UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 16, 2021
Blackstone Secured Lending Fund
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 814-01299 | 82-7020632 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||
| 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor New York, NY |
10154 | |||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |||
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 503-2100
None
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None.
| Title of each class |
Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
☐ 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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
| Item 1.01. | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
Notes Offering
On March 16, 2021, Blackstone Secured Lending Fund (the “Fund”) and U.S. Bank National Association (the “Trustee”) entered into a Supplemental Indenture (the “Third Supplemental Indenture”), which supplements that certain Base Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020 (as may be further amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Base Indenture” and, together with the Third Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Third Supplemental Indenture relates to the Fund’s issuance of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 2.750% notes due 2026 (the “Notes”).
The Notes will mature on September 16, 2026 and may be redeemed in whole or in part at the Fund’s option at any time or from time to time at the redemption prices set forth in the Indenture. The Notes bear interest at a rate of 2.750% per year payable semi-annually on March 16 and September 16 of each year, commencing on September 16, 2021. The Notes are general unsecured obligations of the Fund that rank senior in right of payment to all of the Fund’s existing and future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, rank pari passu with all existing and future unsecured unsubordinated indebtedness issued by the Fund, rank effectively junior to any of the Fund’s secured indebtedness (including unsecured indebtedness that the Fund later secures) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness, and rank structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness (including trade payables) incurred by the Fund’s subsidiaries, financing vehicles or similar facilities.
The Indenture contains certain covenants, including covenants requiring the Fund to comply with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18(a)(1)(A) as modified by Section 61(a)(1) and (2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, whether or not it is subject to those requirements, and to provide financial information to the holders of the Notes and the Trustee if the Fund is no longer subject to the reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These covenants are subject to important limitations and exceptions that are described in the Indenture.
In addition, on the occurrence of a “change of control repurchase event,” as defined in the Indenture, the Fund will generally be required to make an offer to purchase the outstanding Notes at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to the repurchase date.
The foregoing description of the Indenture does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Indenture, filed as an exhibit hereto and incorporated by reference herein.
The Notes were offered to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and to certain non-U.S. persons outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act (the “Notes Offering”). The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. The Notes Offering closed on March 16, 2021. The net proceeds to the Fund were approximately $391.1 million, after deducting the initial purchaser discount and estimated offering expenses. The Fund expects to use the net proceeds of the Notes Offering for general corporate purposes.
Registration Rights Agreement
In connection with the Notes Offering, the Fund entered into a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 16, 2021 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), with Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., as the representatives of the Initial Purchasers of the Notes. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Fund is obligated to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement relating to an offer to exchange the Notes for new notes issued by the Fund that are registered under the Securities Act and otherwise have terms substantially identical to those of the Notes, and to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective. If the Fund is not able to effect the exchange offer, the Fund will be obligated to file a shelf registration statement covering the resale of the Notes and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective. If the Fund fails to satisfy its registration obligations by certain dates specified in the Registration Rights Agreement, it will be required to pay additional interest to the holders of the Notes.
The foregoing description of the Registration Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Registration Rights Agreement, filed as an exhibit hereto and incorporated by reference herein.
| Item 2.03. | Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant. |
The information required by Item 2.03 contained in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Blackstone Secured Lending Fund | ||||||
| Date: March 18, 2021 | By: | /s/ Marisa J. Beeney | ||||
| Marisa J. Beeney | ||||||
| Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary | ||||||
Exhibit 4.2
THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
between
BLACKSTONE SECURED LENDING FUND
and
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
Dated as of March 16, 2021
THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
THIS THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Third Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of March 16, 2021 (the “Issue Date”), is between Blackstone Secured Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Company”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). All capitalized terms used herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Base Indenture (as defined below) unless otherwise defined herein.
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
The Company and the Trustee executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020 (the “Base Indenture”), as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”), the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 23, 2020 (the “Second Supplemental Indenture”), and this Third Supplemental Indenture (the First Supplemental Indenture, Second Supplemental Indenture, and Third Supplemental Indenture, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance by the Company from time to time of the Company’s unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Base Indenture.
The Company has duly authorized the creation, issue and sale of (a) $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 2.750% Notes due 2026 (the “Initial Notes”) and (b) if and when issued as provided in the Registration Rights Agreement in a Registered Exchange Offer in exchange for any Initial Notes or otherwise registered under the Securities Act and issued in the form of Exhibit A, the Company’s 2.750% Notes due 2026 (the “Exchange Notes” and, together with the Initial Notes and any Additional Notes, the “Notes”). The Initial Notes, the Exchange Notes and any Additional Notes shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture, including waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase. The Notes will be distributed initially only to (i) persons reasonably believed to be QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A and (ii) Non-U.S. Persons in reliance on Regulation S, as such terms are defined herein.
Sections 9.01(4) and 9.01(6) of the Base Indenture provide that without the consent of Holders of the Securities of any series issued under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental to the Base Indenture to (i) change or eliminate any of the provisions of the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto) when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of the supplemental indenture that is entitled to the benefit of such provision and (ii) establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 3.01 of the Base Indenture.
The Company desires to establish the form and terms of the Notes and to modify, alter, supplement and change certain provisions of the Base Indenture for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes (subject to amendment as may be provided in a future supplemental indenture to the Indenture (“Future Supplemental Indenture”)).
The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Third Supplemental Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Notes and all acts and things necessary to make this Third Supplemental Indenture a valid, binding, and legal obligation of the Company and to constitute a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done and performed.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:
ARTICLE I
TERMS OF THE NOTES
Section 1.01. The following terms relating to the Notes are hereby established:
(a) The Notes shall constitute a series of Senior Securities having the title “2.750% Notes due 2026”. The Notes offered and sold to QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A shall bear a CUSIP number of 09261XAA0 and an ISIN number of US09261XAA00. The Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S shall bear a CUSIP number of 5C01LM9X5 and an ISIN number of USU0926LAA99.
(b) The aggregate principal amount of the Initial Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture (except for Initial Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration of, transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06, 11.07 or 13.05 of the Base Indenture, and except for any Securities that, pursuant to Section 3.03 of the Base Indenture, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered under the Indenture) shall be $400,000,000. In addition, Exchange Notes may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture for issue in a Registered Exchange Offer pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement in a like principal amount of the Initial Notes or Additional Notes exchanged pursuant thereto or otherwise pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act. Under a Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or an indenture supplement, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Notes, issue additional Notes (in any such case, other than any Exchange Notes, “Additional Notes”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes; provided that, if such Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes (or any other tranche of Additional Notes) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then such Additional Notes will have different CUSIP numbers from the Notes (and any such other tranche of Additional Notes). Any Additional Notes and the existing Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Notes herein shall include the Additional Notes unless the context otherwise requires.
(c) The entire outstanding principal of the Notes shall be payable on September 16, 2026, unless earlier redeemed or repurchased in accordance with the provisions of this Third Supplemental Indenture.
(d) The rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be 2.750% per annum (the “Applicable Interest Rate”). The date from which interest shall accrue on the Notes shall be March 16, 2021 or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for; the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes shall be March 16 and September 16 of each year, commencing September 16, 2021 (if an Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then the applicable interest payment will be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no additional interest will accrue as a result of such delayed payment); the initial interest period will be the period from and including March 16, 2021 (or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for), to, but excluding, the initial Interest Payment Date, and the subsequent interest periods will be the periods from and including an Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Interest Payment Date or the Stated Maturity, as the case may be; the interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, will be paid to the Person in whose name the Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at 5:00 p.m. New York City time, or the close of business, on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be March 1 and September 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Payment of principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on the Notes will be made at the office of the Trustee located at One Federal Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA 02110 and at such other address as designated by the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of
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America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register. Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
(e) The Notes offered on the date hereof will be distributed initially only to (i) persons reasonably believed to be QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A and (ii) Non-U.S. Persons in reliance on Regulation S. Such Notes may thereafter be transferred only in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.
(f) The Notes shall be initially issuable in global form (each such Note, a “Global Note”). The Global Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication thereon shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this Third Supplemental Indenture. Each Global Note shall represent the outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Security Registrar, in accordance with Sections 2.03 and 3.05 of the Base Indenture.
(i) The Notes offered and sold to QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A shall be issued initially in the form of one or more 144A Global Notes, which shall be deposited with, or on behalf of, the Depositary, or will remain in the custody of the Trustee pursuant to an agreement between the Depositary and the Trustee.
(ii) The Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S shall be issued initially in the form of one or more Regulation S Global Notes, which shall be deposited with, or on behalf of, a custodian for the Depositary, or will remain in the custody of the Trustee pursuant to an agreement between the Depositary and the Trustee, for credit to the respective accounts of the purchasers (or to such other accounts as they may direct) at Euroclear or Clearstream.
(iii) Unrestricted Global Notes shall be issued in accordance with Section 1.02(b)(vi) hereof and shall be deposited, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided.
(g) The depositary for such Global Notes (the “Depositary”) shall be The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, until a successor shall have been appointed and becomes such person, and thereafter, Depositary shall mean or include such successor. The Security Registrar with respect to the Global Notes shall be the Trustee.
(h) The Notes shall be defeasible pursuant to Section 14.02 or Section 14.03 of the Base Indenture. Covenant defeasance contained in Section 14.03 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the covenants contained in Sections 10.07 and 10.08 of the Indenture.
(i) The Notes shall be redeemable pursuant to Section 11.01 of the Base Indenture and as follows:
(i) The Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time, or from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of the following amounts, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date:
| (A) | 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, or |
| (B) | the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest (exclusive of accrued and unpaid interest to the Redemption Date) on the Notes to be redeemed through the Par Call Date, discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using the applicable Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points. |
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(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time on or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem some or all of the Notes at any time, or from time to time, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.
For purposes of calculating the Redemption Price in connection with the redemption of the Notes, on any Redemption Date, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:
“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield-to-maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue (computed as of the third Business Day immediately preceding the redemption), assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date. The Redemption Price and the Treasury Rate will be determined by the Company.
“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Reference Treasury Dealer as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed (assuming the Notes matured on the applicable Par Call Date) that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financing practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes being redeemed.
“Comparable Treasury Price” means (1) the average of the remaining Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Quotation Agent obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.
“Par Call Date” means August 16, 2026, which is the date that is one month prior to the maturity date of the Notes.
“Quotation Agent” means a Reference Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.
“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of (1) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., (2) Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and (3) a primary U.S. government securities dealer selected by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing or their affiliates shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer in the United States (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company shall select another Primary Treasury Dealer.
“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Quotation Agent, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Quotation Agent by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m. New York City time on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.
All determinations made by any Reference Treasury Dealer, including the Quotation Agent, with respect to determining the Redemption Price will be final and binding absent manifest error.
(i) Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, to each Holder of the Notes to be redeemed, not less than fifteen (15) nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture.
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(ii) Any exercise of the Company’s option to redeem the Notes will be done in compliance with the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable.
(iii) If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Notes, the particular Notes to be redeemed will be selected in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Trustee and, so long as the Notes are registered to the Depositary or its nominee, the Depositary; provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Note not redeemed to less than $2,000.
(iv) Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes called for redemption hereunder.
(j) The Notes shall not be subject to any sinking fund pursuant to Section 12.01 of the Base Indenture.
(k) The Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
(l) Holders of the Notes will not have the option to have the Notes repaid prior to the Stated Maturity other than in accordance with Article XIII of the Indenture.
Section 1.02. Transfer and Exchange.
(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. A Global Note may not be transferred as a whole except by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. All Global Notes will be exchanged by the Company for Definitive Notes only if (i) the Company delivers to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that it is unwilling or unable to continue to act as Depositary or that it ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the date of such notice from the Depositary or of such cessation, (ii) the Company in its sole discretion determines that the Global Notes (in whole but not in part) should be exchanged for Definitive Notes and delivers a written notice to such effect to the Trustee or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred or is continuing. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 3.04 and 3.06 of the Base Indenture. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 1.02 or Sections 3.04 and 3.05 of the Base Indenture, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 1.02(a); however, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 1.02(b) hereof.
(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes shall be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth herein to the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with subsections (i) through (vi) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of the other following subsections, as applicable:
(i) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note. Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Restricted Notes Legend. Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Security Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 1.02(b)(i).
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(ii) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 1.02(b)(i) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Security Registrar (A) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (B) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 1.02 hereof. Transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Global Note to a transferee who takes delivery of such interest through the Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Restricted Period, shall be made only upon receipt by the Trustee of a certification from the transferor to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Regulation S or, after the expiration of the Restricted Period, if available, Rule 144 under the Securities Act and that, if such transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the interest transferred shall be held immediately thereafter through Euroclear or Clearstream.
(iii) Restrictions on Transfer of Regulation S Global Note.
(A) Prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, interests in the Regulation S Global Note may only be held through Euroclear or Clearstream. Prior to expiration of the Restricted Period, transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note to a transferee who takes delivery of such interest through the 144A Global Note shall be made only in accordance with Applicable Procedures and upon receipt by the Trustee of a written certification from the transferor of the beneficial interest in the form provided by Exhibit B or as otherwise provided by the Company in accordance with law to the effect that such transfer is being made to a person whom the transferor reasonably believes is a QIB within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting requirements of Rule 144A. Such certification shall not be required after the expiration of the Restricted Period.
(B) Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period, beneficial ownership interests in the Regulation S Note shall be transferable in accordance with law and the other terms of this Indenture.
(iv) Other Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of Section 1.02(b)(ii) above and delivers a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto.
(v) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes to Definitive Notes. In the event that a Global Note is exchanged for Definitive Notes in accordance with the terms of this Indenture (including Section 1.02(a)), such Notes may be exchanged only in accordance with such procedures as are substantially consistent with the provisions of this Section 1.02 (b), (c), (d) and (e) (including the certification requirements set forth therein intended to ensure that such transfers comply with Rule 144A, Regulation S or such other applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act, as the case may be) and such other procedures as may from time to time be adopted by the Company reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law.
(vi) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in the Unrestricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of Section 1.02(b)(ii) above and:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to a Registered Exchange Offer and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, makes any and all certifications required in the applicable letter of transmittal (or is deemed to have made such certifications if delivery is made through the Applicable Procedures) as may be required by such Registration Rights Agreement;
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(B) such Notes are sold or exchanged pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act;
(C) such transfer is effected by a broker-dealer pursuant to an exchange offer registration statement; or
(D) the Security Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item 1(a) thereof; or
(2) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 4 thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Company or the Security Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Security Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Restricted Notes Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
If any such transfer is effected pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of a Company Order in accordance with Section 3.03 of the Base Indenture, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above.
(c) Transfer or Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.
(i) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, in each case in accordance with the terms of this Indenture (including Section 1.02(a)), then, upon receipt by the Security Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item 2(a) thereof;
(B) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 1 thereof;
(C) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 2 thereof;
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(D) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 3 thereof;
(E) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 3 thereof; or
(F) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 3 thereof,
the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 1.02(g) hereof, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Restricted Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 1.02(c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Security Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Restricted Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 1.02(c)(i) shall bear the Restricted Notes Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.
(ii) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note in accordance with the terms of this Indenture (including Section 1.02(a)) only if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to a Registered Exchange Offer and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, makes any and all certifications required in the applicable letter of transmittal (or is deemed to have made such certifications if delivery is made through the Applicable Procedures) as may be required by such Registration Rights Agreement;
(B) such Notes are sold or exchanged pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act;
(C) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 4(a) thereof; or
(D) such transfer is effected by a broker-deal pursuant to an exchange offer registration statement; and
(E) the Security Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item 1(b) thereof; or
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(2) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 4 thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (E), if the Company or the Security Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Security Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Restricted Notes Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(iii) Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note in accordance with the terms of this Indenture (including Section 1.02(a)), then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 1.02(b)(ii) hereof, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 1.02(g) hereof, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions an Unrestricted Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Unrestricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 1.02(c)(iii) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Security Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Unrestricted Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Unrestricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 1.02(c)(iii) shall not bear the Restricted Notes Legend.
(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests.
(i) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes. If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Security Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item 2(b) thereof;
(B) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 1 thereof;
(C) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 2 thereof;
(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 3 thereof;
(E) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 3 thereof,
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(F) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 3 thereof,
the Trustee shall cancel the Restricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Restricted Global Note.
(ii) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to a Registered Exchange Offer and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, makes any and all certifications required in the applicable letter of transmittal (or is deemed to have made such certifications if delivery is made through the Applicable Procedures) as may be required by such Registration Rights Agreement;
(B) such Notes are sold or exchanged pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act;
(C) such transfer is effected by a broker-dealer pursuant to an exchange offer registration statement; or
(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 4(a) thereof; and
(E) the Security Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item 1(c) thereof; or
(2) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 4 thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (E), if the Company or the Security Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Security Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Restricted Notes Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this Section 1.02(d)(ii), the Trustee shall cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.
(iii) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee shall cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.
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If any such exchange or transfer from an Unrestricted Definitive Note to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to subparagraphs (ii)(B), (ii)(D) or (iii) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Company Order in accordance with Section 3.03 of the Base Indenture, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive Notes so transferred.
(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 1.02(e), the Security Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Security Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Security Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder shall provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 1.02(e).
(i) Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Security Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 1 thereof;
(B) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 2 thereof; or
(C) if the transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item 3 thereof, if applicable.
(ii) Restricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to a Registered Exchange Offer and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, makes any and all certifications required in the applicable letter of transmittal (or is deemed to have made such certifications if delivery is made through the Applicable Procedures) as may be required by such Registration Rights Agreement;
(B) such Notes are sold or exchanged pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act;
(C) such transfer is effected by a broker-dealer pursuant to an exchange offer registration statement; or
(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 4(a) thereof; and
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(E) the Security Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item 1(d) thereof; or
(2) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item 4 thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (E), an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Company to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Restricted Notes Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(iii) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Security Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.
(f) Legends. The following legends shall appear on the face of all Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued under this Indenture unless specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of this Indenture.
(i) Restricted Notes Legend.
(A) Except as permitted by subparagraphs (B), (C) and (D) below, each Global Note and each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the legend in substantially the following form:
“THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF
(1) REPRESENTS THAT EITHER (A) IT IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“RULE 144A”)), OR (B) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“REGULATION S”)); AND
(2) AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) WHICH IS ONE YEAR (OR SUCH OTHER DATE WHEN RESALES OF SECURITIES BY NON-AFFILIATES ARE FIRST PERMITTED UNDER RULE 144(d)) AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF THIS SECURITY) OR THE DATE OF ANY SUBSEQUENT REOPENING OF THE SECURITIES AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE COMPANY OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO
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RULE 144A, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A) THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S, OR (E) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM AND/OR A CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER OR EXCHANGE IN THE FORM PRESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.”
(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subsections (b)(vi), (c)(ii), (c)(iii), (d)(ii), (d)(iii), (e)(ii) or (e)(iii) of this Section 1.02 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall not bear the Restricted Notes Legend.
(C) After a transfer of any Initial Notes during the period of the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to such Initial Notes, all requirements pertaining to the Restricted Notes Legend on such Initial Notes shall cease to apply and the requirements that any such Initial Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply.
(D) Upon the consummation of a Registered Exchange Offer with respect to the Initial Notes pursuant to which Holders of such Initial Notes are offered Exchange Notes in exchange for their Initial Notes, all requirements pertaining to Initial Notes that Initial Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply, and Exchange Notes in global form without the Restricted Notes Legend shall be available to Holders that exchange such Initial Notes in such Registered Exchange Offer.
(ii) Global Note Legend. Each Global Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“This Security is a Global Note within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company or a nominee thereof. This Security may not be exchanged in whole or in part for a Security registered, and no transfer of this Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person other than The Depository Trust Company or a nominee thereof, except in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture.
Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment and such certificate issued in exchange for this certificate is registered in the name of Cede & Co., or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, any transfer, pledge or other use hereof for value or otherwise by or to any person is wrongful, as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.”
(g) Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes. At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note shall be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 3.10 of the Base Indenture. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the
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Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.
Section 1.03. Additional Interest. In the event that the Company is required to pay Additional Interest to Holders of the Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company will provide written notice (“Additional Interest Notice”) to the Trustee of its obligation to pay Additional Interest 15 days prior to the proposed payment date for the Additional Interest to the extent reasonably practicable, but in no event later than five Business Days prior to such proposed payment date, and the Additional Interest Notice shall set forth the amount of Additional Interest to be paid by the Company on such payment date. The Trustee shall not at any time be under any duty or responsibility to any holder of the Notes to determine the Additional Interest, or with respect to the nature, extent, or calculation of the amount of Additional Interest owed, or with respect to the method employed in such calculation of the Additional Interest.
Section 1.04. For purposes of this Third Supplemental Indenture, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:
“144A Global Note” means a global note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Restricted Notes Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A.
“Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer, redemption, tender or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear and/or Clearstream that apply to such transfer or exchange.
“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme, and any successor thereto.
“Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 1.02 hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.
“Euroclear” means Euroclear S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system, and any successor thereto.
“Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 1.02(f)(ii), which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.
“Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto issued in accordance with Section 1.02(b) or 1.02(d) hereof.
“interest” means, with respect to the Notes, interest and Additional Interest, if any, on the Notes (regardless of whether so stated).
“Indirect Participant” means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.
“Non-U.S. Person” means a person other than a U.S. Person.
“Participant” means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, a Person who has an account with the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, respectively (and with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear and Clearstream).
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“QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.
“Regulation S” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Regulation S Global Note” means the Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, bearing the Global Note Legend and the Restricted Notes Legend representing the Notes offered and sold outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S.
“Restricted Definitive Note” means a definitive Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto that does not bear the Global Note Legend nor the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that bears the Restricted Notes Legend.
“Restricted Global Note” means a permanent global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary, representing a series of Notes that bear the Restricted Notes Legend.
“Restricted Notes Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 1.02(f)(i) to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture except where otherwise permitted by the provisions of this Indenture.
“Restricted Period” with respect to any Restricted Global Note, means the 40 consecutive days beginning on and including the later of (i) the commencement of the offering of the Notes to persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S) in reliance on Regulation S and (ii) the date of the issuance of the Notes initially offered under this Indenture.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 144A” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Unrestricted Definitive Note” means a definitive Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto that does not bear the Global Note Legend nor the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend.
“Unrestricted Global Note” means a permanent global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary, representing a series of Notes that do not bear the Restricted Notes Legend.
“U.S. Person” means a U.S. Person as defined in Rule 902(k) of Regulation S under the Securities Act.
ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
Section 2.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article I of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following defined terms to Section 1.01 in appropriate alphabetical sequence, as follows:
“Additional Interest” means all additional interest then owing pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
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“Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Notes are downgraded below Investment Grade by both of the Rating Agencies on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that results in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by either of the Rating Agencies); provided that a Below Investment Grade Rating Event otherwise arising by virtue of a particular reduction in rating shall not be deemed to have occurred in respect of a particular Change of Control (and thus shall not be deemed a Below Investment Grade Rating Event for purposes of the definition of Change of Control Repurchase Event hereunder) if the Rating Agencies making the reduction in rating to which this definition would otherwise apply do not announce or publicly confirm or inform the Trustee in writing at its request that the reduction was the result, in whole or in part, of any event or circumstance comprised of or arising as a result of, or in respect of, the applicable Change of Control (whether or not the applicable Change of Control shall have occurred at the time of the Below Investment Grade Rating Event).
“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:
(1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation) in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Controlled Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” or “group” (as those terms are used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than to any Permitted Holders; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, a pledge of assets pursuant to any secured debt instrument of the Company or its Controlled Subsidiaries shall not be deemed to be any such sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or disposition;
(2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” or “group” (as those terms are used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) (other than any Permitted Holders) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company, measured by voting power rather than number of shares; or
(3) the approval by the Company’s stockholders of any plan or proposal relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
“Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.
“Controlled Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company, 50% or more of the outstanding equity interests of which are owned by the Company and its direct or indirect Subsidiaries and of which the Company possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies, whether through the ownership of voting equity interests, by agreement or otherwise.
“Fitch” means Fitch Ratings, Inc., also known as Fitch Ratings, or any successor thereto.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the opinions and pronouncements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, which are in effect from time to time.
“Investment Company Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations and interpretations promulgated thereunder, to the extent applicable, and any statute successor thereto.
“Investment Grade” means a rating of BBB- or better by Fitch (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Fitch) and Baa3 or better by Moody’s (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Moody’s) (or, in each case, the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any Rating Agency selected by the Company as a Rating Agency).
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“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service or any successor thereto.
“Permitted Holders” means (i) the Company, (ii) one or more of the Company’s Controlled Subsidiaries and (iii) Blackstone Credit BDC Advisors LLC, any Affiliate of Blackstone Credit BDC Advisors LLC or any entity that is managed by Blackstone Credit BDC Advisors LLC that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction located in the United States of America and in the business of managing or advising clients.
“Rating Agency” means (1) one or both of Fitch and Moody’s; and (2) if both of Fitch and Moody’s cease to rate the Notes or fail to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act selected by the Company as a replacement agency for either of Fitch or Moody’s, as the case may be.
“Registered Exchange Offer” means the offer by the Company, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, to certain Holders of Initial Notes, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange for their Initial Notes, a like aggregate principal amount of Exchange Notes registered under the Securities Act.
“Registration Rights Agreement” means (a) the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Notes, dated as of the Issue Date, among the Company and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., as representatives of the Initial Purchasers and (b) other similar registration rights agreements relating to any Additional Notes.
“Shelf Registration Statement” means a registration statement filed by the Company in connection with the offer and sale of Initial Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act, as such regulation is in effect on the date of this Indenture (but excluding any Subsidiary which is (a) a non-recourse or limited recourse Subsidiary, (b) a bankruptcy remote special purpose vehicle or (c) is not consolidated with the Company for purposes of GAAP).
“Voting Stock” as applied to stock of any Person, means shares, interests, participations or other equivalents in the equity interest (however designated) in such Person having ordinary voting power for the election of a majority of the trustees (or the equivalent) of such Person, other than shares, interests, participations or other equivalents having such power only by reason of the occurrence of a contingency.
Section 2.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article I of the Base Indenture shall be amended by amending and restating the definitions of “Business Day” and “Subsidiary” in Section 1.01 as follows:
“Business Day” means, with respect to any Note, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
“Subsidiary” means (1) any corporation a majority of the outstanding voting stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more other Subsidiaries of the Company, (2) any other Person (other than a corporation) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination thereof has a majority ownership interest, or (3) a partnership in which such Person or Subsidiary of such Person is, at the time, a general partner and in which such Person, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination thereof has a majority ownership interest. For the purposes of this definition, “voting stock” mean stock having voting power for the election of trustees, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency. In addition, for purposes of this definition, “Subsidiary” shall exclude any investments held by the Company in the ordinary course of business which are not, under GAAP, consolidated on the financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
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ARTICLE III
SECURITIES FORMS
Section 3.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article II of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following new Section 2.04 and Section 2.05 thereto, as set forth below:
“Section 2.04. Certificated Notes.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Indenture, Notes in physical, certificated form will be issued and delivered to each person that the Depositary identifies as a beneficial owner of the related Notes only if:
(a) the Depositary notifies the Company at any time that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Notes in global form and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days;
(b) the Depositary ceases to be registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days; or
(c) an Event of Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing and such beneficial owner requests that its Notes be issued in physical, certificated form.”
ARTICLE IV
REMEDIES
Section 4.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article X of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clauses (1) and (2) of Section 5.01 thereof with the following:
“(1) default in the payment of any interest or Additional Interest upon any Note when such interest becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days;
(2) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Note when it becomes due and payable at its Maturity including upon any Redemption Date or required repurchase date;”
Section 4.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (4) thereof with the following:
| “(4) | default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture or the Notes (other than a covenant or agreement a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of securities other than the Notes), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 consecutive days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or” |
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Section 4.03. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article X of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding as clause (9) of Section 5.01 thereof the following:
| “(9) | default by the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, with respect to any mortgage, agreement or other instrument under which there may be outstanding, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any indebtedness for money borrowed in excess of $100 million in the aggregate of the Company and/or any such Significant Subsidiary, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created (i) resulting in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable or (ii) constituting a failure to pay the principal or interest of any such debt when due and payable at its stated maturity, upon required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise, unless, in either case, such indebtedness is discharged, or such acceleration is rescinded, stayed or annulled, within a period of 30 calendar days after written notice of such failure is given to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding.” |
Section 4.04. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (7) thereof with the following:
| “(7) | if, pursuant to Section 18(a)(1)(C)(ii) and Section 61 of the Investment Company Act, on the last business day of each of 24 consecutive calendar months, any class of securities shall have an asset coverage (as such term is used in the Investment Company Act) of less than 100% giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to the Company by the Commission;” |
Section 4.05. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article X of the Base Indenture shall be amended by amending clause (6) of Section 5.01 thereof as follows: the words “90 consecutive days” in the final clause thereof shall be replaced with the words “60 consecutive days”.
Section 4.06. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article X of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the first paragraph of Section 5.02 thereof with the following:
“If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(5) or 5.01(6)), the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes may (and the Trustee shall at the request of such Holders) declare the principal of all the Outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal or specified portion thereof shall become immediately due and payable; provided that 100% of the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes will automatically become due and payable in the case of an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(5) or 5.01(6) hereof.”
Section 4.07. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article X of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (3) of Section 5.12 thereof with the following:
“(3) the Trustee need not take any action that it determines in good faith may involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders of the Notes not consenting; and”
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ARTICLE V
THE TRUSTEE
Section 5.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now of hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article VI of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the final proviso of Section 6.01 thereof with the following:
“and provided further that in the case of any Default or breach of the character specified in Section 5.01(4) with respect to the Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof”
ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS
Section 6.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article X of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (1) of Section 10.05 thereof with the following:
| “(1) | The Company will deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year ending after the date hereof (which fiscal year ends on December 31), so long as any Notes are Outstanding hereunder, a brief Officers’ Certificate as to the knowledge of the signers of the Company’s compliance with all of the terms, provisions or conditions of this Indenture. For purposes of this Section 10.05, such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture.” |
Section 6.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article X of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following new Sections 10.07 and 10.08 thereto, each as set forth below:
“Section 10.07. Section 18(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act.
The Company hereby agrees that for the period of time during which the Notes are Outstanding, the Company will not violate, whether or not it is subject to, Section 18(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act as modified by Section 61(a)(1) and (2) of the Investment Company Act or any successor provisions, as such obligations may be amended or superseded, giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to us by the Securities and Exchange Commission.”
“Section 10.08. Commission Reports and Reports to Holders.
If, at any time, the Company is not subject to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act to file any periodic reports with the Commission, the Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of the Notes and the Trustee for the period of time during which the Notes are Outstanding: (i) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, audited annual consolidated financial statements of the Company and (ii) within 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company (other than the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter), unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company. All such financial statements shall be prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP, as applicable.”
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ARTICLE VII
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER
Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article VIII of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Section 8.01 with the following:
“Section 8.01. Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets.
The Company shall not merge or consolidate with or into any other Person (other than a merger of a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company into the Company), or sell, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its property (provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, a pledge of assets pursuant to any secured debt instrument of the Company or its Controlled Subsidiaries shall not be deemed to be any such sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or disposition) in any one transaction or series of related transactions unless:
(1) the Company shall be the surviving Person (the “Surviving Person”) or the Surviving Person (if other than the Company) formed by such merger or consolidation or to which such sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or disposition is made shall be a statutory trust, corporation or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any state or territory thereof;
(2) the Surviving Person (if other than the Company) expressly assumes, by supplemental indenture in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and delivered to the Trustee by such Surviving Person, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, all the Notes Outstanding, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all the covenants and conditions of this Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement to be performed by the Company;
(3) immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such transaction or series of related transactions, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and
(4) the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such transaction and the supplemental indenture, if any, in respect thereto, comply with this Section 8.01 and that all conditions precedent in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.
For the purposes of this Section 8.01, the sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all the property of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company, which property, if held by the Company instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all the property of the Company on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all the property of the Company.”
ARTICLE VIII
OFFER TO REPURCHASE UPON A CHANGE OF CONTROL REPURCHASE EVENT
Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article XIII of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Sections 13.01 to 13.05 with the following:
“Section 13.01. Change of Control.
If a Change of Control Repurchase Event occurs, unless the Company shall have exercised its right to redeem the Notes in full, the Company shall make an offer to each Holder of the Notes to repurchase all or any part (in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 principal amount in excess thereof) of that Holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased to, but not including, the date of purchase. Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control, but after the public announcement of the Change of Control, the Company shall mail a notice to
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each Holder describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and offering to repurchase Notes on the payment date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed. The notice shall, if mailed prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the payment date specified in the notice. The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event.
To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section 13.01, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 13.01 by virtue of such conflict.
On the Change of Control Repurchase Event payment date, subject to extension if necessary to comply with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:
(1) accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered pursuant to its offer;
(2) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and
(3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted, together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes being purchased by the Company.
The Paying Agent will promptly remit to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the purchase price for the Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes surrendered; provided that each new Note will be in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
If any Repayment Date upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then the required payment will be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no additional interest will accrue as a result of such delayed payment.
The Company will not be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes an offer in respect of the Notes in the manner, at the time and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company and such third party purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.”
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.01. This Third Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws that would cause the application of laws of another jurisdiction. This Third Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
Section 9.02. In case any provision in this Third Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
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Section 9.03. This Third Supplemental Indenture may be executed in counterparts, each of which will be an original, but such counterparts will together constitute but one and the same Third Supplemental Indenture. The exchange of copies of this Third Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Third Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. For the avoidance of doubt, all notices, approvals, consents, requests and any communications hereunder or with respect to this Third Supplemental Indenture must be in writing (provided that any communication sent to Trustee hereunder must be in the form of a document that is signed manually or by way of a digital signature provided by DocuSign or Adobe (or such other digital signature provider as specified in writing to Trustee by the authorized representative), in English. The Company agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of using digital signatures and electronic methods to submit communications to Trustee, including without limitation the risk of Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties.
Section 9.04. The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Third Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and the Base Indenture and this Third Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument with respect to the Notes. All provisions included in this Third Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes, unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Third Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Third Supplemental Indenture.
Section 9.05. The provisions of this Third Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.
Section 9.06. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, the terms and provisions of this Third Supplemental Indenture shall apply only to the Notes and shall not apply to any other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto) and this Third Supplemental Indenture shall not and does not otherwise affect, modify, alter, supplement or change the terms and provisions of any other series of Securities under the Base Indenture (as supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto), whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding.
Section 9.07. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Third Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or any Additional Notes, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Third Supplemental Indenture, authenticate the Notes and any Additional Notes and perform its obligations hereunder. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Notes or any Additional Notes or the proceeds thereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Third Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
| BLACKSTONE SECURED LENDING FUND | ||
| By: | /s/ Brad Marshall | |
| Name: | Brad Marshall | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee | ||
| By: | /s/ Karen R. Beard | |
| Name: | Karen R. Beard | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
[Signature page to Third Supplemental Indenture]
Exhibit A – Form of Global Note
This Security is a Global Note within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company or a nominee thereof. This Security may not be exchanged in whole or in part for a Security registered, and no transfer of this Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person other than The Depository Trust Company or a nominee thereof, except in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture.
Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment and such certificate issued in exchange for this certificate is registered in the name of Cede & Co., or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, any transfer, pledge or other use hereof for value or otherwise by or to any person is wrongful, as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.
[Insert the Restricted Notes Legend if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]
Blackstone Secured Lending Fund
| No. ____ |
$ | |
| CUSIP No. ISIN No. |
2.750% Notes due 2026
Blackstone Secured Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust duly organized and existing under the laws of Delaware (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of ______________ (U.S. $_____________) on September 16, 2026, and to pay interest thereon from March 16, 2021 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on March 16 and September 16 of each year, commencing September 16, 2021, at the rate of 2.750% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be March 1 and September 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture. This Security may be issued as part of a series.
Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on this Security will be made at the office of the Trustee located at One Federal Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA 02110 and at such other address as designated by the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however, that so long as this Security is registered to Cede & Co., such payment will be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
A-1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.
Dated: March 16, 2021
| BLACKSTONE SECURED LENDING FUND | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Attest | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
A-2
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated: March 16, 2021
| U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee | ||
| By: |
| |
| Authorized Signatory | ||
A-3
Blackstone Secured Lending Fund
2.750% Notes due 2026
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Senior Securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020 (herein called the “Base Indenture”, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Base Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Base Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020, by and between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “First Supplemental Indenture”), the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 23, 2020, by and between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “Second Supplemental Indenture”), and the Third Supplemental Indenture, relating to the Securities, by and between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “Third Supplemental Indenture”; and the First Supplemental Indenture, the Second Supplemental Indenture, the Third Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture collectively are herein called the “Indenture”). In the event of any conflict between the Base Indenture and the Third Supplemental Indenture, the Third Supplemental Indenture shall govern and control.
This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $_______________. Under a Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or an indenture supplement, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Securities, issue additional Securities of this series (in any such case “Additional Securities”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Securities, provided that, if such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Securities (or any other tranche of Additional Securities) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then such Additional Securities will have different CUSIP numbers from the Securities represented hereby (and any such other tranche of Additional Securities). Any Additional Securities and the existing Securities will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Securities herein shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires. The aggregate amount of outstanding Securities represented hereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions.
The Securities of this series are subject to redemption in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a Redemption Price per security equal to the greater of the following amounts, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date:
| (A) | 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, or |
| (B) | the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest (exclusive of accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to the Redemption Date) on the Notes to be redeemed through the Par Call Date, discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360 day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using the applicable Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time on or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem some or all of the Notes, at any time, or from time to time, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.
For purposes of calculating the Redemption Price in connection with the redemption of the Notes, on any Redemption Date, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:
“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield-to-maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue (computed as of the third Business Day immediately preceding the redemption), assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date. The Redemption Price and the Treasury Rate will be determined by the Company.
A-4
“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Reference Treasury Dealer as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed (assuming the Notes matured on the applicable Par Call Date) that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financing practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes being redeemed.
“Comparable Treasury Price” means (1) the average of the remaining Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Quotation Agent obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.
“Par Call Date” means August 16, 2026, which is the date that is one month prior to the maturity date of the Notes.
“Quotation Agent” means a Reference Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.
“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of (1) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., (2) Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, (3) a primary U.S. government securities dealer selected by SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. and (4) a primary U.S. government securities dealer selected by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing or their affiliates shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer in the United States (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company shall select another Primary Treasury Dealer.
“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Quotation Agent, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Quotation Agent by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m. New York City time on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.
All determinations made by any Reference Treasury Dealer, including the Quotation Agent, with respect to determining the Redemption Price will be final and binding absent manifest error.
Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, to each Holder of the Securities to be redeemed, not less than fifteen (15) nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture.
Any exercise of the Company’s option to redeem the Securities will be done in compliance with the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable.
If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Securities, the particular Securities to be redeemed will be selected in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Trustee and, so long as the Securities are registered to the Depositary or its nominee, the Depositary. In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof; provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Security not redeemed to less than $2,000.
Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Securities called for redemption.
Holders will have the right to require the Company to repurchase their Securities upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event as set forth in the Indenture.
A-5
The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing (other than Events of Default related to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization as set forth in the Indenture), the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. In the case of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization described in the Indenture, 100% of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest on the Securities will automatically become due and payable.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee indemnity, security, or both, satisfactory to the Trustee, against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for sixty (60) days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity and/or security. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company or Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
A-6
Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
To the extent any provision of this Security conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.
The Indenture and this Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.
The Holder of this Note shall be entitled to the benefits of a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the Issue Date, among the Company and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., as representatives of the Initial Purchasers.
A-7
SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE
The initial outstanding principal amount of this Global Note is $ . The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:
| Date of Exchange |
Amount of decrease in Principal Amount of this Global Note |
Amount of increase in Principal Amount of this Global Note |
Principal Amount of this Global Note (or increase) |
Signature of authorized officer of Trustee or Note Custodian |
A-8
Exhibit B – Form of Certificate of Transfer
Blackstone Secured Lending Fund
345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, New York 10154
Attention: Secretary
U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee
One Federal Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Fax No.: (617) 603-6665
Attention: Corporate Trust Services
Re: 2.750% Notes due 2026
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020, the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 23, 2020, and the Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 16, 2021 (together, the “Indenture”), between Blackstone Secured Lending Fund, as issuer (the “Company”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
, (the “Transferor”) owns and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Transfer”), to (the “Transferee”), as further specified in Annex A hereto. In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:
[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]
| 1. | ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN THE 144A GLOBAL NOTE OR A DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believed and believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Restricted Notes Legend printed on the 144A Global Note and/or the Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act. |
| 2. | ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE OR DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO REGULATION S. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer is not being made to a person in the United States and (x) at the time the buy order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, and (iii) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the Restricted Notes Legend printed on the Regulation S Global Note and/or Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act. |
B-1
| 3. | ☐ CHECK AND COMPLETE IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A GLOBAL NOTE OR A DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO ANY PROVISION OF THE SECURITIES ACT OTHER THAN RULE 144A OR REGULATION S. The Transfer is being effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the Transferor hereby further certifies that such Transfer is being effected to the Company or a subsidiary thereof. |
| 4. | ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE OR OF AN UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. |
(a) ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO RULE 144. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Restricted Notes Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Restricted Notes Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
(b) ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO REGULATION S. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Restricted Notes Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Restricted Notes Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
(c) ☐ CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO OTHER EXEMPTION. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Restricted Notes Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Restricted Notes Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
B-2
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company.
|
| ||
| [Insert Name of Transferor] | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Dated:
B-3
ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
| 1. The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following: | ||||
| [CHECK ONE] | ||||
| (i) ☐ 144A Global Note (CUSIP ), or | ||||
| (ii) ☐ Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP ), or | ||||
| (iii) ☐ Unrestricted Global Note (CUSIP ) | ||||
| 2. After the Transfer the Transferee will hold: | ||||
| [CHECK ONE] | ||||
| (a) ☐ a beneficial interest in the: | ||||
| (i) ☐ 144A Global Note (CUSIP ), or | ||||
| (ii) ☐ Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP ), or | ||||
| (iii) ☐ Unrestricted Global Note (CUSIP ), or | ||||
| (b) ☐ a Restricted Definitive Note; or | ||||
| (c) ☐ an Unrestricted Definitive Note, | ||||
| in accordance with the terms of the Indenture. | ||||
B-4
Exhibit C – Form of Certificate of Exchange
Blackstone Secured Lending Fund
345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, New York 10154
Attention: Secretary
U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee
One Federal Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Telecopier No.: (617) 603-6665
Attention: Corporate Trust Services
Re: 2.750% Notes due 2026
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020, the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 23, 2020, and the Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 16, 2021 (together, the “Indenture”), between Blackstone Secured Lending Fund, as issuer (the “Company”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
, (the “Owner”) owns and proposes to exchange the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Exchange”). In connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:
| 1. | EXCHANGE OF RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE FOR UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE |
(a) ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Restricted Notes Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(b) ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE TO UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Restricted Notes Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
C-1
(c) ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture, and the Restricted Notes Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(d) ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Restricted Notes Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
| 2. | EXCHANGE OF RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES FOR RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES |
(a) ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE TO RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Restricted Notes Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
(b) ☐ CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer and (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Restricted Notes Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
C-2
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company.
|
| ||
| [Insert Name of Transferor] | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Dated:
C-3
Exhibit 4.4
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
by and among
Blackstone Secured Lending Fund,
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
and
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.
Dated as of March 16, 2021
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of March 16, 2021, by and among Blackstone Secured Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Company”), and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., as the representatives (together, the “Representatives”) to the other several initial purchasers (collectively, the “Initial Purchasers”) of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 2.750% Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”) listed on Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 16, 2021 (the “Purchase Agreement”), among the Company and the Representatives on behalf of the Initial Purchasers (i) for the benefit of the Initial Purchasers and (ii) for the benefit of the holders from time to time of the Registrable Notes, including the Initial Purchasers. In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to purchase the Notes, the Company has agreed to provide the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchasers as set forth in Section 7(i) of the Purchase Agreement. The parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the following meanings:
Additional Interest: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Advice: As defined in the last paragraph of Section 6 hereof.
Agreement: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Broker-Dealer: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.
Business Day: Any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or U.S. federal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies located in New York, New York are authorized or obligated to be closed.
Commission: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Company: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Consummate: A registered Exchange Offer shall be deemed “Consummated” for purposes of this Agreement upon the occurrence of (i) the filing with the Commission of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement relating to the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer and its becoming or being declared effective under the Securities Act, (ii) the maintenance of the continuous effectiveness of such Registration Statement, and the keeping of the Exchange Offer open, for a period not less than the minimum period required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, and (iii) the delivery by the Company to the Registrar under the Indenture of Exchange Notes in the same aggregate principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of Notes that were tendered by Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
Controlling Person: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Exchange Offer: The registration by the Company under the Securities Act of the Exchange Notes pursuant to a Registration Statement pursuant to which the Company offers the Holders of all outstanding Registrable Notes the opportunity to exchange all such outstanding Registrable Notes held by such Holders for Exchange Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Notes tendered in such exchange offer by such Holders.
Exchange Offer Registration Statement: The Registration Statement relating to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.
Exchange Notes: The 2.750% Notes due 2026 of the same series under the Indenture as the Notes, to be issued to Holders in exchange for Registrable Notes pursuant to this Agreement.
FINRA: Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
Holder: As defined in Section 2(b) hereof.
Indemnified Holder: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.
Indenture: The Base Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 15, 2020, the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 23, 2020, and the Third Supplemental Indenture, to be dated as of March 16, 2021, by and between the Company and the Trustee, pursuant to which the Notes are to be issued, as such Indenture may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
Initial Placement: The issuance and sale by the Company of the Notes to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
Initial Purchasers: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Interest Payment Date: As defined in the Indenture and the Notes.
Issue Date: The date of this Agreement, March 16, 2021.
Notes: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Person: Any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.
Prospectus: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement and by all other amendments thereto, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference into such Prospectus.
Purchase Agreement: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Registrable Notes: Each Note, until the earliest to occur of (a) the date on which such Note is exchanged in the Exchange Offer for an Exchange Note entitled to be resold to the public by the Holder thereof without complying with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, (b) the date on which such Note has been effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with a Shelf Registration Statement, (c) the date on which such Note is distributed by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the “Plan of Distribution” contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
2
(including delivery of the Prospectus contained therein), (d) the date on which such Note does not bear a restricted CUSIP number and is sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act under circumstances in which any legend borne by such Note relating to restrictions on transferability thereof, under the Securities Act or otherwise, is removed by the Company or pursuant to the Indenture and (e) the date on which such Note ceases to be outstanding.
Registration Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Company relating to (a) an offering of Exchange Notes pursuant to an Exchange Offer or (b) the registration for resale of Registrable Notes pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, which is filed pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, in each case, including the Prospectus included therein, all amendments and supplements thereto (including post-effective amendments) and all exhibits and material incorporated by reference therein.
Representative: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Shelf Filing Deadline: As defined in Section 4(a)(x) hereof.
Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 4(a)(x) hereof.
Suspension Period: As defined in the final paragraph of Section 4(a) hereof.
Trustee: U.S. Bank National Association.
Trust Indenture Act: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Underwritten Registration or Underwritten Offering: A registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an underwriter for reoffering to the public.
SECTION 2. Notes Subject to this Agreement.
(a) Registrable Notes. The securities entitled to the benefits of this Agreement are the Registrable Notes.
(b) Holders of Registrable Notes. A Person is deemed to be a holder of Registrable Notes (each, a “Holder”) whenever such Person owns Registrable Notes.
SECTION 3. Registered Exchange Offer.
(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permissible under applicable law or Commission policy, the Company shall (i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Offer to be Consummated on the earliest practicable date after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has become or been declared effective, but in no event later than 365 days after the Issue Date (or if such 365th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) and (ii) in connection with the foregoing, (A) file all pre-effective amendments to such Registration Statement as may be necessary in order to cause such Registration Statement to become or be declared effective, (B) if applicable, file a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act
3
and (C) cause all necessary filings in connection with the registration and qualification of the Exchange Notes to be made under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as are necessary to permit Consummation of the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer Registration Statement shall be on the appropriate form permitting registration of the Exchange Notes to be offered in exchange for the Registrable Notes and to permit resales of Notes held by Broker-Dealers as contemplated by Section 3(c) hereof. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Exchange Notes to have the same CUSIP number.
(b) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be effective continuously and shall keep the Exchange Offer open for a period of not less than the minimum period required under applicable federal and state securities laws to Consummate the Exchange Offer; provided, however, that in no event shall such period be less than 20 Business Days after the commencement of the Exchange Offer. The Company shall cause the Exchange Offer to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws. No securities other than the Exchange Notes shall be included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement.
(c) The Company shall indicate in a “Plan of Distribution” section contained in the Prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement that any Broker-Dealer who holds Notes that are Registrable Notes and that were acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities (other than Registrable Notes acquired directly from the Company) may exchange such Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer; however, such Broker-Dealer may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must, therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resales of the Exchange Notes received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer, which prospectus delivery requirement may be satisfied by the delivery by such Broker-Dealer of the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement. Such “Plan of Distribution” section shall also contain all other information with respect to such resales by Broker-Dealers that the Commission may require in order to permit such resales pursuant thereto, but such “Plan of Distribution” shall not name any such Broker-Dealer or disclose the amount of Notes held by any such Broker-Dealer except to the extent required by the Commission.
The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Notes acquired by Broker-Dealers for their own accounts as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a period ending on the earlier of (i) 180 days from the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration Statement becomes or is declared effective and (ii) the date on which a Broker-Dealer is no longer required to deliver a prospectus in connection with market-making or other trading activities.
The Company shall provide sufficient copies of the latest version of such Prospectus to Broker-Dealers promptly upon request at any time during such 180-day (or shorter as provided in the foregoing paragraph) period in order to facilitate such resales.
SECTION 4. Shelf Registration.
(a) Shelf Registration. If (i) the Company is not required to file an Exchange Offer Registration Statement or to consummate the Exchange Offer because the Exchange Offer is not permitted by applicable law or Commission policy, (ii) for any reason the Exchange Offer is not Consummated within 365 days after the Issue Date (or if such 365th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), or (iii) with respect to any Holder of Registrable Notes (A) such Holder is
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prohibited by applicable law or Commission policy from participating in the Exchange Offer, (B) such Holder may not resell the Exchange Notes acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to the public without delivering a prospectus and the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not appropriate or available for such resales by such Holder or (C) such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Notes acquired directly from the Company or one of its affiliates, then, upon such Holder’s request, the Company shall:
(x) cause to be filed a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, which may be an amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (in either event, the “Shelf Registration Statement”), as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the earliest to occur of (1) the 60th day after the date on which the Company determines that it is not required to file the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (2) the 60th day after the date on which the Company receives notice from a Holder of Registrable Notes as contemplated by clause (iii) above and (3) the 365th day after the Issue Date (or if such 365th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) (the “Shelf Filing Deadline”), which Shelf Registration Statement shall provide for resales of all Registrable Notes the Holders of which shall have provided the information required pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof; and
(y) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become or be declared effective by the Commission at the earliest possible time, but in no event later that the 120th day after the Shelf Filing Deadline (or if such 120th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day).
The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Sections 6(b) and (c) hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Registrable Notes entitled to the benefit of this Section 4(a), and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a period of at least one year following the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (or shorter period that will terminate when all the Notes covered by such Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement or are otherwise no longer Registrable Notes).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may suspend the offering and sale under the Shelf Registration Statement (the “Suspension Period”) for a period or periods if (i) the board of trustees reasonably determines that the continued use of such Shelf Registration Statement would (A) require the Company to make a public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure in the good faith judgment of the board of trustees of the Company (1) would be required to be made in such Shelf Registration Statement so that such Shelf Registration Statement would not be materially misleading and (2) would not be required to be made at such time but for the continued use of such Shelf Registration Statement or (B) would in the good faith and judgment of the board of trustees of the Company be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company or its business or on the Company’s ability to effect a planned or proposed acquisition, disposition, financing, reorganization, recapitalization or similar transaction and (ii) the Company notifies the underwriters, if any, and the Holders of Registrable Notes within five days after the board of trustees makes the relevant determination set forth in clause (i); provided that the period or periods of suspension under clause (i) above shall not exceed, in the aggregate, 60 days in any twelve-month period during which the Shelf Registration Statement is required to be effective.
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(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with the Shelf Registration Statement. No Holder of Registrable Notes may include any of its Registrable Notes in any Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder furnishes to the Company in writing, within 10 Business Days after receipt of a request therefor, such information as the Company may reasonably request for use in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus included therein or amendment or supplement thereto. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration Statement is being effected agrees to furnish promptly to the Company all information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading.
SECTION 5. Additional Interest. If (i) unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permissible under applicable law or Commission policy, the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has not been Consummated on or prior to the 365th day after the Issue Date (or if such 365th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), (ii) in the event the Company is required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 4(a) hereof, (A) the Shelf Registration Statement is not filed by the Shelf Filing Deadline or (B) the Shelf Registration Statement has not become or been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the 120th day after the Shelf Filing Deadline (or if such 120th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) or (iii) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is filed and declared effective but shall thereafter cease to be effective or fail to be usable for its intended purpose without being immediately succeeded by a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement that cures such failure and that is itself immediately declared effective (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iii), a “Registration Default”) then, with respect to the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of such Registration Default, the interest rate on the Registrable Notes will be increased by 0.25% per annum and will increase by an additional 0.25% per annum on the principal amount of Notes with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, up to a maximum of additional interest of 0.50% per annum (“Additional Interest”). Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to this Section 5 will be paid in cash on the relevant Interest Payment Date to Holders of record on the relevant regular record dates. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults relating to any particular Registrable Notes, the interest rate borne by the relevant Registrable Notes will be reduced to the original interest rate borne by such Registrable Notes; provided, however, that, if after any such reduction in interest rate, a different Registration Default occurs, the interest rate borne by the relevant Registrable Notes shall again be increased pursuant to the foregoing provisions.
All obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding paragraph that are outstanding with respect to any Registrable Note at the time such security ceases to be a Registrable Note shall survive until such time as all such obligations with respect to such security shall have been satisfied in full.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the amount of Additional Interest payable shall not increase because more than one Registration Default has occurred and is pending at any given time and (ii) a Holder of Registrable Notes that has not provided the information required pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof within the time period set forth therein shall not be entitled to Additional Interest with respect to a Registration Default that pertains to the relevant Shelf Registration Statement.
SECTION 6. Registration Procedures.
(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Company shall comply with all of the applicable provisions of Section 6(c) hereof, shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such exchange to permit the sale of Registrable Notes being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and shall comply with all of the following provision:
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(i) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each Holder of Registrable Notes shall furnish, upon the request of the Company, prior to the Consummation thereof, a written representation to the Company (which may be contained in the letter of transmittal contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an affiliate of the Company, (B) it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in, a distribution of the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (C) it is acquiring the Exchange Notes in its ordinary course of business, (D) if it is a Broker-Dealer that holds Notes that were acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities (other than Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its affiliates), it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resales of the Exchange Notes received by it in the Exchange Offer, and (E) if it is a Broker-Dealer, that it did not purchase the Notes to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer from the Company or any of its affiliates. In addition, all such Holders of Registrable Notes shall otherwise cooperate in the Company’s preparations for the Exchange Offer. Each Holder hereby acknowledges and agrees that any Broker-Dealer and any such Holder using the Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired in the Exchange Offer (1) could not under Commission policy as in effect on the date of this Agreement rely on the position of the Commission enunciated in Morgan Stanley and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the Commission’s letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters (which may include any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above), and (2) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a secondary resale transaction should be covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling security holder information required by Item 507 or 508, as applicable, of Regulation S-K if the resales are of Exchange Notes obtained by such Holder in exchange for Notes acquired by such Holder directly from the Company.
(b) Shelf Registration Statement. In connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall comply with all the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such registration to permit the sale of the Registrable Notes being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company will as expeditiously as is commercially reasonable prepare and file with the Commission a Shelf Registration Statement relating to the registration on any appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form shall be available for the sale of the Registrable Notes in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof.
(c) General Provisions. In connection with any Registration Statement and any Prospectus required by this Agreement to permit the sale or resale of Registrable Notes (including, without limitation, any Registration Statement and the related Prospectus required to permit resales of Notes by Broker-Dealers), the Company shall:
(i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective during the period required by this Agreement and provide all requisite financial statements;
(ii) upon the occurrence of any event that would cause any such Registration Statement or the Prospectus contained therein (A) to contain a material misstatement or omission or (B) not to be effective and usable for resale of Registrable Notes during the period required by this Agreement, the Company shall file promptly an appropriate amendment to such Registration Statement, in the case of clause (A), correcting any such misstatement or omission, and, in the case of either clause (A) or (B), use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such amendment to become or be declared effective and such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus to become usable for their intended purpose(s) as soon as practicable thereafter;
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(iii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the applicable Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective for the applicable period set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, or such shorter period as will terminate when all Registrable Notes covered by such Registration Statement have been sold; cause the Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rules 424 or 497 under the Securities Act, and to comply fully with the applicable provisions of Rules 424, 430A and 497 under the Securities Act in a timely manner; and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus;
(iv) advise the underwriter(s), if any, and selling Holders promptly and, if requested by such Persons, to confirm such advice in writing, (A) when the Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to any Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become or been declared effective, (B) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for additional information relating thereto, (C) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act or of the suspension by any state securities commission of the qualification of the Registrable Notes for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation of any proceeding for any of the preceding purposes, (D) of the existence of any fact or the happening of any event that makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein untrue, or that requires the making of any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any state securities commission or other regulatory authority shall issue an order suspending the qualification or exemption from qualification of the Registrable Notes under state securities or blue sky laws, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest possible time;
(v) furnish without charge to the Initial Purchasers, each selling Holder named in any Registration Statement that has requested such copies, if any, and each of the underwriter(s), if any, before filing with the Commission, copies of any Registration Statement or any Prospectus included therein or any amendments or supplements to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (other than any documents that will be incorporated by reference in such Registration Statement or Prospectus), which documents will be subject to the review and comment of such requesting Holders and underwriter(s) in connection with such sale, if any, for a period of at least five Business Days, and the Company will not file any such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus to which the Initial Purchasers of Registrable Notes covered by such Registration Statement or the underwriter(s), if any, shall reasonably object in writing within five Business Days after the receipt thereof (such objection to be deemed timely made upon confirmation of facsimile transmission within such period). The objection of the Initial Purchasers or underwriter, if any, shall be deemed to be reasonable if such Registration Statement, amendment, Prospectus or supplement, as applicable, as proposed to be filed, contains a material misstatement or omission;
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(vi) make the Company’s representatives reasonably available to the Initial Purchasers for customary due diligence matters;
(vii) make available at reasonable times for inspection by the Initial Purchasers, any Holder, the managing underwriter(s), if any, participating in any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement and any attorney or accountant retained by the Initial Purchasers, Holder or any of the underwriter(s), in each case subject to confidentiality agreements in form and substance customarily entered into by the Initial Purchasers or underwriters, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and cause the Company’s officers, trustees and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Holder, underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto subsequent to the filing thereof and prior to its effectiveness and to participate in meetings with investors to the extent reasonably requested by the managing underwriter(s), if any;
(viii) if requested by any selling Holders listed as selling securityholders in any Registration Statement or the underwriter(s), if any, promptly incorporate in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, pursuant to a supplement or post-effective amendment if necessary, such information as such selling Holders and underwriter(s), if any, may reasonably request to have included therein, including, without limitation, information relating to the “Plan of Distribution” of the Registrable Notes, information with respect to the principal amount of Registrable Notes being sold to such underwriter(s), the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Notes to be sold in such offering; and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Company is notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;
(ix) furnish to the Initial Purchasers, each selling Holder and each of the underwriter(s), if any, without charge, at least one copy of the Registration Statement, as first filed with the Commission, and of each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, if requested, all documents incorporated by reference therein and all exhibits (including exhibits incorporated therein by reference), unless, in each case, publicly available;
(x) deliver to each selling Holder and each of the underwriter(s), if any, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons reasonably may request; the Company hereby consent to the use of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders and each of the underwriter(s), if any, in connection with the offering and the sale of the Registrable Notes covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto;
(xi) in connection with an underwritten offering pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, enter into such agreements (including an underwriting agreement), and make such representations and warranties, and take all such other commercially reasonable actions in connection therewith in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Notes. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company shall:
(A) furnish to the Initial Purchasers, each selling Holder and each underwriter in such substance and scope as they may reasonably request and as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in primary underwritten offerings, upon the date of the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement:
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(1) a certificate, dated the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, signed by (y) the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President and (z) a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, confirming customary matters;
(2) if requested by a majority of selling Holders, an opinion, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, of counsel for the Company, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings;
(3) a customary comfort letter, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, from the Company’s independent accountants, in the customary form and covering matters of the type customarily requested to be covered in comfort letters by underwriters in connection with primary underwritten offerings;
(B) set forth in full or incorporate by reference in the underwriting agreement, if any, the indemnification provisions and procedures of Section 8 hereof with respect to all parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section; and
(C) deliver such other documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by such parties to evidence compliance with Section 6(c)(xi)(A) hereof and with any customary conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other agreement entered into by the Company pursuant to this Section 6(c)(xi), if any.
If at any time the representations and warranties of the Company contemplated in Section 6(c)(xi)(A)(1) hereof cease to be true and correct, the Company shall so advise the Initial Purchasers and the underwriter(s), if any, and each selling Holder promptly and, if requested by such Persons, shall confirm such advice in writing;
(xii) prior to any public offering of Registrable Notes, cooperate with the selling Holders, the underwriter(s), if any, and their respective counsel in connection with the registration and qualification of the Registrable Notes under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the selling Holders or underwriter(s), if any, may request and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to register or qualify as a foreign corporation where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to the service of process in suits or to taxation, other than as to matters and transactions relating to the Registration Statement, in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;
(xiii) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, shall issue, upon the request of any Holder of Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement and only in connection with any valid sale of Notes by such Holder pursuant to such registration statement (and provided that such Holder delivers such certificates or opinions reasonably requested by the Company in connection with such sale), Exchange Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered to the Company by such Holder in exchange therefor or being sold by such Holder; such Exchange Notes to be registered in the name of such Holder or in the name of the purchaser(s) of such Exchange Notes, as the case may be; in return, the Notes held by such Holder shall be surrendered to the Company for cancellation;
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(xiv) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, and subject to the forms of the Indenture, cooperate with the selling Holders and the underwriter(s), if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates or book-entry receipts, as applicable, representing Registrable Notes to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and enable such Registrable Notes or such book-entry receipts, as applicable, to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Holders or the underwriter(s), if any, may request at least two Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Notes made by such Holders or underwriter(s);
(xv) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registrable Notes covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriter(s), if any, to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Notes, subject to the proviso contained in Section 6(c)(xii) hereof;
(xvi) if any fact or event contemplated by Section 6(c)(iv)(D) hereof shall exist or have occurred, prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of Registrable Notes, the Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading;
(xvii) not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement covering such Exchange Notes, provide that the CUSIP and ISIN numbers for all Exchange Notes shall be the same unrestricted CUSIP and ISIN numbers as borne by the Existing Notes and provide the Trustee under the Indenture with printed certificates for such Exchange Notes which are in a form eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company and take all other action necessary to ensure that all such Exchange Notes are eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company;
(xviii) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with the FINRA and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter (including any “qualified independent underwriter”) that is required to be retained in accordance with the rules and regulations of the FINRA;
(xix) otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally available to its security holders, as soon as practicable, a consolidated earnings statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 under the Securities Act (which need not be audited) for the twelve-month period (A) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in which Registrable Notes are sold to underwriters in a firm commitment or commercially reasonable efforts Underwritten Offering or (B) if not sold to underwriters in such an offering, beginning with the first month of the Company’s first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the Registration Statement; and
(xx) cause the Indenture to continue to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act as of, and not later than the effective date of the first Registration Statement required by this Agreement, and, in connection therewith, cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders of Exchange Notes to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for such Indenture to remain so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and to execute and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents that may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the Commission to enable such Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner.
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Each Holder agrees by acquisition of a Registrable Note that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the existence of any fact of the kind described in Section 6(c)(iv)(D) hereof or any Suspension Period, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Notes pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof, or until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. If so directed by the Company, each Holder will deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Notes that was current at the time of receipt of such notice. In the event the Company shall give any such notice, the time period regarding the effectiveness of such Registration Statement set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, shall be extended by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice pursuant to Section 6(c)(iv)(D) hereof or notice of any Suspension Period to and including the date when each selling Holder covered by such Registration Statement shall have received the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof or shall have received the Advice; provided, however, that no such extension shall be taken into account in determining whether Additional Interest is due pursuant to Section 5 hereof or the amount of such Additional Interest, it being agreed that the Company’s option to suspend use of a Registration Statement pursuant to this paragraph shall be treated as a Registration Default for purposes of Section 5 hereof.
SECTION 7. Registration Expenses. All expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company regardless of whether a Registration Statement becomes or is declared effective, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees and expenses (including filings made by the Initial Purchasers or Holder with the FINRA (and, if applicable, the fees and expenses of any “qualified independent underwriter” and its counsel that may be required by the rules and regulations of the FINRA)); (ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and state securities or blue sky laws; (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing certificates for the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer and printing of Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone; (iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; (v) application and filing fees in connection with listing the Notes on a securities exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the requirements thereof; and (vi) all fees and disbursements of independent certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such performance).
The Company will, in any event, bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses of any Person, including special experts, retained by the Company.
SECTION 8. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agree to indemnify and hold harmless (i) each Holder and (ii) each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) any Holder (any of the Persons referred to in this clause (ii) being hereinafter referred to as a “Controlling Person”) and (iii) the respective officers, trustees, partners, employees, representatives and agents of any Holder or any Controlling Person (any Person referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) may hereinafter be referred to as an “Indemnified Holder”), to the fullest extent lawful, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions and expenses (including, without limitation, and as incurred, reimbursement of all reasonable costs of investigating, preparing, pursuing, settling, compromising, paying or defending any claim or action, or any investigation or proceeding by any
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governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, including the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel to any Indemnified Holder), joint or several, directly or indirectly caused by, related to, based upon, arising out of or in connection with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are caused by an untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission that is made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any of the Holders furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any of the Holders expressly for use therein. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
In case any action or proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation or proceeding) shall be brought or asserted against any of the Indemnified Holders with respect to which indemnity may be sought against the Company, such Indemnified Holder (or the Indemnified Holder controlled by such Controlling Person) shall promptly notify the Company in writing; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not relieve any of the Company of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement unless and to the extent the Company did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the Company of substantial rights and defenses. Such Indemnified Holder shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action and the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel shall be paid, as incurred, by the Company (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Holder is not entitled to indemnification hereunder). The Company shall not, in connection with any one such action or proceeding or separate but substantially similar or related actions or proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to one local counsel for all indemnified parties taken as a whole in each jurisdiction reasonably required and, in the event of an actual conflict, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction for the affected indemnified parties similarly situated taken as a whole) at any time for such Indemnified Holders, which firm shall be designated by the Holders. The Company shall be liable for any settlement of any such action or proceeding effected with the Company’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, and the Company agree to indemnify and hold harmless any Indemnified Holder from and against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of any settlement of any action effected with the written consent of the Company. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of each Indemnified Holder, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action, claim, litigation or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Holder is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes a complete and unconditional release of each Indemnified Holder from all liability arising out of such action, claim, litigation or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Indemnified Holder.
(b) Each Holder of Registrable Notes agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its trustees and officers who sign a Registration Statement, and any Person controlling (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) the Company and its officers, trustees, partners, employees, representatives and agents, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each of the Indemnified Holders, but only with respect to claims and actions based on information relating to such Holder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement. In case any action or proceeding shall be brought against the Company or its trustees or officers or any such Controlling Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against a Holder of Registrable Notes, such Holder shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and its trustees and officers and such Controlling Person shall have the rights and duties given to each Holder by the preceding paragraph. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liability which Holders may otherwise have.
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(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or (b) hereof (other than by reason of exceptions provided in those Sections) in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, from the Initial Placement (which in the case of the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total gross proceeds to the Company from the Initial Placement), the amount of Additional Interest which did not become payable as a result of the filing of the Registration Statement resulting in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses, and such Registration Statement, or if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Indemnified Holder, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Indemnified Holders, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in the second paragraph of Section 8(a) hereof, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.
The Company and each Holder of Registrable Notes agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(c) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, none of the Holders (and its related Indemnified Holders) shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discount received by such Holder with respect to the Notes exceeds the amount of any damages which such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8(c) are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Notes held by each of the Holders hereunder and not joint.
SECTION 9. Rule 144A. The Company hereby agrees with each Holder, for so long as any Registrable Notes remain outstanding, to make available to any Holder or beneficial owner of Registrable Notes in connection with any sale thereof and any prospective purchaser of such Registrable Notes from such Holder or beneficial owner, the information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act in order to permit resales of such Registrable Notes pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, unless the Company is then subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
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SECTION 10. Participation in Underwritten Registrations. No Holder may participate in any Underwritten Registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder’s Registrable Notes on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all reasonable questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, lock-up letters and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
SECTION 11. Selection of Underwriters. If requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Notes in an Underwritten Offering. In such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) that will administer such offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Notes included in such offering; provided, however, that such investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) must be reasonably satisfactory to the Company.
SECTION 12. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. The Company hereby agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not on or after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Company’s securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c) Adjustments Affecting the Notes. The Company will not take any action, or permit any change to occur, with respect to the Registrable Notes that would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holders to Consummate any Exchange Offer.
(d) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company have (i) in the case of Section 5 hereof and this Section 13(d)(i), obtained the written consent of Holders of all outstanding Registrable Notes and (ii) in the case of all other provisions hereof, obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Registrable Notes (excluding any Registrable Notes held by the Company or its Affiliates). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to departure from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose securities are being tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights of other Holders whose securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange Offer may be given by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Registrable Notes being tendered or registered; provided, however, that, with respect to any matter that directly or indirectly affects the rights of the Initial Purchasers hereunder, the Company shall obtain the written consent of the Initial Purchasers with respect to which such amendment, qualification, supplement, waiver, consent or departure is to be effective.
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(e) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), facsimile, or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:
(i) if to a Holder, at the address set forth on the records of the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under the Indenture;
(ii) if to the Company:
Blackstone Secured Lending Fund
345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10154
Facsimile: (212) 503-2100
Attention: General Counsel
With a copy to:
Dechert LLP
One International Place, 40th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Facsimile: (617) 728-7120
Attention: Thomas J. Friedmann
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt acknowledged, if sent by facsimile; and on the next Business Day, if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the address specified in the Indenture.
(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including, without limitation, and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders of Registrable Notes; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not inure to the benefit of or be binding upon a successor or assign of a Holder unless and to the extent such successor or assign acquired Registrable Notes from such Holder.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (including by facsimile or other method of electronic transmission) and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(i) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES THEREOF.
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(j) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(k) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein with respect to the registration rights granted by the Company with respect to the Registrable Notes. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.
(l) Third Party Beneficiaries. Each Holder shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
| BLACKSTONE SECURED LENDING FUND | ||
| By: | /s/ Marisa J. Beeney | |
| Name: Marisa J. Beeney | ||
| Title: Secretary | ||
The foregoing Registration Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:
| CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Adam D. Bordner | |
| Name: Adam D. Bordner | ||
| Title: Director | ||
| GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Sam Chaffin | |
| Name: Sam Chaffin | ||
| Title: Vice President | ||
| SMBC NIKKO SECURITIES AMERICA, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Omar F. Zaman | |
| Name: Omar F. Zaman | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||