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EXHIBIT 10.8
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of August 13, 1996
by and among
AETNA INDUSTRIES, INC.,
MS ACQUISITION CORP.,
AETNA HOLDINGS, INC.
and
AETNA EXPORT SALES CORP.
and
SMITH BARNEY INC.,
SCHRODER WERTHEIM & CO. INCORPORATED
and
FIRST CHICAGO CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.
(as Initial Purchasers)
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$85,000,000
11 7/8% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2006
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This Registration Rights Agreement is dated as of August 13, 1996, by
and among Aetna Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), MS
Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation ("MS Acquisition), Aetna Holdings,
Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Holdings" and, together with MS Acquisition, the
"Guarantors"), Aetna Export Sales Corp., a U.S. Virgin Islands corporation (the
"Subsidiary Guarantor" and, together with the Company and the Guarantors, the
"Issuers"), and Smith Barney Inc., Schroder Wertheim & Co. Incorporated and
First Chicago Capital Markets, Inc. (collectively, the "Initial Purchasers").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated
August 8, 1996, among the Issuers and the Initial Purchasers (the "Purchase
Agreement"). In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to enter into the
Purchase Agreement, the Issuers have agreed to provide the registration rights
provided for in this Agreement to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and
indirect transferees and assigns. The execution and delivery of this Agreement
is a condition to the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase
Agreement.
The parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
Additional Interest: As defined in Section 4(a) hereof.
Affiliate: With respect to any specified person, "Affiliate" shall
mean any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or
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 and the terms "affiliated," "controlling" and "controlled" have
meanings correlative to the foregoing.
Agreement: This Registration Rights Agreement, as the same may be
amended, supplemented or modified from time to time in accordance with the terms
hereof.
Business Day: Any day except a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which
banking institutions in New York, New York generally are required or authorized
by law or other government action to be closed.
Company: As defined in the preamble hereof.
Consummate or consummate: When used to qualify the term "Exchange
Offer", shall mean validly and lawfully to issue and deliver the Exchange Notes
pursuant to the Exchange Offer for all Notes validly tendered and not validly
withdrawn pursuant thereto in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
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Consummation Date: The date that is 20 Business Days immediately
following the date that the Exchange Registration Statement shall have been
declared effective by the SEC.
Effectiveness Period: As defined in Section 3(a) hereof.
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC pursuant thereto.
Exchange Date: As defined in Section 2(d) hereof.
Exchange Notes: The 11 7/8% Senior Notes due 2006 of the Company,
guaranteed on a senior basis by each of the Guarantors and the Subsidiary
Guarantor, that are identical to the Notes in all material respects, except that
the provisions regarding restrictions on transfer shall be modified, as provided
in the Indenture (or the indenture pursuant to which the Exchange Notes are
issued), and the issuance thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer shall have been
registered pursuant to an effective Registration Statement in compliance with
the Securities Act.
Exchange Offer: An offer to issue, in exchange for any and all of the
Notes validly tendered, a like aggregate principal amount of Exchange Notes,
which offer shall be made by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
Exchange Registration Statement: As defined in Section 2(a) hereof.
Guarantors: As defined in the preamble hereof.
Indemnified Holder: As defined in Section 7(a) hereof.
Indemnified Person: As defined in Section 7(a) hereof.
Indenture: The Indenture, dated as of August 1, 1996, among the
Issuers and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., as trustee thereunder, pursuant to
which the Notes are issued, as amended or supplemented from time to time in
accordance with the terms thereof.
Initial Purchasers: As defined in the preamble hereof.
Issue Date: As defined in Section 2(a).
Issuer Indemnified Persons: As defined in Section 7(c) hereof.
Issuers: As defined in the preamble hereof.
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Notes: The 11 7/8% Senior Notes due 2006 of the Company, guaranteed
on a senior basis by each of the Guarantors and the Subsidiary Guarantor, issued
pursuant to the Indenture.
Participating Broker-Dealer: As defined in Section 2(e) hereof.
Private Exchange: As defined in Section 2(c) hereof.
Private Exchange Notes: As defined in Section 2(c) hereof.
Prospectus: The prospectus included in any Registration Statement
(including, without limitation, a prospectus that discloses information
previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration
statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated pursuant to the Securities
Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to
the terms of the offering of any portion of the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private
Exchange Notes covered by such Registration Statement, and all other amendments
and supplements to any such prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and
all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by
reference, if any, in such prospectus.
Registration Default: As defined in Section 4(a) hereof.
Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Issuers
that covers any of the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes pursuant
to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus, amendments and
supplements to such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and
post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated
by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference, if any, in such
registration statement.
Requesting Participating Broker-Dealer: As defined in Section 2(e)
hereof.
Rule 144(k): Rule 144(k) promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar
rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC as a replacement thereto having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
Rule 144A: Rule 144A promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the
Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar
rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC as a replacement thereto having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
Rule 158: Rule 158 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities
Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or
regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC as a replacement thereto having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
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Rule 174: Rule 174 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities
Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or
regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC as a replacement thereto having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
Rule 415: Rule 415 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities
Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or
regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC as a replacement thereto having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
Rule 424: Rule 424 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities
Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or
regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC as a replacement thereto having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
SEC: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.
Shelf Blackout Period: As defined in Section 3(a) hereof.
Shelf Filing Event: As defined in Section 3(a) hereof.
Shelf Registration: As defined in Section 3(a) hereof.
Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 3(a) hereof.
Special Counsel: Cahill Gordon & Reindel, special counsel to the
holders of Transfer Restricted Notes, or such other counsel as shall be agreed
upon by the Issuers and holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Notes, the reasonable expenses of which holders of Transfer
Restricted Notes will be reimbursed by the Issuers pursuant to Section 6 hereof.
Subsidiary Guarantor: As defined in the preamble hereof.
TIA: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
Transfer Restricted Note: Each Note, upon original issuance thereof,
and at all times subsequent thereto, each Exchange Note as to which Section
3(a)(ii) hereof is applicable upon original issuance and at all times subsequent
thereto and each Private Exchange Note upon original issuance thereof and at all
times subsequent thereto, until in the case of any such Note, Exchange Note or
Private Exchange Note, as the case may be, the earliest to occur of (i) the date
on which any such Note has been exchanged by a person other than a Participating
Broker-Dealer for an Exchange
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Note (other than with respect to an Exchange Note as to which Section 3(a)(ii)
hereof applies) pursuant to the Exchange Offer, (ii) with respect to Exchange
Notes received by Participating Broker-Dealers in the Exchange Offer, the
earlier of (x) the date on which such Exchange Note has been sold by such
Participating Broker-Dealer by means of the Prospectus contained in the Exchange
Registration Statement and (y) the date on which the Exchange Registration
Statement has been effective under the Securities Act for a period of six months
after the Consummation Date, (iii) a Shelf Registration Statement covering such
Note, Exchange Note or Private Exchange Note has been declared effective by the
SEC and such Note, Exchange Note or Private Exchange Note, as the case may be,
has been disposed of in accordance with such effective Shelf Registration
Statement, (iv) the date on which such Note, Exchange Note or Private Exchange
Note, as the case may be, is eligible for distribution to the public without
volume or manner of sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k) or (v) the date on
which such Note, Exchange Note or Private Exchange Note, as the case may be,
ceases to be outstanding for purposes of the Indenture or any other indenture
under which such Exchange Note or Private Exchange Note was issued.
Trustee: The trustee under the Indenture.
Underwritten registration or underwritten offering: A registration in
connection with which securities are sold to an underwriter for reoffering to
the public pursuant to an effective Registration Statement.
2. Exchange Offer
(a) To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable
interpretation of the staff of the SEC, the Issuers shall (A) prepare and, on or
prior to 30 days after the date of original issuance of the Notes (the "Issue
Date"), file with the SEC a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with
respect to an offer by the Company to the holders of the Notes to issue and
deliver to such holders, in exchange for Notes, a like principal amount of
Exchange Notes, (B) use their best efforts to cause the Registration Statement
relating to the Exchange Offer to be declared effective by the SEC under the
Securities Act on or prior to 90 days after the Issue Date, and (C) promptly
following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Registration
Statement, commence the Exchange Offer and use their best efforts to issue, on
or prior to the Consummation Date, the Exchange Notes. The offer and sale of
the Exchange Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer shall be registered pursuant
to the Securities Act on an appropriate form (the "Exchange Registration
Statement") and duly registered or qualified under all applicable state
securities or Blue Sky laws and will comply with all applicable tender offer
rules and regulations under the Exchange Act and state securities or Blue Sky
laws. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any condition, other than that
the Exchange Offer does not violate any applicable law or interpretation of the
staff of the SEC. No securities shall be included in the Exchange Registration
Statement other than the Exchange Notes.
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(b) The Issuers may require each holder of Notes, as a condition to
its participation in the Exchange Offer, to represent to the Issuers and their
counsel in writing (which may be contained in the applicable letter of
transmittal) that at the time of the consummation of the Exchange Offer (i) any
Exchange Notes received by such holder will be acquired in the ordinary course
of its business, (ii) such holder will have no arrangement or understanding with
any person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the
Securities Act) of the Exchange Notes and (iii) such holder is not an Affiliate
of an Issuer, or if it is an Affiliate of an Issuer, it will comply with the
registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, to the
extent applicable.
(c) If, prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer, any Initial
Purchaser holds any Notes acquired by it and having, or which are reasonably
likely to be determined to have, based on the written advice of Special Counsel,
the status of an unsold allotment in the initial distribution, or any other
holder of Notes is not entitled, as a matter of law or based on an
interpretation or position of the staff of the SEC, to participate in the
Exchange Offer, the Issuers, upon the request of such Initial Purchaser or any
such holder, shall, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Notes in
the Exchange Offer, issue and deliver to such Initial Purchaser and any such
holder, in exchange (the "Private Exchange") for such Notes held by such Initial
Purchaser and any such holder, a like principal amount of debt securities of the
Issuers that are identical in all material respects to the Exchange Notes (the
"Private Exchange Notes") (and which are issued pursuant to the same indenture
as the Exchange Notes). The Private Exchange Notes shall bear the same CUSIP
number as the Exchange Notes.
(d) Unless the Exchange Offer would not be permitted by any
applicable law or interpretation thereof of the staff of the SEC, the Company
shall mail the Exchange Offer Prospectus and appropriate accompanying documents,
including appropriate letters of transmittal, to each holder of Notes
providing, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable
law:
(i) that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this
Agreement and that all Notes validly tendered will be accepted for
exchange;
(ii) the date of acceptance for exchange (the "Exchange Date"),
which date shall in no event be later than the Consummation Date (unless
otherwise required by applicable law);
(iii) that a holder of a Note electing to have a Note exchanged
pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to surrender such Note,
together with the enclosed letters of transmittal, to the institution and
at the address (located in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York)
specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the Exchange
Date; and
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(iv) that holders of Notes that do not validly tender all such
securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer may no longer have any
registration rights hereunder with respect to Notes not validly tendered.
Promptly after the Exchange Date, the Company shall:
(i) accept for exchange all Notes or portions thereof validly
tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer; and
(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for
cancellation all Notes or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the
Company, and issue, cause the Trustee under the Indenture (or the indenture
pursuant to which the Exchange Notes are issued) to authenticate, and mail
to each holder of Notes, Exchange Notes equal in principal amount to the
principal amount of the Notes surrendered by such holder.
(e) The Issuers and the Initial Purchasers acknowledge that the
staff of the SEC has taken the position that any broker-dealer that elects to
exchange Notes that were acquired by such broker-dealer for its own account as a
result of market-making or other trading activities for Exchange Notes in the
Exchange Offer (a "Participating Broker-Dealer") may be deemed to be an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a
prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any
resale of such Exchange Notes (other than a resale of an unsold allotment
resulting from the original offering of the Notes).
The Issuers and the Initial Purchasers also acknowledge that it is the
SEC staff's position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange
Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to
the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell
the Exchange Notes, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or
specifying the amount of Exchange Notes owned by them, such Prospectus may be
delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers to satisfy their prospectus delivery
obligations under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange
Notes for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the
requirements of the Securities Act.
In light of the foregoing, if requested by a Participating
Broker-Dealer (a "Requesting Participating Broker-Dealer"), the Issuers agree
(x) to use their best efforts to keep the Exchange Registration Statement
continuously effective for a period of up to six months after the Consummation
Date or such earlier date as each Requesting Participating Broker-Dealer shall
have notified the Company in writing that such Requesting Participating
Broker-Dealer has resold all Exchange Notes acquired in the Exchange Offer and
(y) to comply with the provisions of Section 5 of this Agreement, as they relate
to the Exchange Offer and the Exchange Registration Statement.
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(f) The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to any Requesting
Participating Broker-Dealer with respect to any request made pursuant to Section
2(e).
(g) Interest on the Exchange Notes and the Private Exchange Notes
will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on
the Notes surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid on
the Notes, from the Issue Date.
(h) The Exchange Notes and the Private Exchange Notes may be issued
under (i) the Indenture or (ii) an indenture identical in all material respects
to the Indenture, which in either event shall provide that the Exchange Notes
shall not be subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture.
The Indenture or such indenture shall provide that the Exchange Notes, the
Private Exchange Notes and the Notes shall vote and consent together on all
matters as one class and that neither the Exchange Notes, the Private Exchange
Notes nor the Notes will have the right to vote or consent as a separate class
on any matter.
3. Shelf Registration
(a) If (i) the Issuers are not permitted to file the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement or to consummate the Exchange Offer because the Exchange
Offer is not permitted by any applicable law or applicable interpretation
thereof by the staff of the SEC or (ii) any holder of a Note notifies the
Company on or prior to the Consummation Date that (A) due to a change in law or
applicable interpretation thereof by the Staff of the SEC it is not entitled to
participate in the Exchange Offer, (B) due to a change in law or applicable
interpretation thereof by the Staff of the SEC it may not resell Exchange Notes
acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to the public without delivering a
prospectus and the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Registration Statement
is not appropriate or available for such resales by such holder or (C) it owns
Notes (including the Initial Purchasers with respect to Notes that may be deemed
to be a part of an unsold allotment from the original offering of the Notes)
acquired directly from an Issuer or an Affiliate of an Issuer or (iii) any
holder of Private Exchange Notes so requests after the consummation of the
Private Exchange or (iv) the Company has not consummated the Exchange Offer by
the Consummation Date and holders of a majority in principal amount of Notes
outstanding so request (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iv),
a "Shelf Filing Event"), the Issuers shall cause to be filed with the SEC
pursuant to Rule 415 a shelf registration statement (the "Shelf Registration
Statement") prior to the later of (x) 60 days after the Issue Date or (y) 30
days after the occurrence of such Shelf Filing Event, relating to all Transfer
Restricted Notes (the "Shelf Registration") the holders of which have provided
the information required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, and shall use their
best efforts to have the Shelf Registration Statement declared effective by the
SEC on or prior to 90 days after such Shelf Filing Event. In such
circumstances, the Issuers shall use their best efforts to keep the Shelf
Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act, until
(A) 36 months following the Issue Date or (B) if sooner, the date immediately
following the date that all Transfer Restricted Notes covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement have been sold pursuant thereto or
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otherwise cease to be Transfer Restricted Notes (the "Effectiveness Period");
provided that the Effectiveness Period shall be extended to the extent required
to permit dealers to comply with the applicable prospectus delivery requirements
of Rule 174; provided, further, that the Issuers may suspend the effectiveness
of a Shelf Registration Statement, in the event that, and for a period not to
exceed 45 days in any calendar year (a "Shelf Blackout Period") if, (i) an event
occurs and is continuing as a result of which the Shelf Registration Statement
would, in the Company's good faith judgment, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading and (ii) if the Company determines in good
faith that the disclosure of such event at such time would have a material
adverse effect on the business, operations or prospects of the Company or (b)
the disclosure otherwise relates to a pending material business transaction
which has not yet been publicly disclosed.
(b) No holder of Transfer Restricted Notes may include any of its
Transfer Restricted Notes in any Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to
Section 3(a) of this Agreement unless and until such holder furnishes to the
Company in writing, within 7 days after receipt of a request therefor, such
information as the Company may reasonably request for use in connection with any
Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary prospectus included
therein. No holder of Transfer Restricted Notes shall be entitled to Additional
Interest pursuant to Section 4 hereof unless and until such holder shall have
provided all such reasonably requested information within the time periods set
forth herein. Each holder of Transfer Restricted Notes as to which any Shelf
Registration Statement is being effected agrees to furnish promptly to the
Company all information required to be disclosed in order to make the
information previously furnished to the Company by such holder not materially
misleading.
4. Additional Interest
(a) The parties hereto agree that the holders of Transfer Restricted
Notes will suffer damages if the Issuers fail to fulfill their obligations
pursuant to Section 2 or Section 3, as applicable, and that it would not be
feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages. Accordingly, in the event
that (i) the applicable Registration Statement is not filed with the SEC on or
prior to the date specified herein for such filing, (ii) the applicable
Registration Statement has not been declared effective by the SEC on or prior to
the date specified herein for such effectiveness after such obligation arises,
(iii) if the Exchange Offer is required to be Consummated hereunder, the Company
has not exchanged Exchange Notes for all Notes validly tendered and not validly
withdrawn in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer by the Consummation
Date or (iv) except during a Shelf Blackout Period, the applicable Registration
Statement is filed and declared effective but shall thereafter cease to be
effective or usable in connection with the Exchange Offer or resales of Transfer
Restricted Notes during a period in which it is required to be effective
hereunder without being succeeded immediately by any additional Registration
Statement covering the Notes, the Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes,
as the case may be, which has been filed and declared effective (each such event
referred to in clauses (i) through (iv), a "Registration Default"),
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then the interest rate on Transfer Restricted Notes will increase ("Additional
Interest"), with respect to the first 90-day period immediately following the
occurrence of such Registration Default, by 0.5% per annum and will increase by
an additional 0.5% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period until
such Registration Default has been cured, up to a maximum amount of 2.0% per
annum with respect to all Registration Defaults. Following the cure of a
Registration Default, the accrual of Additional Interest with respect to such
Registration Default will cease and upon the cure of all Registration Defaults
the interest rate will revert to the original rate.
(b) The Company shall notify the Trustee and paying agent under the
Indenture (or the trustee and paying agent under such other indenture under
which any Transfer Restricted Notes are issued) immediately upon the happening
of each and every Registration Default. The Company shall pay the Additional
Interest due on the Transfer Restricted Notes by depositing with the paying
agent (which shall not be the Company for these purposes) for the Transfer
Restricted Notes, in trust, for the benefit of the holders thereof, prior to
11:00 A.M. on the next interest payment date specified by the Indenture (or such
other indenture), sums sufficient to pay the Additional Interest then due. The
Additional Interest due shall be payable on each interest payment date specified
by the Indenture (or such other indenture) to the record holders entitled to
receive the interest payment to be made on such date. Each obligation to pay
Additional Interest shall be deemed to accrue from and including the applicable
Registration Default.
(c) The parties hereto agree that the Additional Interest provided
for in this Section 4 constitutes a reasonable estimate of the damages that will
be suffered by holders of Transfer Restricted Notes by reason of the happening
of any Registration Default.
5. Registration Procedures
In connection with the Issuers' registration obligations hereunder,
the Issuers shall effect such registrations on the appropriate form available
for the sale of the Notes, the Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes, as
applicable, to (i) in the case of the Exchange Offer, permit the exchange of
Exchange Notes for Notes in the Exchange Offer and, if applicable, resales of
Exchange Notes by Participating Broker-Dealers and (ii) in the case of a Shelf
Registration, permit the sale of the applicable Transfer Restricted Notes in
accordance with the method or methods of disposition thereof specified by the
holders of such Transfer Restricted Notes, and pursuant thereto the Issuers
shall as expeditiously as reasonably possible:
(a) Furnish to the Initial Purchasers and the holders of the
Transferred Restricted Notes included therein prior to the filing thereof
with the SEC, a copy of the Registration Statement and each amendment
thereto and each supplement, if any, to the prospectus included therein
and, in the event that the Initial Purchasers (with respect to any portion
of an unsold allotment from the original offering) are participating in the
Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration, shall use reasonable efforts to
reflect in each such document, when so
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filed with the SEC, such comments as the Initial Purchasers or their
Special Counsel reasonably may propose;
(b) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments, including
post-effective amendments, to each Registration Statement as may be
necessary to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective for
the applicable time period required hereunder; cause the related Prospectus
to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so
supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; and comply with the
provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the
disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement
during such period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition
by the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so
amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented;
(c) Notify the holders of Transfer Restricted Notes to be sold or,
in the case of an Exchange Offer, tendered for, their Special Counsel and
the managing underwriters, if any, promptly, and (if requested by any such
person), confirm such notice in writing, (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any
Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment is proposed to be filed,
and (B) with respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment, when the same has become effective, (ii) of any request by the
SEC or any other Federal or state governmental authority for amendments or
supplements to a Registration Statement or related Prospectus or for
additional information, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC, any state
securities commission, any other governmental agency or any court of any
stop order or injunction suspending or enjoining the use of a Prospectus or
the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any
proceedings for that purpose, (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or
exemption from qualification of any of the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private
Exchange Notes for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or, to the
actual knowledge of any Issuer, threatening of any proceeding for such
purpose, and (v) of the happening of any event or information becoming
known to any Issuer that makes any statement made in a Registration
Statement or related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that
requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement,
Prospectus or documents so that it will not contain any 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, not misleading, and
that in the case of a Prospectus, it will not contain any 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;
(d) Use their best efforts to avoid the issuance of or, if issued,
obtain the withdrawal of any order enjoining or suspending the use of a
Prospectus or the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the lifting
of any suspension of the qualification (or exemption
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from qualification) of any of the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange
Notes for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment;
(e) If a Shelf Registration Statement is filed pursuant to Section 3
hereof and if requested by the managing underwriters, if any, or the
holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Transfer
Restricted Notes being sold pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement,
(i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment such information as the managing underwriters, if any, and such
holders reasonably believe should be included therein based on written
advice of counsel to such managing underwriter, if any, and/or Special
Counsel, and (ii) make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement
or such post-effective amendment under the Securities Act as soon as
practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to
be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;
provided, however, that the Issuers shall not be required to take any
action pursuant to this Section 5(e) that would, in the opinion of counsel
for the Issuers, violate applicable law;
(f) Upon written request to the Company by a holder of Notes,
Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes to be exchanged or sold pursuant
to a Registration Statement, their Special Counsel and each managing
underwriter, if any, without charge, furnish at least one conformed copy of
such Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits to the extent requested
(including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) as soon
as reasonably practicable after the filing of such documents with the SEC;
(g) Deliver to each holder of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private
Exchange Notes to be exchanged or sold pursuant to a Registration
Statement, their Special Counsel, and the underwriters, if any, without
charge, as many copies of the Prospectus (including each form of
prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto as such persons
reasonably request; and the Issuers hereby consent to the use of such
Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling
holders of Transfer Restricted Notes and the underwriters, if any, in
connection with the offering and sale of the Transfer Restricted Notes
covered thereby in accordance with the terms thereof and with U.S. Federal
securities laws and Blue Sky laws covered by such Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement thereto;
(h) Prior to any public offering of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private
Exchange Notes, use their best efforts to register or qualify or cooperate
with the holders of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes to be
sold or tendered for, the underwriters, if any, and their respective
counsel in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption
from such registration or qualification) of such Notes, Exchange Notes or
Private Exchange Notes for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky
laws of such jurisdictions
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within the United States as any such holder or underwriter reasonably
requests in writing; keep each such registration or qualification (or
exemption therefrom) effective during the period such Registration
Statement is required to be kept effective hereunder and do any and all
other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in
such jurisdictions of the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes
covered by the applicable Registration Statement; provided, however, that
the Issuers shall not be required to (i) qualify generally to do business
in any jurisdiction where they are not then so qualified or (ii) take any
action which would subject them to general service of process or to
taxation in any jurisdiction where they are not so subject;
(i) In connection with any sale or transfer of Transfer Restricted
Notes that will result in such securities no longer being Transfer
Restricted Notes, cooperate with the holders thereof and the managing
underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing Transfer Restricted Notes to be sold, which
certificates shall not bear any restrictive legends and shall be in a form
eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company and to enable such
Transfer Restricted Notes to be in such denominations and registered in
such names as the managing underwriters, if any, or such holders may
request at least two Business Days prior to any sale of Transfer Restricted
Notes;
(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section
5(c)(v), as promptly as practicable, prepare a supplement or amendment,
including, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment, to each Registration
Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file
any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, such
Prospectus will not 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;
(k) Prior to the effective date of the Exchange Registration
Statement, to provide a CUSIP number for the Exchange Notes (and, as
promptly as practicable, the Private Exchange Notes, if applicable);
(l) In connection with a Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant
to Section 3 hereof, use their best efforts to enter into such agreements
(including an underwriting agreement in form, scope and substance as is
customary in underwritten offerings) and take all such other reasonable
actions in connection therewith (including those reasonably requested by
the managing underwriters, if any, or the holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Notes being sold) in
order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Transfer Restricted
Notes, and, whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered into and
whether or not the registration is an underwritten
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registration, (i) make such representations and warranties to the holders
of such Transfer Restricted Notes and the underwriters, if any, with
respect to the business of the Issuers and their subsidiaries (including
with respect to businesses or assets acquired or to be acquired by any of
them), and the Shelf Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents, if
any, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, in
each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers
to underwriters in underwritten offerings, and confirm the same if and when
customarily requested; (ii) use their best efforts to obtain opinions of
counsel to the Issuers and updates thereof relating to the applicable
Registration Statement and the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange
Notes covered thereby in customary form (which counsel and opinions (in
form, scope and substance) shall be reasonably satisfactory to the managing
underwriters, if any, and Special Counsel to the holders of the Transfer
Restricted Notes being sold), addressed to each selling holder of Transfer
Restricted Notes and each of the underwriters, if any, covering the matters
customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings and
such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such Special Counsel
and the managing underwriters, if any; (iii) use their best efforts to
obtain customary "cold comfort" letters and updates thereof from the
independent certified public accountants of the Issuers (and, if necessary,
any other independent certified public accountants of any subsidiary of the
Issuers or of any business acquired by an Issuer or any such subsidiary for
which financial statements and financial data is, or is required to be,
included in the Shelf Registration Statement), addressed (where reasonably
possible) to each selling holder of Transfer Restricted Notes and each of
the underwriters, if any, such letters to be in customary form and covering
matters of the type customarily covered in "cold comfort" letters in
connection with underwritten offerings; (iv) if an underwriting agreement
is entered into, the same shall contain customary indemnification
provisions and procedures (or such other provisions and procedures
acceptable to holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Notes covered by such Shelf Registration Statement and
the managing underwriters, if any); and (v) deliver such documents and
certificates as may be reasonably requested by the holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Notes being sold,
their Special Counsel and the managing underwriters, if any, to evidence
the continued validity of the representations and warranties made pursuant
to clause (i) above and to evidence compliance with any customary
conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other agreement
entered into by the Issuers;
(m) In the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for
inspection by a representative of the holders of Transfer Restricted Notes
being sold, any underwriter participating in any such disposition of
Transfer Restricted Notes, and any attorney, consultant or accountant
acting for the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such
Transfer Restricted Notes or such underwriter, at the offices where
normally kept, during reasonable business hours, all relevant financial and
other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Issuers
and their subsidiaries (including with respect to
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businesses and assets acquired or to be acquired to the extent that such
information is available to the Issuers), and cause the officers,
directors, agents and employees of the Issuers and their subsidiaries
(including with respect to businesses and assets acquired or to be acquired
to the extent that such information is available to the Issuers) to supply
all information in each case reasonably requested by any such
representative, underwriter, attorney, consultant or accountant in
connection with such Shelf Registration; provided, however, that such
persons shall first agree in writing with the Company that any information
that is reasonably and in good faith designated by the Company in writing
as confidential at the time of delivery of such information shall be kept
confidential by such persons, unless and to the extent that (i) disclosure
of such information is required by court or administrative order or is
necessary to respond to inquiries of regulatory authorities, (ii)
disclosure of such information is required by law (including any disclosure
requirements pursuant to Federal securities laws in connection with the
filing of the Shelf Registration Statement or the use of any Prospectus),
(iii) such information becomes generally available to the public other than
as a result of a disclosure or failure to safeguard such information by
such person or (iv) such information becomes available to such person from
a source other than the Issuers and their subsidiaries and such source is
not bound by a confidentiality agreement;
(n) Provide an indenture trustee for the Notes and/or the Exchange
Notes and Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, and cause an
indenture to be qualified under the TIA not later than the effective date
of the first Registration Statement relating to the Notes and/or the
Exchange Notes and Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be; and if such
indenture shall be the Indenture, in connection therewith, cooperate with
the Trustee and the holders of the Notes and/or the Exchange Notes and
Private Exchange Notes, to effect such changes to the Indenture, if any,
as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with
the terms of the TIA; and execute, and use its reasonable efforts to cause
the Trustee to execute, all customary documents as may be required to
effect such changes, and all other forms and documents required to be filed
with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;
(o) Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and
make generally available to their securityholders earning statements
satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule
158, no later than 45 days after the end of any 12-month period (or 90 days
after the end of any 12-month period if such period is a fiscal year) (i)
commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in which Transfer Restricted
Notes are sold to underwriters in a firm commitment or reasonable efforts
underwritten offering and (ii) if not sold to underwriters in such an
offering, commencing on the first day of the first fiscal quarter after the
effective date of a Registration Statement, which statement shall cover
said period, consistent with the requirements of Rule 158; and
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(p) Cooperate with each seller of Transfer Restricted Notes covered
by any Registration Statement and each underwriter, if any, participating
in the disposition of such Transfer Restricted Notes and their respective
counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
The Issuers may require a holder of Transfer Restricted Notes to be
included in a Registration Statement to furnish to the Issuers such information
regarding the distribution of such Transfer Restricted Notes as is required by
law to be disclosed in such Registration Statement and the Issuers may exclude
from such Registration Statement the Transfer Restricted Notes of any holder who
unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time after
receiving such request.
If any such Registration Statement refers to any holder by name or
otherwise as the holder of any securities of an Issuer, then such holder shall
have the right to (i) require the insertion therein of language, in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to such holder, to the effect that the holding
by such holder of such securities is not to be construed as a recommendation by
such holder of the investment quality of the Issuers' securities covered thereby
and that such holding does not imply that such holder will assist in meeting any
future financial requirements of the Issuers, or (ii) in the event that such
reference to such holder by name or otherwise is not required by the Securities
Act, the deletion of the reference to such holder in any amendment or supplement
to the Registration Statement filed or prepared subsequent to the time that such
reference ceases to be required.
In the case of a Shelf Registration pursuant to Section 3 hereof, each
holder of Transfer Restricted Notes agrees by acquisition of such Transfer
Restricted Notes that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the
happening of any event of the kind described in Section 5(c)(ii), 5(c)(iii),
5(c)(iv) or 5(c)(v) hereof, such holder will forthwith discontinue disposition
of such Transfer Restricted Notes covered by such Registration Statement or
Prospectus until such holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or
amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 5(j) hereof, or until it is advised
in writing by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be
resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any additional or
supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference in such Prospectus.
6. Registration Expenses
All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance
with this Agreement by the Issuers shall be borne by the Issuers whether or not
any Registration Statement is filed or becomes effective and whether or not any
Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes are issued or sold pursuant to
any Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing
sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees
18
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(including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings
required to be made with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
and (B) in compliance with securities or Blue Sky laws), (ii) printing expenses
(including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Notes,
Exchange Notes and Private Exchange Notes in a form eligible for deposit with
The Depository Trust Company and of printing Prospectuses), (iii) reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Issuers and the Special Counsel (not
to exceed one firm of counsel), (iv) fees and disbursements of all independent
certified public accountants referred to in Section 2(e) and Section 5(l)(iii)
hereof (including, without limitation, the expenses of any special audit and
"cold comfort" letters required by or incident to such performance), (v) if
required, the reasonable fees and expenses of any "qualified independent
underwriter" and its counsel as may be required by the rules and regulations of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and (vi) fees and expenses
of all other persons retained by the Issuers. In addition, the Issuers shall
pay their internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and
expenses of their respective officers and employees performing legal or
accounting duties) and the expense of any annual audit. Notwithstanding the
foregoing or anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each holder of Transfer
Restricted Notes shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions of any
underwriters with respect to any Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes
sold by or on behalf of it.
7. Indemnification
(a) The Issuers agree, jointly and severally, to indemnify and hold
harmless (i) each Initial Purchaser, each holder of Notes, Exchange Notes and
Private Exchange Notes and each Participating Broker-Dealer (each such person,
an "Indemnified Holder"), (ii) each person, if any, who controls (within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) any of the
foregoing (any of the persons referred to in this clause (ii) being hereinafter
referred to as a "controlling person"), and (iii) the respective officers,
directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of each Initial
Purchaser, each holder of Notes, Exchange Notes and Private Exchange Notes, each
Participating Broker-Dealer and any controlling person (any person referred to
in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) may hereinafter be referred to as an "Indemnified
Person"), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
judgments arising out of or relating to any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, Prospectus
or preliminary prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising
out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein (in the case of any Prospectus or preliminary prospectus or supplement
thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not
misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
judgments are caused by or arise out of any untrue statement or omission or
alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any
Indemnified Person furnished in writing to the Issuers by or on behalf of such
Indemnified Person expressly for use therein; provided that the foregoing
indemnity with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the
benefit of any Indemnified Person from whom the person asserting such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities and judgments purchased
19
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securities if such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or
omission made in such preliminary prospectus is eliminated or remedied in the
Prospectus and a copy of the Prospectus shall not have been furnished to such
person in a timely manner due to the wrongful action or wrongful inaction of
such Indemnified Person.
(b) In case any action shall be brought against any Indemnified
Person, based upon any Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or
preliminary prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto and with respect
to which indemnity may be sought against the Issuers hereunder, such Indemnified
Person shall promptly notify the Issuers in writing and the Company shall assume
the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory
to such Indemnified Person and payment of all fees and expenses incurred by the
Issuers in the assumption of such defense. Any Indemnified Person shall have
the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the
defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of such Indemnified Person, unless (i) the employment of such counsel
shall have been specifically authorized in writing by the Issuers, (ii) the
Company shall have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel or pay all
such fees and expenses of the assumption of such defense or (iii) the named
parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both such
Indemnified Person and an Issuer and such Indemnified Person shall have been
advised by counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it
which are different from or additional to those available to any such Issuer (in
which case the Company shall not have the right to assume the defense of such
action on behalf of such Indemnified Person, it being understood, however, that
the Issuers shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but
substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of
the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees
and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any
local counsel) for all such Indemnified Persons, which firm shall be designated
in writing by such Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable fees and
expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred upon presentation to the
Issuers of invoices setting forth and describing such fees and expenses in
reasonable detail). The Issuers shall not be liable for any settlement of any
such action effected without their written consent but if settled with the
written consent of the Issuers, the Issuers agree, jointly and severally, to
indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or
liability by reason of such settlement. No Issuer shall, without the prior
written consent of each Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending
or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is a party
and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person,
unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified
Person from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such
proceeding.
(c) In connection with any Registration Statement pursuant to which
an Indemnified Holder offers or sells Transfer Restricted Notes, such
Indemnified Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold
harmless (i) the Issuers, (ii) each of their respective directors and officers
and (iii) any person controlling an Issuer within the meaning of Section 15 of
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the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (the persons referred to in
clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) hereinafter referred to as "Issuer Indemnified
Persons") from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
judgments arising out of or relating to any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, Prospectus
or preliminary prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising
out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement
therein (in the case of any Prospectus or preliminary prospectus or supplement
thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not
misleading, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged
untrue statements or omissions made in a Registration Statement, Prospectus or
preliminary prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto in reliance on
and in conformity with written information furnished to any of the Issuers by
such Indemnified Holder expressly for use in such Registration Statement,
Prospectus or preliminary prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto.
In any such case in which any action shall be brought against an Issuer
Indemnified Person based on such Registration Statement, Prospectus or
preliminary prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto and in respect
of which indemnity may be sought against an Indemnified Holder, such Indemnified
Holder shall have the rights and duties given to the Issuers (except that if an
Issuer shall have assumed the defense thereof, such Indemnified Holder shall not
be required to do so, but may employ separate counsel therein and participate in
the defense thereof but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of such Indemnified Holder), and the Issuer Indemnified Persons shall
have the rights and duties given to the Indemnified Persons by Section 7(b)
hereof.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
unavailable to an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or judgments referred to herein, then each indemnifying party, in
lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid
or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities and judgments (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by each indemnifying party on the one
hand and the indemnified party on the other hand from the offering of the Notes,
the Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be (it being
expressly understood and agreed that the relative benefits received by the
Issuers from the offering of the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange
Notes, as the case may be, shall be the amount of the net proceeds received by
the Company from the sale of the Notes to the Initial Purchasers), or (ii) if
the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law,
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits
referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of each indemnifying
party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other hand in connection
with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or judgments, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative fault of the each indemnifying party on the one
hand the indemnified party on the other hand shall be determined by reference
to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied
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by an indemnifying party or such indemnified party and the parties' relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.
The Issuers and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7(d) were determined by
pro rata allocation (even if all Indemnified Persons were treated as one entity
for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding
paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of
the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to in the
immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the
limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such
action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no
Indemnified Person shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount by which the net proceeds received by it in connection with the sale of
the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes contemplated by this
Agreement (or, in the case of an underwriter that is an Indemnified Person, the
total underwriting discounts received by such underwriter) exceeds the amount of
any damages which such Indemnified Person has 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. The
Indemnified Person's obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7(d) are
several in proportion to the respective amount of Notes, Exchange Notes or
Private Exchange Notes included in any such Registration Statement by each
Indemnified Person and not joint.
8. Rule 144A
Each of Issuers shall use its 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 it is not required to file such reports but in
the past had been required to or did file such reports, it will, upon the
request of any holder of Transfer Restricted Notes, make available other
information as required by, and so long as necessary to permit sales of Transfer
Restricted Notes pursuant to Rule 144A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing
in this Section 8 shall be deemed to require an Issuer to register any of its
securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.
9. Underwritten Registrations
If any of the Transfer Restricted Notes 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
will be selected by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the Transfer Restricted Notes included in such offering, subject to the consent
of the Company (which will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
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No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder
unless such person (i) agrees to sell such Transfer Restricted Notes 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 required under the terms of such underwriting
arrangements.
10. Miscellaneous
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by an Issuer or by a holder
of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes of any of its obligations
under this Agreement, each holder of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange
Notes and each Issuer, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights
granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific
performance of its rights under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the provisions
of Section 4 hereof, the Issuers and each holder of Notes, Exchange Notes and
Private Exchange Notes agree that monetary damages would not be adequate
compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach of any of the
provisions of this Agreement and each hereby further agrees that, in the event
of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive
the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Issuers will not enter into any
agreement with respect to their securities that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the holders of Notes, Exchange Notes and Private Exchange Notes and
Indemnified Persons in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions
hereof. Without the written consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding Transfer Restricted Notes, the Issuers shall
not grant to any person any rights which conflict with or are inconsistent with
the provisions of this Agreement.
(c) No Piggyback on Registrations. The Issuers shall not grant to
any of their securityholders (other than the holders of Transfer Restricted
Notes in such capacity) the right to include any of their securities in any
Registration Statement other than Transfer Restricted Notes.
(d) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given, otherwise than with the prior written consent of the holders
of not less than a majority of the then outstanding aggregate principal amount
of Transfer Restricted Notes; provided, however, that, for the purposes of this
Agreement, Transfer Restricted Notes that are owned, directly or indirectly, by
the Issuers or any of their Affiliates are not deemed outstanding.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions
hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of
holders of Transfer Restricted Notes whose securities are being sold or tendered
pursuant to a Registration Statement and that does not directly or indirectly
affect the rights of other holders of Transfer Restricted Notes
23
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may be given by holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Transfer Restricted Notes being sold or tendered by such holders pursuant to
such Registration Statement; provided, however, that the provisions of this
sentence may not be amended, modified or supplemented except in accordance with
the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent with
respect to Section 7 shall be made or given otherwise than with the prior
written consent of each Indemnified Person affected thereby.
(e) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for
herein shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, next-day air courier,
certified first-class mail, return receipt requested, telex or telecopier:
(i) if to the Issuers, as provided in the Purchase Agreement,
(ii) if to the Initial Purchasers, as provided in the Purchase
Agreement, or
(iii) if to any other person who is then the registered holder of
Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes, to the address of such
holder as it appears in the register therefor of the Company.
Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all such
communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: when delivered by hand,
if personally delivered; one Business Day after being timely delivered to a
next-day air courier; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail,
postage prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; and when receipt is
acknowledged by the recipient's telecopier machine, if telecopied.
(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of
the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each holder of Notes, Exchange
Notes and Private Exchange Notes and each Indemnified Person. The Issuers may
not assign any of their rights or obligations hereunder without the prior
written consent of each holder of Transfer Restricted Notes and each Indemnified
Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no successor or assignee of an Issuer
shall have any of the rights granted under this Agreement until such person
shall acknowledge its rights and obligations hereunder by a signed written
statement of such person's acceptance of such rights and obligations.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
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(h) Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL
BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK, AS APPLIED TO CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
THE ISSUERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY NEW YORK STATE
COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK OR ANY FEDERAL
COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN RESPECT OF
ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, AND
EACH IRREVOCABLY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY
AND UNCONDITIONALLY, JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS.
(i) Severability. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and
not exclusive of any remedies provided by law. If any term, provision, covenant
or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to
be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and
the parties hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an
alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that
contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby
stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have
executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without
including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or
unenforceable.
(j) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof. All
references made in this Agreement to "Section" and "paragraph" refer to such
Section or paragraph of this Agreement, unless expressly stated otherwise.
(k) This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression
of their agreement and is intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of
the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject
matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or
undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein with respect to
the registration rights granted by the Issuers with respect to the Notes, the
Exchange Notes and the Private Exchange Notes. This Agreement supersedes all
prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such
subject matter.
25
-24-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Registration Rights
Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
THE COMPANY:
AETNA INDUSTRIES, INC.
By: /s/ Ueli Spring
--------------------------------
Name: Ueli Spring
Title: President and Chief Executive
Officer
THE GUARANTORS:
MS ACQUISITION CORP.
By: /s/ Ueli Spring
---------------------------------
Name: Ueli Spring
Title: President and Chief Executive
Officer
AETNA HOLDINGS, INC.
By: /s/ Ueli Spring
----------------------------------
Name: Ueli Spring
Title: President and Chief Executive
Officer
THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTOR:
AETNA EXPORT SALES CORP.
By: /s/ Ueli Spring
-----------------------------------
Name: Ueli Spring
Title: President and Chief Executive
Officer
26
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THE INITIAL PURCHASERS:
SMITH BARNEY INC.
By: /s/ A. Reid Marsh, Jr.
------------------------------
Name: A. Reid Marsh, Jr.
Title: Director
SCHRODER WERTHEIM & CO. INCORPORATED
By: /s/ James L. Amine
-----------------------------
Name: James L. Amine
Title: Director
FIRST CHICAGO CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.
By: /s/ Evonne W. Taylor
-----------------------------
Name: Evonne W. Taylor
Title: Vice President