and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such Indemnified Holder (at the Company’s expense). The Company and the Guarantors shall not, in connection with any one such action or proceeding or separate but substantially similar or related actions or proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at any time for such Indemnified Holders, which firm shall be designated by the Holders. The Company and the Guarantors shall be liable for any settlement of any such action or proceeding effected with the Company’s and the Guarantors’ prior written consent, which consent shall not be withheld unreasonably, and each of the Company and the Guarantors agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any Indemnified Holder from and against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of any settlement of any action effected with the written consent of the Company and the Guarantors. The Company and the Guarantors shall not, without the prior written consent of each Indemnified Holder, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action, claim, litigation or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Holder is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Holder from all liability arising out of such action, claim, litigation or proceeding.
(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantors and their respective directors, officers of the Company and the Guarantors who sign a Registration Statement, and any Person controlling (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) the Company or any of the Guarantors, and the respective officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of each such Person, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company and the Guarantors to each of the Indemnified Holders, but only with respect to claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions and expenses directly or indirectly caused by, related to, based on, arising out of or in connection with information relating to such Holder furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement. In case any action or proceeding shall be brought against the Company, the Guarantors or their respective directors or officers or any such controlling person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against a Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, such Holder shall have the rights and duties given the Company and the Guarantors, and the Company, the Guarantors, their respective directors and officers and such controlling person shall have the rights and duties given to each Holder by the preceding paragraph.
(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or (b) hereof (other than by reason of exceptions provided in those Sections) in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, from the Initial Placement (which in the case of the Company and the Guarantors shall be deemed to be equal to the total gross proceeds to the Company and the Guarantors from the Initial Placement), the amount of Additional Interest which did not become pay-
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able as a result of the filing of the Registration Statement resulting in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments actions or expenses, or if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and of the Indemnified Holder, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or any of the Guarantors, on the one hand, or the Indemnified Holders, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in the second paragraph of Section 8(a) hereof, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.
The Company, the Guarantors and each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(c) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, none of the Holders (and its related Indemnified Holders) shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discount received by such Holder with respect to the Initial Securities exceeds the amount of any damages which such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8(c) are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Initial Securities held by each of the Holders hereunder and not joint.
SECTION 9.Rule 144A.Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees with each Holder, for so long as any Transfer Restricted Securities remain outstanding, to make available to any Holder or beneficial owner of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection with any sale thereof and any prospective purchaser of such Transfer Restricted Securities from such Holder or beneficial owner, the information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act in order to permit resales of such Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
SECTION 10.Participation in Underwritten Registrations.No Holder may participate in any Underwritten Registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder’s Transfer Restricted Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements
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approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all reasonable questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, lock-up letters and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
SECTION 11.Selection of Underwriters.The Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Transfer Restricted Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) that will administer such offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities included in such offering;provided, however, that such investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) must be reasonably satisfactory to the Company.
SECTION 12.Suspension Period.Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the Company may delay the filing of a Registration Statement or suspend the use of any Registration Statement or any prospectus, without incurring or accruing any obligation to pay Additional Interest pursuant to Section 5 hereof or being deemed in violation of any other provision hereof for any period (“Suspension Period”), not to exceed an aggregate of 120 calendar days in any twelve-month period, if the Board of Directors of the Company shall have determined in good faith that, because of valid business reasons (not including avoidance of the Company’s obligations hereunder), including without limitation proposed or pending corporate developments, public filings with the SEC, restatements of financial results and similar events, it is in the best interests of the Company to delay such filing or suspend such use, and prior to delaying such filing or suspending such use the Company provides the Holders with written notice of such suspension, which notice need not specify the nature of the event giving rise to such suspension. Each Holder shall keep confidential any communications received by it from the Company regarding the suspension of the use of the Registration Statement or the prospectus, except as required by applicable law.
SECTION 13.Miscellaneous.
(a)Remedies.Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agree to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b)No Inconsistent Agreements.Each of the Company and the Guarantors will not on or after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that conflicts with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. Neither the Company nor any of the Guarantors has previously entered into any agreement granting registration rights with respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities to any Person. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with the rights granted to the holders of the Company’s or any of the Guarantors’ securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c)Amendments and Waivers.The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures from the provi-
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sions hereof may not be given unless the Company has (i) in the case of Section 5 hereof and this Section 13(c), obtained the written consent of Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) in the case of all other provisions hereof, obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities (excluding any Transfer Restricted Securities held by the Company or its Affiliates). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to departure from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose securities are being tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights of other Holders whose securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange Offer may be given by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities being tendered or registered;provided, however, that, with respect to any matter that directly or indirectly affects the rights of any Initial Purchaser hereunder, the Company shall obtain the written consent of each such Initial Purchaser with respect to which such amendment, qualification, supplement, waiver, consent or departure is to be effective.
(d)Notices.All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), telecopier, or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:
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| (i) if to a Holder, at the address set forth on the records of the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under the Indenture; and |
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| (ii) if to the Company: |
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| CIT Group Inc. 1 CIT Drive Livingston, NJ 07039 Telecopier No.: (973) 740-5750 Attention: Glenn Votek, Executive Vice President & Treasurer |
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| with a copy to: |
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| CIT Group Inc. 1 CIT Drive Livingston, NJ 07039 Facsimile: (973) 740-5264 Attention: General Counsel |
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| and a copy to: |
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| Sullivan & Cromwell LLP 125 Broad Street New York, NY 10004 Telecopier No.: (212) 558-3588 Attention: John E. Estes, Esq. |
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All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day, if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the address specified in the Indenture.
(e)Successors and Assigns.This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including, without limitation, and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities;provided, however, that this Agreement shall not inure to the benefit of or be binding upon a successor or assign of a Holder unless and to the extent such successor or assign acquired Transfer Restricted Securities from such Holder.
(f)Counterparts; Delivery.This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopier, facsimile or other electronic transmission (i.e., a “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof.
(g)Headings.The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(h)Governing Law.THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES THEREOF.
(i)Severability.In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(j)Entire Agreement.This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein with respect to the registration rights granted by the Company with respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
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| CIT GROUP, INC. |
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| By: | /s/ Glenn A. Votek |
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|
| | Name: Glenn A. Votek |
| | Title: Executive Vice President & Treasurer |
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| Guarantors: |
| C.I.T. LEASING CORPORATION |
| CAPITA COLOMBIA HOLDINGS CORP. |
| CAPITA CORPORATION |
| CAPITA INTERNATIONAL L.L.C. |
| CIT CAPITAL USA INC. |
| CIT CHINA 12, INC. |
| CIT CHINA 13, INC. |
| CIT CHINA 3, INC. |
| CIT COMMUNICATIONS FINANCE CORPORATION |
| CIT CREDIT FINANCE CORP. |
| CIT CREDIT GROUP USA INC. |
| CIT FINANCIAL LTD. OF PUERTO RICO |
| CIT FINANCIAL USA, INC. |
| CIT GROUP (NJ) LLC |
| CIT GROUP SF HOLDING CO., INC. |
| CIT HEALTHCARE LLC |
| CIT LENDING SERVICES CORPORATION |
| CIT LENDING SERVICES CORPORATION (ILLINOIS) |
| CIT LOAN CORPORATION (F/K/A THE CIT GROUP/CONSUMER FINANCE, INC.) |
| CIT MIDDLE MARKET FUNDING COMPANY, LLC |
| CIT MIDDLE MARKET HOLDINGS, LLC |
| CMS FUNDING COMPANY LLC |
| CIT TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION |
| CIT TECHNOLOGY FINANCING SERVICES, INC. |
| EQUIPMENT ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION |
| NAMEKEEPERS LLC |
| STUDENT LOAN XPRESS, INC. |
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
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| THE CIT GROUP/BC SECURITIES INVESTMENT, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/BUSINESS CREDIT, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/CAPITAL FINANCE, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/CMS SECURITIES INVESTMENT, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/COMMERCIAL SERVICES, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/COMMERCIAL SERVICES, INC. (VA.) |
| THE CIT GROUP/CORPORATE AVIATION, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/EQUIPMENT FINANCING, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/EQUITY INVESTMENTS, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/FACTORING ONE, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/FM SECURITIES INVESTMENT, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/LSC SECURITIES INVESTMENT, INC. |
| THE CIT GROUP/VENTURE CAPITAL, INC., |
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| By: | /s/ Glenn A. Votek |
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|
| | Name: Glenn A. Votek |
| | Title: Treasurer |
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
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| THE CIT GROUP/CONSUMER FINANCE, INC. (NY) |
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| By: | /s/ Glenn A. Votek |
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|
| | Name: Glenn A. Votek |
| | Title: Assistant Treasurer |
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| FRANCHISE PORTFOLIO 1, INC. |
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| By: | /s/ Glenn A. Votek |
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|
| | Name: Glenn A. Votek |
| | Title: Executive Vice President |
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
The foregoing Registration Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:
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MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED, | |
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC. | |
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. | |
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. | |
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC As Representatives of the Initial Purchasers | |
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MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED | |
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By: | /s/ Garrett P. Carpenter | |
|
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Name: Garrett P. Carpenter |
Title: Director |
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BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC. |
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By: | /s/ Timothy N. Hartzell | |
|
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Name: Timothy N. Hartzell |
Title: Managing Director |
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CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. |
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By: | /s/ Jack D. McSpadden Jr. | |
|
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Name: Jack D. McSpadden Jr. |
Title: Managing Director |
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DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. | |
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By: | /s/ Stephanie Perry | |
|
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Name: Stephanie Perry |
Title: Managing Director |
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By: | /s/ David Lynch | |
|
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Name: David Lynch | |
Title: Managing Director | |
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J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC |
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By: | /s/ Mark Radin | |
|
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Name: Mark Radin | |
Title: Executive Director | |