EXHIBIT 4.2
EXECUTION COPY
$400,000,000
UCAR FINANCE INC.
10 1/4% Senior Notes due 2012
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
February 15, 2002
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
As Representatives of the Several Initial Purchasers
c/o Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Eleven Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10010-3629
Dear Sirs:
UCAR Finance Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "ISSUER"), proposes to
issue and sell to Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation and J.P. Morgan
Securities Inc. ABN AMRO Incorporated, Fleet Securities, Inc. and Scotial
Capital (USA) Inc. (collectively, the "INITIAL PURCHASERS"), upon the terms set
forth in a purchase agreement dated February 8, 2002 (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"),
$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 10 1/4% Senior Notes due 2012
(the "INITIAL SECURITIES") to be guaranteed (the "GUARANTIES") by UCAR
International Inc. and each of the entities listed in Schedule A herein
(together with UCAR International Inc., the "GUARANTORS" and, collectively with
the Issuer, the "COMPANY"). The Initial Securities will be issued pursuant to an
Indenture, dated as of February 15, 2002 (the "INDENTURE"), among the Issuer,
the Guarantors named therein and State Street Bank and Trust Company, as trustee
(the "TRUSTEE"). As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the
Purchase Agreement, the Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers, for the
benefit of the Initial Purchasers and the holders of the Securities (as defined
below) (collectively the "HOLDERS"), as follows:
1. REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER. Unless not permitted by applicable law
(after the Company has complied with the ultimate paragraph of this Section 1),
the Company shall prepare and, not later than 75 days (such 75th day being a
"FILING DEADLINE") after the date on which the Initial Purchasers purchase the
Initial Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (the "CLOSING DATe"), file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION") a registration
statement (the "EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT") on an appropriate form
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), with
respect to a proposed offer (the "REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER") to the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in Section 6 hereof), who are not
prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in the
Registered Exchange Offer, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange for
the Initial Securities, a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities of
the Company issued under the Indenture, identical in all material respects to
the Initial Securities and registered under the Securities Act (the "EXCHANGE
SECURITIES"). The Company shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to
(i) cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective under
the Securities Act within 140 days after the Closing Date (such 140th day being
an "EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE") and (ii) keep the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement effective for not less than 30 days (or longer, if required by
applicable law) after the date notice of the Registered Exchange Offer is mailed
to the Holders (such period being called the "EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION
PERIOD").
If the Company commences the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company (i)
will be entitled to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer 30 days after such
commencement (provided that the Company has accepted all the Initial Securities
theretofore validly tendered in accordance with the terms of the Registered
Exchange Offer) and (ii) will be required to consummate the Registered Exchange
Offer no later than 40 days after the date on which the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement is declared effective (such 40th day being the
"CONSUMMATION DEADLINE").
Following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered
Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to
enable each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities electing to exchange
the Initial Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such Holder is not
an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, acquires
the Exchange Securities in the ordinary course of such Holder's business and has
no arrangements with any person to participate in the distribution of the
Exchange Securities and is not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission
from participating in the Registered Exchange Offer) to trade such Exchange
Securities from and after their receipt without any limitations or restrictions
under the Securities Act and without material restrictions under the securities
laws of the several states of the United States.
The Company acknowledges that, pursuant to current interpretations by
the Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, in the absence of an
applicable exemption therefrom, (i) each Holder which is a broker-dealer
electing to exchange Initial Securities, acquired for its own account as a
result of market making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange
Securities (an "EXCHANGING DEALER"), is required to deliver a prospectus
containing the information set forth in (a) Annex A hereto on the cover, (b)
Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of
the Exchange Offer" section, and (c) Annex C hereto in the "Plan of
Distribution" section of such prospectus in connection with a sale of any such
Exchange Securities received by such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer and (ii) an Initial Purchaser that elects to sell
Securities (as defined below) acquired in exchange for Initial Securities
constituting any portion of an unsold allotment, is required to deliver a
prospectus containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation
S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in connection with such sale.
The Company shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to keep
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement
the prospectus contained therein, in order to permit such prospectus to be
lawfully delivered by all persons subject to the prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act for such period of time as such persons must
comply with such requirements in order to resell the Exchange Securities;
provided, however, that (i) in the case where such prospectus and any amendment
or supplement thereto must be delivered by an Exchanging Dealer or an Initial
Purchaser, such period shall be the lesser of 180 days and the date on which all
Exchanging Dealers and the Initial Purchasers have sold all Exchange Securities
held by them (unless such period is extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) and
(ii) the Company shall make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of
any Exchange Securities for a period of not less than 180-days after the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer.
If, upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, any Initial
Purchaser holds Initial Securities acquired by it as part of its initial
distribution, the Company, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange
Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, shall issue and deliver to
such Initial Purchaser upon the written request of such Initial Purchaser, in
exchange (the "Private Exchange") for the Initial Securities held by such
Initial Purchaser, a like principal amount of debt securities of the Company
issued under the Indenture and identical in all material respects to the Initial
Securities (the "Private Exchange Securities"). The Initial Securities, the
Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities are herein collectively
called the "Securities".
In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:
(a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part
of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an
appropriate letter of transmittal and related documents;
(b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than
30 days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date
notice thereof is mailed to the Holders;
(c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered
Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
New York, which may be the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee;
(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time
prior to the close of business, New York time, on the last business day
on which the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and
(e) otherwise comply with all applicable laws.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange Offer
or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:
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(x) accept for exchange all the Securities validly tendered
and not withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the
Private Exchange;
(y) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all the Initial
Securities so accepted for exchange; and
(z) cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly to
each Holder of the Initial Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
Exchange Securities, as the case may be, equal in principal amount to
the Initial Securities of such Holder so accepted for exchange.
The Indenture will provide that the Exchange Securities will not be
subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture and that all the
Securities will vote and consent together on all matters as one class and that
none of the Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a class
separate from one another on any matter.
Interest on each Exchange Security and Private Exchange Security issued
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange will
accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on the
Initial Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been
paid on the Initial Securities, from the date of original issue of the Initial
Securities.
Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be
required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities received by such Holder
will be acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) such Holder will have
no arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the
distribution of the Securities or the Exchange Securities within the meaning of
the Securities Act, (iii) such Holder is not an "affiliate," as defined in Rule
405 of the Securities Act, of the Company or if it is an affiliate, such Holder
will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act to the extent applicable, (iv) if such Holder is not a
broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the
distribution of the Exchange Securities and (v) if such Holder is a
broker-dealer, that it will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in
exchange for Initial Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities and that it will be required to
acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure
that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading and (iii) any prospectus forming part of
any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to such
prospectus, does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
If following the date hereof there has been announced a change in
Commission policy with respect to exchange offers that in the reasonable opinion
of counsel to the Company raises a substantial question as to whether the
Registered Exchange Offer is permitted by applicable federal law, the Company
will seek a no-action letter or other favorable decision from the Commission
allowing the Company to consummate the Registered Exchange Offer. The Company
will pursue the issuance of such a decision to the Commission staff level. In
connection with the foregoing, the Company will take all such other actions as
may be requested by the Commission or otherwise required in connection with the
issuance of such decision, including without limitation (i) participating in
telephonic conferences with the Commission, (ii) delivering to the Commission
staff an analysis prepared by counsel to the Company setting forth the legal
bases, if any, upon which such counsel has concluded that the Registered
Exchange Offer should be permitted and (iii) diligently pursuing a resolution
(which need not be favorable) by the Commission staff.
2. SHELF REGISTRATION. If, (i) because of any change in law or in
applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission, the Company
is not permitted to effect a Registered Exchange Offer, as contemplated by
Section 1 hereof, (ii) the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated by the
180th day after the Closing Date, (iii) any Initial Purchaser so requests with
respect to the Initial Securities (or the Private Exchange Securities) not
eligible to be exchanged for Exchange Securities in the Registered Exchange
Offer and held by it following consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer or
(iv) any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) is not eligible to participate
in the Registered Exchange Offer
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or, in the case of any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) that
participates in the Registered Exchange Offer, such Holder does not receive
freely tradeable Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange and any such
Holder so requests, the Company shall take the following actions (the date on
which any of the conditions described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv)
occur, including in the case of clauses (iii) or (iv) the receipt of the
required notice, being a "TRIGGER DATE"):
(a) The Company shall promptly (but in no event more than the
later of (i) 45 days after the Trigger Date and (ii) 75 days after the
Closing Date (such date being a "FILING DEADLINE")) file with the
Commission and thereafter use its commercially reasonable best efforts
to cause to be declared effective no later than 60 days after the
Filing Deadline (such 60th day being an "EFFECTIVENESS Deadline") a
registration statement (the "SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT" and,
together with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT") on an appropriate form under the Securities
Act relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted
Securities by the Holders thereof from time to time in accordance with
the methods of distribution set forth in the Shelf Registration
Statement and Rule 415 under the Securities Act (hereinafter, the
"SHELF REGISTRATION"); provided, however, that no Holder (other than an
Initial Purchaser) shall be entitled to have the Securities held by it
covered by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees
in writing to be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement
applicable to such Holder.
(b) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable best
efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective
in order to permit the prospectus included therein to be lawfully
delivered by the Holders of the relevant Securities, for a period of
two years (or for such longer period if extended pursuant to Section
3(j) below) from the date of its effectiveness or such shorter period
that will terminate when all the Securities covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement (i) have been sold pursuant thereto or (ii) are
no longer restricted securities (as defined in Rule 144 under the
Securities Act, or any successor rule thereof). The Company shall be
deemed not to have used its commercially reasonable best efforts to
keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite
period if it voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders
of Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such
Securities during that period, unless such action is required by
applicable law.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to
the contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement
and the related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as
of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or
supplement, (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission and (ii) not to contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
3. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. In connection with any Shelf Registration
contemplated by Section 2 hereof and, to the extent applicable, any Registered
Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following provisions shall
apply:
(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser,
prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the
Registration Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement,
if any, to the prospectus included therein and, in the event that an
Initial Purchaser (with respect to any portion of an unsold allotment
from the original offering) is participating in the Registered Exchange
Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall use its
best efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the
Commission, such comments as such Initial Purchaser reasonably may
propose; (ii) include the information set forth in Annex A hereto on
the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section
and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto
in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the prospectus forming a part
of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and include the
information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal
delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; (iii) if requested
by an Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507
or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in
the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement; (iv) include within the prospectus contained in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement a section entitled "Plan of Distribution,"
reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchasers, which shall contain a
summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by the staff
of the Commission with respect to the potential "underwriter" status of
any broker-dealer that is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule
13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
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amended (the "EXCHANGE ACT")) of Exchange Securities received by such
broker-dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (a "PARTICIPATING
BROKER-DEALER"), whether such positions or policies have been publicly
disseminated by the staff of the Commission or such positions or
policies, in the reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers based
upon advice of counsel (which may be in-house counsel), represent the
prevailing views of the staff of the Commission; and (v) in the case
of a Shelf Registration Statement, include the names of the Holders
who propose to sell Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement as selling securityholders.
(b) The Company shall give written notice to the Initial
Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any Participating
Broker-Dealer from whom the Company has received prior written notice
that it will be a Participating Broker-Dealer in the Registered
Exchange Offer (which notice pursuant to clauses (ii)-(v) hereof shall
be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the prospectus
until the requisite changes have been made):
(i) when the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto has been filed with the Commission and when the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto
has become effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments
or supplements to the Registration Statement or the prospectus
included therein or for additional information;
(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that
purpose;
(iv) of the receipt by the Company or its legal
counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of
the qualification of the Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for such purpose; and
(v) of the happening of any event that requires the
Company to make changes in the Registration Statement or the
prospectus in order that the Registration Statement or the
prospectus do not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact nor omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the
case of the prospectus, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made) not misleading.
(c) The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain
the withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
(d) The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Securities
included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge,
at least one copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and
schedules, and, if the Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits
thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by reference).
(e) The Company shall deliver to each Exchanging Dealer and
each Initial Purchaser, and to any other Holder who so requests,
without charge, at least one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, and, if any Initial Purchaser or any such
Holder requests, all exhibits thereto (including those incorporated by
reference).
(f) The Company shall, during the Shelf Registration Period,
deliver to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of
the Shelf Registration, without charge, as many copies of the
prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in the
Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as
such person may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to
the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of the
Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities
covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto,
included in the Shelf Registration Statement.
(g) The Company shall deliver to each Initial Purchaser, any
Exchanging Dealer, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other
persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered
Exchange Offer, without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus
included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
or supplement thereto as such
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persons may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the
provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto by any Initial Purchaser, if
necessary, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other persons
required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange
Offer in connection with the offering and sale of the Exchange
Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, included in such Exchange Offer Registration Statement.
(h) Prior to any public offering of the Securities pursuant to
any Registration Statement the Company shall register or qualify or
cooperate with the Holders of the Securities included therein and
their respective counsel in connection with the registration or
qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities
or "blue sky" laws of such states of the United States as any Holder
of the Securities reasonably requests in writing and do any and all
other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer and
sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities covered by such
Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not
be required to (i) qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or (ii) take any action
which would subject it to general service of process or to taxation in
any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(i) The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the
Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing the Securities to be sold pursuant to any
Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Holders may request a
reasonable period of time prior to sales of the Securities pursuant to
such Registration Statement.
(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by
paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above during the period for
which the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration
Statement, the Company shall promptly prepare and file a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related
prospectus and any other required document so that, as thereafter
delivered to Holders of the Securities or purchasers of Securities, the
prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the
Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known
Participating Broker-Dealer in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through
(v) of Section 3(b) above to suspend the use of the prospectus until
the requisite changes to the prospectus have been made, then the
Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any such
Participating Broker-Dealers shall suspend use of such prospectus, and
the period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement
provided for in Section 2(b) above and the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement provided for in Section 1 above shall each be extended by the
number of days from and including the date of the giving of such notice
to and including the date when the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of
the Securities and any known Participating Broker-Dealer shall have
received such amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to this
Section 3(j).
(k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the
Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with
printed certificates for the Initial Securities, the Exchange
Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, in a
form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.
(l) The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of
the Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the
Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration and will make
generally available to its security holders (or otherwise provide in
accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) an earnings
statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act, no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month period (or 90
days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first month
of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective
date of the Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such
12-month period.
(m) The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in a timely manner
and containing such changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such
qualification. In the event that such qualification would require the
appointment of a new trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall
appoint a new trustee thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions
of the Indenture.
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(n) The Company may require each Holder of Securities to be
sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the
Company such information regarding the Holder and the distribution of
the Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably require
for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement, and the Company may
exclude from such registration the Securities of any Holder that
unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time
after receiving such request.
(o) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements
(including, if requested, an underwriting agreement in customary form
with an underwriter or underwriters reasonably acceptable to the
Company) and take all such other action, if any, as any Holder of the
Securities shall reasonably request in order to facilitate the
disposition of the Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration.
(p) In the case of any Shelf Registration, upon execution of
customary confidentiality agreements reasonably satisfactory to the
Company and its counsel, the Company shall (i) make reasonably
available for inspection by the Holders of the Securities, any
underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent
retained by the Holders of the Securities or any such underwriter all
relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and
properties of the Company and (ii) cause the Company's officers,
directors, employees, accountants and auditors to supply all relevant
information reasonably requested by the Holders of the Securities or
any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with
the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, as shall be reasonably
necessary to enable such persons, to conduct a reasonable investigation
within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act; provided,
however, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall
be coordinated on behalf of the Initial Purchasers by you and on behalf
of the other parties, by one counsel designated by and on behalf of
such other parties as described in Section 4 hereof.
(q) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company, if
requested by any Holder of Securities covered thereby, shall cause (i)
its counsel to deliver an opinion and updates thereof relating to the
Securities in customary form addressed to such Holders and the managing
underwriters, if any, thereof and dated, in the case of the initial
opinion, the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (it
being agreed that the matters to be covered by such opinion shall
include, without limitation, as customary, the due incorporation and
good standing of the Company and its domestic subsidiaries; the
qualification of the Company and its domestic subsidiaries to transact
business as foreign corporations; the due authorization, execution and
delivery of the relevant agreement of the type referred to in Section
3(o) hereof; the due authorization, execution, authentication and
issuance, and the validity and enforceability, of the applicable
Securities; the absence of material legal or governmental proceedings
involving the Company and its subsidiaries; the absence of governmental
approvals required to be obtained in connection with the Shelf
Registration Statement, the offering and sale of the applicable
Securities, or any agreement of the type referred to in Section 3(o)
hereof; the compliance as to form of such Shelf Registration Statement
and any documents incorporated by reference therein and of the
Indenture with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust
Indenture Act, respectively; and, as of the date of the opinion and as
of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most
recent post-effective amendment thereto, as the case may be, the
absence from such Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus
included therein, as then amended or supplemented, and from any
documents incorporated by reference therein of an untrue statement of a
material fact or the omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading (in the case of any such documents, in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time that such documents were filed with
the Commission under the Exchange Act); (ii) its officers to execute
and deliver all customary documents and certificates and updates
thereof requested by any underwriters of the applicable Securities and
(iii) its independent public accountants and the independent public
accountants with respect to any other entity for which financial
information is provided in the Shelf Registration Statement to provide
to the selling Holders of the applicable Securities and any
underwriter therefor a comfort letter in customary form and covering
matters of the type customarily covered in comfort letters in
connection with primary underwritten offerings, subject to receipt of
appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by
Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72.
(r) In the case of the Registered Exchange Offer, if requested
by any Initial Purchaser or any known Participating Broker-Dealer, the
Company shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver to such Initial
Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer signed opinions in the
form set forth in
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Section 6(c)-(d) of the Purchase Agreement with such changes as are
customary in connection with the preparation of a Registration
Statement and (ii) its independent public accountants to deliver to
such Initial Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer comfort
letters, in customary form, meeting the requirements as to the
substance thereof as set forth in Section 6(a) of the Purchase
Agreement, with appropriate date changes.
(s) If a Registered Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to
be consummated, upon delivery of the Initial Securities by Holders to
the Company (or to such other Person as directed by the Company) in
exchange for the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall mark, or caused to be
marked, on the Initial Securities so exchanged that such Initial
Securities are being canceled in exchange for the Exchange Securities
or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be; in no event
shall the Initial Securities be marked as paid or otherwise satisfied.
(t) The Company will use its commercially reasonable best
efforts to (a) if the Initial Securities have been rated prior to the
initial sale of such Initial Securities, confirm such ratings will
apply to the Securities covered by a Registration Statement, or (b) if
the Initial Securities were not previously rated, cause the Securities
covered by a Registration Statement to be rated with the appropriate
rating agencies, if so requested by Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of Securities covered by such Registration Statement,
or by the managing underwriters, if any.
(u) In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the
Exchange Act shall underwrite any Securities or participate as a member
of an underwriting syndicate or selling group or "assist in the
distribution" (within the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the "Rules") of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD")) thereof,
whether as a Holder of such Securities or as an underwriter, a
placement or sales agent or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or
otherwise, the Company will assist such broker-dealer in complying with
the requirements of such Rules, including, without limitation, by (i)
if such Rules, including Rule 2720, shall so require, engaging a
"qualified independent underwriter" (as defined in Rule 2720) to
participate in the preparation of the Registration Statement relating
to such Securities, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in
respect thereto and, if any portion of the offering contemplated by
such Registration Statement is an underwritten offering or is made
through a placement or sales agent, to recommend the yield of such
Securities, (ii) indemnifying any such qualified independent
underwriter to the extent of the indemnification of underwriters
provided in Section 5 hereof and (iii) providing such information to
such broker-dealer as may be required in order for such broker-dealer
to comply with the requirements of the Rules.
(v) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable best
efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration of
the Securities covered by a Registration Statement contemplated hereby.
4. REGISTRATION EXPENSES.
(a) All expenses incident to the Company's performance of and
compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company, regardless
of whether a Registration Statement is ever filed or becomes effective,
including without limitation;
(i) all registration and filing fees and expenses;
(ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with
federal securities and state "blue sky" or securities laws;
(iii) all expenses of printing (including printing
certificates for the Securities to be issued in the Registered
Exchange Offer and the Private Exchange and printing of
Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone;
(iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Company;
(v) all application and filing fees in connection
with listing the Exchange Securities on a national securities
exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the
requirements hereof; and
8
(vi) all fees and disbursements of independent
certified public accountants of the Company (including the
expenses of any special audit and comfort letters required by
or incident to such performance);
but excluding fees and expenses of counsel to any underwriter participating in
any disposition pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and any
underwriting discounts and commissions (including any fees and expenses of
counsel of, and discounts and commissions relating to, any "qualified
independent underwriter" engaged pursuant to Section 3(u) hereof) and transfer
taxes relating to the sale or disposition of any Securities by a Holder;
provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed to limit the Company's
obligations under Section 4(b) herein.
The Company will bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all
salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or
accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses
of any person, including special experts, retained by the Company.
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement required by
this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and
the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities who are tendering Initial
Securities in the Registered Exchange Offer and/or selling or reselling
Securities pursuant to the "Plan of Distribution" contained in the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration
Statement, as applicable, for the reasonable fees and disbursements of
not more than one counsel, who shall be Cravath, Swaine & Moore unless
another firm shall be chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities for whose benefit such
Registration Statement is being prepared.
5. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Holder of the Securities, any Participating Broker-Dealer, their
respective affiliates which will be participating in any offering of
the Securities and each person, if any, who controls such Holder or
such Participating Broker-Dealer within the meaning of the Securities
Act or the Exchange Act (each Holder, any Participating Broker-Dealer
and such controlling persons are referred to collectively as the
"Indemnified Parties") from and against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, joint or several, or any actions in respect thereof
(including, but not limited to, any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or actions relating to purchases and sales of the
Securities) to which each Indemnified Party may become subject under
the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are
based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in
any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus
relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out of, or are based upon,
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and shall reimburse without limitation, as
incurred, the Indemnified Parties for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect
thereof; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall not be liable in
any such case to the extent that such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in a Registration
Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or
in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to
such Holder and furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such
Holder specifically for inclusion therein and (ii) with respect to any
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission
made in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration
Statement, the indemnity agreement contained in this subsection (a)
shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities purchased the Securities concerned, to the
extent that a prospectus relating to such Securities was required to
be delivered by such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer under the
Securities Act in connection with such purchase and any such loss,
claim, damage or liability of such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer results from the fact that there was not sent or given
to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of
such Securities to such person, a copy of the final prospectus if the
Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Holder or
Participating Broker-Dealer; provided further, however, that this
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the
Company may otherwise have to such Indemnified Party. The Company
shall also indemnify underwriters, their officers and directors and
each person who controls such underwriters within the meaning of the
Securities
9
Act or the Exchange Act to the same extent as provided above with
respect to the indemnification of the Holders of the Securities if
requested by such Holders.
(b) Each Holder of the Securities, severally and not jointly,
will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its
officers who sign any Registration Statement, and each person, if any,
who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or
the Exchange Act from and against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities or any actions in respect thereof, to which the Company or
any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject
under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or
are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in
any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus
relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to
the extent that the untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the
Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion
therein; and, subject to the limitation set forth immediately preceding
this clause, shall reimburse without limitation, as incurred, the
Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Company or any such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with investigating or defending any loss, claim, damage,
liability or action in respect thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which such Holder may otherwise have to
the Company or any of its directors, officers who sign any Registration
Statement or controlling persons.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 5 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding
(including a governmental investigation), such indemnified party will,
if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under this Section 5, notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying
party will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any
obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification
obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. In case any such
action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party
will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may
wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to
such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the
indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after
notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof the indemnifying party will
not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 5 for any
legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation,
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the
defense thereof. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior
written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any
pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party
is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought
hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i)
includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action,
and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified
party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsections (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the
indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party
on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative fault of the parties shall be determined
by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission
to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company
on the one hand or such Holder or such other indemnified party, as the
case may be, on the other, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the
first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party
in connection with investigating or
10
defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection
(d). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5(d), the
Holders of the Securities shall not be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by
such Holders from the sale of the Securities pursuant to a
Registration Statement exceeds the amount of damages which such
Holders have otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls
such indemnified party within the meaning of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such
indemnified party, each of the Company's directors, each officer who
signs any Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the
Company.
(e) The agreements contained in this Section 5 shall survive
the sale of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement and
shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination or
cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on
behalf of any indemnified party.
6. ADDITIONAL INTEREST UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
(a) Additional interest (the "Additional Interest") with
respect to the Securities shall be assessed as follows if any of the
following events occur (each such event in clauses (i) through (iv)
below being herein called a "Registration Default"):
(i) any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement is not filed with the Commission on or prior to the
applicable Filing Deadline;
(ii) any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement is not declared effective by the Commission on or
prior to the applicable Effectiveness Deadline;
(iii) the Registered Exchange Offer has not been
consummated on or prior to the Consummation Deadline; or
(iv) any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement has been declared effective by the Commission but
(A) such Registration Statement thereafter ceases to be
effective or (B) such Registration Statement or the related
prospectus ceases to be usable in connection with resales of
Transfer Restricted Securities during the periods specified
herein because either (1) any event occurs as a result of
which the related prospectus forming part of such Registration
Statement would include any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made not misleading, or (2) it shall be
necessary to amend such Registration Statement or supplement
the related prospectus, to comply with the Securities Act or
the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder.
Each of the foregoing will constitute a Registration Default whatever the reason
for any such event and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is beyond the
control of the Company or pursuant to operation of law or as a result of any
action or inaction by the Commission.
Additional Interest shall accrue on the Securities over and above the interest
set forth in the title of the Securities from and including the date on which
any such Registration Default shall occur to but excluding the date on which all
such Registration Defaults have been cured, at a rate of 0.50% per annum (the
"ADDITIONAL INTEREST RATE") for the first 90-day period immediately following
the occurrence of such Registration Default. The Additional Interest Rate shall
increase by an additional 0.50% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day
period until all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to a maximum
Additional Interest Rate of 2.0% per annum. The Additional Interest Rate shall
not increase beyond 0.50% per annum during any 90-day period in the case of
concurrent Registration Defaults during any such period.
(b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 6(a)(iv) hereof shall
be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Registration
Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration Default has
occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective amendment to
such
11
Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited financial information
with respect to the Company where such post-effective amendment is not yet
effective and needs to be declared effective to permit Holders to use the
related prospectus or (y) other material events with respect to the Company that
would need to be described in such Registration Statement or the related
prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the Company is proceeding
promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement such Registration Statement
and related prospectus to describe such events; provided, however, that in any
case if such Registration Default occurs for a continuous period in excess of 30
days, Additional Interest shall be payable in accordance with the above
paragraph from the day such Registration Default occurs until such Registration
Default is cured.
(c) Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to Section 6(a)
will be payable in cash on the regular interest payment dates with respect to
the Securities. The amount of Additional Interest will be determined by
multiplying the applicable Additional Interest Rate by the principal amount of
the Securities and further multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is
the number of days such Additional Interest Rate was applicable during such
period (determined on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day
months), and the denominator of which is 360.
(d) "TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES" means each Security until (i) the
date on which such Security has been exchanged by a person other than a
broker-dealer for a freely transferable Exchange Security in the Registered
Exchange Offer, (ii) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the Registered
Exchange Offer of an Initial Security for an Exchange Security, the date on
which such Exchange Security is sold to a purchaser who receives from such
broker-dealer on or prior to the date of such sale a copy of the prospectus
contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (iii) the date on which
such Security has been effectively registered under the Securities Act and
disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement or (iv) the date
on which such Security is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under
the Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities
Act.
7. RULES 144 AND 144A. The Company shall use its commercially
reasonable best efforts to file the reports required to be filed by it under the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the
Company is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the request of any
Holder of Securities, make publicly available other information so long as
necessary to permit sales of their securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A.
The Company covenants that it will take such further action as any Holder of
Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time
to enable such Holder to sell Securities without registration under the
Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and
144A (including the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). The Company will provide a
copy of this Agreement to prospective purchasers of Initial Securities
identified to the Company by the Initial Purchasers upon request. Upon the
request of any Holder of Initial Securities, the Company shall deliver to such
Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 7 shall be deemed to
require the Company to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange
Act.
8. UNDERWRITTEN REGISTRATIONS. If any of the Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by any Shelf Registration are to be sold in an underwritten
offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers
that will administer the offering ("MANAGING UNDERWRITERS") will be selected by
the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer
Restricted Securities to be included in such offering, subject to the approval
of the Company, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder
unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer Restricted
Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements
approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii)
completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities,
underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms
of such underwriting arrangements.
9. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) REMEDIES. The Company acknowledges and agrees that any
failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 1 and 2
hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or
the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be
possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event
of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief
as may be required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under
Sections 1 and 2 hereof. The Company further agrees to waive the defense in any
action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
12
(b) NO INCONSISTENT AGREEMENTS. The Company will not on or
after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its
securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this
Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted
to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not
inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Company's securities
under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c) AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. The provisions of this Agreement may not be
amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company and the written
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities
affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consents, whose
decision shall be binding on all Holders. Without the consent of the Holder of
each Security affected thereby, however, no modification may change the
provisions relating to the payment of Additional Interest and the provisions of
Section 5 hereof.
(d) NOTICES. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail,
facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:
(1) if to a Holder of the Securities, at the most current
address given by such Holder to the Company.
(2) if to the Initial Purchasers;
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Eleven Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010-3629
Fax No.: (212) 325-8278
Attention: Transactions Advisory Group
with a copy to:
Cravath, Swaine & Moore
Worldwide Plaza
825 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10019
Fax No.: (212) 474-3700
Attention: William J. Whelan, III
(3) if to the Company, at its address as follows:
UCAR Finance Inc.
c/o UCAR International Inc.
Brandywine West
1521 Concord Pike, Suite 301
Wilmington, Delaware 19803
Fax No.: (302)
Attention: General Counsel
with a copy to:
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
Two Stamford Plaza
281 Tresser Boulevard
Stamford, CT 06901
Fax No.: (203) 327-2669
Attention: M. Ridgway Barker
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three business
days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt
is acknowledged by recipient's facsimile machine operator, if sent by
facsimile transmission; and on the day delivered, if sent by overnight air
courier guaranteeing next day delivery.
13
(e) THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES. The Holders shall be third party
beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one
hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to
enforce such agreements directly to the extent they may deem such enforcement
necessary or advisable to protect their rights or the rights of Holders
hereunder.
(f) SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns.
(g) COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(h) HEADINGS. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(i) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO
PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
(j) SEVERABILITY. If any one or more of the provisions contained
herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such
provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained
herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(k) SECURITIES HELD BY THE COMPANY. Whenever the consent or approval of
Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is required
hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (other than
subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be
affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities) shall not be
counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders
of such required percentage.
(l) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. By the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, the Company submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal
and State courts in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York in any suit
or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby.
14
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Issuer a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
among the several Initial Purchasers, the Issuer and the Guarantors in
accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
UCAR FINANCE INC.
by /s/ KAREN G. NARWOLD
-----------------------------------------
Name: Karen G. Narwold
Title: Vice President
UCAR INTERNATIONAL INC.
by /s/ KAREN G. NARWOLD
-----------------------------------------
Name: Karen G. Narwold
Title: Vice President
UCAR GLOBAL ENTERPRISES INC.
by /s/ KAREN G. NARWOLD
-----------------------------------------
Name: Karen G. Narwold
Title: Vice President
UCAR CARBON COMPANY INC.
by /s/ KAREN G. NARWOLD
-----------------------------------------
Name: Karen G. Narwold
Title: Vice President
UCAR COMPOSITES INC.
by /s/ KAREN G. NARWOLD
-----------------------------------------
Name: Karen G. Narwold
Title: Vice President
UCAR CARBON TECHNOLOGY LLC
by /s/ KAREN G. NARWOLD
-----------------------------------------
Name: Karen G. Narwold
Title: Vice President
UCAR HOLDINGS III INC.
by /s/ KAREN G. NARWOLD
-----------------------------------------
Name: Karen G. Narwold
Title: Vice President
UCAR INTERNATIONAL TRADING INC.
by /s/ KAREN G. NARWOLD
-----------------------------------------
Name: Karen G. Narwold
Title: Vice President
UCAR INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS INC.
by /s/ KAREN G. NARWOLD
-----------------------------------------
Name: Karen G. Narwold
Title: Vice President
The foregoing Registration
Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed
and accepted as of the date first
above written.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
ABN AMRO INCORPORATED
FLEET SECURITIES, INC.
SCOTIA CAPITAL (USA) INC.
By: CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
by /s/ G.M. LODGE
-----------------------------------------
Name: G.M. Lodge
Title: Managing Director
By: J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
by
-----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
The foregoing Registration
Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed
and accepted as of the date first
above written.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
ABN AMRO INCORPORATED
FLEET SECURITIES, INC.
SCOTIA CAPITAL (USA) INC.
By: CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
by
-----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
By: J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
by /s/ KENNETH A. LANG
-----------------------------------------
Name: Kenneth A. Lang
Title: MD
SCHEDULE A
GUARANTOR
UCAR International Inc.
UCAR Global Enterprises Inc.
UCAR Carbon Company Inc.
UCAR Composites Inc.
UCAR Technology LLC
UCAR Holdings III Inc.
UCAR International Trading Inc.
UCAR International Holdings Inc.
18
ANNEX A
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. The Letter
of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection
with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for Initial Securities
where such Initial Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed
that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date (as defined herein), it
will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in connection
with any such resale. See "Plan of Distribution."
19
ANNEX B
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account in exchange for Initial Securities, where such Initial Securities were
acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market- making activities or other
trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in
connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. See "Plan of
Distribution."
20
ANNEX C
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. This
Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used
by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in
exchange for Initial Securities where such Initial Securities were acquired as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has
agreed that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date, it will make
this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for
use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until , 200 , all
alers effecting transactions in the Exchange Securities may be required to
deliver a prospectus.(1)
The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange
Securities by broker-dealers. Exchange Securities received by broker-dealers for
their own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be sold from time to time
in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated
transactions, through the writing of options on the Exchange Securities or a
combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time
of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated
prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through
brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or
concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange
Securities. Any broker-dealer that resells Exchange Securities that were
received by it for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer and any broker
or dealer that participates in a distribution of such Exchange Securities may be
deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and any
profit on any such resale of Exchange Securities and any commission or
concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting
compensation under the Securities Act. The Letter of Transmittal states that, by
acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act.
For a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date the Company will
promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the
Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers
or dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including any
broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.
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1 In addition, the legend required by Item 502(e) of Regulation S-K will
appear on the inside front cover page of the Exchange Offer prospectus below the
Table of Contents.
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ANNEX D
[ ] CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL
COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.
Name:
-----------------------------------------------------
Address:
-----------------------------------------------------
If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange
Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities that were
acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it
acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a
prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.
22