Form: 8-K

Current report filing

January 12, 2018

Exhibit 4.1

ATHENE HOLDING LTD.

ISSUER

AND

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

TRUSTEE

 

 

INDENTURE

DATED AS OF JANUARY 12, 2018

 

 

DEBT SECURITIES


CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE1

 

SECTION OF

TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF

1939, AS AMENDED

  

SECTION OF INDENTURE

310(a)

  

Inapplicable

310(b)

  

7.08

310(c)

  

Inapplicable

311(a)

  

7.13

311(b)

  

7.13

311(c)

  

Inapplicable

312(b)

  

5.02(c)

312(c)

  

Inapplicable

313(a)

  

5.04(a)

313(b)

  

5.04(b)

313(c)

  

5.04(b)

313(d)

  

Inapplicable

314(a)

  

Inapplicable

314(b)

  

Inapplicable

314(c)

  

Inapplicable

314(d)

  

Inapplicable

314(e)

  

Inapplicable

314(f)

  

Inapplicable

315(a)

  

Inapplicable

315(b)

  

Inapplicable

315(c)

  

Inapplicable

315(d)

  

Inapplicable

315(e)

  

Inapplicable

316(a)

  

Inapplicable

316(b)

  

Inapplicable

316(c)

  

Inapplicable

317(a)

  

Inapplicable

317(b)

  

Inapplicable

318(a)

  

Inapplicable

 

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


TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

 

         PAGE  
ARTICLE I  
DEFINITIONS  

SECTION 1.01

 

Definitions of Terms

     1  
ARTICLE II  
DESCRIPTION, TERMS, EXECUTION,  
REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES  

SECTION 2.01

 

Designation and Terms of Securities

     6  

SECTION 2.02

 

Form of Securities and Trustee’s Certificate

     9  

SECTION 2.03

 

Denominations; Provisions for Payment

     9  

SECTION 2.04

 

Execution and Authentications

     11  

SECTION 2.05

 

Registration of Transfer and Exchange

     11  

SECTION 2.06

 

Temporary Securities

     12  

SECTION 2.07

 

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Securities

     13  

SECTION 2.08

 

Cancellation

     14  

SECTION 2.09

 

Benefits of Indenture

     14  

SECTION 2.10

 

Authenticating Agent

     14  

SECTION 2.11

 

Global Securities

     15  
ARTICLE III  
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES AND SINKING FUND PROVISIONS  

SECTION 3.01

 

Redemption

     16  

SECTION 3.02

 

Notice of Redemption

     16  

SECTION 3.03

 

Payment upon Redemption

     17  

SECTION 3.04

 

Sinking Fund

     17  

SECTION 3.05

 

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

     18  

SECTION 3.06

 

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

     18  
ARTICLE IV  
CERTAIN COVENANTS  

SECTION 4.01

 

Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

     18  

SECTION 4.02

 

Maintenance of Office or Agency

     19  

SECTION 4.03

 

Paying Agents

     19  

SECTION 4.04

 

Notice of Default and Statement by Officers as to Default

     21  

SECTION 4.05

 

Existence

     21  

SECTION 4.06

 

Waiver of Certain Covenants

     21  

SECTION 4.07

 

Appointment to Fill Vacancy in Office of Trustee

     21  

SECTION 4.08

 

Compliance with Consolidation Provisions

     21  

 

1  This Table of Contents does not constitute part of this Indenture and shall not have any bearing upon the interpretation of any of its terms or provisions.

 

i


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

SECTION 5.01

 

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders

     22  

SECTION 5.02

 

Preservation Of Information; Communications With Securityholders

     22  

SECTION 5.03

 

Reports by the Company

     22  

SECTION 5.04

 

Reports by the Trustee

     23  
ARTICLE VI  
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT  

SECTION 6.01

 

Events of Default

     23  

SECTION 6.02

 

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

     26  

SECTION 6.03

 

Application of Moneys Collected

     27  

SECTION 6.04

 

Limitation on Suits

     28  

SECTION 6.05

 

Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver

     29  

SECTION 6.06

 

Control by Securityholders

     29  

SECTION 6.07

 

Undertaking to Pay Costs

     29  

SECTION 6.08

 

Waiver of Past Defaults

     30  
ARTICLE VII  
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE  

SECTION 7.01

 

Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee

     30  

SECTION 7.02

 

Certain Rights of Trustee

     31  

SECTION 7.03

 

Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance or Securities

     33  

SECTION 7.04

 

May Hold Securities

     33  

SECTION 7.05

 

Moneys Held in Trust

     33  

SECTION 7.06

 

Compensation and Reimbursement

     33  

SECTION 7.07

 

Reliance on Officer’s Certificate

     34  

SECTION 7.08

 

Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

     34  

SECTION 7.09

 

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

     34  

SECTION 7.10

 

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

     35  

SECTION 7.11

 

Acceptance of Appointment By Successor

     36  

SECTION 7.12

 

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

     37  

SECTION 7.13

 

Preferential Collection of Claims against the Company

     37  

SECTION 7.14

 

Notice of Default

     38  
ARTICLE VIII  
CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS  

SECTION 8.01

 

Evidence of Action by Securityholders

     38  

SECTION 8.02

 

Proof of Execution by Securityholders

     39  

SECTION 8.03

 

Who May be Deemed Owners

     39  

SECTION 8.04

 

Certain Securities Owned by Company Disregarded

     39  

SECTION 8.05

 

Actions Binding on Future Securityholders

     40  

 

ii


ARTICLE IX  
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES  

SECTION 9.01

 

Supplemental Indentures without the Consent of Securityholders

     40  

SECTION 9.02

 

Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Securityholders

     42  

SECTION 9.03

 

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

     42  

SECTION 9.04

 

Securities Affected by Supplemental Indentures

     43  

SECTION 9.05

 

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

     43  
ARTICLE X  
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE  

SECTION 10.01

 

When the Company May Consolidate, Merge, Etc

     43  
ARTICLE XI  
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE  

SECTION 11.01

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

     44  

SECTION 11.02

 

Discharge of Obligations

     45  

SECTION 11.03

 

Deposited Moneys to be Held in Trust

     45  

SECTION 11.04

 

Payment of Moneys Held by Paying Agents

     45  

SECTION 11.05

 

Repayment to Company

     45  
ARTICLE XII  
IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS  

SECTION 12.01

 

No Recourse

     46  
ARTICLE XIII  
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE  

SECTION 13.01

 

Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

     46  

SECTION 13.02

 

Defeasance and Discharge

     46  

SECTION 13.03

 

Covenant Defeasance

     47  

SECTION 13.04

 

Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

     47  

SECTION 13.05

 

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

     49  

SECTION 13.06

 

Reinstatement

     49  
ARTICLE XIV  
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS  

SECTION 14.01

 

Effect on Successors and Assigns

     50  

SECTION 14.02

 

Actions by Successor

     50  

SECTION 14.03

 

Surrender of Company Powers

     50  

SECTION 14.04

 

Notices

     50  

SECTION 14.05

 

Governing Law

     50  

SECTION 14.06

 

Treatment of Securities as Debt

     51  

SECTION 14.07

 

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

     51  

SECTION 14.08

 

Payments on Business Days

     51  

SECTION 14.09

 

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

     51  

SECTION 14.10

 

Counterparts

     51  

SECTION 14.11

 

Separability

     52  

SECTION 14.12

 

Assignment

     52  

 

iii


SECTION 14.13

 

Acknowledgment of Rights

     52  

SECTION 14.14

 

USA PATRIOT Act

     52  

SECTION 14.15

 

Force Majeure

     53  

SECTION 14.16

 

Waiver of Jury Trial

     53  

 

iv


INDENTURE, dated as of January 12, 2018, between Athene Holding Ltd., a Bermuda exempted company limited by shares (the “Company”), and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, as trustee (the “Trustee”):

WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of unsecured debt securities, debentures, notes, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter referred to as the “Securities”), in an unlimited aggregate principal amount to be issued from time to time in one or more series, as provided in this Indenture.

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

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

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

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01    Definitions of Terms.

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

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person, directly or indirectly, controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. When used with respect to any Person, “control” means the power, directly or indirectly, to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” and “under common control with” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

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

 

1


“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other law for the relief of debtors.

“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee of such Board.

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

“Business Day” means, with respect to any series of Securities, any day other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday, (ii) a day on which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is authorized or required by law or executive order to close or be closed or (iii) a day on which commercial banks in Bermuda are authorized or required by law to close or be closed.

“Company” means Athene Holding Ltd., a Bermuda exempted company limited by shares, and, subject to the provisions of Article Ten, shall also include its successors and assigns.

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

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which, at any particular time, its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at U.S. Bank National Association, Global Corporate Trust Services, 633 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles, California 90071, Attention: B. Scarbrough (Athene).

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

“default” means any event, act or condition that with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

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

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

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

 

2


“Governmental Obligations” means securities that are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America, or the securities of another government, governments or a confederation or association of governments, in which the United States of America’s, or such government, governments or confederation or association of governments’ full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, or another government, governments or a confederation or association of governments, is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, or such government, governments or confederation or association of governments, that, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) as custodian with respect to any such Governmental Obligation or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such Governmental Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt; provided, however, that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Governmental Obligation or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the Governmental Obligation evidenced by such depositary receipt.

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

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, including, for all purposes of this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, respectively. The term “Indenture” shall also include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 2.01.

“Interest Payment Date,” when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on a Security of a particular series.

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

“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President, an Executive Vice President, a Senior Vice President, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the Principal Accounting Officer, the Controller or the Secretary of the Company that is delivered to the Trustee in accordance with the terms hereof. Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 14.07, if and to the extent required by the provisions thereof.

“Opinion of Counsel” means an opinion in writing of legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company, that is delivered to the Trustee in accordance with the terms hereof. Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 14.07, if and to the extent required by the provisions thereof.

 

3


“Ordinary Securities” means undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Company which rank pari passu with Preferred Securities issued by the Company; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the rights of holders of Common Securities to payment in respect of distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise are subordinated to the rights of holders of Preferred Securities.

“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01(b).

“Outstanding,” when used with reference to Securities of any series, means, subject to the provisions of Section 8.04, as of any particular time, all Securities of that series theretofore authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Indenture, except (a) Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or delivered to the Trustee or any Paying Agent for cancellation or that have previously been canceled; (b) Securities or portions thereof for the payment or redemption of which moneys or Governmental Obligations in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent (other than the Company) or shall have been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent); provided, however, that if such Securities or portions of such Securities are to be redeemed prior to the maturity thereof, notice of such redemption shall have been given as provided in Article Three, or provision satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made for giving such notice; (c) Securities in lieu of or in substitution for which other Securities shall have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.07; and (d) Securities as to which Defeasance (as defined in Section 13.02) has been effected pursuant to Section 13.02, provided, however, that in determining whether the holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given, made or taken any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action hereunder as of any date, (A) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof which would be due and payable as of such date upon acceleration of the maturity thereof to such date pursuant to Section 6.01(b), (B) if, as of such date, the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of a Security is not determinable, the principal amount of such Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount as specified or determined as contemplated by Section 2.01, (C) the principal amount of a Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined as of such date in the manner provided as contemplated by Section 2.01, of the principal amount of such Security (or, in the case of a Security described in Clause (A) or (B) above, of the amount determined as provided in such Clause), and (D) Securities beneficially owned by the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor.

 

4


“Paying Agent” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Company.

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

“Place of Payment,” when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 2.01.

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

“Preferred Securities” means undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Company which rank pari passu with Ordinary Securities issued by the Company; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the rights of holders of Ordinary Securities to payment in respect of distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise are subordinated to the rights of holders of Preferred Securities.

“Redemption Date,” when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

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

“Responsible Officer,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means the President, any Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, any trust officer, any corporate trust officer or any other officer or assistant officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter relating to this Indenture is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

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

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

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

 

5


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

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (i) any corporation at least a majority of whose outstanding Voting Stock shall at the time be owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or more of its Subsidiaries or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries, (ii) any general partnership, joint venture or similar entity, at least a majority of whose outstanding partnership or similar interests shall at the time be owned by such Person, or by one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries and (iii) any limited partnership of which such Person or any of its Subsidiaries is a general partner.

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

“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, subject to the provisions of Sections 9.01, 9.02 and 10.01, as in effect at the date of execution of this instrument.

“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 directors (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.

“Yield to Maturity” means the yield to maturity on a series of securities calculated at the time of issuance of such series or, if applicable, of the most recent redetermination of interest on such series, and calculated in accordance with accepted financial practice.

ARTICLE II

DESCRIPTION, TERMS, EXECUTION,

REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES

SECTION 2.01    Designation and Terms of Securities.

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

(1)    the title of the Security of the series (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from all other Securities) and whether such Securities shall be senior debt Securities or subordinated debt Securities;

 

6


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

(3)    the price or prices at which the Company will sell the Securities;

(4)    the Stated Maturity of the Securities;

(5)    the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest or the manner of calculation of such rate or rates, if any;

(6)    the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest will be payable or the manner of determination of such Interest Payment Dates and the record date for the determination of holders to whom interest is payable on any such Interest Payment Dates;

(7)    the right, if any, to extend the interest payment periods, including the maximum consecutive period during which interest payment periods may be extended;

(8)    whether the amount of principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series may be determined with reference to any index, formula, or other method, such as one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices, and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

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

(10)    additional amounts, if any, that the Company is obligated to pay;

(11)    the period or periods within which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(12)    the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay or purchase Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions (including payments made in cash in participation of future sinking fund obligations) or at the option of a holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, and the terms and conditions upon which, Securities of the series shall be redeemed, repaid or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

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

 

7


(14)    if other than the full principal amount thereof, the portion or, methods of determining the portion, of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01;

(15)    if other than the currency of the United States of America, the currency, currencies or currency units in which the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series shall be payable and the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in the currency of the United States of America for any purpose, including for purposes of the definition of “Outstanding” in Section 1.01;

(16)    provisions granting special rights to holders of the Securities upon the occurrence of specific events;

(17)    any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or the Company’s covenants provided for with respect to the Securities of the series;

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

(19)    whether the Securities will be convertible into common shares or other securities or property of the Company or a third party and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible, including the conversion price and the conversion period;

(20)    whether the Securities are issuable as a Global Security and, in such case, the identity for the Depositary for such series and the terms and conditions upon which Global Securities may be exchanged for certificated debt securities;

(21)    if applicable, a discussion of certain material tax implications of the Securities of the series;

(22)    any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.01;

(23)    any trustees, authenticating or Paying Agents, transfer agents or registrars or other agents with respect to the Securities; and

(24)    any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 9.01(10)), but which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture with respect to such series, provided that no such term may modify or delete any provision hereof if imposed by the Trust Indenture Act, and provided, further that any modification or deletion of the rights, duties or immunities of the Trustee hereunder shall have been consented to in writing by the Trustee).

 

8


All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to any such Board Resolution or in any indentures supplemental hereto.

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

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

SECTION 2.02    Form of Securities and Trustee’s Certificate.

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

SECTION 2.03    Denominations; Provisions for Payment.

The Securities shall be issuable as registered Securities and in the minimum denominations of one thousand U.S. dollars ($1,000) or any integral multiple in excess thereof, subject to Section 2.01(13). The Securities of a particular series shall bear interest payable on the dates and at the rate specified with respect to that series. Unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 2.01, the principal of and the interest on the Securities of any series, as well as any premium thereon in case of redemption thereof prior to maturity, shall be payable in the coin or currency of the United States of America that at the time is legal tender for public and private debt, at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the contiguous United States. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

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

 

9


Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01, any interest on any Security that is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for Securities of the same series (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered holder on the relevant regular record date by virtue of having been such holder; and such Defaulted Interest shall be paid by the Company, at its election, as provided in clause (1) or clause (2) below:

(1)    The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on Securities to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner: the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall not be more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such special record date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor to be mailed, first class postage prepaid, to each Securityholder at his or her address as it appears in the Security Register (as hereinafter defined), not less than 10 days prior to such special record date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered on such special record date and shall be no longer payable pursuant to the following clause (2).

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

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

 

10


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

SECTION 2.04    Execution and Authentications.

The Securities shall be signed on behalf of the Company by its President, or one of its Vice Presidents, or its Treasurer, or one of its Assistant Treasurers, or its Secretary, or one of its Assistant Secretaries. Signatures may be in the form of a manual or facsimile signature. The Company may use the facsimile signature of any Person who shall have been a President or Vice President or Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer thereof, or of any Person who shall have been a Secretary or Assistant Secretary thereof, notwithstanding the fact that at the time the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered or disposed of such Person shall have ceased to be the President or a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company. The Securities may contain such notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication by the Trustee.

A Security shall not be valid until authenticated manually by an authorized signatory of the Trustee, or by an Authenticating Agent. Such signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security so authenticated has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the holder is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a written order of the Company for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, signed by its President or any Vice President and its Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, and the Trustee in accordance with such written order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities.

In authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the form and terms thereof have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture.

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

SECTION 2.05    Registration of Transfer and Exchange.

(a)    Securities of any series may be exchanged upon presentation thereof at the office or agency of the Company designated for such purpose in the contiguous United States, for other Securities of such series of authorized denominations, and for a like aggregate principal amount,

 

11


upon payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge in relation thereto, all as provided in this Section. In respect of any Securities so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in exchange therefor the Security or Securities of the same series that the Securityholder making the exchange shall be entitled to receive, bearing numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.

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

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

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

(c)    No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Securities, or issue of new Securities in case of partial redemption of any series, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge in relation thereto, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 2.06, the second paragraph of Section 3.03 and Section 9.04 not involving any transfer.

(d)    The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, exchange or register the transfer of any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of less than all the Outstanding Securities of the same series and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, nor (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Securities of any series or portions thereof called for redemption. The provisions of this Section 2.05 are, with respect to any Global Security, subject to Section 2.11 hereof.

SECTION 2.06    Temporary Securities.

Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities (printed, lithographed or typewritten) of any authorized denomination. Such temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Securities, all as may be

 

12


determined by the Company. Every temporary Security of any series shall be executed by the Company and be authenticated by the Trustee upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with like effect, as the definitive Securities of such series. Without unnecessary delay the Company will execute and will furnish definitive Securities of such series and thereupon any or all temporary Securities of such series may be surrendered in exchange therefor (without charge to the holders), at the office or agency of the Company designated for the purpose in the contiguous United States, and the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in exchange for such temporary Securities an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of such series, unless the Company advises the Trustee to the effect that definitive Securities need not be executed and furnished until further notice from the Company. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of such series shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series authenticated and delivered hereunder.

SECTION 2.07    Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Securities.

In case any temporary or definitive Security shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company (subject to the next succeeding sentence) shall execute, and upon the Company’s request the Trustee (subject as aforesaid) shall authenticate and deliver, a new Security of the same series, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated Security, or in lieu of and in substitution for the Security so destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substituted Security shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Company and the Trustee evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of the applicant’s Security and of the ownership thereof. The Trustee may authenticate any such substituted Security and deliver the same upon the written request or authorization of any officer of the Company. Upon the issuance of any substituted Security, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith. In case any Security that has matured or is about to mature shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company may, instead of issuing a substitute Security, pay or authorize the payment of the same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Security) if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as they may require to save them harmless, and, in case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence to the satisfaction of the Company and the Trustee of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and of the ownership thereof.

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

 

13


SECTION 2.08    Cancellation.

All Securities surrendered for the purpose of payment, redemption, exchange or registration of transfer shall, if surrendered to the Company or any Paying Agent, be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or, if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be canceled by it, and no Securities shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly required or permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture. On request of the Company at the time of such surrender, the Trustee shall deliver to the Company written confirmation of such cancellation. The Trustee may dispose of such Securities in accordance with its standard procedures. If the Company shall otherwise acquire any of the Securities, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

SECTION 2.09    Benefits of Indenture.

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

SECTION 2.10    Authenticating Agent.

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

Any Authenticating Agent may at any time resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time (and upon request by the Company shall) terminate the agency of any Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon resignation, termination or cessation of eligibility of any Authenticating Agent, the Trustee may appoint an eligible

 

14


successor Authenticating Agent acceptable to the Company. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent pursuant hereto.

SECTION 2.11    Global Securities.

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

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

(c)    If at any time the Depositary for a series of the Securities notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such series or if at any time the Depositary for such series shall no longer be registered or in good standing under the Exchange Act, or other applicable statute or regulation, and a successor Depositary for such series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such condition, as the case may be, this Section 2.11 shall no longer be applicable to the Securities of such series and the Company will execute, and subject to Section 2.05, the Trustee will authenticate and deliver the Securities of such series in definitive registered form without coupons, in authorized denominations, and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security or Global Securities of such series in exchange for such Global Security or Global Securities. In addition, the Company may at any time determine that the Securities of any series shall no longer be represented by a Global Security and that the provisions of this Section 2.11 shall no longer apply to the Securities of such series. In such event the Company will execute and subject to Section 2.05, the Trustee, upon receipt of an Officer’s Certificate evidencing such determination by the Company, will authenticate and deliver the Securities of such series in definitive registered form without coupons, in authorized denominations, and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security or Global Securities of such series in exchange for such Global Security or Global Securities. Upon the exchange of any Global Security for such Securities in definitive registered form without coupons, in authorized denominations, such Global Security shall be canceled by the Trustee. Such Securities in definitive registered form issued in exchange for any Global Security pursuant to this Section 2.11(c) shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee. The Trustee shall deliver such Securities to the Depositary for delivery to the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

 

15


ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES AND SINKING FUND PROVISIONS

SECTION 3.01    Redemption.

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

SECTION 3.02    Notice of Redemption.

(a)    In case the Company shall desire to exercise such right to redeem all or, as the case may be, a portion of the Securities of any series in accordance with the right reserved so to do, the Company shall, or shall cause the Trustee to, give notice of such redemption to holders of the Securities of such series to be redeemed by mailing, first class postage prepaid, a notice of such redemption not less than 15 days and not more than 90 days before the Redemption Date of that series to such holders at their last addresses as they shall appear upon the Security Register unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the registered holder receives the notice. In any case, failure duly to give such notice to the holder of any Security of any series designated for redemption in whole or in part, or any defect in the notice, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities of such series or any other series. In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officer’s Certificate evidencing compliance with any such restriction.

Each such notice of redemption shall specify the Redemption Date and the Redemption Price at which Securities of that series are to be redeemed, and shall state that payment of the Redemption Price of such Securities to be redeemed will be made at the office or agency of the Company in the contiguous United States, upon presentation and surrender of such Securities, that interest accrued to the Redemption Date will be paid as specified in said notice, that from and after said date interest will cease to accrue and that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case. If less than all the Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the notice to the holders of Securities of that series to be redeemed in whole or in part shall specify the particular Securities to be so redeemed. In case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice that relates to such Security shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed, and shall state that on and after the redemption date, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of such series in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

(b)    If less than all the Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Company shall give the Trustee at least 30 days’ notice in advance of the Redemption Date as to the aggregate

 

16


principal amount of Securities of the series to be redeemed, and thereupon the Trustee shall select, by lot or in such other manner as it shall deem appropriate and fair in its discretion (and which, if the Securities are issued as Global Securities, shall be in compliance with the procedures of the Depositary) and that may provide for the selection of a portion or portions (equal to one thousand U.S. dollars ($1,000) or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of such Securities of a denomination larger than $1,000, the Securities to be redeemed and shall thereafter promptly notify the Company in writing of the numbers of the Securities to be redeemed, in whole or in part.

The Company may, if and whenever it shall so elect, by delivery of instructions signed on its behalf by its President, any Vice President, its Secretary or any Assistant Secretary instruct the Trustee or any Paying Agent to call all or any part of the Securities of a particular series for redemption and to give notice of redemption in the manner set forth in this Section, such notice to be in the name of the Company or its own name as the Trustee or such Paying Agent may deem advisable. In any case in which notice of redemption is to be given by the Trustee or any such Paying Agent, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to, or permit to remain with, the Trustee or such Paying Agent, as the case may be, such Security Register, transfer books or other records, or suitable copies or extracts therefrom, sufficient to enable the Trustee or such Paying Agent to give any notice by mail that may be required under the provisions of this Section.

SECTION 3.03    Payment upon Redemption.

(a)    If the giving of notice of redemption shall have been completed as above provided, the Securities or portions of Securities of the series to be redeemed specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the date and at the place stated in such notice at the applicable Redemption Price, together with interest accrued to the Redemption Date and interest on such Securities or portions of Securities shall cease to accrue on and after the Redemption Date, unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Redemption Price and accrued interest with respect to any such Security or portion thereof. On presentation and surrender of such Securities on or after the Redemption Date at the place of payment specified in the notice, said Securities shall be paid and redeemed at the applicable Redemption Price for such series, together with interest accrued thereon to the Redemption Date (but if the Redemption Date is an interest payment date, the interest installment payable on such date shall be payable to the registered holder at the close of business on the applicable record date pursuant to Section 2.03).

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

SECTION 3.04    Sinking Fund.

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

 

17


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

SECTION 3.05    Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

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

SECTION 3.06    Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

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

ARTICLE IV

CERTAIN COVENANTS

SECTION 4.01    Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest.

(a)    The Company shall pay or cause to be paid the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities on or prior to the dates and in the manner provided in such Securities or pursuant to this Indenture. An installment of principal, premium, if any, or interest shall be considered paid on the applicable due date if on such date the Trustee or the Paying Agent holds, in accordance with this Indenture, money sufficient to pay all of such installment

 

18


then due. Principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities will be payable at the office of the Paying Agent, or, at the option of the Company, by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto.

SECTION 4.02    Maintenance of Office or Agency.

So long as any series of the Securities remain Outstanding, the Company agrees to maintain an office or agency in the contiguous United States, with respect to each such series and at such other location or locations as may be designated as provided in this Section 4.02, where (i) Securities of that series may be presented for payment, (ii) Securities of that series may be presented as hereinabove authorized for registration of transfer and exchange, and (iii) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be given or served, such designation to continue with respect to such office or agency until the Company shall, by written notice signed by its President, Vice President or Secretary or Assistant Secretary and delivered to the trustee, designate some other office or agency for such purposes or any of them. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, notices and demands; provided that the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee shall not be an office or agency of the Company for the purpose of service of legal process against the Company.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

SECTION 4.03    Paying Agents.

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

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

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

 

19


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

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

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

(c)    Notwithstanding anything in this Section to the contrary, (i) the agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section is subject to the provisions of Section 11.05, and (ii) the Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms and conditions as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money. Upon any Event of Default under Section 6.01(a)(5) or 6.01(a)(6), the Trustee shall automatically be deemed to be the Paying Agent.

(d)    Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01, any money or Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company at its option at the request of the Company, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

 

20


SECTION 4.04    Notice of Default and Statement by Officers as to Default.

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

SECTION 4.05    Existence.

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

SECTION 4.06    Waiver of Certain Covenants.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.01 for Securities of such series, the Company may, with respect to the Securities of any series, omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in any covenant provided pursuant to Sections 2.01(17), 9.01(4) or 9.01(7) for the benefit of the holders of such series if before the time for such compliance the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall, by act of such holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 4.07    Appointment to Fill Vacancy in Office of Trustee.

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

Section 4.08    Compliance with Consolidation Provisions.

The Company will not, while any of the Securities remain Outstanding, consolidate with, or merge into, or merge into itself, or sell or convey all or substantially all of its property to any other company unless the provisions of Article Ten hereof are complied with.

 

21


ARTICLE V

SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 5.01    Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders.

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

SECTION 5.02    Preservation Of Information; Communications With Securityholders.

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

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

(c)    Securityholders may communicate as provided in Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with other Securityholders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities.

SECTION 5.03    Reports by the Company.

(a)    The Company covenants and agrees to provide to the Trustee (which delivery may be via electronic mail), within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) that the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, the Company shall not be required to deliver to the Trustee any materials for which the Company has sought and received confidential treatment by the Commission; and provided further, such annual reports, information, documents and reports that are filed by the Company with the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (“EDGAR”) system or any successor electronic delivery procedure will be deemed to be filed with the Trustee at the time such documents are filed via the EDGAR system or such successor procedure for purposes of this Section 5.03 without further action required by the Company.

 

22


(b)    For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 5.03 shall require the Company to file any annual reports or information, documents or other reports with the Commission and, without limitation to the foregoing and anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, any failure by the Company to file any annual reports, information, documents or other reports with the Commission within the time periods prescribed therefor by the Commission, or at all, shall not be deemed a breach of this Section 5.03. Delivery of such information, documents and reports to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates). If the Company shall fail to provide any annual report, information, document or other report (or any portion thereof) to the Trustee by the date, or otherwise in the manner, required by this Section 5.03, but the Company thereafter provides such annual report, information, document or other report (or such portion thereof), as the case may be, to the Trustee, then any default or Event of Default resulting from the failure to provide such annual report, information, document or other report (or portion thereof) to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been cured.

SECTION 5.04    Reports by the Trustee.

(a)    On or before July 15 in each year in which any of the Securities are Outstanding, the Trustee shall transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the Security Register, a brief report dated as of the preceding May 15, if and to the extent required under Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act.

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

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

ARTICLE VI

REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT

SECTION 6.01    Events of Default.

(a)    Whenever used herein with respect to Securities of a particular series, “Event of Default” means any one or more of the following events that has occurred and is continuing, unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in accordance with Section 2.01:

(1)    the Company defaults in the payment of any installment of interest upon any of the Securities of that series, as and when the same shall become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; and, provided, further, that a

 

23


valid extension of an interest payment period by the Company in accordance with the terms of any indenture supplemental hereto, shall not constitute a default in the payment of interest for this purpose;

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

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

(4)    an event of default, as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company (other than a default under this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series or a default with respect to any non-recourse indebtedness), whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, shall happen and shall result in a principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 of indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, and such acceleration shall not have been rescinded or annulled, or such indebtedness shall not have been discharged, within a period of 15 days after there has been given, by registered or certified United States mail, 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 Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

(5)    the entry by a court of competent jurisdiction of:

(i)    a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable Bankruptcy Law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days;

(ii)    a decree or order adjudging the Company to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

24


(iii)    a final and non-appealable order appointing a Custodian of the Company or of any substantial part of the property of the Company, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company;

(6)    the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law: (i) commences a voluntary case or proceeding; (ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case or proceeding; (iii) files a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief or consents to such filing or to the appointment of or taking possession by a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, and such Custodian is not discharged within 60 days; (iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or (v) admits in writing its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due; or

(7)    any other Event of Default provided for pursuant to Section 2.01 with respect to Securities of that series.

(b)    Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01, if an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Sections 6.01(a)(5) or 6.01(a)(6)) with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of that series then Outstanding hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by such Securityholders), may declare the principal of all the Securities of that series (or, if any Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Sections 6.01(a)(5) or 6.01(a)(6) with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs, the principal amount of all the Securities of that series (or, if any Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified by the terms thereof) shall automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the Trustee or any holder, become immediately due and payable.

(c)    At any time after the principal of the Securities of that series shall have been so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of that series then Outstanding hereunder, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if: (i) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest upon all the Securities of that series and the principal of, and premium, if any, on any and all Securities of that series that shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest upon such principal and premium, if any, and, to the extent that such payment is enforceable under applicable law, upon overdue installments of interest, at the rate per annum or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) expressed in the Securities of that series (or at the respective rates of interest or Yields to

 

25


Maturity of all the Securities, as the case may be) to the date of such payment or deposit) and the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 7.06, and (ii) any and all Events of Default under this Indenture with respect to such series, other than the nonpayment of principal on Securities of that series (or, if any Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) that shall not have become due by their terms, shall have been remedied or waived as provided in Section 6.08.

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

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

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

(a)    The Company covenants that (1) in case it shall default in the payment of any installment of interest on any of the Securities of a series, or any payment required by any sinking or analogous fund established with respect to that series as and when the same shall have become due and payable, and such default shall have continued for a period of 90 Business Days, or (2) in case it shall default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, on any of the Securities of a series when the same shall have become due and payable, whether upon maturity of the Securities of a series or upon redemption or upon declaration or otherwise, then, upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the holders of the Securities of that series, the whole amount that then shall have been become due and payable on all such Securities for principal, and premium, if any, or interest, or both, as the case may be, with interest upon the overdue principal, and premium, if any, and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) upon overdue installments of interest at the rate per annum expressed in the Securities of that series; and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, and the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 7.06.

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

(c)    In case of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, readjustment, arrangement, composition or judicial proceedings affecting the Company, or its

 

26


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

(d)    All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the terms established with respect to Securities of that series, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of such Securities, or the production thereof at any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and any such suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for payment to the Trustee of any amounts due under Section 7.06, be for the ratable benefit of the holders of the Securities of such series.

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

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

SECTION 6.03    Application of Moneys Collected.

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

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

 

27


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

THIRD: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company, its successors or assigns or to whomever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

SECTION 6.04    Limitation on Suits.

No holder of any Security of any series shall have any right by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to this Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless (i) such holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof with respect to the Securities of such series specifying such Event of Default, as hereinbefore provided; (ii) the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as trustee hereunder; (iii) such holder or holders shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby; and (iv) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity, shall have failed to institute any such action, suit or proceeding and (v) during such 60 day period, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of that series do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the request.

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

 

28


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

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

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

SECTION 6.06    Control by Securityholders.

The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any series at the time Outstanding, determined in accordance with Section 8.04, shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to such series; provided, however, that such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or be unduly prejudicial to the rights of holders of Securities of any other series at the time Outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04, and if requested by the Trustee, shall be accompanied by indemnity or security satisfactory to the Trustee. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.

SECTION 6.07    Undertaking to Pay Costs.

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

 

29


SECTION 6.08    Waiver of Past Defaults.

The holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, determined in accordance with Section 8.04, may on behalf of the holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

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

(2)    in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article Nine cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

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

ARTICLE VII

CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 7.01    Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.

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

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

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

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

 

30


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

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

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

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

SECTION 7.02    Certain Rights of Trustee.

Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.01:

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

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

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

 

31


(d)    The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Securityholders, pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities that may be incurred therein or thereby;

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

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

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

(h)    The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice or be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default unless written notice of such default or Event of Default from the Company or any Securityholder is received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Debt Securities and this Indenture;

(i)    The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;

(j)    The permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties;

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

 

32


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

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

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

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

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

SECTION 7.04    May Hold Securities.

The Trustee or any Paying Agent or Security Registrar, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

SECTION 7.05    Moneys Held in Trust.

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

SECTION 7.06    Compensation and Reimbursement.

(a)    The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such reasonable compensation (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust), as the Company, and the Trustee may from time to time agree in writing, for all services rendered by it in the execution of the trusts hereby created and in the exercise and performance of any of the powers and duties hereunder of the Trustee, and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the Company will pay or reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of all Persons not regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may arise from its gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Company also covenants to indemnify the Trustee (and its officers, agents, directors and employees) for, and to

 

33


hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee and arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim of liability in the premises.

(b)    The obligations of the Company under this Section to compensate and indemnify the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder. Such additional indebtedness shall be secured by a lien prior to that of the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular Securities. The obligations of the Company under this Section 7.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture and the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee.

(c)    Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee and its agents and any authenticating agent incur expenses or render services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(a)(5) or Section 6.01(a)(6), the expenses and compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws.

SECTION 7.07    Reliance on Officer’s Certificate.

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

SECTION 7.08    Disqualification; Conflicting Interests.

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

SECTION 7.09    Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.

There shall at all times be a Trustee with respect to the Securities issued hereunder which shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or other Person permitted to act as trustee by the Commission, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination by federal, state, territorial, or District of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of

 

34


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

SECTION 7.10    Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

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

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

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

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

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

then, in any such case, (i) the Company may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities and appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee, or (ii) unless the Trustee’s duty to resign is stayed as provided herein, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide holder of a Security or Securities for at least six months may, on behalf of that holder and all others similarly situated, petition any

 

35


court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.

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

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

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

SECTION 7.11    Acceptance of Appointment By Successor.

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

(b)    In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor trustee relates, (2) shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for

 

36


any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor trustee relates have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture, and each such successor trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor trustee relates.

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

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

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

SECTION 7.12    Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.

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

SECTION 7.13    Preferential Collection of Claims against the Company.

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

 

37


SECTION 7.14    Notice of Default

The Trustee shall, within 60 days after the occurrence of a default (which is actually known to the Trustee and is continuing), with respect to the Securities of a series, to give holders of the Securities of such series Notice of Default with respect to such default; provided, however, that except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest, or in the payment of any sinking fund installment, on any Securities of such series, the Trustee may withhold such notice if it in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the holders of the Securities of such series.

ARTICLE VIII

CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

SECTION 8.01    Evidence of Action by Securityholders.

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

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

 

38


SECTION 8.02    Proof of Execution by Securityholders.

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

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

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

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

SECTION 8.03    Who May be Deemed Owners.

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

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Securityholder, including any Depositary as the Securityholder of a Global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Securityholders, and any Depositary that is the Securityholder of a Global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such Global Security through such Depositary’s standing instructions and customary practices.

SECTION 8.04    Certain Securities Owned by Company Disregarded.

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

 

39


SECTION 8.05    Actions Binding on Future Securityholders.

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

ARTICLE IX

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 9.01    Supplemental Indentures without the Consent of Securityholders.

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

(1)    to cure any ambiguity, defect, or inconsistency herein, in the Securities of any series or in any supplemental indenture, or to make such other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising under this Indenture that do not adversely affect the interests of the Securityholders of any Securities of such series in any material respect; provided that any amendment made solely to conform the provisions of this Indenture to the description of the Securities contained in the Company’s prospectus or other offering document pursuant to which such Securities were sold will not be deemed to adversely affect the interest of the holders of the Securities;

(2)    to comply with Article Ten;

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

(4)    to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company;

 

40


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

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

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

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

(9)    to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form;

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

(11)    to secure the Securities; or

(12)    to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 7.11.

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

 

41


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

SECTION 9.02    Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Securityholders.

With the consent (evidenced as provided in Section 8.01) of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture or indentures at the time Outstanding, the Company, when authorized by Board Resolutions, and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect) for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner not covered by Section 9.01 the rights of the holders of the Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the holders of each Security then Outstanding and affected thereby, (i) change the stated maturity of any Securities of any series, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or change the time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce any premium payable upon the redemption thereof; (ii) reduce the amount of principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or any other Security payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01(b); (iii) change the currency in which any Security or any premium or interest is payable; (iv) impair the right of any holder to enforce any payment on or with respect to any Security; (v) adversely change the right to convert or exchange, including decreasing the conversion rate or increasing the conversion price of, such Security (if applicable); (vi) adversely change the right of holders exercisable upon the repurchase of the Securities, if the Securities initially provide for such rights; (vii) reduce the percentage in principal amount of outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose holders is required for modification or amendment of this Indenture or for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or for waiver of certain defaults; (viii) reduce the requirement contained in this Indenture for quorum or voting or (ix) modify any of the above provisions.

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

SECTION 9.03    Effect of Supplemental Indentures.

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

 

42


SECTION 9.04    Securities Affected by Supplemental Indentures.

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

SECTION 9.05    Execution of Supplemental Indentures.

Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by its Board Resolutions authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Securityholders required to consent thereto as aforesaid, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may, in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, may receive an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article is authorized or permitted by, and conforms to, the terms of this Article and that it is proper for the Trustee under the provisions of this Article to join in the execution thereof; provided, however, that such Opinion of Counsel need not be provided in connection with the execution of a supplemental indenture that establishes the terms of a series of Securities pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof.

ARTICLE X

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

SECTION 10.01    When the Company May Consolidate, Merge, Etc.

The Company may not (a) merge with or into or consolidate with, or (b) sell, assign, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any Person other than, with respect to this clause (b), a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and no Person shall (x) merge with or into or consolidate with the Company, or (y) except for any direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, sell, assign, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of its properties and assets to the Company, unless:

(a)    the Company is the surviving corporation or the Person formed by or surviving such merger or consolidation or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease or conveyance shall have been made (the “Successor”), if other than the Company, shall expressly assume by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Securities and this Indenture;

 

43


(b)    immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c)    the Company delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such supplemental indenture complies with this Indenture.

The Successor will be the successor to the Company, and will be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power and become the obligor on the Securities with the same effect as if the Successor had been named as the Company herein but, in the case of a sale, assignment, transfer, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company, the predecessor Company will not be released from its obligations to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities.

ARTICLE XI

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

SECTION 11.01    Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

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

 

44


SECTION 11.02    Discharge of Obligations.

If at any time all such Securities of a particular series not heretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or that have not become due and payable as described in Section 11.01 shall have been paid by the Company by depositing irrevocably with the Trustee as trust funds money in U.S. dollars sufficient or an amount of non-callable Governmental Obligations, the principal of and interest on which when due, will be sufficient or a combination thereof, sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay at maturity or upon redemption all such Securities of that series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal, and premium, if any, and interest due or to become due to such date of maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be, and if the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to such series, then after the date such moneys or Governmental Obligations, as the case may be, are deposited with the Trustee the obligations of the Company under this Indenture with respect to such series shall cease to be of further effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.03, 2.05, 2.07, 4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 7.06, 7.10 and 11.05 hereof that shall survive until such Securities shall mature and be paid. Thereafter, Sections 7.06 and 11.05 shall survive.

SECTION 11.03    Deposited Moneys to be Held in Trust.

All moneys or Governmental Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Sections 11.01 or 11.02 shall be held in trust and shall be available for payment as due, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), to the holders of the particular series of Securities for the payment or redemption of which such moneys or Governmental Obligations have been deposited with the Trustee.

SECTION 11.04    Payment of Moneys Held by Paying Agents.

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

SECTION 11.05    Repayment to Company.

Any moneys or Governmental Obligations deposited with any Paying Agent or the Trustee, or then held by the Company, in trust for payment of principal of or premium or interest on the Securities of a particular series that are not applied but remain unclaimed by the holders of such Securities for at least two years after the date upon which the principal of, and premium, if any, or interest on such Securities shall have respectively become due and payable, shall be repaid to the Company on May 31 of each year or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and thereupon the Paying Agent and the Trustee shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys or Governmental Obligations, and the holder of any of the Securities entitled to receive such payment shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for the payment thereof.

 

45


ARTICLE XII

IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

SECTION 12.01    No Recourse.

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

ARTICLE XIII

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

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

The Company may elect, at its option at any time, to have Section 13.02 or Section 13.03 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, designated pursuant to Section 2.01 as being defeasible pursuant to such Sections 13.02 or 13.03, in accordance with any applicable requirements provided pursuant to Section 2.01 and upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article. Any such election shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 2.01 for such Securities.

SECTION 13.02    Defeasance and Discharge.

Upon the Company’s exercise of its option (if any) to have this Section applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 13.04 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Securities and to have

 

46


satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as such Securities are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute such instruments as may be reasonably requested by the Company acknowledging the same), subject to the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (1) the rights of holders of such Securities to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 13.04 and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of and any premium and interest on such Securities when payments are due, (2) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 4.01, 4.02 and 4.03, (3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (4) this Article. Subject to compliance with this Article, the Company may exercise its option (if any) to have this Section applied to any Securities notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option (if any) to have Section 13.03 applied to such Securities.

SECTION 13.03    Covenant Defeasance.

Upon the Company’s exercise of its option (if any) to have this Section applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, (1) the Company shall be released from its obligations under Article X and any covenants provided pursuant to Sections 2.01(17), 9.01(4) or 9.01(7) for the benefit of the holders of such Securities and (2) the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 6.01(3) (with respect to any such covenants provided pursuant to Sections 2.01(17), 9.01(4) or 9.01(7)) and 6.01(a)(7) shall be deemed not to be or result in an Event of Default, in each case with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 13.04 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Covenant Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to such Securities, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such specified Section (to the extent so specified in the case of Section 6.01(3)), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or by reason of any reference in any such Section to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected thereby.

SECTION 13.04    Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

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

(1)    The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee which satisfies the requirements contemplated by Section 7.09 and agrees to comply with the provisions of this Article applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefits of the holders of such Securities, (A) money in an amount, or (B) Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in each case sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be

 

47


applied by the Trustee (or any such other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, the principal of and any premium and interest on such Securities on the respective Stated Maturities, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and such Securities.

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

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

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

(5)    No event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to such Securities or any other Securities shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit or, with regard to any such event specified in Sections 6.01(a)(5) and 6.01(a)(6), at any time on or prior to the 90th day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until after such 90th day).

(6)    Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any indenture or other agreement or instrument for borrowed money, pursuant to which in excess of $100,000,000 principal amount is then outstanding, to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

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

 

48


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

SECTION 13.05    Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions.

Subject to the provisions of Section 4.03(d), all money and Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee or other qualifying trustee (solely for purposes of this Section and Section 13.06, the Trustee and any such other trustee are referred to collectively as the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 13.04 in respect of any Securities shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any such Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the holders of such Securities, of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal and any premium and interest, but money so held in trust need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 13.04 or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the holders of Outstanding Securities.

Anything in this Article to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon request of the Company any money or Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 13.04 with respect to any Securities which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect the Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, with respect to such Securities.

SECTION 13.06    Reinstatement.

If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money in accordance with this Article with respect to any Securities by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the obligations under this Indenture and such Securities from which the Company has been discharged or released pursuant to Sections 13.02 or 13.03 shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article with respect to such Securities, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all money held in trust pursuant to Section 13.05 with respect to such Securities in accordance with this Article; provided, however, that if the Company makes any payment of principal of or any premium or interest on any such Security following such reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights (if any) of the holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money so held in trust.

 

49


ARTICLE XIV

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 14.01    Effect on Successors and Assigns.

All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this Indenture contained by or on behalf of the Company shall bind their respective successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

SECTION 14.02    Actions by Successor.

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

SECTION 14.03    Surrender of Company Powers.

The Company by instrument in writing executed by authority of 2/3 (two-thirds) of its Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee may surrender any of the powers reserved to the Company, and thereupon such power so surrendered shall terminate both as to the Company and as to any successor corporation.

SECTION 14.04    Notices.

Except as otherwise expressly provided herein any notice or demand that by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or by the holders of Securities to or on the Company may be given or served by being deposited first class postage prepaid in a post-office letterbox addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Trustee), as follows: Corporate Secretary, Athene Holding Ltd., Chesney House, 96 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke, HM08, Bermuda, with copies of any notice of an Event of Default to the attention of the Executive Vice President, Legal at the same address. Any notice, election, request or demand by the Company or any Securityholder to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, if given or made in writing at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security, where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption or purchase) to a Securityholder of a Global Security (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary pursuant to the standing instructions from the Depositary.

SECTION 14.05    Governing Law.

This Indenture and each Security shall be deemed to be a contract made under the internal laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said State.

 

50


SECTION 14.06    Treatment of Securities as Debt.

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

SECTION 14.07    Compliance Certificates and Opinions.

(a)    Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company, shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or demand as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or demand, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

(b)    Each certificate or opinion provided for in this Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant in this Indenture shall include (1) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition; (2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based; (3) a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and (4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

SECTION 14.08    Payments on Business Days.

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

SECTION 14.09    Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

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

SECTION 14.10    Counterparts.

This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission

 

51


shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

SECTION 14.11    Separability.

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

SECTION 14.12    Assignment.

The Company will have the right at all times to assign any of its rights or obligations under this Indenture to a direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, provided that, in the event of any such assignment, the Company, will remain liable for all such obligations. Subject to the foregoing, this Indenture is binding upon and inures to the benefit of the parties thereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Indenture may not otherwise be assigned by the parties thereto.

SECTION 14.13    Acknowledgment of Rights.

If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and such event is attributable to the failure of the Company to pay interest or principal on the applicable series of Securities on the date such interest or principal is otherwise payable (or in the case of redemption, on the redemption date), the Company acknowledges that a holder of Preferred Securities may directly institute a proceeding for enforcement of payment to such holder of the principal of or interest on the applicable series of Securities having a principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of such holder as determined after the respective due date specified in the applicable series of Securities. For the avoidance of doubt, the Trustee shall have no duty to monitor compliance or otherwise enforce the provisions of this Section 14.13 on behalf of a holder of Preferred Securities or any other Person, and the Trustee shall have no duty ascertain the identity of holders of Preferred Securities.

SECTION 14.14    USA PATRIOT Act.

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

 

52


SECTION 14.15    Force Majeure.

In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

SECTION 14.16    Waiver of Jury Trial.

EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

53


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

 

ATHENE HOLDING LTD.
By:  

/s/ John L. Golden

  Name: John L. Golden
  Title:   Executive Vice President, Legal

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

By:  

/s/ Bradley E. Scarbrough

  Name: Bradley E. Scarbrough
  Title:   Vice President

 

54