Exhibit 4.1
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD.
AND EACH OF THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO
9% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2019
INDENTURE
Dated as of June 7, 2011
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,
as Trustee
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*
Trust Indenture Act Section | Indenture Section | |
310(a)(1) | 7.10 | |
(a)(2) | 7.10 | |
(a)(3) | N.A. | |
(a)(4) | N.A. | |
(a)(5) | 7.10 | |
(b) | 7.10 | |
(c) | N.A. | |
311(a) | 7.11 | |
(b) | 7.11 | |
(c) | N.A. | |
312(a) | 2.05 | |
(b) | 12.03 | |
(c) | 12.03 | |
313(a) | 7.06 | |
(b)(1) | 7.06 | |
(b)(2) | 7.06; 7.07 | |
(c) | 7.06; 12.02 | |
(d) | 7.06 | |
314(a) | 6.01; 12.05 | |
(b) | N.A. | |
(c)(1) | 12.04 | |
(c)(2) | 12.04 | |
(c)(3) | N.A. | |
(d) | N.A. | |
(e) | 12.05 | |
(f) | N.A. | |
315(a) | 7.01 | |
(b) | 7.05; 12.02 | |
(c) | 7.01 | |
(d) | 7.01 | |
(e) | 6.10 | |
316(a) (last sentence) | 2.09 | |
(a)(1)(A) | 6.04 | |
(a)(1)(B) | 6.02 | |
(a)(2) | N.A. | |
(b) | 6.06; 9.02 | |
(c) | 2.12 | |
317(a)(1) | 6.07 | |
(a)(2) | 6.08 | |
(b) | 2.04 | |
318(a) | 12.01 | |
(b) | N.A. | |
(c) | 12.01 |
N.A. means not applicable.
* | This Cross Reference Table is not part of this Indenture. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE |
| |||||
Section 1.01 | Definitions | 1 | ||||
Section 1.02 | Other Definitions | 22 | ||||
Section 1.03 | Incorporation by Reference of TIA | 23 | ||||
Section 1.04 | Rules of Construction | 23 | ||||
ARTICLE 2 THE NOTES |
| |||||
Section 2.01 | Form and Dating | 24 | ||||
Section 2.02 | Execution and Authentication | 25 | ||||
Section 2.03 | Registrar and Paying Agent | 25 | ||||
Section 2.04 | Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust | 26 | ||||
Section 2.05 | Holder Lists | 26 | ||||
Section 2.06 | Transfer and Exchange | 26 | ||||
Section 2.07 | Replacement Notes | 39 | ||||
Section 2.08 | Outstanding Notes | 39 | ||||
Section 2.09 | Treasury Notes | 39 | ||||
Section 2.10 | Temporary Notes | 39 | ||||
Section 2.11 | Cancellation | 40 | ||||
Section 2.12 | Defaulted Interest; Additional Interest | 40 | ||||
Section 2.13 | Persons Deemed Owners | 40 | ||||
ARTICLE 3 REDEMPTION AND PURCHASE |
| |||||
Section 3.01 | Notices to Trustee | 40 | ||||
Section 3.02 | Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased | 41 | ||||
Section 3.03 | Notice of Redemption | 41 | ||||
Section 3.04 | Effect of Notice of Redemption | 42 | ||||
Section 3.05 | Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price | 42 | ||||
Section 3.06 | Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part | 43 | ||||
Section 3.07 | Optional Redemption | 43 | ||||
Section 3.08 | No Mandatory Redemption | 43 | ||||
Section 3.09 | Offer to Purchase by Application of Excess Proceeds | 43 | ||||
ARTICLE 4 COVENANTS |
| |||||
Section 4.01 | Payments on Notes | 45 | ||||
Section 4.02 | Maintenance of Office or Agency | 46 | ||||
Section 4.03 | Taxes | 46 | ||||
Section 4.04 | Stay, Extension and Usury Laws | 46 | ||||
Section 4.05 | Maintenance of Insurance | 46 | ||||
Section 4.06 | Compliance Certificate | 47 | ||||
Section 4.07 | [Intentionally Omitted] | 47 | ||||
Section 4.08 | Corporate Existence | 47 | ||||
Section 4.09 | [Intentionally Omitted] | 47 |
i
Page | ||||||
Section 4.10 | Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control | 47 | ||||
Section 4.11 | Asset Sales | 49 | ||||
Section 4.12 | [Intentionally Omitted] | 51 | ||||
Section 4.13 | Restricted Payments | 51 | ||||
Section 4.14 | Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock | 54 | ||||
Section 4.15 | [Intentionally Omitted] | 57 | ||||
Section 4.16 | Liens | 57 | ||||
Section 4.17 | Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries | 57 | ||||
Section 4.18 | Transactions with Affiliates | 58 | ||||
Section 4.19 | Business Activities | 59 | ||||
Section 4.20 | Additional Note Guarantees | 60 | ||||
Section 4.21 | Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries | 60 | ||||
Section 4.22 | Payments for Consent | 60 | ||||
Section 4.23 | Reports | 61 | ||||
ARTICLE 5 SUCCESSORS |
| |||||
Section 5.01 | Merger, Consolidation, or Sale of Assets | 62 | ||||
Section 5.02 | Successor Corporation Substituted | 63 | ||||
ARTICLE 6 DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES |
| |||||
Section 6.01 | Events of Default | 63 | ||||
Section 6.02 | Acceleration | 65 | ||||
Section 6.03 | Other Remedies | 65 | ||||
Section 6.04 | Waiver of Past Defaults | 66 | ||||
Section 6.05 | Control by Majority | 66 | ||||
Section 6.06 | Limitation on Suits | 66 | ||||
Section 6.07 | Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment | 67 | ||||
Section 6.08 | Collection Suit by Trustee | 67 | ||||
Section 6.09 | Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 67 | ||||
Section 6.10 | Priorities | 68 | ||||
Section 6.11 | Undertaking for Costs | 68 | ||||
Section 6.12 | Willful Event of Default | 68 | ||||
ARTICLE 7 TRUSTEE |
| |||||
Section 7.01 | Duties of Trustee | 68 | ||||
Section 7.02 | Rights of Trustee | 69 | ||||
Section 7.03 | Individual Rights of Trustee | 70 | ||||
Section 7.04 | Trustee’s Disclaimer | 70 | ||||
Section 7.05 | Notice of Defaults | 70 | ||||
Section 7.06 | Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes | 70 | ||||
Section 7.07 | Compensation and Indemnity | 71 | ||||
Section 7.08 | Replacement of Trustee | 71 | ||||
Section 7.09 | Successor Trustee by Merger, etc. | 72 | ||||
Section 7.10 | Eligibility; Disqualification | 73 | ||||
Section 7.11 | Preferential Collection of Claims Against Issuer | 73 | ||||
Section 7.12 | Trustee in Other Capacities; Paying Agent | 73 |
ii
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE 8 LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE |
| |||||
Section 8.01 | Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | 73 | ||||
Section 8.02 | Legal Defeasance and Discharge | 73 | ||||
Section 8.03 | Covenant Defeasance | 74 | ||||
Section 8.04 | Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance | 74 | ||||
Section 8.05 | Deposited Money and Government Securities to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions | 75 | ||||
Section 8.06 | Repayment to Issuer | 76 | ||||
Section 8.07 | Reinstatement | 76 | ||||
ARTICLE 9 AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER |
| |||||
Section 9.01 | Without Consent of Holders of Notes | 76 | ||||
Section 9.02 | With Consent of Holders of Notes | 77 | ||||
Section 9.03 | Compliance with TIA | 78 | ||||
Section 9.04 | Revocation and Effect of Consents | 78 | ||||
Section 9.05 | Notation on or Exchange of Notes | 78 | ||||
Section 9.06 | Trustee to Sign Amendments, etc. | 79 | ||||
ARTICLE 10 SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE |
| |||||
Section 10.01 | Satisfaction and Discharge | 79 | ||||
Section 10.02 | Application of Trust Money | 80 | ||||
ARTICLE 11 GUARANTEES |
| |||||
Section 11.01 | Guarantee | 80 | ||||
Section 11.02 | Limitation on Guarantor Liability | 81 | ||||
Section 11.03 | Execution and Delivery of Guarantee | 82 | ||||
Section 11.04 | Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms | 82 | ||||
Section 11.05 | Releases | 83 | ||||
ARTICLE 12 MISCELLANEOUS |
| |||||
Section 12.01 | TIA Controls | 84 | ||||
Section 12.02 | Notices | 84 | ||||
Section 12.03 | Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes | 85 | ||||
Section 12.04 | Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent | 85 | ||||
Section 12.05 | Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion | 85 | ||||
Section 12.06 | Rules by Trustee and Agents | 86 | ||||
Section 12.07 | No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders | 86 | ||||
Section 12.08 | Governing Law | 86 | ||||
Section 12.09 | No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements | 86 | ||||
Section 12.10 | Successors | 86 | ||||
Section 12.11 | Severability | 86 | ||||
Section 12.12 | Counterpart Originals | 86 | ||||
Section 12.13 | Table of Contents, Headings, etc. | 87 |
iii
Page | ||||||
EXHIBITS |
| |||||
Exhibit A | FORM OF NOTE | |||||
Exhibit B | FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER | |||||
Exhibit C | FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE | |||||
Exhibit D | FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF ACQUIRING INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR | |||||
Exhibit E | FORM OF NOTATION OF GUARANTEE | |||||
Exhibit F | FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE |
iv
INDENTURE dated as of June 7, 2011 among Forbes Energy Services Ltd., a Bermuda exempt company, as issuer (including any and all successors thereto, the “Issuer”) of the 9% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”), the Guarantors (as defined herein) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and any and all successors thereto, as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”).
The Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders (as defined) of the Notes:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
Section 1.01Definitions.
“144A Global Note”means the Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A.
“Acquired Debt”means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged with or into or became a Subsidiary of such specified Person (regardless of the form of the applicable transaction by which such Person became a Subsidiary) or expressly assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from any such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of, such specified Person or of such Indebtedness being incurred in connection with the acquisition of assets; and
(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.
Acquired Debt will be deemed to be incurred on the date the acquired Person becomes a Subsidiary or the date of the related acquisition of assets from such Person.
“Additional Interest”means all additional interest then owing on the Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Additional Notes” means Notes (other than the Initial Notes) issued after the Issue Date under this Indenture in accordance with Sections 2.01, 2.02 and 4.14 hereof, as part of the same class as the Initial Notes.
“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 purposes of this definition, “control,” as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise; provided that beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Voting Stock of a Person will be deemed to be control. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with” have correlative meanings.
“Agent” means any Registrar, co-registrar, Paying Agent or additional paying agent.
1
“Applicable Premium” means, with respect to any Note on any redemption date, the greater of:
(1) 1.0% of the principal amount of the Note; or
(2) the excess of:
(a) the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of the Note at June 15, 2015, (such redemption price being set forth in Section 3.07 hereof) plus (ii) all required interest payments due on the Note through June 15, 2015 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 50 basis points; over
(b) the principal amount of the Note.
Calculation of the Applicable Premium shall be the sole responsibility of the Issuer and the Trustee shall have no obligation to calculate or verify any calculation of the Applicable Premium.
“Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream that apply to such transfer or exchange.
“Asset Sale”means:
(1) the sale, lease, conveyance or other voluntary disposition of any assets or rights; provided that the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole will be governed by Section 4.10 hereof, and/or Section 5.01 hereof, and not by Section 4.11 hereof; and
(2) the issuance or sale of Equity Interests in the Issuer’s Restricted Subsidiaries or the sale of Equity Interests in any of its Subsidiaries;provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the sale of Equity Interests of the Issuer will be governed by Section 4.10 and Article 5 of this Indenture and not by Section 4.11 of this Indenture.
Notwithstanding the preceding, none of the following items will be deemed to be an Asset Sale:
(1) any single transaction or a series of related transactions that involves assets having a Fair Market Value of less than $3.0 million;
(2) a transfer of assets, including, with respect to Restricted Subsidiaries, Equity Interests, between or among the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries or between or among Restricted Subsidiaries;
(3) an issuance of Equity Interests by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to the Issuer or to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(4) the sale or lease of products, services or accounts receivable in the ordinary course of business and any sale or other disposition of damaged, worn-out or obsolete assets in the ordinary course of business;
(5) the sale or other disposition of cash or Cash Equivalents;
2
(6) a Restricted Payment that is permitted in accordance with Section 4.13 or the making or disposition of a Permitted Investment; and
(7) any trade or exchange by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer of equipment or other assets for equipment or other assets owned or held by another Person, provided that the Fair Market Value of the assets traded or exchanged by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary (together with any cash or Cash Equivalents) is reasonably equivalent to the Fair Market Value of the assets (together with any cash or Cash Equivalents) to be received by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary.
“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
“Beneficial Owner” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such “person” will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only after the passage of time. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have a corresponding meaning.
“Board of Directors” means:
(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board;
(2) with respect to a partnership, the board of directors of the general partner of the partnership;
(3) with respect to a limited liability company, the managing member or members or any controlling committee of managing members thereof; and
(4) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.
“Business Day”means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or any day on which banks in Houston, Texas or in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.
“Capital Lease Obligation”means, at the time of entry into such obligation, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at that time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date, and the Stated Maturity thereof shall be 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 prepaid by the lessee without payment of a penalty.
“Capital Stock” means:
(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;
(2) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;
3
(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership interests; and
(4) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person, but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of participation with Capital Stock.
“Cash Equivalents” means:
(1) United States dollars or the U.S. Dollar Equivalent;
(2) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States government (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support of those securities) having maturities of not more than six months from the date of acquisition;
(3) certificates of deposit and Eurodollar time deposits with maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding six months and overnight bank deposits, in each case, with or issued by any commercial bank organized under the laws of any country that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, having capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million and a Thomson Bank Watch Rating of “B” or better;
(4) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (2) and (3) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above;
(5) commercial paper having one of the two highest ratings obtainable from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and, in each case, maturing within six months after the date of acquisition;
(6) deposits available for withdrawal on demand with any commercial bank not meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above, provided all deposits referred to in this clause (6) are made in the ordinary course of business and do not exceed $2.0 million in the aggregate at any one time; and
(7) money market funds substantially all of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (1) through (7) of this definition.
“Change of Control”means the occurrence of any of the following:
(1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) other than the Permitted Holders;
(2) the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Issuer;
4
(3) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation), the result of which is that any Person, other than a Permitted Holder, becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of the Issuer, measured by voting power rather than number of shares;
(4) the Issuer consolidates with, or merges with or into, any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Issuer, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Issuer or such other Person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the Voting Stock of the Issuer outstanding immediately prior to such transaction is converted into or exchanged for Voting Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the surviving or transferee Person constituting a majority of the outstanding shares of such Voting Stock of such surviving or transferee Person (immediately after giving effect to such issuance); or
(5) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Issuer are not Continuing Directors.
“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, S.A.
“Common Stock”of any Person means any and all shares, interests or other participations in, and other equivalents (however designated and whether voting or non-voting) of such Person’s common stock, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or issued after the Issue Date, and includes, without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.
“Consolidated Cash Flow”means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such periodplus, without duplication:
(1) an amount equal to any extraordinary loss plus any net loss realized by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Sale, to the extent such losses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;plus
(2) provision for taxes based on income or profits of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent that such provision for taxes was deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;plus
(3) the Fixed Charges of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent that such Fixed Charges were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;plus
(4) depreciation, amortization (including amortization of intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid in a prior period) and other non-cash expenses (excluding any such non-cash expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenses in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period to the extent that such depreciation, amortization and other non-cash expenses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;minus
(5) non-cash items increasing such Consolidated Net Income for such period, other than the accrual of revenue in the ordinary course of business.
5
in each case, on a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date.
Notwithstanding the preceding or anything to the contrary otherwise in this Indenture, the provision for taxes based on the income or profits of, and the depreciation, amortization and other non-cash expenses of, a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer will be added to Consolidated Net Income to compute Consolidated Cash Flow of the Issuer, only to the extent that a corresponding amount would be permitted at the date of determination to be dividended to the Issuer by such Restricted Subsidiary without prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained), and without direct or indirect restriction pursuant to the terms of its charter and all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes, rules and governmental regulations applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated or combined basis, determined in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date;providedthat:
(1) the Net Income (but not loss) of any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting will be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or similar distributions paid in cash to the specified Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Person;
(2) the Net Income of any Restricted Subsidiary will be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of that Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders;
(3) unrealized losses and gains under derivative instruments included in the determination of Consolidated Net Income, including, without limitation, those resulting from the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133 will be excluded;
(4) there will be excluded from Consolidated Net Income any nonrecurring charges as determined in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date relating to any premium or penalty paid, write off of deferred finance costs or original issue discount or other charges in connection with redeeming or otherwise retiring any Indebtedness prior to its Stated Maturity; and
(5) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles will be excluded.
“Consolidated Tangible Assets” means, with respect to any Person as of any date, the sum of the amounts that would appear on a consolidated balance sheet of such Persons and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries as the total assets of such Person and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date as of the Issuer’s most recent fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available and after deducting therefrom, to the extent otherwise included in such balance sheet, unamortized debt discount and expenses and other unamortized deferred charges, to the extent such items are non-cash expenses or charges, goodwill, patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and other items properly classified as intangibles in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date.
6
“Continuing Directors”means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Issuer who:
(1) was a member of such Board of Directors of the Issuer on the Issue Date; or
(2) was nominated for election or appointed or elected to the Board of Directors of the Issuer with the approval or ratification of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of the Board of Directors of the Issuer at the time of such nomination or election.
“Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee” will be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 12.02 hereof or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Issuer.
“Credit Facilities”means, one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, one or more credit agreements, including any related notes, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith) or commercial paper facilities, in each case, with banks or other institutional lenders 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 such receivables) or letters of credit, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, supplemented, renewed, refunded, replaced (whether upon or after termination or otherwise) or refinanced (including by means of sales of debt securities to institutional investors) in whole or in part from time to time.
“Custodian” means the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto.
“Default” means any event that is, or with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.
“Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Sections 2.01, 2.02 and 2.06 hereof, substantially in the form ofExhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.
“Depositary” means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person specified in Section 2.03 hereof as the Depositary with respect to the Notes, and any and all successors thereto appointed as Depositary hereunder and having become such pursuant to the applicable provision of this Indenture.
“Disqualified Stock”means any Capital Stock that, 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 of the Capital Stock), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the date on which the Notes mature. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders of the Capital Stock have the right to require the Issuer to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock provide that the Issuer may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions unless such repurchase or redemption complies with Section 4.13 hereof. The amount of Disqualified Stock deemed to be outstanding at any time for purposes of this Indenture will be the maximum amount that the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries may become obligated to pay upon the maturity of, or pursuant to any mandatory redemption provisions of, such Disqualified Stock, exclusive of accrued dividends.
7
“Domestic Subsidiary”means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not a Foreign Subsidiary.
“Equity Interests”means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
“Equity Offering”means an underwritten public offering of Common Stock of the Issuer pursuant to a registration statement filed with the SEC (other than on Form S-8), a public offering in a foreign jurisdiction, or any private placement of Common Stock of the Issuer to any Person other than issuances upon exercise of options by employees of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
“Euroclear” means Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exchange Notes” means the Notes issued in the Exchange Offer pursuant to Section 2.06(f) hereof.
“Exchange Offer” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Exchange Offer Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Existing Indebtedness”means Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries in existence on the Issue Date, until such amounts are repaid.
“Fair Market Value”means the value that would be paid by a willing and able buyer to an unaffiliated willing seller in an arm’s length, free market transaction for cash not involving distress or necessity of either party, determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Issuer or a duly authorized committee thereof (unless otherwise provided in this Indenture) as evidenced by a resolution of such Board of Directors or committee.
“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means with respect to any specified Person for any period, the ratio of the Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person for such period to the Fixed Charges of such Person for such period. In the event that the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries incurs, assumes, guarantees, repays, repurchases, redeems, defeases or otherwise discharges any Indebtedness (other than ordinary revolving credit borrowings) or issues, repurchases or redeems preferred stock subsequent to the commencement of the period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is being calculated and on or prior to the date on which the event for which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the“Calculation Date”),then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio will be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence, assumption, Guarantee, repayment, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other discharge of Indebtedness, or such issuance, repurchase or redemption of preferred stock, and the use of the proceeds therefrom, as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter reference period.
8
In addition, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio:
(1) acquisitions that have been made by the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including through mergers or consolidations, or any Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquired by the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, and including any related financing transactions and including increases in ownership of Restricted Subsidiaries, during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to the Calculation Date will be given pro forma effect as if they had occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period;
(2) the Consolidated Cash Flow attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date, and operations or businesses (and ownership interests therein) disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will be excluded;
(3) the Fixed Charges attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date, and operations or businesses (and ownership interests therein) disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will be excluded, but only to the extent that the obligations giving rise to such Fixed Charges will not be obligations of the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries following the Calculation Date;
(4) any Person that is a Restricted Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at all times during such four-quarter period;
(5) any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed not to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at any time during such four-quarter period; and
(6) if any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest, the interest expense on such Indebtedness will be calculated as if the rate in effect on the Calculation Date had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Hedging Obligation applicable to such Indebtedness if such Hedging Obligation has a remaining term as at the Calculation Date in excess of 12 months).
“Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:
(1) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued, including, without limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings, and net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations in respect of interest rates;plus
(2) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period;plus
(3) any interest on Indebtedness of another Person that is guaranteed by such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets of such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether or not such Guarantee or Lien is called upon;plus
(4) the product of (a) all dividends, whether paid or accrued and whether or not in cash, on any series of preferred stock of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, other than dividends on Equity Interests payable solely in Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than Disqualified Stock) or to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer ortimes (b) a fraction, the
9
numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current combined federal, state and local statutory tax rate of such Person, expressed as a decimal, in each case, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as applicable on the Issue Date;minus
(5) amortization of debt issuance costs and any nonrecurring charges as determined in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date relating to any premium or penalty paid, write off of deferred finance costs or original issue discount or other charges in connection with redeeming or otherwise retiring any Indebtedness prior to its Stated Maturity.
“Foreign Subsidiary”means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that was not formed under the laws of the United States or any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles applicable in the United States, which, except as otherwise specified in this Indenture, are in effect from time to time.
“Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(2) hereof, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.
“Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and Unrestricted Global Notes deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto and that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, issued in accordance with Sections 2.01, 2.06(b)(3), 2.06(b)(4), 2.06(d)(2) or 2.06(f) hereof.
“Government Securities” means direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the United States of America, and the payment for which the United States pledges its full faith and credit.
“Guarantee”means a guarantee other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business, direct or indirect, in any manner including, without limitation, by way of a pledge of assets or through letters of credit or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof, of all or any part of any Indebtedness (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).
“Guarantors” means (1) each Domestic Subsidiary of the Issuer on the Issue Date and (2) each other Subsidiary of the Issuer that executes a Note Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, in each case, together with their respective successors and assigns until the Note Guarantee of such Person has been released in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
“Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any specified Person, the obligations of such Person under:
(1) interest rate swap agreements (whether from fixed to floating or from floating to fixed), interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements;
(2) other agreements or arrangements designed to manage interest rates or interest rate risk; and
(3) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency exchange rates or commodity prices.
10
“Holder” or a “Holder of Notes” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered.
“IAI Global Note” means a Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold to Institutional Accredited Investors.
“Immaterial Subsidiary”means, as of any date, any Restricted Subsidiary whose total assets, as of that date, are less than $750,000 and whose total revenues for the most recent 12-month period do not exceed $750,000;providedthat a Restricted Subsidiary will not be considered to be an Immaterial Subsidiary if it, directly or indirectly, guarantees or otherwise provides direct credit support for any Indebtedness of the Issuer.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person, any indebtedness of such Person (excluding accrued expenses and trade payables), whether or not contingent:
(1) in respect of borrowed money;
(2) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof);
(3) in respect of banker’s acceptances;
(4) representing Capital Lease Obligations;
(5) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services due more than six months after such property is acquired or such services are completed; or
(6) representing any Hedging Obligations;
if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date. In addition, the term “Indebtedness” includes all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of the specified Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the specified Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the Guarantee by the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any other Person.
“Indenture” means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
“Indenture Documents”means, collectively, this Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees.
“Independent Director”means a member of the Board of Directors of the Issuer who qualifies as “independent” within the meaning of the listing requirements of any of the Toronto Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market.
“Indirect Participant” means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.
“Initial Notes” means the $280,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under this Indenture on the date hereof.
11
“Initial Purchaser” means Jefferies & Company, Inc.
“Institutional Accredited Investor” means an institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act, who are not also QIBs.
“Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all direct or indirect investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of direct or indirect loans (including Guarantees by such Person of, and Liens on any property or assets of such Person securing, Indebtedness or other obligations of other Persons), advances or capital contributions (excluding commission, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities, together with all items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date. If the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Issuer, such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary of the Issuer, then the Issuer will be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or disposition equal to the Fair Market Value of the Issuer’s Investments in such Subsidiary that were not sold or disposed of in an amount determined as provided in Section 4.13(c) hereof. The acquisition by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries of a Person that holds an Investment in a third Person will be deemed to be an Investment by the Issuer or such Subsidiary in such third Person in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Investments held by the acquired Person in such third Person in an amount determined as provided in Section 4.13(c) hereof. Except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, the amount of an Investment will be determined at the time the Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value.
“Issue Date”means the date on which Notes are first issued under this Indenture.
“Letter of Transmittal” means the letter of transmittal to be prepared by the Issuer and sent to all Holders for use by such Holders in connection with the Exchange Offer.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction.
“Net Income”means, with respect to any specified Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends, excluding, however:
(1) any gain (but not loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such gain (but not loss), realized in connection with (a) any Asset Sale or (b) the disposition of any securities by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or the extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(2) any extraordinary gain (but not loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such extraordinary gain (but not loss);
(3) for all purposes, except with respect to any Restricted Payments described in Section 4.13(a) that would otherwise be permitted to be made pursuant to Section 4.13(c) any noncash charge or loss from impairment writedowns or writeoffs of noncurrent assets required to be made in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date; and
12
(4) for all purposes except with respect to any Restricted Payments described in Section 4.13(a) that would otherwise be permitted to be made pursuant to Section 4.13(b) any noncash item classified as an extraordinary, unusual or nonrecurring gain, loss or charge, including any noncash deferred tax expense related to the effect of recognizing deferred tax items upon a change in tax status pursuant to GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date.
“Net Proceeds”means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, any cash received upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration received in any Asset Sale), net of (1) the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale, including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, sales commissions, recording fees, title transfer fees, title insurance premiums, appraiser fees and costs incurred in connection with preparing such asset for sale, and any relocation expenses incurred as a result of the Asset Sale, and taxes paid or estimated in good faith to be payable as a result of the Asset Sale after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements, (2) amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness, other than Indebtedness under a Credit Facility, secured by a Lien on the asset or assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale, and (3) any reserve for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date or any amount placed in escrow, until such time as such reserve is reversed or such escrow arrangement is terminated, in which case Net Proceeds shall include only the amount of the reserve so reversed or the amount returned to the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries from such escrow arrangement, as the case may be.
“Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness:
(1) as to which none of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) provides credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness), (b) is directly or indirectly liable as a guarantor or otherwise, or (c) constitutes the lender;
(2) no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders of the Indebtedness may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit upon notice, lapse of time or both any holder of any other Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment of such other Indebtedness to be accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity; and
(3) as to which the lenders have been notified in writing that they will not have any recourse to the stock or assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
“Non-U.S. Person” means a Person who is not a U.S. Person as defined under Regulation S of the Securities Act.
“Note Guarantee”means the Guarantee by each Guarantor of the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes, executed pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture and the Guarantee by each Guarantor of any Exchange Notes.
“Notes” has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble to this Indenture. The Initial Notes, the Additional Notes and the Exchange Notes shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture, and unless the context otherwise requires, all references to the “Notes” shall include the Initial Notes, any Additional Notes and any Exchange Notes.
13
“Obligations” means any principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness.
“Offering Memorandum” means the Issuer’s final Offering Memorandum, dated May 24, 2011, regarding the issuance and sale of the Initial Notes.
“Officer” means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, the Secretary or any Vice-President of such Person.
“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Issuer by one Officer of the Issuer who must be the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer or the principal accounting officer of the Issuer that meets the requirements of Section 12.05 hereof and delivered to the Trustee.
“Opinion of Counsel” means an opinion from legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, that meets the requirements of Section 12.05 hereof. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer, any Subsidiary of the Issuer or the Trustee.
“Participant” means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, a Person who has an account with the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, respectively (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear and Clearstream).
“Participating Broker-Dealer” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Permitted Affiliate Lease”means a lease for any parcels of land, premises, buildings or disposal wells occupied or used by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer existing on the Issue Date that has been entered into with an Affiliate of the Issuer, the terms of which are fully and accurately summarized in all material respects under the caption “Transactions with Related Persons” in the Offering Memorandum, and any amendment, extension or other modification thereto, and any similar such leases subsequently entered into in the ordinary course of business for similar business purposes;providedthat any such amendment, extension, modification or new lease (1) is on terms that are no less favorable to the Issuer or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, with an unrelated Person or, if there is no such comparable transaction, on terms that are fair and reasonable to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, and reflect an arms’-length negotiation as determined by the Independent Directors and (2) is not, in the good faith determination of the Independent Directors or the Board of Directors of the Issuer, materially worse for the Holders.
“Permitted Business”means any business that is the same as or similar, reasonably related, complementary or incidental to the business in which the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the Issue Date.
“Permitted Holders”means (1) John E. Crisp, Charles C. Forbes and Janet L. Forbes and (2) any Affiliate or family member of a Person set forth in clause (1) of this definition.
“Permitted Investments”means:
(1) any Investment in the Issuer or in any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(2) any Investment in Cash Equivalents;
14
(3) any Investment by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in a Person, if as a result of such Investment:
(a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer; or
(b) such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(4) any Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.11 or any non-cash consideration received in connection with a disposition of assets excluded from the definition of “Asset Sales”;
(5) any acquisition of assets or Capital Stock solely in exchange for the issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer;
(6) any Investments received in compromise or resolution of, or upon the foreclosure, perfection or enforcement of any Lien in favor of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case (a) obligations of trade creditors or customers that were incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer; or (b) litigation, arbitration or other disputes;
(7) Investments represented by Hedging Obligations and endorsements of negotiable instruments and documents in the ordinary course of business;
(8) loans or advances to employees made in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $500,000 at any one time outstanding;
(9) investments in or repurchases of the Notes;
(10) extensions of trade credit or other advances to customers on commercially reasonable terms in accordance with normal trade practice or otherwise in the ordinary course of business;
(11) investments in assets held by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that are pledged or otherwise assigned as security or credit enhancement to support performance obligations under service contracts; and
(12) other Investments in any Person having an aggregate Fair Market Value (measured on the date each such Investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (10) since the date Issue Date that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (A) $20.0 million and (B) 5.0% of Consolidated Tangible Assets determined as of the end of the Issuer’s most recently completed fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available.
15
“Permitted Liens”means:
(1) Liens on assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness and other Obligations under Credit Facilities that are permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be incurred pursuant to clause (1) of Section 4.14(b);
(2) Liens in favor of the Issuer and/or the Guarantors;
(3) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged with or into or consolidated with the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;providedthat such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger or consolidation and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be;
(4) Liens on property (including Capital Stock) existing at the time of acquisition of the property by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;providedthat such Liens were in existence prior to, such acquisition, and not incurred in contemplation of, such acquisition;
(5) Liens to secure the performance of tenders, bids, statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds or other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, and liens to secure government contracts and insurance obligations, including liens incurred in connection with providing security or credit enhancement to support performance obligations under service contracts;
(6) Liens to secure Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations) permitted by Section 4.14(b)(4) incurred for the purpose of (a) covering only the assets constructed or acquired with or financed by such Indebtedness; (b) financing all or any part of the purchase price of such property or assets incurred prior to, at the time of, or within 120 days after, completion of the acquisition of such property or assets; or (c) financing all or any part of the cost of construction or improvement of any such property or assets, provided that the amount of any such financing shall not exceed the amount expended in the acquisition of, or the construction or improvement of, such property or assets and such Liens shall not extend to any other property or assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than any associated accounts, contracts and insurance proceeds), provided that, for the avoidance of ambiguity, the liens permitted by this clause (6) shall not exceed the amount of Indebtedness permitted by Section 4.14(b)(4);
(7) Liens existing on the Issue Date;
(8) 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 promptly instituted and diligently concluded;providedthat any accrual or other appropriate provision as is required in conformity with GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date has been made therefor;
(9) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, landlord’s and mechanics’ Liens, in each case, incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(10) survey exceptions, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property that were not incurred in connection with Indebtedness and that do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair its use in the operation of the business of such Person;
16
(11) Liens to secure any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under this Indenture;provided, however,that:
(a) the new Lien is limited to all or part of the same property and assets that secured or, under the written agreements pursuant to which the original Lien arose, could secure the original Indebtedness (plus improvements and accessions to such property, or proceeds or distributions thereof); and
(b) the Indebtedness secured by the new Lien is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (i) the outstanding principal amount, or, if greater, committed amount, of the original Indebtedness and (ii) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums, related to such extension, renewal, refunding, refinancing, replacement, defeasance or discharge;
(12) Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect to commercial letters of credit which encumber documents and other assets relating to such letters of credit and products and proceeds thereof;
(13) judgment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default so long as any appropriate legal proceeding that may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment has not been finally terminated or the period within which such proceeding may be initiated has not expired;
(14) rights of banks to set off deposits against Indebtedness owed to said banks;
(15) Liens: (a) upon specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries to secure the Issuer’s or any such Restricted Subsidiary’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of any such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods in the ordinary course of business; (b) Liens arising from precautionary Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in connection with operating leases or consignment of goods entered into in the ordinary course of business; and (c) Liens arising by reason of deposits necessary to obtain standby letters of credit in the ordinary course of business;
(16) Liens securing Hedging Obligations permitted to be entered into by this Indenture;
(17) Liens securing Non-Recourse Debt;
(18) any interest or title of a lessor under an operating lease entered into in the ordinary course of business as determined based on GAAP as applicable on the Issue Date;
(19) Liens on any property or assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that were substituted or exchanged as collateral for other properties or assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that are referred to in any of the preceding clauses (3) and (4) of this definition, provided that the Fair Market Value of the substituted or exchanged properties or assets substantially approximates, at the time of the substitution or exchange, the Fair Market Value of the other properties or assets so referred to;
(20) legal or equitable Liens deemed to exist by reason of negative pledge covenants and other covenants or undertakings of a like nature in Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by this Indenture; and
17
(21) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to obligations that do not exceed $10.0 million at any one time outstanding.
“Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness”means any Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to extend, renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge other Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than intercompany Indebtedness), as the case may be;providedthat:
(1) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness extended, renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged (plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all fees and expenses, including premium, if any, incurred in connection therewith);
(2) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being extended, renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged;
(3) if the Indebtedness being extended, renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than the final maturity date of, and is subordinated in right of payment to, the Notes on terms at least as favorable, taken as a whole, to the Holders of Notes as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being extended, renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged; and
(4) such Indebtedness is incurred either by the Issuer or by one of its Restricted Subsidiaries who is the obligor on the Indebtedness being extended, renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged;
provided, however, that a Restricted Subsidiary may guarantee Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred by the Issuer, whether or not such Restricted Subsidiary was an obligor or guarantor of the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; provided, further, however, that if such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated to the Notes, such guarantee shall be subordinated to such Restricted Subsdiary’s Note Guarantee to at least the same extent.
“Permitted Tax Distributions”means:
(1) with respect to each tax year or portion thereof that the Issuer qualifies (or any predecessor in interest qualified) as a Flow Through Entity, the distribution by the Issuer to the holders of Equity Interests of the Issuer of an amount equal to the product of (x) the amount of aggregate net taxable income of the Issuer allocated to the holders of Equity Interests of the Issuer for such period and (y) the Presumed Tax Rate for such period;providedthat to the extent that the aggregate net taxable income of the Issuer for a taxable year actually reported to the holders of the Equity Interests is less than the aggregate net taxable income assumed in calculating such amounts for a taxable year, the holders of such Equity Interests can return an amount equal to the product of such shortfall and the Presumed Tax Rate used in such calculations, or an amount equal to such product shall be deducted from the next scheduled Permitted Tax Distributions payable to such holders for the same or later years; and
18
(2) if the Issuer is not a Flow Through Entity and it is a member of an affiliated group filing consolidated or combined returns of which it is not the common parent, the payment by the Issuer to the common parent of such group of the combined federal, state and local income taxes that would be paid by such entity if it were a separate Delaware corporation filing separate federal, state and local income tax returns with respect to its taxable income for such period (or, to the extent applicable because there are corporate subsidiaries, if it were the common parent of an affiliated group filing consolidated or combined returns with respect to the taxable income of such entity, the Issuer and the Issuer’s consolidated corporate subsidiaries for such period).
For purposes of such computation, it will be assumed that any net operating loss carryforwards or other carryforwards or tax attributes, such as alternative minimum tax carryforwards, that arise in any period will be available to offset taxable income payable in later years (regardless of any change in status as a Flow Through Entity). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, for purposes of clause (2) above, the applicable taxable income or taxes shall not include taxable income or taxes resulting from any change in the status from a Flow Through Entity to an entity taxable as a corporation.
“Person”means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock, company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or other entity.
“Presumed Tax Rate”means 39.6% or, if there is a change in applicable federal, state or local tax rates, such other rate as the Chief Financial Officer of the Issuer certifies in writing to the Trustee to be a reasonable approximation of the highest, net marginal federal, state and local income taxation rates payable by the holders of Equity Interests of the Issuer or with respect to the aggregate net taxable income of the Issuer.
“principal” means the principal amount due at maturity of the Notes.
“Private Placement Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(1) hereof to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture except where otherwise permitted by the provisions of this Indenture.
“QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.
“Redemption Date”means the applicable date or dates set for redemption of Notes pursuant to Section 3.07.
“Redemption Price” means the applicable redemption price for redemption of Notes pursuant to Section 3.07.
“Registration Rights Agreement” means (i) the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of June 7, 2011, among the Issuer, the Guarantors and the other parties named on the signature pages thereof, as such agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time and (ii) with respect to any Additional Notes, one or more registration rights agreements among the Issuer, the Guarantors and the other parties thereto, as such agreement(s) may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, relating to rights given by the Issuer to the purchasers of Additional Notes to register such Additional Notes under the Securities Act.
“Regulation S” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Regulation S Global Note” means a Regulation S Temporary Global Note or Regulation S Permanent Global Note, as appropriate.
19
“Regulation S Permanent Global Note” means a permanent Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note upon expiration of the Restricted Period.
“Regulation S Temporary Global Note” means a temporary Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto and bearing the legend referred to in Section 2.06(g)(3) deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes initially sold in reliance on Rule 903 of Regulation S.
“Responsible Officer,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any vice president, any assistant vice president, any trust officer, any assistant trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers who has responsibility for administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter related to this Indenture, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
“Restricted Definitive Note” means a Definitive Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.
“Restricted Global Note” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.
“Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.
“Restricted Period” means the 40-day distribution compliance period as defined in Regulation S.
“Restricted Subsidiary” of a Person means any Subsidiary of the referent Person that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 144A” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 903” means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 904” means Rule 904 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“SEC”means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor commission or agency.
“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Shelf Registration Statement” means the Shelf Registration Statement as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation is in effect on the Issue Date.
“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any installment of interest or principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which the payment of interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the documentation governing such Indebtedness as of the Issue Date, and will not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
20
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or stockholders’ agreement that effectively transfers voting power) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees of the corporation, association or other business entity is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and
(2) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).
“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb).
“Treasury Rate” means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity as of such redemption date of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.I5 (519) that has become publicly available at least two business days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to June 15, 2015;provided, however,that if the period from the redemption date to June 15, 2015, is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year will be used.
“Unrestricted Definitive Note” means a Definitive Note that does not bear and is not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.
“Unrestricted Global Note” means a Global Note that does not bear and is not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.
“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Issuer that is designated by the Board of Directors of the Issuer as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a resolution of such Board of Directors, but only to the extent that such Subsidiary:
(1) has no Indebtedness other than Non-Recourse Debt;
(2) except as permitted by Section 4.18, is not party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries unless the terms of any such agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding are no less favorable to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Issuer;
(3) is a Person with respect to which none of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation (a) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (b) to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and
21
(4) has not guaranteed or otherwise directly or indirectly provided credit support for any Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
“U.S. Dollar Equivalent” means, with respect to any monetary amount in a currency other than the U.S. dollar, at or as of any time for the 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 quoted by Reuters (or, if Reuters ceases to provide such spot quotations, by any other reputable service as is providing such spot quotations, as selected by the Issuer) at approximately 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date not more than two Business Days prior to such determination.
Whenever the covenants or default provisions or definitions in this Indenture refer to an amount in U.S. dollars, that amount will be deemed to refer to the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of the amount of any obligation denominated in any other currency or currencies, including composite currencies.
Any determination of U.S. Dollar Equivalent for any purpose under this Indenture will be determined as of a date of determination and, in any case, no subsequent change in the U.S. Dollar Equivalent after the applicable date of determination will cause such determination to be modified.
“U.S. Person” means a U.S. Person as defined in Rule 902(k) promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Voting Stock”of any specified Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the directors, managers or trustees, as applicable, of such Person or that is convertible into such voting Capital Stock.
“Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:
(1) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect of the Indebtedness, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by
(2) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.
Section 1.02Other Definitions.
Term | Defined in Section | |
“Affiliate Transaction” | 4.18 | |
“Asset Sale Offer” | 4.11 | |
“Authentication Order” | 2.02 | |
“Calculation Date” | 1.01 | |
“Change of Control Offer” | 4.10 | |
“Change of Control Payment” | 4.10 | |
“Change of Control Payment Date” | 4.10 | |
“Covenant Defeasance” | 8.03 | |
“DTC” | 2.03 | |
“Event of Default” | 6.01 |
22
Term | Defined in Section | |
“Excess Proceeds” | 4.11 | |
“incur” | 4.14 | |
“Indemnified Party” | 7.07 | |
“Interest Payment Date” | Exhibit A | |
“Issuer” | Preamble | |
“Legal Defeasance” | 8.02 | |
“Notes” | Preamble | |
“Offer Amount” | 3.09 | |
“Offer Period” | 3.09 | |
“Paying Agent” | 2.03 | |
“Payment Default” | 6.01 | |
“Permitted Debt” | 4.14 | |
“Purchase Date” | 3.09 | |
“Record Date” | Exhibit A | |
“Registrar” | 2.03 | |
“Restricted Payments” | 4.13 | |
“Trustee” | Preamble |
Section 1.03Incorporation by Reference of TIA.
Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.
The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
“indenture securities” means the Notes;
“indenture security Holder” means a Holder of a Note;
“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture;
“indenture trustee” or“institutional trustee” means the Trustee; and
“obligor” on the Notes and the Note Guarantees means the Issuer and the Guarantors, respectively, and any successor obligor upon the Notes and the Note Guarantees, respectively.
All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA have the meanings so assigned to them.
Section 1.04Rules of Construction.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(2) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(3) “or” is not exclusive;
23
(4) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular;
(5) “will” shall be interpreted to express a command;
(6) provisions apply to successive events and transactions; and
(7) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act will be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time.
ARTICLE 2
THE NOTES
Section 2.01Form and Dating.
(a)General. The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication will be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage. Each Note will be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be issued in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
The Issuer may issue Additional Notes from time to time after the Issue Date provided such issuance and incurrence would then comply with Section 4.14. The Initial Notes, the Additional Notes and the Exchange Notes shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture, and unless the context otherwise requires, all references to the “Notes” shall include the Initial Notes, any Additional Notes and any Exchange Notes.
The terms and provisions contained in the Notes will constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture and the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby. However, to the extent any provision of any Note conflicts with the express provisions of this Indenture, the provisions of this Indenture shall govern and be controlling.
(b)Global Notes. Notes issued in global form will be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (including the Global Note Legend thereon and the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto). Notes issued in definitive form will be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (but without the Global Note Legend thereon and without the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto). Each Global Note will represent such of the outstanding Notes as will be specified therein and each shall provide that it represents the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby will be made by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by Section 2.06 hereof.
(c)Temporary Global Notes. Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S will be issued initially in the form of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note, which will be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary, and registered in the name of the Depositary or the nominee of the Depositary for the accounts of designated agents holding on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, duly executed by the Issuer and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided.
24
Following the termination of the Restricted Period, beneficial interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note will be exchanged for beneficial interests in the Regulation S Permanent Global Note pursuant to the Applicable Procedures. Simultaneously with the Trustee’s authentication of the Regulation S Permanent Global Note, the Trustee will cancel the Regulation S Temporary Global Note. The aggregate principal amount of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note and the Regulation S Permanent Global Note may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee and the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, in connection with transfers of interest as hereinafter provided.
(d)Euroclear and Clearstream Procedures Applicable. The provisions of the “Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System” and “Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear” and the “General Terms and Conditions of Clearstream Banking” and “Customer Handbook” of Clearstream will be applicable to transfers of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note and the Regulation S Permanent Global Note that are held by Participants through Euroclear or Clearstream.
Section 2.02Execution and Authentication.
At least one Officer of the Issuer must sign the Notes for the Issuer by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time a Note is authenticated, the Note will nevertheless be valid.
A Note will not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee. The signature will be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.
The Trustee will, upon receipt of a written order of the Issuer signed by an Officer of the Issuer (an “Authentication Order”), authenticate Notes for original issue that may be validly issued under this Indenture, including any Additional Notes. The aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding at any time may not exceed the aggregate principal amount of Notes authorized for issuance by the Issuer pursuant to one or more Authentication Orders, except as provided in Section 2.07 hereof.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate Notes. An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with Holders or an Affiliate of the Issuer.
Section 2.03Registrar and Paying Agent.
The Issuer will maintain an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (“Registrar”) and an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“Paying Agent”). The Registrar will keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Issuer may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar and the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent. The Issuer may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Issuer will notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If the Issuer fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. The Trustee will initially act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar, so long as no Event of Default is continuing.
25
The Issuer initially appoints The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) to act as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.
The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee to act as Custodian with respect to the Global Notes.
Section 2.04Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
The Issuer will require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Issuer in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Issuer at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Issuer or a Subsidiary) will have no further liability for the money. If the Issuer or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it will segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying Agent. Upon any bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings relating to the Issuer, the Trustee will serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.
Section 2.05 Holder Lists.
The Trustee will preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of all Holders and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer will furnish to the Trustee at least seven Business Days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders of Notes and the Issuer shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a).
Section 2.06Transfer and Exchange.
(a)Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. A Global Note may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. All Global Notes will be exchanged by the Issuer for Definitive Notes if:
(1) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that it is unwilling or unable to continue to act as Depositary or that it is no longer a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Issuer within 90 days after the date of such notice from the Depositary;
(2) the Issuer in its sole discretion determines that the Global Notes (in whole but not in part) should be exchanged for Definitive Notes and delivers a written notice to such effect to the Trustee;provided that in no event shall the Regulation S Temporary Global Note be exchanged by the Issuer for Definitive Notes prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903(b)(3)(ii)(B) under the Securities Act;or
(3) there has occurred and is continuing a Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes and the Registrar has received a request from the Depositary to issue Definitive Notes.
26
Upon the occurrence of either of the preceding events in (1), (2) or (3) above, Definitive Notes shall be issued in such names as the Depositary shall instruct the Trustee. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.07 and 2.10 hereof. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.06 or Section 2.07 or 2.10 hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 2.06(a), however, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 2.06(b), (c) or (f) hereof.
(b)Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes will be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth herein to the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also will require compliance with either subparagraph (1) or (2) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of the other following subparagraphs, as applicable:
(1)Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note. Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend;provided, however, that prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, transfers of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note may not be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers set forth in this Section 2.06(b)(1).
(2)All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 2.06(b)(1) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either:
(A) both:
(i) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged; and
(ii) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase; or
(B) both:
(i) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged; and
27
(ii) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (1) above;
provided that in no event shall Definitive Notes be issued upon the transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903 under the Securities Act.
Upon consummation of an Exchange Offer by the Company in accordance with Section 2.06(f) hereof, the requirements of this Section 2.06(b)(2) shall be deemed to have been satisfied upon receipt by the Registrar of the instructions contained in the Letter of Transmittal delivered by the Holder of such beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof.
(3)Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(2) above and the Registrar receives the following:
(A) If the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(B) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note or the Regulation S Permanent Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and
(C) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the IAI Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable.
(4)Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(2) above and:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a Participating Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuer;
28
(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) such transfer is effected by a Participating Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(a) thereof; or
(2) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Issuer so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
If any such transfer is effected pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above.
Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.
(c)Transfer or Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.
(1)Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. If in accordance with Section 2.06(a) a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note is to be exchanged for a Restricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(a) thereof;
29
(B) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(C) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than those listed in subparagraphs (B) or (C) above, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable;
(F) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(G) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,
the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(1) shall bear the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.
(2)Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of such beneficial interest, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a Participating Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuer;
30
(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) such transfer is effected by a Participating Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b) thereof; or
(2) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Issuer so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(3)Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.06(b)(2) hereof, the Trustee will cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Issuer will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(3) will be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest requests through instructions to the Registrar from or through the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee will deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(3) will not bear the Private Placement Legend.
(4)Beneficial Interests in Regulation S Temporary Global Note to Definitive Notes. Notwithstanding Sections 2.06(c)(1)(A) and (C) hereof, a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903(b)(3)(ii)(B) under the Securities Act, except in the case of a transfer pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 903 or Rule 904.
31
(d)Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests.
(1)Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes. If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(b) thereof;
(B) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(C) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than those listed in subparagraphs (B) through (D) of this Section 2.06, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable;
(F) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(G) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,
the Trustee will cancel the Restricted Definitive Note, increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of, in the case of clause (A) above, the appropriate Restricted Global Note, in the case of clause (B) above, the 144A Global Note, in the case of clause (C) above, the Regulation S Global Note, and in all other cases, the IAI Global Note.
(2)Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if:
32
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a Participating Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company;
(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) such transfer is effected by a Participating Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(c) thereof; or
(2) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Issuer so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this Section 2.06(d)(2), the Trustee will cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.
(3)Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee will cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.
If any such exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to subparagraphs (2)(B), (2)(D) or (3) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee will authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive Notes so transferred.
33
(e)Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 2.06(e), the Registrar will register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder must present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder must provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 2.06(e).
(1)Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(B) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and
(C) if the transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable.
(2)Restricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a Participating Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company;
(B) any such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) any such transfer is effected by a Participating Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(d) thereof; or
34
(2) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Issuer so requests, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(3)Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.
(f)Exchange Offer. Upon the occurrence of the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee will authenticate:
(1) one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer by Persons that certify in the applicable Letters of Transmittal that (A) they are not Participating Broker-Dealers, (B) they are not participating in a distribution of the Exchange Notes and (C) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuer; and
(2) Unrestricted Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Definitive Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer by Persons that certify in the applicable Letters of Transmittal that (A) they are not Participating Broker-Dealers, (B) they are not participating in a distribution of the Exchange Notes and (C) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuer.
Concurrently with the issuance of such Notes, the Trustee will cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Restricted Global Notes to be reduced accordingly, and the Issuer will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver to the Persons designated by the Holders of Definitive Notes so accepted Unrestricted Definitive Notes in the appropriate principal amount.
(g)Legends. The following legends will appear on the face of all Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued under this Indenture unless specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of this Indenture.
(1) Private Placement Legend.
(A) Except as permitted by subparagraph (B) below, each Global Note and each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the legend in substantially the following form:
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR
35
PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, REGISTRATION. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A PROMULGATED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) (B) IT IS A NON-U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S PROMULGATED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS APPLICABLE TO IT IN THE JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PURCHASE IS MADE, OR (C) IT IS AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION D PROMULGATED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND (2) AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE APPLICABLE HOLDING PERIOD WITH RESPECT TO RESTRICTED SECURITIES SET FORTH IN RULE 144 PROMULGATED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHICH NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (C) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO NON-U.S. PERSONS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS APPLICABLE TO IT IN THE JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PURCHASE IS MADE, (D) TO AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION D THAT IS ACQUIRING THE SECURITY FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF SUCH AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR, FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO, OR FOR OFFER OR SALE IN CONNECTION WITH, ANY DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (F) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S, OR REGISTRAR’S, AS APPLICABLE, RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSE (C), (D) OR (F) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM, AND IN EACH OF THE FOREGOING CASES, A CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER IN THE FORM APPEARING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS SECURITY IS COMPLETED AND DELIVERED BY THE TRANSFEROR TO THE TRUSTEE OR REGISTRAR. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE APPLICABLE HOLDING PERIOD WITH RESPECT TO RESTRICTED SECURITIES SET FORTH IN RULE 144.
(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraphs (b)(4), (c)(2), (c)(3), (d)(2), (d)(3), (e)(2), (e)(3) or (f) of this Section 2.06 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) will not bear the Private Placement Legend.
36
(2)Global Note Legend. Each Global Note will bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (1) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06 OF THE INDENTURE, (2) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(a) OF THE INDENTURE, (3) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.11 OF THE INDENTURE AND (4) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD.
UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”), TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”
(3) Regulation S Temporary Global Note Legend. The Regulation S Temporary Global Note will bear a Legend in substantially the following form:
“THE RIGHTS ATTACHING TO THIS REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE, AND THE CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING ITS EXCHANGE FOR CERTIFICATED NOTES, ARE AS SPECIFIED IN THE INDENTURE (AS DEFINED HEREIN).”
(h)Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes. At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note will be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note will be reduced accordingly and an endorsement will be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the
37
Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note will be increased accordingly and an endorsement will be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.
(i)General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.
(1) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer will execute and the Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof or at the Registrar’s request.
(2) No service charge will be made to a Holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.10, 3.06, 3.09, 4.10, 4.11 and 9.05 hereof).
(3) The Registrar will not be required to register the transfer of or exchange of any Note selected for redemption or repurchase in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion or portion not repurchased of any Note being redeemed or repurchased in part.
(4) All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes will be the valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
(5) Neither the Registrar nor the Issuer will be required:
(A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes for redemption under Section 3.02 hereof and ending at the close of business on the day of selection;
(B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part; or
(C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a record date and the next succeeding interest payment date.
(6) Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Issuer may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Issuer shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
(7) The Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.02 hereof.
38
(8) All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 2.06 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile.
Section 2.07Replacement Notes.
If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or the Issuer and the Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the Issuer will issue and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, will authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee’s requirements are met. If required by the Trustee or the Issuer, an indemnity bond must be supplied by the Holder that is sufficient in the judgment of (i) the Trustee to protect the Trustee and (ii) the Issuer to protect the Issuer, the Trustee, any Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Issuer may charge for its expenses in replacing a Note.
Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Issuer and will be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with all other Notes duly issued hereunder.
Section 2.08Outstanding Notes.
The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest in a Global Note effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof, and those set forth in this Section 2.08 as not outstanding. Except as set forth in Section 2.09 hereof, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer holds the Note; however, Notes held by the Issuer or a Subsidiary of the Issuer shall not be deemed to be outstanding for purposes of Section 3.07(c) hereof.
If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser.
If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding and interest on it ceases to accrue.
If the Paying Agent (other than the Issuer, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any thereof) holds, on a redemption date or maturity date, money sufficient to pay Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such Notes will be deemed to be no longer outstanding and will cease to accrue interest.
Section 2.09Treasury Notes.
In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Issuer or any Guarantor, or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Issuer or any Guarantor, will be considered as though not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee will be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows are so owned will be so disregarded.
Section 2.10Temporary Notes.
Until certificates representing Notes are ready for delivery, the Issuer may prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, will authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes will be substantially in the form of certificated Notes but may have variations that the Issuer considers appropriate for temporary Notes. Without unreasonable delay, the Issuer will prepare and the Trustee will authenticate (upon receipt of an Authentication Order) definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes. Holders of temporary Notes will be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture.
39
Section 2.11Cancellation.
The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and Paying Agent will forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee and no one else will cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and will destroy canceled Notes (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act and the Trustee in accordance with the Trustee’s customary procedures). Certification of the cancellation of all canceled Notes will be delivered to the Issuer upon the Issuer’s written request. The Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Section 2.12Defaulted Interest; Additional Interest.
The Issuer will pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal, premium, if any, and interest (without regard to any applicable grace period) from time to time on demand at the rate equal to 2% per annum in excess of the then applicable interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, in each case at the rate provided as set forth in the Notes and consistent with Section 4.01 hereof. The Issuer will notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of defaulted interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment. The Issuer will fix or cause to be fixed each such special record date and payment date;provided that no such special record date may be less than 10 days prior to the related payment date for such defaulted interest. At least 15 days before the special record date, the Issuer (or, upon the written request of the Issuer, the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Issuer) will mail or cause to be sent to Holders a notice that states the special record date, the related payment date and the amount of such interest to be paid.
The Issuer will pay Additional Interest, if any, to Holders of Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
All reference to “interest” in this Indenture and the Notes mean the initial interest rate borne by the Notes and any increases in that rate due to defaulted interest or Additional Interest, unless this Indenture states otherwise.
Section 2.13Persons Deemed Owners.
The Holder of a Note may be treated as its owner for all purposes. Only Holders have rights under this Indenture and the Notes.
ARTICLE 3
REDEMPTION AND PURCHASE
Section 3.01Notices to Trustee.
If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of Section 3.07 hereof, the Issuer must furnish to the Trustee, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, an Officers’ Certificate setting forth:
(1) the clause of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur;
40
(2) the Redemption Date;
(3) the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed; and
(4) the Redemption Price.
Section 3.02Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased.
If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed or purchased in an offer to purchase at any time, the Trustee will select Notes for redemption or purchase on apro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee considers fair and appropriate, unless otherwise required by law or applicable stock exchange or depositary requirements.
In the event of partial redemption or purchase, the particular Notes to be redeemed or purchased will be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption or purchase date by the Trustee from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption or purchase.
The Trustee will promptly notify the Issuer in writing of the Notes selected for redemption or purchase and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption or purchase, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed or purchased. Notes and portions of Notes selected will be in minimum amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000; except that if all of the Notes of a Holder are to be redeemed or purchased, the entire outstanding amount of Notes held by such Holder, even if not a multiple of $1,000, shall be redeemed or purchased. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption or purchase also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase.
Section 3.03Notice of Redemption.
Subject to the provisions of Section 3.09 hereof, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Issuer will mail or cause to be mailed, by first class mail or sent electronically, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Articles 8 or 10 hereof.
The notice will identify the Notes to be redeemed and will state:
(1) the applicable Redemption Date;
(2) the applicable Redemption Price;
(3) the CUSIP number(s) of the Notes;
(4) If the Notes are being redeemed in part:
(a) the Trustee shall select Notes for redemption as follows: (i) if the relevant Notes are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of such exchange on which the Notes are listed (and such listing is known to the Trustee); or (ii) on apro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee considers fair and appropriate, unless otherwise required by law or applicable stock exchange requirements; and in either case, not in parts of $2,000 or less; and the portion of the principal amount of such Notes to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date upon surrender of such Notes, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion will be issued upon cancellation of the original Note;
41
(b) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(5) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the applicable Redemption Price;
(6) that, unless the Issuer defaults in making such redemption payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the applicable Redemption Date;
(7) the paragraph of the Notes and/or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and
(8) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.
At the Issuer’s request, the Trustee will give the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at the Issuer’s expense;provided, however, that the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee, at least 45 days prior to the redemption date, an Officers’ Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information (or a shorter period as agreed to by the Trustee) to be stated in such notice as provided in this Section 3.03.
Section 3.04Effect of Notice of Redemption.
Once notice of redemption is sent in accordance with Section 3.03 hereof, Notes called for redemption become irrevocably due and payable on the redemption date at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be conditional.
Section 3.05Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price.
No later than 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the redemption or purchase date, the Issuer will deposit with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption or purchase price of and accrued interest on all Notes to be redeemed or purchased on that date. The Trustee or the Paying Agent will promptly return to the Issuer any money deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Issuer in excess of the amounts necessary to pay the redemption or purchase price of, and accrued interest on, all Notes to be redeemed or purchased.
If the Issuer complies with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, on and after the redemption or purchase date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase. If a Note is redeemed or purchased on or after an interest record date but on or prior to the related interest payment date, then any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such record date. If any Note called for redemption or purchase is not so paid upon surrender for redemption or purchase because of the failure of the Issuer to comply with the preceding paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption or purchase date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any interest not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof.
42
Section 3.06Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part.
Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed or purchased in part, the Issuer will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee will authenticate for the Holder at the expense of the Issuer a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed or unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered.
Section 3.07Optional Redemption.
(a) Except as set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of this Section 3.07, the Notes shall not be redeemable at the option of the Issuer prior to June 15, 2015.
(b) At any time prior to June 15, 2015, the Issuer may redeem the Notes, at its option, in whole or in part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to the Redemption Date, subject to the rights of Holders of Notes on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date.
(c) On or after June 15, 2015, the Issuer may redeem the Notes, at its option, in whole or in part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at the Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to the applicable Redemption Date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on June 15 of the years set forth below:
Period | Percentage | |||
2015 | 104.500 | % | ||
2016 | 102.250 | % | ||
2017 and thereafter | 100.000 | % |
(d) At any time, or from time to time, prior to June 15, 2015, the Issuer may, at its option, use an amount not to exceed the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings to redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes originally issued under this Indenture at a redemption price of 109% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, to the Redemption Date;providedthat (i) at least 65% of the principal amount of Notes originally issued under this Indenture remains outstanding immediately after any such redemption; and (ii) the Issuer makes such redemption not more than 45 days after the consummation of any such Equity Offering.
(e) Any redemption pursuant to this Section 3.07 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 hereof.
Section 3.08No Mandatory Redemption.
The Issuer is not required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.
Section 3.09Offer to Purchase by Application of Excess Proceeds.
In the event that, pursuant to Section 4.11 hereof, the Issuer shall be required to commence an Asset Sale Offer, the Issuer will follow the procedures specified below and in Sections 4.11(c), (d) and (e):
43
(a) The Asset Sale Offer shall be made to all Holders and all holders of other Indebtedness that ispari passu with the Notes containing provisions similar to those set forth in this Indenture with respect to offers to purchase, prepay or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets.
(b) The Asset Sale Offer will remain open for a period of at least 20 Business Days following its commencement and not more than 30 Business Days, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “Offer Period”).
(c) No later than three Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the “Purchase Date”), the Issuer will apply all Excess Proceeds (the“Offer Amount”) to the purchase of Notes and such otherpari passu Indebtedness (on apro rata basis, if applicable) or, if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes and other Indebtedness tendered in response to the Asset Sale Offer. Payment for any Notes so purchased will be made in the same manner as interest payments are made.
(d) If the Purchase Date is on or after a Record Date and on or before the related Interest Payment Date, any accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, will be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such Record Date, and no additional interest will be payable to Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer.
(e) Upon the commencement of an Asset Sale Offer, the Issuer will send, by first class mail, a notice to the Trustee and each of the Holders. The notice will contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer. The notice, which will govern the terms of the Asset Sale Offer, will state:
(1) that the Asset Sale Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 3.09 and Section 4.11 hereof and the length of time the Asset Sale Offer will remain open;
(2) the Offer Amount, the purchase price and the Purchase Date;
(3) that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment will continue to accrue interest;
(4) that, unless the Issuer defaults in making such payment, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer will cease to accrue interest after the Purchase Date;
(5) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer may elect to have Notes purchased in minimum amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof only;
(6) that Holders electing to have Notes purchased pursuant to any Asset Sale Offer will be required to surrender the Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” attached to the Notes completed, or transfer by book-entry transfer, to the Issuer, a Depositary, if appointed by the Issuer, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three days before the Purchase Date;
(7) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Issuer, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than the expiration of the Offer Period, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter (sent in accordance with Section 12.02 if the Trustee is the Paying Agent) setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased;
44
(8) that, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes and otherpari passu Indebtedness surrendered by holders thereof exceeds the Offer Amount, the Trustee will select the Notes and the Issuer or other applicable agent will select for such otherpari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on apro rata basis based on the principal amount of Notes and such otherpari passu Indebtedness surrendered (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Issuer so that only Notes in minimum amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, will be purchased); and
(9) that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (or transferred by book-entry transfer).
On or before the Purchase Date, the Issuer will, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on apro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Offer Amount of Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered, and will deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Issuer in accordance with the terms of this Section 3.09. The Issuer, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, will promptly (but in any case not later than five days after the Purchase Date) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes tendered by such Holder and accepted by the Issuer for purchase, and the Issuer will promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon delivery of an Authentication Order, will authenticate and mail or deliver (or cause to be transferred by book entry) such new Note to such Holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered. Any Note not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Issuer to the Holder thereof. The Issuer will publicly announce the results of the Asset Sale Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Purchase Date.
Other than as specifically provided in this Section 3.09, any purchase pursuant to this Section 3.09 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 hereof.
The Issuer will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with each repurchase of Notes pursuant to an applicable Offer to Purchase. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Section 3.09 or Section 4.11 of this Indenture, the Issuer will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under such sections of this Indenture by virtue of such conflict.
ARTICLE 4
COVENANTS
Section 4.01Payments on Notes.
The Issuer will pay or cause to be paid the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in this Indenture and the Notes. Principal, premium, if any, and interest will be considered paid on the date due if the Paying Agent, if other than the Issuer or a Subsidiary thereof, holds as of 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the due date money deposited by the Issuer in immediately available funds and designated for and sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due. The Issuer shall pay Additional Interest, if any, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, in the same manner, on the dates and in the amounts in each case as other interest is paid as set forth in the Notes.
45
Section 4.02Maintenance of Office or Agency.
The Issuer will maintain an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee, Registrar or co-registrar) where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Issuer in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Issuer will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Issuer fails to maintain any such required office or agency or fails to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee. Such office shall initially be at Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, 45 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, New York 10006, Attention: Corporate Trust Services.
The Issuer may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations. The Issuer will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.
The Issuer hereby designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as one such office or agency of the Issuer in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof.
Section 4.03Taxes.
The Issuer will pay, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay, prior to delinquency, all of their respective material taxes, assessments, and governmental levies except such as are contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings or where the failure to effect such payment is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes.
Section 4.04Stay,Extension and Usury Laws.
The Issuer and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Issuer and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
Section 4.05Maintenance of Insurance.
The Issuer shall maintain insurance (including appropriate self-insurance) against loss or damage of the kinds that, in the good faith judgment of the Issuer, is adequate and appropriate for the conduct of the business of such company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in a prudent manner, with reputable insurers or with the government of the United States or an agency or instrumentality thereof, in such amounts, with such deductibles, and by such methods as shall be customary, in the good faith judgment of the Issuer, for companies similarly situated in the industry in which such company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged.
46
Section 4.06Compliance Certificate.
(a) The Issuer and each Guarantor (to the extent that such Guarantor is so required under the TIA) shall deliver to the Trustee, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year after the Issue Date, an Officers’ Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Issuer has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his or her knowledge the Issuer has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (or, if a Default or Event of Default has occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he or she may have knowledge and what action the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto) and that to the best of his or her knowledge no event has occurred and remains in existence by reason of which payments on account of the principal of or interest, if any, on the Notes is prohibited or if such event has occurred, a description of the event and what action the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.
(b) So long as any of the Notes are outstanding, the Issuer will deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon any Officer becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officers’ Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.
Section 4.07[Intentionally Omitted]
Section 4.08Corporate Existence.
Subject to Article 5 hereof, the Issuer shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect:
(1) its corporate existence and the corporate, limited liability company, partnership or other existence of each of its Subsidiaries, in accordance with the respective organizational documents (as the same may be amended from time to time) of the Issuer or any such Subsidiary; and
(2) the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Issuer and any of its Subsidiaries;
provided, however, that the Issuer shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise, or the corporate, limited liability company, partnership or other existence of any of its Subsidiaries, if the Board of Directors of the Issuer shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and that the loss thereof would not have a material adverse effect on the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Section 4.09[Intentionally Omitted]
Section 4.10Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Issuer will make an offer (a“Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder to repurchase all or any part (equal to minimum amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000) of that Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest,
47
if any, on the Notes repurchased to the date of purchase, subject to the rights of Holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date that is on or prior to the date of repurchase (the“Change of Control Payment”). Within thirty (30) days following any Change of Control, the Issuer will mail a notice to each Holder and the Trustee describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control and stating:
(1) that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 4.10 and that all Notes tendered will be accepted for payment;
(2) the purchase price and the purchase date, which shall be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the“Change of Control Payment Date”);
(3) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;
(4) that, unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date;
(5) that Holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender the Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” attached to the Notes completed, or transfer by book-entry transfer, to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;
(6) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Paying Agent receives, not later than the close of business on the second Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter (sent in accordance with Section 12.02 if the Trustee is the Paying Agent) setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of Notes delivered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have the Notes purchased; and
(7) that Holders whose Notes are being purchased only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion must be equal to at least $2,000 in principal amount or an integral multiple of $1,000.
The Issuer will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change in Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Section 4.10, the Issuer will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.10 by virtue of such compliance.
(b) On or before the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer will, to the extent lawful:
(1) accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;
(2) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and
48
(3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Issuer.
The Paying Agent will promptly deliver to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any, with each new Note in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. The Issuer will publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.
The provisions of this Section 4.10 that require the Issuer to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control will be applicable whether or not any other provisions of this Indenture are applicable.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.10, the Issuer will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer if (1) a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Section 4.10 and Section 3.09 hereof and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control Offer, or (2) notice of redemption has been given pursuant to Section 3.07 hereof, unless and until there is a default in payment of the applicable redemption price.
Section 4.11Asset Sales.
(a) The Issuer will not and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless:
(1) the Issuer or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of the Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of; and
(2) at least 75% of the consideration received in the Asset Sale by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents.
For purposes of this provision, each of the following will be deemed to be cash:
(A) any liabilities, as shown on the Issuer’s most recent consolidated balance sheet, of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes or any Note Guarantee) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets or Equity Interests pursuant to a customary novation agreement that releases the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from further liability;
(B) any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from such transferee that are converted within 150 days by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, into cash, to the extent of the cash received in that conversion; and
(C) any stock or assets of the kind referred to in clauses (2) or (4) of Section 4.11(b) hereof.
49
(b) Within 365 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale, the Issuer or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, shall apply such Net Proceeds:
(1) to repay Indebtedness and other Obligations under any Credit Facility, and if the Indebtedness repaid is revolving credit Indebtedness, the Issuer or applicable borrower or borrowers will be required to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto;
(2) to acquire (including by merger, consolidation or otherwise) all or substantially all of the assets of, or any Capital Stock of, another Permitted Business, if, after giving effect to any such acquisition of Capital Stock, the Permitted Business is or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(3) to make capital expenditures; or
(4) to acquire other assets that are not classified as current assets under GAAP and that are used or useful in a Permitted Business;
providedthat if the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary enters into a binding agreement to acquire such assets or capital stock or make such capital expenditures within such 365-day period, but the consummation of the transactions under such agreement has not occurred within such 365-day period, and the agreement has not been terminated, then either (a) the 365-day period will be extended an additional 180 days to permit such consummation; or (b) if such consummation does not occur, or such agreement is terminated within such additional 180-day period, then the Issuer may apply, or cause such Restricted Subsidiary to apply, within 60 days after the earlier of the end of such 180-day period or the effective date of such termination, such Net Proceeds as provided in clauses (1), (2), (3) and (4) of this Section 4.11(b).
Pending the final application of any Net Proceeds, the Issuer or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, may temporarily reduce revolving credit borrowings or otherwise invest the Net Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by this Indenture.
(c) Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested as provided in Section 4.11(b) hereof will constitute“Excess Proceeds.”When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $10.0 million, the Issuer will, within fifteen (15) days thereof, make an Offer to Purchase Notes pursuant to this Section 4.11 and Section 3.09 (an “Asset Sale Offer”) to all Holders of Notes and all holders of other Indebtedness that ispari passuwith the Notes containing provisions similar to those set forth in this Indenture with respect to offers to purchase or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets to purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes and such otherpari passuIndebtedness that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds. The offer price in any Asset Sale Offer will be equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to the date of purchase, and will be payable in cash;provided, however,that if the Issuer is required to apply such Excess Proceeds to repurchase, or to offer to repurchase, anypari passu Indebtedness, the Issuer shall only be required to offer to repurchase the maximum principal amount of Notes that may be purchased out of the amount of such Excess Proceeds multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding and the denominator of which is the aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding plus the aggregate principal amount ofpari passuIndebtedness outstanding.
If any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Asset Sale Offer, the Issuer may use those Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and otherpari passuIndebtedness tendered into such Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee will select the Notes and the Issuer or such other agent will select for such otherpari passuIndebtedness to be purchased on apro ratabasis. Upon completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset at zero.
50
(d) The Issuer will not and will not permit its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into or suffer to exist any agreement (other than any agreement governing Credit Facilities for Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (1) of Section 4.14(b)) that would place any restriction of any kind (other than pursuant to law or regulation) on the ability of the Issuer to make an Asset Sale Offer.
(e) The Issuer will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with each repurchase of Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section 4.11, the Issuer will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.11 by virtue of such compliance.
Section 4.12[Intentionally Omitted]
Section 4.13Restricted Payments.
(a) The Issuer shall not and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:
(1) declare or pay any dividend or make any other payment or distribution on account of the Issuer’s Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Issuer) or to the direct or indirect holders of the Issuer’s Equity Interests in their capacity as such (other than dividends or distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer;
(2) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value (including, without limitation, in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Issuer) any Equity Interests of the Issuer;
(3) make any payment on or with respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor that is contractually subordinated to the Notes or to any Note Guarantee (excluding any intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Issuer and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or between or among Restricted Subsidiaries), except a payment of interest or principal at the Stated Maturity thereof; or
(4) make any Restricted Investment
(all such payments and other actions set forth in these clauses (1) through (4) above being collectively referred to as“Restricted Payments”),
unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment:
(1) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a consequence of such Restricted Payment;
51
(2) the Issuer would, at the time of such Restricted Payment and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Restricted Payment had been made at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.14(a) hereof; and
(3) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date (excluding Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (2) through (10) of paragraph (b) of this Section 4.13), is less than the sum, without duplication, of:
(A) 50% of the cumulative Consolidated Net Income of the Issuer for the period (taken as one accounting period) from April 1, 2011 to the end of the Issuer’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, if such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, less 100% of such deficit),plus
(B) subject to Section 4.14(b)(2), 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Issuer since the Issue Date as a contribution to its common equity capital or from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than Disqualified Stock) or from the issue or sale of convertible or exchangeable Disqualified Stock or convertible or exchangeable debt securities of the Issuer that have been converted into or exchanged for such Equity Interests (other than any such Equity Interests, Disqualified Stock or convertible or exchangeable debt securities sold to a Subsidiary of the Issuer);plus
(C) to the extent that any Restricted Investment that was made after the Issue Date is sold for cash or otherwise liquidated or repaid for cash, the lesser of (i) the cash return of capital with respect to such Restricted Investment (less the cost of disposition, if any) and (ii) the initial amount of such Restricted Investment;plus
(D) to the extent that any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Issuer designated as such after the Issue Date is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary after the Issue Date, the lesser of (i) the Fair Market Value of the Issuer’s Investment in such Subsidiary, as the case may be, as of the date of such redesignation or (ii) such Fair Market Value as of the date on which such Subsidiary was originally designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary after the Issue Date; plus
(E) 50% of any dividends received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, after the Issue Date from an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, to the extent that such dividends were not otherwise included in the Consolidated Net Income of the Issuer for such period.
(b) The preceding provisions will not prohibit:
(1) the payment of any dividend or distribution or the consummation of any irrevocable redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration of the dividend or distribution or giving of the redemption notice, as the case may be, if at the date of declaration or notice, the dividend, distribution or redemption payment would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture;
(2) the making of any Restricted Payment in exchange for, or out of the net cash proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Issuer) of, Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than Disqualified Stock) or from the substantially concurrent contribution of common equity capital to the Issuer;providedthat the amount of any such net cash proceeds that are utilized for any such Restricted Payment will be excluded from subclause (B) of the second clause (3) of paragraph (a) of this Section 4.13;
52
(3) the repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor that is contractually subordinated to the Notes or to any Note Guarantee with the net cash proceeds from a substantially concurrent incurrence of, or in exchange for, Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;
(4) so long as no Default has occurred or is continuing or would be caused thereby, the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Equity Interests of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries held by any current or former officer, director or employee of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to an agreement approved by the Board of Directors of the Issuer;providedthat the aggregate price paid for all such repurchased, redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests may not exceed $1,000,000 in any twelve-month period;
(5) the repurchase of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options to the extent such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of those stock options or the repurchase of stock appreciation rights by way of cashless exercise or in connection with the satisfaction of withholding tax obligations;
(6) so long as no Default has occurred or is continuing or would be caused thereby, the declaration and payment of regularly scheduled or accrued dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued after the Issue Date in accordance with the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.14(a) hereof;
(7) in connection with an acquisition by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, the return to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Equity Interests of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary constituting a portion of the purchase price consideration in settlement of indemnification claims;
(8) the purchase by the Issuer of fractional shares of Equity Interests arising out of stock dividends, splits or combinations or business combinations;
(9) Permitted Tax Distributions;
(10) the payment of any dividends on the Issuer’s Series B Preferred Shares (or similar class of equity) pursuant to the certificate of designation governing such class of securities up to a maximum of $260,000 per quarter in cash, which amount represents the maximum payable quarterly in cash as dividends on such class of securities based on the Series B Preferred Shares presently outstanding and additional such shares that may be issued under the provisions of the certificate of designations governing the Series B Preferred Shares that permit payment of dividends in kind; and
(11) so long as no Default has occurred or is continuing or would be caused thereby, other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10.0 million since the Issue Date.
53
(c) The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be the Fair Market Value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment. The Fair Market Value of any assets or securities that are required to be valued by this covenant will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Issuer whose resolution with respect thereto will be delivered to the Trustee. Such Board of Directors’ determination must be based upon an opinion or appraisal issued by a reputable accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm if the Fair Market Value exceeds $5.0 million.
Section 4.14Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock.
(a) The Issuer will not and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to (collectively, “incur”) any Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt), and the Issuer will not issue any Disqualified Stock, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of preferred stock; provided, however, that the Issuer may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or issue Disqualified Stock, and the Guarantors may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or issue preferred stock, if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Issuer’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is incurred or such Disqualified Stock or such preferred stock is issued, as the case may be, would have been at least 2.0 to 1, in each case, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness had been incurred or the Disqualified Stock or the preferred stock had been issued, as the case may be, at the beginning of such four-quarter period.
(b) The provisions of Section 4.14(a) hereof will not prohibit the incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness (collectively,“Permitted Debt”):
(1) the incurrence by the Issuer and any Guarantor of additional Indebtedness and letters of credit under any Credit Facility (A) in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding under this clause (1) (with letters of credit being deemed to have a principal amount equal to the maximum stated amount thereof of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries thereunder) not to exceed the greater of (A) $75.0 million and (B) 18% of the Issuer’s Consolidated Tangible Assets determined as of the end of the Issuer’s most recently completed fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available,lessthe aggregate amount of all Net Proceeds of Asset Sales applied by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries since the Issue Date to repay any term Indebtedness under a Credit Facility or to repay any revolving credit Indebtedness under a Credit Facility and in each case, effect a corresponding commitment reduction thereunder pursuant to Section 4.11 hereof;
(2) (A) the incurrence by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries of Existing Indebtedness and (B) encumbrances or restrictions existing under agreements existing on the Issue Date as in effect on that date;
(3) the incurrence by the Issuer and the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the Notes and the related Note Guarantees to be issued on the Issue Date and the Exchange Notes and the related Note Guarantees to be issued pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement;
(4) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness represented by Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money obligations, in each case, incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of design, construction, installation or improvement of property, plant or equipment used in the business of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, in an aggregate principal amount, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (4), not to exceed $20.0 million at any time outstanding;
54
(5) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness) that was permitted by this Indenture to be incurred under Section 4.14(a) hereof or clauses (2), (3), (4), (5) or (12) of this Section 4.14(b);
(6) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Issuer and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or between or among Restricted Subsidiaries;provided, however,that:
(A) if the Issuer or any Guarantor is the obligor on such Indebtedness and the payee is not the Issuer or a Guarantor, such Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations then due with respect to the Notes and the Note Guarantees; and
(B) any (i) subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or (ii) sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is not any of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause (6);
(7) the issuance by the Issuer’s Restricted Subsidiaries to the Issuer or to any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of shares of preferred stock;provided, however,that any (A) subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such preferred stock being held by a Person other than the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, or (B) sale or other transfer of any such preferred stock to a Person that is not the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an issuance of such preferred stock by such Restricted Subsidiary that was not permitted by this clause (7);
(8) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Hedging Obligations in the ordinary course of business;
(9) the guarantee by the Issuer or any of the Guarantors of Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, that was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this Section 4.14;providedthat if the Indebtedness being guaranteed is subordinated to orpari passuwith the Notes, then the Guarantee shall be subordinated orpari passu,as applicable, to the same extent as the Indebtedness guaranteed;
(10) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness in respect of workers’ compensation claims, self-insurance obligations, bankers’ acceptances, bids, performance and surety bonds, including Guarantees or obligations of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, with respect to letters of credit supporting such bid, performance or surety obligations (in each case other than for an obligation for money borrowed) or other forms of security or credit enhancement supporting performance obligations under service contracts, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;
55
(11) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently drawn against insufficient funds, so long as such Indebtedness is covered within five Business Days; and
(12) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of additional Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, as applicable) at any time outstanding, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to extend, renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (12), not to exceed $15.0 million at any one time outstanding after giving pro forma effect to such incurrence and the application of the proceeds therefrom.
The Issuer will not incur, and will not permit any Guarantor to incur, any Indebtedness (including Permitted Debt) that is contractually subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Issuer or such Guarantor unless such Indebtedness is also contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Notes and the applicable Note Guarantee on substantially identical terms;provided, however,that no Indebtedness will be deemed to be contractually subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Issuer solely by virtue of being unsecured or by virtue of being secured on a first or junior Lien basis.
For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.14, in the event that an item of proposed Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Debt set forth in clauses (1) through (12) of Section 4.14(b), or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to Section 4.14(a), the Issuer will be permitted to classify such item of Indebtedness on the date of its incurrence, or later reclassify all or a portion of such item of Indebtedness, in any manner that complies with this Section 4.14, and such item of Indebtedness will be treated as having been incurred pursuant to such category. Indebtedness under Credit Facilities outstanding on the Issue Date and authenticated under this Indenture will initially be deemed to have been incurred on such date in reliance on the exception provided by clause (1) of the definition of Permitted Debt. The accrual of interest, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, if applicable, the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, the reclassification of preferred stock as Indebtedness due to a change in accounting principles, and the payment of dividends on Disqualified Stock in the form of additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Stock will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance of Disqualified Stock for purposes of this Section 4.14;provided,in each such case, that the amount of any such accrual, accretion or payment is included in Fixed Charges of the Issuer as accrued. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 4.14, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary may incur pursuant to this covenant shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in exchange rates or currency values.
The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date will be:
(1) the accreted value of the Indebtedness, in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount;
(2) the principal amount of the Indebtedness, in the case of any other Indebtedness; and
(3) in respect of Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on the assets of the specified Person, the lesser of:
(A) the Fair Market Value of such assets at the date of determination; and
56
(B) the amount of the Indebtedness of the other Person.
Section 4.15[Intentionally Omitted]
Section 4.16Liens.
The Issuer will not and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien of any kind on any asset now owned or hereafter acquired, except Permitted Liens.
Section 4.17Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries.
The Issuer will not and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
(1) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(2) make loans or advances to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; or
(3) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
However, the preceding restrictions will not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(1) agreements governing Existing Indebtedness and any Credit Facilities as in effect on the Issue Date or permitted by Section 4.14(b)(1) and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, extensions, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements;providedthat the amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, extensions, refundings, replacements or refinancings are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in those agreements on the Issue Date;
(2) this Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees;
(3) applicable law, rule, regulation or order;
(4) any instrument governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition (except to the extent such Indebtedness or Capital Stock was incurred or issued in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired;providedthat, in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be incurred;
57
(5) customary non-assignment provisions in leases, contracts and licenses entered into in the ordinary course of business, including by reason of customary provisions restricting the transfer of copyrighted or patented materials consistent with industry practice;
(6) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and Capital Lease Obligations that impose restrictions on the property purchased or leased of the nature set forth in clause (3) of the preceding paragraph;
(7) any agreement for the sale or other disposition of a Restricted Subsidiary or assets that restricts distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary pending the sale or other disposition;
(8) Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;providedthat the restrictions contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced;
(9) Liens permitted to be incurred under the provisions of Section 4.16 that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens;
(10) provisions limiting the disposition or distribution of assets or property in joint venture agreements, asset sale agreements, sale-leaseback agreements, stock sale agreements and other similar agreements entered into with the approval of the Board of Directors of the Issuer which limitation is applicable only to the assets that are the subject of such agreements;
(11) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; and
(12) any instrument governing Indebtedness of a Foreign Subsidiary;providedthat such Indebtedness was not prohibited by the terms of this Indenture.
Section 4.18Transactions with Affiliates.
(a) The Issuer will not and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction, contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or Guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate of the Issuer (each, an“Affiliate Transaction”),unless:
(1) the Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the Issuer or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, with an unrelated Person or, if there is no such comparable transaction, on terms that are fair and reasonable to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary and reflect an arms’-length negotiation as determined by the Independent Directors;
(2) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee:
(A) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $500,000, whether or not subject to the following clause (2)(B) of this Section 4.18, a resolution of the Board of
58
Directors of the Issuer set forth in an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with this covenant and that such Affiliate Transaction has been approved by a majority of the disinterested members of such Board of Directors who are Independent Directors; and
(B) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $2.5 million, an opinion as to the fairness to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, of such Affiliate Transaction from a financial point of view issued by a reputable accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm.
(b) The following items will not be deemed to be Affiliate Transactions and, therefore, will not be subject to the provisions of Section 4.18(a):
(1) any employment agreement, employee benefit plan, officer or director indemnification agreement or any similar arrangement entered into by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and payments pursuant thereto;
(2) transactions between or among the Issuer and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries; and between or among Restricted Subsidiaries;
(3) transactions with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Issuer) that is an Affiliate of the Issuer solely because the Issuer owns, directly or through a Restricted Subsidiary, an Equity Interest in, or controls, such Person;
(4) payment of reasonable directors’ fees to Persons who serve on the Board of Directors of the Issuer;
(5) any issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer to Affiliates of the Issuer;
(6) Restricted Payments that do not violate the provisions of Section 4.13 hereof;
(7) loans or advances to employees in the ordinary course of business not to exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;
(8) registration rights or similar agreements with officers, directors or significant shareholders of the Issuer, provided that any such registration rights do not materially interfere with or impede the rights granted to Holders under the Registration Rights Agreement;
(9) Permitted Tax Distributions; and
(10) Permitted Affiliate Leases.
Section 4.19 Business Activities.
The Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, engage in any business other than Permitted Businesses, except to such extent as would not be material to the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
59
Section 4.20Additional Note Guarantees.
If the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or creates another Domestic Subsidiary after the Issue Date that is not declared by the Board of Directors of the Issuer to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary, then the Issuer will (1) cause that newly acquired or created Domestic Subsidiary to (a) execute a supplemental indenture pursuant to which it becomes a Guarantor and (b) execute an amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement pursuant to which it becomes subject to the obligations of a Guarantor thereunder, and (2) deliver an Opinion of Counsel and Officers’ Certificate, in each case within 10 business days of the date on which such Domestic Subsidiary was acquired or created;providedthat any Domestic Subsidiary that constitutes an Immaterial Subsidiary need not become a Guarantor until such time as it ceases to be an Immaterial Subsidiary.
Section 4.21Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Issuer may designate any Restricted Subsidiary to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if that designation would not cause a Default. If a Restricted Subsidiary is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the aggregate Fair Market Value of all outstanding Investments owned by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the Subsidiary designated as Unrestricted will be deemed to be an Investment made as of the time of the designation and will reduce the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.13(a) hereof or under one or more clauses of the definition of “Permitted Investments,” as determined by the Issuer. That designation will only be permitted if the Investment would be permitted at that time and if the Restricted Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an “Unrestricted Subsidiary.” As of the Issue Date, all Subsidiaries of the Issuer will be Restricted Subsidiaries.
(b) If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the preceding requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it will thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary and will be deemed as of the date of such failure to be a Restricted Subsidiary for purposes of this Indenture. In that event, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary will be deemed to be incurred by such Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer as of such date and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be incurred as of such date under Section 4.14, the Issuer will be in Default of such covenant.
(c) The Board of Directors of the Issuer may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;providedthat such designation will be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer of any outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary, and such designation will only be permitted if (1) such Indebtedness is permitted under Section 4.14 hereof, calculated on a pro forma basis as if such designation had occurred at the beginning of the four-quarter reference period; and (2) no Default or Event of Default would be in existence following such designation.
(d) Any change in the designation of a Subsidiary of the Issuer as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or as a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, will be evidenced by the Issuer to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified copy of a resolution of its Board of Directors giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complied with and was permitted by this Section 4.21.
Section 4.22Payments for Consent.
Neither the Issuer nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration to or for the benefit of any Holder of Notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid and is paid to all Holders of the Notes that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in the solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or agreement.
60
Section 4.23Reports.
(a) Whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the SEC, so long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuer will furnish to the Trustee and the Holders of Notes or request in writing the Trustee to furnish to the Holders of Notes:
(1) all quarterly and annual reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Issuer were required to file such reports, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” that describes the financial condition and results of operations of the Issuer and its consolidated Subsidiaries; and
(2) all current reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K if the Issuer were required to file such reports.
in each case, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations. For purposes of delivery of reports required hereunder, any reports filed with the SEC as contemplated below and available on the SEC’s Electronic Data Gatheric, Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR) or its Interactive Data Electronic Applications system (IDEA), or any successor system for electronic filing, shall be deemed delivered to the Trustee and the Holders of Notes. However, the Trustee shall have no responsibility to determine if such filing has occurred.
(b) All such reports will be prepared in all material respects in accordance with all of the rules and regulations applicable to such reports. Each annual report on Form 10-K of the Issuer, as applicable, will include a report on the Issuer’s consolidated financial statements by the Issuer’s certified independent accountants. In addition, the Issuer will post the reports on its website within the time periods specified in the rules and regulations applicable to such reports and, following the consummation of the exchange offer contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, the Issuer will file a copy of each of the reports referred to in clauses (1) and (2) above with the SEC for public availability within those time periods (unless the SEC will not accept such a filing).
(c) If, at any time after consummation of the exchange offer contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, the Issuer is no longer subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act for any reason, such company will nevertheless continue filing the reports specified in the preceding paragraphs of this covenant with the SEC within the time periods specified above unless the SEC will not accept such a filing. The Issuer will not take any action for the purpose of causing the SEC not to accept any such filings.
(d) The Issuer will hold a quarterly conference call for the Holders of the Notes and securities analysts to discuss such financial information no later than ten Business Days after distribution of such financial information.
(e) If the Issuer has designated any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries, then the quarterly and annual financial information required by paragraph (a) of this Section 4.23 will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, and in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer.
61
(f) In addition, the Issuer and the Guarantors agree that, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding, if at any time they are not required or permitted to file with the SEC the reports required by this Section 4.23, they will furnish to the Holders of Notes and to securities analysts and prospective investors, upon its request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
ARTICLE 5
SUCCESSORS
Section 5.01Merger, Consolidation, or Sale of Assets.
(a) The Issuer will not, directly or indirectly: (1) consolidate or merge with or into another Person (whether or not the Issuer is the surviving corporation); or (2) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole in one or more related transactions, to another Person, unless:
(1) either: (A) the Issuer is the surviving corporation in a transaction with the Issuer; or (B) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made is a corporation or limited liability company organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia;providedthat if the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made is not a corporation, such Person causes a corporation to co-issue the Notes and causes such corporation to enter into appropriate restrictions on its activities consistent with the provision that any such entity will not hold any material assets, become liable for any material obligations or engage in any significant business activities;provided that such entity may be a co-obligor or guarantor with respect to Indebtedness if the Issuer is an obligor or guarantor on such Indebtedness and the net proceeds of such Indebtedness are received by the Issuer or one or more Guarantors;
(2) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made assumes all the obligations of the Issuer under the Notes, this Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement pursuant to a supplemental indenture and an amendment thereto, respectively;
(3) immediately after such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and
(4) the Issuer or the Person, as the case may be, formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made would, on the date of such transaction after giving pro forma effect thereto and any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, be permitted to incur at least $ 1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.14(a) hereof.
(b) In addition, the Issuer will not directly or indirectly, lease all or substantially all of the properties and assets of it and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to any other Person.
(c) This Section 5.01:
62
(1) will not apply to a merger of the Issuer with an Affiliate solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Issuer in another jurisdiction; and
(2) will not apply to any consolidation or merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, lease or other disposition of assets between or among the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries or between or among Restricted Subsidiaries.
Section 5.02Successor Corporation Substituted.
Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries in a transaction that is subject to, and that complies with the provisions of, Section 5.01 hereof, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Issuer or Restricted Subsidiaries is or are merged or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition, the provisions of this Indenture referring to the “Issuer” shall refer instead to the successor Person and not to the Issuer or the applicable Restricted Subsidiaries), and may exercise every right and power of the Issuer or Restricted Subsidiaries under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Issuer or Restricted Subsidiaries herein;provided, however, that the predecessor Issuer or Restricted Subsidiaries shall not be relieved from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes except in the case of a sale of all of the Issuer’s or the applicable Restricted Subsidiaries’ assets in a transaction that is subject to, and that complies with the provisions of, Section 5.01 hereof.
ARTICLE 6
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
Section 6.01Events of Default.
Each of the following is an “Event of Default”:
(1) default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on, or Additional Interest, if any, with respect to, the Notes;
(2) default in the payment when due (at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise) of the principal of, or premium, if any, on, the Notes;
(3) failure by the Issuer or any of the its Restricted Subsidiaries to comply with the provisions set forth in Sections 3.09, 4.10, 4.11, 4.13, 4.14 or 5.01 hereof;
(4) failure by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries for 60 days after notice to the Issuer by the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding voting as a single class to comply with any of the other agreements in this Indenture;
(5) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or Guarantee now exists, or is created after Issue Date, if that default;
63
(A) is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of any grace period provided in such Indebtedness on the date of such default (a“Payment Default”);or
(B) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity,
and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $10.0 million or more; andprovided, further,that if such default is cured or waived or any such acceleration rescinded, or such Indebtedness is repaid, within a period of 10 days from the continuation of such default beyond the applicable grace period or the occurrence of such acceleration, as the case may be, an Event of Default and any consequential acceleration of the Notes shall be automatically rescinded, so long as such rescission does not conflict with any judgment or decree;
(6) failure by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay final judgments entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction aggregating in excess of $10.0 million, which judgments are not paid, discharged or stayed for a period of 60 days;
(7) except as permitted by this Indenture, any Note Guarantee is held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or ceases for any reason to be in full force and effect, or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of any Guarantor, denies or disaffirms its obligations under its Note Guarantee;
(8) the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or within the meaning of Bankruptcy Law:
(A) commences a voluntary case;
(B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case;
(C) consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property;
(D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or
(E) generally is not paying its debts as they become due; or
(9) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(A) is for relief against the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case;
(B) appoints a custodian of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary or for all or substantially all of the property of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary; or
64
(C) orders the liquidation of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary;
and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days.
Notwithstanding the above, if the Issuer elects, by giving written notice to the Trustee, the sole remedy for an Event of Default relating to the failure to comply with Section 4.23 hereof, and/or for failure to comply with the requirements of Section 314(a)(1) of the TIA will, for the 60 days after the occurrence of such an Event of Default, consist exclusively of the right to receive additional interest on the Notes at an annual rate equal to 0.25% of the principal amount of the Notes then outstanding over such portion of the 60-day period immediately following such Event of Default during which such Event of Default is continuing (such additional interest,“Default Interest”). In the event the Issuer does not elect to pay the Default Interest, upon an Event of Default to this covenant, the Notes will be subject to acceleration as provided above. Any Default Interest that accrues on all outstanding Notes from and including the date on which an Event of Default relating to a failure to comply with Section 4.23 hereof and/or for any failure to comply with the requirements of Section 314(a)(1) of the TIA first occurs to, but not including, the 60th day thereafter (or such earlier date on which the Event of Default relating to such failure shall have been cured or waived) and will be payable in the same manner as any Additional Interest. On such 60th day (or earlier, if the Event of Default relating to such failure is cured or waived prior to such 60th day) such Additional Interest will cease to accrue and the Notes will be subject to acceleration, as provided above, if the Event of Default is continuing. This provision will not affect the rights of Holders of Notes in the event of the occurrence of any other Event of Default. For all purposes of the Indenture, references to interest means interest under the Notes and any Default Interest payable pursuant to this paragraph.
Section 6.02Acceleration.
In the case of an Event of Default specified in clause (8) or (9) of Section 6.01 hereof, with respect to the Issuer, any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice. If any other Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately.
The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes, rescind an acceleration or waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under this Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal, interest, premium or Additional Interest, if any.
Section 6.03Other Remedies.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture.
65
The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding.
A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder of a Note in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. All remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.
Section 6.04Waiver of Past Defaults.
Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive an existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences hereunder, except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, the Notes (including in connection with an offer to purchase);provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.05Control by Majority.
Subject to Section 7.01(e), Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power, including with respect to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee. The Trustee may withhold from Holders of the Notes notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest, except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal, interest, premium or Additional Interest, if any.
Section 6.06Limitation on Suits.
Subject to Section 7.01, in case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any Holders of Notes unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee an indemnity or security satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense. Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, interest, premium, or Additional Interest, if any, when due, no Holder of a Note may pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:
(1) such Holder has previously given the Trustee written notice that an Event of Default is continuing;
(2) Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes have requested in writing the Trustee to pursue the remedy;
(3) such Holders have offered the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense;
(4) the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and
66
(5) Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes have not given the Trustee a written direction inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.
A Holder of a Note may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder of a Note or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder of a Note.
Section 6.07Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Note (including in connection with an offer to purchase), or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.
Section 6.08Collection Suit by Trustee.
If an Event of Default specified in Sections 6.01(1) or (2) hereof occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment (a) in its own name and (b) as trustee of an express trust against the Issuer for the whole amount of principal of, premium, if any, and interest remaining unpaid on, the Notes and interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful, interest and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and its respective agents and counsel.
Section 6.09Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
The Trustee shall be authorized to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee or its agents and counsel) and the Holders of the Notes allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer (or any other obligor upon the Notes), its creditors or its property and shall be entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee or its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07 hereof. To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07 hereof out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
67
Section 6.10Priorities.
If the Trustee collects any money or property pursuant to this Article 6, it shall pay out the money or property in the following order:
First: to the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Registrar for amounts due under Section 7.07 hereof, including payment of all compensation, expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and the costs and expenses of collection;
Second: to Holders of Notes for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium, if any and interest, respectively; and
Third: to the Issuer or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct.
The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders of Notes pursuant to this Section 6.10.
Section 6.11Undertaking for Costs.
In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as a Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder of a Note pursuant to Section 6.07 hereof, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes.
Section 6.12Willful Event of Default.
In the case of any Event of Default occurring by reason of any willful action (or inaction) taken (or not taken) by or on behalf of the Issuer with the intention of avoiding payment of the premium that the Issuer would have had to pay if the Issuer then had elected to redeem the Notes pursuant Sections 3.09, 4.10 or 4.11 hereof, an equivalent premium will also become and be immediately due and payable to the extent permitted by law upon the acceleration of the Notes. If an Event of Default occurs by reason of any willful action (or inaction) taken (or not taken) by or on behalf of the Issuer with the intention of avoiding the prohibition on redemption of the Notes prior to that date, then an equivalent premium specified in this Indenture will also become and be immediately due and payable to the extent permitted by law upon the acceleration of the Notes.
ARTICLE 7
TRUSTEE
Section 7.01Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee will exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(1) the duties of the Trustee will be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture and the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
68
(2) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture. However, the Trustee will examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liabilities for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(1) this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section 7.01;
(2) the Trustee will not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(3) the Trustee will not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05 hereof.
(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this Section 7.01.
(e) No provision of this Indenture will require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or incur any liability. The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights and powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any Holders, unless such Holder has offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
(f) The Trustee will not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuer. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
Section 7.02Rights of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely upon and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting on any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel will be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.
(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and will not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care.
69
(d) The Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.
(e) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from the Issuer will be sufficient if signed by an Officer of the Issuer.
(f) The Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture. (i.e., an Incumbency Certificate).
(g) The Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder.
Section 7.03Individual Rights of Trustee.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. However, in the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue as Trustee (if this Indenture has been qualified under the TIA) or resign. Any Agent may do the same with like rights and duties. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11 hereof.
Section 7.04Trustee’s Disclaimer.
The Trustee will not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, and it shall not be accountable for the Issuer’s use of the proceeds from the Notes or any money paid to the Issuer or upon the Issuer’s direction under any provision of this Indenture, it will not be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, and it will not be responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement in the Notes or any other document in connection with the sale of the Notes or pursuant to this Indenture other than its certificate of authentication.
Section 7.05Notice of Defaults.
If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee will send to Holders of Notes a notice of the Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Note, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Notes.
Section 7.06Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes.
(a) Within 60 days after each December 15 beginning with the December 15 following the Issue Date, and for so long as Notes remain outstanding, the Trustee will send to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such reporting date that complies with TIA § 313(a) (but if no event set forth in TIA § 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the reporting date, no report need be transmitted). The Trustee also will comply with TIA § 313(b)(2) and § 313(b)(1). The Trustee will also transmit by mail all reports as required by TIA § 313(c).
70
(b) A copy of each report at the time of its sending to the Holders of Notes will be sent by the Trustee to the Issuer and filed by the Trustee with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Notes are listed in accordance with TIA § 313(d). The Issuer will promptly notify the Trustee in writing when the Notes are listed on any stock exchange.
Section 7.07Compensation and Indemnity.
(a) The Issuer will pay to the Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar (each, an“Indemnified Party”) from time to time the compensation for their acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder and thereunder as agreed to in writing between the Trustee and the Issuer. The Trustee’s compensation will not be limited by any law on compensation of a Trustee of an express trust. The Issuer will reimburse each Indemnified Party promptly upon request for all reasonable disbursements, advances and expenses incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses will include the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Indemnified Party’s agents and counsel.
(b) The Issuer and the Guarantors will indemnify the Indemnified Party against any and all losses, liabilities or expenses incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of its duties under this Indenture, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Issuer and the Guarantors (including this Section 7.07) and defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by the Issuer, the Guarantors, any Holder or any other Person) or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, liability or expense may be attributable to its negligence or willful misconduct. The Indemnified Party will notify the Issuer promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Indemnified Party to so notify the Issuer will not relieve the Issuer or any of the Guarantors of their obligations hereunder. The Issuer or such Guarantor will defend the claim and the Indemnified Party will cooperate in the defense. The Indemnified Party may have separate counsel and the Issuer will pay the reasonable fees and expenses of one such counsel. Neither the Issuer nor any Guarantor need pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
(c) The obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors under this Section 7.07 will survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
(d) To secure the Issuer’s and the Guarantors’ payment obligations in this Section 7.07, each Indemnified Party will have a Lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee, except, in the case of the Trustee, that held in trust to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest on particular Notes pursuant to Article 8 hereof. Such Lien will survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
(e) When an Indemnified Party incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(8) or (9) hereof occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services (including the fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
(f) The Trustee will comply with the provisions of TIA § 313(b)(2) to the extent applicable.
Section 7.08Replacement of Trustee.
(a) A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section 7.08.
71
(b) The Trustee may resign in writing at any time and be discharged from the trust hereby created by so notifying the Issuer. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Trustee and the Issuer in writing not less than 30 days prior to the effective date of such removal. The Issuer may remove the Trustee if:
(1) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof;
(2) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;
(3) a custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(4) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.
(c) If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Issuer will promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Issuer.
(d) If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Issuer, or the Holders of at least 10% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(e) If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder who has been a Holder for at least six months, fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof, such Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(f) A successor Trustee will deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Issuer. Thereupon, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee will become effective, and the successor Trustee will have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee will mail a notice of its succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee will promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee;provided all sums owing to the Trustee hereunder have been paid and subject to the Lien provided for in Section 7.07 hereof. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.08, the Issuer’s obligations under Section 7.07 hereof will continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.
(g) The retiring Trustee shall have no responsibility or liability for any action or inaction of a successor Trustee.
Section 7.09Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.
If the Trustee consolidates, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act will be the successor Trustee. As soon as practicable, the successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to the Issuer and the Holders of Notes. Any such successor must nevertheless be eligible and qualified under the provisions of Section 7.10 hereof.
72
Section 7.10Eligibility; Disqualification.
There will at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state thereof that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trustee power, that is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities and that has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50.0 million as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.
This Indenture will always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee is subject to TIA § 310(b);provided,however, that there shall be excluded from the operation of TIA § 310(b)(1) any indenture or indentures under which other securities, or certificates of interest or participation in other securities, of the Issuer are outstanding, if the requirements for such exclusion set forth in TIA § 310(b)(1) are met.
Section 7.11Preferential Collection of Claims Against Issuer.
The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.
Section 7.12Trustee in Other Capacities; Paying Agent.
References to the Trustee in Sections 7.01(b), (d), (f), (g) and (h), 7.02, 7.03, 7.04, 7.07, and 7.08 shall be understood to include the Trustee when acting in its other capacities under this Indenture, including, without limitation, as Paying Agent. The privileges, rights, indemnities, immunities and exculpatory provisions contained in this Indenture shall apply to the Trustee, whether it is acting under this Indenture or the other Indenture Documents.
ARTICLE 8
LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
Section 8.01Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.
The Issuer may at any time, at the option of the Board of Directors of the Issuer, evidenced by a resolution set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, elect to have either Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof be applied to all outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article 8.
Section 8.02Legal Defeasance and Discharge.
Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.02, the Issuer and each of the Guarantors will, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be deemed to have been discharged from their obligations with respect to all outstanding Notes (including the Note Guarantees) on the date the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Legal Defeasance”). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Issuer and the Guarantors will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes (including the Note Guarantees), which will thereafter be deemed to be “outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 8.06 hereof and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (1) and (2) below, and to have satisfied all their other obligations under such Notes, the Note Guarantees and this Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following provisions which will survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder:
73
(1) the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, and interest, premium and Additional Interest, if any, on, such Notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to in Section 8.05 hereof;
(2) the Issuer’s obligations with respect to the Notes under Article 2 and Section 4.02 hereof;
(3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee, and the Issuer’s and the Guarantors’ obligations in connection therewith; and
(4) this Article 8.
Subject to compliance with this Article 8, the Issuer may exercise its option under this Section 8.02 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 8.03 hereof.
Section 8.03 Covenant Defeasance.
Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03, the Issuer and each of the Guarantors will, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be released from each of their obligations under the covenants contained in Sections 3.09, 4.08, and 4.10 through and including 4.22 hereof; clause (4) of Section 5.01 hereof with respect to the outstanding Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Notes will thereafter be deemed not “outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but will continue to be deemed “outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes and Note Guarantees, the Issuer and the Guarantors may omit to comply with and will have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply will not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.01 hereof, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Notes and Note Guarantees will be unaffected thereby. In addition, upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, the breach or non compliance with the covenants defeased pursuant to this Section 8.03 hereof will not constitute Events of Default.
Section 8.04Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance.
In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance under either Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof:
(1) the Issuer must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of Notes, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, and interest, premium and Additional Interest, if any, on, the outstanding Notes on the stated date for payment thereof or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Issuer must specify whether the Notes are being defeased to such stated date for payment or to a particular redemption date;
74
(2) in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel confirming that (a) the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (b) since the Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel will confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;
(3) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel confirming that the Holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;
(4) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the incurrence of Indebtedness or the grant of Liens securing such Indebtedness, all or a portion of the proceeds of which will be used to defease the Notes pursuant to this Article 8 concurrently with such incurrence);
(5) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is bound;
(6) the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Issuer with the intent of preferring the Holders of Notes over the other creditors of the Issuer with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any creditors of the Issuer or others; and
(7) the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.
Section 8.05Deposited Money and Government Securities to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions.
Subject to Section 8.06 hereof, all money and non-callable Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 8.05, the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof in respect of the outstanding Notes will be (i) held in trust, (ii) at the written direction of the Issuer, such money may be invested, prior to maturity of the Notes, in Government Securities, and (iii) applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Issuer acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Notes of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium, if any, and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
The Issuer will pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or non-callable Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Notes.
75
Notwithstanding anything in this Article 8 to the contrary, the Trustee will deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time upon the request of the Issuer any money or non-callable Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 8.04 hereof which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 8.04(1) hereof), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.
Section 8.06Repayment to Issuer.
Subject to any unclaimed property law, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Issuer, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Issuer or (if then held by the Issuer) will be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note will thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Issuer for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money or Government Securities, and all liability of the Issuer as trustee thereof, will thereupon cease;provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Issuer cause to be published once, inThe New York Times orThe Wall Street Journal, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which will not be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer.
Section 8.07Reinstatement.
If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any U.S. dollars or non-callable Government Securities in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, as the case may be, by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Issuer’s and the Guarantors’ obligations under this Indenture and the Notes and the Note Guarantees will be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, as the case may be;provided, however, that, if the Issuer or any Guarantor make any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer will be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or Government Securities held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.
ARTICLE 9
AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER
Section 9.01Without Consent of Holders of Notes.
Notwithstanding Section 9.02 hereof, without the consent of any Holder, the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee, may amend or supplement this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees:
(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
(2) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes;
76
(3) to provide for the assumption of the Issuer’s or a Guarantor’s obligations to Holders of Notes and Note Guarantees in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the Issuer’s or such Guarantor’s assets, as applicable pursuant to Article 5;
(4) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of Notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees of any such Holder;
(5) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA;
(6) to conform the text of this Indenture, the Notes, or the Note Guarantees to any provision of the “Description of Notes” section of the Offering Memorandum to the extent that such provision was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees as certified by an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee;
(7) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in this Indenture as of the Issue Date (including Section 4.14); or
(8) to allow any Guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture and/or a Note Guarantee with respect to the Notes or to release any Guarantor in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.
Section 9.02With Consent of Holders of Notes.
Except as provided in section 9.01 and in the next succeeding paragraph of this Section 9.02, this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes), and any existing Default or Event of Default or compliance with any provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes).Section 2.08 hereof shall determine which Notes are considered to be “outstanding” for purposes of this Section 9.02.
Without the consent of each Holder of Notes, an amendment, supplement or waiver may not:
(1) reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(2) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any Note or alter the provisions with respect to the redemption or repurchase of the Notes (other than provisions relating to the covenants contained in Sections 3.09, 4.10 and 4.11 hereof);
(3) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest, including Default Interest, on any Note;
(4) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest, premium or Additional Interest, if any, on, the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
77
(5) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Notes;
(6) make any change in the provisions of this Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of Notes to receive payments of principal of, or interest, premium or Additional Interest, if any, on, the Notes;
(7) waive a redemption or repurchase payment with respect to any Note (other than a payment required by Sections 4.10 or 4.11 hereof);
(8) release any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Note Guarantee or this Indenture, except in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; or
(9) make any change in the preceding amendment, supplement and waiver provisions.
Section 9.03Compliance with TIA.
Every amendment or supplement to this Indenture or the Notes will be set forth in an amended or supplemental indenture that complies with the TIA as then in effect.
Section 9.04Revocation and Effect of Consents.
Until an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Note is a continuing consent by the Holder of a Note and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Note. However, any such Holder of a Note or subsequent Holder of a Note may revoke the consent as to its Note if the Trustee receives written notice of revocation in accordance with Section 12.02 before the date the amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective. An amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective in accordance with its terms and thereafter binds every Holder.
The Issuer may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the provisions of the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to consent to such amendment or waiver or to revoke any consent previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date.
Section 9.05Notation on or Exchange of Notes.
The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment, supplement or waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated. The Issuer in exchange for all Notes may issue and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment, supplement or waiver.
Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note will not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.
78
Section 9.06Trustee to Sign Amendments, etc.
Upon the request of the Issuer, accompanied by a resolution of the Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of the Holders of Notes as aforesaid, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 7.02 or this Section 9.06 hereof, the Trustee shall join with the Issuer and the Guarantors in the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture.
It shall not be necessary for the consent of Holders of Notes under Sections 9.01 or 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.
After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.06 becomes effective, the Issuer shall send to the Holders of Notes affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may waive compliance in a particular instance by the Issuer with any provision of this Indenture of the Notes.
The Trustee will sign any amended or supplemental indenture authorized pursuant to this Article 9 if the amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. The Issuer may not sign an amended or supplemental indenture until the Board of Directors of the Issuer approves it. In executing any amended or supplemental indenture, the Trustee will receive and (subject to Section 7.01 hereof) will be fully protected in relying upon, in addition to the documents required by Section 12.04 hereof, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.
ARTICLE 10
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 10.01Satisfaction and Discharge.
This Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Notes and Note Guarantees issued hereunder and the Trustee, on demand and at the expense of the Issuer, will execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when:
(1) either:
(a) all Notes that have been authenticated, except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to the Issuer, have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(b) all Notes that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the delivering of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within one year and the Issuer or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Notes not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, interest, premium and Additional Interest, if any, to the date of maturity or redemption;
(2) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit or the granting of Liens to secure such borrowings) and the deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other instrument to which the Issuer or any Guarantor is a party or by which the Issuer or any Guarantor is bound;
79
(3) the Issuer has or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under this Indenture; and
(4) the Issuer has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee under this Indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the Notes at maturity or on the redemption date, as the case may be.
In addition, the Issuer must deliver an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, if money has been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (b) of clause (1) of this Section 10.01, the provisions of Sections 10.02 and 8.06 hereof will survive. In addition, nothing in this Section 10.01 will be deemed to discharge those provisions of Section 7.07 hereof, that, by their terms, survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
Section 10.02Application of Trust Money.
Subject to the provisions of Section 8.06 hereof, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 10.01 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Issuer acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium, if any) and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Securities in accordance with Section 10.01 hereof by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Issuer’s and any Guarantor’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 10.01 hereof;provided that if the Issuer has made any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or Government Securities held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.
ARTICLE 11
GUARANTEES
Section 11.01Guarantee.
(a) Subject to Section 11.02, each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally guarantees on a senior unsecured basis to the extent, with respect to security, set forth in Article 12, to each Holder of a Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its respective successors and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Issuer hereunder or thereunder, that:
(1) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, the Notes will be promptly paid in full when due, subject to any applicable grace period, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if lawful, and all other obligations of the Issuer to the Holders and the Trustee hereunder or thereunder will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and
80
(2) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, subject to any applicable grace period, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise.
Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed or any performance so guaranteed for whatever reason, the Guarantors will be jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately. Each Guarantor agrees that this is a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection.
(b) The Guarantors hereby agree that their obligations hereunder are unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes, or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Issuer, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor. Each Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Issuer, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuer, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenant that this Note Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes and this Indenture.
(c) If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Issuer, the Guarantors or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Issuer or the Guarantors, any amount paid by the Issuer or any Guarantor to the Trustee or such Holder, this Note Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, will be reinstated in full force and effect.
(d) Each Guarantor agrees that it will not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby. Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (1) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 6 hereof for the purposes of this Note Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (2) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article 6 hereof, such obligations (whether or not due and payable) will forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for the purpose of this Note Guarantee. The Guarantors will have the right to seek contribution from any non-paying Guarantor so long as the exercise of such right does not impair the rights of the Holders under the Guarantee.
Section 11.02Limitation on Guarantor Liability.
Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Note Guarantee of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any Note Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of such Guarantor will be limited to the maximum amount that will, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor that are
81
relevant under such laws, and after giving effect to any collections from, rights to receive contribution from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under this Article 11, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance.
Section 11.03Execution and Delivery of Guarantee.
To evidence its Note Guarantee set forth in Section 11.01 hereof, each Guarantor hereby agrees that a notation of such Note Guarantee substantially in the form attached as Exhibit E hereto will be signed by an Officer of such Guarantor (by manual or facsimile signature) on each Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and that this Indenture will be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by one of its Officers.
Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Guarantee set forth in Section 11.01 hereof will remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Note a notation of such Note Guarantee.
If an Officer whose signature is on this Indenture or on the Note Guarantee no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note on which a Note Guarantee is endorsed, the Note Guarantee will be valid nevertheless.
The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, will constitute due delivery of the Note Guarantee set forth in this Indenture on behalf of the Guarantors.
In the event that the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries creates or acquires any Domestic Subsidiary after the Issue Date, if required by Section 4.20 hereof, the Issuer will cause such Domestic Subsidiary to comply with the provisions of Section 4.20 hereof and this Article 11, to the extent applicable.
Section 11.04Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 11.05 hereof, a Guarantor may not transfer, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to, or consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving Person) another Person, other than the Issuer or another Guarantor, unless:
(1) immediately after giving effect to that transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and
(2) either:
(a) subject to Section 11.05 hereof, the Person acquiring the property in any such transfer, sale or disposition or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger assumes all the obligations of that Guarantor under this Indenture and its Note Guarantee pursuant to a supplemental indenture and an amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(b) the Net Proceeds of such transfer, sale or other disposition are applied in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture;
82
provided, however,that the transfer, sale or other disposition of assets of the Guarantors that would comprise all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer, or the consolidation or merger into another person, of the Guarantors which would comprise all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer will be governed by Article 5 hereof and may be subject to Section 4.10 hereof.
In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance and upon the assumption by the successor Person, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the Note Guarantee endorsed upon the Notes and the due and punctual performance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Guarantor, such successor Person will succeed to and be substituted for the Guarantor with the same effect as if it had been named herein as a Guarantor. Such successor Person thereupon may cause to be signed any or all of the Note Guarantees to be endorsed upon all of the Notes issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee. All the Note Guarantees so issued will in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Note Guarantees theretofore and thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Note Guarantees had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.
Except as set forth in Articles 4 and 5 hereof, and notwithstanding clauses 2(a) and (b) above, nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Notes will prevent any consolidation or merger of a Guarantor with or into any Issuer or another Guarantor, or will prevent any sale or conveyance of the property of a Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Issuer or another Guarantor.
Section 11.05Releases.
The Note Guarantee of a Guarantor will be released:
(1) in connection with any transfer, sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of that Guarantor (including by way of merger or consolidation) to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, if the transfer, sale or other disposition does not violate Section 4.11 hereof with respect to that Guarantor and Sections 4.10 and 5.01 hereof as contemplated in the proviso of the first paragraph in Section 11.04 hereof;
(2) in connection with any transfer, sale or other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of that Guarantor to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, if the sale or other disposition does not violate Section 4.11 hereof with respect to Guarantors, as contemplated in the proviso to Section 11.04;
(3) if the Issuer designates that Guarantor to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance Section 4.21 hereof;
(4) upon Legal Defeasance or Satisfaction and Discharge of this Indenture in Accordance with Articles 8 and 10 hereof; or
(5) as may be provided in any intercreditor agreement we enter into in connection with any current and future Credit Facilities.
Any Guarantor not released from its obligations under its Guarantee as provided in this Section 11.05 will, subject to Section 11.02, remain liable for the full amount of principal of and interest and premium, if any, on the Notes and for the other obligations of any Guarantor under this Indenture as provided in this Article 11.
83
ARTICLE 12
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 12.01TIA Controls.
The terms of the Notes include those stated herein and those made part of this Indenture by the TIA, which applies to this Indenture and is incorporated by reference herein. If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by TIA §318(c), the imposed duties will control.
Section 12.02Notices.
Any notice or communication by the Issuer, any Guarantor or the Trustee to the others is duly given if in writing and delivered in Person or by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), facsimile transmission or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to the others’ address:
If to the Issuer and/or any Guarantor:
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD.
P.O. Box 250
Alice, Texas 78333
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
If to the Trustee:
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
Corporate Trust Services
45 Broadway, 14th Floor
New York, New York 10006
Facsimile No.: (212) 515-1589
Attention: Administrator for Forbes Energy Services Ltd.
The Issuer, any Guarantor or the Trustee, by notice to the others, may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders) will be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt acknowledged, if transmitted by facsimile; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.
Any notice or communication to a Holder will be mailed by first class mail, certified or registered, return receipt requested, by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery or by electronic means to its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar. Any notice or communication will also be so sent to any Person set forth in TIA § 313(c), to the extent required by the TIA. Failure to send a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it will not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.
84
If a notice or communication is given in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.
If the Issuer gives a notice or communication to Holders, the Issuer will give a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Note, where this Indenture or any Note provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption) to a Holder of a Global Note (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary for such Note (or its designee), pursuant to the customary procedures of such Depositary.
Section 12.03Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes.
Holders may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture, any Note Guarantee or the Notes. The Issuer, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).
Section 12.04Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
Upon any request or application by the Issuer or any Guarantor to the Trustee, to take any action under this Indenture, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee:
(1) an Officers’ Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which must include the statements set forth in Section 12.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been satisfied; and
(2) an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which must include the statements set forth in Section 12.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent and covenants have been satisfied.
Section 12.05Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA § 314(a)(4)) must comply with the provisions of TIA § 314(e) and must include:
(1) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(3) a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him or her to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been satisfied; and
(4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has been satisfied.
85
Section 12.06Rules by Trustee and Agents.
The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders. The Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.
Section 12.07No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders.
No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder or other owner of Capital Stock of the Issuer or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or the Guarantors under the Notes, this Indenture or the Note Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.
Section 12.08Governing Law.
THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WILL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE NOTE GUARANTEES.
Section 12.09No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Issuer or its Subsidiaries or of any other Person. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
Section 12.10Successors.
All agreements of the Issuer and the Guarantors in this Indenture and the Notes will bind their successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture will bind its successors. All agreements of each Guarantor in this Indenture will bind its successors, except as otherwise provided in Section 11.05 hereof.
Section 12.11Severability.
In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 12.12Counterpart Originals.
The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy will be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.
86
Section 12.13Table of Contents, Headings, etc.
The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table and Headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Indenture and will in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
[Signatures on following page]
87
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Indenture as of the date first written above.
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD., as Issuer | ||||
By: | /s/ John E. Crisp | |||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | /s/ John E. Crisp | |||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
C.C. FORBES, LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | /s/ John E. Crisp | |||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer |
TX ENERGY SERVICES, LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | /s/ John E. Crisp | |||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
SUPERIOR TUBING TESTERS, LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | /s/ John E. Crisp | |||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President |
FORBES ENERGY INTERNATIONAL, LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | /s/ John E. Crisp | |||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer |
Indenture
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,as Trustee | ||||
By: | /s/ Raymond Delli Colli | |||
Name: | Raymond Delli Colli | |||
Title: | Vice President |
Indenture
EXHIBIT A
[Face of QIB/Reg S Note]
[Insert the Global Note Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture]
[Insert the Private Placement Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture]
[Insert Regulation S Temporary Global Note Legend, if applicable, pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture]
[ADDITIONAL LEGEND: THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY IS ENTITLED TO THE BENEFITS OF THE REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (EACH, AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE).]
A-1
CUSIP/CINS: 144A – 345143 AA9
Reg S – G37948 AB5
9% Senior Notes due 2019
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD.
No. ____ | $ | ____________ |
Forbes Energy Services Ltd., a Bermuda exempt company (including any and all successors thereto, the “Issuer”), as issuer of the 9% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”), promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of ______________ DOLLARS on June 15, 2019.
Interest Payment Dates: June 15 and December 15
Record Dates: June 1 and December 1
Dated: June 7, 2011
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD. | ||
By: | ||
Name: John E. Crisp | ||
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer |
A-2
This is one of the Notes referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture:
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee | ||
By: | ||
Authorized Signatory |
A-3
[Back of Note]
9% Senior Notes due 2019
Capitalized terms used herein have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.
(1)INTEREST. Forbes Energy Services Ltd., a Bermuda exempt company (the “Issuer”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at a rate of 9% per annum, from June 7, 2011 until maturity. The Issuer will pay interest semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each, an “Interest Payment Date”). Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from the date of issuance;provided that if there is no existing Default in the payment of interest, and if this Note is authenticated between a record date referred to on the face hereof (each, a “Record Date”) and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest shall accrue from such next succeeding Interest Payment Date;provided further that the first Interest Payment Date shall be December 15, 2011. The Issuer will pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal, premium, if any, and interest (without regard to any applicable grace period), from time to time on demand at a rate equal to 2% per annum in excess of the then applicable interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful. The Issuer will notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of defaulted interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment. The Issuer will fix or cause to be fixed each such special record date and payment date;provided that no such special record date may be less than 10 days prior to the related payment date for such defaulted interest. At least 15 days before the special record date, the Issuer (or, upon the written request of the Issuer, the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Issuer) will mail or cause to be mailed to Holders a notice that states the special record date, the related payment date and the amount of such interest to be paid. The Issuer will pay Additional Interest, if any, to Holders of Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement. Defaulted interest and Additional Interest, if any, will be paid on regular Interest Payment Dates in the same manner as other interest is paid on the Notes. All reference to “interest” in this Note and the Indenture mean the initial interest rate borne by the Notes and any increases in that rate due to defaulted interest or Additional Interest (unless the Indenture states otherwise). Defaulted interest and Additional Interest will be in addition to any other interest payable from time to time with respect to the Notes. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.
(2)METHODOF PAYMENT. The Issuer will pay interest on the Notes (except defaulted interest) to the Persons who are Holders at the close of business on June 1 or December 1 next preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Sections 2.12 and 6.01 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes will be payable as to principal, premium, if any, and interest at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose, or, at the option of the Issuer, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders;provided that (1) payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds will be required with respect to principal of, interest and premium, if any, on, all Global Notes and all other Notes the Holders of which will have provided wire transfer instructions to the Issuer or the Paying Agent and (2) such payment by check may only be paid so long as no event of default under the Indenture is continuing. Such payment will be in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. The principal of the Notes shall be payable only upon
A-4
surrender of any Note at the specified offices of the Paying Agent. If the due date for payment of the principal in respect of any Note is not a Business Day at the place in which it is presented for payment, the Holder thereof shall not be entitled to payment of the amount due until the next succeeding Business Day at such place.
(3)PAYING AGENTAND REGISTRAR. Initially, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, the Trustee under the Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Issuer may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity; provided no Event of Default is continuing.
(4)INDENTURE; REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT. The Issuer issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of June 7, 2011 (the “Indenture”) among the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, which applies to the Indenture and is incorporated by reference therein. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and such Act for a statement of such terms. To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling. The Notes are unsecured obligations of the Issuer. The Indenture does not limit the aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be issued thereunder. Holders are entitled to the benefits of the Registration Rights Agreement.
(5)RANKING. This Note shall constitute a senior obligation of the Issuer and the Obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture and this Note shall be secured pursuant to the Collateral Documents and will be subject to the Intercreditor Agreement, if any.
(6)OPTIONAL REDEMPTIONAND PURCHASE. The Notes are subject to redemption and purchase as provided in Article III of the Indenture.
(7)MANDATORY REDEMPTION. The Issuer is not required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.
(8)REPURCHASEATTHE OPTIONOF HOLDER.
(a) If there is a Change of Control, the Issuer will be required to make a Change of Control Offer to each Holder to repurchase all or any part (equal to minimum amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) of each Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, thereon to the date of purchase, subject to the rights of Holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date (the “Change of Control Payment”). Within 10 days following any Change of Control or, at the Issuer’ option, prior to such Change of Control but after public announcement thereof, the Issuer will mail a notice to each Holder setting forth the procedures governing the Change of Control Offer as required by the Indenture.
(b) If the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer consummates an Asset Sale, the Issuer in circumstances specified in the Indenture may be required to commence an offer to all Holders of Notes and all holders of other Indebtedness that ispari passu with the Notes containing provisions similar to those set forth in the Indenture with respect to offers to purchase or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets an Asset Sale Offer pursuant to Section 3.09 of the Indenture to purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes and such otherpari passu Indebtedness that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an
A-5
amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, thereon to the date of purchase, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture. Holders of Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase will receive an Asset Sale Offer from the Issuer prior to any related purchase date and may elect to have such Notes purchased by completing the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” attached to the Notes.
(9)NOTICEOF REDEMPTION. Notice of redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction or discharge of the Indenture. Notes in denominations larger than $2,000 may be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of $1,000, unless all of the Notes held by a Holder are to be redeemed.
(10)DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE. The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes may be exchanged as provided in the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the Issuer may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Issuer need not exchange or register the transfer of any Note or portion of a Note selected for redemption, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part. Also, the Issuer need not exchange or register the transfer of any Notes for a period of 15 days prior to the mailing of a notice of redemption of the Notes to be redeemed or during the period between a record date and the corresponding Interest Payment Date.
(11)PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. The Holder of a Note may be treated as its owner for all purposes. Only Holders have rights under the Indenture and this Note.
(12)AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENTAND WAIVER. Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes, voting as a single class, and any existing Default or Event of Default or compliance with any provision of the Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes, voting as a single class. Without the consent of any Holder of a Note, the Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees may be amended or supplemented to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency and to effect certain other changes as set forth in the Indenture.
(13)DEFAULTSAND REMEDIES. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Holders of the Notes notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal or interest or premium, if any,) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest. The Holders of a
A-6
majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes, rescind an acceleration or waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of interest or premium, if any, on, or the principal of, the Notes. The Issuer are required to deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the Indenture, and the Issuer are required, upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, to deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.
(14)TRUSTEE DEALINGSWITHTHE ISSUER. The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform services for the Issuer or its Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or its Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee.
(15)NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS. No director, officer, employee, incorporator or equity holder of the Company or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantors under the Notes, the Indenture or the Note Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.
(16)AUTHENTICATION. This Note will not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.
(17)ABBREVIATIONS. Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (= Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors Act).
(18)CUSIP NUMBERS. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Issuer has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes, and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption, and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.
(19)GOVERNING LAW.THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WILL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THE INDENTURE, THIS NOTE AND THE NOTE GUARANTEES.
The Issuer will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made to:
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD.
P.O. Box 250
Alice, Texas 78333
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
A-7
ASSIGNMENT FORM
To assign this Note, fill in the form below:
(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to: | ||
(Insert assignee’s legal name) | ||
(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.) | ||
(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)
| ||
and irrevocably appoint to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The agent may substitute another to act for him. | ||
Date:
Your Signature: | ||
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note) |
Signature Guarantee*:
* | Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee). |
A-8
OPTIONOF HOLDERTO ELECT PURCHASE
If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Sections 3.09, 4.10, or 4.11 of the Indenture, check the appropriate box below:
¨ Section 3.09 ¨ Section 4.10 ¨ Section 4.11
If you want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Sections 3.09, 4.10 or 4.11 of the Indenture, state the amount you elect to have purchased:
$
Date: | ||
Your Signature: | ||
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note) |
Tax Identification No.: |
Signature Guarantee*:
* | Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee). |
A-9
SCHEDULEOF EXCHANGESOF INTERESTSINTHE GLOBAL NOTE *
The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:
Date of Exchange | Amount | Amount of this Global Note | Principal Amount | Signature of |
* | This schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form. |
A-10
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD.
P.O. Box 250
Alice, Texas 78333
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
as Trustee and Registrar – DAPS Reorg
MAC N9303-121
608 2nd Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55479
Telephone No.: (877) 872-4605
Facsimile No.: (866) 969-1290
Email: DAPSReorg@wellsfargo.com
Re: 9% Senior Notes due 2019
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of June 7, 2011 (the “Indenture”), among Forbes Energy Services Ltd., a Bermuda exempt company (the “Issuer”), the Guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
, (the “Transferor”) owns and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Transfer”), to (the “Transferee”), as further specified in Annex A hereto. In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:
[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]
1.¨Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note or a Restricted Definitive Note pursuant to Rule 144A. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A, and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the 144A Global Note and/or the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
2.¨Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note, the Regulation S Permanent Global Note or a Restricted Definitive Note pursuant to Regulation S. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer is not being made to a Person in the United States and (x) at the time the buy order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such Transferor and any Person acting on its
B-1
behalf reasonably believed and believes that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act and (iv) if the proposed transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the transfer is not being made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Regulation S Permanent Global Note, the Regulation S Temporary Global Note and/or the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
3.¨Check and complete if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the IAI Global Note or a Restricted Definitive Note pursuant to any provision of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A or Regulation S. The Transfer is being effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the Transferor hereby further certifies that (check one):
(a) ¨ such Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act;
or
(b) ¨ such Transfer is being effected to the Issuer or a subsidiary thereof;
or
(c) ¨ such Transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in compliance with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act;
or
(d) ¨ such Transfer is being effected to an Institutional Accredited Investor and pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A, Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904, and the Transferor hereby further certifies that it has not engaged in any general solicitation within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act and the Transfer complies with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in a Restricted Global Note or Restricted Definitive Notes and the requirements of the exemption claimed, which certification is supported by (1) a certificate executed by the Transferee in the form of Exhibit D to the Indenture and (2) an Opinion of Counsel provided by the Transferor or the Transferee (a copy of which the Transferor has attached to this certification), to the effect that such Transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the IAI Global Note and/or the Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
B-2
4.¨Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or of an Unrestricted Definitive Note.
(a) ¨ Check if Transfer is pursuant to Rule 144. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
(b) ¨ Check if Transfer is Pursuant to Regulation S. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
(c) ¨ Check if Transfer is Pursuant to Other Exemption. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuer.
[Insert Name of Transferor] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Dated:
B-3
ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
1. | The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following: |
[CHECK ONE OF (a) OR (b)]
(a) | a beneficial interest in the: |
(i) ¨ | 144A Global Note (CUSIP ), or |
(ii) ¨ | Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP ), or |
(iii) ¨ | IAI Global Note (CUSIP ); or |
(b) | a Restricted Definitive Note |
2. | After the Transfer the Transferee will hold: |
[CHECK ONE]
(a) | a beneficial interest in the: |
(i) ¨ | 144A Global Note (CUSIP ), or |
(ii) ¨ | Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP ), or |
(iii) ¨ | IAI Global Note (CUSIP ); or |
(iv) ¨ | Unrestricted Global Note (CUSIP ); or |
(b) | a Restricted Definitive Note; or |
(c) | an Unrestricted Definitive Note |
in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.
B-4
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD.
P.O. Box 250
Alice, Texas 78333
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
as Trustee and Registrar – DAPS Reorg
MAC N9303-121
608 2nd Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55479
Telephone No.: (877) 872-4605
Facsimile No.: (866) 969-1290
Email: DAPSReorg@wellsfargo.com
Re: 9% Senior Notes due 2019
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of June 7, 2011 (the “Indenture”), among Forbes Energy Services Ltd., a Bermuda exempt company (the “Issuer”), the Guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
, (the “Owner”) owns and proposes to exchange the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Exchange”). In connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:
1.Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note
(a)¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(b)¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
C-1
(c)¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(d)¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
2.Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes
(a)¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Restricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
(b)¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in the [CHECK ONE]¨ 144A Global Note,¨ Regulation S Global Note,¨ IAI Global Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer and (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuer.
[Insert Name of Transferor] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Dated:
Dated:
C-2
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF CERTIFICATE FROM
ACQUIRING INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD.
P.O. Box 250
Alice, Texas 78333
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
as Trustee and Registrar – DAPS Reorg
MAC N9303-121
608 2nd Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55479
Telephone No.: (877) 872-4605
Facsimile No.: (866) 969-1290
Email: DAPSReorg@wellsfargo.com
Re: 9% Senior Notes due 2019
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of June 7, 2011 (the “Indenture”), among Forbes Energy Services Ltd., as issuer (the “Issuer”), the Guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
In connection with our proposed purchase of $ aggregate principal amount of:
(a)¨ a beneficial interest in a Global Note, or
(b)¨ a Definitive Note,
we confirm that:
1. We understand that any subsequent transfer of the Notes or any interest therein is subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the Indenture and the undersigned agrees to be bound by, and not to resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Notes or any interest therein except in compliance with, such restrictions and conditions and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
2. We understand that the offer and sale of the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act, and that the Notes and any interest therein may not be offered or sold except as permitted in the following sentence. We agree, on our own behalf and on behalf of any accounts for which we are acting as hereinafter stated, that if we should sell the Notes or any interest therein, we will do so only (A) to the Company or any subsidiary thereof, (B) in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act to a “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined therein), (C) to an institutional “accredited investor” (as defined below) that, prior to such transfer, furnishes (or has furnished on its behalf by a U.S. broker-dealer) to you and to the Company a signed letter substantially in the form of this letter and an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act, (D) outside the United States in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (E) pursuant to the provisions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act or (F) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, and we further agree to provide to any Person purchasing the Definitive Note or beneficial interest in a Global Note from us in a transaction meeting the requirements of clauses (A) through (E) of this paragraph a notice advising such purchaser that resales thereof are restricted as stated herein.
D-1
3. We understand that, on any proposed resale of the Notes or beneficial interest therein, we will be required to furnish to you and the Issuer such certifications, legal opinions and other information as you and the Issuer may reasonably require to confirm that the proposed sale complies with the foregoing restrictions. We further understand that the Notes purchased by us will bear a legend to the foregoing effect.
4. We are an institutional “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) of Regulation D under the Securities Act) and have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of our investment in the Notes, and we and any accounts for which we are acting are each able to bear the economic risk of our or its investment.
5. We are acquiring the Notes or beneficial interest therein purchased by us for our own account or for one or more accounts (each of which is an institutional “accredited investor”) as to each of which we exercise sole investment discretion.
You and the Issuer are entitled to rely upon this letter and are irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceedings or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.
[Insert Name of Accredited Investor] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Dated:
D-2
EXHIBIT E
FORM OF NOTATION OF GUARANTEE
For value received, each Guarantor (which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture) has, jointly and severally, unconditionally guaranteed, to the extent set forth in the Indenture and subject to the provisions in the Indenture dated as of June 7, 2011 (the “Indenture”), among Forbes Energy Services Ltd., a Bermuda exempt company (the “Issuer”), the Guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), (a) the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, the Notes, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, the due and punctual payment of interest on overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if lawful, and the due and punctual performance of all other obligations of the Issuer to the Holders or the Trustee all in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and (b) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise. The obligations of the Guarantors to the Holders of Notes and to the Trustee pursuant to the Note Guarantee and the Indenture, and the limitations thereon, are expressly set forth in Article 11 of the Indenture and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms of the Note Guarantee.
Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LLC | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
TX ENERGY SERVICES, LLC | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
C.C. FORBES, LLC | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer |
E-1
SUPERIOR TUBING TESTERS, LLC | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President |
FORBES ENERGY INTERNATIONAL, LLC | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer |
E-2
EXHIBIT F
FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
TO BE DELIVERED BY SUBSEQUENT GUARANTORS
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of , among (the “Guaranteeing Subsidiary”), a subsidiary of Forbes Energy Services Ltd. (or its permitted successor), a Bermuda exempt company (the “Company”), the other Guarantors (as defined in the Indenture referred to herein) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee under the Indenture referred to below (the “Trustee”).
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of June 7, 2011 providing for the issuance of 9% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”);
WHEREAS, the Indenture provides that under certain circumstances the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee all of the Company’s Obligations under the Notes and the Indenture on the terms and conditions set forth herein (the “Guarantee”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.01 of the Indenture, the Trustee is authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Guaranteeing Subsidiary and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes as follows:
1. CAPITALIZED TERMS. Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
2. AGREEMENTTO GUARANTEE. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary hereby agrees to provide an unconditional Guarantee on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Guarantee and in the Indenture including but not limited to Article 11 thereof, and subject to the limitations therein.
3. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS. No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Company or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantors under the Notes, the Indenture or the Note Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.
4. NEW YORK LAW TO GOVERN. THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WILL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THE INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE NOTE GUARANTEES.
5. COUNTERPARTS. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.
6. EFFECTOF HEADINGS. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
F-1
7. THE TRUSTEE. The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which recitals are made solely by the Guaranteeing Subsidiary and the Company.
F-2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the date first above written.
Dated: , 20
[GUARANTEEING SUBSIDIARY], as a Guarantor | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LTD., as Issuer | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
FORBES ENERGY SERVICES LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
TX ENERGY SERVICES, LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
C.C. FORBES, LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer |
F-3
SUPERIOR TUBING TESTERS, LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President |
FORBES ENERGY INTERNATIONAL, LLC, as a Guarantor | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | John E. Crisp | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer |
F-4
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee | ||
By: | ||
Authorized Signatory |
F-5