names and will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of the notes in definitive paper form. Instead, upon issuance, all the notes of a class will be represented by one or more fully registered permanent global notes, without interest coupons.
Each global note will be deposited with The Depository Trust Company, referred to as “DTC” in this prospectus, and will be registered in the name of its nominee, Cede & Co. No global note representing book-entry notes may be transferred except as a whole by DTC to a nominee of DTC, or by a nominee of DTC to another nominee of DTC. Thus, DTC or its nominee will be the only registered holder of the notes and will be considered the sole representative of the beneficial owners of notes for purposes of the indenture.
The registration of the global notes in the name of Cede & Co. will not affect beneficial ownership and is performed merely to facilitate subsequent transfers. The book-entry system, which is also the system through which most publicly traded common stock is held, is used because it eliminates the need for physical movement of securities. The laws of some jurisdictions, however, may require some purchasers to take physical delivery of their notes in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to own or transfer book-entry notes.
Purchasers of notes in the United States may hold interests in the global notes through DTC, either directly, if they are participants in that system—such as a bank, brokerage house or other institution that maintains securities accounts for customers with DTC—or otherwise indirectly through a participant in DTC. Purchasers of notes in Europe may hold interests in the global notes through Clearstream Banking S.A., referred to in this prospectus as “Clearstream Banking,” or through Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System.
Because DTC will be the only registered owner of the global notes, Clearstream Banking and Euroclear will hold positions through their respective U.S. depositories, which in turn will hold positions on the books of DTC.
As long as the notes are in book-entry form, they will be evidenced solely by entries on the books of DTC, its participants and any indirect participants. DTC will maintain records showing:
| • | | the ownership interests of its participants, including the U.S. depositories; and |
| • | | all transfers of ownership interests between its participants. |
The participants and indirect participants, in turn, will maintain records showing:
| • | | the ownership interests of their customers, including indirect participants, that hold the notes through those participants; and |
| • | | all transfers between these persons. |
Thus, each beneficial owner of a book-entry note will hold its note indirectly through a hierarchy of intermediaries, with DTC at the “top” and the beneficial owner’s own securities intermediary at the “bottom.”
The issuing entity, the indenture trustee, any agent of the indenture trustee, any paying agent and the note registrar will not be liable for the accuracy of, and are not responsible for maintaining, supervising or reviewing DTC’s records or any participant’s records relating to book-entry notes. In addition, after distribution by the issuing entity, the indenture trustee, any agent of the indenture trustee, any paying agent or the note registrar, as applicable, to DTC or its nominee of amounts owed in respect of book-entry notes, the issuing entity, the indenture trustee, any agent of the indenture trustee, any paying agent and the note registrar will not be responsible or liable for payments made or failed to be made by DTC or its nominee in connection therewith.
Unless definitive notes, that is, notes in physical form, are issued to the beneficial owners as described in “—Definitive Notes,” all references to “holders” of notes means DTC. The issuing entity, the indenture trustee and any paying agent, transfer agent or note registrar may treat DTC as the absolute owner of the notes for all purposes.
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