EXECUTION COPY ================================================================================ WHX CORPORATION SERIES A AND SERIES B 10 1/2% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2005 -------------- INDENTURE Dated as of April 7, 1998 -------------- -------------- Bank One, N.A. Trustee -------------- ================================================================================ CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE* Trust Indenture Indenture Act Section Section ----------- ------- 310 (a)(1)................................................. 7.10 (a)(2).............................................. 7.10 (a)(3).............................................. N.A. (a)(4).............................................. N.A. (a)(5).............................................. 7.10 (b)................................................. 7.10 (c)................................................. N.A. 311 (a).................................................... 7.11 (b)................................................. 7.11 (c)................................................. N.A. 312 (a).................................................... 2.05 (b)................................................. 10.03 (c)................................................. 10.03 313 (a).................................................... 7.06 (b)(1).............................................. N.A. (b)(2).............................................. 7.06;7.07 (c)................................................. 7.06;10.02 (d)................................................. 7.06 314 (a).................................................... 4.03 (b)................................................. N.A. (c)(1).............................................. 10.04 (c)(2).............................................. 10.04 (c)(3).............................................. N.A. (d)................................................. N.A. (e)................................................. 10.05 (f)................................................. N.A. 315 (a).................................................... 7.01 (b)................................................. 7.05,10.02 (c)................................................. 7.01 (d)................................................. 7.01 (e)................................................. 6.11 316 (a)(last sentence)..................................... 2.09 (a)(1)(A)........................................... 6.05 (a)(1)(B)........................................... 6.04 (a)(2).............................................. N.A. (b)................................................. 6.07 (c)................................................. N.A. 317 (a)(1)................................................. 6.08 (a)(2).............................................. 6.09 (b) ................................................ 2.04 318 (a).................................................... 10.01 (b)................................................. N.A. (c)................................................. 10.01 - ------------------------- N.A. means Not Applicable Note: This Cross-Reference Table is not, part of the Indenture. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ---- ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE Section 1.01. DEFINITIONS......................................................1 Section 1.02. OTHER DEFINITIONS...............................................22 Section 1.03. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF TRUST INDENTURE ACT...............23 Section 1.04. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION...........................................23 ARTICLE 2 THE NOTES Section 2.01. FORM AND DATING. 23 Section 2.02. EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATION....................................26 Section 2.03. REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT......................................27 Section 2.04. PAYING AGENT TO HOLD MONEY IN TRUST.............................27 Section 2.05. HOLDER LISTS.28 Section 2.06. TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE...........................................28 Section 2.07. REPLACEMENT NOTES...............................................37 Section 2.08. OUTSTANDING NOTES...............................................38 Section 2.09. TREASURY NOTES. 38 Section 2.10. TEMPORARY NOTES. 39 Section 2.11. CANCELLATION.39 Section 2.12. DEFAULTED INTEREST..............................................39 ARTICLE 3 REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT Section 3.01. NOTICES TO TRUSTEE..............................................40 Section 3.02. SELECTION OF NOTES TO BE REDEEMED...............................40 Section 3.03. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION............................................40 Section 3.04. EFFECT OF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION..................................41 Section 3.05. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE.....................................41 Section 3.06. NOTES REDEEMED IN PART..........................................42 Section 3.07. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.............................................42 Section 3.08. MANDATORY REDEMPTION............................................43 Section 3.09. Offer to Purchase by Application of EXCESS PROCEEDS.............43 ARTICLE 4 COVENANTS Section 4.01. PAYMENT OF NOTES.45 Section 4.02. MAINTENANCE OF OFFICE OR AGENCY.................................46 -i- Section 4.03. REPORTS.........................................................46 Section 4.04. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE..........................................47 Section 4.05. TAXES...........................................................48 Section 4.06. STAY, EXTENSION AND USURY LAWS..................................48 Section 4.07. RESTRICTED PAYMENTS.............................................48 Section 4.08. DIVIDEND AND OTHER PAYMENT RESTRICTIONS AFFECTING SUBSIDIARIES..................................................51 Section 4.09. INCURRENCE OF INDEBTEDNESS AND ISSUANCE OF PREFERRED STOCK...............................................52 Section 4.10. ASSET SALES.................................................... 54 Section 4.11. TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES....................................55 Section 4.12. LIENS...........................................................56 Section 4.13. CORPORATE EXISTENCE.............................................57 Section 4.14. OFFER TO REPURCHASE UPON CHANGE OF CONTROL......................57 Section 4.15. PAYMENT FOR CONSENT.............................................59 ARTICLE 5 SUCCESSORS Section 5.01. MERGER, CONSOLIDATION, OR SALE OF ASSETS........................59 Section 5.02. SUCCESSOR CORPORATION SUBSTITUTED...............................60 ARTICLE 6 DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES Section 6.01. EVENTS OF DEFAULT...............................................60 Section 6.02. ACCELERATION.62 Section 6.03. OTHER REMEDIES. 63 Section 6.04. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS.........................................63 Section 6.05. CONTROL BY MAJORITY.............................................63 Section 6.06. LIMITATION ON SUITS.............................................63 Section 6.07. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF NOTES TO RECEIVE PAYMENT...................64 Section 6.08. COLLECTION SUIT BY TRUSTEE......................................64 Section 6.09. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM................................65 Section 6.10. PRIORITIES......................................................65 Section 6.11. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS...........................................66 ARTICLE 7 TRUSTEE Section 7.01. DUTIES OF TRUSTEE...............................................66 Section 7.02. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE...............................................67 Section 7.03. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE....................................68 Section 7.04. TRUSTEE'S DISCLAIMER............................................68 Section 7.05. NOTICE OF DEFAULT...............................................69 Section 7.06. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE TO HOLDERS OF THE NOTES......................69 -ii- Section 7.07. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNITY......................................69 Section 7.08. REPLACEMENT OF TRUSTEE..........................................70 Section 7.09. SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE BY MERGER, ETC................................71 Section 7.10. ELIGIBILITY; DISQUALIFICATION...................................71 Section 7.11. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST COMPANY...............72 ARTICLE 8 LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE Section 8.01. Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant DEFEASANCE........72 Section 8.02. LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE..................................72 Section 8.03. COVENANT DEFEASANCE.............................................73 Section 8.04. CONDITIONS TO LEGAL OR COVENANT DEFEASANCE......................73 Section 8.05. DEPOSITED MONEY AND GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TO BE HELD IN TRUST; OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.................75 Section 8.06. REPAYMENT TO COMPANY............................................75 Section 8.07. REINSTATEMENT...................................................76 ARTICLE 9 AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER Section 9.01. WITHOUT CONSENT OF HOLDERS OF NOTES.............................76 Section 9.02. WITH CONSENT OF HOLDERS OF NOTES................................77 Section 9.03. COMPLIANCE WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT.............................79 Section 9.04. REVOCATION AND EFFECT OF CONSENTS...............................79 Section 9.05. NOTATION ON OR EXCHANGE OF NOTES................................79 Section 9.06. TRUSTEE TO SIGN AMENDMENTS, ETC.................................79 ARTICLE 10 MISCELLANEOUS Section 10.01. TRUST INDENTURE ACT CONTROLS...................................80 Section 10.02. NOTICES........................................................80 Section 10.03. COMMUNICATION BY HOLDERS OF NOTES WITH OTHER HOLDERS OF NOTES..81 Section 10.04. CERTIFICATE AND OPINION AS TO CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.............81 Section 10.05. STATEMENTS REQUIRED IN CERTIFICATE OR OPINION..................82 Section 10.06. RULES BY TRUSTEE AND AGENTS....................................82 Section 10.07. NO PERSONAL LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND STOCKHOLDERS...................................82 Section 10.08. GOVERNING LAW. 83 Section 10.09. NO ADVERSE INTERPRETATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS..................83 Section 10.10. SUCCESSORS. 83 Section 10.11. SEVERABILITY. 83 Section 10.12. COUNTERPART ORIGINALS..........................................83 -iii- Section 10.13. TABLE OF CONTENTS, HEADINGS, ETC...............................83 EXHIBITS Exhibit A-1 Form of Note...............................................A-1-1 Exhibit A-2 Form of Regulation S Temporary Note........................A-2-1 Exhibit B-1 Certificate of Transferor from 144A Global Note to Regulation S Global Note..........................B-1-1 Exhibit B-2 Certificate of Transferor from Regulation S Global Note to 144A Global Note............................B-2-1 Exhibit B-3 Certificate of Transferor of Definitive Notes..............B-3-1 Exhibit B-4 Certificate of Transferor from Global Note to Definitive Note............................................B-4-1 Exhibit C Certificate of Institutional Accredited Investor...........C-1 -iv- This Indenture, dated as of April 7, 1998, is between WHX Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), and Bank One, N.A., a national banking association, as trustee (the "TRUSTEE"). The Company and the Trustee agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 (the "SERIES A NOTES") and the 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005, Series B (the "SERIES B NOTES" and, together with the Series A Notes, the "NOTES"): ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE Section 1.01. DEFINITIONS. "144A GLOBAL NOTE" means a permanent global senior note that contains the paragraph referred to in footnote 1 and the additional schedule referred to in footnote 3 to the form of the Note attached hereto as Exhibit A-1, and that is deposited with the Note Custodian and registered in the name of the Depository, representing a series of Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A or another exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, other than Regulation S. "ACQUIRED INDEBTEDNESS" means, with respect to any specified Person, (i) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged with or into or became a Restricted Subsidiary of such specified Person, including, without limitation, Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into or becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of such specified Person, and (ii) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering an asset acquired by such specified Person at the time such asset is acquired by such specified Person. "ADJUSTED CONSOLIDATED LEVERAGE RATIO" means, with respect to any Person at any date of determination, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio of such Person, provided that clause (x) of the definition of Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall be reduced by the aggregate amount of cash, Cash Equivalents, U.S. Government Obligations and Triple A Rated Securities held by such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date prior to giving effect to any Indebtedness incurred or to be incurred or any Preferred Stock issued or to be issued, as the case may be, on such date. "AFFILIATE" of any specified Person means any other Person which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under direct or indirect common control with, such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control" when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; provided that beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the voting securities of a Person shall be deemed to be control, and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the foregoing. "AGENT" means any Registrar, Paying Agent or co-registrar. "APPLICABLE PREMIUM" means, with respect to a Note at any redemption date, the greater of (i) 1.0% of the principal amount of such Note and (ii) the excess of (A) the present value at such time of (1) the redemption price of such Note at April 15, 2002, plus (2) all required interest payments due on such Note through April 15, 2002, computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, over (B) the then outstanding principal amount of such Note. "APPLICABLE PROCEDURES" means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in a Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depository that apply to such transfer and exchange. "ASSET SALE" means the sale, lease, conveyance, disposition or other transfer (a "disposition") of any properties, assets or rights (including, without limitation, a sale and leaseback transaction or the issuance, sale or transfer by the Company of Equity Interests of a Restricted Subsidiary) whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the following transactions will be deemed not to be Asset Sales: (a) sales of inventory (other than Owned Precious Metal Inventory) in the ordinary course of business; (b) the sale of Owned Precious Metal Inventory in exchange for consideration having a fair market value at least equal to that of the Owned Precious Metal Inventory being sold; (c) the sale or transfer of Precious Metals in connection with a Future Payables Transaction involving the same quantity of Precious Metals so sold or transferred; (d) a disposition of assets by the Company to a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or by a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or to another Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; (e) a disposition of Equity Interests by a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or to another Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; (f) a Permitted Investment or Restricted Payment that is permitted by this Indenture; (g) the issuance by the Company of Equity Interests; (h) the disposition of properties, assets or rights in any fiscal year the aggregate Net Proceeds of which are less than $1 million; and (i) the sale of accounts -2- receivable pursuant to the Receivables Facility or any other receivable facility entered into by the Company and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business. "BANKRUPTCY LAW" means Title 11, United States Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors. "BOARD OF DIRECTORS" means, with respect to any Person, the Board of Directors of such Person, or any authorized committee of the Board of Directors of such Person. "BUSINESS DAY" means any day other than a Legal Holiday. "CAPITAL EXPENDITURE INDEBTEDNESS" means Indebtedness incurred by any Person to finance the purchase or construction of any property or assets acquired or constructed by such Person which have a useful life of more than one year so long as (a) the purchase or construction price for such property or assets is included in "addition to property, plant or equipment" in accordance with GAAP, (b) the acquisition or construction of such property or assets is not part of any acquisition of a Person or line of business and (c) such Indebtedness is incurred within 90 days of the acquisition or completion of construction of such property or assets. "CAPITAL LEASE OBLIGATION" means, at the time any determination thereof is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at such time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP. "CAPITAL STOCK" means (a) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock, (b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock, (c) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited) and (d) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person. "CASH EQUIVALENTS" means (a) United States dollars, (b) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of not more than six months from the date of acquisition, (c) certificates of deposit and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition, bankers' acceptances with maturities not exceeding six months and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any domestic commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500 million, (d) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than thirty days for underlying securities of the types described in -3- clauses (b) and (c) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (c) above, (d) commercial paper having the highest rating obtainable from Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor's Rating Service and in each case maturing within six months after the date of acquisition and (e) money market mutual funds substantially all of the assets of which are of the type described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (d). "CEDEL" means Cedel Bank, societe anonyme. "CHANGE OF CONTROL" means any of the following: (a) the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person (as such term in used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), (b) the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company, (c) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that (i) any "Person" or "group" (as such terms are used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than WHX or an underwriter or group of underwriters in an underwritten public offering becomes the "beneficial owner" (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, of at least 50% of the voting power of the outstanding voting stock of the Company, (d) the merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation with the effect that the existing stockholders of the Company hold less than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the surviving corporation of such merger or the corporation resulting from such consolidation or (e) the first day on which more than a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company are not Continuing Directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the sale of all or a substantial portion of the Capital Stock of WPC or all or substantially all of the assets of WPC and its Subsidiaries shall not constitute a Change of Control if after giving effect to such sale and the application of the net proceeds therefrom, the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Leverage Ratio would be less than 5.0 to 1.0. "CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW" means, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period plus, without duplication, (a) provision for taxes based on income or profits of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent that such provision for taxes was included in computing Consolidated Net Income, PLUS (b) Consolidated Interest Expense of such person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued and whether or not capitalized (including, without limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, commissions, dis- -4- counts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers' acceptance financings, and net payments (if any) pursuant to Hedging Obligations), to the extent that any such expense was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, PLUS (c) depreciation and amortization (including amortization of goodwill and other intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid, outside of the ordinary course of business, in a prior period) and other non-cash charges of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent that such depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges (including, without limitation, non-cash charges relating to postretirement employee benefit plans and pension plans), were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, MINUS (d) non-cash items increasing consolidated revenues in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period to the extent not already reflected as an expense in computing Consolidated Net Income, MINUS (e) all cash payments during such period relating to non-cash charges and other non-cash items that were or would have been added back in determining Consolidated Cash Flow for any prior period, in each case, on a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP, MINUS (PLUS) (f) any gain (or loss) realized in connection with the disposition of any securities by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or the extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent included or deducted, as the case may be, in computing Consolidated Net Income. "CONSOLIDATED INTEREST COVERAGE RATIO" means with respect to any Person for any period, the ratio of the Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person for such period to the Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person for such period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to each of the following transactions as if each such transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter reference period: (a) any incurrence, assumption, guarantee or redemption by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of any Indebtedness (including revolving credit borrowings based on the average daily balance outstanding during the relevant period) subsequent to the commencement of the period for which the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio is being calculated but prior to the date on which the event for which the calculation of the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio is made (the "Calculation Date"); (b) any acquisition that has been made by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or approved and expected to be consummated within 30 days of the Calculation Date, including, in each case, through a merger or consolidation, and including any related financing transactions, during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to the Calculation Date (in which case Consolidated Cash Flow for such reference period shall be calculated to include the Consolidated Cash Flow of the acquired entities and without giving effect to clause (c) of the proviso set forth in the definition of Consolidated Net Income); and (c) any other transaction that may be given pro forma effect in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation S-X as in effect from -5- time to time; and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that (i) the Consolidated Cash Flow attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, shall be excluded and (ii) the Consolidated Interest Expense attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, shall be excluded, but only to the extent that the obligations giving rise to such Consolidated Interest Expense will not be obligations of the referent Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries following the Calculation Date. "CONSOLIDATED INTEREST EXPENSE" means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of (a) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued (including, without limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers' acceptance financings, and net payments (if any) pursuant to Hedging Obligations), (b) any interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person that is guaranteed by such Person or one of its Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets of such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries (whether or not such guarantee of Lien is called upon), (c) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period and (d) the product of (i) all cash dividend payments on any series of Preferred Stock of such Person, times (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current combined federal, state and local statutory tax rates of such Person, expressed as a decimal, in each case, on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP. "CONSOLIDATED LEVERAGE RATIO" means, with respect to any Person at any date of determination, the ratio of (x) the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries plus the aggregate liquidation value of all Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries of such Person, in each case as of the date of determination to (y) the Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person for the most recently ended four fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are immediately available preceding such date of determination; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to each of the following transactions as if each such transaction had occurred at the beginning of the most recently ended four fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are immediately available preceding such date of determination: (a) any acquisition that has been made by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or approved and expected to be consummated within 30 days of the date of determination, including, in each case, through a merger or consolidation, and including any related financ- -6- ing transactions, during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to the date of determination (in which case Consolidated Cash Flow for such reference period shall be calculated to include the Consolidated Cash Flow of the acquired entities and without giving effect to clause (c) of the proviso set forth in the definition of Consolidated Net Income); and (b) any other transaction that may be given pro forma effect in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation S-X as in effect from time to time; and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that the Consolidated Cash Flow attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the date of determination, shall be excluded. "CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME" means, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP; PROVIDED that (a) the Net Income (but not loss) of any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting shall be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions paid in cash to the referent Person or a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary thereof, (b) the Net Income of any Restricted Subsidiary shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of that Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders; PROVIDED that such Net Income shall not be excluded if such restrictions are permitted under Section 4.08, (c) the Net Income of any Person acquired in a pooling of interests transaction for any period prior to the date of such acquisition shall be excluded and (d) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles shall be excluded. "CONSOLIDATED NET WORTH" means, with respect to any Person as of any date, the sum of (a) the consolidated equity of the common stockholders of such Person and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date plus (b) the respective amounts reported on such Person's balance sheet as of such date with respect to any series of Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) that by its terms is not entitled to the payment of dividends unless such dividends may be declared and paid only out of net earnings in respect of the year of such declaration and payment, but only to the extent of any cash received by such Person upon issuance of such Preferred Stock. "CONTINUING DIRECTORS" means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who (a) was a member of the Board of Directors of the Company on the date of original issuance of the Series A Notes or (b) was nominated for election to the Board of Directors of the Company with the approval of, or whose election to the Board of Directors of the Company was ratified by, at least a majority of the -7- Continuing Directors who were members of the Board of Directors of the Company at the time of such nomination or election. "CORPORATE TRUST OFFICE OF THE TRUSTEE" shall be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 10.02 hereof or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Company. "CUSTODIAN" means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law. "DEFAULT" means any event that is or with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be an Event of Default. "DEFINITIVE NOTES" means Notes that are in the form of Exhibit A-1 attached hereto (but without including the text referred to in footnotes 1 and 3 thereto). "DEPOSITORY" means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person specified in Section 2.03 hereof as the Depository with respect to the Notes, until a successor shall have been appointed and become such pursuant to the applicable provision of this Indenture, and, thereafter, "Depository" shall mean or include such successor. "DISQUALIFIED STOCK" means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event, matures (excluding any maturity as a result of an optional redemption by the issuer thereof) or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the date on which the Notes mature or are redeemed or retired in full; PROVIDED, that any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders thereof (or of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) have the right to require the issuer to repurchase such Capital Stock (or such security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) upon the occurrence of an Asset Sale or a Change of Control shall not constitute Disqualified Stock if such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) provides that the issuer thereof will not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock (or any such security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) pursuant to such provisions prior to compliance by the Company with Section 4.10 or 4.14 hereof, as the case may be. -8- "EQUITY INTERESTS" means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock). "EUROCLEAR" means Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Brussels office, as operator of the Euroclear system. "EXCHANGE ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. "EXCHANGE OFFER" means the offer that is required to be made by the Company pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement to exchange Series B Notes for Series A Notes. "EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS" means Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (including H&H and its Subsidiaries) in existence on the date of this Indenture including, without limitation, the Obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries under (i) the Close Corporation and Shareholders Agreement of Ohio Coatings Company as existing on the date of the Indenture and the guarantee by WPC or any Restricted Subsidiary of WPC of up to $20 million of Indebtedness of Ohio Coatings Company under the Credit Agreement between Ohio Coatings Company and National City Bank, Northeast, or (ii) the Keepwell Agreement, dated December 28, 1995, between WPC, WPSC, the Company and the lenders party thereto as existing on the date of the Indenture to the extent permitted by the WHX Agreements, until such amounts are repaid. "FUTURE PAYABLES TRANSACTION" means, as of any date, a financing arrangement of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company involving the sale of Precious Metals actually owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary as of such date and the contemporaneous purchase, on a future payment and delivery basis, by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary of a substantially equivalent quantity of Precious Metals of the same type. "GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect from time to time. "GLOBAL NOTE" means, individually and collectively, the Regulation S Global Note and the 144A Global Note. -9- "GUARANTEE" means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner (including, without limitation, letters of credit and reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any party of any Indebtedness. "HEDGING OBLIGATIONS" means, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person under interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap agreements, interest rate collar agreements and other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest rates. "H&H" means Handy & Harman, a New York corporation. "H&H 7.31% NOTES" means $125.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7.31% Senior Notes due April 30, 2004 of H&H. "HOLDER" means a Person in whose name a Note is registered. "INDEBTEDNESS" means, with respect to any Person, any indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent, in respect of borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof) or banker's acceptances or representing Capital Lease Obligations or the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or representing any Hedging Obligations, except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable, if and to the extent any of the foregoing indebtedness (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP, as well as Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the guarantee by such Person of any Indebtedness of any other Person. The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date shall be (a) the accredit value thereof, in the case of any Indebtedness that does not require current payments of interest and (b) the principal amount thereof, in the case of any other Indebtedness. Indebtedness shall not include obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to postretirement employee benefit plans and pension plans. "INDENTURE" means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time. "INDIRECT PARTICIPANT" means a Person who holds an interest through a Participant. -10- "INITIAL PURCHASERS" means Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation and Citicorp Securities, Inc. "INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR" means an "accredited investor" as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act. "INVESTMENTS" means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of direct or indirect loans (including guarantees by the referent Person of, and Liens on any assets of the referent Person securing, Indebtedness or other obligations of other Persons), advances or capital contributions (excluding commission, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities, together with all items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP. If the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary of the Company such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, the Company shall be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or disposition equal to the fair market value of the Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary not sold or disposed of in an amount determined as provided in the final paragraph of Section 4.07 hereof. "LEGAL HOLIDAY" means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York or at a place of payment are authorized by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period. "LETTER OF CREDIT FACILITY" means the Letter of Credit Agreement, dated as of August 22, 1994, among WPSC and Citibank, N.A., as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified including any refinancing, refunding, replacement or extension thereof and whether by the same or any other lender or group of lenders, PROVIDED, that the aggregate amount of letters of credit available thereunder may not exceed $50,000,000. "LETTER OF UNDERTAKING" means that certain letter of undertaking dated July 21, 1997 from the Company to The Sanwa Bank, Limited, as existing on the date of the Indenture. "LIEN" means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, -11- recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction). "LIQUIDATED DAMAGES" means all liquidated damages then owing pursuant to Section 5 of the Registration Rights Agreement. "MERGER" means the merger of HN Acquisition Corp., a New York corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, with and into H&H pursuant to an agreement and plan of merger dated as of March 1, 1998, as amended, among the Company, HN Acquisition Corp. and H&H. "NET CASH PROCEEDS" means with respect to any issuance or sale of common stock of the Company, the cash proceeds of such issuance or sale net of attorneys' fees, accountants' fees, underwriters' fees, broker's commissions and consultant and any other fees actually incurred in connection with such issuance or sale. "NET INCOME" means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends, excluding, however, (a) any gain (but not loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such gain (but not loss), realized in connection with any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, dispositions pursuant to sale and leaseback transactions) and (b) any extraordinary or nonrecurring gain or loss, together with any related provision or credit for taxes on such extraordinary or nonrecurring gain or loss. "NET PROCEEDS" means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, any cash received upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration received in any Asset Sale), net of (without duplication) (a) the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale (including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, sales commissions, recording fees, title transfer fees, title insurance premiums, appraiser fees and costs incurred in connection with preparing such asset for sale) and any relocation expenses incurred as a result thereof, (b) taxes paid or estimated to be payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements), (c) amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness (other than Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness) secured by a Lien on the asset or assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale and (d) any reserve established in accordance with GAAP or any amount placed in escrow, in either case for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets, until such time as such reserve is reversed or such escrow ar- -12- rangement is terminated, in which case Net Proceeds shall include only the amount of the reserve so reversed or the amount returned to the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries from such escrow arrangement, as the case may be. "NON-RECOURSE DEBT" means Indebtedness (i) as to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) provides credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness), (b) is directly or indirectly liable (as a guarantor or otherwise) or (c) constitutes the lender, and (ii) with respect to which no default (including any rights that the Holders thereof may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any Holder of any other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity. "NOTE CUSTODIAN" means the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto. "NON-U.S. PERSON" means a Person who is not a U.S. Person as defined in Section 902(o) of the Securities Act. "NOTE OBLIGATIONS" means all Obligations of the Company with respect to the Notes. "OBLIGATIONS" means any principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnification, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness. "OFFERING" means the offering of the Series A Notes by the Company. "OFFICER" means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, the Secretary or any Vice-President of such Person. "OFFICER'S CERTIFICATE" means a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, that meets the requirements of Section 10.05 hereof. "OPINION OF COUNSEL" means an opinion from legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, that meets the requirements of Section 10.05 hereof. The -13- counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or the Trustee. "OWNED PRECIOUS METAL INVENTORY" means all Precious Metals acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in a Future Payables Transaction and all Precious Metals owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company up to an aggregate amount of ounces for each type of Precious Metal as set forth below: Gold -- 100,998 Silver -- 14,749,005 Platinum -- 944 Palladium -- 49,701 "PARTICIPANT" means with respect to DTC, Euroclear or Cedel, a Person who has an account with DTC, Euroclear or Cedel, respectively (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear and Cedel). "PERMITTED INVESTMENTS" means (a) any Investment in the Company or in a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, (b) any Investment in Cash Equivalents, U.S. Government Obligations and Triple A Rated Securities, (c) any Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in a Person that is engaged in the same line of business as the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries were engaged in on the date of this Indenture or a line of business or manufacturing or fabricating operation reasonably related thereto (including any downstream steel manufacturing or processing operation or manufacturing or fabricating operation in the construction products business) if as a result of such Investment (i) such Person becomes a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, (d) any Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from (i) an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.10 hereof or (ii) a disposition of assets that does not constitute an Asset Sale, (e) any Investment acquired solely in exchange for Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company, (f) Investments existing as of the date of the Indenture and (g) other Investments in any Person that is engaged in the same line of business as the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries were engaged in on the date of the Indenture or a line of business or manufacturing or fabricating operation reasonably related thereto (including any downstream steel manufacturing or processing operation or manufacturing or fabricating operation in the construction products business) which Investment has a fair market value (as determined by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company and set forth in an officer's certificate delivered to the Trustee), when taken -14- together with all other investments made pursuant to this clause (g) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed $10.0 million. "PERMITTED LIENS" means (a) Liens existing as of the date of this Indenture; (b) Liens in favor of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; (c) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, PROVIDED that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger or consolidation and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; (d) Liens on property existing at the time of acquisition thereof by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, PROVIDED that such Liens were not incurred in contemplation of such acquisition; (e) pledges or deposits under workmen's compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits to secure public statutory obligations of such Person or deposits of cash or United States Government bonds to secure surety or appeal bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import duties or for the payment of rent in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business (f) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently pursued, PROVIDED that any reserve or other appropriate provision as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have been made therefor, (g) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company with respect to obligations that do not exceed $10.0 million at any one time outstanding and that (1) are not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances or credit (other than trade credit in the ordinary course of business) and (2) do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value of the property or materially impair the use thereof in the operation of business by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary; (h) Liens securing Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness, PROVIDED that the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary was permitted to incur such Liens with respect to the Indebtedness so refinanced; and (i) minor encroachments, encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real properties all of which do not materially impair the value or utility for its intended purposes of the real property to which they relate or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties. "PERMITTED REFINANCING INDEBTEDNESS" means any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or refund other Indebtedness -15- (other than Indebtedness under Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness) of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; PROVIDED that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of (or accreted value, if applicable), plus premium, if any, and accrued interest on, the Indebtedness so extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded (plus the amount of reasonable expenses incurred in connection therewith); (b) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date no earlier than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; (c) if the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes on terms at least as favorable, taken as a whole, to the Holders of Notes as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded and such Indebtedness shall not have any scheduled principal payment prior to the 91st day after the final maturity date of the Notes and (d) such Indebtedness is incurred either by the Company or by the Restricted Subsidiary who is the obligor on the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a Restricted Subsidiary may guarantee Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred by the Company, whether or not such Restricted Subsidiary was an obligor or guarantor of the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any extension, refinancing, renewal, replacement, defeasance or refunding of the H&H 7.31% Notes need not comply with clause (b) of the PROVISO to the immediately preceding sentence. "PERMITTED WORKING CAPITAL INDEBTEDNESS" means Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries under any agreement, instrument, facility or arrangement that is intended to provide working capital financing or financing for general corporate purposes (including any asset securitization facility involving the sale of accounts receivable); PROVIDED that the aggregate outstanding amount of such Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, at the time of incurrence, shall not exceed the lesser of (a) the sum of (i) 60% of the net aggregate book value of all inventory (100% of the aggregate fair market value in the case of the Owned Precious Metal Inventory) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries at such time and (ii) 80% of the net aggregate book value of all accounts receivable (net of bad debt expense) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries at such time and (b) the sum of (i) $350.0 million and (ii)100% of the aggregate fair market value of the Owned Precious Metal Inventory. "PERSON" means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organiza- -16- tion or government or agency or political subdivision thereof (including any subdivision or ongoing business of any such entity or substantially all of the assets of any such entity, subdivision or business). "PRECIOUS METALS" means any precious metals, including, without limitation, gold, silver, palladium and platinum. "PREFERRED STOCK" means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participation or other equivalents (however designated) of such person's preferred or preference stock, whether outstanding on the date of this Indenture or issued thereafter, and including, without limitation, all classes and series of preferred or preference stock of such Person. "PUBLIC EQUITY OFFERING" means an underwritten offering of common stock of the Company registered under of the Securities Act. "QIB" means a "qualified institutional buyer" as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act. "RECEIVABLES FACILITY" means the program for the issuance and placement from time to time of trade receivable-backed adjustable rate securities, all as contemplated by that certain Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of August 1, 1994, between Wheeling-Pittsburgh Funding, Inc., WPSC, Bank One, Columbus, N.A. and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Trade Receivable Master Trust and that certain Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 1, 1994, between WPSC and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Funding, Inc., as each may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified including any refunding, replacement or extension thereof. "REPLACEMENT ASSETS" means (x) properties and assets (other than cash or any Capital Stock or other security) that will be used in a business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries conducted on the date of this Indenture or in a line of business or manufacturing or fabricating operation reasonably related thereto (including any downstream steel processing or manufacturing operation or manufacturing or fabricating operation in the construction products business) or (y) Capital Stock of any Person that is engaged in a business referred to in clause (x) and that will become on the date of the acquisition thereof a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as a result of such acquisition. "REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT" means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of April 7, 1998, by and among the Company and the Initial Purchasers, as such agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time. -17- "REGULATION S" means Regulation S under the Securities Act. "REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE" means one of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note or the Regulation S Permanent Global Note, as appropriate. "REGULATION S PERMANENT GLOBAL NOTE" means a permanent global note issued following the 40-day restricted period (as defined in Regulation S) that contains the paragraph referred to in footnote 1 and the additional schedule referred to in footnote 3 to the form of the Note attached hereto as Exhibit A-1, and that is deposited with the Note Custodian and registered in the name of the Depository, representing a series of Notes sold in reliance on Regulation S. "REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE" means a single temporary global note in the form of the Note attached hereto as Exhibit A-2 that is deposited with the Note Custodian and registered in the name of the Depository for the accounts of Euroclear and Cedel, representing a series of Notes sold in reliance on Regulation S. "RESPONSIBLE OFFICER," when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the Corporate Trust Department of the Trustee (or any successor department of the Trustee) or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject. "RESTRICTED BENEFICIAL INTEREST" means any beneficial interest of a Participant or Indirect Participant in the 144A Global Note or the Regulation S Global Note. "RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES" means the Definitive Notes that must bear the legend set forth in Section 2.06(f) hereof. "RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES" means the 144A Global Note and the Regulation S Global Note, each of which shall bear the legend set forth in Section 2.06(f) hereof. "RESTRICTED INVESTMENT" means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment. "RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARY" of a Person means any Subsidiary of such Person that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary. As of the date of this Indenture, H&H and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company, unless and until any such Subsidiary is designated by the Board of Directors of the Company to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in compliance with this Indenture. -18- "REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITY" means the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 28, 1995, among WPSC, the lenders party thereto and Citibank, N.A. as agent, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified including any refinancing, refunding, replacement or extension thereof and whether by the same or any other lender or groups of lenders. "RULE 144A" means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act. "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission. "SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. "SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARY" means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a "significant subsidiary" as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation is in effect on the date hereof. "STATED MATURITY" means, with respect to any installment of interest or principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which such payment of interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the original documentation governing such Indebtedness, and shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof. "SUBSIDIARY" means, with respect to any Person, (a) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof) and (b) any partnership (i) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (ii) the only general partners of which are such Person or of one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination thereof). "TAX SHARING AGREEMENT" means the Tax Sharing Agreement between the Company and WPC as in effect on the date of this Indenture. "TENDER OFFER" means the tender offer commenced March 6, 1998 by HN Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, to purchase at a price of $35.25 cash per share, up to all of the outstanding shares of common stock of H&H (other than shares owned by WHX or its Subsidiaries). "TIA" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. ss.ss. 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date on which this Indenture is qualified under the TIA. -19- "TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES" means securities that bear or are required to bear the legend set forth in Section 2.06(f) hereof. "TREASURY RATE" means the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) which has become publicly available at least two business days prior to the Redemption Date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source or similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to April 15, 2002; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the period from the redemption date to April 15, 2002 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to April 15, 2002 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used. "TRIPLE A RATED SECURITIES" means any securities having a rating of at least AAA by Standard & Poor's Rating Service or at least Aaa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. "TRUSTEE" means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and thereafter means the successor serving hereunder. "UNIMAST" means Unimast Incorporated, an Ohio corporation. "UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES" means one or more Global Notes that do not and are not required to bear the legend set forth in Section 2.06(f) hereof. "UNRESTRICTED SUBSIDIARY" means any Subsidiary that is designated by the Board of Directors of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company, but only to the extent that such Subsidiary (a) has no Indebtedness other than Non-Recourse Debt, (b) is not party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company unless such agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding does not violate the terms of Section 4.11 hereof, (c) is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation (i) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (ii) to maintain or preserve such Person's financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results, in each case, except to the extent otherwise permitted by the Indenture. Any such designation by -20- the Board of Directors of the Company shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified copy of the resolution giving effect to such designation and an officers' certificate certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing conditions and was permitted under Section 4.07 hereof. If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the foregoing requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it shall thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the Indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as of such date (and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be incurred as of such date under Section 4.09 hereof, the Company shall be in default of such covenant). The Board of Directors of the Company may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such designation shall be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of any outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary and such designation shall only be permitted if (A) such Indebtedness is permitted under the covenant described under Section 4.09 hereof, calculated on a pro forma basis as if such designation had occurred at the beginning of the four-quarter reference period, and (B) no Default or Event of Default would be in existence following such designation. The following Subsidiaries of the Company are designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries as of the date of this Indenture: (i) Monessen Southwestern Railway Company; (ii) Wheeling Pittsburgh Funding, Inc., and (iii) W-P Coal Company. "U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS" means direct, fixed-rate obligations (or certificates representing an ownership interest in such obligations) of the United States of America (including any agency or instrumentality thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged and which mature (or may be put to the issuer by the Holder at no less than par) no later than the maturity date of the Notes. "WEIGHTED AVERAGE LIFE TO MATURITY" means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment, by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness. "WHEELING-NISSHIN" means Wheeling-Nisshin, Inc., a Delaware corporation. "WHOLLY OWNED RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARY" of any Person means a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership interests of which (other than directors' qualifying shares) shall at the time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries of such Person. -21- "WHX AGREEMENTS" mean (i) the Intercreditor, Indemnification and Subordination Agreement by and among the Company, WPC, WPSC and Unimast and (ii) the Tax Sharing Agreement, in each case as in effect on the date of this Indenture. "WPC" means Wheeling-Pittsburgh Corporation, a Delaware corporation. "WPC 9 1/4% NOTES" means $275.0 aggregate principal amount of 9 1/4% Senior Notes due 2007 of WPC. "WPN" means WPN Corp., a New York corporation. "WPSC" means Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, a Delaware corporation. Section 1.02. OTHER DEFINITIONS. DEFINED IN TERM SECTION "40-day Restricted Period" 2.01 "Affiliate Transaction" 4.11 "Asset Sale Offer" 3.09 "Change of Control Offer" 4.14 "Change of Control Payment" 4.14 "Change of Control Payment Date" 4.14 "Covenant Defeasance" 8.03 "DTC" 2.03 "Event of Default" 6.01 "Excess Proceeds" 4.10 "incur" 4.09 "Legal Defeasance" 8.02 "Offer Amount" 3.09 "Offer Period" 3.09 "Paying Agent" 2.03 "Payment Default" 6.01 "Purchase Date" 3.09 "Registrar" 2.03 "Restricted Payments" 4.07 -22- Section 1.03. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF TRUST INDENTURE ACT. Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is as and to the extent required incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. Any terms incorporated in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA have the meanings so assigned to them. Section 1.04. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. Unless the context otherwise requires: (1) a term has the meaning assigned to it; (2) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP; (3) "OR" is not exclusive; (4) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; (5) provisions apply to successive events and transactions; and (6) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time. ARTICLE 2 THE NOTES Section 2.01. FORM AND DATING. The Notes and the Trustee's certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 or Exhibit A-2 hereto. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be issued in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof. -23- The terms and provisions contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture and the Company and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby. (a) GLOBAL NOTES. Notes offered and sold in connection with the Offering by the Initial Purchasers to QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A otherwise than in reliance on Regulation S, shall be issued initially in the form of 144A Global Notes, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the Trustee, as custodian of the Depository, and registered in the name of the Depository or a nominee of the Depository, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided. The aggregate principal amount of the 144A Global Notes may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee and the Depository or its nominee as hereinafter provided. Notes offered and sold in connection with the Offering by the Initial Purchaser in reliance on Regulation S, if any, shall be issued initially in the form of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the Trustee, as custodian for the Depository, and registered in the name of the Depository or the nominee of the Depository for the accounts of designated agents holding on behalf of Euroclear or Cedel, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided. Until termination of the "40-DAY RESTRICTED PERIOD" (as defined in Regulation S) ownership of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note will be limited to Persons that have accounts with Euroclear or Cedel or Persons who hold interests through Euroclear or Cedel, and any resale or transfer of such interests to U.S. Persons (within the meaning of Regulation S) shall not be permitted during the 40-day restricted period unless such resale or transfer is made pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S. The 40-day restricted period shall be terminated upon the receipt by the Trustee of (i) a written certificate from the Depository, together with copies of certificates from Euroclear and Cedel certifying that they have received certification of non-United States beneficial ownership of 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note (except to the extent of any beneficial owners thereof who acquired an interest therein pursuant to another exemption from registration under the Securities Act and who will take delivery of a beneficial ownership interest in a 144A Global Note, all as contemplated by Section 2.06(a)(ii) hereof), and (ii) an Officer's Certificate from the Company. Within a reasonable period of time following the expiration of the 40-day restricted period, beneficial interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note shall be exchanged for beneficial interests in the Regulation S Permanent Global Note upon delivery to DTC of certification of compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Notes and pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act as here- -24- inafter provided. Following the termination of the 40-day restricted period, beneficial interests in the Regulation S Permanent Global Note may also be held through organizations other than Cedel or Euroclear that are Participants. The aggregate principal amount of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note and the Regulation S Permanent Global Notes may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee and the Depository or its nominee, as the case may be, in connection with transfers of interest as hereinafter provided. Each Global Note shall represent such of the outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges, redemptions and transfers of interests. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Note Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by Section 2.06 hereof. The provisions of the "Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System" and "Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear" and the "Management Regulations" and "Instructions to Participants" of Cedel shall be applicable to interests in the Regulation S Global Note, if any, that are held by Participants through Euroclear or Cedel. Neither the Company nor the Trustee shall have any obligation to notify Holders of any such procedures or to monitor or enforce compliance with the same. Except as set forth in Section 2.06 hereof, the Global Notes may be transferred, in whole and not in part, only to another nominee of the Depository or to a successor of the Depository or its nominee. (b) BOOK-ENTRY PROVISIONS. This Section 2.01(b) shall apply only to 144A Global Notes and Regulation S Global Notes deposited with or on behalf of the Depository. The Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section 2.01(b), authenticate and deliver the Global Notes that (i) shall be registered in the name of the Depository or the nominee of the Depository and (ii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to the Depository or pursuant to the Depository's instructions or held by the Trustee as custodian for the Depository. Participants shall have no rights either under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depository or by the Note Custodian as custodian for the Depository or under such Global Note, and the Depository may be treated by -25- the Company, the Trustee and any Agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any Agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depository or impair, as between the Depository and its Participants, the operation of customary practices of such Depository governing the exercise of the rights of an owner of a beneficial interest in any Global Note. (c) DEFINITIVE NOTES. Notes issued in certificated form shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 attached hereto (but without including the text referred to in footnotes 1 and 3 thereto). Section 2.02. EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATION. Two Officers or one Officer and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary shall sign the Notes for the Company by either manual or facsimile signature. The Company's seal shall be reproduced, impressed, affixed or imprinted on the Notes and may be in facsimile form. If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time a Note is authenticated or at any time thereafter, the Note shall nevertheless be valid. A Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee. Such signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture. The form of Trustee's certificate of authentication to be borne by the Notes shall be substantially as set forth in Exhibit A-1 or Exhibit A-2 hereto. The Trustee shall, upon a written order of the Company signed by two Officers or one Officer and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, authenticate Notes for original issue up to the aggregate principal amount stated in paragraph 4 of the Notes. The aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding at any time may not exceed such amount except as provided in Section 2.07 hereof. The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Notes. An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company. -26- Section 2.03. REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT. The Company shall maintain an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange ("REGISTRAR") and an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment ("PAYING AGENT"). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Company may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term "Registrar" includes any co-registrar and the term "Paying Agent" includes any additional paying agent. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If the Company fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Agent not a party to this Indenture, and such agreement shall incorporate the TIA's provisions of this Indenture that relate to such Agent. The Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar. The Company initially appoints The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") to act as Depository with respect to the Global Notes. The Company initially appoints the Trustee to act as the Registrar and Paying Agent and to act as Note Custodian with respect to the Global Notes. Section 2.04. PAYING AGENT TO HOLD MONEY IN TRUST. Each Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or premium, interest or Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company (or any other obligor of the Notes) in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying Agent. Upon any bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings relating to the Company, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Notes. -27- Section 2.05. HOLDER LISTS. The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of all Holders and shall otherwise comply with TIA ss. 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least five Business Days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders of Notes and the Company shall otherwise comply with TIA ss. 312(a). Section 2.06. TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE. (a) TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE OF GLOBAL NOTES. The transfer and exchange of Global Notes or beneficial interests therein shall be effected through the Depository, in accordance with this Indenture and the procedures of the Depository therefor, which shall include restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth herein to the extent required by the Securities Act. Beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the legend in subsection (f) of this Section 2.06. Only Persons who acquire Notes in transfers made pursuant to Rule 144A, Rule 144 under the Act or pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction are permitted to take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note. Only Persons who acquire Notes in transfers made pursuant to Regulation S are permitted to take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note. Persons who acquire Notes pursuant to an exemption under the Securities Act other than Rule 144A, Rule 144 or Regulation S are required to take delivery in the form of Definitive Notes in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(c) hereof and are not permitted to take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a Global Note. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes to Persons required to take delivery thereof in the form of an interest in another Global Note shall be permitted as follows: (i) 144A GLOBAL NOTE TO REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE. If, at any time, an owner of a beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note deposited with the Depository (or the Trustee as custodian for the Depository) wishes to transfer its beneficial interest in such 144A Global Note to a Person who is required or permitted to take delivery thereof in the form of an interest in a Regulation S Global Note, such owner shall, subject to the Applicable Procedures, exchange or cause the exchange of such interest for an equivalent beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note as provided in this Section 2.06(a)(i). Upon receipt by the Trustee of (A) instructions -28- given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures from a Participant directing the Trustee to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note to be exchanged, (B) a written order given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account of the Depository and the Euroclear, Cedel or other Participant account to be credited with such increase, and (C) a certificate in the form of Exhibit B-1 hereto given by the owner of such beneficial interest stating that the transfer of such interest has been made in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 of Regulation S, then the Trustee, as Registrar, shall instruct the Depository to reduce or cause to be reduced the aggregate principal amount of the applicable 144A Global Note and to increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Regulation S Global Note by the principal amount of the beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note to be exchanged or transferred, to credit or cause to be credited to the account of the Person specified in such instructions, a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note equal to the reduction in the aggregate principal amount at maturity of the 144A Global Note, and to debit, or cause to be debited, from the account of the Person making such exchange or transfer of the beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note that is being exchanged or transferred. (ii) REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE TO 144A GLOBAL NOTE. If, at any time, an owner of a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note deposited with the Depository or with the Trustee as custodian for the Depository wishes to transfer its beneficial interest in such Regulation S Global Note to a Person who is required or permitted to take delivery thereof in the form of an interest in a 144A Global Note, such owner shall, subject to the Applicable Procedures, exchange or cause the exchange of such interest for an equivalent beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note as provided in this Section 2.06(a)(ii). Upon receipt by the Trustee of (A) instructions from Euroclear, Cedel or another participant, if applicable, and the Depository, directing the Trustee, as Registrar, to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note equal to the beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note to be exchanged, such instructions to contain information regarding the Participant account with the Depository to be credited with such increase, (B) a written order given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account of the Depository and (C) a certificate in the form of Exhibit B-2 attached hereto given by the owner of such beneficial interest stating (1) if the transfer is pursuant to Rule 144A, that the Person transferring such interest in a Regulation S Global Note reasonably believes that the Person acquiring such interest in a 144A Global Note is a QIB and is obtaining such beneficial -29- interest in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A, (2) that the transfer complies with the requirements of Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or (3) that the transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in each case of clause (1), (2) or (3) above, in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction, then the Trustee, as Registrar, shall instruct the Depository to reduce or cause to be reduced the aggregate principal amount at maturity of such Regulation S Global Note and to increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount at maturity of the applicable 144A Global Note by the principal amount at maturity of the beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note to be exchanged or transferred, and the Trustee, as Registrar, shall instruct the Depository, concurrently with such reduction, to credit or cause to be credited to the account of the Person specified in such instructions a beneficial interest in the applicable 144A Global Note equal to the reduction in the aggregate principal amount at maturity of such Regulation S Global Note and to debit or cause to be debited from the account of the Person making such transfer the beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note that is being exchanged or transferred. (b) TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE OF DEFINITIVE NOTES. When Definitive Notes are presented by a Holder to the Registrar with a request to register the transfer of the Definitive Notes or to exchange such Definitive Notes for an equal principal amount of Definitive Notes of other authorized denominations, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested only if the Definitive Notes are presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, are endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by his attorney and contains a signature guarantee, duly authorized in writing and the Registrar received the following documentation (all of which may be submitted by facsimile): (i) in the case of Definitive Notes that are Transfer Restricted Securities, such request shall be accompanied by the following additional information and documents, as applicable: (A) if such Transfer Restricted Security is being delivered to the Registrar by a Holder for registration in the name of such Holder, without transfer, or such Transfer Restricted Security is being transferred to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a certification to that effect from such Holder (in substantially the form of Exhibit B-3 hereto); (B) if such Transfer Restricted Security is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from registration in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securi- -30- ties Act or pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certification to that effect from such Holder (in substantially the form of Exhibit B-3 hereto); (C) if such Transfer Restricted Security is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certification to that effect from such Holder (in substantially the form of Exhibit B-3 hereto); (D) if such Transfer Restricted Security is being transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than those listed in subparagraphs (B) or (C) above, a certification to that effect from such Holder (in substantially the form of Exhibit B-3 hereto), a certification substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto from the transferee, and, if such transfer is in respect of an aggregate principal amount of Notes of less than $100,000, an Opinion of Counsel acceptable to the Company that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky laws of any state of the United States; or (E) if such Transfer Restricted Security is being transferred in reliance on any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, a certification to that effect from such Holder (in substantially the form of Exhibit B-3 hereto) and an Opinion of Counsel from such Holder or the transferee reasonably acceptable to the Company and to the Registrar to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky laws of any state of the United States. (c) TRANSFER OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A 144A GLOBAL NOTE OR REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE FOR A DEFINITIVE NOTE. (i) Any Person having a beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note and, after the termination of the 40-day restricted period, any Person having a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Permanent Global Note may upon request, subject to the Applicable Procedures, exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note, upon receipt by the Trustee of written instructions or such other form of instructions as is customary for the Depository (or Euroclear, Cedel or another Participant, if applicable), from the Depository or its nominee on behalf of any Person having a beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note or Regulation S Permanent Global Note, and, in the case of a Transfer Restricted Security, the following additional information and documents (all of which may be submitted by facsimile): -31- (A) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Person designated by the Depository as being the beneficial owner or to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a certification to that effect from such Person (in substantially the form of Exhibit B-4 hereto); (B) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from registration in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act or pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certification to that effect from the transferor (in substantially the form of Exhibit B-4 hereto); (C) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor, pursuant to a private placement exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act (and based on an opinion of counsel if the Company so requests) other than those listed in subparagraph (B) above, a certification to that effect from such Holder (in substantially the form of Exhibit B-4 hereto) and a certification from the applicable transferee (in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto) and, if such transfer is in respect of an aggregate principal amount of Notes of less than $100,000, an Opinion of Counsel acceptable to the Company that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky laws of any state of the United States; or (D) if such beneficial interest is being transferred in reliance on any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, a certification to that effect from the transferor (in substantially the form of Exhibit B-4 hereto) and an Opinion of Counsel from the transferee or the transferor reasonably acceptable to the Company and to the Registrar to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky laws of any state of the United States, in which case the Trustee or the Note Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, shall, in accordance with the standing instructions and procedures existing between the Depository and the Note Custodian, cause the aggregate principal amount of 144A Global Notes or Regulation S Permanent Global Notes, as applicable, to be reduced accordingly and, following such reduction, the Company shall execute and, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the transferee a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. -32- (ii) Definitive Notes issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note or Regulation S Global Note, as applicable, pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depository, pursuant to instructions from its Participants or Indirect Participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee. The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. (d) RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE OF GLOBAL NOTES. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture (other than the provisions set forth in subsection (g) of this Section 2.06), a Global Note may not be transferred as a whole except by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such successor Depository. (e) AUTHENTICATION OF DEFINITIVE NOTES IN ABSENCE OF DEPOSITORY. IF AT ANY TIME: (i) the Depository for the Notes notifies the Company that the Depository is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for the Global Notes and a successor Depository for the Global Notes is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after delivery of such notice; or (ii) the Company, at its sole discretion, notifies the Trustee in writing that it elects to cause the issuance of Definitive Notes under this Indenture, then the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, authenticate and deliver, Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Notes in exchange for such Global Notes. (f) LEGENDS. (i) Except as permitted by the following paragraphs (ii), (iii) and (iv), each Note certificate evidencing a Global Note and a Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear a legend in substantially the following form: "THIS NOTE (OR ITS PREDECESSOR) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED WITHIN -33- THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS, EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE SECOND SENTENCE HEREOF. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) (A "QIB") OR (B) IT IS ACQUIRING THIS NOTE IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE EXCEPT (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (B) TO A PERSON WHOM THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QIB PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QIB IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, (C) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 903 OR 904 OF THE SECURITIES ACT, (D) IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY) OR (F) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND, IN EACH CASE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL DELIVER TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS NOTE OR AN INTEREST HEREIN IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION" AND "UNITED STATES" HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY RULE 902 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THE INDENTURE CONTAINS A PROVISION REQUIRING THE TRUSTEE TO REFUSE TO REGISTER ANY TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE IN VIOLATION OF THE FOREGOING." (ii) Upon any sale or transfer of a Transfer Restricted Security (including any Transfer Restricted Security represented by a Global Note) pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act: -34- (A) in the case of any Transfer Restricted Security that is a Definitive Note, the Registrar shall permit the Holder thereof to exchange such Transfer Restricted Security for a Definitive Note that does not bear the legend set forth in (i) above and rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Transfer Restricted Security upon certification from the transferring Holder substantially in the form of Exhibit B-3 hereto; and (B) in the case of any Transfer Restricted Security represented by a Global Note, such Transfer Restricted Security shall not be required to bear the legend set forth in (i) above, but shall continue to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.06(a) and (c) hereof; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that with respect to any request for an exchange of a Transfer Restricted Security that is represented by a Global Note or a Definitive Note that does not bear the legend set forth in (i) above, which request is made in reliance upon Rule 144 or pursuant to an effective registration statement, the Holder thereof shall certify in writing to the Registrar that such request is being made pursuant to Rule 144 or pursuant to an effective registration statement (such certification to be substantially in the form of Exhibit B-4 hereto). (iii) Upon any sale or transfer of a Transfer Restricted Security (including any Transfer Restricted Security represented by a Global Note) in reliance on any exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act (other than exemptions pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act) in which the Holder or the transferee provides an Opinion of Counsel to the Company and the Registrar in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Company and the Registrar (which Opinion of Counsel shall also state that the transfer restrictions contained in the legend are no longer applicable): (A) in the case of any Transfer Restricted Security that is a Definitive Note, the Registrar shall permit the Holder thereof to exchange such Transfer Restricted Security for a Definitive Note that does not bear the legend set forth in (i) above and rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Transfer Restricted Security; and (B) in the case of any Transfer Restricted Security represented by a Global Note, such Transfer Restricted Security shall not be required to bear the legend set forth in (i) above, but shall continue to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.06(a) and (c) hereof. (iv) Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon consummation of the Exchange Offer, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in ac- -35- cordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate (A) one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Beneficial Interests accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer and (B) Definitive Notes that do not bear the legend set forth in this Section 2.06(f) in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Definitive Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer, in each case tendered for acceptance by Persons that are not (1) broker-dealers, (2) Persons participating in the distribution of the Series B Notes or (3) Persons who are Affiliates of the Company. Concurrently with the issuance of such Notes, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Restricted Global Notes to be reduced accordingly and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Persons designated by the Holders of Definitive Notes so accepted Definitive Notes in the appropriate principal amount. (g) CANCELLATION AND/OR ADJUSTMENT OF GLOBAL NOTES. At such time as all beneficial interests in Global Notes have been exchanged for Definitive Notes, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, all Global Notes shall be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for Definitive Notes, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note, by the Trustee or the Notes Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, to reflect such reduction. (h) GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO TRANSFERS AND EXCHANGES. (i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, subject to this Section 2.06, the Company shall execute and, upon the written order of the Company signed by two Officers of the Company, the Trustee shall authenticate Definitive Notes and Global Notes at the Registrar's request. (ii) No service charge shall be made to a Holder for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 3.07, 4.10, 4.14 and 8.05 hereof). (iii) The Registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part. -36- (iv) All Definitive Notes and Global Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes or Global Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Definitive Notes or Global Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange. (v) The Company and the Registrar shall not be required: (A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of any selection of Notes for redemption under Section 3.02 hereof and ending at the close of business on the day of selection; (B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part; (C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a record date and the next succeeding interest payment date; or (D) to register the transfer of a Note other than in amounts of $1,000 or multiple integrals thereof. (vi) Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Company may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Notes, and neither the Trustee, any Agent nor the Company shall be affected by notice to the contrary. (vii) The Trustee shall authenticate Definitive Notes and Global Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.02 hereof. Section 2.07. REPLACEMENT NOTES. If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or the Company, or the Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the Company shall issue and the Trustee, upon the written order of the Company signed by two Officers of the Company, shall authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee's requirements are met. If required by the Trustee or the Company, an indemnity bond must be supplied by the Holder that is sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee and the Company to protect the Company, the Trustee, any Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss -37- that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company may charge for its and the Trustee's expenses in replacing a Note. Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company and shall be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with all other Notes duly issued hereunder. Section 2.08. OUTSTANDING NOTES. The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest in a Global Note effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof, and those described in this Section as not outstanding. Except as set forth in Section 2.09 hereof, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Note. If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser. If the entire principal of and interest, premium, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, on any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding and interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, on it ceases to accrue. If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate) holds, on a redemption date or maturity date, money sufficient to pay Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such Notes shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding and shall cease to accrue interest and Liquidated Damages, if any. Section 2.09. TREASURY NOTES. In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate, shall be considered as though not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes that a Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Notes that the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate offers to purchase or acquires pursuant to an offer, exchange offer, tender offer or otherwise shall not be deemed to be owned by the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate until legal title to such Notes passes to the Company, such Subsidiary or such Affiliate as the case may be. -38- Section 2.10. TEMPORARY NOTES. Until definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Notes upon a written order of the Company signed by two Officers of the Company. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of definitive Notes but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Notes and as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes. Until such exchange, Holders of temporary Notes shall be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture. Section 2.11. CANCELLATION. The Company at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee and no one else shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and, at the request of the Company, shall destroy canceled Notes (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act). Certification of the destruction of all canceled Notes shall be delivered to the Company. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has paid or redeemed or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, other than as contemplated by the Exchange Offer. Section 2.12. DEFAULTED INTEREST. If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes, it shall pay the defaulted interest in any lawful manner plus, to the extent lawful, interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of defaulted interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment. The Company shall fix or cause to be fixed each such special record date and payment date, PROVIDED that no such special record date shall be less than 10 days prior to the related payment date for such defaulted interest. At least 15 days before the special record date, the Company (or, upon the written request of the Company, the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company) shall mail or cause to be mailed to Holders a notice that states the special record date, the related payment date and the amount of such interest to be paid. -39- ARTICLE 3 REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT Section 3.01. NOTICES TO TRUSTEE. If the Company elects to redeem Notes pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of Section 3.07 hereof, it shall furnish to the Trustee, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, an Officer's Certificate setting forth (i) the clause of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur, (ii) the redemption date, (iii) the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed and (iv) the redemption price. Section 3.02. SELECTION OF NOTES TO BE REDEEMED. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be redeemed among the Holders of the Notes in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed or, if the Notes are not so listed, on a PRO RATA basis, by lot or in accordance with any other method the Trustee considers fair and appropriate. In the event of partial redemption by lot, the particular Notes to be redeemed shall be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date by the Trustee from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. Notes and portions of Notes selected shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption. Section 3.03. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.09 hereof, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall mail or cause to be mailed, by first class mail, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address. The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and shall state: (a) the redemption date; (b) the redemption price; -40- (c) if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Note to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion shall be issued upon cancellation of the original Note; (d) the name and address of the Paying Agent; (e) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price; (f) that, unless the Company defaults in making such redemption payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date; (g) the paragraph of the Notes and/or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and (h) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes. At the Company's request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company's name and at its expense; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee, at least 45 days prior to the redemption date, an Officer's Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the preceding paragraph (unless a shorter notice shall have been agreed to by the Trustee in writing). Section 3.04. EFFECT OF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION. Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section 3.03 hereof, Notes called for redemption become irrevocably due and payable on the redemption date at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be conditional. Section 3.05. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE. One Business Day prior to the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, on all Notes to be redeemed on that date. The Paying Agent shall promptly return to the Company any money deposited with the Paying Agent by the Company in excess of the amounts necessary to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, on all Notes to be redeemed. -41- If the Company complies with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, on and after the redemption date, interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, shall cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption. If a Note is redeemed on or after an interest record date but on or prior to the related interest payment date, then any accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such record date. If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender for redemption because of the failure of the Company to comply with the preceding paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof. Section 3.06. NOTES REDEEMED IN PART. Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed in part, the Company shall issue and, upon the written order of the Company signed by two Officers of the Company, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder at the expense of the Company a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered. Section 3.07. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION. (a) Except as set forth in clauses (b) and (c) of this Section 3.07, the Company shall not have the option to redeem the Notes pursuant to this Section 3.07 prior to April 15, 2002. Thereafter, the Company shall have the option to redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon, to the applicable redemption date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on April 15 of the years indicated below: YEAR PERCENTAGE ---- ---------- 2002............................................ 105.250% 2003............................................ 102.625% 2004 and thereafter............................. 100.000% (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (a) of this Section 3.07, at any time prior to April 15, 2001, the Company may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued at a redemption price of 110.5% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon to the redemption date, with the net cash proceeds of one or more Public Equity Offerings; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes initially -42- issued remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of each such redemption and (ii) notice of such redemption occurs no later than 30 days following the date of the consummation of such Public Equity Offering. (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (a) of this Section 3.07, at any time prior to April 15, 2002, the Notes may also be redeemed as a whole but not in part at the option of the Company at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the Applicable Premium, accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon to the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date). (d) Any redemption pursuant to this Section 3.07 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 through Section 3.06 hereof. Section 3.08. MANDATORY REDEMPTION. Except as set forth under Sections 4.10 and 4.14 hereof, the Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption payments with respect to the Notes. Section 3.09. OFFER TO PURCHASE BY APPLICATION OF EXCESS PROCEEDS. In the event that, pursuant to Section 4.10 hereof, the Company shall be required to commence an offer to all Holders to purchase Notes (an "ASSET SALE OFFER"), it shall follow the procedures specified below. The Asset Sale Offer shall remain open for a period of 20 Business Days following its commencement and no longer, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the "OFFER PERIOD"). No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the "PURCHASE DATE"), the Company shall purchase the principal amount of Notes required to be purchased pursuant to Section 4.10 hereof (the "OFFER AMOUNT") or, if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes validly tendered in response to the Asset Sale Offer. Payment for any Notes so purchased shall be made in the same manner as interest payments are made. If the Purchase Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, shall be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no additional interest or Liquidated Damages, if any, shall be payable to Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer. -43- Upon the commencement of an Asset Sale Offer, the Company shall send, by first class mail, a notice to the Trustee and each of the Holders, with a copy to the Trustee. The notice shall contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer. The Asset Sale Offer shall be made to all Holders. The notice, which shall govern the terms of the Asset Sale Offer, shall state: (a) that the Asset Sale Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 3.09 and Section 4.10 hereof and the length of time the Asset Sale Offer shall remain open; (b) the Offer Amount, the purchase price and the Purchase Date; (c) that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment shall continue to accrue interest; (d) that, unless the Company defaults in making such payment, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer shall cease to accrue interest and Liquidated Damages after the Purchase Date; (e) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer may only elect to have all of such Note purchased and may not elect to have only a portion of such Note purchased; (f) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to any Asset Sale Offer shall be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled "Option of Holder to Elect Purchase" on the reverse of the Note completed, or transfer by book-entry transfer, to the Company, a depository, if appointed by the Company, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three days before the Purchase Date; (g) that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Company, the depository or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than the expiration of the Offer Period, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased; (h) that, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by Holders exceeds the Offer Amount, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased on a PRO RATA basis (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Trustee so that only Notes in denominations of $1,000, or integral multiples thereof, shall be purchased); and -44- (i) that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part shall be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (or transferred by book-entry transfer). On or before the Purchase Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on a PRO RATA basis to the extent necessary, the Offer Amount of Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered, and shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Company in accordance with the terms of this Section 3.09. The Company, the Depository or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly (but in any case not later than five days after the Purchase Date) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes tendered by such Holder and accepted by the Company for purchase, and the Company shall promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon the written order of the Company signed by two Officers of the Company, shall authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note to such Holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered. Any Note not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Company to the Holder thereof. The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Asset Sale Offer on the Purchase Date. Other than as specifically provided in this Section 3.09, any purchase pursuant to this Section 3.09 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 through Section 3.06 hereof. ARTICLE 4 COVENANTS Section 4.01. PAYMENT OF NOTES. The Company shall pay or cause to be paid the principal of and premium, interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes. Principal, interest, premium, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, shall be considered paid on the date due if the Paying Agent, if other than the Company or a Subsidiary thereof, holds as of 10:00 a.m. New York time on the due date money deposited by the Company in immediately available funds and designated for and sufficient to pay all principal, premium, interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, then due. -45- The Company shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal at the rate equal to the interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful; it shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest and Liquidated Damages, if any (without regard to any applicable grace period), at the same rate to the extent lawful. Section 4.02. MAINTENANCE OF OFFICE OR AGENCY. The Company shall maintain an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee, Registrar or co-registrar) where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee. The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency. The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as one such office or agency of the Company in accordance with Section 2.03. Section 4.03. REPORTS. (a) Whether or not the Company is required to do so by the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Company will file with the SEC (unless the SEC will not accept such a filing) and, within 15 days of filing, or attempting to file, the same with the SEC, furnish to the Holders of the Notes (i) all quarterly and annual financial and other information with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries that would be required to be contained in a filing with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company were required to file such forms, including a "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and, with respect to the annual information only, a report thereon by the Company's certified independent accountants, and (ii) all current reports that -46- would be required to be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file such reports. The Company shall at all times comply with TIA ss. 314(a). (b) The Company shall furnish to the Holders of the Notes, prospective purchasers of the Notes and securities analysts, upon their request, the information, if any, required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act. Section 4.04. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE. (a) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, an Officer's Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his or her knowledge the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he or she may have knowledge and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto) and that to the best of his or her knowledge no event has occurred and remains in existence by reason of which payments on account of the principal of or interest, if any, on the Notes is prohibited or if such event has occurred, a description of the event and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto. (b) So long as not contrary to the then current recommendations of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the year-end financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 4.03(a) above shall be accompanied by a written statement of the Company's independent public accountants (who shall be a firm of established national reputation) that in making the examination necessary for certification of such financial statements, nothing has come to their attention that would lead them to believe that the Company has violated any provisions of Article 4 or Article 5 hereof or, if any such violation has occurred, specifying the nature and period of existence thereof, it being understood that such accountants shall not be liable directly or indirectly to any Person for any failure to obtain knowledge of any such violation. (c) The Company shall, so long as any of the Notes are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon any Officer becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officer's Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto. -47- Section 4.05. TAXES. The Company shall pay, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay, prior to delinquency, all material taxes, assessments, and governmental levies except such as are contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings or where the failure to effect such payment is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes. Section 4.06. STAY, EXTENSION AND USURY LAWS. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it shall not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted. Section 4.07. RESTRICTED PAYMENTS. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, (a) declare or pay any dividend or make any other payment or distribution on account of the Company's or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries' Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company) or to the direct or indirect holders of the Company's Equity Interests in their capacity as such (other than dividends or distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company); (b) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value (including without limitation, in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company) any Equity Interests of the Company (other than any such Equity Interests owned by the Company or any Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company); (c) make any payment on or with respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, any Indebtedness that is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, except a payment of interest or principal at Stated Maturity; or (d) make any Restricted Investment (all such payments and other actions set forth in clauses (a) through (d) above being collectively referred to as "RESTRICTED PAYMENTS"), unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment: (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof; -48- (ii) the Company would, at the time of such Restricted Payment and after giving pro forma effect thereto, have been permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Adjusted Consolidated Leverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of Section 4.09 hereof; and (iii) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the date of this Indenture, is less than the sum of (A) 50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Company for the period (taken as one accounting period) commencing April 1, 1998 to the end of the Company's most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, if such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, less 100% of such deficit), plus (B) 100% of the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds received by the Company from the issue or sale since the date of this Indenture of Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or of Disqualified Stock or debt securities of the Company that have been converted into such Equity Interests (other than any such Equity Interests, Disqualified Stock or convertible debt securities sold to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and other than Disqualified Stock or convertible debt securities that have been converted into Disqualified Stock), plus (C) to the extent that any Restricted Investment that was made after the date of this Indenture is sold for cash or Cash Equivalents or otherwise liquidated or repaid for cash, Cash Equivalents, the sum of (x) the initial amount of such Restricted Investment and (y) 50% of the aggregate Net Proceeds received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in excess of the initial amount of such Restricted Investment, plus (D) $25.0 million. The foregoing provisions will not prohibit (a) the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof, if at said date of declaration such payment would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture; (b) the redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition of any subordinated Indebtedness or Equity Interests of the Company in exchange for, or out of the Net Cash Proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) of, other Equity Interests of the Company (other than any Disqualified Stock); PROVIDED that the amount of any such Net Cash Proceeds that are utilized for any such redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition shall be excluded from clause (iii) (B) of the preceding paragraph; (c) the defeasance, redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of subordinated Indebtedness with the Net Cash Proceeds from an incurrence of, or in exchange for, Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness; (d) the payment of any dividend by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the holders of its Equity Interests on a pro rata basis; (e) so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, -49- the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Equity Interests of the Company held by any member of the Company's or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries' management upon the death, disability or termination of employment of such member of management; PROVIDED that the aggregate price paid for all such repurchased, redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests shall not exceed $750,000 in any calendar year and $3.0 million in the aggregate; (f) the payment by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of management fees to WPN or any Affiliate of WPN not to exceed $5.5 million in any calendar year, in exchange for services provided to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries by WPN or any Affiliate of WPN pursuant to any management agreement between the Company and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and WPN and/or any of its Affiliates; (g) payments permitted under the WHX Agreements; (h) the payment of cash dividends on the Company's convertible preferred stock outstanding, and at the dividend rate in effect, on the date of this Indenture, PROVIDED that in the case of any such dividend payments made subsequent to January 1, 1999, the Company may only make such dividend payments if, at the time of such dividend payment and after giving pro forma effect thereto, the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Leverage Ratio would be less than 6.0 to 1.0; and (i) the direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests of H&H pursuant to or in connection with the Tender Offer and the Merger. In determining the amount of Restricted Payments permissible under clause (iii) of the first paragraph of this covenant, amounts expended pursuant to clauses (a), (e) and (h) (only with respect to dividend payments made subsequent to January 1, 1999) of the immediately preceding paragraph shall be included as Restricted Payments for purposes of such clause (iii). The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Restricted Subsidiary to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if such designation would not cause a Default. For purposes of making such determination, all outstanding Investments by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid in cash) in the Subsidiary so designated will be deemed to be Restricted Payments at the time of such designation. All such outstanding Investments will be deemed to constitute Investments in an amount equal to the greater of (a) the net book value of such Investments at the time of such designation and (b) the fair market value of such Investments at the time of such designation. Such designation will be permitted only if such Restricted Payment would be permitted at such time and if such Restricted Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) shall be the fair market value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment. The fair market value of any non-cash Restricted Payment shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company whose resolution with -50- respect thereto shall be delivered to the Trustee. Not later than the date of making any Restricted Payment, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an officer's certificate stating that such Restricted Payment is permitted and setting forth the basis upon which the calculations required by this Section 4.07 were computed. Section 4.08. Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to (a) (i) pay dividends or make any other distributions to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries on its Capital Stock or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, or (ii) pay any indebtedness owed to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, (b) make loans or advances to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (c) transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (1) Existing Indebtedness (other than Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness) as in effect on the date of this Indenture, (2) Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness; PROVIDED that the restrictions contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness are not more restrictive in any material respect, taken as whole, as determined in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, than those contained in the Revolving Credit Facility as in effect on the date of this Indenture, (3) this Indenture and the Notes, (4) applicable law, (5) any instrument governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a person acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition (except to the extent such Indebtedness was incurred in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any person, or the properties or assets of any person, other than the person, or the property or assets of the person, so acquired, provided that, in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be incurred, (6) customary non-assignment provisions in leases entered into in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices, (7) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business that impose restrictions of the nature described in clause (c) above on the property so acquired, (8) customary provisions in bona fide contracts for the sale of property or assets, or (9) Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness and other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under this Indenture (other than Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness), PROVIDED that the restrictions contained -51- in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness or other Indebtedness are not more restrictive in any material respect, taken as a whole, as determined in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, than the most restrictive of such provisions contained in either the indenture governing the WPC 9 1/4% Notes or in the Revolving Credit Facility, in each case as in effect on the date of this Indenture. Section 4.09. Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to (collectively, "incur") any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) and that the Company will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of preferred stock; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may incur Indebtedness and Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company may issue shares of Preferred Stock if the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Leverage Ratio would have been less than 5.0 to 1, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness or the issuance of such Preferred Stock, as the case may be, and the application of the net proceeds therefrom. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and, to the extent set forth below, its Restricted Subsidiaries may incur the following (each of which shall be given independent effect): (a) Indebtedness of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture; (b) Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; (c) Existing Indebtedness (other than Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness or Indebtedness under the Letter of Credit Facility); (d) Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries under the Letter of Credit Facility; (e) Capital Expenditure Indebtedness, Capital Lease Obligations and purchase money Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $70.0 million at any time outstanding; (f) (i) Hedging Obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries covering Indebtedness of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (which Indebtedness is otherwise permitted to be incurred under this covenant) to the extent the notional principal amount of any such Hedging Obligation does not exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness to which such Hedging Obligation relates; or (ii) repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements or similar agreements re- -52- lating to marketable direct obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the United States Government or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition; provided that the terms of such agreements comply with the guidelines set forth in FederalAFinancial Agreements of Depository Institutions with Securities and Others (or any successor guidelines), as adopted by the Comptroller of the Currency; (g) Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $45.0 million at any time outstanding; (h) Indebtedness of the Company representing guarantees of Indebtedness incurred by one of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to, and in compliance with, another provision of this covenant; (i) Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries representing guarantees of a portion of the Indebtedness of Wheeling-Nisshin which is not greater than the Company's or such Restricted Subsidiary's pro rata ownership of the outstanding Equity Interests in Wheeling-Nisshin; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) in the case of a guarantee of any such Indebtedness by the Company, such Indebtedness is expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations with respect to the Notes and (ii) at the time of incurrence and after giving effect to the Indebtedness of Wheeling-Nisshin which is being guaranteed, the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio of Wheeling-Nisshin for its most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available would have been at least 2.00 to 1, determined on a pro forma basis as if any additional Indebtedness had been incurred at the beginning of such four-quarter period; (j) Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries representing guarantees of Indebtedness of Wheeling-Nisshin required to be made pursuant to the Letter of Undertaking not to exceed $10.0 million; (k) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company and any of its Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) if the Company is the obligor on such Indebtedness, such Indebtedness is expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations with respect to the Notes and (ii) (A) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and (B) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is not either the Company or a Wholly Owned Re- -53- stricted Subsidiary of the Company shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be; and (l) any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness representing a replacement, renewal, refinancing or extension of all or any portion of the Indebtedness permitted under the first paragraph and clauses (a) and (c) of this covenant. In the event that the incurrence of any Indebtedness would be permitted by the first paragraph set forth above or one or more of the provisions set forth in the second paragraph above, the Company may designate (in the form of an officer's certificate delivered to the Trustee) the particular provision of this Indenture pursuant to which it is incurring such Indebtedness. Section 4.10. ASSET SALES. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless (a) the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value (evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company set forth in an officer's certificate delivered to the Trustee) of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of and (b) at least 75% of the consideration therefor received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the amount of (i) any liabilities (as shown on the Company's or such Restricted Subsidiary's most recent balance sheet) of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes or any guarantee thereof) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets pursuant to a customary novation agreement that releases the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from further liability and (ii) any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary within 60 days of receipt into cash or Cash Equivalents (to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received) shall be deemed to be cash or Cash Equivalents for purposes of this provision. Within 360 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale, the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary shall apply such Net Proceeds to reduce Indebtedness under Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness or any other Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company (and, in the case of such Indebtedness other than Indebtedness under Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness, to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto). To the extent such Net Proceeds are not utilized as contemplated in the preceding sentence, such Net Proceeds may, within 360 days after re- -54- ceipt thereof, be utilized to acquire Replacement Assets; PROVIDED that such Net Proceeds may be invested by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, within 360 days after receipt thereof, in property or assets (including Capital Stock of any Person that will become a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as a result of such investment) not constituting Replacement Assets if after giving effect to such Asset Sale and the application of the Net Proceeds therefrom, the Company's Adjusted Consolidated Leverage Ratio would be less than 6.0 to 1.0. Pending the final application of any such Net Proceeds, the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary may otherwise invest such Net Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by this Indenture. Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested as provided in this paragraph will be deemed after the expiration of the time periods set forth above to constitute "EXCESS PROCEEDS." Within 30 days of each date on which the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $35.0 million, the Company shall commence a PRO RATA Asset Sale Offer pursuant to Section 3.09 hereof to purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon to the date of purchase in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 3.09 hereof. To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the amount that the Company is required to repurchase, the Company may use any remaining Excess Proceeds for general corporate purposes. If the aggregate amount of Notes surrendered by Holders thereof exceeds the amount that the Company is required to repurchase, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased on a pro rata basis (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Trustee so that only Notes in denominations of $1,000, or integral multiples thereof, shall be purchased). Upon completion of such offer to purchase, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero. Section 4.11. TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction, contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate (each of the foregoing, an "AFFILIATE TRANSACTION"), unless (a) such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person or, if there is no such comparable transaction, on terms that are fair and reasonable to the Company, and (b) the Company delivers to the Trustee (i) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess -55- of $2.0 million, either (A) a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company set forth in an Officer's Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with clause (a) above and that such Affiliate Transaction has been approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors of the Company or (B) if there are no disinterested members of the Board of Directors of the Company, an opinion as to the fairness to the Company of such Affiliate Transaction from a financial point of view issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing and (ii) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $5.0 million, an opinion as to the fairness to the Company of such Affiliate Transaction from a financial point of view issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the following shall be deemed not to be Affiliate Transactions: (v) customary directors' fees, indemnification or similar arrangements or any employment agreement or other compensation plan or arrangement entered into by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the past practice of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary; (w) transactions between or among the Company and/or its Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiaries; (x) transactions pursuant to the WHX Agreements or agreements with or applicable to any of Wheeling-Nisshin, Ohio Coatings Company, the Empire-Iron Mining Partnership or W-P Coal Company, in each case as in effect on the date of this Indenture; (y) Restricted Payments that are permitted pursuant to clauses (e), (f) and (g) of the second paragraph of Section 4.07 hereof and Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to clauses (i) and (j) of the second paragraph of Section 4.09 hereof; and (z) the merger of the pension plans of WPC and the pension plans of H&H and the Merger. Section 4.12. LIENS. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien on any asset now owned or hereafter acquired, or any income or profits therefrom or assign or convey any right to receive income therefrom, without making effective provision for all payments due under the Indenture and the Notes to be directly secured on an equal and ratable basis with the obligations so secured or, in the event such Indebtedness is subordinate in right of payment to the Notes, prior to such Indebtedness, in each case until such time as such obligations are no longer secured by a Lien. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may create, incur, assume or suffer to exist (each of which shall be given independent effect): (a) Permitted Liens; -56- (b) Liens securing Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company (so long as the Company is not a co-obligor, guarantor or otherwise directly liable with respect to such Indebtedness), which Indebtedness is incurred in compliance with this Indenture; (c) Liens to secure the payment of Capital Expenditure Indebtedness and Capital Lease Obligations, provided that (i) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens shall not exceed the lesser of cost or Fair Market Value of the assets or property acquired, constructed or improved with the proceeds of such Indebtedness and (ii) such Liens shall not encumber any other assets or property of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries unless otherwise permitted under this Section 4.12; (d) Liens secured by the Capital Stock or assets of Wheeling-Nisshin or Ohio Coatings Company to the extent required under agreements as existing on the date of this Indenture; and (e) Liens on accounts receivable, inventory (including Owned Precious Metal Inventory), intangibles necessary or useful for the sale of such inventory and other current assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or on Capital Stock Subsidiaries, in each case incurred to secure Permitted Working Capital Indebtedness. Section 4.13. CORPORATE EXISTENCE. Subject to Article 5 hereof, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, and the corporate, partnership or other existence of each of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in accordance with the respective organizational documents (as the same may be amended from time to time) of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary; PROVIDED, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve the existence of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, if the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Section 4.14. OFFER TO REPURCHASE UPON CHANGE OF CONTROL. (a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Company shall make an offer (a "CHANGE OF CONTROL OFFER") to repurchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of each Holder's Notes at an offer price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated -57- Damages, if any, thereon to the date of repurchase (the "CHANGE OF CONTROL PAYMENT"). Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company shall mail a notice to each Holder and the Trustee stating: (1) that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 4.14 and that all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn will be accepted for payment; (2) the purchase price and the purchase date, which shall be no earlier than 30 days but no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the "CHANGE OF CONTROL PAYMENT DATE"); (3) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest; (4) that, unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer shall cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date; (5) that Holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender the Notes, properly endorsed for transfer, together with the form entitled "Option of Holder to Elect Purchase" on the reverse of the Notes completed and such customary documents as the Company may reasonably request, to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date; (6) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Paying Agent receives, not later than the close of business on the second Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of Notes delivered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have the Notes purchased; and (7) that Holders whose Notes are being purchased only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion must be equal to $1,000 in principal amount or an integral multiple thereof. The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of Notes as a result of a Change of Control. (b) On or before 10:00 a.m. New York time on the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful, (a) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, (b) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof so tendered and (c) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officer's Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions thereof being purchased by the Company. The Paying Agent shall promptly mail to each Holder of Notes so tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee shall promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that each such new Note will be in a principal amount of $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof. The Company shall -58- publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date. Section 4.15. PAYMENT FOR CONSENT. Neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fee or otherwise, to any Holder of any Notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of the Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid or is paid to all Holders of the Notes that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in the solicitation statement documents relating to such consent, waiver or agreement. ARTICLE 5 SUCCESSORS Section 5.01. MERGER, CONSOLIDATION, OR SALE OF ASSETS. The Company shall not consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one or more related transactions, to another corporation, Person or entity unless (a) the Company is the surviving corporation or the entity or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made is a corporation organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (b) the entity or Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or the entity or Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made assumes all the obligations of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture pursuant to a supplemental indenture in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, (c) immediately after such transaction no Default or Event of Default exists and (d) except in the case of a merger of the Company with or into a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, the Company or the entity or Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made (A) will have Consolidated Net Worth immediately after the transaction equal to or greater than the Consolidated Net Worth of the Company immediately preceding the transaction and (B) will, at the time of such transaction and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if -59- such transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Adjusted Consolidated Leverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of Section 4.09 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Merger shall be permitted. Section 5.02. SUCCESSOR CORPORATION SUBSTITUTED. Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.01 hereof, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such consolidation, merger, sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition, the provisions of this Indenture referring to the "Company" shall refer instead to the successor corporation and not to the Company), and may exercise every right and power of the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the predecessor Company shall not be relieved from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes except in the case of a sale of all of the Company's assets that meets the requirements of Section 5.01 hereof. ARTICLE 6 DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES Section 6.01. EVENTS OF DEFAULT. An "EVENT OF DEFAULT" occurs if: (a) the Company defaults in the payment when due of interest on, or Liquidated Damages, if any, with respect to, the Notes, and such default continues for a period of 30 days; (b) the Company defaults in the payment when due of principal of or premium, if any, on the Notes when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon redemption (including in connection with an offer to purchase) or otherwise; (c) the Company fails to comply with any of the provisions of Sections 4.07, 4.09, 4.10, 4.14 or Article V hereof; -60- (d) the Company fails to observe or perform any other covenant, representation, warranty or other agreement in this Indenture or the Notes for 30 days after notice to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding of such failure; (e) a default occurs under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of this Indenture, which default (i) is caused by a failure to pay principal of or premium or interest on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of any grace period provided in such Indebtedness (a "PAYMENT DEFAULT") or (ii) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $10.0 million or more; (f) a final judgment or final judgments for the payment of money are entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and such judgment or judgments are not paid or discharged for a period (during which execution shall not be effectively stayed by reason of pending appeal or otherwise) of 60 days, PROVIDED that the aggregate of all such undischarged judgments exceeds $10.0 million; (g) the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries pursuant to or within the meaning of Bankruptcy Law: (i) commences a voluntary case, (ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (iii) consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, (iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or (v) generally is not paying its debts as they become due; or -61- (h) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that: (i) is for relief against the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries in an involuntary case; (ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or for all or substantially all of the property of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries; or (iii) orders the liquidation of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries; and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the entry of such order or decree is appealed and dismissed on appeal then the Event of Default hereunder by reason of the entry of such order or decree shall be deemed to have been cured. Section 6.02. ACCELERATION. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Upon any such declaration, the Notes shall become due and payable immediately. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in clause (g) or (h) of Section 6.01 hereof occurs with respect to the Company, all outstanding Notes shall be due and payable immediately without further action or notice. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by written notice to the Trustee may on behalf of all of the Holders rescind an acceleration and its consequences if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree and if all existing Events of Default (except nonpayment of principal, interest, premium or Liquidated Damages, if any, that has become due solely because of the acceleration) have been cured or waived. If an Event of Default occurs by reason of any willful action (or inaction) taken (or not taken) by or on behalf of the Company with the intention of avoiding payment of the premium that the Company would have had to pay if the Company then had elected to redeem the Notes pursuant to Section 3.07 hereof, then, upon acceleration of the Notes, an equivalent premium shall also become and be immediately due and payable, to the extent permitted by law, anything in this Indenture or in the Notes to the contrary notwithstanding. -62- Section 6.03. OTHER REMEDIES. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal of and premium, interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture. The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder of a Note in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. All remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law. Section 6.04. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS. Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive an existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences hereunder, except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, premium, if any, or Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes (including in connection with an offer to purchase); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration in accordance with Section 6.02. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon. Section 6.05. CONTROL BY MAJORITY. Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on it. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture or that the Trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders of Notes or that may involve the Trustee in Personal liability. Section 6.06. LIMITATION ON SUITS. A Holder of a Note may pursue a remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes only if: -63- (a) the Holder of a Note gives to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default; (b) the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy; (c) such Holder of a Note or Holders of Notes offer and, if requested, provide to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense; (d) the Trustee does not comply with the request within 60 days after receipt of the request and the offer and, if requested, the provision of indemnity; and (e) during such 60-day period the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the request. A Holder of a Note may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder of a Note or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder of a Note. Section 6.07. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF NOTES TO RECEIVE PAYMENT. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal of and interest, premium, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Note (including in connection with an offer to purchase), or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder. Section 6.08. COLLECTION SUIT BY TRUSTEE. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(a) or (b) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee is authorized to recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company for the whole amount of principal of, interest, premium, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, remaining unpaid on the Notes and interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful, interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel. -64- Section 6.09. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM. The Trustee is authorized to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders of the Notes allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company (or any other obligor upon the Notes), its creditors or its property and shall be entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07 hereof. To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07 hereof out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding. Section 6.10. PRIORITIES. If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article, it shall pay out the money in the following order: FIRST: to the Trustee, its agents and attorneys for amounts due under Section 7.07 hereof, including payment of all compensation, expense and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and the Trustee's costs and expenses of collection; SECOND: to Holders of Notes for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, interest, premium, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, interest, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, respectively; and -65- THIRD: to the Company or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct. The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders of Notes pursuant to this Section 6.10. Section 6.11. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as a Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder of a Note pursuant to Section 6.07 hereof, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes. ARTICLE 7 TRUSTEE Section 7.01. DUTIES OF TRUSTEE. (a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs. (b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default: (i) the duties of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture and the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and (ii) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture. However, the Trustee shall examine the certificates -66- and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture. (c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liabilities for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that: (i) this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section; (ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and (iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05 hereof. (d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section. (e) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or incur any liability. The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights and powers under this Indenture at the request of any Holders, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. (f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. Section 7.02. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE. (a) The Trustee may conclusively rely upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document. (b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer's Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officer's Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection -67- from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon. (c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. (d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture. (e) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from the Company shall be sufficient if signed by an Officer of the Company. (f) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction. Section 7.03. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE. The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company or any Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. However, in the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue as trustee or resign. Any Agent may do the same with like rights and duties. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11 hereof. Section 7.04. TRUSTEE'S DISCLAIMER. The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, it shall not be accountable for the Company's use of the proceeds from the Notes or any money paid to the Company or upon the Company's direction under any provision of this Indenture, it shall not be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, and it shall not be responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement in the Notes or any other document in connection with the sale of the Notes or pursuant to this Indenture other than its certificate of authentication. -68- Section 7.05. NOTICE OF DEFAULT. If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to Holders of Notes a notice of the Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs. Section 7.06. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE TO HOLDERS OF THE NOTES. Within 60 days after each May 15 beginning with the May 15 following the date of this Indenture, and for so long as Notes remain outstanding, the Trustee shall mail to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such reporting date that complies with TIA ss. 313(a) (but if no event described in TIA ss. 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the reporting date, no report need be transmitted). The Trustee also shall comply with TIA ss. 313(b)(2). The Trustee shall also transmit by mail all reports as required by TIA ss. 313(c). A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to the Holders of Notes shall be mailed to the Company and filed with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Notes are listed in accordance with TIA ss. 313(d). The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when the Notes are listed on any stock exchange. Section 7.07. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNITY. The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for its acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder. The Trustee's compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee promptly upon request for all reasonable disbursements, advances and expenses incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee's agents and counsel. The Company shall indemnify the Trustee against any and all losses, liabilities or expenses incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of its duties under this Indenture, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Company (including this Section 7.07) and defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by the Company, or any Holder or any other Person) or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, liability or expense may be attributable to its negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of their obligations hereunder. The Company shall defend -69- the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The obligations of the Company under this Section 7.07 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture. To secure the Company's payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a Lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Notes. Such Lien shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture. When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(g) or (h) hereof occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services (including the fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law. The Trustee shall comply with the provisions of TIA ss. 313(b)(2) to the extent applicable. Section 7.08. REPLACEMENT OF TRUSTEE. A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee's acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section. The Trustee may resign in writing at any time and be discharged from the trust hereby created by so notifying the Company. The Holders of Notes of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Trustee and the Company in writing. The Company may remove the Trustee if: (a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof; (b) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law; (c) a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or (d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting. -70- If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company, or the Holders of Notes of at least 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee. If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder of a Note who has been a Holder of a Note for at least six months, fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof, such Holder of a Note may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee. A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Thereupon, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Holders of the Notes. The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, PROVIDED all sums owing to the Trustee hereunder have been paid and subject to the Lien provided for in Section 7.07 hereof. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.08, the Company's obligations under Section 7.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee. Section 7.09. SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE BY MERGER, ETC. If the Trustee consolidates, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee. Section 7.10. ELIGIBILITY; DISQUALIFICATION. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state thereof that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trustee power, that is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities and that has a combined capital and surplus of at least $100 million as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. -71- This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIAss. 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee is subject to TIA ss. 310(b). Section 7.11. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST COMPANY. The Trustee is subject to TIA ss. 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA ss. 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA ss. 311(a) to the extent indicated therein. ARTICLE 8 LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE Section 8.01. Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. The Company may, at the option of its Board of Directors evidenced by a resolution set forth in an Officer's Certificate, at any time, exercise its rights under either Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof with respect to all outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article Eight. Section 8.02. LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE. Upon the Company's exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.02, the Company shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be deemed to have discharged its obligations with respect to all outstanding Notes, on the date the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 below are satisfied (hereinafter, "LEGAL DEFEASANCE"). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes, (which shall thereafter be deemed to be "outstanding" only for the purposes of Section 8.05 hereof and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in (a) and (b) below) and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Notes and this Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following provisions which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (a) the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive solely from the trust fund described in Section 8.04 hereof, and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of and interest, premium, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, on such Notes when such payments are due, (b) the Company's obligations with respect to such Notes under Sections 2.03, 2.04, 2.07, 2.10 and 4.02 hereof, (c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities -72- of the Trustee hereunder and the Company's obligations in connection therewith and (d) this Article Eight. Subject to compliance with this Article Eight, the Company may exercise its option under this Section 8.02 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 8.03 hereof. Section 8.03. COVENANT DEFEASANCE. Upon the Company's exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03, the Company shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be released from its obligations under the covenants contained in Article 4 (other than those in Sections 4.01, 4.02, 4.06 and 4.13) and Section 5.01 hereof on and after the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, "COVENANT DEFEASANCE"), and the Notes shall thereafter be deemed not "outstanding" for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall continue to be deemed "outstanding" for all other purposes hereunder (it being understood that such Notes shall not be deemed outstanding for accounting purposes). For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.01 hereof, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Notes shall be unaffected thereby. In addition, upon the Company's exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03 hereof, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, Sections 6.01(c) through 6.01(f) hereof shall not constitute Events of Default. Section 8.04. CONDITIONS TO LEGAL OR COVENANT DEFEASANCE. In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance: (a) the Company must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders, cash in United States dollars, non-callable U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of and interest, premium, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, on the outstanding Notes on the stated maturity thereof or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Company must specify whether the Notes are being defeased to maturity or to a particular redemption date; -73- (b) in the case of an election under Section 8.02 hereof, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the date of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred; (c) in the case of an election under Section 8.03 hereof, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that the Holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred; (d) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the incurrence of Indebtedness, all or a portion of the proceeds of which will be used to defease the Notes pursuant to this Article 8 concurrently with such incurrence or within 30 days thereof); (e) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is bound; (f) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel (which may be based on such solvency certificates or solvency opinions as counsel deems necessary or appropriate) to the effect that the trust funds will not be subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally; (g) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring -74- the Holders over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Company or others; and (h) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for or relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with. Section 8.05. Deposited Money and Government Securities To Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions. Subject to Section 8.06 hereof, all money and non-callable Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof in respect of the outstanding Notes shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Notes of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium, if any, and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or non-callable U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Notes. Anything in this Article 8 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon the request of the Company any money or non-callable Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 8.04 hereof which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 8.04(a) hereof), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. Section 8.06. REPAYMENT TO COMPANY. Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, or interest, premium, if any, or Liquidated Damages, if any, on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, interest, premium, if any, or Liquidated Damages, if any, has become due and -75- payable shall be paid to the Company on its request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter, as a secured creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company. Section 8.07. REINSTATEMENT. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any United States dollars or non-callable Government Securities in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, as the case may be, by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Company's obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, as the case may be; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, if the Company makes any payment of principal of, or interest, premium, if any, or Liquidated Damages, if any, on any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money held by the Trustee or Paying Agent. ARTICLE 9 AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER Section 9.01. WITHOUT CONSENT OF HOLDERS OF NOTES. Notwithstanding Section 9.02 of this Indenture, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Notes without the consent of any Holder of a Note: (a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency; (b) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; -76- (c) to provide for the assumption of the Company's obligations to the Holders of the Notes in the case of a merger or consolidation pursuant to Article 5 hereof; (d) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of the Notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights hereunder of any Holder of the Note; or (e) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA. Upon the request of the Company accompanied by resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental indenture, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 7.02 hereof, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of any amended or supplemental indenture authorized or permitted by the terms of this Indenture and to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into such amended or supplemental Indenture that affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise. Section 9.02. WITH CONSENT OF HOLDERS OF NOTES. Except as provided below in this Section 9.02, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture and the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes), and, subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, any existing Default or compliance with any provision of this Indenture or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes). Upon the request of the Company accompanied by a resolution of the Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence satisfactory to the Trustee of the consent of the Holders of Notes as aforesaid, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 7.02 hereof, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture unless such amended or supplemental indenture affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental indenture. -77- It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Notes under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders of Notes affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such amended or supplemental Indenture or waiver. Subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may waive compliance in a particular instance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Notes. However, without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver may not (with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder): (a) reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver; (b) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any Note or alter any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of the Notes (including as provided in Section 4.10 and 4.14 hereof); (c) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any Note; (d) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of or interest, premium, if any, or Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration); (e) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Notes; (f) make any change in the provisions of this Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of Notes to receive payments of principal of or interest, premium, if any, or Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes (except as permitted in clause (g) below); (g) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Note (including a payment required by Section 4.10 and 4.14 hereof); (h) make any change in the foregoing amendment and waiver provisions; or -78- (i) modify the ranking or priority of the Notes in any manner adverse to the Holders. Section 9.03. COMPLIANCE WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT. Every amendment or supplement to this Indenture or the Notes shall be set forth in an amended or supplemental Indenture that complies with the TIA as then in effect. Section 9.04. REVOCATION AND EFFECT OF CONSENTS. Until an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Note is a continuing consent by the Holder of a Note and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder's Note, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Note. However, any such Holder of a Note or subsequent Holder of a Note may revoke the consent as to its Note if the Trustee receives written notice of revocation before the date the waiver, supplement or amendment becomes effective. An amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective in accordance with its terms and thereafter binds every Holder. Section 9.05. NOTATION ON OR EXCHANGE OF NOTES. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment, supplement or waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for all Notes may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment, supplement or waiver. Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note shall not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver. Section 9.06. TRUSTEE TO SIGN AMENDMENTS, ETC. The Trustee shall sign any amended or supplemental indenture authorized pursuant to this Article 9 if the amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. The Company may not sign an amendment or supplemental indenture until their Boards of Directors approve it. In executing any amended or supplemental indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive and (subject to Section 7.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. -79- ARTICLE 10 MISCELLANEOUS Section 10.01. TRUST INDENTURE ACT CONTROLS. If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by TIA ss.318(c), the imposed duties shall control. Section 10.02. NOTICES. Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the others is duly given if in writing and delivered in Person or mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), telex, telecopier or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to the others' address: If to the Company: WHX Corporation 110 East 59th Street New York, New York 10022 Telecopier No.: (212)-355-5336 Attention: Chief Financial Officer With a copy to: Olshan Grundman From & Rosenzweig LLP 505 Park Avenue New York, New York 10022 Telecopier No.: (212) 980-7177 Attention: Steven Wolosky, Esq. If to the Trustee: Bank One Trust Company, N.A. Corporate Trust Account Administration P.O. Box 710380 Columbus, Ohio 43271-0380 Telecopier No.: (614) 244-5785 -80- The Company or the Trustee, by notice to the others may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications. All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders) 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 acknowledged, if telecopied; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery. Any notice or communication to a Holder shall be mailed by first class mail, certified or registered, return receipt requested, or by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery to its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar. Any notice or communication shall also be so mailed to any Person described in TIA ss. 313(c), to the extent required by the TIA. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders. If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it. If the Company mails a notice or communication to Holders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time. Section 10.03. Communication by Holders of Notes with Other HOLDERS OF NOTES. Holders may communicate pursuant to TIA ss. 312(b) with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA ss. 312(c). Section 10.04. CERTIFICATE AND OPINION AS TO CONDITIONS PRECEDENT. Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee: (a) an Officer's Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 10.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been satisfied; and -81- (b) an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 10.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent and covenants have been satisfied. Section 10.05. STATEMENTS REQUIRED IN CERTIFICATE OR OPINION. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA ss. 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA ss. 314(e) and shall include: (a) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition; (b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based; (c) a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been satisfied; and (d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has been satisfied. Section 10.06. RULES BY TRUSTEE AND AGENTS. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders. The Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions. Section 10.07. No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders. No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Company, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes, this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. -82- Section 10.08. GOVERNING LAW. THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THIS INDENTURE AND THE NOTES. Section 10.09. NO ADVERSE INTERPRETATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS. This Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or its Subsidiaries or of any other Person. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture. Section 10.10. SUCCESSORS. All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors. Section 10.11. SEVERABILITY. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. Section 10.12. COUNTERPART ORIGINALS. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. Section 10.13. TABLE OF CONTENTS, HEADINGS, ETC. The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table and Headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Indenture and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof. [Signatures on following pages] -83- SIGNATURES Dated as of April 7, 1998 WHX CORPORATION By:/s/ Paul J. Mooney -------------------------------- Name: Paul J. Mooney Title: Chief Financial Officer Dated as of April 7, 1998 BANK ONE, N.A., as trustee By:/s/ Ruth H. Fussell -------------------------------- Name: Ruth H. Fussell Title: Authorized Signatory EXHIBIT A-1 (Face of Note) 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 [, Series B] No. $_____________ CUSIP NO. [ ] WHX CORPORATION promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of ___________ Dollars on April 15, 2005. Interest Payment Dates: April 15 and October 15 Record Dates: April 1 and October 1 Dated: ________ __, 1998 WHX CORPORATION By:_________________________________ Name: Title: (SEAL) This is one of the [Global] Notes referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture: Dated: April 7, 1998 Bank One, N.A. as Trustee By:_________________________ A-1-1 (Back of Note) 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005[, Series B] [Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Notes in definitive form, this Note may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such successor Depository. Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York, New York) ("DTC"), to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or such other entity as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL in as much as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.(1) THIS NOTE (OR ITS PREDECESSOR) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS, EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE SECOND SENTENCE HEREOF. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT)(A "QIB") OR (B) IT IS ACQUIRING THIS NOTE IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE EXCEPT (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (B) TO A PERSON WHOM THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QIB PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QIB IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, (C) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION A-1-2 - -------- 1. This paragraph should be included only if the Note is issued in global form. MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 903 OR 904 OF THE SECURITIES ACT, (D) IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY) OR (F) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND, IN EACH CASE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL DELIVER TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS NOTE OR AN INTEREST HEREIN IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION" AND "UNITED STATES" HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY RULE 902 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THE INDENTURE CONTAINS A PROVISION REQUIRING THE TRUSTEE TO REFUSE TO REGISTER ANY TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE IN VIOLATION OF THE FOREGOING.(2) 1. INTEREST. WHX Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at 10 1/2% per annum from April 7, 1998 until maturity and shall pay the Liquidated Damages, payable pursuant to Section 5 of the Registration Rights Agreement referred to below. The Company will pay interest and Liquidated Damages semi-annually on April 15 and October 15 of each year, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each an "Interest Payment Date"); provided that the first Interest Payment Date shall be October 15, 1998. Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from the date of original issuance. The Company shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time to time on demand at a rate that is the rate then in effect; it shall pay interest (including post-petition in- - ---------------- 2. This paragraph should be removed upon the exchange of Series A Notes for Series B Notes in the Exchange Offer or upon the transfer of the Series A Notes that have been sold pursuant to the terms of the Shelf Registration contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement. A-1-3 terest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest and Liquidated Damages (without regard to any applicable grace periods) from time to time on demand at the same rate to the extent lawful. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. 2. METHOD OF PAYMENT. The Company will pay interest on the Notes (except defaulted interest) and Liquidated Damages to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the April 1 or October 1 next preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 2.12 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes will be payable as to principal, interest, premium, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose within or without the City and State of New York, or, at the option of the Company, payment of interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, may be made by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders, and provided that payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds will be required with respect to principal of and interest, premium, if any, and Liquidated Damages, if any, on, all Global Notes and all other Notes the Holders of which shall have provided wire transfer instructions to the Company or the Paying Agent. Such payment shall be in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. 3. PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR. Initially, Bank One, N.A., the Trustee under the Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity. 4. INDENTURE. The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of April 7, 1998 ("Indenture") between the Company and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S. Code ss.ss. 77aaa-77bbbb). The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and such Act for a statement of such terms. The Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company limited to $350,000,000 aggregate principal amount. 5. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION. (a) Except as set forth in subparagraphs (b) and (c) of this Paragraph 5, the Company shall not have the option to redeem the Notes prior to April 15, 2002. Thereafter, the Company shall have the option to redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice, at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if A-1-4 any, thereon to the applicable redemption date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on April 15 of the years indicated below: YEAR PERCENTAGE ---- ---------- 2002.................................... 105.250% 2003.................................... 102.625% 2004 and thereafter..................... 100.000% (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph 5, at any time prior to April 15, 2002, the Company may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued at a redemption price of 110.5% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon to the redemption date, with the net cash proceeds of one or more Public Equity Offerings; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (a) at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes initially issued remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of each such redemption and (b) such redemption shall occur within 30 days following the date of the consummation of such Public Equity Offering. (c) At any time prior to April 15, 2002, the Notes may also be redeemed as a whole but not in part at the option of the Company, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior notice mailed by first-class mail to each Holder's registered address, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the Applicable Premium, accrued interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon to the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record dated to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date). 6. MANDATORY REDEMPTION. Except as set forth in paragraph 7 below, the Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption payments with respect to the Notes. 7. REPURCHASE AT OPTION OF HOLDER. (a) If there is a Change of Control, the Company shall be required to make an offer (a "Change of Control Offer") to repurchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of each Holder's Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon to the date of purchase (the "Change of Control Payment"). Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company shall mail a notice to each Holder describing the A-1-5 transaction that constitutes the Change of Control and setting forth the procedures governing the Change of Control Offer as required by the Indenture. (b) If the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary consummates any Asset Sales, within 30 days of each date on which the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $35.0 million, the Company shall commence an offer to all Holders of Notes (as "Asset Sale Offer") pursuant to Section 3.09 of the Indenture to purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon to the date of purchase, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture. To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the Excess Proceeds, the Company (or such Subsidiary) may use such deficiency for general corporate purposes. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by Holders thereof exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased on a PRO RATA basis (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Trustee so that only Notes in denominations of $1,000, or integral multiples thereof, shall be purchased). Holders of Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase will receive an Asset Sale Offer from the Company prior to any related purchase date and may elect to have such Notes purchased by completing the form entitled "Option of Holder to Elect Purchase" on the reverse of the Notes. 8. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION. Notice of redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address. Notes in denominations larger than $1,000 may be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of $1,000, unless all of the Notes held by a Holder are to be redeemed. On and after the redemption date interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption. 9. DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE. The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. The transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes may be exchanged as provided in the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the Company may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Company need not exchange or register the transfer of any Note or portion of a Note selected for redemption, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part. Also, it need not exchange or register the transfer of any Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or during the period between a record date and the corresponding Interest Payment Date. A-1-6 10. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. The registered Holder of a Note may be treated as its owner for all purposes. 11. AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER. Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture or the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes, and any existing default or compliance with any provision of the Indenture or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes. Without the consent of any Holder of a Note, the Indenture or the Notes may be amended or supplemented to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes, to provide for the assumption of the Company's obligations to Holders of the Notes in case of a merger or consolidation, to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of the Notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any such Holder, or to comply with the requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. 12. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES. Events of Default include: (i) default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest or Liquidated Damages on the Notes; (ii) default in payment when due of the principal of or premium, if any, on the Notes; (iii) failure by the Company to comply with Sections 4.07, 4.09, 4.10 and 4.14 and Article V of the Indenture; (iv) failure by the Company for 30 days after notice to comply with any of its other agreements in the Indenture or the Notes; (v) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists or is created after the date of the Indenture, which default (a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of or premium or interest on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of any grace period provided in such Indebtedness (a "Payment Default") or (b) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $10.0 million or more; (vi) failure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay final judgments aggregating in excess of $10.0 million, which judgments are not paid, discharged or stayed for a period of 60 days; and (vii) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency, all outstanding Notes will be- A-1-7 come due and payable without further action or notice. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of interest on, or the principal of, the Notes. The Company is required to deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the Indenture, and the Company is required upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, to deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default. 13. DEFEASANCE. The Notes are subject to defeasance upon the terms and conditions specified in the Indenture. 14. TRUSTEE DEALINGS WITH COMPANY. The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform services for the Company or its Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee. 15. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS. A director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder, of the Company, as such, shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Notes. 16. AUTHENTICATION. This Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. 17. ABBREVIATIONS. Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (= Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors Act). 18. ADDITIONAL RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES. In addition to the rights provided to Holders of Notes under the Indenture, Holders of Transferred Restricted Securities shall have all the rights set forth in the Registration Rights Agreements, dated as of April 7, 1998, among the Company and the other parties named on the signature pages thereof (the "Registration Rights Agreement"). A-1-8 19. CUSIP NUMBERS. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon. The Company will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture and/or the Registration Rights Agreement. Requests may be made to: WHX Corporation 110 East 59th Street New York, New York 10022 Telecopier No.: (212) 355-5336 Attention: Chief Financial Officer A-1-9 ASSIGNMENT FORM To assign this Note, fill in the form below: (I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Insert assignee's soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Print or type assignee's name, address and zip code) and irrevocably appoint ________________________________________________________ to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date:__________________ Your Signature:__________________________ (Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note) Signature Guarantee: A-1-10 OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.10 or 4.15 of the Indenture, check the box below: / / Section 4.10 / / Section 4.14 If you want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.10 or Section 4.14 of the Indenture, state the amount you elect to have purchased: $___________ Date: Your Signature:__________________________ (Sign exactly as your name appears on the Note) Tax Identification No.:__________________ Signature Guarantee. A-1-11 SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF NOTES(3) THE FOLLOWING EXCHANGES OF A PART OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE FOR OTHER NOTES HAVE BEEN MADE: Amount of Amount of Principal Signature of decrease in increase in Amount of this authorized Principal Principal Global Note officer Amount of this Amount of this following such Trustee or Date of Global Global decrease (or Note Exchange Note Note increase Custodian - -------- ---- ---- -------- --------- - ------------- 3. This should be included only if the Note is issued in global form. A-1-12 EXHIBIT A-2 (Face of Regulation S Temporary Global Note) 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 No. $_____________ CUSIP NO. [ ] WHX CORPORATION promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of ___________ Dollars on April 15, 2005. Interest Payment Dates: April 15 and October 15 Record Dates: April 1 and October 1 Dated: ________ __, 1998 WHX CORPORATION By:____________________________________ Name: Title: (SEAL) This is one of the Global Notes referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture: Dated: April 7, 1998 Bank One, N.A. as Trustee By:_________________________ A-2-1 (Back of Regulation S Temporary Global Note) 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Notes in definitive form, this Note may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such successor Depository. Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York, New York) ("DTC"), to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or such other entity as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL in as much as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein. THIS NOTE (OR ITS PREDECESSOR) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS, EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE SECOND SENTENCE HEREOF. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE HOLDER (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) (A "QIB") OR (B) IT IS ACQUIRING THIS NOTE IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE EXCEPT (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (B) TO A PERSON WHOM THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QIB PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QIB IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, (C) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 903 OR 904 OF THE SECURITIES ACT, (D) IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED A-2-2 UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY) OR (F) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND, IN EACH CASE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL DELIVER TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS NOTE OR AN INTEREST HEREIN IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION" AND "UNITED STATES" HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY RULE 902 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THE INDENTURE CONTAINS A PROVISION REQUIRING THE TRUSTEE TO REFUSE TO REGISTER ANY TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE IN VIOLATION OF THE FOREGOING. Subject to the provisions hereof, WHX Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), promises to pay _____________ the principal sum of ____________ UNITED STATES DOLLARS (U.S. $___________) on April 15, 2005, and to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate of 10 1/2% per annum. Interest shall be paid in cash semi-annually in arrears on April 15 and October 15 or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each an "Interest Payment Date"); provided that the first Interest Payment Date shall be October 15, 1998. Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from the date of original issuance. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months. This Regulation S Temporary Global Note is issued in respect of an issue of 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 (the "Notes") of the Company, limited to the aggregate principal amount of U.S. $350,000,000 issued pursuant to an Indenture (the "Indenture") dated as of April 7, 1998, between the Company and Bank One, N.A. as trustee (the " Trustee"), and is governed by the terms and conditions of the Indenture governing the Notes, which terms and conditions are incorporated herein by reference and, except as otherwise provided herein, shall be binding on the Company and the Holder hereof as if fully set forth herein. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms used herein shall have the meanings specified in the Indenture. Until this Regulation S Temporary Global Note is exchanged for Regulation S Permanent Global Notes, the Holder hereof shall not be entitled to receive payments of interest hereon although interest will continue to accrue; until so exchanged in full, this Regulation S Temporary Global Note shall in all other respects be entitled to the same benefits as other Notes under the Indenture. A-2-3 This Regulation S Temporary Global Note is exchangeable in whole or in part for one or more Regulation S Permanent Global Notes or Rule 144A Global Notes only (i) on or after the termination of the 40-day restricted period (as defined in Regulation S) and (ii) upon presentation of certificates (accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel, if applicable) required by Article 2 of the Indenture. Upon exchange of this Regulation S Temporary Global Note for one or more Regulation S Permanent Global Notes or Rule 144A Global Notes, the Trustee shall cancel this Regulation S Temporary Global Note. This Regulation S Temporary Global Note shall not become valid or obligatory until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been duly manually signed by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture. This Regulation S Temporary Global Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. All references to "$," "Dollars," "dollars" or "U.S. $" are to such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts therein. A-2-4 SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES FOR GLOBAL NOTES THE FOLLOWING EXCHANGES OF A PART OF THIS REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE FOR OTHER GLOBAL NOTES HAVE BEEN MADE: Amount of Amount of Principal Signature of decrease in increase in Amount of this authorized Principal Principal Global Note officer Amount of this Amount of this following such Trustee or Date of Global Global decrease (or Note Exchange Note Note increase Custodian - -------- -------------- -------------- -------------- ------------ A-2-5 EXHIBIT B-1 FORM OF CERTIFICATE FOR EXCHANGE OR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER FROM 144A GLOBAL NOTE TO REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE (Pursuant to Section 2.06(a)(i) of the Indenture) [REGISTRAR] Re: 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 of WHX Corporation. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of April 7, 1998 (the "Indenture"), between WHX Corporation (the "Company") and Bank One, N.A., as trustee (the "Trustee"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture. This letter relates to $ _______________ principal amount of Notes which are evidenced by one or more 144A Global Notes and held with the Depository in the name of_____________ (the "Transferor"). The Transferor has requested a transfer of such beneficial interest in the Notes to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of an equal principal amount of Notes evidenced by one or more Regulation S Global Notes, which amount, immediately after such transfer, is to be held with the Depository through Euroclear or Cedel or both. In connection with such request and in respect of such Notes, the Transferor hereby certifies that such transfer has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and accordingly the Transferor hereby further certifies that: (1) The offer of the Notes was not made to a Person in the United States; (2) either: (a) at the time the buy order was originated, the transferee was outside the United States or the Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes that the transferee was outside the United States; or B-1-1 (b) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither the Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States; (3) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 904(b) of Regulation S; (4) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration provisions of the Securities Act; and (5) upon completion of the transaction, the beneficial interest being transferred as described above is to be held with the Depository through Euroclear, Cedel or another Participant. Upon giving effect to this request to exchange a beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note for a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note, the resulting beneficial interest shall be subject to the restrictions on transfer applicable to Regulation S Global Notes pursuant to the Indenture and the Securities Act. This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company. Terms used in this certificate and not otherwise defined in the Indenture have the meanings set forth in Regulation S under the Securities Act. [Insert Name of Transferor] By:___________________________ Name: Title: Dated: cc: WHX Corporation B-1-2 EXHIBIT B-2 FORM OF CERTIFICATE FOR EXCHANGE OR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER FROM REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE TO 144A GLOBAL NOTE (Pursuant to Section 2.06(a)(ii) of the Indenture) [REGISTRAR] Re: 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 of WHX Corporation. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture dated as of April 7, 1998 (the "Indenture"), between WHX Corporation (the "Company") and Bank One, N.A., as trustee (the "Trustee"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture. This letter relates to $_________ principal amount of Notes which are evidenced by one or more Regulation S Global Notes and held with the Depository through Euroclear or Cedel in the name of ________ (the "Transferor"). The Transferor has requested a transfer of such beneficial interest in the Notes to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of an equal principal amount of Notes evidenced by one or more 144A Global Notes, to be held with the Depository. In connection with such request and in respect of such Notes, the Transferor hereby certifies that: B-2-1 [CHECK ONE] |_| such transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the Notes are being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believes is purchasing the Notes for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a "qualified institutional buyer" within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A; or |_| such transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act; or |_| such transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act; or and such Notes are being transferred in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction. Upon giving effect to this request to exchange a beneficial interest in Regulation S Global Notes for a beneficial interest in 144A Global Notes, the resulting beneficial interest shall be subject to the restrictions on transfer applicable to 144A Global Notes pursuant to the Indenture and the Securities Act. This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company. [Insert Name of Transferor] By:________________________________ Name: Title: Dated: cc: WHX Corporation B-2-2 EXHIBIT B-3 FORM OF CERTIFICATE FOR EXCHANGE OR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER OF DEFINITIVE NOTES (Pursuant to Section 2.06(b) of the Indenture) [REGISTRAR] Re: 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 of WHX Corporation Reference is hereby made to the Indenture dated as of April 7, 1998 (the "Indenture"), between WHX Corporation (the "Company") and Bank One, N.A., as trustee (the "Trustee"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture. This relates to $ principal amount of Notes which are evidenced by one or more Definitive Notes in the name of (the "Transferor"). The Transferor has requested an exchange or transfer of such Definitive Note(s) in the form of an equal principal amount of Notes evidenced by one or more Definitive Notes, to be delivered to the Transferor or, in the case of a transfer of such Notes, to such Person as the Transferor instructs the Trustee. In connection with such request and in respect of the Notes surrendered to the Trustee herewith for exchange (the "Surrendered Notes"), the Holder of such Surrendered Notes hereby certifies that: B-3-1 [CHECK ONE] |_| the Surrendered Notes are being acquired for the Transferor's own account, without transfer; or |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred to the Company or one of its Subsidiaries; or |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the Surrendered Notes are being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believes is purchasing the Surrendered Notes for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a "qualified institutional buyer" within the meaning of Rule 144A, in each case in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A; or |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred in a transaction permitted by Rule 144 under the Securities Act; or |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred pursuant to an exemption under the Securities Act other than Rule 144A, Rule 144 or Rule 904 to Person who is an Institutional Accredited Investor and the Transferor further certifies that the Transfer complies with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Global Notes and Definitive Notes bearing the legend set forth in Section 2.06(f) of the Indenture and the requirements of the exemption claimed, which certification is supported by (a) if such transfer is in respect of a principal amount of Notes at the time of Transfer of $100,000 or more, a certificate executed by the Transferee in the form of Exhibit C to the Indenture, or (b) if such Transfer is in respect of a principal amount of Notes at the time of transfer of less than $100,000, (i) a certificate executed in the form of Exhibit C to the Indenture and (ii) an Opinion of Counsel provided by the Transferor or the Transferee (a copy of which the Transferor has attached to this certification) in form reasonably acceptable to the Company and to the Registrar, to the effect that (1) B-3-2 such Transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and (2) such Transfer complies with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States; or |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act; or |_| such transfer is being effected pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A, Rule 144, or Rule 904 and the Transferor hereby further certifies that the Notes are being transferred in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in the Global Notes and Definitive Notes bearing the legend set forth in Section 2.06(f) of the Indenture and in accordance with the requirements of the exemption claimed, which certification is supported by an Opinion of Counsel, provided by the transferor or the transferee (a copy of which the Transferor has attached to this certification) in form reasonably acceptable to the Company and to the Registrar, to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky laws of any state of the United States; and the Surrendered Notes are being transferred in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction. This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company. [Insert Name of Transferor] By:______________________________ Name: Title: Dated: cc: WHX Corporation B-3-3 EXHIBIT B-4 FORM OF CERTIFICATE FOR EXCHANGE OR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER FROM 144A GLOBAL NOTE OR REGULATION S PERMANENT GLOBAL NOTE TO DEFINITIVE NOTE (Pursuant to Section 2.06(c) of the Indenture) [REGISTRAR] Re: 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 of WHX Corporation Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of April 7, 1998 (the "Indenture"), between WHX Corporation (the "Company") and Bank One, N.A., as trustee (the "Trustee"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture. This letter relates to $__________ principal amount of Notes which are evidenced by a beneficial interest in one or more 144A Global Notes or Regulation S Global Notes in the name of (the "Transferor"). The Transferor has requested an exchange or transfer of such beneficial interest in the form of an equal principal amount of Notes evidenced by one or more Definitive Notes, to be delivered to the Transferor or, in the case of a transfer of such Notes, to such Person as the Transferor instructs the Trustee. In connection with such request and in respect of the Notes surrendered to the Trustee herewith for exchange (the "Surrendered Notes"), the Holder of such Surrendered Notes hereby certifies that: B-4-1 [CHECK ONE] |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred to the beneficial owner of such Notes; or |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the Surrendered Notes are being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believes is purchasing the Surrendered Notes for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a "qualified institutional buyer" within the meaning of Rule 144A, in each case in a transaction meeting they requirements of Rule 144A; or |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred in a transaction permitted by Rule 144 under the Securities Act; or |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act; or |_| the Surrendered Notes are being transferred pursuant to an exemption under the Securities Act other than Rule 144A, Rule 144 or Rule 904 to a Person who is an Institutional Accredited Investor and the Transferor further certifies that the Transfer complies with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Global Notes and Definitive Senior Notes bearing the legend set forth in Section 2.06(f) of the Indenture and the requirements of the exemption claimed, which certification is supported by (a) if such transfer is in respect of a principal amount of Notes at the time of Transfer of $100,000 or more, a certificate executed by the Transferee in the form of Exhibit C to the Indenture, or (b) if such Transfer is in respect of a principal amount of Notes at the time of transfer of less than $100,000, (i) a certificate executed in the form of Exhibit C to the Indenture and (ii) an Opinion of Counsel provided by the Transferor or the Transferee (a copy of which the Transferor has attached to this certification) in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and to the Registrar, to the effect that (1) B-4-2 such Transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and (2) such Transfer complies with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States; or |_| such transfer is being effected pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A, Rule 144 or Rule 904, and the Transferor hereby further certifies that the Notes are being transferred in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in the Global Notes and Definitive Notes bearing the legend set forth in Section 2.06(f) of the Indenture and in accordance with the requirements of the exemption claimed, which certification is supported by an Opinion of Counsel, provided by the transferor or the transferee (a copy of which the Transferor has attached to this certification) in form reasonably acceptable to the Company and to the Registrar, to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States; and the Surrendered Notes are being transferred in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction. B-4-3 This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company. [Insert Name of Transferor] By:_____________________________ Name: Title: Dated: cc: WHX Corporation B-4-4 EXHIBIT C FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE DELIVERED BY INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTORS ---------------, ----- Bank One, N.A., as Registrar Attention: Corporate Trust Department Ladies and Gentlemen: We are delivering this letter in connection with the purchase of 10 1/2% Senior Notes due 2005 (the "Notes") of WHX Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"). (i) we are an "accredited investor" within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or an entity in which all of the equity owners are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act (an "INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR"); (ii) any purchase of Notes by us will be for our own account or for the account of one or more other Institutional Accredited Investors; (iii) in the event that we purchase any Notes, we will acquire Notes having a minimum purchase price of at least $100,000 for our own account and for each separate account for which we are acting; (iv) we have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that we are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of purchasing Notes; (v) we are not acquiring Notes with a view to any distribution thereof in a transaction that would violate the Securities Act or the securities laws of any State of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction; PROVIDED that the disposition of our property and the property of any accounts for which we are acting as fiduciary shall remain at all times within our control; and (vi) we have received a copy of the Offering Memorandum relating to the initial offering of the Notes and acknowledge that we have had access to such financial and other information, and have been afforded the opportunity to ask such questions of C-1 representatives of the Company and receive answers thereto, as we deem necessary in connection with our decision to purchase Notes. We understand that the Notes are being offered in a transaction not involving any public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act and that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act, and we agree, on our own behalf and on behalf of each account for which we acquire any Notes, that such Notes may be offered, resold, pledged or otherwise transferred only (i) to a Person whom we reasonably believe to be a qualified institutional buyer (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act) in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A under the Securities Act, in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144 under the Securities Act, outside the United States in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 904 under the Securities Act, or in accordance with another exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act (and based upon an opinion of counsel if the Company so requests), (ii) to the Company or (iii) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, and in each case, in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any State of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction. We understand that the registrar will not be required to accept for registration of transfer any Notes, except upon presentation of evidence satisfactory to the Company that the foregoing restrictions on transfer have been complied with. We acknowledge that you and the Company will rely upon our confirmations, acknowledgments and agreements set forth herein, and we agree to notify you promptly in writing if any of our representations or warranties herein ceases to be accurate and complete. THIS LETTER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. ----------------------------------- [Name of Purchaser] By: _______________________________ Name: Title: Address: C-2