at any time after the initial issuance of Securities under this Indenture, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, (1) an Opinion of Counsel or reliance letter and (2) an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities are in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner that is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

 

Section 2.05 Registration of Transfer and Exchange.

 

(a) Securities of any Series may be exchanged upon presentation thereof at the office or agency of the Company in the continental United States of America designated for such purpose, for other Securities of such Series of authorized denominations, and for a like aggregate principal amount, upon payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge in relation thereto, all as provided in this Section. In respect of any Securities so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in exchange therefor the Security or Securities of the same Series that the Securityholder making the exchange shall be entitled to receive, bearing numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.

 

(b) The Company shall keep, or cause to be kept at its office or agency in the continental United States of America designated for such purpose a register or registers (herein referred to as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall register the Securities and the transfers of Securities as in this Article provided and which at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the Trustee. The Security Registrar shall be appointed as authorized by Board Resolution.

 

Upon surrender for transfer of any Security at the office or agency of the Company designated for such purpose, the Company shall execute, the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in the name of the transferee or transferees a new Security or Securities of the same Series as the Security presented for a like aggregate principal amount.

 

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All Securities presented or surrendered for exchange or registration of transfer, as provided in this Section, shall be accompanied (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar) by a written instrument or instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Company or the Security Registrar, duly executed by the registered holder or by such holder’s duly authorized attorney in writing.

 

(c) Except as provided pursuant to Section 2.01 pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental to this Indenture, no service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Securities, or issue of new Securities in case of partial redemption of any Series or repurchase, conversion or exchange of less than the entire principal amount of a Security, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge in relation thereto, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 2.06, Section 3.03(b) and Section 9.04 not involving any transfer.

 

(d) The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, exchange or register the transfer of any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of less than all the Outstanding Securities of the same Series and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, nor (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Securities of any Series or portions thereof called for redemption or surrendered for repurchase, but not validly withdrawn, other than the unredeemed portion of any such Securities being redeemed in part or not surrendered for repurchase, as the case may be. The provisions of this Section 2.05 are, with respect to any Global Security, subject to Section 2.11 hereof.

 

The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Security (including any transfers between or among depositary participants or beneficial owners of interests in any Global Security) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

 

Section 2.06 Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any Series, the Company may execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities (printed, lithographed or typewritten) of any authorized denomination. Such temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Securities, all as may be determined by the Company. Every temporary Security of any Series shall be executed by the Company and be authenticated by the Trustee upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with like effect, as the definitive Securities of such Series. Without unnecessary delay the Company will execute and will furnish definitive Securities of such Series and thereupon any or all temporary Securities of such Series may be surrendered in exchange therefor (without charge to the holders), at the office or agency of the Company in the continental United States of America designated for the purpose, and the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in exchange for such temporary Securities an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of such Series, unless the Company advises the Trustee to the effect that definitive Securities need not be executed and furnished until further notice from the Company. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of such Series shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such Series authenticated and delivered hereunder.

 

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Section 2.07 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Securities. In case any temporary or definitive Security shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company (subject to the next succeeding sentence) shall execute, and upon the Company’s request the Trustee (subject as aforesaid) shall authenticate and deliver, a new Security of the same Series, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated Security, or in lieu of and in substitution for the Security so destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substituted Security shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Company and the Trustee evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of the applicant’s Security and of the ownership thereof. The Trustee may authenticate any such substituted Security and deliver the same upon the written request or authorization of any officer of the Company. Upon the issuance of any substituted Security, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

 

In case any Security that has matured or is about to mature shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company may, instead of issuing a substitute Security, pay or authorize the payment of the same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Security) if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as they may require to save them harmless, and, in case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence to the satisfaction of the Company and the Trustee of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and of the ownership thereof.

 

Every replacement Security issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the Company whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be found at any time, or be enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of the same Series duly issued hereunder. All Securities shall be held and owned upon the express condition that the foregoing provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities, and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) any and all other rights or remedies, notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the replacement or payment of negotiable instruments or other securities without their surrender.

 

Section 2.08 Cancellation. All Securities surrendered for the purpose of payment, redemption, repurchase, exchange, registration of transfer or conversion or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any paying agent (or any other applicable agent), be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or, if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be cancelled by it, and no Securities shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly required or permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture. On request of the Company at the time of such surrender, the Trustee shall deliver to the Company canceled Securities held by the Trustee. In the absence of such request the Trustee may dispose of canceled Securities in accordance with its standard procedures and deliver a certificate of disposition to the Company. If the Company shall otherwise acquire any of the Securities, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

 

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Section 2.09 Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, express or implied, shall give or be construed to give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and the holders of the Securities, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Indenture, or under any covenant, condition or provision herein contained; all such covenants, conditions and provisions being for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and of the holders of the Securities.

 

Section 2.10 Authenticating Agent. So long as any of the Securities of any Series remain Outstanding there may be an Authenticating Agent for any or all such Series of Securities which the Trustee shall have the right to appoint. Said Authenticating Agent shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such Series issued upon exchange, transfer or partial redemption, repurchase or conversion thereof, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. All references in this Indenture to the authentication of Securities by the Trustee shall be deemed to include authentication by an Authenticating Agent for such Series. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall be a corporation that has a combined capital and surplus, as most recently reported or determined by it, sufficient under the laws of any jurisdiction under which it is organized or in which it is doing business to conduct a trust business, and that is otherwise authorized under such laws to conduct such business and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities. If at any time any Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with these provisions, it shall resign immediately.

 

Any Authenticating Agent may at any time resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time (and upon request by the Company shall) terminate the agency of any Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon resignation, termination or cessation of eligibility of any Authenticating Agent, the Trustee may appoint an eligible successor Authenticating Agent acceptable to the Company. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent pursuant hereto.

 

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Section 2.11 Global Securities.

 

(a) If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 2.01 that the Securities of a particular Series are to be issued as a Global Security, then the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with Section 2.04, authenticate and deliver, a Global Security that (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of, all of the Outstanding Securities of such Series, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary’s instruction (or if the Depositary names the Trustee as its custodian, retained by the Trustee) and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially to the following effect: “Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11 of the Indenture, this Security may be transferred, in whole but not in part, only to another nominee of the Depositary or to a successor Depositary or to a nominee of such successor Depositary.”

 

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.05, the Global Security of a Series may be transferred, in whole but not in part and in the manner provided in Section 2.05, only to another nominee of the Depositary for such Series, or to a successor Depositary for such Series selected or approved by the Company or to a nominee of such successor Depositary.

 

(c) If at any time the Depositary for a Series of the Securities notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Series or if at any time the Depositary for such Series shall no longer be registered or in good standing under the Exchange Act, or other applicable statute or regulation, and a successor Depositary for such Series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such condition, as the case may be, or if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Company has received a request from the Depositary or from the Trustee, this Section 2.11 shall no longer be applicable to the Securities of such Series and the Company will execute, and subject to Section 2.04, the Trustee will authenticate and deliver the Securities of such Series in definitive registered form without coupons, in authorized denominations, and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security of such Series in exchange for such Global Security. In addition, the Company may at any time determine that the Securities of any Series shall no longer be represented by a Global Security and that the provisions of this Section 2.11 shall no longer apply to the Securities of such Series. In such event the Company will execute and, subject to Section 2.04, the Trustee, upon receipt of an Officer’s Certificate evidencing such determination by the Company, will authenticate and deliver the Securities of such Series in definitive registered form without coupons, in authorized denominations, and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security of such Series in exchange for such Global Security. Upon the exchange of the Global Security for such Securities in definitive registered form without coupons, in authorized denominations, the Global Security shall be canceled by the Trustee. Such Securities in definitive registered form issued in exchange for the Global Security pursuant to this Section 2.11(c) shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee. The Trustee shall deliver such Securities to the Depositary for delivery to the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

 

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ARTICLE 3
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES AND SINKING FUND PROVISIONS

 

Section 3.01 Redemption. The Company may redeem the Securities of any Series issued hereunder on and after the dates and in accordance with the terms established for such Series pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof.

 

Section 3.02 Notice of Redemption.

 

(a) In case the Company shall desire to exercise such right to redeem all or, as the case may be, a portion of the Securities of any Series in accordance with any right the Company reserved for itself to do so pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof, the Company shall, or shall cause the Trustee to, give notice of such redemption to holders of the Securities of such Series to be redeemed by mailing, first class postage prepaid (or with regard to any Global Security held in book entry form, by electronic mail), a notice of such redemption not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption of that Series to such holders at their last addresses as they shall appear upon the Security Register, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the registered holder receives the notice. In any case, failure duly to give such notice to the holder of any Security of any Series designated for redemption in whole or in part, or any defect in the notice, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities of such Series or any other Series. In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officer’s Certificate evidencing compliance with any such restriction.

 

Each such notice of redemption shall specify the date fixed for redemption and the redemption price at which Securities of that Series are to be redeemed, and shall state that payment of the redemption price of such Securities to be redeemed will be made at the office or agency of the Company in the continental United States of America, upon presentation and surrender of such Securities, that interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption will be paid as specified in said notice, that from and after said date interest will cease to accrue and that the redemption is from a sinking fund, if such is the case. If applicable, a notice of redemption may set forth one or more conditions precedent that must be satisfied prior to the redemption. If less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the notice to the holders of Securities of that Series to be redeemed in part shall specify the particular Securities to be so redeemed.

 

In case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice that relates to such Security shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed, and shall state that on and after the redemption date, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of such Series in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

 

(b) If less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Company shall give the Trustee at least 45 days’ notice (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) in advance of the date fixed for redemption as to the aggregate principal amount of Securities of the Series to be redeemed, and thereupon the Trustee shall select, by lot or in such other manner as it shall deem appropriate and fair in its discretion and that may provide for the selection of a portion or portions (equal to one thousand U.S. dollars ($1,000) or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of such Securities of a denomination larger than $1,000, the Securities to be redeemed and shall thereafter promptly notify the Company in writing of the numbers of the Securities to be redeemed, in whole or in part. The Company may, if and whenever it shall so elect, by delivery of instructions signed on its behalf by an Officer, instruct the Trustee or any paying agent to call all or any part of the Securities of a particular Series for redemption and to give notice of redemption in the manner set forth in this Section, such notice to be in the name of the Company or its own name as the Trustee or such paying agent may deem advisable. In any case in which notice of redemption is to be given by the Trustee or any such paying agent, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to, or permit to remain with, the Trustee or such paying agent, as the case may be, such Security Register, transfer books or other records, or suitable copies or extracts therefrom, sufficient to enable the Trustee or such paying agent to give any notice by mail that may be required under the provisions of this Section.

 

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Section 3.03 Payment Upon Redemption.

 

(a) If the giving of notice of redemption shall have been completed as above provided, the Securities or portions of Securities of the Series to be redeemed specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the date and at the place stated in such notice at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption and interest on such Securities or portions of Securities shall cease to accrue on and after the date fixed for redemption, unless the Company shall default in the payment of such redemption price and accrued interest with respect to any such Security or portion thereof, subject to, with respect to any redemption that is conditioned upon the satisfaction of any conditions precedent, (i) the delay of such redemption date until such time as any or all of such conditions precedent have been satisfied or (ii) the revocation of such redemption if the Company determines that such conditions precedent will not be satisfied. On presentation and surrender of such Securities on or after the date fixed for redemption at the place of payment specified in the notice, said Securities shall be paid and redeemed at the applicable redemption price for such Series, together with interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption (but if the date fixed for redemption is an Interest Payment Date, the interest installment payable on such date shall be payable to the registered holder at the close of business on the applicable record date pursuant to Section 2.03).

 

(b) Upon presentation of any Security of such Series that is to be redeemed in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and the office or agency where the Security is presented shall deliver to the holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Security of the same Series of authorized denominations in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Security so presented.

 

Section 3.04 Sinking Fund. The provisions of Sections 3.04, 3.05 and 3.06 shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a Series, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.01 for Securities of such Series.

 

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment”. If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 3.05. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series.

 

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Section 3.05 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company (i) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a Series and (ii) may apply as a credit Securities of a Series that have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of such Series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such Series, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the redemption price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

 

Section 3.06 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 45 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities (unless a shorter period shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of the Series, the portion thereof, if any, that is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 3.05 and the basis for such credit and will, together with such Officer’s Certificate, deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 3.02 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 3.02. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 3.03.

 

ARTICLE 4
COVENANTS

 

Section 4.01 Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest. The Company will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal of (and premium, if any), interest on, and any redemption price or repurchase price for the Securities of that Series at the time and place and in the manner provided herein and established with respect to such Securities. Payments of the principal of, redemption price for or repurchase price for, the Securities may be made at the time provided herein and established with respect to such Securities by U.S. dollar check drawn on and mailed to the address of the Securityholder entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register, or U.S. dollar wire transfer to, a U.S. dollar account if such Securityholder shall have furnished wire instructions to the Trustee no later than 15 days prior to the relevant payment date. Payments of interest on the Securities may be made at the time provided herein and established with respect to such Securities by U.S. dollar check mailed to the address of the Securityholder entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register, or U.S. dollar wire transfer to, a U.S. dollar account if such Securityholder shall have furnished wire instructions in writing to the Security Registrar and the Trustee no later than 15 days prior to the relevant payment date.

 

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Section 4.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency. So long as any Series of the Securities remain Outstanding, the Company agrees to maintain an office or agency in the continental United States of America with respect to each such Series and at such other location or locations as may be designated as provided in this Section 4.02, where (i) Securities of that Series may be presented for payment, (ii) Securities of that Series may be presented as herein above authorized for registration of transfer and exchange, and (iii) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that Series and this Indenture may be given or served, such designation to continue with respect to such office or agency until the Company shall, by written notice signed by any officer authorized to sign an Officer’s Certificate and delivered to the Trustee, designate some other office or agency for such purposes or any of them. 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, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, notices and demands. The Company initially appoints the Trustee as its paying agent with respect to the Securities.

 

Section 4.03 Paying Agents.

 

(a) If the Company shall appoint one or more paying agents for all or any Series of the Securities, other than the Trustee, the Company will cause each such paying agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section:

 

(1) that it will hold all sums held by it as such agent for the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Securities of that Series (whether such sums have been paid to it by the Company or by any other obligor of such Securities) in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto;

 

(2) that it will give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Company (or by any other obligor of such Securities) to make any payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Securities of that Series when the same shall be due and payable;

 

(3) that it will, at any time during the continuance of any failure referred to in the preceding paragraph (a)(2) above, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such paying agent; and

 

(4) that it will perform all other duties of paying agent as set forth in this Indenture.

 

(b) If the Company shall act as its own paying agent with respect to any Series of the Securities, it will on or before each due date of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on Securities of that Series, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay such principal (and premium, if any) or interest so becoming due on Securities of that Series until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and will promptly notify the Trustee of such action, or any failure (by it or any other obligor on such Securities) to take such action. Whenever the Company shall have one or more paying agents for any Series of Securities, it will, prior to each due date of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Securities of that Series, deposit with the 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 this action or failure so to act.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Section to the contrary, (i) the agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section is subject to the provisions of Section 11.05, and (ii) the Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or 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 terms and conditions as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such paying agent; and, upon such payment by the Company or any paying agent to the Trustee, the Company or such paying agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

 

Section 4.04 Appointment to Fill Vacancy in Office of Trustee. The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 7.10, a Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.

 

Section 4.05 Compliance with Consolidation Provisions. The Company will not, while any of the Securities remain Outstanding, consolidate with or merge into any other Person, in either case where the Company is not the survivor of such transaction, or sell or convey all or substantially all of its property to any other Person unless the provisions of Article 10 hereof are complied with.

 

ARTICLE 5
SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS
BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE

 

Section 5.01 Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee (a) within 15 days after each regular record date (as defined in Section 2.03) a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the holders of each Series of Securities as of such regular record date, provided that the Company shall not be obligated to furnish or cause to furnish such list at any time that the list shall not differ in any respect from the most recent list furnished to the Trustee by the Company and (b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished; provided, however, that, in either case, no such list need be furnished for any Series for which the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar.

 

Section 5.02 Preservation Of Information; Communications With Securityholders.

 

(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the holders of Securities contained in the most recent list furnished to it as provided in Section 5.01 and as to the names and addresses of holders of Securities received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar (if acting in such capacity).

 

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(b) The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 5.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

 

(c) Securityholders may communicate as provided in Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with other Securityholders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and, in connection with any such communications, the Trustee shall satisfy its obligations under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the provisions of Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 5.03 Reports by the Company.

 

(a) The Company covenants and agrees to provide (which delivery may be via electronic mail) to the Trustee within 30 days, after the Company files the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) that the Company is required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, the Company shall not be required to deliver to the Trustee any correspondence filed with the SEC or any materials for which the Company has sought and received confidential treatment by the Commission. For the avoidance of doubt, a failure by the Company to file annual reports, information and other reports with the SEC within the time period prescribed thereof by the Commission shall not be deemed a breach of this Section 5.03.

 

(b) Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under Section 5.03 is for informational purposes only and the information and the Trustee’s receipt of the foregoing shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein, or determinable from information contained therein including the Company’s compliance with any of their covenants thereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

 

Section 5.04 Reports by the Trustee.

 

(a) If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee, within sixty (60) days after each [_______], commencing [        ], 20[  ], shall transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the Security Register, a brief report dated as of such [        ], which complies with Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

(b) The Trustee shall comply with Section 313(b) and 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

(c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Securityholders, be filed by the Trustee with the Company, with each securities exchange upon which any Securities are listed (if so listed) and also with the Commission. The Company agrees to notify the Trustee when any Securities become listed on any securities exchange.

 

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ARTICLE 6
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS
ON EVENT OF DEFAULT

 

Section 6.01 Events of Default.

 

(a) Whenever used herein with respect to Securities of a particular Series, “Event of Default” means any one or more of the following events that has occurred and is continuing:

 

(1) the Company defaults in the payment of any installment of interest upon any of the Securities of that Series, as and when the same shall become due and payable, and such default continues for a period of 90 days; provided, however, that a valid extension of an interest payment period by the Company in accordance with the terms of any indenture supplemental hereto shall not constitute a default in the payment of interest for this purpose;

 

(2) the Company defaults in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any of the Securities of that Series as and when the same shall become due and payable whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise, or in any payment required by any sinking or analogous fund established with respect to that Series; provided, however, that a valid extension of the maturity of such Securities in accordance with the terms of any indenture supplemental hereto shall not constitute a default in the payment of principal or premium, if any;

 

(3) the Company fails to observe or perform any other of its covenants or agreements with respect to that Series contained in this Indenture or otherwise established with respect to that Series of Securities pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof (other than a covenant or agreement that has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of one or more Series of Securities other than such Series) for a period of 90 days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring the same to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder, shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee, by registered or certified mail, or to the Company and the Trustee by the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Securities of that Series at the time Outstanding;

 

(4) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law (i) commences a voluntary case, (ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property or (iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or

 

(5) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order under any Bankruptcy Law that (i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company for all or substantially all of its property or (iii) orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 days.

 

(b) In each and every such case (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (4) or clause (5) above), unless the principal of all the Securities of that Series shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of that Series then Outstanding hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by such Securityholders), may declare the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and accrued and unpaid interest on all the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in clause (4) or clause (5) above occurs, the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on all the Securities of that Series shall automatically be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or the holders of the Securities.

 

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(c) At any time after the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and accrued and unpaid interest on the Securities of that Series shall have been so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of that Series then Outstanding hereunder, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if: (i) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest upon all the Securities of that Series and the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any and all Securities of that Series that shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest upon such principal and premium, if any, and, to the extent that such payment is enforceable under applicable law, upon overdue installments of interest, at the rate per annum expressed in the Securities of that Series to the date of such payment or deposit) and the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 7.06, and (ii) any and all Events of Default under the Indenture with respect to such Series, other than the nonpayment of principal on (and premium, if any, on) and accrued and unpaid interest on Securities of that Series that shall not have become due by their terms, shall have been remedied or waived as provided in Section 6.06.

 

No such rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

(d) In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right with respect to Securities of that Series under this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned because of such rescission or annulment or for any other reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceedings, the Company and the Trustee shall be restored respectively to their former positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Company and the Trustee shall continue as though no such proceedings had been taken.

 

Section 6.02 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

 

(a) The Company covenants that (i) in case it shall default in the payment of any installment of interest on any of the Securities of a Series, or in any payment required by any sinking or analogous fund established with respect to that Series as and when the same shall have become due and payable, and such default shall have continued for a period of 90 days, or (ii) in case it shall default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any of the Securities of a Series when the same shall have become due and payable, whether upon maturity of the Securities of a Series or upon redemption or upon declaration or otherwise then, upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the holders of the Securities of that Series, the whole amount that then shall have been become due and payable on all such Securities for principal (and premium, if any) or interest, or both, as the case may be, with interest upon the overdue principal (and premium, if any) and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) upon overdue installments of interest at the rate per annum expressed in the Securities of that Series; and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, and the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 7.06.

 

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(b) If the Company shall fail to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any action or proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Company or other obligor upon the Securities of that Series and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law or equity out of the property of the Company or other obligor upon the Securities of that Series, wherever situated.

 

(c) In case of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, readjustment, arrangement, composition or judicial proceedings affecting the Company, or its creditors or property, the Trustee shall have power to intervene in such proceedings and take any action therein that may be permitted by the court and shall (except as may be otherwise provided by law) be entitled to file such proofs of claim and other papers and documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee and of the holders of Securities of such Series allowed for the entire amount due and payable by the Company under the Indenture at the date of institution of such proceedings and for any additional amount that may become due and payable by the Company after such date, and to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claim, and to distribute the same after the deduction of the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 7.06; and any receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization is hereby authorized by each of the holders of Securities of such Series to make such payments to the Trustee, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to such Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it under Section 7.06.

 

(d) All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the terms established with respect to Securities of that Series, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of such Securities, or the production thereof at any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and any such suit or 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 payment to the Trustee of any amounts due under Section 7.06, be for the ratable benefit of the holders of the Securities of such Series.

 

In case of an Event of Default hereunder, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any of such rights, either at law or in equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in the Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture, or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by law.

 

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

 

Section 6.03 Application of Moneys Collected. Any moneys collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article with respect to a particular Series of Securities shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such moneys on account of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, upon presentation of the Securities of that Series, and notation thereon of the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

 

FIRST: To the payment of reasonable costs and expenses of collection and of all amounts payable to the Trustee under Section 7.06;

 

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

 

THIRD: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company or any other Person lawfully entitled thereto.

 

Section 6.04 Limitation on Suits. No holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to this Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless (i) such holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof with respect to the Securities of such Series specifying such Event of Default, as hereinbefore provided; (ii) the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such Series then Outstanding shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as Trustee hereunder; (iii) such holder or holders shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby; (iv) the Trustee for 90 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity, shall have failed to institute any such action, suit or proceeding and (v) during such 90 day period, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of that Series do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the request.

 

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Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary or any other provisions of this Indenture, the right of any holder of any Security to receive payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on such Security, as therein provided, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security (or in the case of redemption, on the redemption date), or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates or redemption date, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such holder and by accepting a Security hereunder it is expressly understood, intended and covenanted by the taker and holder of every Security of such Series with every other such taker and holder and the Trustee, that no one or more holders of Securities of such Series shall have any right in any manner whatsoever by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of the holders of any other of such Securities, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such holder, or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all holders of Securities of such Series. For the protection and enforcement of the provisions of this Section, each and every Securityholder and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.

 

Section 6.05 Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

 

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.07, all powers and remedies given by this Article to the Trustee or to the Securityholders shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of any other powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the holders of the Securities, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture or otherwise established with respect to such Securities.

 

(b) No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any holder of any of the Securities to exercise any right or power accruing upon any Event of Default occurring and continuing as aforesaid shall impair any such right or power, or shall be construed to be a waiver of any such default or an acquiescence therein; and, subject to the provisions of Section 6.04, every power and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or the Securityholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Securityholders.

 

Section 6.06 Control by Securityholders. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any Series at the time Outstanding, determined in accordance with Section 8.04, 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 such Series; provided, however, that such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or subject the Trustee in its sole discretion to personal liability. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, 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 officers of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed, subject to the Trustee’s duties under the Trust Indenture Act, would involve the Trustee in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the Securityholders not involved in the proceeding. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any Series at the time Outstanding affected thereby, determined in accordance with Section 8.04, may on behalf of the holders of all of the Securities of such Series waive any past default in the performance of any of the covenants contained herein or established pursuant to Section 2.01 with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, any of the Securities of that Series as and when the same shall become due by the terms of such Securities otherwise than by acceleration (unless such default has been cured and a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest and principal and any premium has been deposited with the Trustee (in accordance with Section 6.01(c)). Upon any such waiver, the default covered thereby shall be deemed to be cured for all purposes of this Indenture and the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Securities of such Series shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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Section 6.07 Undertaking to Pay Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each holder of any Securities by such holder’s acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Securityholder, or group of Securityholders, holding more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Securityholder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Security of such Series, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security or established pursuant to this Indenture.

 

ARTICLE 7
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

 

Section 7.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.

 

(a) The Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of a Series and after the curing of all Events of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform with respect to the Securities of such Series such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. In case an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of a Series has occurred (that has not been cured or waived), the Trustee shall exercise with respect to Securities of that Series such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

 

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

 

(i) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of a Series and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default with respect to that Series that may have occurred:

 

(A) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall with respect to the Securities of such Series be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to the Securities of such Series except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

 

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(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may with respect to the Securities of such Series conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture;

 

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

 

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

 

(iv) none of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if there is reasonable ground for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Indenture or adequate indemnity against such risk is not reasonably assured to it.

 

Section 7.02 Certain Rights of Trustee.

 

Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.01:

 

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

 

(b) Any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution or an instrument signed in the name of the Company by any authorized officer of the Company (unless other evidence in respect thereof is specifically prescribed herein);

 

(c) The Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of such counsel or, if requested, any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or suffered or omitted hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

 

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(d) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Securityholders pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that may be incurred therein or thereby; nothing contained herein shall, however, relieve the Trustee of the obligation, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to a Series of the Securities (that has not been cured or waived), to exercise with respect to Securities of that Series such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and to 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;

 

(e) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;

 

(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, consent, order, approval, bond, security, or other papers or documents, unless requested in writing so to do by the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of the particular Series affected thereby (determined as provided in Section 8.04); provided, however, that if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such costs, expenses or liabilities as a condition to so proceeding. The reasonable expense of every such examination shall be paid by the Company or, if paid by the Trustee, shall be repaid by the Company upon demand;

 

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

 

(h) In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations 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 shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances;

 

(i) In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action; and

 

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(j) The Trustee agrees to accept and act upon instructions or directions pursuant to this Indenture sent by unsecured e-mail, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods; provided, however, that (a) the party providing such written instructions, subsequent to such transmission of written instructions, shall provide the originally executed instructions or directions to the Trustee in a timely manner, and (b) such originally executed instructions or directions shall be signed by an authorized representative of the party providing such instructions or directions. If the party elects to give the Trustee e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Trustee in its sole discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The party providing electronic instructions agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.

 

(k) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such certificate or opinion.

 

In addition, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of an Event of Default other than an Event of Default relating to the failure to pay the interest on, or the principal of, the Securities, until the Trustee shall have received written notification in the manner set forth in this Indenture or a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have obtained actual knowledge.

 

Section 7.03 Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance or Securities.

 

(a) The recitals contained herein and in the Securities shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same.

 

(b) The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities.

 

(c) The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of any of the Securities or of the proceeds of such Securities, or for the use or application of any moneys paid over by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or established pursuant to Section 2.01, or for the use or application of any moneys received by any paying agent other than the Trustee.

 

Section 7.04 May Hold Securities. The Trustee or any paying agent or Security Registrar, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, paying agent or Security Registrar.

 

Section 7.05 Moneys Held in Trust. Subject to the provisions of Section 11.05, all moneys received by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received, but need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any moneys received by it hereunder except such as it may agree to in writing with the Company to pay thereon.

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Section 7.06 Compensation and Reimbursement.

 

(a) The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such reasonable compensation (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) as the Company and the Trustee may from time to time agree in writing, for all services rendered by it in the execution of the trusts hereby created and in the exercise and performance of any of the powers and duties hereunder of the Trustee, and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the Company will pay or reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of all Persons not regularly in its employ), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may arise from its negligence or bad faith and except as the Company and Trustee may from time to time agree in writing. The Company also covenants to indemnify the Trustee (and its officers, agents, directors and employees) for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee and arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim of liability in the premises.

 

(b) The obligations of the Company under this Section to compensate and indemnify the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder. Such additional indebtedness shall be secured by a lien prior to that of the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular Securities.

 

(c) To ensure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities on all funds or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of or interest on particular Securities. When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(4) or (5), the expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for services in connection therewith are to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy law. The provisions of this Section 7.06 shall survive the termination of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

 

Section 7.07 Reliance on Officer’s Certificate. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.01, whenever in the administration of the provisions of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it reasonably necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee and such certificate, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.

 

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Section 7.08 Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. If the Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee and the Company shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 7.09 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee with respect to the Securities issued hereunder which shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or any state or territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or other Person permitted to act as trustee by the Commission, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least fifty million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination by federal, state, territorial, or District of Columbia authority.

 

If such corporation or other Person 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 or other Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. The Company may not, nor may any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company, serve as Trustee. In case at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section 7.10.

 

Section 7.10 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

 

(a) The Trustee or any successor hereafter appointed may at any time resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by giving written notice thereof to the Company and by transmitting notice of resignation by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Securityholders of such Series, as their names and addresses appear upon the Security Register. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor trustee with respect to Securities of such Series by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the resigning Trustee and one copy to the successor trustee. If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed and have accepted appointment within 30 days after the mailing 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 Securities of such Series, or any Securityholder of that Series who has been a bona fide holder of a Security or Securities for at least six months may on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.

 

(b) In case at any time any one of the following shall occur:

 

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of Section 7.08 after written request therefor by the Company or by any Securityholder who has been a bona fide holder of a Security or Securities for at least six months; or

 

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(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.09 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Securityholder; or

 

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting, or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or commence a voluntary bankruptcy proceeding, or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or consented to, or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation;

 

then, in any such case, the Company may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities and appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee, or any Securityholder who has been a bona fide holder of a Security or Securities for at least six months may, on behalf of that holder and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.

 

(c) The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any Series at the time Outstanding may at any time remove the Trustee with respect to such Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company and may appoint a successor Trustee for such Series with the consent of the Company.

 

(d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor trustee with respect to the Securities of a Series pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section shall become effective upon acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 7.11.

 

(e) Any successor trustee appointed pursuant to this Section may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more Series or all of such Series, and at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular Series.

 

Section 7.11 Acceptance of Appointment By Successor.

 

(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee all the rights, powers, and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

 

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(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) Series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those Series to which the appointment of such successor trustee relates, (ii) shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those Series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) 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, 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 that no Trustee shall be responsible for any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder; 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, such retiring Trustee shall with respect to the Securities of that or those Series to which the appointment of such successor trustee relates have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture, and each such successor trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those Series to which the appointment of such successor trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those Series to which the appointment of such successor trustee relates.

 

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

 

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

 

(e) Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee as provided in this Section, the Company shall transmit notice of the succession of such trustee hereunder by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the Security Register. If the Company fails to transmit such notice within ten days after acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall cause such notice to be transmitted at the expense of the Company.

 

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Section 7.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust business of the Trustee, including the administration of the trust created by this Indenture, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation shall be qualified under the provisions of Section 7.08 and eligible under the provisions of Section 7.09, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

 

Section 7.13 Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company. The Trustee shall comply with Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, excluding any creditor relationship described in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act to the extent included therein.

 

Section 7.14 Notice of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing and if such Event of Default is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act notice of the Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee or written notice of it is received by the Trustee, unless such Event of Default has been cured; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Security, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the Securityholders.

 

ARTICLE 8
CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

 

Section 8.01 Evidence of Action by Securityholders. Whenever in this Indenture it is provided that the holders of a majority or specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of a particular Series may take any action (including the making of any demand or request, the giving of any notice, consent or waiver or the taking of any other action), the fact that at the time of taking any such action the holders of such majority or specified percentage of that Series have joined therein may be evidenced by any instrument or any number of instruments of similar tenor executed by such holders of Securities of that Series in person or by agent or proxy appointed in writing.

 

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

 

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Section 8.02 Proof of Execution by Securityholders. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, proof of the execution of any instrument by a Securityholder (such proof will not require notarization) or his agent or proxy and proof of the holding by any Person of any of the Securities shall be sufficient if made in the following manner:

 

(a) The fact and date of the execution by any such Person of any instrument may be proved in any reasonable manner acceptable to the Trustee.

 

(b) The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security Register of such Securities or by a certificate of the Security Registrar thereof.

 

The Trustee may require such additional proof of any matter referred to in this Section as it shall deem necessary.

 

Section 8.03 Who May be Deemed Owners. Prior to the due presentment for registration of transfer of any Security, the Company, the Trustee, any paying agent and any Security Registrar may deem and treat the Person in whose name such Security shall be registered upon the books of the Security Registrar as the absolute owner of such Security (whether or not such Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notice of ownership or writing thereon made by anyone other than the Security Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal of, premium, if any, and (subject to Section 2.03) interest on such Security and for all other purposes; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any paying agent nor any Security Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

Section 8.04 Certain Securities Owned by Company Disregarded. In determining whether the holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of Securities of a particular Series have concurred in any direction, consent or waiver under this Indenture, the Securities of that Series that are owned by the Company or any other obligor on the Securities of that Series or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under common control with the Company or any other obligor on the Securities of that Series shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding for the purpose of any such determination, except that for the purpose of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, consent or waiver, only Securities of such Series that the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. The Securities so owned that have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding for the purposes of this Section, if the pledgee shall establish to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not a Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company or any such other obligor. In case of a dispute as to such right, any decision by the Trustee taken upon the advice of counsel shall be full protection to the Trustee.

 

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Section 8.05 Actions Binding on Future Securityholders. At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in Section 8.01, of the taking of any action by the holders of the majority or percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of a particular Series specified in this Indenture in connection with such action, any holder of a Security of that Series that is shown by the evidence to be included in the Securities the holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice with the Trustee, and upon proof of holding as provided in Section 8.02, revoke such action so far as concerns such Security. Except as aforesaid any such action taken by the holder of any Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future holders and owners of such Security, and of any Security issued in exchange therefor, on registration of transfer thereof or in place thereof, irrespective of whether or not any notation in regard thereto is made upon such Security. Any action taken by the holders of the majority or percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of a particular Series specified in this Indenture in connection with such action shall be conclusively binding upon the Company, the Trustee and the holders of all the Securities of that Series.

 

ARTICLE 9
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

Section 9.01 Supplemental Indentures Without the Consent of Securityholders. In addition to any supplemental indenture otherwise authorized by this Indenture, the Company and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect), without the consent of any Securityholders, for one or more of the following purposes:

 

(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect, or inconsistency in this Indenture or in the Securities of any Series;

 

(b) to comply with Article 10;

 

(c) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities;

 

(d) to add to the covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the benefit of the Securityholders, to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an Event of Default, or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company in this Indenture;

 

(e) to add to, delete from, or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication, and delivery of Securities, as set forth in this Indenture;

 

(f) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder in any material respect;

 

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(g) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of the Securities of any Series as provided in Section 2.01, to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of this Indenture or any Series of Securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any Series of Securities;

 

(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment under this Indenture by a successor trustee;

 

(i) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company, or successive successions, pursuant to Article 10, and the assumption by the successor corporation of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company herein and in the Securities of any Series; or

 

(j) to comply with any requirements of the Commission with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.

 

The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into any such supplemental indenture that affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of the holders of any of the Securities at the time Outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 9.02.

 

Section 9.02 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders. With the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture or indentures at the time Outstanding, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect) for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner not covered by Section 9.01 the rights of the holders of the Securities of such Series under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the holders of each Security then Outstanding and affected thereby, (a) extend the fixed maturity of any Securities of any Series, (b) reduce the principal amount, reduce the rate of or extend the time of payment of interest, or reduce any premium payable upon the redemption of any Series of Securities or (c) reduce the percentage of Securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver.

 

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

 

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Section 9.03 Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article or of Section 10.01, this Indenture shall, with respect to such Series, be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company and the holders of Securities of the Series affected thereby shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.

 

Section 9.04 Securities Affected by Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any Series affected by a supplemental indenture, authenticated and delivered after the execution of such supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article or of Section 10.01, may bear a notation in form approved by the Company, provided such form meets the requirements of any securities exchange upon which such Series may be listed, as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of that Series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee and delivered in exchange for the Securities of that Series then Outstanding.

 

Section 9.05 Execution of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by its Board Resolutions authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Securityholders required to consent thereto as aforesaid, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion but shall not be obligated to enter into such supplemental indenture. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 7.01 and 7.02, shall receive an Officer’s Certificate upon request and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article is authorized or permitted by the terms of this Article, that all conditions precedent to the execution of the supplemental indenture have been complied with and the Supplemental Indenture is a valid and legally binding instrument enforceable against the Company.

 

Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the Company shall (or shall direct the Trustee to) transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, a notice, setting forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture, to the Securityholders of all Series affected thereby as their names and addresses appear upon the Security Register. Any failure of the Company to mail, or cause the mailing of, such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

 

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ARTICLE 10
SUCCESSOR ENTITY

 

Section 10.01 Company May Consolidate, Etc. Nothing contained in this Indenture shall prevent any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) or successive consolidations or mergers in which the Company or its successor or successors shall be a party or parties, or shall prevent any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of the property of the Company or its successor or successors as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to any other corporation (whether or not affiliated with the Company or its successor or successors) authorized to acquire and operate the same; provided, however, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that, upon any such consolidation or merger (in each case, if the Company is not the survivor of such transaction), sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (premium, if any) and interest on all of the Securities of all Series in accordance with the terms of each Series, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all the covenants and conditions of this Indenture with respect to each Series or established with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.01 to be kept or performed by the Company shall be expressly assumed, by supplemental indenture (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, as then in effect) reasonably satisfactory in form to the Trustee executed and delivered to the Trustee by the entity formed by such consolidation, or into which the Company shall have been merged, or by the entity which shall have acquired such property.

 

Section 10.02 Successor Entity Substituted.

 

(a) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition and upon the assumption by the successor entity by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the obligations set forth under Section 10.01 on all of the Securities of all Series Outstanding, such successor entity shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company with the same effect as if it had been named as the Company herein, and thereupon the predecessor corporation shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

 

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

 

(c) Nothing contained in this Article shall require any action by the Company in the case of a consolidation or merger of any Person into the Company where the Company is the survivor of such transaction, or the acquisition by the Company, by purchase or otherwise, of all or any part of the property of any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company).

 

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ARTICLE 11
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

Section 11.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. If at any time: (a) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee for cancellation all Securities of a Series theretofore authenticated and not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (other than any Securities that shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.07 and Securities for whose payment money or Governmental Obligations have theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereupon repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 11.05); or (b) all such Securities of a particular Series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation shall have become due and payable, or are by their terms to become due and payable within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption, and the Company shall deposit or cause to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds the entire amount in moneys or Governmental Obligations or a combination thereof, sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay at maturity or upon redemption all Securities of that Series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal (and premium, if any) and interest due or to become due to such date of maturity or date fixed for redemption, as the case may be, and if the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder with respect to such Series by the Company then this Indenture shall thereupon cease to be of further effect with respect to such Series except for the provisions of Sections 2.03, 2.05, 2.07, 4.01, 4.02, 4.03 and 7.10, that shall survive until the date of maturity or redemption date, as the case may be, and Sections 7.06 and 11.05, that shall survive to such date and thereafter, and the Trustee, on demand of the Company and at the cost and expense of the Company shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture with respect to such Series.

 

Section 11.02 Discharge of Obligations. If at any time all such Securities of a particular Series not heretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or that have not become due and payable as described in Section 11.01 shall have been paid by the Company by depositing irrevocably with the Trustee as trust funds moneys or an amount of Governmental Obligations sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption all such Securities of that Series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal (and premium, if any) and interest due or to become due to such date of maturity or date fixed for redemption, as the case may be, and if the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to such Series, then after the date such moneys or Governmental Obligations, as the case may be, are deposited with the Trustee the obligations of the Company under this Indenture with respect to such Series shall cease to be of further effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.03, 2.05, 2.07, 4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 7.06, 7.10 and 11.05 hereof that shall survive until such Securities shall mature and be paid.

 

Thereafter, Sections 7.06 and 11.05 shall survive.

 

Section 11.03 Deposited Moneys to be Held in Trust. All moneys or Governmental Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Sections 11.01 or 11.02 shall be held in trust and shall be available for payment as due, either directly or through any paying agent (including the Company acting as its own paying agent), to the holders of the particular Series of Securities for the payment or redemption of which such moneys or Governmental Obligations have been deposited with the Trustee.

 

Section 11.04 Payment of Moneys Held by Paying Agents. In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture all moneys or Governmental Obligations then held by any paying agent under the provisions of this Indenture shall, upon demand of the Company, be paid to the Trustee and thereupon such paying agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys or Governmental Obligations.

 

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Section 11.05 Repayment to Company. Any moneys or Governmental Obligations deposited with any paying agent or the Trustee, or then held by the Company, in trust for payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Securities of a particular Series that are not applied but remain unclaimed by the holders of such Securities for at least two years after the date upon which the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such Securities shall have respectively become due and payable, or such other shorter period set forth in applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property law, shall be repaid to the Company on May 31 of each year or upon the Company’s request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and thereupon the paying agent and the Trustee shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys or Governmental Obligations, and the holder of any of the Securities entitled to receive such payment shall thereafter, as a general creditor, look only to the Company for the payment thereof.

 

ARTICLE 12
IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS,
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

 

Section 12.01 No Recourse. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of this Indenture, or of any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future as such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any such predecessor or successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, stockholders, officers or directors as such, of the Company or of any predecessor or 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 Securities or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, 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, stockholder, officer or director as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Securities.

 

ARTICLE 13
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

Section 13.01 Effect on Successors and Assigns. All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this Indenture made by or on behalf of the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

Section 13.02 Actions by Successor. Any act or proceeding by any provision of this Indenture authorized or required to be done or performed by any board, committee or officer of the Company shall and may be done and performed with like force and effect by the corresponding board, committee or officer of any corporation that shall at the time be the lawful successor of the Company.

 

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Section 13.03 Surrender of Company Powers. The Company by instrument in writing executed by authority of its Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee may surrender any of the powers reserved to the Company, and thereupon such power so surrendered shall terminate both as to the Company and as to any successor corporation.

 

Section 13.04 Notices. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any notice, request or demand that by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given, made or served by the Trustee, the Security Registrar, any paying or other agent under this Indenture, the holders of Securities or any other Person pursuant to this Indenture to or on the Company, may be given or served by being in writing and sent by electronic transmission or deposited in first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Trustee), to the Company as follows: Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd., 18/F Zhongshan Building A No. 154 Hudong Road Fuzhou, China 3500001, Attention: Corporate Secretary. Any notice, election, request or demand by the Company or any Securityholder or by any other Person pursuant to this Indenture to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, if given or made in writing at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

 

Section 13.05 Governing Law. This Indenture and each Security shall be deemed to be a contract made under the internal laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said State, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act is applicable.

 

In addition, the Company: (a) agrees that any suit, action or proceeding against it arising out of or relating to this Indenture or any Securities, as the case may be, may be instituted in any U.S. federal court with applicable subject matter jurisdiction sitting in The City of New York; (b) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding, and any claim that any suit, action or proceeding in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum; and (c) submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding.

 

Section 13.06 Treatment of Securities as Debt. It is intended that the Securities will be treated as indebtedness and not as equity for federal income tax purposes. The provisions of this Indenture shall be interpreted to further this intention.

 

Section 13.07 Certificates as to Conditions Precedent.

 

(a) Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture (except with respect to the initial issuance of Securities), the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel or reliance letter, upon request, stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture (other than the certificate to be delivered pursuant to Section 13.12 or Section 314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act) relating to the proposed action have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or demand as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or demand, no additional certificate need be furnished; provided, however, that no Opinion of Counsel or reliance letter shall be required in connection with the issuance of Securities on the date on which the Securities are originally issued or deemed issued as set forth on the face of such Securities.

 

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(b) Each certificate or opinion provided for in this Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant in this Indenture (other than the certificate to be delivered pursuant to Section 13.12 or Section 314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall include (i) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition; (ii) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements contained in such certificate or opinion are based; (iii) a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he has made such examination or investigation as is reasonably necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and (iv) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

Section 13.08 Payments on Business Days. Except as provided pursuant to Section 2.01 pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate, established in one or more indentures supplemental to this Indenture, or otherwise explicitly stated, in any case where the date of maturity of interest or principal of any Security, or the date for the repurchase of any Security or for the redemption of any Security shall not be a Business Day, then payment of interest, principal (and premium, if any), redemption price or repurchase price due on such date may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the nominal date of maturity, repurchase or redemption, and no interest shall accrue for the period after such nominal date as a result of such delay.

 

Section 13.09 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If and to the extent that any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

 

Section 13.10 Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

Section 13.11 Separability. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Indenture or in the Securities of any Series shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Indenture or of such Securities, but this Indenture and such Securities shall be construed as if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein or therein.

 

Section 13.12 Compliance Certificates. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year during which any Securities of any Series were outstanding, an officer’s certificate stating whether or not the signers know of any Event of Default that occurred during such fiscal year. Such certificate shall contain a certification from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer of the Company that a review has been conducted of the activities of the Company and the Company’s performance under this Indenture and that the Company has complied with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture. For purposes of this Section 13.12, such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture. If the officer of the Company signing such certificate has knowledge of such an Event of Default, the certificate shall describe any such Event of Default and its status.

 

43

 

 

Section 13.13 U.S.A. Patriot Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.

 

Section 13.14 Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee, the Security Registrar, any paying agent or any other agent under this Indenture be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations 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 or utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee, the Security Registrar, any paying agent or any other agent under this Indenture shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

Section 13.15 Table of Contents; Headings. The table of contents and headings of the articles and sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof, and will not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

44

 

 

In Witness Whereof, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.

 

  PINGTAN MARINE ENTERPRISE LTD.
     
  By:  
  Name:   
  Title:  
     
  [           ], as Trustee
     
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 

 

 

 

CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE1

 

Section of Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as Amended   Section of Indenture
310(a)   7.09
310(b)   7.08
    7.10
310(c)   Inapplicable
311(a)   7.13
311(b)   7.13
311(c)   Inapplicable
312(a)   5.01
    5.02(a)
312(b)   5.02(c)
312(c)   5.02(c)
313(a)   5.04(a)
313(b)   5.04(b)
313(c)   5.04(a)
    5.04(b)
313(d)   5.04(c)
314(a)   5.03
    13.12
314(b)   Inapplicable
314(c)   13.07(a)
314(d)   Inapplicable
314(e)   13.07(b)
314(f)   Inapplicable
315(a)   7.01(a)
    7.01(b)
315(b)   7.14
315(c)   7.01
315(d)   7.01(b)
315(e)   6.07
316(a)   6.06
    8.04
316(b)   6.04
316(c)   8.01
317(a)   6.02
317(b)   4.03
318(a)   13.09

 

 

1This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of the Indenture and shall not have any bearing on the interpretation of any of its terms or provisions.

 

 

 

 

EX-5.1 3 ea126365ex5-1_pingtanmarine.htm LEGAL OPINION OF ALSTON & BIRD LLP

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

 

The Atlantic Building
950 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004-1404

202-239-3300 | Fax: 202-239-3333

 

September 4, 2020

 

Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd.

18-19/F, Zhongshan Building A

No. 154 Hudong Road

Fuzhou, China 350001

 

  Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We are acting as counsel to Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd., a Cayman Islands corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) being filed on the date hereof by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). This opinion letter is being furnished pursuant to Item 16 of Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

 

The Registration Statement relates to the proposed offer and sale from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of the following securities (each a “Company Security” and collectively, the “Company Securities”):

 

1. Ordinary shares, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”);

 

2. Preferred shares, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company, in one or more series or classes (the “Preferred Shares”);

 

3. secured or unsecured debt securities, in one or more series, which may be either senior debt securities, senior subordinated debt securities or subordinated debt securities (the “Debt Securities”);

 

4. warrants to purchase Ordinary Shares, Preferred Shares or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”); and

 

5. units representing Ordinary Shares, Preferred Shares, Debt Securities, Warrants, or any combination(s) thereof (each a “Unit” and collectively the “Units”), which may be issued under unit agreements (each a “Unit Agreement”) by and between the Company and a bank or trust company as unit agent.

 

Alston & Bird LLP www.alston.com

 

 

Atlanta | Beijing | Brussels | Charlotte | Dallas | London | Los Angeles | New York | Raleigh | San Francisco | Silicon Valley | Washington, D.C.

 

 

 

Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd.

September 4, 2020

Page 2

 

The Securities will be offered in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined in light of market conditions at the time of sale and to be set forth in supplements to the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement (each a “Prospectus Supplement”). Each series of Debt Securities is to be issued pursuant to an indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time, between the Company and a trustee to be appointed by the Company, with such indenture to be substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or as an exhibit to a document subsequently filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated into the Registration Statement by reference. Each Warrant will be issued pursuant to a warrant agreement with such Warrant Agreement to be substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or as an exhibit to a document subsequently filed under the Exchange Act, and incorporated into the Registration Statement by reference (the “Warrant Agreement”). Each Unit will be issued pursuant to Unit Agreement to be substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or as an exhibit to a document subsequently filed under the Exchange Act, and incorporated into the Registration Statement by reference.

 

In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have examined the Registration Statement, the prospectus, and corporate resolutions and other actions of the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof (the “Board of Directors”). In such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons who execute any documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as original documents, the conformity to original documents of those documents submitted to us as certified, conformed, facsimile, electronic or photostatic copies and the proper issuance and accuracy of certificates of public officials and officers and agents of the Company. Except to the extent expressly set forth herein, we have made no independent investigation with regard to matters of fact, and, accordingly, we do not express any opinion as to matters that might have been disclosed by independent verification.

 

We have assumed with your permission that (i) the Registration Statement (including any post-effective amendment) shall have become effective under the Securities Act and that the Company Securities will be offered and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the applicable Prospectus Supplement; (ii) the Company at the time of sale of any Debt Securities, Warrants or Units by it will be duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction, with the corporate power and authority to issue such Debt Securities, Warrants or Units and to enter into all requisite agreements in connection therewith; (iii) all Debt Securities, Warrants and Units issuable by the Company, including all Debt Securities, Warrants and Units issuable upon exercise, settlement, exchange or conversion of any other Debt Securities, Warrants or Units being offered, will have been duly authorized, established and reserved for issuance (as appropriate); and (iv) an indenture with respect to any Debt Securities offered and a purchase, underwriting or similar agreement with respect thereto will have been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto. Further, to the extent that the obligations of the Company under any indenture may depend upon such matters, we have assumed with your permission that at the time of execution thereof; (v) the trustee will be duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; (vi) the trustee will have the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under the indenture; (vii) the indenture will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and by the trustee and will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the trustee, enforceable against the trustee in accordance with its terms; and (viii) the trustee will be in compliance, with respect to acting as a trustee under the indenture, with all applicable laws and regulations.

 

 

 

 

Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd.

September 4, 2020

Page 3

 

We have also assumed (i) that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto have all become effective under the Securities Act and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated, suspended or rescinded; and (ii) that the Prospectus and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws and any and all free-writing prospectus(es) related to the offer and sale of the Company Securities have been delivered and filed as required by such laws.

 

This opinion letter is provided for use solely in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement and may not be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise relied upon for any other purpose without our express written consent. No opinion may be implied or inferred beyond the opinions expressly stated in numbered paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 below. We note specifically that the Debt Securities, Warrants and Units may be issued from time to time on a delayed or continuous basis, and our opinions expressed herein are limited to the applicable laws, including the related rules and regulations, in effect on the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to advise you of any changes in applicable law or any other matters that may come to our attention after the date hereof that may affect our opinions expressed herein.

 

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, it is our opinion that:

 

1. When, as and if (a) the terms of the Debt Securities and their issuance and sale have been duly authorized and approved by all necessary action of the Board of Directors, (b) the Indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, (c) the terms of the Debt Securities have been duly established in accordance with the Indenture and (d) the Debt Securities have been duly executed and delivered as contemplated by the Registration Statement and any prospectus supplement relating thereto, and in accordance with the Indenture and any underwriting agreement or Warrant or Warrant Agreement relating to such issuance, against payment of the consideration fixed therefor by the Board of Directors, the Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

2. When, as and if (a) the terms, and the execution and delivery, of the Warrants and any Warrant Agreement and the terms of the issuance and sale of the Warrants and related matters have been duly authorized and approved by all necessary action of the Board of Directors, (b) the Warrant Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and a warrant agent that has been duly appointed by the Company, (c) the terms of the Warrants have been established in accordance with the applicable Warrant Agreement and (d) the Warrants or certificates representing the Warrants have been duly executed, authenticated, if required, issued and delivered as contemplated by the Registration Statement and any prospectus supplement relating thereto, and in accordance with the terms of any Warrant Agreement and underwriting agreement relating to such issuance, against payment of the consideration fixed therefor by the Board of Directors, the Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

 

 

 

Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd.

September 4, 2020

Page 4

 

3. When, as and if (a) the terms, and the execution and delivery, of the Units and any Unit Agreement and the terms of the issuance and sale of the Units and related matters have been duly authorized and approved by all necessary action of the Board of Directors, (b) the Unit Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and a unit agent that has been duly appointed by the Company, (c) the terms of the Units have been established in accordance with the applicable Unit Agreement and (d) the Units or certificates representing the Units have been duly executed, authenticated, if required, issued and delivered as contemplated by the Registration Statement and any prospectus supplement relating thereto, and in accordance with the terms of any Unit Agreement and underwriting agreement relating to such issuance, against payment of the consideration fixed therefor by the Board of Directors, the Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

Our opinions set forth above are limited to the laws of the State of New York that, in our experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Registration Statement and to the extent that judicial or regulatory orders or decrees or consents, approvals, licenses, authorizations, validations, filings, recordings or registrations with governmental authorities are relevant, to those required under such laws. We express no opinion as to any provision of the Debt Securities that relates to the subject matter jurisdiction of federal courts of the United States of America or a waiver of an inconvenient forum. We do not express any opinion herein concerning any other laws. This opinion letter is limited to the laws of the United States of America and, to the limited extent set forth above, the State of New York and the facts as they currently exist. We assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion letter in the event of future changes in such laws or the interpretations thereof or such facts. We express no opinion regarding the Securities Act or any other federal or state laws or regulations. In addition, we have assumed that any samples of documents submitted to us will be executed without any alterations made thereto.

 

The opinions set forth in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 above are each subject to (i) the effect of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, arrangement or similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally, including the effect of statutory or other laws regarding fraudulent transfers or preferential transfers and (ii) general principles of equity, including concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law. We express no opinion regarding the effectiveness of (A) any waiver of stay, extension or usury laws or of unknown future rights or (B) provisions relating to indemnification, exculpation or contribution, to the extent such provisions may be held unenforceable as contrary to federal or state securities laws.

 

No opinion may be implied or inferred beyond the opinions expressly stated in the numbered paragraphs above. Our opinions expressed herein are as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to advise you of any changes in applicable law or any other matters that may come to our attention after the date hereof that may affect our opinions expressed herein.

 

We consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus constituting a part thereof. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

 

 

 

  ALSTON & BIRD LLP
   
  /s/ Alston & Bird LLP
  Alston & Bird LLP

 

 

 

 

EX-5.2 4 ea126365ex5-2_pingtanmarine.htm LEGAL OPINION OF MAPLES AND CALDER (HONG KONG) LLP

Exhibit 5.2

 

Our ref RHT/681574-000002/18197476v2
Direct tel +852 3690 7537  
Email ray.tso@maplesandcalder.com

 

Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd.

PO Box 309

Ugland House

Grand Cayman KY1-1104

Cayman Islands

 

4 September 2020

 

Dear Sirs

 

Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd. – S-3 Opinion

 

We have acted as counsel as to Cayman Islands law to Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd., an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability (the “Company”), in connection with the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 dated 4 September 2020 (the “Registration Statement”) relating to securities to be issued and sold by the Company from time to time. Such securities include:-

 

(a)ordinary shares of the Company of par value US$0.001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”);

 

(b)preferred shares of the Company of par value US$0.001 per share (the “Preferred Shares”);

 

(c)debt securities, including senior debt securities, subordinated debt securities, senior convertible debt securities and subordinated convertible debt securities and of the Company (collectively the “Debt Securities”), each series of Debt Securities to be issued under indentures to be entered into by the Company and the trustee for such Debt Securities (the “Indentures”);

 

(d)warrants to subscribe for Ordinary Shares, Preferred Shares and Debt Securities (or any combination thereof) in the Company (the “Warrants”) to be issued under warrant agreements to be entered into between the Company and the warrant agent for such Warrants thereunder (the “Warrant Agreements”). The Ordinary Shares, the Preferred Shares, the Debt Securities and the Warrants are referred to as the “Securities”; and

 

(e)units each consisting of one or more of the Securities in any combination (the “Units”) to be issued under unit agreements to be entered into between the Company and a unit agent for such Units (the “Unit Agreements”).

 

1Documents Reviewed

 

We have reviewed originals, copies, drafts or conformed copies of the following documents:

 

1.1The certificate of incorporation of the Company dated 18 January 2010 and the certificate of incorporation on change of name dated 26 February 2013.

 

1.2The Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company as adopted pursuant to a special resolution of the Company dated 25 February 2013 (the “Memorandum and Articles”).

 

 

 

1.3The corporate records of the Company maintained at its registered office in the Cayman Islands.

 

1.4A certificate of good standing with respect to the Company issued by the Registrar of Companies dated 10 August 2020 (the “Certificate of Good Standing”).

 

1.5The Registration Statement.

 

2Assumptions

 

The following opinions are given only as to, and based on, circumstances and matters of fact existing and known to us on the date of this opinion letter. These opinions only relate to the laws of the Cayman Islands which are in force on the date of this opinion letter. In giving the following opinions, we have relied (without further verification) upon the completeness and accuracy of the Certificate of Good Standing. We have also relied upon the following assumptions, which we have not independently verified:

 

2.1The Indentures and the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements and the Warrants, the Unit Agreements and the Units have been, or will be, authorised and duly executed and unconditionally delivered by or on behalf of all relevant parties in accordance with all relevant laws.

 

2.2The Indentures and the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements and the Warrants, the Unit Agreements and the Units are, or will be, legal, valid, binding and enforceable against all relevant parties in accordance with their terms under the laws of the State of New York and all other relevant laws.

 

2.3Copies of documents, conformed copies or drafts of documents provided to us are true and complete copies of, or in the final forms of, the originals, and translations of documents provided to us are complete and accurate.

 

2.4The choice of the laws of the State of New York as the governing law of the Indentures and the Debt Securities, the Warrants and the Warrant Agreements and the Units and the Unit Agreements has, or will have, been made in good faith and would be regarded as a valid and binding selection which will be upheld by the courts of the State of New York and any other relevant jurisdiction (other than the Cayman Islands) as a matter of the laws of the State of New York and all other relevant laws (other than the laws of the Cayman Islands).

 

2.5All signatures, initials and seals are genuine.

 

2.6The Company will receive money or money’s worth in consideration for the issue of the Ordinary Shares and the Preferred Shares, and none of the Ordinary Shares or the Preferred Shares will be issued for less than their par value.

 

2.7There will be sufficient Ordinary Shares and Preferred Shares authorised for issue under the Company’s Memorandum and Articles.

 

2.8The capacity, power, authority and legal right of all parties under all relevant laws and regulations (other than, with respect to the Company, the laws of the Cayman Islands) to enter into, execute, unconditionally deliver and perform their respective obligations under the Indentures and the Debt Securities, the Warrants and the Warrant Agreements and the Units and the Unit Agreements.

 

2

 

 

2.9The Debt Securities, the Warrants and the Units will respectively be issued and authenticated as required in accordance with the provisions of a duly authorised, executed and delivered Indenture, Warrant Agreement and Unit Agreement.

 

2.10The Indentures and the Debt Securities, the Warrants and the Warrant Agreements and the Units and the Unit Agreements will be, or have been, duly executed and delivered by an authorised person of the parties thereto.

 

2.11There is no contractual or other prohibition or restriction (other than as arising under Cayman Islands law) binding on the Company prohibiting or restricting it from issuing the Ordinary Shares or the Preferred Shares or entering into and performing its obligations under a duly authorised, executed and delivered Indenture, Warrant Agreement or Unit Agreement.

 

2.12No monies paid to or for the account of the Company in respect of the Ordinary Shares, Preferred Shares, Debt Securities, Warrants or Units represent or will represent criminal property or terrorist property (as defined in the Proceeds of Crime Law (2020 Revision) and the Terrorism Law (2018 Revision), respectively).

 

2.13There is nothing under any law (other than the laws of the Cayman Islands) which would or might affect the opinions set out below. Specifically, we have made no independent investigation of the laws of the State of New York.

 

2.14The issue of (i) the Ordinary Shares, (ii) the Preferred Shares, (iii) the Debt Securities under the Indentures, (iv) the Warrants under the Warrant Agreements and (v) the Units under the Unit Agreements will be of commercial benefit to the Company.

 

2.15No invitation has been or will be made by or on behalf of the Company to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for any of the Ordinary Shares, the Preferred Shares, the Debt Securities, the Warrants or the Units.

 

3Opinions

 

Based upon, and subject to, the foregoing assumptions and the qualifications set out below, and having regard to such legal considerations as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that:

 

3.1The Company has been duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability for an unlimited duration and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands.

 

3.2With respect to the Ordinary Shares, when (i) the board of directors of the Company (the “Company’s Board”) has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) the issue of such Ordinary Shares has been recorded in the Company’s register of members (shareholders); and (iii) the subscription price of such Ordinary Shares (being not less than the par value of the Ordinary Shares) has been fully paid in cash or other consideration approved by the Company’s Board, the Ordinary Shares will be duly authorised, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

3.3With respect to the Preferred Shares, when (i) the Company’s Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) the issue of such Preferred Shares has been recorded in the Company’s register of members (shareholders); and (iii) the subscription price of such Preferred Shares (being not less than the par value of the Preferred Shares) has been fully paid in cash or other consideration approved by the Company’s Board, the Preferred Shares will be duly authorised, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

3

 

 

3.4With respect to each issue of Debt Securities, when (i) the Company’s Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the creation and terms of the Debt Securities and to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) an Indenture relating to the Debt Securities shall have been authorised and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the trustee thereunder; and (iii) when such Debt Securities issued thereunder have been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company and authenticated in the manner set forth in the Indenture relating to such issue of Debt Securities and delivered against due payment therefor pursuant to, and in accordance with, the terms of the Registration Statement and any relevant prospectus supplement, such Debt Securities issued pursuant to the Indenture will have been duly executed, issued and delivered.

 

3.5With respect to each issue of Warrants, when (i) the Company’s Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the creation and terms of the Warrants and to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) a Warrant Agreement relating to the Warrants shall have been duly authorised and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the warrant agent thereunder; and (iii) the certificates representing the Warrants have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered in accordance with the Warrant Agreement relating to the Warrants and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Company’s Board upon payment of the consideration therefor provided therein, the Warrants will be duly authorised, legal and binding obligations of the Company.

 

3.6With respect to each issue of Units, when (i) the Company’s Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the creation and terms of the Units and to approve the issue thereof, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) a Unit Agreement relating to the Units shall have been duly authorised and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the financial institution designated as unit agent thereunder; and (iii) the certificates representing the Units have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered in accordance with the Unit Agreement relating to the Units and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Company’s Board upon payment of the consideration therefor provided therein, the Units will be duly authorised, legal and binding obligations of the Company.

 

4Qualifications

 

The opinions expressed above are subject to the following qualifications:

 

4.1To maintain the Company in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, annual filing fees must be paid and returns made to the Registrar of Companies within the time frame prescribed by law.

 

4.2The obligations assumed by the Company will not necessarily be enforceable in all circumstances in accordance with their terms. In particular:

 

(a)enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, reorganisation, readjustment of debts or moratorium or other laws of general application relating to or affecting the rights of creditors;

 

(b)enforcement may be limited by general principles of equity. For example, equitable remedies such as specific performance may not be available, inter alia, where damages are considered to be an adequate remedy;

 

(c)some claims may become barred under relevant statutes of limitation or may be or become subject to defences of set off, counterclaim, estoppel and similar defences;

 

4

 

 

(d)where obligations are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands, they may not be enforceable in the Cayman Islands to the extent that performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction;

 

(e)the courts of the Cayman Islands have jurisdiction to give judgment in the currency of the relevant obligation and statutory rates of interest payable upon judgments will vary according to the currency of the judgment. If the Company becomes insolvent and is made subject to a liquidation proceeding, the courts of the Cayman Islands will require all debts to be proved in a common currency, which is likely to be the “functional currency” of the Company determined in accordance with applicable accounting principles. Currency indemnity provisions have not been tested, so far as we are aware, in the courts of the Cayman Islands;

 

(f)arrangements that constitute penalties will not be enforceable;

 

(g)enforcement may be prevented by reason of fraud, coercion, duress, undue influence, misrepresentation, public policy or mistake or limited by the doctrine of frustration of contracts;

 

(h)provisions imposing confidentiality obligations may be overridden by compulsion of applicable law or the requirements of legal and/or regulatory process;

 

(i)the courts of the Cayman Islands may decline to exercise jurisdiction in relation to substantive proceedings brought under or in relation to the Indentures in matters where they determine that such proceedings may be tried in a more appropriate forum;

 

(j)we reserve our opinion as to the enforceability of the relevant provisions of the Indentures to the extent that they purport to grant exclusive jurisdiction as there may be circumstances in which the courts of the Cayman Islands would accept jurisdiction notwithstanding such provisions; and

 

(k)a company cannot, by agreement or in its articles of association, restrict the exercise of a statutory power and there is doubt as to the enforceability of any provision in the Indentures whereby the Company covenants to restrict the exercise of powers specifically given to it under the Companies Law (2020 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, including, without limitation, the power to increase its authorised share capital, amend its memorandum and articles of association or present a petition to a Cayman Islands court for an order to wind up the Company.

 

4.3We express no opinion as to the meaning, validity or effect of any references to foreign (i.e. non-Cayman Islands) statutes, rules, regulations, codes, judicial authority or any other promulgations and any references to them in the Indentures, the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements, the Warrants, the Unit Agreements or the Units.

 

4.4We have not reviewed the final form of any of the Indentures, the Debt Securities to be issued thereunder, the Warrant Agreements or the Warrants to be issued thereunder, or the Unit Agreements or the Units to be issued thereunder, and our opinions are qualified accordingly.

 

4.5We reserve our opinion as to the extent to which the courts of the Cayman Islands would, in the event of any relevant illegality or invalidity, sever the relevant provisions of the Indentures, the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements or the Warrants, the Unit Agreements or the Units and enforce the remainder or the transaction of which such provisions form a part, notwithstanding any express provisions in this regard.

 

5

 

 

4.6Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members (shareholders) is prima facie evidence of title to shares and this register would not record a third party interest in such shares. However, there are certain limited circumstances where an application may be made to a Cayman Islands court for a determination on whether the register of members reflects the correct legal position. Further, the Cayman Islands court has the power to order that the register of members maintained by a company should be rectified where it considers that the register of members does not reflect the correct legal position. As far as we are aware, such applications are rarely made in the Cayman Islands, but if this were to occur in respect of the Ordinary Shares or Preferred Shares, then the validity of such shares may be subject to re-examination by a Cayman Islands court.

 

4.7In this opinion the phrase “non-assessable” means, with respect to the issuance of shares, that a member (shareholder) shall not, in respect of the relevant shares, have any obligation to make further contributions to the Company’s assets (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstance in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In providing our consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Rules and Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

We express no view as to the commercial terms of the Indentures, the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements or the Warrants, the Unit Agreements or the Units or whether such terms represent the intentions of the parties and make no comment with regard to warranties or representations that may be made by the Company.

 

The opinions in this opinion letter are strictly limited to the matters contained in the opinions section above and do not extend to any other matters. We have not been asked to review and we therefore have not reviewed any of the ancillary documents relating to the Indentures, the Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreements or the Warrants or the Unit Agreements or the Units and express no opinion or observation upon the terms of any such document.

 

This opinion letter may be relied upon by US counsel to the Company for the purposes solely of any legal opinion that they may be required to give with respect to the Registration Statement.

 

Yours faithfully

 

/s/ Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP

 

Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP

 

 

6

 

EX-23.1 5 ea126365ex23-1_pingtanmarine.htm CONSENT OF BDO CHINA SHU LUN PAN CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS LLP

Exhibit 23.1

 

 

 

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our reports dated March 16, 2020, relating to the consolidated financial statements, schedules of Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd., (the “Company”) and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

 

We also consent to the reference to us under the caption “Experts” in the Registration Statement.

 

/s/ BDO CHINA SHU LUN PAN CPAs LLP

 

BDO CHINA SHU LUN PAN CPAs LLP

Beijing, China

 

September 4, 2020

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