Subject to certain exceptions, each Indenture may be amended with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes issued thereunder and then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange for such Notes) and any past default or compliance with any provisions may also be waived with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes issued thereunder and then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange for such Notes). However, without the consent of each holder of an outstanding applicable Note affected thereby, an amendment or waiver may not (with respect to any applicable Notes held by a non-consenting applicable Noteholder), among other things:
Notwithstanding the preceding, the Company, the Guarantors and the applicable Trustee may amend each Indenture without the consent of any Noteholder:
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| (8) | to make any amendment to the provisions of the Indenture relating to the transfer and legending of the applicable Notes; provided, however, that (a) compliance with such Indenture as so amended would not result in such Notes being transferred in violation of the Securities Act or any other applicable securities law and (b) such amendment does not materially and adversely affect the rights of the applicable Noteholders to transfer the applicable Notes. |
However, no amendment to or waiver of the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture (or the component definitions used therein) may be made without the consent of the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company and the Guarantors (or their Representative).
The consent of the applicable Noteholders is not necessary under an Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment.
After an amendment under an Indenture becomes effective, the Company is required to mail to the applicable Noteholders a notice briefly describing such amendment. However, the failure to give such notice to all applicable Noteholders, or any defect therein, will not impair or affect the validity of the amendment.
Neither the Company nor any Affiliate of the Company may, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fee or otherwise, to any Noteholder for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of an Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to all applicable Noteholders and is paid to all applicable Noteholders that so consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or agreement.
Satisfaction and Discharge
When the Company (1) delivers to the applicable Trustee all outstanding applicable Notes for cancellation or (2) all outstanding applicable Notes have become due and payable, whether at maturity or on a redemption date as a result of the mailing of notice of redemption, and, in the case of clause (2), the Company irrevocably deposits with the applicable Trustee funds sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption all outstanding applicable Notes, including interest thereon to maturity or such redemption date, and if in either case the Company pays all other sums payable under the applicable Indenture by it, then the applicable Indenture shall, subject to certain exceptions, cease to be of further effect.
Defeasance
Each Indenture provides that at any time, the Company may terminate all of its obligations under the applicable Notes and the applicable Indenture (‘‘legal defeasance’’), except for certain obligations, including those respecting the defeasance trust and obligations to register the transfer or exchange of the applicable Notes, to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes of the applicable series and to maintain a registrar and paying agent in respect of such Notes.
In addition, under each Indenture, at any time the Company may terminate its obligations under ‘‘—Change of Control’’ and under the covenants described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants’’ (other than the covenant described under ‘‘—Merger and Consolidation’’), the operation of the cross acceleration provision, the bankruptcy provisions with respect to Parent and Significant Subsidiaries and the judgment default provision described under ‘‘—Defaults’’ above and the limitations contained in clause (3) of the first paragraph under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation’’ above (‘‘covenant defeasance’’).
The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option notwithstanding its prior exercise of its covenant defeasance option. If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option under an Indenture, payment of the applicable Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default with respect thereto. If the Company exercises its covenant defeasance option under an Indenture, payment of the
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Table of Contentsapplicable Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in clause (4), (6), (7) (with respect only to Parent and Significant Subsidiaries) (8) or (9) under ‘‘—Defaults’’ above or because of the failure of the Company to comply with clause (3) of the first paragraph under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation’’ above. If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option under an Indenture, each Guarantor will be released from all of its obligations with respect to the related Guaranty.
In order to exercise either of the Company’s defeasance options, it must irrevocably deposit in trust (the ‘‘defeasance trust’’) with the applicable Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal and interest on the applicable Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be, and must comply with certain other conditions, including delivery to the applicable Trustee of an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that applicable Noteholders will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred (and, in the case of legal defeasance only, such Opinion of Counsel must be based on a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or other change in applicable Federal income tax law).
Concerning the Trustee
Wilmington Trust Company is the Trustee under each of the Indentures and has been appointed as registrar and paying agent with regard to the Notes.
Each Indenture contains certain limitations on the rights of the applicable Trustee, should it become a creditor of the Company, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The Trustee will be permitted to engage in other transactions; provided, however, if it acquires any conflicting interest it must either eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue or resign.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes under an Indenture will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the applicable Trustee, subject to certain exceptions. If an Event of Default occurs (and is not cured), the applicable Trustee will be required, in the exercise of its power, to use the degree of care of a prudent man in the conduct of his own affairs. Subject to such provisions, the applicable Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the applicable Indenture at the request of any applicable Noteholder, unless such Noteholder shall have offered to the applicable Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense and then only to the extent required by the terms of the applicable Indenture.
No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders
No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Company or any Guarantor will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor under the Notes, any Guaranty or Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Noteholder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. Such waiver and release may not be effective to waive liabilities under the U.S. Federal securities laws, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.
Governing Law
The Indentures and the Notes are governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Certain Definitions
‘‘2004 Transactions’’ means the Acquisition, the entering into and initial funding under the Credit Agreement, the issuance of the Notes and each other transaction incident thereto.
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Table of Contents‘‘Acquisition’’ means the purchase by Parent of the Company and certain other subsidiaries of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and Cooper Tyre & Rubber Company UK Limited. ‘‘Additional Assets’’ means:
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| (1) | any property, plant or equipment used in a Related Business, including improvements, through capital expenditures or otherwise, relating thereto (whether previously owned or acquired at the time such improvements are being made); |
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| (2) | the Capital Stock of a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of the acquisition of such Capital Stock by the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary; or |
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| (3) | Capital Stock constituting a minority interest in any Person that at such time is a Restricted Subsidiary; |
provided, however, that any such Restricted Subsidiary described in clause (2) or (3) above is primarily engaged in a Related Business.
‘‘Additional Notes’’ means any Additional Senior Notes and any Additional Subordinated Notes, as applicable.
‘‘Additional Senior Notes’’ means any Senior Notes issued after the Issue Date.
‘‘Additional Subordinated Notes’’ means any Senior Subordinated Notes issued after the Issue Date.
‘‘Affiliate’’ of any specified Person means any other Person, directly or indirectly, controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, ‘‘control’’ when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms ‘‘controlling’’ and ‘‘controlled’’ have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
‘‘Asset Disposition’’ means any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition (or series of related sales, leases, transfers or dispositions) by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, including any disposition by means of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction (each referred to for the purposes of this definition as a ‘‘disposition’’), of:
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| (1) | any shares of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares or shares required by applicable law to be held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary); |
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| (2) | all or substantially all the assets of any division or line of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; or |
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| (3) | any other assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary outside of the ordinary course of business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary |
(other than, in the case of clauses (1), (2) and (3) above,
(A) a disposition by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to a Restricted Subsidiary;
(B) for purposes of the covenant described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock’’ only, (i) a disposition that constitutes a Restricted Payment (or would constitute a Restricted Payment but for the exclusions from the definition thereof) and that is not prohibited by the covenant described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments’’ and (ii) a disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the Company in accordance with the covenant described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Merger and Consolidation;’’
(C) any disposition that constitutes a Change of Control;
(D) a disposition of assets with a Fair Market Value of less than $2.0 million;
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Table of Contents(E) a disposition of cash or Temporary Cash Investments;
(F) sales or other dispositions of obsolete, uneconomical, negligible, worn-out or surplus assets in the ordinary course of business (including equipment and intellectual property);
(G) sales, transfers and other dispositions of Receivables and Related Assets (as defined in the definition of ‘‘Permitted Securitization’’) pursuant to Permitted Securitizations;
(H) the creation of a Lien (but not the sale or other disposition of the property subject to such Lien); and
(I) any sale, transfer or other disposition of Capital Stock in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary.)
‘‘Attributable Debt’’ in respect of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction means, as at the time of determination, the present value of the total obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale/Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended) (discounted at the interest rate equal to the rate of interest implicit in such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that if such interest rate cannot be determined in accordance with GAAP, the present value shall be discounted at the interest rate borne by the Senior Subordinated Notes, compounded annually); provided, however, that if such Sale/Leaseback Transaction results in a Capital Lease Obligation, the amount of Indebtedness represented thereby will be determined in accordance with the definition of ‘‘Capital Lease Obligation.’’
‘‘Average Life’’ means, as of the date of determination, with respect to any Indebtedness, the quotient obtained by dividing:
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| (1) | the sum of the products of the numbers of years from the date of determination to the dates of each successive scheduled principal payment of or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Indebtedness multiplied by the amount of such payment by |
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| (2) | the sum of all such payments. |
‘‘Bank Indebtedness’’ means all Obligations pursuant to, or in respect of, the Credit Agreement.
‘‘Board of Directors’’ with respect to a Person means the Board of Directors of such Person (or, if such Person is (i) a limited liability company, the manager of such company and (ii) a partnership, the board of directors or other governing body of the general partner of such Person) or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such Board of Directors.
‘‘Business Day’’ means each day which is not a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which commercial banking institutions are not required to be open in the State of New York or the city in which the headquarters of the Company are located.
‘‘Capital Lease Obligation’’ means an obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as a capital lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with GAAP.
‘‘Capital Stock’’ of any Person means any and all shares, interests (including partnership interests), rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) the equity of such Person, including any Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.
‘‘Code’’ means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
‘‘Commodities Agreement’’ means, in respect of a Person, any commodity futures contract, forward contract, option or similar agreement or arrangement (including derivative agreements or arrangements), as to which such Person is a party or beneficiary.
‘‘Consolidated Coverage Ratio’’ as of any date of determination means the ratio of (a) the aggregate amount of EBITDA for the most recent four consecutive fiscal quarters ended for which
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Table of Contentsinternal financial statements are available prior to the date of such determination to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense for such four fiscal quarters; provided, however, that:
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| (1) | if the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has Incurred any Indebtedness since the beginning of such period that remains outstanding or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio is an Incurrence of Indebtedness, or both, EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period shall be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such Indebtedness as if such Indebtedness had been Incurred on the first day of such period; |
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| (2) | if the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged any Indebtedness since the beginning of such period or if any Indebtedness is to be repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged (in each case other than Indebtedness Incurred under any revolving credit facility unless such Indebtedness has been permanently repaid and has not been replaced) on the date of the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Coverage Ratio, EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period shall be calculated on a pro forma basis as if such dis charge had occurred on the first day of such period and as if the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary had not earned the interest income actually earned during such period in respect of cash or Temporary Cash Investments used to repay, repurchase, defease or otherwise discharge such Indebtedness; |
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| (3) | if since the beginning of such period the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall have made any Asset Disposition, EBITDA for such period shall be reduced by an amount equal to EBITDA (if positive) directly attributable to the assets which are the subject of such Asset Disposition for such period, or increased by an amount equal to EBITDA (if negative), directly attributable thereto for such period and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated Interest Expense directly attributable to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged with respect to the Company and its continuing Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such A sset Disposition for such period (or, if the Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary is sold, the Consolidated Interest Expense for such period directly attributable to the Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the Company and its continuing Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer liable for such Indebtedness after such sale); |
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| (4) | if since the beginning of such period the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (by merger or otherwise) shall have made an Investment in any Restricted Subsidiary (or any Person which becomes a Restricted Subsidiary) or an acquisition of assets, including any Investment or acquisition of assets occurring in connection with a transaction requiring a calculation to be made hereunder, EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including the Incurrence of any Indebtedness) as if such Investment or acquisition had occurred on the first day of such period; and |
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| (5) | if since the beginning of such period any Person (that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period) shall have made any Asset Disposition, any Investment or acquisition of assets that would have required an adjustment pursuant to clause (3) or (4) above if made by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period, EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Asset Disposition, Investment or acquisition had occurred on th e first day of such period. |
For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to an acquisition of assets, the amount of income or earnings relating thereto and the amount of Consolidated Interest Expense associated with any Indebtedness Incurred in connection therewith, the pro forma calculations shall be determined in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the
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Table of ContentsCompany. If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in effect on the date of determination had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Interest Rate Agreement applicable to such Indebtedness if such Interest Rate Agreement has a remaining term in excess of 12 months). Interest on a Capital Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capital Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurodollar interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Company may designate.
If any Indebtedness has been incurred under a revolving credit facility or revolving advances with respect to any Permitted Securitization and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated based on the average daily balance of such Indebtedness for the four fiscal quarters subject to the pro forma calculation.
‘‘Consolidated Interest Expense’’ means, for any period, the total interest expense of the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries included in the Company’s consolidated income statement in accordance with GAAP, plus, to the extent not included in such total interest expense, and to the extent incurred by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, without duplication:
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| (1) | interest expense attributable to Capital Lease Obligations; |
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| (2) | amortization of debt discount and debt issuance cost; |
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| (3) | capitalized interest; |
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| (4) | non-cash interest expense; |
 |  |  |
| (5) | to the extent included in the calculation of net income under GAAP, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing; |
 |  |  |
| (6) | to the extent included in the calculation of net income under GAAP, net payments pursuant to Hedging Obligations; |
 |  |  |
| (7) | dividends accrued in respect of all Disqualified Stock of the Company and all Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, in each case held by Persons other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than dividends payable solely in Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company); provided, however, that such dividends will be multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is one and the denominator of wh ich is one minus the effective combined tax rate of the issuer of such Preferred Stock (expressed as a decimal) for such period (as estimated by the chief financial officer of the Company in good faith); |
 |  |  |
| (8) | interest incurred in connection with Investments in discontinued operations; |
 |  |  |
| (9) | interest actually paid by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary under any Guarantee of any Indebtedness of any Person other than the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; |
 |  |  |
| (10) | the cash contributions to any employee stock ownership plan or similar trust to the extent such contributions are used by such plan or trust to pay interest or fees to any Person (other than the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor) in connection with Indebtedness Incurred by such plan or trust; and |
 |  |  |
| (11) | commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges incurred in connection with Permitted Securitizations during such period which are payable to any Person other than the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor and that are comparable to or in the nature of interest under any Permitted Securitization, including losses on the sale of assets relating to any receivables securitization transaction accounted for as a ‘‘true sale’’ (other than any one time financing fees paid upon entering into any Permitted Securitization); |
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Table of Contentsand less, (1) to the extent included in such total interest expense, (A) the amortization during such period of capitalized financing costs associated with the 2004 Transactions and (B) the amortization during such period of other capitalized financing costs as determined in good faith by the chief financial officer of the Company and (2) interest income for such period.
‘‘Consolidated Net Income’’ means, for any period, the net income (or loss) of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that there shall not be included in such Consolidated Net Income:
 |  |  |
| (1) | any net income (or loss) of any Person (other than the Company) if such Person is not a Restricted Subsidiary, except that: |
 |  |  |
| (A) | subject to the exclusion contained in clause (5) below,(i) the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period shall be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person (or to the extent promptly converted into cash) during such period to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution and (ii) any dividend, distribution or other payments in respect of Capital Stock paid in cash by such Person to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in excess of the amount included in clause (i) (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution paid to a Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitations contained in clause (3) below); and |
 |  |  |
| (B) | the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Person for such period shall be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income to the extent such loss has been funded with cash from the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; |
 |  |  |
| (2) | any net income (or loss) of any Person acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary in any transaction accounted for in a manner similar to a pooling of interests for any period prior to the date of such acquisition; |
 |  |  |
| (3) | solely for the purpose of calculating the amount available for Restricted Payments under clause (a)(3) of ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments,’’ any net income of any Restricted Subsidiary if such Restricted Subsidiary is not a Subsidiary Guarantor and is subject to restrictions, directly or indirectly, on the payment of dividends or the making of distributions in respect of its Capital Stock by such Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to the Company (but, in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, only to the extent cash equal to such net income (or a portion thereof) for such period is not readily procurable by the Company from such Foreign Subsidiary (with the amount of cash readily procura ble from such Foreign Subsidiary being determined in good faith by the chief financial officer of the Company) pursuant to intercompany loans, repurchases of Capital Stock or otherwise (without duplication from clause (1))); provided that, subject to the exclusion contained in clause (5) below, the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period shall be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Restricted Subsidiary during such period to the Company or another Subsidiary Guarantor as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution paid to another Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitation contained in this clause (3)); |
 |  |  |
| (4) | the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period except to the extent such loss has been funded with cash from the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor; |
 |  |  |
| (5) | any gain (or loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any assets of the Company, its consolidated Subsidiaries or any other Person (including pursuant to any sale-and-leaseback arrangement) which is not sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business and any gain (or loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any Capital Stock of any Person; |
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| (6) | any net after-tax extraordinary, unusual or nonrecurring gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or income or expense or charge, including, without limitation, any severance expense, restructuring charges, and fees, expenses or charges related to any offering of Capital Stock of such Person, any Investment, acquisition or Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder (in each case, whether or not successful), including all fees, expenses and charges and related to the 2004 Transactions; |
 |  |  |
| (7) | the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles; |
 |  |  |
| (8) | any non-cash impairment charges resulting from the application of Statements of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142 and No. 144 and the amortization of intangibles pursuant to Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 141; |
 |  |  |
| (9) | any long-term incentive plan accruals and any non-cash compensation expense realized from grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options or other rights to officers, directors and employees of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
 |  |  |
| (10) | any one-time non-cash charges (such as capitalized manufacturing profit in inventory) resulting from purchase accounting in connection with the 2004 Transactions or any acquisition that is consummated prior to or after the Issue Date; and |
 |  |  |
| (11) | accruals and reserves that are established within twelve months after the Acquisition’s closing date and that are so required to be established as a result of the 2004 Transactions in accordance with GAAP; |
in each case, for such period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the purposes of the covenant described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments’’ only, there shall be excluded from Consolidated Net Income any repurchases, repayments or redemptions of Investments, proceeds realized on the sale of Investments or return of capital to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to the extent such repurchases, repayments, redemptions, proceeds or returns increase the amount of Restricted Payments permitted under such covenant pursuant to clause (a)(3)(D) thereof.
‘‘Consolidated Net Tangible Assets’’ as of any date of determination, means the Total Assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries after giving effect to purchase accounting and after deducting therefrom the consolidated current liabilities of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries and, to the extent otherwise included, the amounts of:
 |  |  |
| (1) | minority interests in Restricted Subsidiaries held by Persons other than the Company of a Restricted Subsidiary; |
 |  |  |
| (2) | excess of cost over fair value of assets of business acquired, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors; |
 |  |  |
| (3) | any revaluation or other write-up in book value of assets subsequent to the Issue Date as a result of a change in the method of valuation in accordance with GAAP; |
 |  |  |
| (4) | unamortized debt discount and expenses and other unamortized deferred charges, goodwill, patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, licenses, organization or developmental expenses and other intangible items; |
 |  |  |
| (6) | cash set apart and held in a sinking or other analogous fund established for the purpose of redemption or other retirement of Capital Stock to the extent such obligation is not reflected in the consolidated current liabilities of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries; and |
 |  |  |
| (7) | Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries. |
‘‘Consolidated Senior Secured Debt’’ for the purposes of the Senior Indenture, means, at any time, as determined at such time, without duplication, the sum of (1) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is secured by a Lien on the
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Table of Contentsassets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than Indebtedness of any Foreign Subsidiary permitted to be incurred under clause (11) under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness’’ and (2) the aggregate principal amount of any Permitted Securitizations.
‘‘Consolidated Senior Secured Leverage Ratio’’ for the purposes of the Senior Indenture means as of any date, the ratio of Consolidated Senior Secured Debt on such date to EBITDA for the most recent four consecutive fiscal quarters ended for which internal financial statements are available (the ‘‘Four Quarter Period’’) prior to the date of the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Senior Secured Leverage Ratio. In addition to and not in limitation of the foregoing, for the purposes of this definition, ‘‘Consolidated Senior Secured Debt’’ shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect to any Incurrence of Indebtedness on the applicable Transaction Date and the use of proceeds therefrom, and:
 |  |  |
| (1) | if the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has Incurred any Indebtedness since the beginning of such Four Quarter Period that remains outstanding or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Senior Secured Leverage Ratio is an Incurrence of Indebtedness, or both, EBITDA for such Four Quarter Period shall be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such Indebtedness as if such Indebtedness had been Incurred on the first day of such Four Quarter Period; |
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| (2) | if the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged any Indebtedness since the beginning of such Four Quarter Period (including by the sale of Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary whereby the Company and its continuing Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer liable for such Indebtedness after such sale) or if any Indebtedness is to be repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged (in each case other than Indebtedness Incurred under any revolving credit facility unless such Indebtedness has been permanently repaid and has not been replaced) on the date of the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Senior Secured Leverage Ratio, EBITDA for such period shall be calculat ed on a pro forma basis as if such discharge had occurred on the first day of such Four Quarter Period and as if the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary had not earned the interest income actually earned during such period in respect of cash or Temporary Cash Investments used to repay, repurchase, defease or otherwise discharge such Indebtedness; |
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| (3) | if since the beginning of such Four Quarter Period the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall have made any Asset Disposition, EBITDA for such Four Quarter Period shall be reduced by an amount equal to EBITDA (if positive) directly attributable to the assets which are the subject of such Asset Disposition for such Four Quarter Period, or increased by an amount equal to EBITDA (if negative), directly attributable thereto for such Four Quarter Period; |
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| (4) | if since the beginning of such Four Quarter Period the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (by merger or otherwise) shall have made an Investment in any Restricted Subsidiary (or any Person which becomes a Restricted Subsidiary) or an acquisition of assets, including any Investment or acquisition of assets occurring in connection with a transaction requiring a calculation of the Consolidated Senior Secured Leverage Ratio to be made hereunder, EBITDA for such period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including the Incurrence of any Indebtedness) as if such Investment or acquisition had occurred on the first day of such Four Quarter Period; and |
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| (5) | if since the beginning of such Four Quarter Period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such Four Quarter Period shall have made any Asset Disposition, any Investment or acquisition of assets that would have required an adjustment pursuant to clause (3) or (4) above if made by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such Four Quarter Period, EBITDA for such Four Quarter Period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Asset Disposition, Investment or acquisition ha d occurred on the first day of such Four Quarter Period. |
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Table of ContentsFor purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to an acquisition of assets, the amount of income, earnings or EBITDA relating thereto, the pro forma calculations shall be determined in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company.
‘‘Credit Agreement’’ means the senior debt facilities under the Credit Agreement to be entered into by and among, Parent, the Company, certain of its Subsidiaries, the lenders referred to therein, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, Lehman Commercial Paper Inc., as Syndication Agent, and Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P., The Bank of Nova Scotia and UBS Securities LLC, each as Co-Documentation Agents, together with the related documents thereto (including the term loans and revolving loans thereunder, any guarantees and security documents), as amended, extended, renewed, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (in whole or in part, and without limitation as to amount, terms, conditions, covenants and other provisions) from time to time, and any agreement (and related document) governing Indebtedness incurred to Refinance, in whole or in part, the borrowings and commitments then outstan ding under such Credit Agreement or a successor Credit Agreement, whether by the same or any other lender or group of lenders.
‘‘Credit Facilities’’ means, with respect to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, one or more debt facilities, including the Credit Agreement, or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors or indentures providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing, including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against receivables, letters of credit, bank guaranties or other long-term indebtedness, including any guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements or refundings thereof and any indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors that replace, refund or refinance any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such replacement, refunding or refinancing facility or indenture that increases the amount borrowable thereunder or alters the maturity thereof.
‘‘Currency Agreement’’ means any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement or other similar agreement with respect to currency values.
‘‘Default’’ means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
‘‘Designated Senior Indebtedness,’’ as defined in the Subordinated Indenture, with respect to a Person means:
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| (1) | the Bank Indebtedness; and |
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| (2) | any other Senior Indebtedness of such Person which, at the date of determination, has an aggregate principal amount outstanding of, or under which, at the date of determination, the holders thereof are committed to lend up to, at least $50.0 million and is specifically designated by such Person in the instrument evidencing or governing such Senior Indebtedness as ‘‘Designated Senior Indebtedness’’ for purposes of the Subordinated Indenture. |
‘‘Disqualified Stock’’ means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock which by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable, in each case at the option of the holder) or upon the happening of any event:
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| (1) | matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than redeemable only for Capital Stock of such Person which is not itself Disqualified Stock) pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise; |
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| (2) | is convertible or exchangeable at the option of the holder for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock; or |
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| (3) | is redeemable or must be purchased upon the occurrence of certain events or otherwise at the option of the holder, in whole or in part; |
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Table of Contentsin each case on or prior to the first anniversary of the Stated Maturity of the applicable Notes; provided that only the portion of Capital Stock which so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date will be deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided, further, however, that any Capi tal Stock that would not constitute Disqualified Stock but for provisions thereof giving holders thereof the right to require such Person to purchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of an ‘‘asset sale’’ or ‘‘change of control’’ (each defined in a substantially similar manner to the corresponding definitions in the applicable Indenture) occurring prior to the first anniversary of the Stated Maturity of the applicable Notes shall not constitute Disqualified Stock if any such requirement only becomes operative after compliance with such terms applicable to such Notes, including the purchase of any such Notes tendered pursuant thereto.
The amount of any Disqualified Stock that does not have a fixed redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Stock as if such Disqualified Stock were redeemed, repaid or repurchased on any date on which the amount of such Disqualified Stock is to be determined pursuant to the applicable Indenture; provided, however, that if such Disqualified Stock could not be required to be redeemed, repaid or repurchased at the time of such determination, the redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be the book value of such Disqualified Stock as reflected in the most recent financial statements of such Person.
‘‘EBITDA’’ for any period means the sum of Consolidated Net Income, plus the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income and otherwise without duplication:
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| (1) | all tax expense of the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries for taxes based on income, profits or capital, including without limitation state, franchise and similar taxes (including state franchise taxes), of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries or, if applicable, the Tax Amount, for such period; |
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| (2) | Consolidated Interest Expense; |
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| (3) | depreciation and amortization expense of the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries (excluding amortization expense attributable to a prepaid item that was paid in cash in a prior period); |
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| (4) | all other non-cash charges of the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries (excluding any such non-cash charge to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenditures in any future period) less all non-cash items of income of the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries (other than accruals of revenue by the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business); |
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| (5) | any non-recurring fees, cash charges and other cash expenses made or incurred by the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with the 2004 Transactions that are paid or otherwise accounted for within 90 days of the Issue Date in an aggregate amount not to exceed $55.0 million; and |
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| (6) | any net after-tax income or loss (less all fees and expenses or charges relating thereto) attributable to the early extinguishment of Indebtedness and Hedging Obligations. |
in each case for such period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provision for taxes based on the income or profits of, and the depreciation and amortization and non-cash charges of, a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be added to Consolidated Net Income to compute EBITDA only to the extent (and in the same proportion) that the net income of such Restricted Subsidiary was included in calculating Consolidated Net Income and only if (x) a corresponding amount would be permitted at the date of determination to be dividended to the Company by such Restricted Subsidiary without prior approval (that has not been obtained), pursuant to the terms of its charter and all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes, rules and governmental regulations applicable to such Restricted Subsidiary or its shareholders or (y) in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, a corresponding amount of cash is readily procurable by t he Company from such Foreign Subsidiary (as determined in good faith by the chief financial officer of the
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Table of ContentsCompany) pursuant to intercompany loans, repurchases of Capital Stock or otherwise, provided that to the extent cash of such Foreign Subsidiary provided the basis for including the net income of such Foreign Subsidiary in Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clause (3) of the definition of ‘‘Consolidated Net Income,’’ such cash shall not be taken into account for the purposes of determining readily procurable cash under this clause (y).
‘‘Equity Offering’’ means any public or private sale after the Issue Date of common stock or Preferred Stock of the Company or Parent, as applicable (other than Disqualified Stock), other than public offerings with respect to Parent’s, the Company’s or such direct or indirect parent company’s common stock registered on Form S-8 and any such public or private sale that constitutes an Excluded Contribution.
‘‘Exchange Act’’ means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
‘‘Exchange Notes’’ means the debt securities of the Company issued pursuant to an Indenture in exchange for, and in an aggregate principal amount equal to, the Notes or Additional Notes issued thereunder, in compliance with the terms of a registration rights agreement, or any similar agreement or otherwise.
‘‘Excluded Contributions’’ means the Net Cash Proceeds received by the Company after the Issue Date from:
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| (1) | contributions to its common equity capital, and |
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| (2) | the sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company or to any Company or Subsidiary management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement) of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company; |
in each case designated as Excluded Contributions pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate executed by an Officer of the Company, the cash proceeds of which are excluded from the calculation set forth in clause (a)(3) of the first paragraph of ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments.’’
‘‘Fair Market Value’’ means the value that would be paid by a willing buyer to an unaffiliated willing seller in a transaction not involving distress or necessity of either party, determined in good faith by the Company and (i) in the event of transactions involving a Fair Market Value of more than $5.0 million, set forth in an Officer’s Certificate, and (ii) in the event of transactions involving a Fair Market Value of more than $10.0 million, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (unless otherwise provided in the Indenture).
‘‘Foreign Subsidiary’’ means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia and any direct or indirect Subsidiary of such Restricted Subsidiary.
‘‘GAAP’’ means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect as of the Issue Date.
‘‘Guarantee’’ means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:
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| (1) | to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or |
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| (2) | entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part); |
provided, however, that the term ‘‘Guarantee’’ shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term ‘‘Guarantee’’ used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
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Table of Contents‘‘Guarantors’’ means Parent and the Subsidiary Guarantors.
‘‘Guaranty’’ means the Parent Guaranty and the Subsidiary Guaranties.
‘‘Guaranty Agreement’’ means a supplemental indenture entered into after the Issue Date, in a form satisfactory to the applicable Trustee, pursuant to which a Subsidiary Guarantor guarantees the Company’s obligations with respect to the applicable Notes on the terms provided for in the applicable Indenture.
‘‘Hedging Obligations’’ of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate Agreement or Currency Agreement.
‘‘Incur’’ means issue, assume, Guarantee, incur, acquire or otherwise become liable (contingently or otherwise) for; provided, however, that any Indebtedness of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) shall be deemed to be Incurred by such Person at the time it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary. The term ‘‘Incurrence’’ when used as a noun shall have a correlative meaning. Solely for purposes of determining compliance with ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness’’:
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| (1) | amortization of debt discount or the accretion of principal with respect to a non-interest bearing or other discount security; |
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| (2) | the payment of regularly scheduled interest in the form of additional Indebtedness of the same instrument or the payment of regularly scheduled dividends on Capital Stock in the form of additional Capital Stock of the same class and with the same terms; and |
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| (3) | the obligation to pay a premium in respect of Indebtedness arising in connection with the issuance of a notice of redemption or making of a mandatory offer to purchase such Indebtedness; |
will not be deemed to be the Incurrence of Indebtedness.
‘‘Indebtedness’’ means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without duplication):
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| (1) | the principal in respect of (A) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (B) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable, including, in each case, any premium on such indebtedness to the extent such premium has become due and payable; |
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| (2) | all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person and all Attributable Debt in respect of Sale/Leaseback Transactions entered into by such Person; |
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| (3) | the balance of deferred and unpaid purchase price of property or services, of such Person and all obligations of such Person under any title retention agreement (but, in each case, excluding any accounts payable or other liability to trade creditors arising in the ordinary course of business); provided that any Indebtedness Incurred to pay or otherwise discharge such obligations shall constitute Indebtedness; |
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| (4) | the principal component of all obligations of such Person in respect of any letter of credit, bankers’ acceptance or similar credit transaction (including reimbursement obligations with respect thereto) (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in clauses (1) through (3) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the tenth Business Day following payment on the letter of credit); |
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| (5) | the amount of all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock of such Person or, with respect to any Preferred Stock of any Subsidiary of such Person that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, the principal amount of such Preferred Stock to be determined in accordance with the Indenture (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends); |
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| (6) | to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, Hedging Obligations of such Person; |
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| (7) | all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (6) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, including by means of any Guarantee; |
 |  |  |
| (8) | all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (7) of other Persons secured by any Lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the Fair Market Value of such property or assets at such date of determination and the amount of the obligation so secured; and |
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| (9) | to the extent not otherwise included, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, the amount of any Permitted Securitization. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with the purchase by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any business, the term ‘‘Indebtedness’’ will exclude post-closing payment adjustments to which the seller may become entitled to the extent such payment is determined by a final closing balance sheet or such payment depends on the performance of such business after the closing or similar obligations; provided, however, that, at the time of closing, the amount of any such payment is not determinable and, to the extent such payment thereafter becomes fixed and determined, the amount is paid within 30 days thereafter.
The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date shall be the outstanding balance at such date of all obligations as described above; provided, however, that in the case of Indebtedness sold at a discount, the amount of such Indebtedness at any time will be the accreted value thereof at such time.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of the definitions of ‘‘Obligations’’ and ‘‘Senior Indebtedness’’ as used herein (and only such definitions), the term ‘‘Indebtedness’’ shall include (i) all obligations of such Person in respect of any letter of credit, bankers’ acceptance or similar credit transaction (including reimbursement obligations and fees with respect thereto), (ii) all Hedging Obligations of such Person and (iii) all obligations of such Person pursuant to any Commodities Agreement.
‘‘Indentures’’ means the Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires.
‘‘Independent Qualified Party’’ means an investment banking firm, accounting firm or appraisal firm of national standing; provided, however, that such firm is not an Affiliate of the Company.
‘‘Initial Purchasers’’ means Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Lehman Brothers Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., UBS Securities LLC, BNP Paribas Securities Corp. and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. and such other initial purchasers party to the purchase agreement entered into in connection with the offer and sale of the Senior Subordinated Notes.
‘‘Interest Rate Agreement’’ means any interest rate protection agreement, interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedge agreement, interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement or other financial agreement or arrangement with respect to exposure to interest rates.
‘‘Investment’’ in any Person means any direct or indirect advance, loan (other than advances to customers in the ordinary course of business that are recorded as accounts receivable on the balance sheet of the lender) or other extensions of credit (including by way of Guarantee or similar arrangement) or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other property to others or any payment for property or services for the account or use of others), or any purchase or acquisition of Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other similar instruments issued by such Person. The acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of a Person that holds an Investment in a third Person will be deemed to be an Investment by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary in
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Table of Contentssuch third Person at such time. Except as otherwise provided for herein, the amount of an Investment shall be its Fair Market Value at the time the Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value.
For purposes of the definition of ‘‘Unrestricted Subsidiary,’’ the definition of ‘‘Restricted Payment’’ and the covenant described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments:’’
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| (1) | ‘‘Investment’’ shall include the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of any Subsidiary of the Company at the time that such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Company shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent ‘‘Investment&r squo;’ in an Unrestricted Subsidiary equal to an amount (if positive) equal to (A) the Company’s ‘‘Investment’’ in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation less (B) the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; and |
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| (2) | any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer. |
‘‘Issue Date’’ means the first date on which the Notes are originally issued.
‘‘Lien’’ means, with respect to any property or assets, any mortgage or deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, security interest, lien, charge, easement (other than any easement not materially impairing usefulness or marketability), encumbrance, preference, priority or other security agreement of any kind or nature whatsoever on or with respect to such property or assets (including, without limitation, any conditional sale or other title retention agreement having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing); provided that in no event shall an operating lease, in and of itself, be deemed to constitute a Lien.
‘‘Moody’s’’ means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor to its rating agency business.
‘‘Net Available Cash’’ from an Asset Disposition means cash payments received therefrom (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise and proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any securities received as consideration, but only as and when received, but excluding any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other obligations relating to such properties or assets or received in any other non-cash form), in each case net of:
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| (1) | all legal, title and recording tax expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses incurred, and all Federal, state, provincial, foreign and local taxes required to be accrued as a liability under GAAP, as a consequence of such Asset Disposition; |
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| (2) | all payments made on any Indebtedness which is secured by any assets subject to such Asset Disposition, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon or other security agreement of any kind with respect to such assets, or which must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Asset Disposition, or by applicable law, be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Disposition; |
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| (3) | all distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest holders in Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of such Asset Disposition; |
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| (4) | the deduction of appropriate amounts provided by the seller as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with the property or other assets disposed in such Asset Disposition and retained by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary after such Asset Disposition; and |
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| (5) | any portion of the purchase price from an Asset Disposition placed in escrow, whether as a reserve for adjustment of the purchase price, for satisfaction of indemnities in respect of such Asset Disposition or otherwise in connection with that Asset Disposition; provided, however, that upon the termination of that escrow, Net Available Cash will be increased by any portion of funds in the escrow that are released to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary. |
‘‘Net Cash Proceeds,’’ with respect to any issuance or sale of Capital Stock or Indebtedness, means the cash proceeds of such issuance or sale net of attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, underwriters’ or placement agents’ fees, discounts or commissions and brokerage, consultant and other fees actually incurred in connection with such issuance or sale and net of taxes paid or payable as a result thereof.
‘‘Noteholder’’ means the Person in whose name a Note is registered on the applicable Registrar’s books.
‘‘Notes’’ means the Senior Notes and Senior Subordinated Notes, unless the context otherwise requires.
‘‘Obligations’’ means, with respect to any Indebtedness, all obligations for principal, premium, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, and other amounts payable pursuant to the documentation governing such Indebtedness (including interest and fees accruing on or after the filing of any petition with respect to any bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of any obligor at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not a claim for post-filing interest and fees is allowed under applicable law).
‘‘Officer’’ means the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company.
‘‘Officers’ Certificate’’ means a certificate signed by an Officer.
‘‘Opinion of Counsel’’ means a written opinion from legal counsel who is acceptable to the applicable Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or the Trustee.
‘‘Parent’’ means Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. All references to Parent shall include, unless the context requires otherwise, any entity that directly or indirectly owns all of the Company’s Voting Stock.
‘‘Parent Guaranty’’ means the Guarantee by Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. of the Company’s obligations with respect to a series of Notes, including any Guarantee entered into after the Issue Date.
‘‘Permitted Holders’’ means The Cypress Group L.L.C. and GS Capital Partners 2000, L.P. and their respective Affiliates as of the Issue Date that are neither operating companies nor subsidiaries of operating companies.
‘‘Permitted Investment’’ means an Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in:
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| (1) | the Company, a Restricted Subsidiary or a Person that will, upon the making of such Investment, become a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that the primary business of such Restricted Subsidiary is a Related Business; |
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| (2) | another Person if, as a result of such Investment, such other Person is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all its assets to, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Person’s primary business is a Related Business; |
 |  |  |
| (3) | cash and Temporary Cash Investments; |
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| (4) | receivables owing to, and recorded as accounts receivable on the balance sheet of, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary if created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms; provided, however, that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances; |
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| (5) | payroll, travel and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at the time of such advances ultimately to be treated as expenses for accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of business; |
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| (6) | loans or advances to employees made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, not to exceed $5.0 million in the aggregate at any one time outstanding; |
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| (7) | stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts created in the ordinary course of business and owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in satisfaction of judgments; |
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| (8) | any Person to the extent such Investment represents the non-cash portion of the consideration received for (A) an Asset Disposition as permitted pursuant to the covenant described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock’’ or (B) a disposition of assets not constituting an Asset Disposition; |
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| (9) | Person where such Investment was acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (A) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable or (B) as a result of a foreclosure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default; |
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| (10) | Person to the extent such Investments consist of prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and workers’ compensation, performance and other similar deposits made in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; |
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| (11) | Person to the extent such Investments consist of Hedging Obligations otherwise permitted under the covenant described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness;’’ |
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| (12) | any Person to the extent such Investment exists on the Issue Date, and any extension, modification or renewal of any such Investments existing on the Issue Date, but only to the extent not involving additional advances, contributions or other Investments of cash or other assets or other increases thereof (other than as a result of the accrual or accretion of interest or original issue discount or the issuance of pay-in-kind securities, in each case, pursuant to the terms of such Investment as in effect on the Issue Date; |
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| (13) | Investments the payment for which consists of Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company, as applicable; provided, however, that such Capital Stock will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under clause (a)(3) of the covenant described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Restricted Payments;’’ |
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| (14) | an SPE Subsidiary or an Investment by an SPE Subsidiary in any other Person as required by or in connection with Permitted Securitization; |
 |  |  |
| (15) | any Permitted Joint Venture having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (15), not to exceed 5% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; |
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| (16) | Investments existing on the Issue Date; and |
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| (17) | additional Investments by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (including, but not limited to, Permitted Joint Ventures) having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (17), not to exceed $10.0 million (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value). |
‘‘Permitted Joint Venture’’ means any joint venture in which the Company or any Subsidiary holds an equity interest and that is engaged in a Related Business.
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Table of Contents‘‘Permitted Junior Securities’’ shall mean debt or equity securities of the Company or Parent or any successor corporation issued pursuant to a plan of reorganization or readjustment of the Issuer or the Company or Parent, as applicable, that are subordinated to the payment of all then outstanding Senior Indebtedness of the Company or Parent, as applicable, at least to the same extent that the Senior Subordinated Notes are subordinated to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company or Parent, as applicable, on the Issue Date, so long as (a) to the extent that any Senior Indebtedness of the Company or Parent, as applicable, outstanding on the date of consummation of any such plan of reorganization or readjustment is not paid in full in cash on such date, the holders of any such Senior Indebtedness not so paid in full in cash have consented to the terms of such plan of reorganization or readjustment and (b) in the case of debt sec urities, such debt securities:
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| (2) | have no maturity, amortization, sinking fund, repayment or similar payment earlier than one year after the final maturity of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company then outstanding (as such Senior Indebtedness may be modified pursuant to any such reorganization or readjustment); |
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| (3) | do not require the cash payment of principal, interest or other cash amounts until such time as all Senior Indebtedness of the Company then outstanding (as such Senior Indebtedness may be modified pursuant to any such reorganization or readjustments) has been paid in full in cash or cash equivalents acceptable to holders of such Senior Indebtedness; and |
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| (4) | to the extent that the same are to be guaranteed, shall only be guaranteed by Subsidiaries of the Company that have guaranteed the Senior Indebtedness of the Company (as such Senior Indebtedness may be modified pursuant to any such reorganization or readjustment) and such guarantees shall be subordinated at least to the same extent as the Senior Subordinated Note Guarantees are subordinated to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the Subsidiary Guarantors. |
‘‘Permitted Liens’’ means:
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| (1) | Liens existing on the Issue Date: |
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| (2) | Liens existing on property or assets at the time of acquisition by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary which secure Indebtedness that is not incurred in contemplation of such property or assets being so acquired; provided that such Liens do not extend to other property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; |
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| (3) | Liens securing Indebtedness of the type described in (x) clause (5) under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness;’’ provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness, were not imposed in contemplation of the Incurrence of such Indebtedness and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary related to such Incurrence, (y) clause (11) under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness;’’ provided that such Lien is attached within 180 days of the Incurrence of such Indebtedness and (z) clause (12) under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness;’’ |
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| (4) | In the Senior Indenture only, Liens securing (a) Indebtedness of the type described in clause (b)(1) under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness’’ and (b) the maximum principal amount of Indebtedness that can be Incurred under Credit Facilities and related Hedging Obligations such that on the date of the Incurrence, after giving pro forma effect to the Incurrence thereof and the application of the proceeds thereof, the Consolidated Senior Secured Leverage Ratio does not exceed 3.0 to 1.0; |
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| (5) | Liens replacing any of the items set forth in clauses (1) through (3) above; provided that (A) the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by such Liens shall not be increased (except premiums or other payments paid in connection with a concurrent Refinancing of such Indebtedness and the expenses Incurred in connection therewith), (B) such Liens have the same or a lower ranking and priority as the Liens being replaced; and (C) such Liens shall be limited to the property or assets encumbered by the Lien so replaced; |
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| (6) | Liens encumbering cash proceeds (or securities purchased therewith) from Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred as described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness’’ which are set aside at the time of such Incurrence in order to secure an escrow arrangement pursuant to which such cash proceeds (or securities purchased therewith) are contemplated to ultimately be released to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or returned to the lenders of such Indebtedness; provided that such Liens are automatically released concurrently with the release of such cash procee ds (or securities purchased therewith) from such escrow arrangement; |
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| (7) | Liens in favor of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; |
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| (8) | Liens to secure the performance of statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business; |
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| (9) | Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; |
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| (10) | statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, suppliers, materialmen, repairmen and other Liens imposed by law incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not yet delinquent for a period of more than 60 days or being contested in good faith; |
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| (11) | Liens incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security or similar obligations, including any Lien securing letters of credit issued in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in connection therewith, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money); |
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| (12) | judgment Liens not accompanied by an Event of Default of the type described in clause (8) under ‘‘Events of Default’’ arising from such judgment; |
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| (13) | easements, rights-of-way, zoning restrictions, minor defects or irregularities in title and other similar charges or encumbrances in respect of real property not interfering in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
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| (14) | any interest or title of a lessor under any lease, whether or not characterized as capital or operating; provided that such Liens do not extend to any property or assets which is not leased property subject to such lease; |
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| (15) | Liens upon specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods; |
 |  |  |
| (16) | Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit which encumber documents and other property relating to such letters of credit and products and proceeds thereof; |
 |  |  |
| (17) | Liens encumbering deposits made to secure obligations arising from statutory, regulatory, contractual, or warranty requirements of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, including rights of offset and set-off; |
 |  |  |
| (18) | leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries; |
 |  |  |
| (19) | Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of custom duties in connection with importation of goods; |
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| (20) | Liens encumbering initial deposits and margin deposits, and other Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business and that are within the general parameters customary in the industry; |
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| (21) | Liens arising from filing Uniform Commercial Code financing statements regarding leases; |
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| (22) | Liens on Receivables and Related Assets transferred to an SPE Subsidiary or on assets of an SPE Subsidiary, in either case incurred in connection with a Permitted Securitization; |
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| (23) | in the Subordinated Indenture only, Liens to secure Senior Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor or Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor; and |
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| (24) | in the Senior Indenture only, Liens securing Hedging Obligations so long as the related Indebtedness is, and is permitted under the Senior Indenture to be, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Obligation. |
‘‘Permitted Securitization’’ means any transaction or series of transactions that may be entered into by the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to which it may sell, convey, contribute to capital or otherwise transfer (which sale, conveyance, contribution to capital or transfer may include or be supported by the grant of a security interest) Receivables or interests therein and all collateral securing such Receivables, all contracts and contract rights, purchase orders, security interests, financing statements or other documentation in respect of such Receivables, any guarantees, indemnities, warranties or other obligations in respect of such Receivables, any other assets that are customarily transferred or in respect of which security interests are customarily granted in connection with asset securitization transactions involving receivables similar to such Receivables and any collections or proceeds of any of the foregoing (collectively , the ‘‘Related Assets’’) (i) to a trust, partnership, corporation or other Person (other than the Company or any Subsidiary other than a SPE Subsidiary), which transfer is funded in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by the incurrence or issuance by the transferee or any successor transferee of Indebtedness, fractional undivided interests or other securities that are to receive payments from, or that represent interests in, the cash flow derived from such Receivables and Related Assets or interests in such Receivables and Related Assets, or (ii) directly to one or more investors or other purchasers (other than the Company or any Subsidiary), it being understood that a Permitted Securitization may involve (A) one or more sequential transfers or pledges of the same Receivables and Related Assets, or interests therein (such as a sale, conveyance or other transfer to an SPE Subsidiary followed by a pledge of the transferred Receivables and Related Assets to secure Indebtedness inc urred by the SPE Subsidiary), and all such transfers, pledges and Indebtedness Incurrences shall be part of and constitute a single Permitted Securitization, and (B) periodic transfers or pledges of Receivables and/or revolving transactions in which new Receivables and Related Assets, or interests therein, are transferred or pledged upon collection of previously transferred or pledged Receivables and Related Assets, or interests therein, provided that any such transactions shall provide for recourse to such Subsidiary (other than any SPE Subsidiary) or the Company (as applicable) only in respect of the cash flows in respect of such Receivables and Related Assets and to the extent of other customary securitization undertakings in the jurisdiction relevant to such transactions.
The ‘‘amount’’ or ‘‘principal amount’’ of any Permitted Securitization shall be deemed at any time to be (1) the aggregate principal or stated amount of the Indebtedness, fractional undivided interests (which stated amount may be described as a ‘‘net investment’’ or similar term reflecting the amount invested in such undivided interest) or other securities incurred or issued pursuant to such Permitted Securitization, in each case outstanding at such time, or (2) in the case of any Permitted Securitization in respect of which no such Indebtedness, fractional undivided interests or securities are incurred or issued, the cash purchase price paid by the buyer in connection with its purchase of Receivables less the amount of collections received in respect of such Receivables and paid to such buyer, excluding any amounts applied to purchase fees or discount or in the nature of interest.
‘‘Person’’ means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.
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Table of Contents‘‘Preferred Stock,’’ as applied to the Capital Stock of any Person, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends or distributions, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.
‘‘Receivables’’ means accounts receivable (including all rights to payment created by or arising from the sales of goods, leases of goods or the rendition of services, no matter how evidenced (including in the form of chattel paper) and whether or not earned by performance).
‘‘Refinance’’ means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, purchase, redeem, defease or retire, or to issue other Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for, such Indebtedness. ‘‘Refinanced’’ and ‘‘Refinancing’’ shall have correlative meanings.
‘‘Refinancing Indebtedness’’ means Indebtedness that Refinances any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the Issue Date or Incurred in compliance with the applicable Indenture, including Indebtedness that Refinances Refinancing Indebtedness; provided, however, that:
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| (1) | such Refinancing Indebtedness has a Stated Maturity no earlier than the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being Refinanced; |
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| (2) | such Refinancing Indebtedness has an Average Life at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred that is equal to or greater than the Average Life of the Indebtedness being Refinanced; |
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| (3) | such Refinancing Indebtedness has an aggregate principal amount (or if Incurred with original issue discount, an aggregate issue price) that is equal to or less than the aggregate principal amount (or if Incurred with original issue discount, the aggregate accreted value) then outstanding (plus fees and expenses, including any premium and defeasance costs) under the Indebtedness being Refinanced; and |
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| (4) | if the Indebtedness being Refinanced is a Subordinated Obligation with respect to the applicable Notes, such Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the applicable Notes at least to the same extent as the Indebtedness being Refinanced; |
provided further, however, that Refinancing Indebtedness shall not include (A) Indebtedness of a Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor that Refinances Indebtedness of a Subsidiary Guarantor or (B) Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary that Refinances Indebtedness of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
‘‘Related Business’’ means any business in which the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries was engaged on the Issue Date and any business related, ancillary or complementary to such business.
‘‘Representative’’ means, with respect to a Person, any trustee, agent or representative (if any) for an issue of Senior Indebtedness of such Person; provided that if, and for so long as, any Senior Indebtedness lacks such a representative, then actions to be taken by the Representative for such Senior Indebtedness may be made by the holders of a majority in outstanding principal amount of such Senior Indebtedness.
‘‘Restricted Payment’’ with respect to any Person means:
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| (1) | the declaration or payment of any dividends or any other distributions of any sort in respect of its Capital Stock (including any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving such Person) or similar payment to the direct or indirect holders of its Capital Stock (other than (A) dividends or distributions payable solely in its Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or options, warrants or other rights to purchase Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock), (B) dividends or distributions payable solely to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and (C) pro rata dividends or other dis tributions made by a Subsidiary that is not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary to minority stockholders (or owners of an equivalent interest in the case of a Subsidiary that is an entity other than a corporation)); |
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| (2) | the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Capital Stock of the Company or Parent held by any Person (other than by a Restricted Subsidiary) or of any Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary held by any Affiliate of the Company (other than by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), including in connection with any merger or consolidation and including the exercise of any option to exchange any Capital Stock (other than into Capital Stock of the Company that is not Disqualified Stock); |
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| (3) | the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value, prior to scheduled maturity, scheduled repayment or scheduled sinking fund payment of any Subordinated Obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor (other than (A) from the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or (B) the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Obligations purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement); or |
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| (4) | the making of any Investment (other than a Permitted Investment) in any Person. |
‘‘Restricted Subsidiary’’ means any Subsidiary of the Company that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
‘‘Sale/Leaseback Transaction’’ means an arrangement relating to property owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary on the Issue Date or thereafter acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary whereby the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary transfers such property to a third-Person and the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary leases it from such Person.
‘‘SEC’’ means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
‘‘Securities Act’’ means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
‘‘Senior Indebtedness,’’ as defined in the Subordinated Indenture, means with respect to any Person:
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| (1) | Indebtedness of such Person, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred; and |
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| (2) | all other Obligations of such Person (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to such Person whether or not post-filing interest is allowed in such proceeding) in respect of Indebtedness described in clause (1) above, including, without limitation, (x) all monetary obligations of every nature of the Company and each Subsidiary Guarantor under, or with respect to, the Credit Facilities, including, without limitation, obligations to pay principal, premium and interest, reimbursement obligations under letters of credit, fees, expenses and indemnities (and guarantees thereof) and (y) all Hedging Obligations (and guarantees thereof); |
unless, in the case of clauses (1) and (2), in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, it is provided that such Indebtedness or other obligations are subordinate or pari passu in right of payment to the Notes or the related Guaranty of such Person, as the case may be; provided, however, that Senior Indebtedness shall not include:
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| (1) | any obligation of such Person to the Company or any Subsidiary; |
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| (2) | any liability for Federal, state, local or other taxes owed or owing by such Person; |
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| (3) | any accounts payable or other liability, in each case, to trade creditors arising in the ordinary course of business; provided that obligations incurred pursuant to the Credit Facilities shall not be excluded pursuant to this clause (3); |
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| (4) | any Indebtedness or other Obligation of such Person which is expressly subordinate or junior in right of payment in any respect to any other Indebtedness or other Obligation of such Person; |
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| (5) | that portion of any Indebtedness which at the time of Incurrence is Incurred in violation of the Indenture, provided, however, that (x) with respect to any Indebtedness Incurred under any of the Credit Facilities, no such violation shall be deemed to exist for the purposes of this clause (5) if the holders of such Indebtedness or their representatives (i) shall have received an Officer’s Certificate (or representation and warranty) to the effect that the Inc urrence of the Indebtedness does not (or, in the case of a revolving credit facility thereunder, the Incurrence of the entire committed amount thereof at the date on which the initial borrowing thereunder is made would not) violate the Indenture and (y) any revolving Indebtedness under the Credit Facilities incurred in violation of such covenant as a result of the reduction required by subclause (x)(ii) of the proviso appearing in clause (b)(1) of such covenant shall not be excluded from Senior Indebtedness, so long as such Indebtedness was extended in good faith; or |
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| (6) | the Senior Subordinated Notes or the Guarantees of the Senior Subordinated Notes. |
‘‘Senior Indenture’’ means the Indenture, dated as of the Issue Date, among the Company, the Guarantors and the Senior Note Trustee, under which the exchange Senior Notes will be issued.
‘‘Senior Notes’’ means the Company’s 7% Senior Notes due 2012.
‘‘Senior Notes Trustee’’ means Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee under the Senior Indenture, until a successor replaces it and, thereafter, means the successor.
‘‘Senior Subordinated Indebtedness,’’ as defined in the Subordinated Indenture, means, with respect to a Person, the Notes (in the case of the Company), the Parent Guaranty (in the case of Parent), a Subsidiary Guaranty (in the case of a Subsidiary Guarantor) and any other Indebtedness of such Person that specifically provides that such Indebtedness is to rank pari passu with the Notes or such Guaranty, as the case may be, in right of payment and is not subordinated by its terms in right of payment to any Indebtedness or other obligation of such Person which is not Senior Indebtedness of such Person.
‘‘Senior Subordinated Notes’’ means the Company’s 8 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2014.
‘‘Significant Subsidiary’’ means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a ‘‘Significant Subsidiary’’ of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC.
‘‘SPE Subsidiary’’ means any Subsidiary formed solely for the purpose of, and that engages only in, one or more Permitted Securitizations.
‘‘Standard & Poor’s’’ means Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.
‘‘Stated Maturity’’ means (x) with respect to any security, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the final payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision (but excluding any provision providing for the repurchase of such security at the option of the holder thereof upon the happening of any contingency unless such contingency has occurred) and (y) with respect to any Capital Lease Obligation, the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date upon which such lease may be terminated by the lessee without payment of a penalty.
‘‘Subordinated Indenture’’ means the Indenture, dated as of the Issue Date, among the Company, the Guarantors and the Subordinated Note Trustee, under which the exchange Senior Subordinated Notes will be issued.
‘‘Subordinated Note Trustee’’ means Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture, until a successor replaces it, and, thereafter, the successor.
‘‘Subordinated Obligation’’ means, with respect to a Person and a series of Notes, any Indebtedness of such Person (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred) which is subordinate or junior in right of payment to the applicable Notes or a Guaranty of such Person, as the case may be, pursuant to a written agreement to that effect.
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Table of Contents‘‘Subsidiary’’ means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association, partnership or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Voting Stock is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by:
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| (2) | such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; or |
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| (3) | one or more Subsidiaries of such Person. |
‘‘Subsidiary Guarantor’’ means, with respect to a series of Notes, each domestic Subsidiary of the Company that executes the applicable Indenture as a guarantor on the Issue Date and each other domestic Subsidiary of the Company that thereafter guarantees such Notes or any related Exchange Notes pursuant to the terms of the applicable Indenture.
‘‘Subsidiary Guaranty’’ means a Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor of the Company’s obligations with respect to a series of Notes, Exchange Notes and, to the extent permitted under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness,’’ the related Additional Notes, if any.
‘‘Tax Amount’’ means (i) for any period, the aggregate amount of Tax Distributions required to be made during such period by Parent or the Company, as applicable, to their direct or indirect owners for the purpose of enabling such owners to pay their Tax liability on their respective shares of cumulative taxable income attributable to Parent or the Company, as applicable, assuming the highest marginal federal, state and local tax rate for individuals in effect for the year and assuming residency in New York City, New York, and (ii) for any period, the amount of Tax required to be paid by the direct or indirect owners of Parent or the Company, as applicable, directly to taxing authorities in respect of taxable income attributable to Parent or the Company and amounts paid in respect of franchise, capital and other non-income taxes required to be paid by such direct or indirect owners.
‘‘Tax Distribution’’ means, in the event Parent or the Company becomes a pass-through or disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a distribution in respect of taxes to the members of Parent or the Company, as applicable.
‘‘Temporary Cash Investments’’ means any of the following:
 |  |  |
| (1) | any investment in direct obligations of the United States of America or any agency thereof or obligations guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or any agency thereof; |
 |  |  |
| (2) | investments in demand and time deposit accounts, certificates of deposit and money market deposits maturing within 180 days of the date of acquisition thereof issued by a bank or trust company which is organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or any foreign country recognized by the United States of America, and which bank or trust company has capital, surplus and undivided profits aggregating in excess of $500 million (or the foreign currency equivalent thereof) and has outstanding debt which is rated ‘‘A’’ (or such similar equivalent rating) or higher by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization (as defined in Rule 436 under the Securities Act) or any money-market fund sponsored by a registered broker dealer or mutual fund distributor; |
 |  |  |
| (3) | repurchase obligations with a term of not more than 30 days for underlying securities of the types described in clause (1) above entered into with a bank meeting the qualifications described in clause (2) above; |
 |  |  |
| (4) | investments in commercial paper, maturing not more than 90 days after the date of acquisition, issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate of the Company) organized and in existence under the laws of the United States of America or any foreign country recognized by the United States of America with a rating at the time as of which any investment therein is made of ‘‘P-1’’ (or higher) according to Moody’s or ‘‘A-1’’ (or higher) according to Standard and Poor’s; |
 |  |  |
| (5) | investments in securities with maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition issued or fully guaranteed by any state, commonwealth or territory of the United States of America, or by any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof, and rated at least ‘‘A’’ by Standard & Poor’s or ‘‘A’’ by Moody’s; and |
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Table of Contents |  |  |
| (6) | investments in money market funds that invest substantially all their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (1) through (5) above; |
provided that for purposes of the subordination provisions, the term ‘‘Temporary Cash Investments’’ shall not include obligations of the type referred to in preceding clause (3) or (6) (to the extent relating to investments described in preceding clause (3)).
‘‘Total Assets’’ means the total consolidated assets determined in accordance with GAAP, of, in the case of the Company, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, and, in the case of Foreign Subsidiaries, the total consolidated assets of such Foreign Subsidiaries, in each case as shown on the most recent available internal balance sheet of such Person.
‘‘Trust Indenture Act’’ means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the Issue Date; provided that in the event that the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after the Issue Date, ‘‘Trust Indenture Act’’ means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
‘‘Trust Officer’’ means any officer within the corporate trust department of the applicable Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the applicable Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such Person’s knowledge of an familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of the Indenture.
‘‘Trustee’’ means the Senior Note Trustee or the Subordinated Note Trustee, as applicable.
‘‘Unrestricted Subsidiary’’ means:
 |  |  |
| (1) | any Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors in the manner provided below; and |
 |  |  |
| (2) | any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. |
The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Subsidiary of the Company (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries owns any Capital Stock or Indebtedness of, or holds any Lien on any property of, the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company that is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated; provided, however, that either (A) the Subsidiary to be so designated has total assets of $1,000 or less or (B) if such Subsidiary has assets greater than $1,000, such designation would be permitted under the covenant described under ‘‘—Certai n Covenants— Limitation on Restricted Payments.’’
The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that immediately after giving effect to such designation (A) either (a) the Consolidated Coverage Ratio would not be less than immediately prior to such designation or (b) the Company could Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under paragraph (a) of the covenant described under ‘‘—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Indebtedness’’ and (B) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be evidenced to the applicable Trustee by promptly f iling with the applicable Trustee a copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing provisions.
‘‘U.S. Dollar Equivalent’’ means with respect to any monetary amount in a currency other than U.S. dollars, at any time for determination thereof, the amount of U.S. dollars obtained by converting such foreign currency involved in such computation into U.S. dollars at the spot rate for the purchase of U.S. dollars with the applicable foreign currency as published in The Wall Street Journal in the ‘‘Exchange Rates’’ column under the heading ‘‘Currency Trading’’ on the date two Business Days prior to such determination.
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Table of Contents‘‘U.S. Government Obligations’’ means direct obligations (or certificates representing an ownership interest in such obligations) of the United States of America (including any agency or instrumentality thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged and which are not callable at the issuer’s option.
‘‘Voting Stock’’ of a Person means all classes of Capital Stock of such Person then outstanding and normally entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof.
‘‘Wholly Owned Subsidiary’’ means a Restricted Subsidiary all the Capital Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) is owned by the Company or one or more other Wholly Owned Subsidiaries.
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Table of ContentsBOOK ENTRY; DELIVERY AND FORM
The certificates representing the exchange notes are issued in fully registered form without interest coupons.
Each issue of exchange notes are represented by a global note in definitive, fully registered form without interest coupons. The global notes have been deposited with the applicable trustee as custodian for DTC and registered in the name of a nominee of DTC.
Except in the limited circumstances described below, owners of beneficial interests in global notes are not be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated notes. Transfers of beneficial interests in the global notes are subject to the applicable rules and procedures of DTC and its direct or indirect participants, which rules and procedures may change from time to time.
The Global Notes
We understand that pursuant to procedures established by DTC (i) upon the issuance of the global notes, DTC or its custodian has credited, on its internal system, the principal amount at maturity of the individual beneficial interests represented by such global notes to the respective accounts of persons who have accounts with such depositary and (ii) ownership of beneficial interests in the global notes is shown on, and the transfer of such ownership will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC or its nominee (with respect to interests of participants) and the records of participants (with respect to interests of persons other than participants). Ownership of beneficial interests in the global notes is limited to persons who have accounts with DTC (‘‘participants’’) or persons who hold interests through participants. Holders may hold their interests in the global notes directly through DTC if they are participants in such sys tem, or indirectly through organizations that are participants in such system.
So long as DTC, or its nominee, is the registered owner or holder of the exchange notes, DTC or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the exchange notes represented by such global notes for all purposes under the applicable Indenture. No beneficial owner of an interest in the global notes will be able to transfer that interest except in accordance with DTC’s procedures, in addition to those provided for under the applicable Indenture with respect to the applicable exchange notes.
Payments of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, the global notes will be made to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner thereof. None of our company, any Trustee or any paying agent will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the global notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interest.
We expect that DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on any global notes, will credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of such global notes as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global notes held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practice, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in the names of nominees for such customers. Such payments will be the responsibility of such participants.
Transfers between participants in DTC will be effected in the ordinary way through DTC’s same-day funds system in accordance with DTC rules and will be settled in same day funds.
DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of exchange notes (including the presentation of exchange notes for exchange as described below) only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account the DTC interests in the global notes are credited and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of Notes as to which such participant or participants has or have given such direction. However, if there is an event of default under the applicable indenture, DTC will exchange the global notes for certificated securities.
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Table of ContentsDTC has advised us as follows: DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a ‘‘clearing corporation’’ within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code and a ‘‘Clearing Agency’’ registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities for its participants and facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Indirect access to the DTC system is available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship wit h a participant, either directly or indirectly (‘‘indirect participants’’).
Although DTC has agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of interests in the global note among participants of DTC, it is under no obligation to perform such procedures, and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. Neither our company nor any Trustee will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC or its participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.
Certificated Securities
Certificated securities shall be issued in exchange for beneficial interests in the global notes (i) if DTC is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as a depositary for the global notes and a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days, (ii) in case of an event of default under the indentures governing the notes as described above or (iii) the Company, in its sole discretion, notifies the Trustee in writing that it elects to cause the issuance of definitive securities.
The holder of a non-global note may transfer such note, subject to compliance with the provisions of the applicable legend, by surrendering it at the office or agency maintained by us for such purpose in The City and State of New York, which initially will be the office of the applicable trustee in such location. Upon the transfer, change or replacement of any note bearing a legend, or upon specific request for removal of a legend on a note, we will deliver only notes that bear such legend, or will refuse to remove such legend, as the case may be, unless there is delivered to us such satisfactory evidence, which may include an opinion of counsel, as may reasonably be required by us that neither such legend nor any restrictions on transfer set forth therein are required to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act. Before any note in non-global form may be transferred to a person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in any global note, the transferor will be required to provide the applicable trustee with a Restricted Global Note Certificate or a Regulation S Global Note Certificate (each as described in the indentures), as the case may be. Upon transfer or partial redemption of any note, new certificates may be obtained from the applicable trustee. Notwithstanding any statement herein, we and the trustees reserve the right to impose such transfer, certification, exchange or other requirements, and to require such restrictive legends on certificates evidencing notes, as they may determine are necessary to ensure compliance with the securities laws of the United States and any State therein and any other applicable laws or as DTC may require.
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Table of ContentsMATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
THIS SUMMARY IS OF A GENERAL NATURE AND IS INCLUDED HEREIN SOLELY FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES. THIS SUMMARY IS NOT INTENDED TO BE, AND SHOULD NOT BE, CONSTRUED TO BE LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE. NO REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE CONSEQUENCES TO ANY PARTICULAR HOLDER OF THE NOTES IS MADE. HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
The following is a summary of certain United States federal income tax consequences of the ownership of notes as of the date hereof.
Except where noted, this summary deals only with notes that are held as capital assets, and does not represent a detailed description of the United States federal income tax consequences applicable to you if you are subject to special treatment under the United States federal income tax laws, including if you are:
 |  |  |
| • | a dealer in securities or currencies; |
 |  |  |
| • | a financial institution; |
 |  |  |
| • | a regulated investment company; |
 |  |  |
| • | a real estate investment trust; |
 |  |  |
| • | a tax-exempt organization; |
 |  |  |
| • | a person holding the notes as part of a hedging, integrated, conversion or constructive sale transaction or a straddle; |
 |  |  |
| • | a trader in securities that has elected the mark-to-market method of accounting for your securities; |
 |  |  |
| • | a person liable for alternative minimum tax; |
 |  |  |
| • | a person who is an investor in a pass-through entity; |
 |  |  |
| • | a person whose ‘‘functional currency’’ is not the U.S. dollar; |
 |  |  |
| • | a ‘‘controlled foreign corporation’’; |
 |  |  |
| • | a ‘‘passive foreign investment company’’; or |
 |  |  |
| • | a United States expatriate |
This summary is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the ‘‘Code’’), and regulations, rulings and judicial decisions as of the date hereof. Those authorities may be changed, perhaps retroactively, so as to result in United States federal income tax consequences different from those summarized below. This summary does not represent a detailed description of the United States federal income tax consequences to you in light of your particular circumstances.
If a partnership holds notes, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner of a partnership holding notes, you should consult your tax advisors.
If you are considering the purchase of notes, you should consult your own tax advisors concerning the particular United States federal income tax consequences to you of the ownership of the notes, as well as the consequences to you arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.
Consequences to United States Holders
The following is a summary of certain United States federal income tax consequences that will apply to you if you are a United States Holder of notes.
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Table of ContentsCertain consequences to ‘‘Non-United States Holders’’ of notes, which are beneficial owners of notes (other than partnerships) who are not United States Holders, are described under ‘‘—Consequences to Non-United States Holders’’ below.
‘‘United States Holder’’ means a beneficial owner of a note that is for United States federal income tax purposes:
 |  |  |
| • | an individual citizen or resident of the United States; |
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| • | a corporation (or any other entity treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
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| • | an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
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| • | a trust if it (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person. |
Payments of Interest
Interest on a note will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income at the time it is paid or accrued in accordance with your method of accounting for tax purposes.
Market Discount
If you purchase a note for an amount that is less than its principal amount, the amount of the difference will be treated as ‘‘market discount’’ for United States federal income tax purposes, unless that difference is less than a specified de minimis amount. Under the market discount rules, you will be required to treat any payment, other than stated interest, on, or any gain on the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition of, a note as ordinary income to the extent of the market discount that you have not previously included in income and are treated as having accrued on the note at the time of its payment or disposition.
In addition, you may be required to defer, until the maturity of the note or its earlier disposition in a taxable transaction, the deduction of all or a portion of the interest expense on any indebtedness attributable to the note. You may elect, on a bond-by-bond basis, to deduct the deferred interest expense in a tax year prior to the year of disposition. You should consult your own tax advisors before making this election.
Any market discount will be considered to accrue ratably during the period from the date of acquisition to the maturity date of the note, unless you elect to accrue on a constant interest method. You may elect to include market discount in income currently as it accrues, on either a ratable or constant interest method, in which case the rule described above regarding deferral of interest deductions will not apply.
Amortizable Bond Premium
If you purchase a note for an amount in excess of its principal amount, you will be considered to have purchased the note at a ‘‘premium’’. You generally may elect to amortize the premium over the remaining term of the note on a constant yield method as an offset to interest when includible in income under your regular accounting method. If you do not elect to amortize bond premium, that premium will decrease the gain or increase the loss you would otherwise recognize on disposition of the note.
Sale, Exchange and Retirement of Notes
Your tax basis in a note will, in general, be your cost for that note, increased by market discount that you previously included in income, and reduced by any amortized premium and any cash
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Table of Contentspayments on the note other than stated interest. Upon the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition of a note, you will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount you realize upon the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition (less an amount equal to any accrued interest that you did not previously include in income, which will be taxable as interest income) and the tax basis of the note. Except as described above with respect to market discount, that gain or loss will be capital gain or loss. Capital gains of individuals derived in respect of capital assets held for more than one year are eligible for reduced rates of taxation. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Consequences to Non-United States Holders
The following is a summary of certain United States federal income and estate tax consequences that will apply to you if you are a Non-United States Holder of notes.
United States Federal Withholding Tax
The 30% United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any payment of principal and, under the ‘‘portfolio interest rule,’’ interest on the notes, provided that:
 |  |  |
| • | interest paid on the notes is not effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States; |
 |  |  |
| • | you do not actually (or constructively) own 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our voting stock within the meaning of the Code and applicable United States Treasury regulations; |
 |  |  |
| • | you are not a controlled foreign corporation that is related to us through stock ownership; |
 |  |  |
| • | you are not a bank whose receipt of interest on the notes is described in section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code; and |
 |  |  |
| • | either (a) you provide your name and address on an IRS Form W-8BEN (or other applicable form), and certify, under penalties of perjury, that you are not a United States person as defined under the Code or (b) you hold your notes through certain foreign intermediaries and satisfy the certification requirements of applicable United States Treasury regulations. |
Special certification rules apply to Non-United States Holders that are pass-through entities rather than corporations or individuals.
If you cannot satisfy the requirements described above, payments of interest made to you will be subject to the 30% United States federal withholding tax, unless you provide us with a properly executed:
 |  |  |
| • | IRS Form W-8BEN (or other applicable form) claiming an exemption from or reduction in withholding under the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty; or |
 |  |  |
| • | IRS Form W-8ECI (or other applicable form) stating that interest paid on the notes is not subject to withholding tax because it is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (as discussed below under ‘‘United States Federal Income Tax’’). |
The 30% United States federal withholding tax generally will not apply to any gain that you realize on the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition of a note.
United States Federal Income Tax
If you are engaged in a trade or business in the United States and interest on the notes is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment), then you will be subject to United States federal income tax on that interest on a net income basis (although you will be exempt from the 30% United States federal withholding tax, provided you furnish us with a
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Table of Contentsproperly executed IRS Form W-8ECI as discussed above under ‘‘United States Federal Withholding Tax’’) in the same manner as if you were a United States person as defined under the Code. In addition, if you are a foreign corporation, you may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or lower applicable income tax treaty rate) of such interest, subject to adjustments.
Any gain realized on the disposition of a note generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax unless:
 |  |  |
| • | the gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment); or |
 |  |  |
| • | you are an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of that disposition, and certain other conditions are met. |
United States Federal Estate Tax
Your estate will not be subject to United States federal estate tax on notes beneficially owned by you at the time of your death, provided that any interest payment to you on the notes would be eligible for exemption from the 30% United States federal withholding tax under the ‘‘portfolio interest rule’’ described above under ‘‘United States Federal Withholding Tax,’’ without regard to the statement requirement described in the fifth bullet point of that section.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
United States Holders
In general, information reporting requirements will apply to certain payments of principal, interest and premium paid on notes and to the proceeds of sale of a note made to you (unless you are an exempt recipient such as a corporation). A backup withholding tax may apply to such payments if you fail to provide a taxpayer identification number or a certification of exempt status, or if you fail to report in full dividend and interest income.
Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against your United States federal income tax liability provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.
Non-United States Holders
Generally, we must report to the IRS and to you the amount of interest on the notes paid to you and the amount of tax, if any, withheld with respect to those payments. Copies of the information returns reporting such interest payments and any withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which you reside under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty.
In general, you will not be subject to backup withholding with respect to payments on the notes that we make to you provided that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person, as defined under the Code, and we have received from you the statement described above in the fifth bullet point under ‘‘United States Federal Withholding Tax.’’
In addition, no information reporting or backup withholding will be required regarding the proceeds of the sale of a note made within the United States or conducted through certain United States-related financial intermediaries, if the payor receives the statement described above and does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person, as defined under the Code, or you otherwise establish an exemption.
Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against your United States federal income tax liability provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.
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Table of ContentsCERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the purchase of the exchange notes by employee benefit plans that are subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (‘‘ERISA’’), plans, individual retirement accounts and other arrangements that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code or provisions under any federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws, rules or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code (collectively, ‘‘Similar Laws’’), and entities whose underlying assets are considered to include ‘‘plan assets’’ (within the meaning of ERISA) of such plans, accounts and arrangements (each, a ‘‘Plan’’).
General Fiduciary Matters
ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (an ‘‘ERISA Plan’’) and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of an ERISA Plan and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises any discretionary authority or control over the administration of such an ERISA Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of such an ERISA Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to such an ERISA Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the ERISA Plan.
In considering an investment in the exchange notes of a portion of the assets of any Plan, a fiduciary should determine whether the investment is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code or any Similar Law relating to a fiduciary’s duties to the Plan including, without limitation, the prudence, diversification, delegation of control and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, the Code and any other applicable Similar Laws.
Prohibited Transaction Issues
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit ERISA Plans from engaging in specified transactions involving ‘‘plan assets’’ with persons or entities who are ‘‘parties in interest,’’ within the meaning of ERISA, or ‘‘disqualified persons,’’ within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the ERISA Plan that engages in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. The acquisition and/or holding of exchange notes by an ERISA Plan with respect to which we or the initial purchasers of the outstanding notes are considered a party in interest or disqualified person may consti tute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption. In this regard, the United States Department of Labor has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions (‘‘PTCEs’’) that may apply to the acquisition and holding of the exchange notes. These class exemptions include, without limitation, PTCE 84-14, respecting transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers, PTCE 90-1, respecting insurance company pooled separate accounts, PTCE 91-38, respecting bank collective investment funds, PTCE 95-60, respecting life insurance company general accounts and PTCE 96-23, respecting transactions determined by in-house asset managers, although there can be no assurance that all the conditions of any such exemption will be satisfied.
Because of the foregoing, the exchange notes should not be purchased or held by any person investing ‘‘plan assets’’ of any Plan, unless such purchase and holding (and the exchange of outstanding notes for exchange notes) will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code or similar violation of any applicable Similar Laws.
Representation
Accordingly, by acceptance of an exchange note, each purchaser and subsequent transferee will be deemed to have represented and warranted that either (i) no portion of the assets used by such
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Table of Contentspurchaser or transferee to acquire and hold the exchange notes constitutes assets of any Plan or (ii) the purchase and holding of the outstanding notes or the exchange notes (and the exchange of outstanding notes for exchange notes) by such purchaser or transferee will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or any similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws.
The foregoing discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing the outstanding notes or the exchange notes (and holding or disposing the outstanding notes or the exchange notes) on behalf of, or with the assets of, any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code and any Similar Laws to such transactions and whether an exemption would be applicable to the purchase and holding and disposition of the outstanding notes or the exchange notes (and the exchange of outstanding notes for exchange notes).
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Table of ContentsPLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
This prospectus is to be used by Goldman, Sachs & Co. in connection with offers and sales of the notes in market-making transactions effected from time to time. Goldman, Sachs & Co. may act as principal or agent in such transactions. Such sales will be made at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related thereto or at negotiated prices. We will not receive any of the proceeds from such sales.
Private equity funds managed by Goldman, Sachs & Co. own approximately 49.1% of our common stock. See ‘‘Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters’’ in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2007. Gerald J. Cardinale, one of our directors, is a Managing Director and Partner in Goldman, Sachs & Co.’s Principal Investment Area. Jack Daly, one of our directors, is a Vice-President in Goldman, Sachs & Co.’s Principal Investment Area. Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as initial purchasers in connection with the sale of the outstanding notes and received customary fees. In addition, Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P., an affiliate of Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as co-syndication agent under our senior credit facility. Goldman, Sachs & Co. or their affiliates have in the past engaged, and may in the future engage, in transactions with and perform services for, including commercial banking, financial advisory and investment banking services, us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business; and for which they have received customary fees and expenses.
We have been advised by Goldman, Sachs & Co. that, subject to applicable laws and regulations, they currently intend to make a market in the notes. However, Goldman, Sachs & Co. is not obligated to do so, and any such market-making may be interrupted or discontinued at any time without notice.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the exchange notes and the guarantees were passed upon for us by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, New York. In rendering its opinion, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP relied upon the opinion of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP as to all matters governing the laws of the State of Ohio, the opinion of Hughes & Luce, LLP, Dallas, Texas, as to all matters governed by the laws of the State of Texas, the opinion of Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C., Detroit, Michigan, as to all matters governed by the laws of the State of Michigan and the opinion of Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Charlotte, North Carolina, as to all matters governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina. An investment vehicle comprised of selected partners of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, members of their families, related persons and others owns an interest representing less than 1% of the capital commitments of funds controlled by affiliates of The Cypress Group L.L.C.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. as of December 31, 2006 and 2005 and for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005 and for the period from December 24, 2004 through December 31, 2004 (Successor) and the combined financial statements of the Automotive segment of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (Predecessor) for the period from January 1, 2004 to December 23, 2004 appearing in Cooper Standard Holdings Inc.’s Annual Report (Form 10K) for the year ended December 31, 2006 (including the schedule appearing therein) have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon included therein and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated and combined financial statements referred to above are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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Table of ContentsINCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to ‘‘incorporate by reference’’ into this prospectus the publicly filed reports described below, which means that information included in those reports is considered part of this prospectus. We specifically incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following reports:
 |  |  |
| • | our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, as filed on April 2, 2007; and |
 |  |  |
| • | our current report on Form 8-K dated April 2, 2007, as filed on April 4, 2007. |
You should rely only on the information we include or incorporate by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of those documents.
Any modified or superseded statement will not be deemed to constitute a part of this prospectus, except as modified or superseded. Except as provided by the above-mentioned exceptions, all information appearing in this prospectus is qualified in its entirety by the information appearing in the document incorporated by reference.
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, after their written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated in this prospectus by reference, other than exhibits to the documents, unless the exhibits are incorporated specifically by reference in the documents. Requests for copies should be directed to:
Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc.
Attn: Timothy W. Hefferon
39550 Orchard Hill Place Drive
Novi, Michigan 48375
(248) 596-5900
The document incorporated by reference may also be accessed through our Internet website. The address of our website is http://www.cooperstandard.com.
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Table of ContentsWHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. and the guarantors are currently subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance therewith, file reports and other information with the SEC. Such reports and other information are available for inspection and copying at the Public Reference Room of the SEC located at 100 F Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20549. Copies of such materials can be obtained from the Public Reference Room of the SEC at prescribed rates. You can call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 to obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. Such materials may also be accessed electronically by means of the SEC’s home page on the Internet (http://www.sec.gov).
So long as Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. and the guarantors are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. and the guarantors are required to furnish the information required to be filed with the SEC to the trustee and the holders of the outstanding notes and the exchange notes. Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. and the guarantors have agreed that, even if Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. and the guarantors are not required under the Exchange Act to furnish such information to the SEC, Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. or, if applicable, Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. will nonetheless continue to furnish information that would be required to be furnished by Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. and the guarantors by Section 13 of the Exchange Act, including a ‘‘Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations’’ and, with respect to the annual informa tion only, a report thereon by Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc.’s certified independent accountants to the trustee and the holders of the outstanding notes or exchange notes as if they were subject to such periodic reporting requirements.
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COOPER-STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE INC.
7% Senior Notes due 2012
8 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2014