Exhibit 1.3
EXECUTION VERSION
Forward Confirmation
| Date: | August 2, 2021 |
| To: | Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc. |
6815 Poplar Ave., Suite 500 |
Germantown, Tennessee 38138 |
| From: | Wells Fargo Bank, National Association |
30 Hudson Yards |
New York, NY 10001-2170 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The purpose of this letter agreement is to confirm the terms and conditions of the Transaction entered into between Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (“Dealer”) and Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc. (the “Counterparty”) on the Trade Date specified below (the “Transaction”). This letter agreement constitutes a “Confirmation” as referred to in the ISDA 2002 Master Agreement specified below.
The definitions and provisions contained in the 2002 ISDA Equity Derivatives Definitions (the “Equity Definitions”), as published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., are incorporated into this Confirmation. In the event of any inconsistency between the Equity Definitions and this Confirmation, this Confirmation shall govern.
Each party is hereby advised, and each such party acknowledges, that the other party has engaged in, or refrained from engaging in, substantial financial transactions and has taken other material actions in reliance upon the parties’ entry into the Transaction to which this Confirmation relates on the terms and conditions set forth below.
1. This Confirmation evidences a complete and binding agreement between Dealer and Counterparty as to the terms of the Transaction to which this Confirmation relates. This Confirmation shall supplement, form a part of, and be subject to an agreement in the form of the ISDA 2002 Master Agreement (the “Agreement”) as if Dealer and Counterparty had executed an agreement in such form (without any Schedule but (i) with the elections set forth in this Confirmation and (ii) with the election that the “Cross Default” provisions of Section 5(a)(vi) of the Agreement will apply to Dealer as if (a) the phrase “, or becoming capable at such time of being declared,” were deleted from Section 5(a)(vi)(1) of the Agreement; (b) the “Threshold Amount” with respect to Dealer were three percent of the shareholders’ equity of Dealer; (c) the following language were added to the end of Section 5(a)(vi): “Notwithstanding the foregoing, a default under subsection (2) hereof shall not constitute an Event of Default if (x) the default was caused solely by error or omission of an administrative or operational nature; (y) funds were available to enable the party to make the payment when due; and (z) the payment is made within two Local Business Days of such party’s receipt of written notice of its failure to pay.”; and (d) the term “Specified Indebtedness” had meaning specified in Section 14 of the Agreement, except that
such term shall not include obligations in respect of deposits received in the ordinary course of a party’s banking business). In the event of any inconsistency between provisions of that Agreement and this Confirmation, this Confirmation will prevail for the purpose of the Transaction to which this Confirmation relates. The parties hereby agree that, other than the Transaction to which this Confirmation relates, no Transaction shall be governed by the Agreement. For purposes of the Equity Definitions, this Transaction is a Share Forward Transaction.
2. The terms of the particular Transaction to which this Confirmation relates are as follows:
| General Terms: | ||
| Trade Date: | August 3, 2021 | |
| Effective Date: | August 5, 2021, or such later date on which the conditions set forth in Paragraph 7 below have been satisfied. | |
| Seller: | Counterparty | |
| Buyer: | Dealer | |
| Shares: | The common stock of Counterparty, par value USD 0.01 per share (Ticker Symbol: “MAA”) | |
| Number of Shares: | Initially, 550,000 Shares (the “Initial Number of Shares”); provided that the Number of Shares is subject to reduction as provided in Paragraph 7(a) below. | |
| On each Settlement Date, the Number of Shares shall be reduced by the number of Settlement Shares settled on such date. | ||
| Initial Forward Price: | USD $190.56 per Share | |
| Forward Price: | (a) On the Effective Date, the Initial Forward Price; and | |
(b) on each calendar day thereafter, (i) the Forward Price as of the immediately preceding calendar day multiplied by (ii) the sum of 1 and the Daily Rate for such day; provided that, on each Forward Price Reduction Date occurring on or after the Effective Date, the Forward Price in effect on such date shall be the Forward Price otherwise in effect on such date, minus the Forward Price Reduction Amount for such Forward Price Reduction Date. | ||
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| Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent Counterparty delivers Shares hereunder on or after a Forward Price Reduction Date and at or before the record date for an ordinary cash dividend with an ex-dividend date corresponding to such Forward Price Reduction Date, the Calculation Agent shall adjust the Forward Price to the extent it determines that such an adjustment is appropriate and necessary to preserve the economic intent of the parties by offsetting the economic effect of the Dealer having received the benefit of both (i) the Forward Price Reduction Amount and (ii) the ordinary cash dividend with an ex- dividend date corresponding to such Forward Price Reduction Amount (taking into account Dealer’s commercially reasonable hedge positions in respect of the Transaction). | ||
| Daily Rate: | For any day, (i)(A) Overnight Bank Rate for such day, minus (B) the Spread, divided by (ii) 365. | |
| Overnight Bank Rate: | For any day, the rate set forth for such day opposite the caption “Overnight bank funding rate,” as such rate is displayed on Bloomberg Screen “OBFR01 <Index> <GO>”, or any successor page; provided that, if no rate appears for a particular day on such page, the rate for the immediately preceding day for which a rate does so appear shall be used for such day. | |
| Spread: | 75 basis points | |
| Prepayment: | Not Applicable | |
| Variable Obligation: | Not Applicable | |
| Forward Price Reduction Dates: | As set forth on Schedule I | |
| Forward Price Reduction Amounts: | For each Forward Price Reduction Date, the Forward Price Reduction Amount set forth opposite such date on Schedule I | |
| Exchange: | The New York Stock Exchange | |
| Related Exchange(s): | All Exchanges | |
| Clearance System: | The Depository Trust Company | |
| Securities Act: | Securities Act of 1933, as amended | |
| Exchange Act: | Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended | |
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| Market Disruption Event: | Section 6.3(a) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by replacing the first sentence in its entirety with the following: “‘Market Disruption Event’ means in respect of a Share or an Index, the occurrence or existence of (i) a Trading Disruption, (ii) an Exchange Disruption, (iii) an Early Closure or (iv) a Regulatory Disruption, in each case that the Calculation Agent determines, in its commercially reasonable judgment, is material”. | |
| Early Closure: | Section 6.3(d) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by deleting the remainder of the provision following the term “Scheduled Closing Time” in the fourth line thereof. | |
| Regulatory Disruption: | Any event that Dealer, based on the advice of counsel, determines makes it reasonably necessary or appropriate with regard to any legal, regulatory or self-regulatory requirements or related policies and procedures that generally apply to transactions of a nature and kind similar to the Transaction and have been adopted in good faith by Dealer for Dealer to refrain from or decrease any market activity in connection with the Transaction. | |
| Settlement: | ||
| Settlement Currency: | USD (all amounts shall be converted to the Settlement Currency in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner by the Calculation Agent) | |
| Settlement Date: | Any Scheduled Trading Day following the Effective Date and up to and including the Final Date that is either: | |
(a) designated by Counterparty as a “Settlement Date” by a written notice (a “Settlement Notice”) that satisfies the Settlement Notice Requirements, if applicable, and is delivered to Dealer no less than (i) two Scheduled Trading Days prior to such Settlement Date, which may be the Final Date, if Physical Settlement applies, and (ii) 60 Scheduled Trading Days prior to such Settlement Date, which may be the Final Date, if Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies; provided that, if Dealer shall fully unwind its commercially reasonable hedge with respect to the portion of the Number of Shares to be settled during an Unwind Period by a date that is more than two Scheduled Trading Days prior to a Settlement Date specified above, Dealer may, by written notice to Counterparty, no fewer than two Scheduled Trading Days prior thereto, specify any Scheduled Trading Day prior to such original Settlement Date as the Settlement Date; or | ||
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(b) designated by Dealer as a Settlement Date pursuant to the“ Termination Settlement” provisions of Paragraph 7(g) below; | ||
| provided that the Final Date will be a Settlement Date if on such date the Number of Shares for which a Settlement Date has not already been designated is greater than zero, and provided, further, that, following the occurrence of at least five consecutive Disrupted Days during an Unwind Period and while such Disrupted Days are continuing, Dealer may designate any subsequent Scheduled Trading Day as the Settlement Date with respect to the portion of the Settlement Shares, if any, for which Dealer has determined an Unwind Purchase Price during such Unwind Period, it being understood that the Unwind Period with respect to the remainder of such Settlement Shares shall recommence on the next succeeding Exchange Business Day that is not a Disrupted Day in whole. | ||
| Final Date: | February 2, 2023 (or if such day is not a Scheduled Trading Day, the next following Scheduled Trading Day) | |
| Settlement Shares: | (a) With respect to any Settlement Date other than the Final Date, the number of Shares designated as such by Counterparty in the relevant Settlement Notice or designated by Dealer pursuant to the “Termination Settlement” provisions of Paragraph 7(g) below, as applicable; provided that the Settlement Shares so designated shall, in the case of a designation by Counterparty, (i) not exceed the Number of Shares at that time and (ii) be at least equal to the lesser of 100,000 and the Number of Shares at that time, in each case with the Number of Shares determined taking into account pending Settlement Shares; and | |
(b) with respect to the Settlement Date on the Final Date, a number of Shares equal to the Number of Shares at that time; | ||
| in each case with the Number of Shares determined taking into account pending Settlement Shares. | ||
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| Settlement Method Election: | Physical Settlement, Cash Settlement, or Net Share Settlement, at the election of Counterparty as set forth in a Settlement Notice that satisfies the Settlement Notice Requirements; provided that Physical Settlement shall apply (i) if no Settlement Method is validly selected, (ii) with respect to any Settlement Shares in respect of which Dealer is unable, in good faith and in its commercially reasonable discretion (taking into account the unwind of the commercially reasonable hedge related to each other forward or other equity derivative transaction (if any) entered into between Dealer and Counterparty (each, an “Additional Equity Derivative Transaction”)), to unwind its commercially reasonable hedge by the end of the Unwind Period (A) in a manner that, in the reasonable discretion of Dealer, based on advice of counsel, is consistent with the requirements for qualifying for the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 10b-18”) or (B) in its commercially reasonable judgment, due to the occurrence of five or more Disrupted Days or to the lack of sufficient liquidity in the Shares on any Exchange Business Day during the Unwind Period, (iii) to any Termination Settlement Date (as defined under “Termination Settlement” in Paragraph 7(g) below) and (iv) if the Final Date is a Settlement Date other than as the result of a valid Settlement Notice, in respect of such Settlement Date; provided, further, that, if Physical Settlement applies under clause (ii) immediately above, Dealer shall provide written notice to Counterparty at least two Scheduled Trading Days prior to the applicable Settlement Date. | |
| Settlement Notice Requirements: | Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, a Settlement Notice delivered by Counterparty that specifies Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement will not be effective to establish a Settlement Date or require Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement unless Counterparty delivers to Dealer with such Settlement Notice a representation, dated as of the date of such Settlement Notice and signed by Counterparty, containing (x) the provisions set forth in clause (i) under the heading “Additional Representations and Agreements of Counterparty” in Paragraph 7(e) below and (y) a representation from Counterparty that neither Counterparty nor any of its subsidiaries has applied, and shall not until after the first date on which no portion of the Transaction remains outstanding following any final exercise and settlement, cancellation or early termination of the Transaction, apply, for a loan, loan guarantee, direct loan (as that term is defined in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”)) or other investment, or receive any financial assistance or relief under any program or facility (collectively “Financial Assistance”) that (I) is established under applicable law (whether in existence as of the Trade Date or subsequently enacted, adopted or amended), including without limitation the CARES Act and the Federal Reserve Act, as amended, and (II) (X) requires under applicable law (or any regulation, guidance, interpretation or other pronouncement of a governmental authority with jurisdiction for | |
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| such program or facility) as a condition of such Financial Assistance, that Counterparty comply with any requirement not to, or otherwise agree, attest, certify or warrant that it has not, as of the date specified in such condition, repurchased, or will not repurchase, any equity security of Issuer, and that it has not, as of the date specified in the condition, made a capital distribution or will make a capital distribution, or (Y) where the terms of the Transaction would cause Counterparty under any circumstances to fail to satisfy any condition for application for or receipt or retention of the Financial Assistance (collectively “Restricted Financial Assistance”), other than any such applications for Restricted Financial Assistance that were (or would be) made (x) determined based on the advice of outside counsel of national standing that the terms of the Transaction would not cause Counterparty to fail to satisfy any condition for application for or receipt or retention of such Financial Assistance based on the terms of the program or facility as of the date of such advice or (y) after delivery to Dealer evidence or other guidance from a governmental authority with jurisdiction for such program or facility that the Transaction is permitted under such program or facility (either by specific reference to the Transaction or by general reference to transactions with the attributes of the Transaction in all relevant respects). | ||
| Physical Settlement: | If Physical Settlement is applicable, then Counterparty shall deliver to Dealer through the Clearance System a number of Shares equal to the Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date, and Dealer shall pay to Counterparty, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by Counterparty, an amount equal to the Physical Settlement Amount for such Settlement Date, on a delivery versus payment basis. If, on any Settlement Date, the Shares to be delivered by Counterparty to Dealer hereunder are not so delivered (the “Deferred Shares”), and a Forward Price Reduction Date occurs during the period from, and including, such Settlement Date to, but excluding, the date such Shares are actually delivered to Dealer, then the portion of the Physical Settlement Amount payable by Dealer to Counterparty in respect of the Deferred Shares shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Forward Price Reduction Amount for such Forward Price Reduction Date, multiplied by the number of Deferred Shares. | |
| Physical Settlement Amount: | For any Settlement Date for which Physical Settlement is applicable, an amount in cash equal to the product of (a) the Forward Price in effect on the relevant Settlement Date multiplied by (b) the Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date. | |
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| Cash Settlement: | On any Settlement Date in respect of which Cash Settlement applies, if the Cash Settlement Amount is a positive number, Dealer will pay the Cash Settlement Amount to Counterparty. If the Cash Settlement Amount is a negative number, Counterparty will pay the absolute valueof the Cash Settlement Amount to Dealer. Such amounts shall be paid on such Settlement Date by wire transfer of immediately available funds. | |
| Cash Settlement Amount: | An amount determined by the Calculation Agent equal to: | |
(a) (i)(A) the weighted average (weighted on the same basis as clause (B)) of the Forward Prices on each day during the applicable Unwind Period (calculated assuming no reduction to the Forward Price for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during such Unwind Period, which is accounted for in clause (b) below), minus a commercially reasonable commission related to Dealer’s purchase of Shares in connection with the unwind of its commercially reasonable hedge position, to repurchase each Settlement Share, not to exceed USD 0.02, minus (B) the weighted average price (the “Unwind Purchase Price”) at which Dealer purchases Shares during the Unwind Period to unwind its hedge with respect to the portion of the Number of Shares to be settled during the Unwind Period (including, for the avoidance of doubt, purchases on any Disrupted Day in part) assuming Dealer has a commercially reasonable hedge position and is purchasing Shares in a commercially reasonable manner, taking into account Shares anticipated to be delivered or received if Net Share Settlement applies, and the restrictions of Rule 10b-18 agreed to hereunder, multiplied by (ii) the Settlement Shares for the relevant Settlement Date; minus | ||
(b) the product of (i) the Forward Price Reduction Amount for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during such Unwind Period and (ii) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date with respect to which Dealer has not unwound its hedge (assuming Dealer has a commercially reasonable hedge position and unwinds its hedge position in a commercially reasonable manner), including the settlement of such unwinds, as of such Forward Price Reduction Date. | ||
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| Net Share Settlement: | On any Settlement Date in respect of which Net Share Settlement applies, if the Cash Settlement Amount is a (i)positive number, Dealer shall deliver a number of Shares to Counterparty equal to the Net Share Settlement Shares, or (ii)negative number, Counterparty shall deliver a number of Shares to Dealer equal to the Net Share Settlement Shares; provided that, if Dealer determines in its reasonable judgment that it would be required to deliver Net Share Settlement Shares to Counterparty, Dealer may elect to deliver a portion of such Net Share Settlement Shares on one or more dates prior to the applicable Settlement Date. | |
| Net Share Settlement Shares: | With respect to a Settlement Date, the absolute value of the Cash Settlement Amount divided by the Unwind Purchase Price, with the number of Shares rounded up in the event such calculation results in a fractional number. | |
| Unwind Period: | The period from and including the first Exchange Business Day following the date Counterparty validly elects Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement in respect of a Settlement Date through the second Scheduled Trading Day preceding such Settlement Date, subject to “Termination Settlement” as described in Paragraph 7(g) below. | |
| Failure to Deliver: | Applicable if Dealer is required to deliver Shares hereunder; otherwise, Not Applicable. | |
| Share Cap: | Notwithstanding any other provision of this Confirmation, in no event will Counterparty be required to deliver to Dealer on any Settlement Date, whether pursuant to Physical Settlement, Net Share Settlement or any Private Placement Settlement, a number of Shares in excess of (i) two times the Initial Number of Shares, subject to adjustment from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Confirmation or the Equity Definitions, minus (ii) the aggregate number of Shares delivered by Counterparty to Dealer hereunder prior to such Settlement Date. | |
| Adjustments: | ||
| Method of Adjustment: | Calculation Agent Adjustment. Section 11.2(e) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by deleting clauses (iii) and (v) thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the declaration or payment of a cash dividend will not constitute a Potential Adjustment Event. | |
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| Additional Adjustment: | If, in Dealer’s commercially reasonable judgment, the stock loan fee to Dealer (or an affiliate thereof), excluding the federal funds or other interest rate component payable by the relevant stock lender to Dealer or such affiliate (the “Stock Loan Fee”), over any 10 consecutive Scheduled Trading Day period, of borrowing a number of Shares equal to the Number of Shares to hedge in a commercially reasonable manner its exposure to this Transaction exceeds a weighted average rate equal to 50 basis points per annum, the Calculation Agent shall reduce the Forward Price to compensate Dealer for the amount by which the Stock Loan Fee exceeded a weighted average rate equal to 50 basis points per annum during such period. The Calculation Agent shall notify Counterparty prior to making any such adjustment to the Forward Price. | |
| Extraordinary Events: | In lieu of the applicable provisions contained in Article 12 of the Equity Definitions, the consequences of any Extraordinary Event (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Merger Event, Tender Offer, Nationalization, Insolvency, Delisting, or Change In Law) shall be as specified below under the headings “Acceleration Events” and “Termination Settlement” in Paragraphs 7(f) and 7(g), respectively. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Equity Definitions, no Additional Disruption Event will be applicable except to the extent expressly referenced in Paragraph 7(f)(iv) below. The definition of “Tender Offer” in Section 12.1(d) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by replacing “10%” with “15%.” | |
| Dividends: | No adjustment shall be made if, on any day occurring after the Trade Date, Counterparty declares a distribution, issue or dividend to existing holders of the Shares of (i) any cash dividend (other than an Extraordinary Dividend) to the extent all cash dividends having an ex-dividend date during the period from and including any Forward Price Reduction Date (with the Trade Date being a Forward Price Reduction Date for purposes of this clause (i) only) to but excluding the next subsequent Forward Price Reduction Date differs from, on a per Share basis, the Forward Price Reduction Amount set forth opposite the first date of any such period on Schedule I, (ii) share capital or securities of another issuer acquired or owned (directly or indirectly) by Counterparty as a result of a spin-off or other similar transaction or (iii) any other type of securities (other than Shares), rights or warrants or other assets, for payment (cash or other consideration) at less than the prevailing market price as determined by Dealer. | |
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| Non-Reliance: | Applicable | |
| Agreements and Acknowledgments: | ||
| Regarding Hedging Activities: | Applicable | |
| Additional Acknowledgments: | Applicable | |
| Transfer: | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Agreement, Dealer may assign, transfer and set over all rights, title and interest, powers, obligations, privileges and remedies of Dealer under this Transaction, in whole or in part, to (A) an affiliate of Dealer, whose obligations hereunder are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Dealer, or (B) any other affiliate of Dealer with a long-term issuer rating equal to or better than the credit rating of Dealer at the time of transfer without the consent of Counterparty; provided that at all times, Dealer or any transferee or assignee or other recipient of rights, title and interest, powers, obligations, privileges and remedies shall be eligible to provide a U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or W-8ECI, or any successor thereto, with respect to any payments or deliveries under the Agreement. | |
| 3. Calculation Agent: | Dealer whose judgments, determinations and calculations shall be made in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner; provided that, following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default of the type described in Section 5(a)(vii) of the Agreement with respect to which Dealer is the sole Defaulting Party, if the Calculation Agent fails to timely make any calculation, adjustment or determination required to be made by the Calculation Agent hereunder or to perform any obligation of the Calculation Agent hereunder and such failure continues for five Exchange Business Days following notice to the Calculation Agent by Counterparty of such failure, Counterparty shall have the right to designate a nationally recognized third- party dealer in over-the-counter corporate equity derivatives to act, during the period commencing on the date such Event of Default occurred and ending on the Early Termination Date with respect to such Event of Default, as the Calculation Agent. Following any determination or calculation by the Calculation Agent hereunder, upon a written request by Counterparty, the Calculation Agent shall promptly (but in any event within five Scheduled Trading Days) provide to | |
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| Counterparty by e-mail to the e-mail address provided by Counterparty in such request a report (in a commonly used file format for the storage and manipulation of financial data) displaying in reasonable detail the basis for such determination or calculation (including any assumptions used in making such determination or calculation), it being understood that the Calculation Agent shall not be obligated to disclose any proprietary or confidential models or other proprietary or confidential information used by it for such determination or calculation. | ||
| 4. Account Details: | ||
(a) Account for delivery of Shares to Dealer: | To be furnished | |
(b) Account for delivery of Shares to Counterparty: | To be furnished | |
(c) Account for payments to Counterparty: | To be advised under separate cover or telephone confirmed prior to each Settlement Date | |
(d) Account for payments to Dealer: | To be advised under separate cover or telephone confirmed prior to each Settlement Date | |
5. Offices:
The Office of Counterparty for the Transaction is: Inapplicable, Counterparty is not a Multibranch Party
The Office of Dealer for the Transaction is: Charlotte
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| 6. | Notices: For purposes of this Confirmation: |
| (a) | Address for notices or communications to Counterparty: |
Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc.
6815 Poplar Ave., Suite 500 Germantown, Tennessee 38138
Attention: Albert M. Campbell III, Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Email: Al.Campbell@maac.com
| (b) | Address for notices or communications to Dealer: |
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Agreement, all notices to Dealer in connection with the Transaction are effective only upon receipt of email message to
CorporateDerivativeNotifications@wellsfargo.com
| 7. | Other Provisions: |
(a) Conditions to Effectiveness. The effectiveness of this Confirmation on the Effective Date shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver by Dealer of the following conditions: (i) the condition that the representations and warranties of Counterparty contained in the Underwriting Agreement dated August 2, 2021 between Counterparty, Dealer and the other parties thereto (the “Underwriting Agreement”) and any certificate delivered pursuant thereto by Counterparty are true and correct on such date as if made as of such date, (ii) the condition that Counterparty has performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it under the Underwriting Agreement on or prior to such date, (iii) the condition that Counterparty has delivered to Dealer an opinion of counsel dated as of the Effective Date, in form and substance as previously agreed between Counterparty and Dealer,
(iv) all of the conditions set forth in Section 6 of the Underwriting Agreement and (v) the condition, as determined by Dealer, that neither of the following has occurred (A) Dealer or its affiliate is unable through commercially reasonable efforts to borrow and deliver for sale a number of Shares equal to the Initial Number of Shares in connection with establishing a commercially reasonable hedge position or (B) in Dealer’s commercially reasonable judgment either it is impracticable to do so or Dealer or its affiliate would incur a stock loan cost of more than a rate equal to 200 basis points per annum to do so (in which event this Confirmation shall be effective but the Number of Shares for this Transaction shall be the number of Shares Dealer (or its affiliate) is required to deliver in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement).
(b) Underwriting Agreement Representations, Warranties and Covenants. On the Trade Date and on each date on which Dealer or its affiliates makes a sale pursuant to a prospectus in connection with a hedge of this Transaction, Counterparty repeats and reaffirms as of such date all of the representations and warranties contained in the Underwriting Agreement. Counterparty hereby agrees to comply with its covenants contained in the Underwriting Agreement as if such covenants were made in favor of Dealer.
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(c) Interpretive Letter. Counterparty agrees and acknowledges that this Transaction is being entered into in accordance with the October 9, 2003 interpretive letter from the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission to Goldman, Sachs & Co. (the “Interpretive Letter”) and agrees to take all actions, and to omit to take any actions, reasonably requested by Dealer for this Transaction to comply with the Interpretive Letter. Without limiting the foregoing, Counterparty agrees that neither it nor any “affiliated purchaser” (as defined in Regulation M (“Regulation M”) promulgated under the Exchange Act) will, directly or indirectly, bid for, purchase or attempt to induce any person to bid for or purchase, the Shares or securities that are convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Shares during any “restricted period” as such term is defined in Regulation M. In addition, Counterparty represents that it is eligible to conduct a primary offering of Shares on Form S-3, the offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement complies with Rule 415 under the Securities Act, and the Shares are “actively traded” as defined in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M.
(d) Agreements and Acknowledgments Regarding Shares.
(i) Counterparty agrees and acknowledges that, in respect of any Shares delivered to Dealer hereunder, such Shares shall be newly issued (unless mutually agreed otherwise by the parties) and, upon such delivery, duly and validly authorized, issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable, free of any lien, charge, claim or other encumbrance and not subject to any preemptive or similar rights and shall, upon such issuance, be accepted for listing or quotation on the Exchange.
(ii) Counterparty agrees and acknowledges that Dealer (or an affiliate of Dealer) will hedge its exposure to this Transaction by selling Shares borrowed from third party securities lenders or other Shares pursuant to a registration statement, and that, pursuant to the terms of the Interpretive Letter, the Shares up to the Initial Number of Shares delivered, pledged or loaned by Counterparty to Dealer (or an affiliate of Dealer) in connection with this Transaction may be used by Dealer (or an affiliate of Dealer) to return to securities lenders without further registration or other restrictions under the Securities Act, in the hands of those securities lenders, irrespective of whether such securities loan is effected by Dealer or an affiliate of Dealer. Accordingly, subject to Paragraph 7(h) below, Counterparty agrees that the Shares that it delivers, pledges or loans to Dealer (or an affiliate of Dealer) on or prior to the final Settlement Date will not bear a restrictive legend and that such Shares will be deposited in, and the delivery thereof shall be effected through the facilities of, the Clearance System.
(iii) Counterparty agrees and acknowledges that it has reserved and will keep available at all times, free from preemptive or similar rights and free from any lien, charge, claim or other encumbrance, authorized but unissued Shares at least equal to the Share Cap, solely for the purpose of settlement under this Transaction.
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(iv) Unless the provisions set forth below under “Private Placement Procedures” are applicable, Dealer agrees to use any Shares delivered by Counterparty hereunder on any Settlement Date to return to securities lenders to close out open securities loans created by Dealer or an affiliate of Dealer in the course of Dealer’s or such affiliate’s hedging activities related to Dealer’s exposure under this Transaction.
(v) In connection with bids and purchases of Shares in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement of this Transaction, Dealer shall use its good faith efforts to conduct its activities, or cause its affiliates to conduct their activities, in a manner consistent with the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18, as if such provisions were applicable to such purchases and any analogous purchases under any Additional Equity Derivative Transaction, taking into account any applicable Securities and Exchange Commission no action letters, as appropriate and subject to any delays between the execution and reporting of a trade of the Shares on the Exchange and other circumstances beyond Dealer’s control; provided that without limiting the generality of the first sentence of this paragraph (v), Dealer shall not be responsible for any failure to comply with Rule 10b-18(b)(3) under the Exchange Act to the extent any transaction that was executed (or deemed to be executed) by or on behalf of Counterparty or an “affiliated purchaser” (as defined under Rule 10b-18) pursuant to a separate agreement is not deemed to be an “independent bid” or an “independent transaction” for purposes of Rule 10b-18(b)(3) under the Exchange Act.
(e) Additional Representations and Agreements of Counterparty. Counterparty represents, warrants and agrees as follows:
(i) Counterparty represents to Dealer on the Trade Date and on any date that Counterparty notifies Dealer that Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies to this Transaction, that (A) Counterparty is not aware of any material nonpublic information regarding Counterparty or the Shares, (B) each of its filings under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other applicable securities laws that are required to be filed have been filed and that, as of the date of this representation, when considered as a whole (with the more recent such filings deemed to amend inconsistent statements contained in any earlier such filings), there is no misstatement of material fact contained therein or omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (C) Counterparty is not entering into this Confirmation nor making any election hereunder to create actual or apparent trading activity in the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) or to raise or depress or otherwise manipulate the price of the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) or otherwise in violation of the Exchange Act. In addition to any other requirement set forth herein, Counterparty agrees not to designate, or to appropriately rescind or modify a prior designation of, any Settlement Date if it is notified by Dealer that, in the reasonable determination of Dealer, based on advice of counsel, such settlement or Dealer’s related market activity in respect of such date would result in a violation of any applicable federal or state law or regulation, including the U.S. federal securities laws.
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(ii) It is the intent of Dealer and Counterparty that following any election of Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement by Counterparty, the purchase of Shares by Dealer during any Unwind Period shall comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-l(c)(l)(i)(B) under the Exchange Act and that this Confirmation shall be interpreted to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-l(c). Counterparty acknowledges that (i) during any Unwind Period Counterparty shall not have, and shall not attempt to exercise, any influence over how, when or whether to effect purchases of Shares by Dealer (or its agent or affiliate) in connection with this Confirmation and (ii) Counterparty is entering into the Agreement and this Confirmation in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade compliance with federal securities laws including, without limitation, Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange Act.
(iii) Counterparty shall, at least one day prior to the first day of any Unwind Period, notify Dealer of the total number of Shares purchased in Rule 10b-18 purchases of blocks pursuant to the once-a-week block exception contained in Rule 10b-18(b)(4) by or for Counterparty or any of its affiliated purchasers during each of the four calendar weeks preceding the first day of the Unwind Period and during the calendar week in which the first day of the Unwind Period occurs (“Rule 10b-18 purchase”, “blocks” and “affiliated purchaser” each being used as defined in Rule 10b-18).
(iv) During any Unwind Period, Counterparty shall (i) notify Dealer prior to the opening of trading in the Shares on any day on which Counterparty makes, or reasonably expects in advance of the opening to be made, any public announcement (as defined in Rule 165(f) under the Securities Act) of any merger, acquisition, or similar transaction involving a recapitalization relating to Counterparty (other than any such transaction in which the consideration consists solely of cash and there is no valuation period), (ii) promptly notify Dealer following any such announcement that such announcement has been made, and (iii) promptly deliver to Dealer following the making of any such announcement information indicating (A) Counterparty’s average daily Rule 10b-18 purchases(as defined in Rule 10b-18) during the three full calendar months preceding the date of the announcement of such transaction and (B) Counterparty’s block purchases (as defined in Rule 10b-18) effected pursuant to paragraph (b)(4) of Rule 10b-18 during the three full calendar months preceding the date of the announcement of such transaction. In addition, Counterparty shall promptly notify Dealer of the earlier to occur of the completion of such transaction and the completion of the vote by target shareholders.
(v) Neither Counterparty nor any of its affiliated purchasers (within the meaning of Rule 10b-18) shall take or refrain from taking any action (including, without limitation, any direct purchases by Counterparty or any of its affiliates, or any purchases by a party to a derivative transaction with Counterparty or any of its
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affiliates), either under this Confirmation, under an agreement with another party or otherwise, that Counterparty reasonably believes to cause any purchases of Shares by Dealer or any of its affiliates in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement of this Transaction not to meet the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 determined as if all such foregoing purchases were made by Counterparty.
(vi) Counterparty will not engage in any “distribution” (as defined in Regulation M), other than a distribution meeting, in each case, the requirements of an exception set forth in each of Rules 101(b) and 102(b) of Regulation M that would cause a “restricted period” (as defined in Regulation M) to occur during any Unwind Period.
(vii) Counterparty is not, and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(viii) Counterparty is not insolvent, nor will Counterparty be rendered insolvent as a result of this Transaction or its performance of the terms hereof.
(ix) Without limiting the generality of Section 13.1 of the Equity Definitions, Counterparty acknowledges that Dealer is not making any representations or warranties or taking any position or expressing any view with respect to the treatment of this Transaction under any accounting standards including ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share, ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, or ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity and ASC 815- 40, Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (or any successor issue statements) or under FASB’s Liabilities & Equity Project.
(x) Counterparty understands that no obligations of Dealer to it hereunder will be entitled to the benefit of deposit insurance and that such obligations will not be guaranteed by any affiliate of Dealer or any governmental agency.
(xi) To Counterparty’s actual knowledge, no federal, state or local (including non-U.S. jurisdictions) law, rule, regulation or regulatory order applicable to the Shares would give rise to any reporting, consent, registration or other requirement (including without limitation a requirement to obtain prior approval from any person or entity) as a result of Dealer or its affiliates owning or holding (however defined) Shares, other than Sections 13 and 16 under the Exchange Act; provided that Counterparty makes no representation or warranty regarding any such requirement that is applicable generally to the ownership of equity securities by Dealer or its affiliates solely as a result of their being a financial institution or broker-dealer.
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(xii) No filing with, or approval, authorization, consent, license, registration, qualification, order or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the execution, delivery and performance by Counterparty of this Confirmation and the consummation of this Transaction (including, without limitation, the issuance and delivery of Shares on any Settlement Date) except (i) such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and (ii) as may be required to be obtained under state securities laws.
(xiii) Counterparty (i) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business affairs as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of entering into this Transaction; (ii) has consulted with its own legal, financial, accounting and tax advisors in connection with this Transaction; and (iii) is entering into this Transaction for a bona fide business purpose.
(xiv) Counterparty will, by the next succeeding Scheduled Trading Day notify Dealer upon obtaining knowledge of the occurrence of any event that would constitute an Event of Default, a Potential Event of Default or a Potential Adjustment Event.
(xv) Ownership positions of Counterparty’s common stock held by Dealer or any of its affiliates solely in its capacity as a nominee or fiduciary (where Dealer and such affiliates have no economic interest in such positions) do not constitute “ownership” by Dealer, and Dealer shall not be deemed or treated as the beneficial or constructive “owner” of such positions, in each case, for purposes of Section 14 of the Composite Charter of Counterparty, as amended and supplementedfromtime to time (the “Charter”).
(xvi) Counterparty (i) is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to particular transactions and investment strategies involving a security or securities; (ii) will exercise independent judgment in evaluating the recommendations of any broker-dealer or its associated persons, unless it has otherwise notified the broker-dealer in writing; and (iii) has total assets of at least USD 50 million as of the date hereof.
(f) Acceleration Events. Each of the following events shall constitute an “Acceleration Event”:
(i) Stock Borrow Event. In the commercially reasonable judgment of Dealer, Dealer (or an affiliate of Dealer) (A) is not able to hedge in a commercially reasonable manner its exposure under this Transaction because insufficient Shares are made available for borrowing by securities lenders or (B) would incur a cost to borrow (or to maintain a borrow of) Shares to hedge in a commercially reasonable manner its exposure under this Transaction that is greater than a rate equal to 200 basis points per annum (each, a “Stock Borrow Event”);
(ii) Dividends and Other Distributions. On any day occurring after the Trade Date, Counterparty declares a distribution, issue or dividend to existing holders of the Shares of (A) any cash dividend (other than an Extraordinary Dividend) to the extent all cash dividends having an ex-dividend date during the period from, and including, any Forward Price Reduction Date (with the Trade Date
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being a Forward Price Reduction Date for purposes of this paragraph (ii) only) to, but excluding, the next subsequent Forward Price Reduction Date exceeds, on a per Share basis, the Forward Price Reduction Amount set forth opposite the first date of any such period on Schedule I, (B) any Extraordinary Dividend, (C) any share capital or other securities of another issuer acquired or owned (directly or indirectly) by Counterparty as a result of a spin-off or other similar transaction or (D) any other type of securities (other than Shares), rights or warrants or other assets, in any case for payment (cash or other consideration) at less than the prevailing market price, as determined in a commercially reasonable manner by Dealer; “Extraordinary Dividend” means any dividend or distribution (that is not an ordinary cash dividend) declared by the Issuer with respect to the Shares that, in the commercially reasonable determination of Dealer, is (1) a dividend or distribution declared on the Shares at a time at which the Issuer has not previously declared or paid dividends or distributions on such Shares for the prior four quarterly periods, (2) a payment or distribution by the Issuer to holders of Shares that the Issuer announces will be an “extraordinary” or “special” dividend or distribution, (3) a payment by the Issuer to holders of Shares out of the Issuer’s capital and surplus or (4) any other “special” dividend or distribution on the Shares that is, by its terms or declared intent, outside the normal course of operations or normal dividend policies or practices of the Issuer;
(iii) ISDA Termination. Either Dealer or Counterparty has the right to designate an Early Termination Date pursuant to Section 6 of the Agreement, in which case, except as otherwise specified herein and except as a result of an Event of Default under Section 5(a)(i) of the Agreement, the provisions of Paragraph 7(g) below shall apply in lieu of the consequences specified in Section 6 of the Agreement;
(iv) Other ISDA Events. An Announcement Date occurs in respect of any Merger Event, Tender Offer, Nationalization, Insolvency, Delisting or the occurrence of any Hedging Disruption or Change in Law; provided that, in case of a Delisting, in addition to the provisions of Section 12.6(a)(iii) of the Equity Definitions, it will also constitute a Delisting if the Exchange is located in the United States and the Shares are not immediately re-listed, re-traded or re-quoted on any of the New York Stock Exchange, The NASDAQ Global Select Market or The NASDAQ Global Market (or their respective successors); provided, further, that (i) the definition of “Change in Law” provided in Section 12.9(a)(ii) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by (A) replacing the phrase “the interpretation” in the third line thereof with the phrase “or announcement or statement of the formal or informal interpretation” and (B) immediately following the word “Transaction” in clause (X) thereof, adding the phrase “in the manner contemplated by Dealer on the Trade Date” and (ii) any determination as to whether (A) the adoption of or any change in any applicable law or regulation (including, without limitation, any tax law) or (B) the promulgation of or any change in or announcement or statement of the formal or informal interpretation by any court, tribunal or regulatory authority with competent jurisdiction of any applicable law or regulation (including any action taken by a taxing authority), in each case, constitutes a “Change in Law” shall be made without regard to Section 739 of the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010 (the “WSTAA”) or any similar provision in any legislation enacted on or after the Trade Date; or
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(v) Ownership Event. In the good faith judgment of Dealer, on any day, the Share Amount for such day exceeds the Post-Effective Limit for such day (if any applies) (each, an “Ownership Event”). For purposes of this clause (v), the “Share Amount” as of any day is the number of Shares that Dealer and any person whose ownership position would be aggregated with that of Dealer (Dealer or any such person, a “Dealer Person”) under any law, rule, regulation or regulatory order or Counterparty constituent document that for any reason is, or after the Trade Date becomes, applicable to ownership of Shares (“Applicable Provisions”), owns, beneficially owns, constructively owns, controls, holds the power to vote or otherwise meets a relevant definition of ownership of under the Applicable Provisions, as determined by Dealer in its reasonable discretion. The “Post- Effective Limit” means (x) the minimum number of Shares that would give rise to reporting or registration obligations (except for any filing requirements on Form 13F, Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G under the Exchange Act, in each case, as in effect on the Trade Date) or other requirements (including obtaining prior approval from any person or entity) of a Dealer Person, or would result in an adverse effect on a Dealer Person, under the Applicable Provisions, as determined by Dealer in its reasonable discretion, minus (y) 1.0% of the number of Shares outstanding.
(g) Termination Settlement. Upon the occurrence of any Acceleration Event, Dealer shall have the right to designate, upon at least one Scheduled Trading Day’s notice, any Scheduled Trading Day following such occurrence to be a Settlement Date hereunder (a “Termination Settlement Date”) to which Physical Settlement shall apply, and to select the number of Settlement Shares relating to such Termination Settlement Date; provided that (i) in the case of an Acceleration Event arising out of an Ownership Event, the number of Settlement Shares so designated by Dealer shall not exceed the number of Shares necessary to reduce the Share Amount to reasonably below the Post-Effective Limit and (ii) in the case of an Acceleration Event arising out of a Stock Borrow Event, the number of Settlement Shares so designated by Dealer shall not exceed the number of Shares as to which such Stock Borrow Event exists. If, upon designation of a Termination Settlement Date by Dealer pursuant to the preceding sentence, Counterparty fails to deliver the Settlement Shares relating to such Termination Settlement Date when due or otherwise fails to perform obligations within its control in respect of this Transaction, it shall be an Event of Default with respect to Counterparty and Section 6 of the Agreement shall apply. If an Acceleration Event occurs during an Unwind Period relating to a number of Settlement Shares to which Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies, then on the Termination Settlement Date relating to such Acceleration Event, notwithstanding any election to the contrary by Counterparty, Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement shall apply to the portion of the Settlement Shares relating to such Unwind Period as to which Dealer has unwound its hedge (assuming that Dealer has a commercially reasonable hedge and unwinds its hedge in a commercially reasonable manner) and Physical Settlement shall apply in respect of (x) the remainder (if any) of such Settlement Shares and (y) the
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Settlement Shares designated by Dealer in respect of such Termination Settlement Date. If an Acceleration Event occurs after Counterparty has designated a Settlement Date to which Physical Settlement applies but before the relevant Settlement Shares have been delivered to Dealer, then Dealer shall have the right to cancel such Settlement Date and designate a Termination Settlement Date in respect of such Shares pursuant to the first sentence hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Nationalization or Merger Event, if at the time of the related Relevant Settlement Date the Shares have changed into cash or any other property or the right to receive cash or any other property, the Calculation Agent shall adjust the nature of the Shares as it determines appropriate to account for such change such that the nature of the Shares is consistent with what shareholders receive in such event. If Dealer designates a Termination Settlement Date as a result of an Acceleration Event caused by an excess dividend of the type described in Paragraph 7(f)(ii), no adjustments(s) shall be made to the terms of this contract to account for the amount of such excess dividend.
(h) Private Placement Procedures. If Counterparty is unable to comply with the provisions of sub-paragraph (ii) of “Agreements and Acknowledgments Regarding Shares” above because of a change in law or a change in the policy of the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff, or Dealer otherwise determines that in its reasonable opinion any Shares to be delivered to Dealer by Counterparty may not be freely returned by Dealer or its affiliates to securities lenders as described under such sub-paragraph (ii) or otherwise constitute “restricted securities” as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, then delivery of any such Shares (the “Restricted Shares”) shall be effected as provided below, unless waived by Dealer.
(i) If Counterparty delivers the Restricted Shares pursuant to this clause (i) (a “Private Placement Settlement”), then delivery of Restricted Shares by Counterparty shall be effected in accordance with private placement procedures customary for private placements of equity securities of substantially similar size with respect to such Restricted Shares reasonably acceptable to Dealer; provided that Counterparty may not elect a Private Placement Settlement if, on the date of its election, it has taken, or caused to be taken, any action that would make unavailable either the exemption pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act for the sale by Counterparty to Dealer (or any affiliate designated by Dealer) of the Restricted Shares or the exemption pursuant to Section 4(a)(1) or Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act for resales of the Restricted Shares by Dealer (or any such affiliate of Dealer), and if Counterparty fails to deliver the Restricted Shares when due or otherwise fails to perform obligations within its control in respect of a Private Placement Settlement, it shall be an Event of Default with respect to Counterparty and Section 6 of the Agreement shall apply. The Private Placement Settlement of such Restricted Shares shall include customary representations, covenants, blue sky and other governmental filings and/or registrations, indemnities to Dealer, due diligence rights (for Dealer or any designated buyer of the Restricted Shares by Dealer), opinions and certificates, and such other documentation as is customary for private placement agreements of equity securities of a substantially similar size, all reasonably acceptable to Dealer. In the case of a Private Placement Settlement, Dealer shall, in its good faith discretion, adjust the amount of Restricted Shares to
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be delivered to Dealer hereunder in a commercially reasonable manner to reflect the fact that such Restricted Shares may not be freely returned to securities lenders by Dealer and may only be saleable by Dealer at a discount to reflect the lack of liquidity in Restricted Shares. Notwithstanding the Agreement or this Confirmation, the date of delivery of such Restricted Shares shall be the Clearance System Business Day following notice by Dealer to Counterparty of the number of Restricted Shares to be delivered pursuant to this clause (i). For the avoidance of doubt, delivery of Restricted Shares shall be due as set forth in the previous sentence and not be due on the date that would otherwise be applicable.
(ii) If Counterparty delivers any Restricted Shares in respect of this Transaction, Counterparty agrees that (A) such Shares may be transferred by and among Dealer and its affiliates and (B) after the minimum “holding period” within the meaning of Rule 144(d) under the Securities Act has elapsed, Counterparty shall promptly remove, or cause the transfer agent for the Shares to remove, any legends referring to any transfer restrictions from such Shares upon delivery by Dealer (or such affiliate of Dealer) to Counterparty or such transfer agent of any seller’s and broker’s representation letters customarily delivered by Dealer or its affiliates in connection with resales of restricted securities pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, each without any further requirement for the delivery of any certificate, consent, agreement, opinion of counsel, notice or any other document, any transfer tax stamps or payment of any other amount or any other action by Dealer (or such affiliate of Dealer).
(i) Indemnity. Counterparty agrees to indemnify Dealer and its affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and controlling persons (Dealer and each such affiliate or person being an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities, joint and several, incurred by or asserted against such Indemnified Party arising out of, in connection with, or relating to, any breach of any covenant or representation made by Counterparty in this Confirmation or the Agreement and will reimburse any Indemnified Party for all reasonableexpenses(including reasonable legal fees and expenses) as they are incurred in connection with the investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim or any action or proceeding arising therefrom, whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto, except to the extent determined in a final and nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from Dealer’s negligence, fraud, bad faith and/or willful misconduct or from a breach of any representation or covenant of Dealer contained in this Confirmation or the Agreement. The foregoing provisions shall survive any termination or completion of the Transaction.
(j) Waiver of Trial by Jury. COUNTERPARTY AND DEALER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE (ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS STOCKHOLDERS) ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE TRANSACTION OR THE ACTIONS OF DEALER OR ITS AFFILIATES IN THE NEGOTIATION, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF.
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(k) Governing Law/Jurisdiction. This Confirmation and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Confirmation shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York without reference to the conflict of laws provisions thereof. The parties hereto irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the United States Court for the Southern District of New York in connection with all matters relating hereto and waive any objection to the laying of venue in, and any claim of inconvenient forum with respect to, these courts.
(l) Designation by Dealer. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Confirmation to the contrary requiring or allowing Dealer to purchase, sell, receive or deliver any Shares or other securities to or from Counterparty, Dealer may designate any of its affiliates to purchase, sell, receive or deliver such Shares or other securities and otherwise to perform Dealer’s obligations in respect of the Transaction and any such designee may assume such obligations. Dealer shall be discharged of its obligations to Counterparty only to the extent of any such performance.
(m) Insolvency Filing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in the Agreement or in the Equity Definitions, upon any Insolvency Filing or other proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code in respect of the Issuer, this Transaction shall automatically terminate on the date thereof without further liability of either party to this Confirmation to the other party (except for any liability in respect of any breach of representation or covenant by a party under this Confirmation prior to the date of such Insolvency Filing or other proceeding), it being understood that this Transaction is a contract for the issuance of Shares by the Issuer.
(n) Disclosure. Effective from the date of commencement of discussions concerning the Transaction, each of Dealer and Counterparty and each of their employees, representatives, or other agents may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the Transaction and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) relating to such tax treatment and tax structure.
(o) [Reserved.]
(p) Counterparty Share Repurchases. Counterparty agrees not to repurchase, directly or indirectly, any Shares if, immediately following such purchase, the Outstanding Share Percentage would be equal to or greater than 4.5%. The “Outstanding Share Percentage” as of any day is the fraction (1) the numerator of which is the aggregate of the Number of Shares for this Transaction and the “Number of Shares” under each Additional Equity Derivative Transaction that is a share forward transaction and (2) the denominator of which is the number of Shares outstanding on such day.
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(q) Limit on Beneficial Ownership. Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, Dealer shall not have the right to acquire Shares hereunder and Dealer shall not be entitled to take delivery of any Shares hereunder (in each case, whether in connection with the purchase of Shares on any Settlement Date or any Termination Settlement Date, any Private Placement Settlement or otherwise) to the extent (but only to the extent) that, after such receipt of any Shares hereunder, (i) the Share Amount would exceed the Post- Effective Limit, (ii) Dealer and each person subject to aggregation of Shares with Dealer under Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act and rules promulgated thereunder (including all persons who may form a “group” within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act) (collectively, the “Dealer Group”) would directly or indirectly beneficially own (as such term is defined for purposes of Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act and rules promulgated thereunder) in excess of 4.9% of the then outstanding Shares (the “Threshold Number of Shares”), (iii) Dealer would hold 5% or more of the number of Shares of Counterparty’s outstanding common stock or 5% or more of Counterparty’s outstanding voting power (the “Exchange Limit”) or (iv) such acquisition would result in a violation of any restriction on ownership or transfer set forth in Section 14 of the Charter (the “Counterparty Stock Ownership Restrictions”). Any purported delivery hereunder shall be void and have no effect to the extent (but only to the extent) that, after such delivery, (i) the Share Amount would exceed the Post-Effective Limit, (ii) the Dealer Group would directly or indirectly so beneficially own in excess of the Threshold Number of Shares, (iii) Dealer would directly or indirectly hold in excess of the Exchange Limit or (iv) such delivery would result in a violation of the Counterparty Stock Ownership Restrictions. If any delivery owed to Dealer hereunder is not made, in whole or in part, as a result of this provision, Counterparty’s obligation to make such delivery shall not be extinguished and Counterparty shall make such delivery as promptly as practicable after, but in no event later than one Scheduled Trading Day after, Dealer gives notice to Counterparty that, after such delivery, (i) the Share Amount would not exceed the Post-Effective Limit, (ii) the Dealer Group would not directly or indirectly so beneficially own in excess of the Threshold Number of Shares, (iii) Dealer would not directly or indirectly hold in excess of the Exchange Limit and (iv) such delivery would not result in a violation of the Counterparty Stock Ownership Restriction.
In addition, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if any delivery owed to Dealer hereunder is not made, in whole or in part, as a result of the immediately preceding paragraph, Dealer shall be permitted to make any payment due in respect of such Shares to Counterparty in two or more tranches that correspond in amount to the number of Shares delivered by Counterparty to Dealer pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph.
Dealer represents and warrants that, as of the Trade Date, if Dealer received the maximum number of Shares hereunder assuming both (i) Physical Settlement applies and (ii) no restrictions on the delivery of Shares hereunder were applicable, then the Counterparty Stock Ownership Restrictions would not apply so as to limit the number of Shares that Dealer could receive hereunder.
(r) Commodity Exchange Act. Each of Dealer and Counterparty agrees and represents that it is an “eligible contract participant” as defined in Section 1a(18) of the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (the “CEA”), the Agreement and this Transaction are subject to individual negotiation by the parties and have not been executed or traded on a “trading facility” as defined in Section 1a(51) of the CEA.
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(s) Bankruptcy Status. Subject to Paragraph 7(m) above, Dealer acknowledges and agrees that this Confirmation is not intended to convey to Dealer rights with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby that are senior to the claims of Counterparty’s common stockholders in any U.S. bankruptcy proceedings of Counterparty; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be deemed to limit Dealer’s right to pursue remedies in the event of a breach by Counterparty of its obligations and agreements with respect to this Confirmation and the Agreement; and provided, further, that nothing herein shall limit or shall be deemed to limit Dealer’s rights in respect of any transaction other than this Transaction.
(t) No Collateral or Setoff. Notwithstanding Section 6(f) or any other provision of the Agreement or any other agreement between the parties to the contrary, the obligations of Counterparty hereunder are not secured by any collateral. Obligations in respect of this Transaction shall not be set off against any other obligations of the parties, whether arising under the Agreement, this Confirmation, under any other agreement between the parties hereto, by operation of law or otherwise, and no other obligations of the parties shall be set off against obligations in respect of this Transaction, whether arising under the Agreement, this Confirmation, under any other agreement between the parties hereto, by operation of law or otherwise, and each party hereby waives any such right of setoff, except that set-off solely with respect to amounts payable under this Transaction and any and all Additional Equity Derivative Transactions governed by the Agreement shall be permissible.
(u) Tax Matters.
(i) Payer Tax Representations. For the purpose of Section 3(e) of the Agreement, each of Dealer and Counterparty makes the following representation: It is not required by any applicable law, as modified by the practice of any relevant governmental revenue authority, of any Relevant Jurisdiction to make any deduction or withholding for or on account of any Tax from any payment (other than interest under Section 9(h) of the Agreement or amounts payable hereunder that may be considered to be interest for U.S. federal income tax purposes) to be made by it to the other party under the Agreement. In making this representation, it may rely on (A) the accuracy of any representations made by the other party pursuant to Section 3(f) of the Agreement, (B) the satisfaction of the agreement contained in Section 4(a)(i) or Section 4(a)(iii) of the Agreement and the accuracy and effectiveness of any document provided by the other party pursuant to Section 4(a)(i) or Section 4(a)(iii) of the Agreement and (C) the satisfaction of the agreement of the other party contained in Section 4(d) of the Agreement, except that it will not be a breach of this representation where reliance is placed on clause (B) above and the other party does not deliver a form or document under Section 4(a)(iii) of the Agreement by reason of material prejudice to its legal or commercial position.
(ii) Payee Tax Representations. For the purpose of Section 3(f) of the Agreement:
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(1) Dealer makes the following representations:
a. It is a national banking association organized or formed under the laws of the United States and is a United States resident for United States federal income tax purposes.
(2) Counterparty makes the following representations:
a. It is a “U.S. person” (as that term is used in section 1.1441-4(a)(3)(ii) of United States Treasury Regulations) for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
b. It is a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is organized under the laws of the State of Tennessee, and is an exempt recipient under section 1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii)(J) of United States Treasury Regulations.
(iii) Withholding Tax imposed on payments to non-U.S. counterparties under the United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. “Tax” and “Indemnifiable Tax”, each as defined in Section 14 of the Agreement, shall not include any FATCA Withholding Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, a FATCA Withholding Tax is a Tax the deduction or withholding of which is required by applicable law for the purposes of Section 2(d) of the Agreement.
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“FATCA Withholding Tax” means any U.S. federal withholding tax imposed or collected pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b) of the Code, or any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such Sections of the Code.
(iv) HIRE Act. To the extent that either party to the Agreement with respect to this Transaction is not an adhering party to the ISDA 2015 Section 871(m) Protocol published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. on November 2, 2015 and available at www.isda.org, as may be amended, supplemented, replaced or superseded from time to time (the “871(m) Protocol”), the parties agree that the provisions and amendments contained in the Attachment to the 871(m) Protocol are incorporated into and apply to the Agreement with respect to this Transaction as if set forth in full herein. The parties further agree that, solely for purposes of applying such provisions and amendments to the Agreement with respect to this Transaction, references to “each Covered Master Agreement” in the 871(m) Protocol will be deemed to be references to the Agreement with respect to this Transaction, and references to the “Implementation Date” in the 871(m) Protocol will be deemed to be references to the Trade Date of this Transaction. For greater certainty, if there is any inconsistency between this provision and the provisions contained in any other agreement between the parties with respect to this Transaction, this provision shall prevail unless such other agreement expressly overrides the provisions of the Attachment to the 871(m) Protocol.
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(v) Tax Documentation. For the purposes of Sections 4(a)(i) and 4(a)(ii) of the Agreement, Counterparty shall provide to Dealer a valid and duly executed U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W 9, or any successor thereto, completed accurately and in a manner reasonably acceptable to Dealer and, in particular, with the “C Corporation” box checked on line 3 thereof (i) on or before the date of execution of this Confirmation; (ii) promptly upon reasonable demand by Dealer; and (iii) promptly upon learning that any such tax form previously provided by Counterparty has become inaccurate or incorrect.
For the purposes of Sections 4(a)(i) and 4(a)(ii) of the Agreement, Dealer shall provide to Counterparty a valid and duly executed U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or W-8ECI, or any successor thereto, completed accurately and in a manner reasonably acceptable to Counterparty and, in particular, with the “C Corporation” box checked on line 3 thereof, (i) on or before the date of execution of this Confirmation; (ii) promptly upon reasonable demand by Counterparty; and (v) promptly upon learning that any such tax form previously provided by Dealer has become inaccurate or incorrect.
(v) Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010. The parties hereby agree that none of (i) Section 739 of the WSTAA, (ii) any similar legal certainty provision included in any legislation enacted, or rule or regulation promulgated, on or after the Trade Date, (iii) the enactment of the WSTAA or any regulation under the WSTAA, (iv) any requirement under the WSTAA or (v) any amendment made by the WSTAA shall limit or otherwise impair either party’s right to terminate, renegotiate, modify, amend or supplement this Confirmation or the Agreement, as applicable, arising from a termination event, force majeure, illegality, increased cost, regulatory change or similar event under this Confirmation, the Equity Definitions or the Agreement (including, but not limited to, any right arising from any Acceleration Event).
(w) Other Forwards / Dealers. Dealer acknowledges that Counterparty has entered or may enter in the future into one or more substantially similar forward transactions for the Shares (each, an “Other Forward” and collectively, the “Other Forwards”) with one or more other dealers. Dealer and Counterparty agree that if Counterparty designates a “Settlement Date” with respect to one or more Other Forwards for which “Cash Settlement” or “Net Share Settlement” is applicable, and the resulting “Unwind Period” for such Other Forwards coincides for any period of time with an Unwind Period for this Transaction (the “Overlap Unwind Period”), Counterparty shall notify Dealer at least one Scheduled Trading Day prior to the commencement of such Overlap Unwind Period of the first Scheduled Trading Day and length of such Overlap Unwind Period, and Dealer shall be permitted to purchase Shares to unwind its commercially reasonable hedge in a commercially reasonable manner in respect of this Transaction only on alternating Scheduled Trading Days during such Overlap Unwind Period, commencing on the first, second, third or later Scheduled Trading Day of such Overlap Unwind Period, as notified to Dealer by Counterparty at least one Business Day prior to such Overlap Unwind Period (which alternating Scheduled Trading Days, for the avoidance of doubt, may be every other Scheduled Trading Day if there is only one other dealer, every third Scheduled Trading Day if there are two other dealers, etc.).
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(x) Delivery of Cash. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Confirmation shall be interpreted as requiring Counterparty to deliver cash in respect of the settlement of this Transaction, except in circumstances where the required cash settlement thereof is permitted for classification of the contract as equity by ASC 815-40 (formerly EITF 00- 19) as in effect on the Trade Date (including, without limitation, where Counterparty so elects to deliver cash or fails timely to elect to deliver Shares in respect of such settlement). For the avoidance of doubt, the preceding sentence shall not be construed as limiting (i) Paragraph 7(i) hereunder or (ii) any damages that may be payable by Counterparty as a result of breach of this Confirmation.
(y) Counterparts.
(i) Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., DocuSign and AdobeSign (any such signature, an “Electronic Signature”)) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature” and words of like import in this Confirmation or in any other certificate, agreement or document related to this Confirmation shall include any Electronic Signature, except to the extent electronic notices are expressly prohibited under this Confirmation or the Agreement.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Agreement, either party may deliver to the other party a notice relating to any Event of Default or Termination Event under this Confirmation by e-mail.
(z) U.S. Stay Regulations. To the extent that the QFC Stay Rules are applicable hereto, then the parties agree that (i) to the extent that prior to the date hereof both parties have adhered to the 2018 ISDA U.S. Resolution Stay Protocol (the “Protocol”), the terms of the Protocol are incorporated into and form a part of this Confirmation, and for such purposes this Confirmation shall be deemed a Protocol Covered Agreement and each party shall be deemed to have the same status as “Regulated Entity” and/or “Adhering Party” as applicable to it under the Protocol; (ii) to the extent that prior to the date hereof the parties have executed a separate agreement the effect of which is to amend the qualified financial contracts between them to conform with the requirements of the QFC Stay Rules (the “Bilateral Agreement”), the terms of the Bilateral Agreement are incorporated into and form a part of this Confirmation and each party shall be deemed to have the status of “Covered Entity” or “Counterparty Entity” (or other similar term) as applicable to it under the Bilateral Agreement; or (iii) if clause (i) and clause (ii) do not apply, the terms of Section 1 and Section 2 and the related defined terms (together, the “Bilateral Terms”) of
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the form of bilateral template entitled “Full-Length Omnibus (for use between U.S. G-SIBs and Corporate Groups)” published by ISDA on November 2, 2018 (currently available on the 2018 ISDA U.S. Resolution Stay Protocol page at www.isda.org and, a copy of which is available upon request), the effect of which is to amend the qualified financial contracts between the parties thereto to conform with the requirements of the QFC Stay Rules, are hereby incorporated into and form a part of this Confirmation, and for such purposes this Confirmation shall be deemed a “Covered Agreement,” Dealer shall be deemed a “Covered Entity” and Counterparty shall be deemed a “Counterparty Entity.” In the event that, after the date of this Confirmation, both parties hereto become adhering parties to the Protocol, the terms of the Protocol will replace the terms of this paragraph. In the event of any inconsistencies between this Confirmation and the terms of the Protocol, the Bilateral Agreement or the Bilateral Terms (each, the “QFC Stay Terms”), as applicable, the QFC Stay Terms will govern. Terms used in this paragraph without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them under the QFC Stay Rules. For purposes of this paragraph, references to “this Confirmation” include any related credit enhancements entered into between the parties or provided by one to the other. In addition, the parties agree that the terms of this paragraph shall be incorporated into any related covered affiliate credit enhancements, with all references to Dealer replaced by references to the covered affiliate support provider.
“QFC Stay Rules” mean the regulations codified at 12 C.F.R. 252.2, 252.81–8, 12 C.F.R. 382.1-7 and 12 C.F.R. 47.1-8, which, subject to limited exceptions, require an express recognition of the stay-and-transfer powers of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the Orderly Liquidation Authority under Title II of the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the override of default rights related directly or indirectly to the entry of an affiliate into certain insolvency proceedings and any restrictions on the transfer of any covered affiliate credit Enhancements.
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Please confirm your agreement to be bound by the terms stated herein by executing the copy of this Confirmation enclosed for that purpose and returning it to us.
| Yours sincerely, | ||
| WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Thomas Yates | |
| Name: Thomas Yates | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
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Confirmed as of the date first above written:
| MID-AMERICA APARTMENT COMMUNITIES INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Albert M. Campbell, III | |
| Name: Albert M. Campbell, III | ||
| Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | ||
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SCHEDULE I
Forward Price Reduction Date | Forward Price Reduction Amount | |
Trade Date | USD 0.000 | |
October 14, 2021 | USD 1.0250 | |
January 13, 2022 | USD 1.0250 | |
April 14, 2022 | USD 1.0250 | |
July 14, 2022 | USD 1.0250 | |
October 13, 2022 | USD 1.0250 | |
January 12, 2023 | USD 1.0250 | |
Final Date | USD 0.00 |
