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Exhibit 4-j
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated December 11, 1996
by and among
ADVANTA CORP.;
ADVANTA CAPITAL TRUST I
and
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
and
SALOMON BROTHERS INC
as Initial Purchasers
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made
and entered into on December 11, 1996 by and among ADVANTA CORP., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), ADVANTA CAPITAL TRUST I, a business trust formed
under the laws of the state of Delaware (the "Trust"), and MERRILL LYNCH,
PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED ("Merrill Lynch") and SALOMON BROTHERS, INC
(together, the "Initial Purchasers").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement
dated December 11, 1996 (the "Purchase Agreement"), among the Company, as issuer
of the 8.99 % Series A Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due
December 17, 2026 (the "Subordinated Debentures"), the Trust and the Initial
Purchasers, which provides for, among other things, the sale by the Trust to the
Initial Purchasers of 100,000 of the Trust's 8.99% Series A Capital Securities,
liquidation amount $1,000 per Capital Security (the "Capital Securities"), the
proceeds of which will be used by the Trust to purchase Subordinated Debentures.
The Capital Securities, together with the Subordinated Debentures and the
Company's guarantee of the Capital Securities (the "Capital Securities
Guarantee") are collectively referred to as the "Securities." In order to induce
the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company and the
Trust have agreed to provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and
indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the
Purchase Agreement.
In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following
capitalized defined terms shall have the following meanings:
"Advice" shall have the meaning set forth in the last
paragraph of Section 3 hereof.
"Applicable Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(t) hereof.
"Business Day" shall mean a day that is not a Saturday, a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York or in
Wilmington, Delaware are authorized or required to be closed.
"Closing Time" shall mean the Closing Time as defined in the
Purchase Agreement.
"Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to
this Agreement and also includes the Company's successors and permitted assigns.
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"Declaration" or "Declaration of Trust" shall mean the Amended
and Restated Declaration of Trust, dated as of the Closing Time, by the trustees
named therein and the Company as sponsor.
"Depositary" shall mean The Depository Trust Company, or any
other depositary appointed by the Trust; provided, however, that such depositary
must have an address in the Borough of Manhattan, in The City of New York.
"Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2(b) hereof.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended from time to time.
"Exchange Offer" shall mean the offer by the Company and the
Trust to the Holders to exchange all of the Registrable Securities (other than
Private Exchange Securities) for a like principal amount of Exchange Securities
pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Offer Registration" shall mean a registration under
the Securities Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement" shall mean an exchange
offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another
appropriate form), and all amendments and supplements to such registration
statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits
thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein.
"Exchange Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Securities" shall mean (i) with respect to the
Subordinated Debentures, the 8.99% Series B Junior Subordinated Deferrable
Interest Debentures due December 17, 2026 (the "Exchange Debentures") containing
terms identical to the Subordinated Debentures (except that they will not
contain terms with respect to the transfer restrictions under the Securities
Act, will not require transfers thereof to be in minimum blocks of $100,000
principal amount and will not provide for any increase in the interest rate
thereon), (ii) with respect to the Capital Securities, the Trust's 8.99% Series
B Capital Securities, liquidation amount $1,000 per Capital Security (the
"Exchange Capital Securities") which will have terms identical to the Capital
Securities (except they will not contain terms with respect to transfer
restrictions under the Securities Act, will not require minimum transfers
thereof to be in blocks of $100,000 liquidation amount and will not provide for
any increase in the distribution rate thereon) and (iii) with respect to the
Capital Securities Guarantee, the Company's guarantee (the "Exchange Capital
Securities Guarantee") of the Exchange Capital Securities which will have terms
identical to the Capital Securities Guarantee.
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"Holder" shall mean each of the Initial Purchasers, for so
long as they own any Registrable Securities, and each of their respective
successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become registered
owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture or Declaration of Trust.
"Indenture" shall mean the Indenture relating to the
Subordinated Debentures and the Exchange Debentures dated as of December 17,
1996 among the Company, as issuer, and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as trustee, as
the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
"Initial Purchasers" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble to this Agreement.
"Inspectors" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(n)
hereof.
"Issue Date" shall mean the date of original issuance of the
Securities.
"Liquidated Damages" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2(e) hereof.
"Majority Holders" shall mean the Holders of a majority of the
aggregate liquidation amount of outstanding Capital Securities.
"Participating Broker-Dealer" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 3(t) hereof.
"Person" shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation,
trust or unincorporated organization, limited liability company, or a government
or agency or political subdivision thereof.
"Private Exchange" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2(a) hereof.
"Private Exchange Securities" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 2(a) hereof.
"Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus included in a
Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such
prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a
prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion
of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by
all other amendments and supplements to a prospectus, including posteffective
amendments, and in each case including all material incorporated by reference
therein.
"Purchase Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble to this Agreement.
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"Records" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(n)
hereof.
"Registration Default" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2(e) hereof.
"Registrable Securities" shall mean the Securities and, if
issued, the Private Exchange Securities; provided, however, that Securities or
Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, shall cease to be Registrable
Securities when (i) a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities or
Private Exchange Securities for the exchange or resale thereof, as the case may
be, shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act and such
Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, shall have been
disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) such Securities or
Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, shall have been sold to the
public pursuant to Rule 144(k) (or any similar provision then in force, but not
Rule 144A) under the Securities Act, (iii) such Securities or Private Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, shall have ceased to be outstanding or (iv) with
respect to the Securities, such Securities have been exchanged for Exchange
Securities upon consummation of the Exchange Offer and are thereafter freely
tradeable by the holder thereof (other than an affiliate of the Company).
"Registration Expenses" shall mean any and all expenses
incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement,
including without limitation: (i) all SEC or National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") registration and filing fees, including, if
applicable, the fees and expenses of any "qualified independent underwriter"
(and the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel) that is required to be
retained by any Holder of Registrable Securities in accordance with the rules
and regulations of the NASD, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection
with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel for any underwriters or Holders in connection
with blue sky qualification of any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable
Securities) and compliance with the rules of the NASD, (iii) all expenses of any
Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and
distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto, and in preparing or assisting in preparing, printing and
distributing any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements and other
documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement,
(iv) all rating agency fees, (v) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Company and of the independent certified public accountants of the Company,
including the expenses of any "cold comfort" letters required by or incident to
such performance and compliance, (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, and
any exchange agent or custodian, (vii) all fees and expenses incurred in
connection with the listing, if any, of any of the Registrable Securities on any
securities exchange or exchanges, and (viii) the reasonable fees and expenses of
any special experts retained by the Company in connection with any Registration
Statement.
"Registration Statement" shall mean any registration statement
of the Company and the Trust which covers any of the Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, and all
amendments and supplements to any such Registration
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Statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the
Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated
by reference therein.
"Rule 144(k) Period" shall mean the period of three years (or
such shorter period as may hereafter be referred to in Rule 144(k) under the
Securities Act (or similar successor rule)) commencing on the Issue Date.
"SEC" shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission.
"Securities" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble
to this Agreement.
"Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended from time to time.
"Shelf Registration" shall mean a registration effected
pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.
"Shelf Registration Event" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2(b) hereof.
"Shelf Registration Event Date" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 2(b) hereof.
"Shelf Registration Statement" shall mean a "shelf"
registration statement of the Company and the Trust pursuant to the provisions
of Section 2(b) hereof which covers all of the Registrable Securities or all of
the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, on an appropriate form
under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted
by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement,
including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus
contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by
reference therein.
"TIA" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(1) hereof.
"Trustees" shall mean any and all trustees with respect to (i)
the Capital Securities under the Declaration, (ii) the Subordinated Debentures
under the Indenture and (iii) the Capital Securities Guarantee.
2. Registration Under the Securities Act.
(a) Exchange Offer. To the extent not prohibited by any
applicable law or applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC, the Company
and the Trust shall, for the benefit of the Holders, at the Company's cost, use
their best efforts to (i) cause to be filed with the SEC within 150 days after
the Issue Date an Exchange Offer Registration Statement on an appropriate form
under the Securities Act covering the Exchange Offer, (ii) cause such Exchange
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Offer Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act
by the SEC not later than the date which is 180 days after the Issue Date, and
(iii) keep such Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective for not less
than 30 calendar days (or longer if required by applicable law) after the date
notice of the Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders. Upon the effectiveness of
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, the Company and the Trust shall
promptly commence the Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Exchange
Offer to enable each Holder eligible and electing to exchange Registrable
Securities for a like principal amount of Exchange Debentures or a like
liquidation amount of Exchange Capital Securities, together with the Exchange
Guarantee, as applicable (assuming that such Holder is not an affiliate of the
Company within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act and is not a
broker-dealer tendering Registrable Securities acquired directly from the
Company for its own account, acquires the Exchange Securities in the ordinary
course of such Holder's business and has no arrangements or understandings with
any Person to participate in the Exchange Offer for the purpose of distributing
the Exchange Securities) to transfer such Exchange Securities from and after
their receipt without any limitations or restrictions under the Securities Act
and under state securities or blue sky laws.
In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Company and the
Trust shall:
(i) mail to each Holder a copy of the Prospectus forming part of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter of
transmittal and related documents;
(ii) keep the Exchange Offer open for acceptance for a period of not
less than 30 days after the date notice thereof is mailed to the Holders (or
longer if required by applicable law) (such period referred to herein as the
"Exchange Period");
(iii) utilize the services of the Depositary for the Exchange Offer:
(iv) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time prior
to the close of business, New York City time, on the last Business Day of the
Exchange Period, by sending to the institution specified in the notice, a
telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such
Holder, the principal amount of Securities delivered for exchange, and a
statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Securities
exchanged;
(v) notify each Holder that any Security not tendered by such Holder in
the Exchange Offer will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest or
accumulate distributions, as the case may be, but will not retain any rights
under this Agreement (except in the case of the Initial Purchasers and
Participating Broker-Dealers as provided herein); and
(vi) otherwise comply in all respects with all applicable laws relating
to the Exchange Offer.
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If any Initial Purchaser determines upon advice of its outside
counsel that it is not eligible to participate in the Exchange Offer with
respect to the exchange of Securities constituting any portion of an unsold
allotment in the initial distribution, as soon as practicable upon receipt by
the Company and the Trust of a written request from such Initial Purchaser, the
Company and the Trust, as applicable, shall issue and deliver to such Initial
Purchaser in exchange (the "Private Exchange") for the Securities held by such
Initial Purchaser, a like liquidation amount of Capital Securities of the Trust,
together with the Exchange Guarantee, or a like principal amount of the
Subordinated Debentures of the Company, as applicable, that are identical
(except that such securities may bear a customary legend with respect to
restrictions on transfer pursuant to the Securities Act) to the Exchange
Securities (the "Private Exchange Securities") and which are issued pursuant to
the Indenture, the Declaration or the Guarantee (which provides that the
Exchange Securities will not be subject to the transfer restrictions set forth
in the Indenture or the Declaration, as applicable, and that the Exchange
Securities, the Private Exchange Securities and the Securities will vote and
consent together on all matters as one class and that neither the Exchange
Securities, the Private Exchange Securities nor the Securities will have the
right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter). The Private
Exchange Securities shall be of the same series as the Exchange Securities and
the Company and the Trust will seek to cause the CUSIP Service Bureau to issue
the same CUSIP Numbers for the Private Exchange Securities as for the Exchange
Securities issued pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Exchange Offer
and, if applicable, the Private Exchange, the Company and the Trust, as the case
requires, shall:
(i) accept for exchange all Securities or portions thereof tendered and
not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer or the Private Exchange;
(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the applicable Trustee for
cancellation all Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the
Company; and
(iii) issue, and cause the applicable Trustee under the Indenture, the
Declaration or the Guarantee, as applicable, to promptly authenticate and
deliver to each Holder, new Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities,
as applicable, equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the
Subordinated Debentures or equal in liquidation amount to the liquidation amount
to the Capital Securities (together with the guarantee thereof) as are
surrendered by such Holder.
Distributions on each Exchange Capital Security and interest
on each Exchange Debenture and Private Exchange Security issued pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange will accrue from the last
date on which a Distribution or interest was paid on the Capital Security or the
Subordinated Debenture surrendered in exchange therefore or, if no Distribution
or interest has been paid on such Capital Security or Subordinated Debenture,
from the Issue Date. To the extent not prohibited by any law or applicable
interpretation of the staff of the SEC, the Company and the Trust shall use
their best efforts to complete the Exchange
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Offer as provided above, and shall comply with the applicable requirements of
the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other applicable laws in connection
with the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any
conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate applicable law
or any applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC. Each Holder of
Registrable Securities that wishes to exchange such Registrable Securities for
Exchange Securities in the Exchange Offer will be required to make certain
customary representations in connection therewith, including, in the case of any
Holder of Capital Securities, representations that (i) it is not an affiliate of
the Trust or the Company, (ii) the Exchange Securities to be received by it were
acquired in the ordinary course of its business and (iii) at the time of the
Exchange Offer, it has no arrangement with any person to participate in the
distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Capital
Securities. The Company and the Trust shall inform the Initial Purchasers, after
consultation with the Trustee, of the names and addresses of the Holders to
which the Exchange Offer is made, and the Initial Purchasers shall have the
right to contact such Holders and otherwise facilitate the tender of Registrable
Securities in the Exchange Offer.
Upon consummation of the Exchange Offer in accordance with
this Section 2(a), the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply,
mutatis mutandis, solely with respect to Registrable Securities that are Private
Exchange Securities and Exchange Securities held by Participating
Broker-Dealers, and the Company and the Trust shall have no further obligation
to register the Registrable Securities (other than Private Exchange Securities)
pursuant to Section 2(b) of this Agreement.
(b) Shelf Registration. In the event that (i) the Company, the
Trust or the Majority Holders reasonably determine, after conferring with
counsel (which may be in-house counsel), that the Exchange Offer Registration
provided in Section 2(a) above is not available because of any change in law or
because of then prevailing interpretations of the staff of the SEC, (ii) the
Company shall determine in good faith that there is a reasonable likelihood
that, or a material uncertainty exists as to whether, consummation of the
Exchange Offer would result in a material adverse tax consequence to the
Company, (iii) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not declared
effective within 180 days of the Issue Date or (iv) upon the request of any
Initial Purchaser with respect to any Registrable Securities held by it, if such
Initial Purchaser is not permitted, in the reasonable opinion of Brown & Wood
LLP, pursuant to applicable law or applicable interpretations of the staff of
the SEC, to participate in the Exchange Offer and thereby receive securities
that are freely tradeable without restriction under the Securities Act and
applicable blue sky or state securities laws (any of the events specified in
(i)-(iv) being a "Shelf Registration Event" and the date of occurrence thereof,
the "Shelf Registration Event Date"), the Company and the Trust shall, at their
cost, use their best efforts to cause to be filed as promptly as practicable
after such Shelf Registration Event Date, as the case may be, and, in any event,
within 45 days after such Shelf Registration Event Date (which shall be no
earlier than 75 days after the Closing Time), a Shelf Registration Statement
providing for the sale by the Holders of all of the Registrable Securities, and
shall use their best efforts to have such Shelf Registration Statement declared
effective by the SEC as soon as practicable. No Holder of Registrable Securities
shall be entitled to include any of its Registrable Securities in
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any Shelf Registration pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder
agrees in writing to be bound by all of the provisions of this Agreement
applicable to such Holder and furnishes to the Company and the Trust in writing,
within 15 days after receipt of a request therefor, such information as the
Company and the Trust may, after conferring with counsel with regard to
information relating to Holders that would be required by the SEC to be included
in such Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus included therein, reasonably
request for inclusion in any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus included
therein. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration is being effected agrees
to furnish to the Company and the Trust all information with respect to such
Holder necessary to make the information previously furnished to the Company or
the Trust by such Holder not materially misleading.
The Company and the Trust agree to use their best efforts to
keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective for the Rule 144(k)
Period (subject to extension pursuant to the last paragraph of Section 3 hereof)
or for such shorter period that will terminate when all of the Registrable
Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant
to the Shelf Registration Statement or cease to be outstanding (the
"Effectiveness Period"). The Company and the Trust shall not permit any
securities other than Registrable Securities to be included in the Shelf
Registration. The Company and the Trust will, in the event a Shelf Registration
Statement is declared effective, provide to each Holder a reasonable number of
copies of the Prospectus that is a part of the Shelf Registration Statement,
notify each such Holder when the Shelf Registration has become effective and use
their best efforts to take certain other actions as are required to permit
certain unrestricted resales of the Registrable Securities. The Company and the
Trust further agree, if necessary, to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration
Statement, if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to
the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement
or by the Securities Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder for
shelf registrations, and the Company and the Trust agree to furnish to the
Holders of Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or amendment
promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC.
(c) Expenses. The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses
in connection with the registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or 2(b) hereof and
will reimburse the Initial Purchasers for the reasonable fees and disbursements
of Brown & Wood LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, incurred in connection
with the Exchange Offer and, if applicable, the Private Exchange Offer, and
either Brown & Wood LLP or any one other counsel designated in writing by the
Majority Holders to act as counsel for the Holders of the Registrable Securities
in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement, which other counsel shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company. Except as provided herein, each Holder
shall pay all expenses of its counsel, underwriting discounts and commissions
and transfer taxes if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder's
Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.
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(d) Effective Registration Statement. An Exchange Offer
Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or a Shelf Registration
Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become
effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC; provided, however,
that if, after it has been declared effective, the offering of Registrable
Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement is interfered with by any
stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other
governmental agency or court, such Registration Statement will be deemed not to
have been effective during the period of such interference, until the offering
of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement may legally
resume. The Company and the Trust will be deemed not to have used their best
efforts to cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf
Registration Statement, as the case may be, to become, or to remain, effective
during the requisite period if either of them voluntarily takes any action that
would result in any such Registration Statement not being declared effective or
in the Holders of Registrable Securities covered thereby not being able to
exchange or offer and sell such Registrable Securities during that period,
unless such action is required by applicable law.
(e) Liquidated Damages. In the event that (i) (A) neither the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement nor a Shelf Registration Statement is
filed with the SEC on or prior to the 150th day after the Issue Date or (B)
notwithstanding that the Company and the Trust have consummated or will
consummate an Exchange Offer, the Company and the Trust are required to file a
Shelf Registration Statement and such Shelf Registration Statement is not filed
on or prior to the date required by Section 2(b) hereof, then commencing on the
day after the applicable required filing date, additional interest shall accrue
on the principal amount of the Subordinated Debentures, and additional
Distributions shall accumulate on the liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities, each at a rate of 0.25% per annum;
(ii) (A) neither the Exchange Offer Registration Statement nor a Shelf
Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC on or prior to the 30th
day after the applicable required filing date or (B) notwithstanding that the
Company and the Trust have consummated an Exchange Offer, the Company and the
Trust are required to file a Shelf Registration Statement and such Shelf
Registration Statement is not declared effective by the SEC on or prior to the
30th day after the date such Shelf Registration Statement was required to be
filed, then, commencing on the 31st day after the applicable required filing
date, additional interest shall accrue on the principal amount of the
Subordinated Debentures and additional distributions shall accumulate on the
liquidation amount of the Capital Securities, each at a rate of 0.25% per annum;
or
(iii) (A) the Trust has not exchanged Exchange Capital Securities for
all Capital Securities or the Company has not exchanged Exchange Guarantees or
Exchange Subordinated Debentures for all Guarantees or Subordinated Debentures
validly tendered, in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer, on or
prior to the 30th day after the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement was declared effective or (B) if applicable, the Shelf Registration
Statement has been declared effective and such Shelf Registration Statement
ceases to be effective at any time prior to the expiration of the Rule 144(k)
Period (other than after such time
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as all Capital Securities have been disposed of thereunder or otherwise cease to
be Registrable Securities), then additional interest shall accrue on the
principal amount of Subordinated Debentures, and additional distributions shall
accumulate on the liquidation amount of the Capital Securities, each at a rate
of 0.25% per annum commencing on (x) the 31st day after such effective date, in
the case of (A) above, or (y) the day such Shelf Registration Statement ceases
to be effective in the case of (B) above;
provided, however, that neither the additional interest rate on the Subordinated
Debentures, nor the additional distribution rate on the liquidation amount of
the Capital Securities, may exceed in the aggregate 0.25% per annum; provided
further, however, that (1) upon the filing of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement or a Shelf Registration Statement (in the case of clause (i) above),
(2) upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or a
Shelf Registration Statement (in the case of clause (ii) above), or (3) upon the
exchange of Exchange Capital Securities, Exchange Guarantees and Exchange
Subordinated Debentures for all Capital Securities, Guarantees and Subordinated
Debentures tendered (in the case of clause (iii)(A) above), or upon the
effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement which had ceased to remain
effective (in the case of clause (iii)(B) above), additional interest on the
Subordinated Debentures, and additional distributions on the liquidation amount
of the Capital Securities as a result of such clause (or the relevant subclause
thereof), as the case may be, shall cease to accrue or accumulate, as the case
may be.
Any amounts of additional interest and additional distributions due
pursuant to Section 2(e)(i), (ii) or (iii) above will be payable in cash on the
relevant record dates for the payment of interest and distributions pursuant to
the Indenture and the Declaration, respectively.
(f) Specific Enforcement. Without limiting the remedies
available to the Holders, the Company and the Trust acknowledge that any failure
by the Company or the Trust to comply with its obligations under Section 2(a)
and Section 2(b) hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Holders
for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it would not be possible to
measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such
failure, any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically
enforce the Company's and the Trust's obligations under Section 2(a) and Section
2(b) hereof.
3. Registration Procedures. In connection with the obligations
of the Company and the Trust with respect to the Registration Statements
pursuant to Sections 2(a) and 2(b) hereof, the Company and the Trust shall use
their best efforts to:
(a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement or
Registration Statements as prescribed by Sections 2(a) and 2(b) hereof
within the relevant time period specified in Section 2 hereof on the
appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (i) shall be
selected by the Company and the Trust, (ii) shall, in the case of a
Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable
Securities by the selling Holders thereof and (iii) shall comply as to
form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable
form and include or incorporate by reference all financial statements
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required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and use its best efforts to
cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain
effective in accordance with Section 2 hereof; provided, however, that
if (1) such filing is pursuant to Section 2(b), or (2) a Prospectus
contained in an Exchange Offer Registration Statement filed pursuant to
Section 2(a) is required to be delivered under the Securities Act by
any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange Securities,
before filing any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any
amendments or supplements thereto, the Company and the Trust shall
furnish to and afford the Holders of the Registrable Securities and
each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, covered by
such Registration Statement, their counsel and the managing
underwriters, if any, a reasonable opportunity to review copies of all
such documents (including copies of any documents to be incorporated by
reference therein and all exhibits thereto) proposed to be filed. The
Company and the Trust shall not file any Registration Statement or
Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto in respect of which
the Holders must be afforded an opportunity to review prior to the
filing of such document if the Majority Holders or such Participating
Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, their counsel or the managing
underwriters, if any, shall reasonably object;
(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be
necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the
Effectiveness Period or the Applicable Period, as the case may be; and
cause each Prospectus to be supplemented, if so determined by the
Company or the Trust or requested by the SEC, by any required
prospectus supplement and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to
Rule 424 (or any similar provision then in force) under the Securities
Act, and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to
it with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by each
Registration Statement during the Effectiveness Period or the
Applicable Period, as the case may be, in accordance with the intended
method or methods of distribution by the selling Holders thereof
described in this Agreement (including sales by any Participating
Broker-Dealer);
(c) in the case of a Shelf Registration, (i) notify each
Holder of Registrable Securities included in the Shelf Registration
Statement, at least three Business Days prior to filing, that a Shelf
Registration Statement with respect to the Registrable Securities is
being filed and advise each such Holder that the distribution of
Registrable Securities will be made in accordance with the method
selected by the Majority Holders; and (ii) furnish to each Holder of
Registrable Securities included in the Shelf Registration Statement and
to each underwriter of an underwritten offering of Registrable
Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus,
including each preliminary Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement
thereto, and such other documents as such Holder or underwriter may
reasonably request, in order to facilitate the public sale or other
disposition of the Registrable Securities; and (iii) consent to the use
of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the
selling Holders of Registrable Securities included in the Shelf
Registration Statement in connection with the
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offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto;
(d) in the case of a Shelf Registration, register or qualify,
by the time the applicable Registration Statement is declared effective
by the SEC, the Registrable Securities under all applicable state
securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of
Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement and each
underwriter of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities shall
reasonably request in writing in advance of such date of effectiveness,
and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably
necessary or advisable to enable such Holder and underwriter to
consummate the disposition in each such jurisdiction of such
Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided, however, that
neither the Company nor the Trust shall be required to (i) qualify as a
foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction
where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this
Section 3(d), (ii) file any general consent to service of process in
any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be subject to such
service of process or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such
jurisdiction if it is not then so subject;
(e) in the case of (1) a Shelf Registration or (2)
Participating Broker-Dealers from whom the Company or the Trust has
received prior written notice that they will be utilizing the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement as
provided in Section 3(t) hereof, are seeking to sell Exchange
Securities and are required to deliver Prospectuses, notify each Holder
of Registrable Securities, or such Participating Broker-Dealers, as the
case may be, their counsel and the managing underwriters, if any,
promptly and promptly confirm such notice in writing (i) when a
Registration Statement has become effective and when any post-effective
amendment or supplement thereto becomes effective, (ii) of any request
by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and
supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional
information after the Registration Statement has become effective,
(iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement
or the qualification of the Registrable Securities or the Exchange
Securities to be offered or sold by any Participating Broker-Dealer in
any jurisdiction described in paragraph 3(d) hereof or the initiation
of any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) in the case of a Shelf
Registration, if, between the effective date of a Registration
Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered
thereby, any of the representations and warranties of the Company and
the Trust contained in any purchase agreement, securities sales
agreement or other similar agreement, ceases to be true and correct in
all material respects, (v) of the happening of any event or the failure
of any event to occur or the discovery of any facts or otherwise,
during the Effectiveness Period, that makes any statement made in such
Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material
respect or that causes such Registration Statement or Prospectus to
fail to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were
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made, not misleading and (vi) of the Company and the Trust's reasonable
determination that a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement would be appropriate;
(f) make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of
any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement at
the earliest possible moment;
(g) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each
Holder of Registrable Securities included within the coverage of such
Shelf Registration Statement, without charge, at least one conformed
copy of each Registration Statement relating to such Shelf Registration
and any post-effective amendment thereto (without documents
incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless
requested);
(h) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the
selling Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable
Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and in
such denominations (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture and
the Declaration) and registered in such names as the selling Holders or
the underwriters may reasonably request at least two Business Days
prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to
such Shelf Registration Statement;
(i) in the case of a Shelf Registration or an Exchange Offer
Registration, upon the occurrence of any circumstance contemplated by
Section 3(e)(ii), 3(e)(iii), 3(e)(v) or 3(e)(vi) hereof, prepare a
supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or
the related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by
reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter
delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such
Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
fail to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, and to notify each Holder to suspend use of the Prospectus
as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and
each Holder hereby agrees to suspend use of the Prospectus until the
Company has amended or supplemented the Prospectus to correct such
misstatement or omission;
(j) in the case of a Shelf Registration, a reasonable time
prior to the filing of any document that is to be incorporated by
reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus after the
initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide a reasonable number
of copies of such document to the Holders, and make such of the
representatives of the Company and the Trust as shall be reasonably
requested by the Holders of Registrable Securities or the Initial
Purchasers on behalf of such Holders available for discussion of such
document;
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16
(k) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Capital Securities
and the Capital Securities (and if the Trust has made a distribution of
the Subordinated Debentures to the Holders of the Capital Securities,
the Subordinated Debentures or the Exchange Subordinated Debentures) as
the case may be, not later than the effective date of a Registration
Statement, and provide the Trustee with printed certificates for the
Exchange Securities or the Registrable Securities, as the case may be,
in a form eligible for deposit with the Depositary;
(l) cause the Indenture, the Declaration, the Guarantee and
the Exchange Guarantee to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of
1939, as amended (the "TIA") in connection with the registration of the
Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, and
effect such changes to such documents as may be required for them to be
so qualified in accordance with the terms of the TIA and execute, and
use its best efforts to cause the relevant trustee to execute, all
documents as may be required to effect such changes, and all other
forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable such
documents to be so qualified in a timely manner;
(m) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such
agreements (including underwriting agreements) as are customary in
underwritten offerings and take all such other appropriate actions as
are reasonably requested in order to expedite or facilitate the
registration or the disposition of such Registrable Securities, and in
such connection, whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered
into and whether or not the registration is an underwritten
registration, if requested by (x) any Initial Purchaser, in the case
where an Initial Purchaser holds Securities acquired by it as part of
its initial distribution and (y) other Holders of Securities covered
thereby: (i) make such representations and warranties to Holders of
such Registrable Securities and the underwriters (if any), with respect
to the business of the Trust, the Company and its subsidiaries as then
conducted and the Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents, if
any, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, in
each case, as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in
underwritten offerings, and confirm the same if and when requested;
(ii) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and the Trust and
updates thereof (which may be in the form of a reliance letter) in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the managing underwriters (if
any) and the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Registrable Securities being sold, addressed to each selling Holder and
the underwriters (if any) covering the matters customarily covered in
opinions requested in underwritten offerings and such other matters as
may be reasonably requested by such underwriters (it being agreed that
the matters to be covered by such opinion may be subject to customary
qualifications and exceptions); (iii) obtain "cold comfort" letters and
updates thereof in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
managing underwriters from the independent certified public accountants
of the Company and the Trust (and, if necessary, any other independent
certified public accountants of any subsidiary of the Company and the
Trust or of any business acquired by the Company and the Trust for
which financial statements and financial data are, or are required to
be, included in the Registration Statement),
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addressed to each of the underwriters, such letters to be in customary
form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in "cold
comfort" letters in connection with underwritten offerings and such
other matters as reasonably requested by such underwriters in
accordance with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 72; and (iv) if an
underwriting agreement is entered into, ensure that the same shall
contain indemnification provisions and procedures no less favorable
than those set forth in Section 4 hereof (or such other provisions and
procedures acceptable to Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement
and the managing underwriters or agents) with respect to all parties to
be indemnified pursuant to said Section (including, without limitation,
such underwriters and selling Holders). The above shall be done at each
closing under such underwriting agreement, or as and to the extent
required thereunder;
(n) if (1) a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section
2(b) or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) is required to be delivered
under the Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer that seeks
to sell Exchange Securities during the Applicable Period, make
reasonably available for inspection by any selling Holder of such
Registrable Securities being sold, or each such Participating
Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, any underwriter participating in any
such disposition of Registrable Securities, if any, and any attorney,
accountant or other agent retained by any such selling Holder or each
such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, or underwriter
(collectively, the "Inspectors"), at the offices where normally kept,
during reasonable business hours, all financial and other records,
pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Trust, the Company
and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Records") as shall be
reasonably necessary to enable them to exercise any applicable due
diligence responsibilities, and cause the officers, directors and
employees of the Trust, the Company and its subsidiaries to supply all
relevant information in each case reasonably requested by any such
Inspector in connection with such Registration Statement; provided,
however, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall
be coordinated on behalf of the Holders by Merrill Lynch and on behalf
of the other parties, by one counsel designated as described in Section
2(c) hereof. Records that the Company and the Trust determine, in good
faith, to be confidential and any records that it notifies the
Inspectors are confidential shall not be disclosed by the Inspectors
unless (i) the disclosure of such Records is necessary to avoid or
correct a material misstatement or omission in such Registration
Statement, (ii) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a
subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction or is
necessary in connection with any action, suit or proceeding or (iii)
the information in such Records has been made generally available to
the public. Each selling Holder of such Registrable Securities and each
such Participating Broker-Dealer will be required to agree in writing
that information obtained by it as a result of such inspections shall
be deemed confidential and shall not be used by it as the basis for any
market transactions in the securities of the Trust or the Company
unless and until such is made generally available to the public. Each
selling Holder of such Registrable Securities and each such
Participating Broker-Dealer will be required to
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further agree in writing that it will, upon learning that disclosure of
such Records is sought in a court of competent jurisdiction, give
notice to the Company and allow the Company at its expense to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of the Records deemed
confidential;
(o) comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
SEC so long as any provision of this Agreement shall be applicable and
make generally available to its securityholders earning statements
satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and
Rule 158 thereunder (or any similar rule promulgated under the
Securities Act) no later than 45 days after the end of any 12-month
period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month period if such period
is a fiscal year) (i) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in
which Registrable Securities are sold to underwriters in a firm
commitment or best efforts underwritten offering and (ii) if not sold
to underwriters in such an offering, commencing on the first day of the
first fiscal quarter of the Company after the effective date of a
Registration Statement, which statements shall cover said 12-month
periods;
(p) upon consummation of an Exchange Offer or a Private
Exchange, if requested by a Trustee, obtain an opinion of counsel to
the Company addressed to the Trustee for the benefit of all Holders of
Registrable Securities participating in the Exchange Offer or the
Private Exchange, as the case may be, and which includes an opinion
that (i) the Company or the Trust, as the case requires, has duly
authorized, executed and delivered the Exchange Securities and Private
Exchange Securities and (ii) each of the Exchange Securities or the
Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, constitutes a legal,
valid and binding obligation of the Company or the Trust, as the case
requires, enforceable against the Company or the Trust, as the case
requires, in accordance with its respective terms (in each case, with
customary exceptions);
(q) if an Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to be
consummated, upon delivery of the Registrable Securities by Holders to
the Company or the Trust, as applicable (or to such other Person as
directed by the Company or the Trust, respectively), in exchange for
the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case
may be, the Company or the Trust, as applicable, shall mark, or cause
to be marked, on such Registrable Securities delivered by such
Holders,that such Registrable Securities are being cancelled in
exchange for the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange
Securities, as the case may be; in no event shall such Registrable
Securities be marked as paid or otherwise satisfied;
(r) cooperate with each seller of Registrable Securities
covered by any Registration Statement and each underwriter, if any,
participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities, and
their respective counsel, in connection with any filings required to be
made with the NASD;
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(s) take all other reasonable steps necessary to effect the
registration of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration
Statement contemplated hereby;
(t) (A) in the case of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement (i) include in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement a
section entitled "Plan of Distribution," which section shall be
reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchasers or another
representative of the Participating Broker-Dealers, and which shall
contain a summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by
the staff of the SEC with respect to the potential "underwriter" status
of any broker-dealer (a "Participating Broker-Dealer") that holds
Registrable Securities acquired for its own account as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities and that will be
the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act)
of Exchange Securities to be received by such broker-dealer in the
Exchange Offer, whether such positions or policies have been publicly
disseminated by the staff of the SEC or such positions or policies, in
the reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers or such other
representative, represent the prevailing views of the staff of the SEC,
including a statement that any such broker-dealer who receives Exchange
Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer
may be deemed a statutory underwriter and must deliver a prospectus
meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any
resale of such Exchange Securities, (ii) furnish to each Participating
Broker-Dealer that has delivered to the Company the notice referred to
in Section 3(e), without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus
included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, including any
preliminary prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, as
such Participating Broker-Dealer may reasonably request (each of the
Company and the Trust hereby consents to the use of the Prospectus
forming part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or any
amendment or supplement thereto by any Person subject to the prospectus
delivery requirements of the Securities Act, including all
Participating Broker-Dealers, in connection with the sale or transfer
of the Exchange Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto), (iii) keep the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement effective and amend and supplement the Prospectus contained
therein in order to permit such Prospectus to be lawfully delivered by
all Persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act for such period of time as such Persons must comply with
such requirements under the Securities Act and applicable rules and
regulations in order to resell the Exchange Securities; provided,
however, that such period shall not be required to exceed 90 days (or
such longer period if extended pursuant to the last sentence of Section
3 hereof) (the "Applicable Period"), and (iv) include in the
transmittal letter or similar documentation to be executed by an
exchange offeree in order to participate in the Exchange Offer (x) the
following provision:
"If the exchange offeree is a broker-dealer holding
Registrable Securities acquired for its own account as a
result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, it will deliver a prospectus meeting the
requirements of the Securities Act in
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connection with any resale of Exchange Securities received in
respect of such Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Exchange Offer";
and (y) a statement to the effect that by a broker-dealer making the
acknowledgment described in clause (x) and delivering a Prospectus in
connection with the exchange of Registrable Securities, the
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an underwriter
within the meaning of the Securities Act; and
(B) in the case of any Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, to deliver to the Initial Purchasers or to another
representative of the Participating Broker-Dealers, if requested by any
such Initial Purchasers or such other representative of the
Participating Broker-Dealers, on behalf of the Participating
Broker-Dealers upon consummation of the Exchange Offer (i) an opinion
of counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial
Purchasers or such other representative of the Participating
Broker-Dealers, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions
requested in connection with Exchange Offer Registration Statements and
such other matters as may be reasonably requested (it being agreed that
the matters to be covered by such opinion may be subject to customary
qualifications and exceptions), (ii) an officers' certificate
containing certifications substantially similar to those set forth in
Section 5(f) of the Purchase Agreement and such additional
certifications as are customarily delivered in a public offering of
debt securities and (iii) as well as upon the effectiveness of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a comfort letter, in each case,
in customary form if permitted by Statement on Auditing Standards No.
72.
The Company or the Trust may require each seller of
Registrable Securities as to which any registration is being effected to furnish
to the Company or the Trust, as applicable, such information regarding such
seller as may be required by the staff of the SEC to be included in a
Registration Statement. The Company or the Trust may exclude from such
registration the Registrable Securities of any seller that unreasonably fails to
furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such request.
The Company shall have no obligation to register under the Securities Act the
Registrable Securities of a seller that so fails to furnish such information.
In the case of (1) a Shelf Registration Statement or (2)
Participating Broker-Dealers that have notified the Company and the Trust that
they will be utilizing the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement as provided in Section 3(t) hereof, are seeking to sell
Exchange Securities and are required to deliver Prospectuses, each Holder agrees
that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company or the Trust of the happening
of any event of the kind described in Section 3(e)(ii), 3(e)(iii), 3(e)(v) or
3(e)(vi) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of
Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement until such Holder's
receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by
Section 3(i) hereof or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice") by the
Company and the Trust that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed,
and, if so
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directed by the Company and the Trust, such Holder will deliver to the Company
or the Trust (at the Company's or the Trust's expense, as the case requires) all
copies in such Holder's possession, other than permanent file copies then in
such Holder's possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities
or Exchange Securities, as the case may be, current at the time of receipt of
such notice. If the Company or the Trust shall give any such notice to suspend
the disposition of Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities, as the case
may be, pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company and the Trust shall
use their best efforts to file and have declared effective (if an amendment) as
soon as practicable an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and
shall extend the period during which such Registration Statement shall be
maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days in the
period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including
the date when the Company and the Trust shall have made available to the Holders
(x) copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus necessary to resume such
dispositions or (y) the Advice.
4. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) In connection with any Registration Statement, the Company
and the Trust shall, jointly and severally, indemnify and hold harmless
each Initial Purchaser, each Holder, each underwriter who participates
in an offering of the Registrable Securities, each Participating
Broker-Dealer, each Person, if any, who controls any of such parties
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act and each of their respective directors, officers,
employees and agents, as follows:
(i) from and against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense whatsoever, joint or several, as
incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), covering
Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities, including all
documents incorporated therein by reference, or the omission
or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading;
(ii) from and against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense whatsoever, joint or several, as
incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in
settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any court or governmental agency or body,
commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon
any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged
untrue statement or omission, if such settlement is effected
with the prior written consent of the Company; and
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(iii) from and against any and all expenses
whatsoever, as incurred (including reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel chosen by such Holder, such
Participating Broker-Dealer, or any underwriter (except to the
extent otherwise expressly provided in Section 4(c) hereof)),
reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending
against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by
any court or governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue
statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or
omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid
under subparagraph (i) or (ii) of this Section 4(a);
provided, however, that (i) this indemnity does not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of an untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished in writing to the
Company or the Trust by such Holder, such Participating Broker-Dealer or any
underwriter with respect to such Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer or any
underwriter, as the case may be, expressly for use in the Registration Statement
(or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) and (ii) the Company and the Trust shall not be liable to any such
Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer, any underwriter or controlling person, with
respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission in any preliminary Prospectus to the extent that any such loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense of any Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer,
any underwriter or controlling person results from the fact that such Holder,
any underwriter or Participating Broker-Dealer sold Securities to a person to
whom there was not sent or given, at or prior to the written confirmation of
such sale, a copy of the final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented if the
Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Holder, underwriter or
Participating Broker-Dealer and the loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of
such Holder, underwriter, Participating Broker-Dealer or controlling person
results from an untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in the
preliminary Prospectus which was corrected in the final Prospectus. Any amounts
advanced by the Company or the Trust to an indemnified party pursuant to this
Section 4 as a result of such losses shall be returned to the Company or the
Trust if it shall be finally determined by such a court in a judgment not
subject to appeal or final review that such indemnified party was not entitled
to indemnification by the Company or the Trust.
(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Trust, any underwriter and the
other selling Holders and each of their respective directors, officers
(including each officer of the Company and the Trust who signed the Registration
Statement), employees and agents and each Person, if any, who controls the
Company, the Trust, any underwriter or any other selling Holder within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act,
from and against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever described in the indemnity contained in Section 4(a) hereof, as
incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged
untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto) or any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in
reliance upon and in conformity
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with written information furnished to the Company or the Trust by such selling
Holder with respect to such Holder expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), or any such Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto); provided, however, that, in the case of Shelf
Registration Statement, no such Holder shall be liable for any claims hereunder
in excess of the amount of net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of
Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.
(c) Each indemnified party shall give prompt notice to each
indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which
indemnity may be sought hereunder, enclosing a copy of all papers properly
served on such indemnified party, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party
shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability that it may have
under this Section 4, except to the extent that it is materially prejudiced by
such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party
and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the
indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent it
may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party
(who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to
the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such
indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the
indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this
Section 4 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened action in respect of which an indemnified party is or could have been
a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party
unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified
party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such
action and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances under which any of the indemnity provisions set forth in this
Section 4 is for any reason held to be unavailable to the indemnified parties
although applicable in accordance with its terms, the Company, the Trust, and
the Holders shall contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims,
damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by such indemnity agreement
incurred by the Company, the Trust, and the Holders, as incurred; provided, that
no Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person that
was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. As between the Company, the
Trust, and the Holders, such parties shall contribute to such aggregate losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and-expenses of the nature contemplated by such
indemnity agreement in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the
relative fault of the Company and Trust, on the one hand, and the Holders, on
the other hand, with respect to the statements or omissions which resulted in
such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense, or action in respect thereof, as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the
Company and the Trust, on the one hand, and of the Holders, on the other hand,
shall be
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determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Trust, on
the one hand, or by or on behalf of the Holders, on the other, and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Trust and the Holders of
the Registrable Securities agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 4 were to be determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the relevant equitable considerations. For purposes of this Section 4, each
affiliate of a Holder, and each director, officer, employee, agent and Person,
if any, that controls a Holder or such affiliate within the meaning of Section
15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same
rights to contribution as such Holder, and each director of each of the Company
or the Trust, each officer of each of the Company or the Trust who signed the
Registration Statement, and each Person, if any, that controls each of the
Company and the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as
each of the Company or the Trust.
5. Participation in Underwritten Registrations. No Holder may
participate in any underwritten registration hereunder unless such Holder (a)
agrees to sell such Holder's Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any
underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve
such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all reasonable questionnaires,
powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, lock-up letters and
other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting
arrangements.
6. Selection of Underwriters. The Holders of Registrable
Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement that desire to do so may
sell the securities covered by such Shelf Registration in an underwritten
offering. In any such underwritten offering, the underwriter or underwriters and
manager or managers that will administer the offering will be selected by the
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable
Securities included in such offering; provided, however, that such underwriters
and managers must be reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Trust.
7. Miscellaneous.
(a) Rule 144 and Rule 144A. For so long as the Company or the
Trust is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15 of the
Exchange Act and any Registrable Securities remain outstanding, the Company and
the Trust, as the case may be, will use their best efforts to file the reports
required to be filed by either of them under the Securities Act and Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the
SEC thereunder; provided, that if either of them ceases to be so required to
file such reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder of Registrable
Securities (a) make publicly available such information as is necessary to
permit sales of such Holder's securities pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act, (b) deliver such information to a prospective purchaser as is
necessary
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to permit sales of such Holder's securities pursuant to Rule 144A under the
Securities Act and take such further action as any Holder of Registrable
Securities may reasonably request, and (c) take such further action that is
reasonable in the circumstances, in each case, to the extent required from time
to time, to enable such Holder to sell its Registrable Securities without
registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions
provided by (i) Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended
from time to time, (ii) Rule 144A under the Securities Act, as such rule may be
amended from time to time, or (iii) any similar rules or regulations hereafter
adopted by the SEC. Upon the request of any Holder of Registrable Securities,
the Company and the Trust will deliver to such Holder a written statement as to
whether either of them has complied with such requirements.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor the
Trust has entered into, nor will the Company or the Trust on or after the date
of this Agreement enter into, any agreement that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise
conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders
hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the
rights granted to the holders of the Company's or the Trust's other issued and
outstanding securities under any such agreements.
(c) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given, unless the Company and the Trust have obtained the written
consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification,
supplement, waiver or departure; provided, that no amendment, modification or
supplement or waiver or consent to the departure with respect to the provisions
of Section 4 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable
Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder of Registrable
Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, (i) this Agreement may be
amended, without the consent of any Holder of Registrable Securities, by written
agreement signed by the Company, the Trust and Merrill Lynch, to cure any
ambiguity, correct or supplement any provision of this Agreement that may be
inconsistent with any other provision of this Agreement or to make any other
provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement
that shall not be inconsistent with other provisions of this Agreement, (ii)
this Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers and
consents to departures from the provisions hereof may be given, by written
agreement signed by the Company, the Trust and Merrill Lynch to the extent that
any such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent is, in their
reasonable judgment, necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable law
(including any interpretation of the Staff of the SEC) or any change therein and
(iii) to the extent any provision of this Agreement relates to the Initial
Purchasers, such provision may be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers
or consents to departures from such provisions may be given, by written
agreement signed by Merrill Lynch, the Company and the Trust.
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(d) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for
or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered
first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight
delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to
the Company or the Trust by means of a notice given in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 7(d), which address initially is, with respect to the
Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; and (ii) if
to the Company or the Trust, initially at the Company's address set forth in the
Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is
given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7(d).
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have
been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five
Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed;
when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and
on the next Business Day, if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing
overnight delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands, or other communications
shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at
the address specified in the Indenture.
(e) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of the
Initial Purchasers, including, without limitation and without the need for an
express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided, however, that nothing herein
shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of
Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or
the Indenture. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable
Securities, in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such
Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all of the terms of this
Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities, such Person
shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of
the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to
receive the benefits hereof.
(f) Third Party Beneficiary. Each of the Initial Purchasers
shall be a third party beneficiary of the agreements made hereunder between the
Company and the Trust, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, and
shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems
such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of
Holders hereunder.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of
which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
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(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
(i) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN
MADE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. THE VALIDITY AND INTERPRETATION OF THIS
AGREEMENT, AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH HEREIN, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EACH OF THE
PARTIES HERETO AGREES TO SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE
OF NEW YORK IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS
AGREEMENT.
(j) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the
provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is
held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and
enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining
provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(k) Securities Held by the Company, the Trust or its
Affiliates. Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified
percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, Registrable
Securities held by the Company, the Trust or its affiliates (as such term is
defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) shall not be counted in
determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such
required percentage.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement
as of the date first written above.
ADVANTA CORP.
By: /s/ David D. Wesselink
------------------------------------------------
Name: David D. Wesselink
Title: Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer
ADVANTA CAPITAL TRUST I
By: /s/ David D. Wesselink
------------------------------------------------
Name: David D. Wesselink
Trustee
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Confirmed and accepted as of
the date first above written:
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE,
FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
SALOMON BROTHERS INC
By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
By: /s/ Lee Shavel
------------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
On its behalf and on behalf of
Salomon Brothers Inc
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