EXHIBIT 10.1
AMERICAN ACHIEVEMENT CORPORATION
8.25% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2012
UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED AS TO THE
PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL, PREMIUM, IF ANY,
AND INTEREST BY THE GUARANTORS NAMED ON SCHEDULE I HERETO
EXCHANGE AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
March 25, 2004
Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
As representatives of the several Purchasers
named in Schedule I to the Purchase Agreement
85 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004
Ladies and Gentlemen:
American Achievement Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to issue and sell to the Purchasers (as defined herein)
upon the terms set forth in the Purchase Agreement (as defined herein) an
aggregate of $150,000,000 principal amount of its 8.25% Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2012, which are unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors named in
Schedule I hereto. As an inducement to the Purchasers to enter into the Purchase
Agreement and in satisfaction of a condition to the obligations of the
Purchasers thereunder, the Company and the Guarantors agree with the Purchasers
for the benefit of holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the
Registrable Securities (as defined herein) as follows:
1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Exchange and
Registration Rights Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
respective meanings:
"Base Interest" shall mean the interest that would otherwise accrue
on the Securities under the terms thereof and the Indenture, without
giving effect to the provisions of this Agreement.
"Blackout Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c)
hereof.
The term "broker-dealer" shall mean any broker or dealer registered
with the Commission under the Exchange Act.
"Closing Date" shall mean the date on which the Securities are
initially issued.
"Commission" shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission, or any other federal agency at the time administering the
Exchange Act or the Securities Act, whichever is the relevant statute for
the particular purpose.
"Effective Time," in the case of (i) an Exchange Registration, shall
mean the time and date as of which the Commission declares the Exchange
Registration Statement effective or
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as of which the Exchange Registration Statement otherwise becomes
effective and (ii) a Shelf Registration, shall mean the time and date as
of which the Commission declares the Shelf Registration Statement
effective or as of which the Shelf Registration Statement otherwise
becomes effective.
"Effectiveness Target Date" shall have the meaning assigned thereto
in Section 2(d) hereof.
"Electing Holder" shall mean any holder of Registrable Securities
that has returned a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire to the
Company in accordance with Section 3(d)(ii) or 3(d)(iii) hereof.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or
any successor thereto, and the rules, regulations and forms promulgated
thereunder, all as the same shall be amended from time to time.
"Exchange Offer" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section
2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Registration" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 3(c) hereof.
"Exchange Registration Statement" shall have the meaning assigned
thereto in Section 2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Securities" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 2(a) hereof.
"Guarantors" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in the
Indenture.
The term "holder" shall mean each of the Purchasers and other
persons who acquire Registrable Securities from time to time (including
any successors or assigns), in each case for so long as such person owns
any Registrable Securities.
"Indenture" shall mean the Indenture, dated as of March 25, 2004,
among the Company, the Guarantors and The Bank of New York, as Trustee, as
the same shall be amended from time to time.
"Notice and Questionnaire" means a Notice of Registration Statement
and Selling Securityholder Questionnaire substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto.
The term "person" shall mean a corporation, association,
partnership, organization, business, individual, government or political
subdivision thereof or governmental agency.
"Purchase Agreement" shall mean the Purchase Agreement, dated as of
March 17, 2004, among the Purchasers, the Guarantors, AAC Holding Corp., a
Delaware corporation and the Company relating to the Securities.
"Purchasers" shall mean the Purchasers named in Schedule I to the
Purchase Agreement.
"Registrable Securities" shall mean each Security until the earlier
to occur of: (a) the date on which such Security has been exchanged by a
person other than a broker-dealer for an Exchange Security in the Exchange
Offer; (b) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the Exchange Offer
of a 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 Registration
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Statement; (c) 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 (d) the date on which such Security is
distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act,
or is saleable pursuant to clause (k) of such Rule 144.
"Registration Default" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 2(d) hereof.
"Registration Expenses" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 4 hereof.
"Resale Period" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section
2(a) hereof.
"Restricted Holder" shall mean (i) a holder that is an affiliate of
the Company within the meaning of Rule 405, (ii) a holder who acquires
Exchange Securities outside the ordinary course of such holder's business,
(iii) a holder who has arrangements or understandings with any person to
participate in the Exchange Offer for the purpose of distributing Exchange
Securities and (iv) a holder that is a broker-dealer, but only with
respect to Exchange Securities received by such broker-dealer pursuant to
an Exchange Offer in exchange for Registrable Securities acquired by the
broker-dealer directly from the Company.
"Rule 144," "Rule 405" and "Rule 415" shall mean, in each case, such
rule promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor provision), as
the same shall be amended from time to time.
"Securities" shall mean, collectively, the 8.25% Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2012 of the Company to be issued and sold to the Purchasers, and
securities issued in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof pursuant to the
Indenture. Each Security is entitled to the benefit of the guarantees
provided for in the Indenture (the "Guarantees") and, unless the context
otherwise requires, any reference herein to a "Security," an "Exchange
Security" or a "Registrable Security" shall include a reference to the
related Guarantees.
"Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, or any
successor thereto, and the rules, regulations and forms promulgated
thereunder, all as the same shall be amended from time to time.
"Shelf Registration" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 2(b) hereof.
"Shelf Registration Statement" shall have the meaning assigned
thereto in Section 2(b) hereof.
"Special Interest" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 2(d) hereof.
"Trust Indenture Act" shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, or
any successor thereto, and the rules, regulations and forms promulgated
thereunder, all as the same shall be amended from time to time.
Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference herein to a
"Section" or "clause" refers to a Section or clause, as the case may be, of this
Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement, and the words "herein," "hereof" and
"hereunder" and other words of similar import refer to this Exchange and
Registration Rights Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Section or
other subdivision.
2. Registration Under the Securities Act.
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(a) Except as set forth in Section 2(b) below, the Company and the
Guarantors agree to file under the Securities Act, as soon as practicable,
but no later than 120 days after the Closing Date, a registration
statement relating to an offer to exchange (such registration statement,
the "Exchange Registration Statement," and such offer, the "Exchange
Offer") any and all of the Securities for a like aggregate principal
amount of debt securities issued by the Company and guaranteed by the
Guarantors, which debt securities and guarantees are substantially
identical to the Securities and the related Guarantees, respectively (and
are entitled to the benefits of a trust indenture which is substantially
identical to the Indenture or is the Indenture and which has been
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act), except that they have been
registered pursuant to an effective registration statement under the
Securities Act and do not contain provisions for the additional interest
contemplated in Section 2(d) below (such new debt securities hereinafter
called "Exchange Securities"). The Company and the Guarantors agree to use
all commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Registration
Statement to become effective under the Securities Act as soon as
practicable, but no later than 240 days after the Closing Date. The
Exchange Offer will be registered under the Securities Act on the
appropriate form and will comply with all applicable tender offer rules
and regulations under the Exchange Act. The Company and the Guarantors
further agree to use all commercially reasonable efforts to (A) complete
the Exchange Offer promptly, but no later than 40 business days after such
Exchange Registration Statement has become effective, and (B) exchange
Exchange Securities for all Registrable Securities that have been properly
tendered and not withdrawn on or prior to the expiration of the Exchange
Offer. The Exchange Offer will be deemed to have been "completed" only if
the debt securities and the related guarantees received by holders other
than Restricted Holders in the Exchange Offer for Registrable Securities
are, upon receipt, transferable by each such holder without restriction
under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and without material
restrictions under the blue sky or securities laws of a substantial
majority of the States of the United States of America. The Exchange Offer
shall be deemed to have been completed upon the earlier to occur of (i)
the Company having exchanged the Exchange Securities for all outstanding
Registrable Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer and (ii) the Company
having exchanged, pursuant to the Exchange Offer, Exchange Securities for
all Registrable Securities that have been properly tendered and not
withdrawn before the expiration of the Exchange Offer. The Company agrees
(x) to include in the Exchange Registration Statement a prospectus for use
in any resales by any holder of Exchange Securities that is a
broker-dealer and (y) to keep such Exchange Registration Statement
effective for a period (the "Resale Period") beginning when Exchange
Securities are first issued in the Exchange Offer and ending upon the
earlier of the expiration of the 180th day after the Exchange Offer has
been completed or such time as such broker-dealers no longer own any
Registrable Securities. With respect to such Exchange Registration
Statement, such holders shall have the benefit of the rights of
indemnification and contribution set forth in Sections 6(a), (c), (d) and
(e) hereof.
(b) If (i) on or prior to the time the Exchange Offer is completed
existing laws or Commission interpretations are changed such that the debt
securities or the related guarantees received by holders other than
Restricted Holders in the Exchange Offer for Registrable Securities are
not or would not be, upon receipt, transferable by each such holder
without restriction under the Securities Act, (ii) the Exchange Offer has
not been completed within 240 days following the Closing Date or (iii) a
holder notifies AAC prior to the 20th business day following the
consummation of the Exchange Offer that the Exchange Offer is not
available to any holder of the Securities, the Company and the Guarantors
shall, in lieu of (or, in the case of clause (iii), in addition to)
conducting the Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 2(a), file under the
Securities Act as soon as practicable, but no later than the later of 60
days after the time such obligation to file arises or 180 days
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following the Closing Date, a "shelf" registration statement providing for
the registration of, and the sale on a continuous or delayed basis by the
holders of, all of the Registrable Securities, pursuant to Rule 415 or any
similar rule that may be adopted by the Commission (such filing, the
"Shelf Registration" and such registration statement, the "Shelf
Registration Statement"). The Company and the Guarantors agree to use all
commercially reasonable efforts (x) to cause the Shelf Registration
Statement to become or be declared effective no later than 90 days after
such Shelf Registration Statement is filed and to keep such Shelf
Registration Statement continuously effective for a period ending on the
earlier of the second anniversary of the Effective Time or such time as
there are no longer any Registrable Securities outstanding, provided,
however, that no holder shall be entitled to be named as a selling
securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement or to use the
prospectus forming a part thereof for resales of Registrable Securities
unless such holder is an Electing Holder who agrees to be bound by all of
the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such holder, and (y) after
the Effective Time of the Shelf Registration Statement, promptly upon the
request of any holder of Registrable Securities that is not then an
Electing Holder, to take any action reasonably necessary to enable such
holder to use the prospectus forming a part thereof for resales of
Registrable Securities, including, without limitation, any action
necessary to identify such holder as a selling securityholder in the Shelf
Registration Statement, provided, however, that nothing in this Clause (y)
shall relieve any such holder of the obligation to return a completed and
signed Notice and Questionnaire to the Company and the Guarantors in
accordance with Section 3(d)(iii) hereof. The Company and the Guarantors
further agree to supplement or make amendments to the Shelf Registration
Statement, as and when required by the rules, regulations or instructions
applicable to the registration form used by the Company and the Guarantors
for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or rules
and regulations thereunder for shelf registration, and the Company agrees
to furnish to each Electing Holder copies of any such supplement or
amendment prior to its being used or promptly following its filing with
the Commission.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company, upon advising the
Purchasers in writing, may, pursuant to the advice of outside counsel to
the Company, delay the filing or effectiveness of any Exchange
Registration Statement or Shelf Registration Statement (if not filed or
effective, as applicable) or suspend, or otherwise fail to maintain, the
effectiveness thereof, for a period (the "Blackout Period") not to exceed
an aggregate of 60 days in any twelve consecutive month period in the
event that (1) the Board of Directors of the Company reasonably and in
good faith determines that the premature disclosure of a material event at
such time would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
operations or prospects or (2) the disclosure otherwise relates to a
material business transaction which has not been publicly disclosed and
the Board of Directors of the Company reasonably and in good faith
determines that any such disclosure would jeopardize the success of such
transaction; provided, that, upon the termination of such Blackout Period,
the Company promptly shall advise the Purchasers that such Blackout Period
has been terminated.
(d) In the event that (i) the Company has not filed the Exchange
Registration Statement or Shelf Registration Statement on or before the
date on which such registration statement is required to be filed pursuant
to Section 2(a) or 2(b), respectively, or (ii) such Exchange Registration
Statement or Shelf Registration Statement has not become effective or been
declared effective by the Commission on or before the date on which such
registration statement is required to become or be declared effective
pursuant to Section 2(a) or 2(b), respectively (each, an "Effectiveness
Target Date"), or (iii) the Exchange Offer has not been consummated within
40 business days after the Effectiveness Target Date relating to the
Exchange Offer (if the Exchange Offer is then required to be made) or (iv)
any Exchange
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Registration Statement or Shelf Registration Statement required by Section
2(a) or 2(b) hereof is filed and declared effective but shall thereafter,
if on or after the date on which such registration statement is required
to become or declared effective pursuant to Section 2(a) or 2(b) hereof,
either be withdrawn by the Company or shall become subject to an effective
stop order issued pursuant to Section 8(d) of the Securities Act
suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement (except as
specifically permitted herein) without the Company proceeding promptly,
with all commercially reasonable efforts to file, and have declared
effective an additional registration statement (each such event referred
to in clauses (i) through (iv), a "Registration Default" and each period
during which a Registration Default has occurred and is continuing, a
"Registration Default Period"), then, as liquidated damages for such
Registration Default, subject to the provisions of Section 9(b), special
interest ("Special Interest"), in addition to the Base Interest, shall
accrue at a rate of $.05 per week per $1,000 principal amount of Notes for
the first 90 days of the Registration Default Period, and the amount of
Special Interest shall increase by an additional $.05 per week per $1,000
principal amount of Notes with respect to each subsequent 90-day period
until all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to a maximum amount of
Special Interest of $.25 per week per $1,000 principal amount of Notes for
the remaining portion of the Registration Default Period. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, (1) the amount of Special Interest payable shall not
increase because more than one Registration Default has occurred and is
pending and (2) a Holder of Registrable Securities that is not entitled to
the benefits of the Shelf Registration Statement (e.g., such Holder has
not elected to include information) shall not be entitled to Special
Interest with respect to a Registration Default that pertains to the Shelf
Registration Statement.
(e) The Company shall take, and shall cause the Guarantors to take,
all actions necessary or advisable to be taken by it to ensure that the
transactions contemplated herein are effected as so contemplated,
including all actions necessary or desirable to register the Guarantees
under the registration statement contemplated in Section 2(a) or 2(b)
hereof, as applicable.
(f) Any reference herein to a registration statement as of any time
shall be deemed to include any document incorporated, or deemed to be
incorporated, therein by reference as of such time and any reference
herein to any post-effective amendment to a registration statement as of
any time shall be deemed to include any document incorporated, or deemed
to be incorporated, therein by reference as of such time.
3. Registration Procedures.
If the Company and the Guarantors file a registration
statement pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b), the following provisions
shall apply:
(a) At or before the Effective Time of the Exchange Offer or the
Shelf Registration, as the case may be, the Company shall qualify the
Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.
(b) 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.
(c) In connection with the Company's and the Guarantors' obligations
with respect to the registration of Exchange Securities as contemplated by
Section 2(a) (the "Exchange Registration"), if applicable, the Company and
the Guarantors shall, as soon as practicable (or as otherwise specified):
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(i) prepare and file with the Commission, no later than 120
days after the Closing Date, an Exchange Registration Statement on
any form which may be utilized by the Company and the Guarantors and
which shall permit the Exchange Offer and resales of Exchange
Securities by broker-dealers during the Resale Period to be effected
as contemplated by Section 2(a), and use all commercially reasonable
efforts to cause such Exchange Registration Statement to become
effective as soon as practicable thereafter, but no later than 240
days after the Closing Date;
(ii) as soon as practicable prepare and file with the
Commission such amendments and supplements to such Exchange
Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein as may be
necessary to effect and maintain the effectiveness of such Exchange
Registration Statement for the periods and purposes contemplated in
Section 2(a) hereof and as may be required by the applicable rules
and regulations of the Commission and the instructions applicable to
the form of such Exchange Registration Statement, and promptly
provide each broker-dealer holding Exchange Securities with such
number of copies of the prospectus included therein (as then amended
or supplemented), in conformity in all material respects with the
requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, as
such broker-dealer reasonably may request prior to the expiration of
the Resale Period, for use in connection with resales of Exchange
Securities;
(iii) promptly notify each broker-dealer that has requested or
received copies of the prospectus included in such registration
statement, and confirm such advice in writing, (A) when such
Exchange Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein
or any prospectus amendment or supplement or post-effective
amendment has been filed, and, with respect to such Exchange
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the
same has become effective, (B) of any comments by the Commission and
by the blue sky or securities commissioner or regulator of any state
with respect thereto or any request by the Commission for amendments
or supplements to such Exchange Registration Statement or prospectus
or for additional information, (C) of the issuance by the Commission
of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Exchange
Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for that purpose, (D) if at any time the representations
and warranties of the Company contemplated by Section 5 cease to be
true and correct in all material respects, (E) of the receipt by the
Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the
qualification of the Exchange Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for
such purpose, or (F) at any time during the Resale Period when a
prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act,
that such Exchange Registration Statement, prospectus, prospectus
amendment or supplement or post-effective amendment does not conform
in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the
Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act or contains an untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing;
(iv) in the event that the Company and the Guarantors would be
required, pursuant to Section 3(c)(iii)(F) above, to notify any
broker-dealers holding Exchange Securities, without delay prepare
and furnish to each such holder a reasonable number of copies of a
prospectus supplemented or amended so that, as thereafter delivered
to purchasers of such Exchange Securities during the Resale Period,
such prospectus shall conform in all material respects to the
applicable requirements of
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the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act and shall 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 not misleading in light of the circumstances then
existing;
(v) use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the
withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of such
Exchange Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment
thereto at the earliest practicable date;
(vi) use all commercially reasonable efforts to (A) register
or qualify the Exchange Securities under the securities laws or blue
sky laws of such jurisdictions as are contemplated by Section 2(a)
no later than the commencement of the Exchange Offer, (B) keep such
registrations or qualifications in effect and comply with such laws
so as to permit the continuance of offers, sales and dealings
therein in such jurisdictions until the expiration of the Resale
Period and (C) take any and all other actions as may be reasonably
necessary or advisable to enable each broker-dealer holding Exchange
Securities to consummate the disposition thereof in such
jurisdictions; provided, however, that neither the Company nor any
of the Guarantors shall be required for any such purpose to (1)
qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction wherein it
would not otherwise be required to qualify but for the requirements
of this Section 3(c)(vi), (2) consent to general service of process
in any such jurisdiction or (3) make any changes to its certificate
of incorporation or by-laws or any agreement between it and its
stockholders;
(vii)use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the
consent or approval of each governmental agency or authority,
whether federal, state or local, which may be required to effect the
Exchange Registration, the Exchange Offer and the offering and sale
of Exchange Securities by broker-dealers during the Resale Period;
(viii) provide a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities, not
later than the applicable Effective Time; and
(ix) comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission, and make generally available to its securityholders as
soon as practicable but no later than eighteen months after the
effective date of such Exchange Registration Statement, an earnings
statement of the Company and its subsidiaries complying with Section
11(a) of the Securities Act (including, at the option of the
Company, Rule 158 thereunder).
(d) In connection with the Company's and the Guarantors' obligations
with respect to the Shelf Registration, if applicable, the Company and the
Guarantors shall, as soon as practicable (or as otherwise specified):
(i) prepare and file with the Commission, within the time
periods specified in Section 2(b), a Shelf Registration Statement on
any form which may be utilized by the Company and which shall
register all of the Registrable Securities for resale by the holders
thereof in accordance with such method or methods of disposition as
may be specified by such of the holders as, from time to time, may
be Electing Holders and use all commercially reasonable efforts to
cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective as soon
as practicable but in any case within the time periods specified in
Section 2(b);
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(ii) not less than 30 calendar days prior to the Effective
Time of the Shelf Registration Statement, mail the Notice and
Questionnaire to the holders of Registrable Securities; no holder
shall be entitled to be named as a selling securityholder in the
Shelf Registration Statement as of the Effective Time, and no holder
shall be entitled to use the prospectus forming a part thereof for
resales of Registrable Securities at any time, unless such holder
has returned a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire to the
Company by the deadline for response set forth therein; provided,
however, holders of Registrable Securities shall have at least 28
calendar days from the date on which the Notice and Questionnaire is
first mailed to such holders to return a completed and signed Notice
and Questionnaire to the Company;
(iii) after the Effective Time of the Shelf Registration
Statement, upon the request of any holder of Registrable Securities
that is not then an Electing Holder, promptly send a Notice and
Questionnaire to such holder; provided that the Company shall not be
required to take any action to name such holder as a selling
securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement or to enable such
holder to use the prospectus forming a part thereof for resales of
Registrable Securities until such holder has returned a completed
and signed Notice and Questionnaire to the Company;
(iv) as soon as practicable prepare and file with the
Commission such amendments and supplements to such Shelf
Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein as may be
necessary to effect and maintain the effectiveness of such Shelf
Registration Statement for the period specified in Section 2(b)
hereof and as may be required by the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission and the instructions applicable to the
form of such Shelf Registration Statement, and furnish to the
Electing Holders copies of any such supplement or amendment
simultaneously with or prior to its being used or filed with the
Commission;
(v) comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with
respect to the disposition of all of the Registrable Securities
covered by such Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the
intended methods of disposition by the Electing Holders provided for
in such Shelf Registration Statement;
(vi) provide (A) the Electing Holders, (B) the underwriters
(which term, for purposes of this Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement, shall include a person deemed to be an underwriter within
the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act), if any,
thereof, (C) any sales or placement agent therefor, (D) counsel for
any such underwriter or agent and (E) not more than one counsel for
all the Electing Holders the opportunity to participate in the
preparation of such Shelf Registration Statement, each prospectus
included therein or filed with the Commission and each amendment or
supplement thereto;
(vii) for a reasonable period prior to the filing of such
Shelf Registration Statement, and throughout the period specified in
Section 2(b), make available at reasonable times at the Company's
principal place of business or such other reasonable place for
inspection by the persons referred to in Section 3(d)(vi) who shall
certify to the Company that they have a current intention to sell
the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration such
financial and other information and books and records of the
Company, and cause the officers, employees, counsel and
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independent certified public accountants of the Company to respond
to such inquiries, as shall be reasonably necessary (and, in the
case of counsel, not violate an attorney-client privilege, in such
counsel's good faith belief), in the judgment of the respective
counsel referred to in such Section, to conduct a reasonable
investigation within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities
Act; provided, however, that each such party shall be required to
maintain in confidence and not to disclose to any other person any
information or records reasonably designated by the Company as being
confidential, until such time as (A) such information becomes a
matter of public record (whether by virtue of its inclusion in such
registration statement or otherwise), or (B) such person shall be
required so to disclose such information pursuant to a subpoena or
order of any court or other governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over the matter (subject to the requirements of such
order, and only after such person shall have given the Company
prompt prior written notice of such requirement), or (C) such
information is required to be set forth in such Shelf Registration
Statement or the prospectus included therein or in an amendment to
such Shelf Registration Statement or an amendment or supplement to
such prospectus in order that such Shelf Registration Statement,
prospectus, amendment or supplement, as the case may be, complies
with applicable requirements of the federal securities laws and the
rules and regulations of the Commission and does not contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then
existing;
(viii) promptly notify each of the Electing Holders, any sales
or placement agent therefor and any underwriter thereof (which
notification may be made through any managing underwriter that is a
representative of such underwriter for such purpose) and confirm
such advice in writing, (A) when such Shelf Registration Statement
or the prospectus included therein or any prospectus amendment or
supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with
respect to such Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment, when the same has become effective, (B) of any comments
by the Commission and by the blue sky or securities commissioner or
regulator of any state with respect thereto or any request by the
Commission for amendments or supplements to such Shelf Registration
Statement or prospectus or for additional information, (C) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of such Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation
or threatening of any proceedings for that purpose, (D) if at any
time the representations and warranties of the Company contemplated
by Section 3(d)(xvii) or Section 5 cease to be true and correct in
all material respects, (E) of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of
the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose, or (F)
if at any time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under
the Securities Act, that such Shelf Registration Statement,
prospectus, prospectus amendment or supplement or post-effective
amendment does not conform in all material respects to the
applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust
Indenture Act or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or
omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of
the circumstances then existing;
(ix) use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the
withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of such
registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto at
the earliest practicable date;
10
(x) if requested by any managing underwriter or underwriters,
any placement or sales agent or any Electing Holder, promptly
incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment
such information as is required by the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission and as such managing underwriter or
underwriters, such agent or such Electing Holder specifies should be
included therein relating to the terms of the sale of such
Registrable Securities, including information with respect to the
principal amount of Registrable Securities being sold by such
Electing Holder or agent or to any underwriters, the name and
description of such Electing Holder, agent or underwriter, the
offering price of such Registrable Securities and any discount,
commission or other compensation payable in respect thereof, the
purchase price being paid therefor by such underwriters and with
respect to any other terms of the offering of the Registrable
Securities to be sold by such Electing Holder or agent or to such
underwriters; and make all required filings of such prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment promptly after notification
of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment;
(xi) furnish to each Electing Holder, each placement or sales
agent, if any, therefor, each underwriter, if any, thereof and the
respective counsel referred to in Section 3(d)(vi) an executed copy
(or, in the case of an Electing Holder, a conformed copy) of such
Shelf Registration Statement, each such amendment and supplement
thereto (in each case including all exhibits thereto (in the case of
an Electing Holder of Registrable Securities, upon request) and
documents incorporated by reference therein) and such number of
copies of such Shelf Registration Statement (excluding exhibits
thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein unless
specifically so requested by such Electing Holder, agent or
underwriter, as the case may be) and of the prospectus included in
such Shelf Registration Statement (including each preliminary
prospectus and any summary prospectus), in conformity in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities
Act and the Trust Indenture Act, and such other documents, as such
Electing Holder, agent, if any, and underwriter, if any, may
reasonably request in order to facilitate the offering and
disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Electing
Holder, offered or sold by such agent or underwritten by such
underwriter and to permit such Electing Holder, agent and
underwriter to satisfy the prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act; and the Company hereby consents to the use of such
prospectus (including such preliminary and summary prospectus) and
any amendment or supplement thereto by each such Electing Holder and
by any such agent and underwriter, in each case in the form most
recently provided to such person by the Company, in connection with
the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by the
prospectus (including such preliminary and summary prospectus) or
any supplement or amendment thereto;
(xii) use all commercially reasonable efforts to (A) register
or qualify the Registrable Securities to be included in such Shelf
Registration Statement under such securities laws or blue sky laws
of such jurisdictions as any Electing Holder and each placement or
sales agent, if any, therefor and underwriter, if any, thereof shall
reasonably request, (B) keep such registrations or qualifications in
effect and comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of
offers, sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions during the
period the Shelf Registration is required to remain effective under
Section 2(b) above and for so long as may be necessary to enable any
such Electing Holder, agent or underwriter to complete its
distribution of Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration
Statement and (C) take any and all
11
other actions as may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable
each such Electing Holder, agent, if any, and underwriter, if any,
to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of such
Registrable Securities; provided, however, that neither the Company
nor any of the Guarantors shall be required for any such purpose to
(1) qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction wherein it
would not otherwise be required to qualify but for the requirements
of this Section 3(d)(xii), (2) consent to general service of process
in any such jurisdiction or (3) make any changes to its certificate
of incorporation or by-laws or any agreement between it and its
stockholders;
(xiii) use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the
consent or approval of each governmental agency or authority,
whether federal, state or local, which may be required to effect the
Shelf Registration or the offering or sale in connection therewith
or to enable the selling holder or holders to offer, or to
consummate the disposition of, their Registrable Securities;
(xiv) unless any Registrable Securities shall be in book-entry
only form, cooperate with the Electing Holders and the managing
underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and
delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be
sold, which certificates, if so required by any securities exchange
upon which any Registrable Securities are listed, shall be penned,
lithographed or engraved, or produced by any combination of such
methods, on steel engraved borders, and which certificates shall not
bear any restrictive legends; and, in the case of an underwritten
offering, enable such Registrable Securities to be in such
denominations and registered in such names as the managing
underwriters may request at least two business days prior to any
sale of the Registrable Securities;
(xv) provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities,
not later than the applicable Effective Time;
(xvi) enter into one or more underwriting agreements,
engagement letters, agency agreements, "best efforts" underwriting
agreements or similar agreements, as appropriate, including
customary provisions relating to indemnification and contribution,
and take such other actions in connection therewith as any Electing
Holders aggregating at least 20% in aggregate principal amount of
the Registrable Securities at the time outstanding shall request in
order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable
Securities, provided that the Company and the Guarantors shall not
be required to enter into any such agreement more than two times
with respect to all Registrable Securities;
(xvii) whether or not an agreement of the type referred to in
Section 3(d)(xvi) hereof is entered into and whether or not any
portion of the offering contemplated by the Shelf Registration is an
underwritten offering or is made through a placement or sales agent
or any other entity, (A) make such representations and warranties to
the Electing Holders and the placement or sales agent, if any,
therefor and the underwriters, if any, thereof in form, substance
and scope as are customarily made in connection with an offering of
debt securities pursuant to any appropriate agreement or to a
registration statement filed on the form applicable to the Shelf
Registration; (B) obtain an opinion of counsel to the Company in
customary form and covering such matters, of the type customarily
covered by such an opinion, as the managing underwriters, if any, or
as any Electing Holders of at least 20% in aggregate principal
amount of the Registrable Securities at the time outstanding may
reasonably
12
request, addressed to such Electing Holder or Electing Holders and
the placement or sales agent, if any, therefor and the underwriters,
if any, thereof and dated the effective date of such Shelf
Registration Statement (and if such Shelf Registration Statement
contemplates an underwritten offering of a part or all of the
Registrable Securities, dated the date of the closing under the
underwriting agreement relating thereto); (C) obtain a "cold
comfort" letter or letters from the independent certified public
accountants of the Company addressed to the selling Electing
Holders, the placement or sales agent, if any, therefor or the
underwriters, if any, thereof, dated (i) the effective date of such
Shelf Registration Statement and (ii) the effective date of any
prospectus supplement to the prospectus included in such Shelf
Registration Statement or post-effective amendment to such Shelf
Registration Statement which includes unaudited or audited financial
statements as of a date or for a period subsequent to that of the
latest such statements included in such prospectus (and, if such
Shelf Registration Statement contemplates an underwritten offering
pursuant to any prospectus supplement to the prospectus included in
such Shelf Registration Statement or post-effective amendment to
such Shelf Registration Statement which includes unaudited or
audited financial statements as of a date or for a period subsequent
to that of the latest such statements included in such prospectus,
dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement
relating thereto), such letter or letters to be in customary form
and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by letters
of such type; provided that if at such time it is the general policy
of the Company's independent certified public accountants not to
provide "cold comfort" with respect to financial data contained in
or derived from financial statements audited by Arthur Andersen LLP,
then such "cold comfort" letter need not relate to any financial
data contained in or derived from the Company's financial statements
at, or for the fiscal years ended, August 26, 2000 or August 28,
1999, as applicable, or any interim period within such fiscal years;
(D) deliver such documents and certificates, including officers'
certificates, as may be reasonably requested by any Electing Holders
of at least 20% in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable
Securities at the time outstanding or the placement or sales agent,
if any, therefor and the managing underwriters, if any, thereof to
evidence the accuracy of the representations and warranties made
pursuant to clause (A) above or those contained in Section 5(a)
hereof and the compliance with or satisfaction of any agreements or
conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other
agreement entered into by the Company or the Guarantors; and (E)
undertake such obligations relating to expense reimbursement,
indemnification and contribution as are provided in Section 6
hereof;
(xviii) notify in writing each holder of Registrable
Securities of any proposal by the Company to amend or waive any
provision of this Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement
pursuant to Section 9(h) hereof and of any amendment or waiver
effected pursuant thereto, each of which notices shall contain the
text of the amendment or waiver proposed or effected, as the case
may be;
(xix) in the event that any broker-dealer registered under the
Exchange Act shall underwrite any Registrable 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 "Conduct Rules") of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") or any successor thereto, as
amended from time to time) thereof, whether as a holder of such
Registrable Securities or as an underwriter, a placement or sales
agent or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, assist
such broker-dealer in complying with the requirements of such
Conduct Rules,
13
including by (A) if such Conduct Rules shall so require, engaging a
"qualified independent underwriter" (as defined in such Conduct
Rules) to participate in the preparation of the Shelf Registration
Statement relating to such Registrable Securities, to exercise usual
standards of due diligence in respect thereto and, if any portion of
the offering contemplated by such Shelf Registration Statement is an
underwritten offering or is made through a placement or sales agent,
to recommend the yield of such Registrable Securities, (B)
indemnifying any such qualified independent underwriter to the
extent of the indemnification of underwriters provided in Section 6
hereof (or to such other customary extent as may be requested by
such underwriter), and (C) providing such information to such
broker-dealer as may be required in order for such broker-dealer to
comply with the requirements of the Conduct Rules; and
(xx) comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission, and make generally available to its securityholders as
soon as practicable but in any event not later than eighteen months
after the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement, an
earning statement of the Company and its subsidiaries complying with
Section 11(a) of the Securities Act (including, at the option of the
Company, Rule 158 thereunder).
(e) In the event that the Company would be required, pursuant to
Section 3(d)(viii)(F) above, to notify the Electing Holders, the placement
or sales agent, if any, therefor and the managing underwriters, if any,
thereof, the Company shall promptly prepare and furnish to each of the
Electing Holders, to each placement or sales agent, if any, and to each
such underwriter, if any, a reasonable number of copies of a prospectus
supplemented or amended so that, as thereafter delivered to purchasers of
Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall conform in all material
respects to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and shall 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 not misleading in
light of the circumstances then existing. Each Electing Holder agrees that
upon receipt of any notice from the Company pursuant to Section
3(d)(viii)(F) hereof, such Electing Holder shall forthwith discontinue the
disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement applicable to such Registrable Securities until such Electing
Holder shall have received copies of such amended or supplemented
prospectus, and if so directed by the Company, such Electing Holder shall
deliver to the Company (at the Company's expense) all copies, other than
permanent file copies, then in such Electing Holder's possession of the
prospectus covering such Registrable Securities at the time of receipt of
such notice.
(f) In the event of a Shelf Registration, in addition to the
information required to be provided by each Electing Holder in its Notice
Questionnaire, the Company may require such Electing Holder to furnish to
the Company such additional information regarding such Electing Holder and
such Electing Holder's intended method of distribution of Registrable
Securities as may be required in order to comply with the Securities Act.
Each such Electing Holder agrees to notify the Company as promptly as
practicable of any inaccuracy or change in information previously
furnished by such Electing Holder to the Company or of the occurrence of
any event in either case as a result of which any prospectus relating to
such Shelf Registration contains or would contain an untrue statement of a
material fact regarding such Electing Holder or such Electing Holder's
intended method of disposition of such Registrable Securities or omits to
state any material fact regarding such Electing Holder or such Electing
Holder's intended method of disposition of such Registrable Securities
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading in
14
light of the circumstances then existing, and promptly to furnish to the
Company any additional information required to correct and update any
previously furnished information or required so that such prospectus shall
not contain, with respect to such Electing Holder or the disposition of
such Registrable Securities, 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 not misleading in light of the
circumstances then existing.
(g) Until the expiration of two years after the Closing Date, the
Company will not, and will not permit any of its "affiliates" (as defined
in Rule 144) to, resell any of the Securities that have been reacquired by
any of them except pursuant to an effective registration statement under
the Securities Act.
(h) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer, each
holder of Registrable Securities shall furnish, upon the request of the
Company, a written representation to the Company (which may be contained
in the letter of transmittal contemplated by the Exchange Registration
Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an affiliate of the Company,
as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, or if it is an affiliate, it
will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of
the Securities Act to the extent applicable, (B) it is not engaged in, and
does not intend to engage in, and has no arrangement or understanding with
any person to participate in, a distribution of the Exchange Securities to
be issued in the Exchange Offer; (C) it is acquiring the Exchange
Securities in its ordinary course of business; (D) if it is a
broker-dealer that holds Securities that were acquired for its own account
as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities (other
than Securities acquired directly from the Company or any of its
affiliates), it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act in connection with any resales of the Exchange Securities
received by it in the Exchange Offer; (E) if it is a broker-dealer, that
it did not purchase the Securities to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer
from the Company or any of its affiliates; and (F) it is not acting on
behalf of any Person who could not truthfully and completely make the
representations contained in the foregoing clauses (A) through (E).
4. Registration Expenses.
The Company agrees to bear and to pay or cause to be paid
promptly all expenses incident to the Company's performance of or compliance
with this Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement, including (a) all
Commission and any NASD registration, filing and review fees and expenses
including fees and disbursements of counsel for the placement or sales agent or
underwriters in connection with such registration, filing and review, (b) all
fees and expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for
offering and sale under the State securities and blue sky laws referred to in
Section 3(d)(xii) hereof and determination of their eligibility for investment
under the laws of such jurisdictions as any managing underwriters or the
Electing Holders may designate, including any fees and disbursements of counsel
for the Electing Holders or underwriters in connection with such qualification
and determination, (c) all expenses relating to the preparation, printing,
production, distribution and reproduction of each registration statement
required to be filed hereunder, each prospectus included therein or prepared for
distribution pursuant hereto, each amendment or supplement to the foregoing, the
expenses of preparing the Securities for delivery and the expenses of printing
or producing any underwriting agreements, agreements among underwriters, selling
agreements and blue sky or legal investment memoranda and all other documents in
connection with the offering, sale or delivery of Securities to be disposed of
(including certificates representing the Securities), (d) messenger, telephone
and delivery expenses relating to the offering, sale or delivery of Securities
and the preparation of documents referred in clause (c) above, (e) fees and
expenses of the Trustee under the Indenture, any agent of the Trustee and any
counsel for the Trustee
15
and of any collateral agent or custodian, (f) internal expenses (including all
salaries and expenses of the Company's officers and employees performing legal
or accounting duties), (g) fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel and
independent certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses
of any opinions or "cold comfort" letters required by or incident to such
performance and compliance), (h) reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of
any "qualified independent underwriter" engaged pursuant to Section 3(d)(xix)
hereof, (i) reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of one counsel for the
Electing Holders retained in connection with a Shelf Registration, as selected
by the Electing Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the Registrable Securities held by Electing Holders (which counsel shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company), (j) any fees charged by securities
rating services for rating the Securities, and (k) fees, expenses and
disbursements of any other persons, including special experts, retained by the
Company in connection with such registration (collectively, the "Registration
Expenses"). To the extent that any Registration Expenses are incurred, assumed
or paid by any holder of Registrable Securities or any placement or sales agent
therefor or underwriter thereof, the Company shall reimburse such person for the
full amount of the Registration Expenses so incurred, assumed or paid promptly
after receipt of a request therefor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the holders
of the Registrable Securities being registered shall pay all agency fees and
commissions and underwriting discounts and commissions attributable to the sale
of such Registrable Securities and the fees and disbursements of any counsel or
other advisors or experts retained by such holders (severally or jointly), other
than the counsel and experts specifically referred to above.
5. Representations and Warranties.
Each of the Company and the Guarantors represent and warrant
to, and agree with, each Purchaser and each of the holders from time to time of
Registrable Securities that:
(a) Each registration statement covering Registrable Securities and
each prospectus (including any preliminary or summary prospectus)
contained therein or furnished pursuant to Section 3(d) or Section 3(c)
hereof and any further amendments or supplements to any such registration
statement or prospectus, when it becomes effective or is filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, and, in the case of an underwritten
offering of Registrable Securities, at the time of the closing under the
underwriting agreement relating thereto, will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture
Act and 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 not misleading; and at all times subsequent to the
Effective Time when a prospectus would be required to be delivered under
the Securities Act, other than from (i) such time as a notice has been
given to holders of Registrable Securities pursuant to Section
3(d)(viii)(F) or Section 3(c)(iii)(F) hereof until (ii) such time as the
Company furnishes an amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to
Section 3(e) or Section 3(c)(iv) hereof, each such registration statement,
and each prospectus (including any summary prospectus) contained therein
or furnished pursuant to Section 3(d) or Section 3(c) hereof, as then
amended or supplemented, will conform in all material respects to the
requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act and 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 not misleading in the light of the circumstances then
existing; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall
not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by a
holder of Registrable Securities expressly for use therein.
16
(b) Any documents incorporated by reference in any prospectus
referred to in Section 5(a) hereof, when they become or became effective
or are or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform
or conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of such
documents will contain or contained an untrue statement of a material fact
or will omit or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply
to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing to the Company by a holder of
Registrable Securities expressly for use therein.
(c) The compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this
Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a
breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default
under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any subsidiary of the
Company is a party or by which the Company or any subsidiary of the
Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company
or any subsidiary of the Company is subject, nor will such action result
in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation,
certificate of formation or partnership agreement, as amended, or the
by-laws or the respective governing documents of the Company or any
Guarantor or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any
subsidiary of the Company or any of their properties; and no consent,
approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with
any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the
consummation by the Company and the Guarantors of the transactions
contemplated by this Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement, except
the registration under the Securities Act of the Securities, qualification
of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and such consents,
approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
required under State securities or blue sky laws in connection with the
offering and distribution of the Securities.
(d) This Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company and the Guarantors. The Company
and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold
harmless each of the holders of Registrable Securities included in an
Exchange Registration Statement, each of the Electing Holders of
Registrable Securities included in a Shelf Registration Statement and each
person who participates as a placement or sales agent or as an underwriter
in any offering or sale of such Registrable Securities against any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such holder,
agent or underwriter may become subject under the Securities Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Exchange Registration Statement or Shelf Registration Statement, as the
case may be, under which such Registrable Securities were registered under
the Securities Act, or any preliminary, final or summary prospectus
contained therein or furnished by the Company to any such holder, Electing
Holder, agent or underwriter, or any amendment or supplement thereto, 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 will reimburse such holder,
17
such Electing Holder, such agent and such underwriter for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred; provided, however, that neither the Company nor any of the
Guarantors shall be liable to any such person in any such case to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is
based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in such registration statement, or preliminary,
final or summary prospectus, or amendment or supplement thereto, in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such person expressly for use therein.
(b) Indemnification by the Holders and any Agents and Underwriters.
The Company may require, as a condition to including any Registrable
Securities in any registration statement filed pursuant to Section 2(b)
hereof and to entering into any underwriting agreement with respect
thereto, that the Company shall have received an undertaking reasonably
satisfactory to it from the Electing Holder of such Registrable Securities
and from each underwriter named in any such underwriting agreement,
severally and not jointly, to (i) indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
the Guarantors, and all other holders of Registrable Securities, against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company, the
Guarantors or such other holders of Registrable Securities may become
subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in such registration statement, or any
preliminary, final or summary prospectus contained therein or furnished by
the Company to any such Electing Holder, agent or underwriter, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, 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, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Electing Holder or
underwriter expressly for use therein, and (ii) reimburse the Company and
the Guarantors for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Company and the Guarantors in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however,
that no such Electing Holder shall be required to undertake liability to
any person under this Section 6(b) for any amounts in excess of the dollar
amount of the proceeds to be received by such Electing Holder from the
sale of such Electing Holder's Registrable Securities pursuant to such
registration.
(c) Notices of Claims, Etc. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified
party under subsection (a) or (b) above of written notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party pursuant to
the indemnification provisions of or contemplated by this Section 6,
notify such indemnifying party in writing of the commencement of such
action; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under the indemnification provisions of or contemplated by
Section 6(a) or 6(b) hereof. In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify an indemnifying party of
the commencement thereof, such indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it shall 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, such indemnifying party shall not be liable to such
indemnified
18
party for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in
each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection
with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No
indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified
party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of
any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in
respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder
(whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to
such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i)
includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such action or claim 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) Contribution. If for any reason the indemnification provisions
contemplated by Section 6(a) or Section 6(b) are unavailable to or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party in connection with the
statements or omissions which 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 such indemnifying party
and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by such indemnifying party or by such indemnified
party, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The
parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contributions pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the holders or any agents or underwriters or all of
them 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 this Section 6(d). The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above shall be
deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section
6(d), no holder shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of
the amount by which the dollar amount of the proceeds received by such
holder from the sale of any Registrable Securities (after deducting any
fees, discounts and commissions applicable thereto) exceeds the amount of
any damages which such holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason
of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission, and no underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Registrable
Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered
to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such underwriter 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 holders' and any underwriters'
obligations in this Section 6(d) to contribute shall be several in
proportion to the principal amount of Registrable Securities registered or
underwritten, as the case may be, by them and not joint.
19
(e) The obligations of the Company and the Guarantors under this
Section 6 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company or the
Guarantors may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and
conditions, to each officer, director and partner of each holder, agent
and underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any holder, agent or
underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act; and the obligations
of the holders and any agents or underwriters contemplated by this Section
6 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective holder, agent
or underwriter may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms
and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company or the
Guarantors (including any person who, with his consent, is named in any
registration statement as about to become a director of the Company or the
Guarantors) and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of the Securities Act.
7. Underwritten Offerings.
(a) Selection of Underwriters. If any of the Registrable Securities
covered by the Shelf Registration are to be sold pursuant to an
underwritten offering, the managing underwriter or underwriters thereof
shall be designated by Electing Holders holding at least a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Securities to be included in
such offering, provided that such designated managing underwriter or
underwriters is or are reasonably acceptable to the Company.
(b) Participation by Holders. Each holder of Registrable Securities
hereby agrees with each other such holder that no such holder may
participate in any underwritten offering hereunder unless such holder (i)
agrees to sell such holder's Registrable Securities on the basis provided
in any underwriting arrangements approved by the persons entitled
hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all
questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements
and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such
underwriting arrangements.
8. Rule 144.
The Company covenants to the holders of Registrable Securities
that to the extent it shall be required to do so under the Exchange Act, the
Company shall timely file the reports required to be filed by it under the
Exchange Act or the Securities Act (including the reports under Section 13 and
15(d) of the Exchange Act referred to in subparagraph (c)(1) of Rule 144 adopted
by the Commission under the Securities Act) and the rules and regulations
adopted by the Commission thereunder, and shall take such further action as any
holder of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent
required from time to time to enable such holder to sell Registrable Securities
without registration under the Securities Act within the limitations of the
exemption provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be
amended from time to time, or any similar or successor rule or regulation
hereafter adopted by the Commission. Upon the request of any holder of
Registrable Securities in connection with that holder's sale pursuant to Rule
144, the Company shall deliver to such holder a written statement as to whether
it has complied with such requirements.
9. Miscellaneous.
(a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents, warrants,
covenants and agrees that it has not granted, and shall not grant,
registration rights with respect to Registrable Securities or any other
securities which would be inconsistent with the terms contained in this
Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement.
20
(b) Specific Performance. The parties hereto acknowledge that there
would be no adequate remedy at law if the Company fails to perform any of
its obligations hereunder and that the Purchasers and the holders from
time to time of the Registrable Securities may be irreparably harmed by
any such failure, and accordingly agree that the Purchasers and such
holders, in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled at
law or in equity, shall be entitled to compel specific performance of the
obligations of the Company under this Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Exchange and
Registration Rights Agreement, in any court of the United States or any
State thereof having jurisdiction.
(c) Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands, waivers and
other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to
have been duly given when delivered by hand, if delivered personally or by
courier, or three days after being deposited in the mail (registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested) as follows: If
to the Company, to it at American Achievement Corporation, 7211 Circle S
Road, Austin, Texas 78745, with a copy to Ropes & Gray LLP, One
International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110-2624, Attention: Todd
Boes, Esq., and if to a holder, to the address of such holder set forth in
the security register or other records of the Company, or to such other
address as the Company or any such holder may have furnished to the other
in writing in accordance herewith, except that notices of change of
address shall be effective only upon receipt.
(d) Parties in Interest. All the terms and provisions of this
Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement shall be binding upon, shall
inure to the benefit of and shall be enforceable by the parties hereto and
the holders from time to time of the Registrable Securities and the
respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto and such holders.
In the event that any transferee of any holder of Registrable Securities
shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner, whether by gift,
bequest, purchase, operation of law or otherwise, such transferee shall,
without any further writing or action of any kind, be deemed a beneficiary
hereof for all purposes and such Registrable Securities shall be held
subject to all of the terms of this Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such
transferee shall be entitled to receive the benefits of, and be
conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by all of the applicable
terms and provisions of this Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement.
If the Company shall so request, any such successor, assign or transferee
shall agree in writing to acquire and hold the Registrable Securities
subject to all of the applicable terms hereof.
(e) Survival. The respective indemnities, agreements,
representations, warranties and each other provision set forth in this
Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement or made pursuant hereto shall
remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation (or
statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any holder of
Registrable Securities, any director, officer or partner of such holder,
any agent or underwriter or any director, officer or partner thereof, or
any controlling person of any of the foregoing, and shall survive delivery
of and payment for the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement and the transfer and registration of Registrable Securities by
such holder and the consummation of an Exchange Offer.
(f) GOVERNING LAW. THIS EXCHANGE AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK.
(g) Headings. The descriptive headings of the several Sections and
paragraphs of this Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement are inserted
for convenience only, do not
21
constitute a part of this Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement and
shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Exchange
and Registration Rights Agreement.
(h) Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Exchange and Registration
Rights Agreement and the other writings referred to herein (including the
Indenture and the form of Securities) or delivered pursuant hereto which
form a part hereof contain the entire understanding of the parties with
respect to its subject matter. This Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the
parties with respect to its subject matter. This Exchange and Registration
Rights Agreement may be amended and the observance of any term of this
Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement may be waived (either generally
or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively)
only by a written instrument duly executed by the Company and the holders
of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable
Securities at the time outstanding. Each holder of any Registrable
Securities at the time or thereafter outstanding shall be bound by any
amendment or waiver effected pursuant to this Section 9(h), whether or not
any notice, writing or marking indicating such amendment or waiver appears
on such Registrable Securities or is delivered to such holder.
(i) Inspection. For so long as this Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement shall be in effect, this Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement and a complete list of the names and addresses of all the
holders of Registrable Securities shall be made available for inspection
and copying on any business day by any holder of Registrable Securities
for proper purposes only (which shall include any purpose related to the
rights of the holders of Registrable Securities under the Securities, the
Indenture and this Agreement) at the offices of the Company at the address
thereof set forth in Section 9(c) above and at the office of the Trustee
under the Indenture.
(j) Counterparts. This agreement may be executed by the parties in
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all
such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same
instrument.
22
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please
sign and return to us five counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof
by you, on behalf of each of the Purchasers, this letter and such acceptance
hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among the Purchasers, the Guarantors
and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf
of each of the Purchasers is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of
Agreement among Purchasers, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company
for examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the
authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
American Achievement Corporation
By:____________________________________________
Name: David G. Fiore
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Commemorative Brands, Inc.
CBI North America, Inc.
Taylor Senior Holding Corp.
TP Holding Corp.
Taylor Publishing Company
By:____________________________________________
Name: David G. Fiore
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Taylor Publishing Manufacturing, L.P.
By: Taylor Publishing Company, its General
Partner
By:____________________________________________
Name: David G. Fiore
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Taylor Manufacturing Holdings, LLC
By: Taylor Publishing Company, its Sole Member
By:____________________________________________
Name: David G. Fiore
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Educational Communications Inc.
By:____________________________________________
Name: Parke Davis
Title: President
23
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
By: _____________________________________
(Goldman, Sachs & Co.)
On behalf of each of the Purchasers
24
SCHEDULE I
Commemorative Brands, Inc.
CBI, North America
Taylor Senior Holding Corp.
Taylor Holding Corp.
Taylor Publishing Company
Taylor Manufacturing Holding, LLC
Educational Communications Inc.
EXHIBIT A
American Achievement Corporation
INSTRUCTION TO DTC PARTICIPANTS
(Date of Mailing)
URGENT - IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUESTED
DEADLINE FOR RESPONSE: [DATE] *
The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") has identified you as a DTC Participant
through which beneficial interests in the American Achievement Corporation (the
"Company") [__]% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 (the "Securities") are held.
The Company is in the process of registering the Securities under the Securities
Act of 1933 for resale by the beneficial owners thereof. In order to have their
Securities included in the registration statement, beneficial owners must
complete and return the enclosed Notice of Registration Statement and Selling
Securityholder Questionnaire.
It is important that beneficial owners of the Securities receive a copy of the
enclosed materials as soon as possible as their rights to have the Securities
included in the registration statement depend upon their returning the Notice
and Questionnaire by [Deadline For Response]. Please forward a copy of the
enclosed documents to each beneficial owner that holds interests in the
Securities through you. If you require more copies of the enclosed materials or
have any questions pertaining to this matter, please contact American
Achievement Corporation, 7211 Circle S Road, Austin, Texas 78745, Tel: (512)
444-0571.
- -----------
*Not less than 28 calendar days from date of mailing.
A-1
AMERICAN ACHIEVEMENT CORPORATION
Notice of Registration Statement
and
Selling Securityholder Questionnaire
(Date)
Reference is hereby made to the Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement (the
"Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement") among American Achievement
Corporation (the "Company") and the Purchasers named therein. Pursuant to the
Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has filed with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a
registration statement on Form [__] (the "Shelf Registration Statement") for the
registration and resale under Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act"), of the Company's 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due
2012 (the "Securities"). A copy of the Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement is attached hereto. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein
shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement.
Each beneficial owner of Registrable Securities (as defined below) is entitled
to have the Registrable Securities beneficially owned by it included in the
Shelf Registration Statement. In order to have Registrable Securities included
in the Shelf Registration Statement, this Notice of Registration Statement and
Selling Securityholder Questionnaire ("Notice and Questionnaire") must be
completed, executed and delivered to the Company's counsel at the address set
forth herein for receipt ON OR BEFORE [Deadline for Response]. Beneficial owners
of Registrable Securities who do not complete, execute and return this Notice
and Questionnaire by such date (i) will not be named as selling securityholders
in the Shelf Registration Statement and (ii) may not use the Prospectus forming
a part thereof for resales of Registrable Securities.
Certain legal consequences arise from being named as a selling securityholder in
the Shelf Registration Statement and related Prospectus. Accordingly, holders
and beneficial owners of Registrable Securities are advised to consult their own
securities law counsel regarding the consequences of being named or not being
named as a selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement and
related Prospectus.
The term "Registrable Securities" is defined in the Exchange and Registration
Rights Agreement.
A-2
ELECTION
The undersigned holder (the "Selling Securityholder") of Registrable Securities
hereby elects to include in the Shelf Registration Statement the Registrable
Securities beneficially owned by it and listed below in Item (3). The
undersigned, by signing and returning this Notice and Questionnaire, agrees to
be bound with respect to such Registrable Securities by the terms and conditions
of this Notice and Questionnaire and the Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 6 of the Exchange and
Registration Rights Agreement, as if the undersigned Selling Securityholder were
an original party thereto.
Upon any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement, the Selling Securityholder will be required to deliver to the Company
and Trustee the Notice of Transfer set forth in Appendix A to the Prospectus and
as Exhibit B to the Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement.
The Selling Securityholder hereby provides the following information to the
Company and represents and warrants that such information is accurate and
complete:
A-3
QUESTIONNAIRE
(1) (a) Full Legal Name of Selling Securityholder:
(b) Full Legal Name of Registered Holder (if not the same as in (a)
above) of Registrable Securities Listed in Item (3) below:
(c) Full Legal Name of DTC Participant (if applicable and if not the
same as (b) above) Through Which Registrable Securities Listed in
Item (3) below are Held:
(2) Address for Notices to Selling Securityholder:
_________________
_________________
_________________
Telephone: ___________________________________
Fax: ___________________________________
Contact Person: ___________________________________
(3) Beneficial Ownership of Securities:
Except as set forth below in this Item (3), the undersigned does not
beneficially own any Securities.
(a) Principal amount of Registrable Securities beneficially owned: _____
CUSIP No(s). of such Registrable Securities: _______________________
(b) Principal amount of Securities other than Registrable Securities
beneficially owned: ________________________________________________
CUSIP No(s). of such other Securities: _____________________________
(c) Principal amount of Registrable Securities which the undersigned
wishes to be included in the Shelf Registration Statement:
________________________ CUSIP No(s). of such Registrable Securities
to be included in the Shelf Registration Statement:
____________________________________________________________________
(4) Beneficial Ownership of Other Securities of the Company:
Except as set forth below in this Item (4), the undersigned Selling
Securityholder is not the beneficial or registered owner of any
other securities of the Company, other than the Securities listed
above in Item (3).
State any exceptions here:
A-4
(5) Relationships with the Company:
Except as set forth below, neither the Selling Securityholder nor
any of its affiliates, officers, directors or principal equity
holders (5% or more) has held any position or office or has had any
other material relationship with the Company (or its predecessors or
affiliates) during the past three years.
State any exceptions here:
(6) Plan of Distribution:
Except as set forth below, the undersigned Selling Securityholder
intends to distribute the Registrable Securities listed above in
Item (3) only as follows (if at all): Such Registrable Securities
may be sold from time to time directly by the undersigned Selling
Securityholder or, alternatively, through underwriters,
broker-dealers or agents. Such Registrable Securities may be sold in
one or more transactions at fixed prices, at prevailing market
prices at the time of sale, at varying prices determined at the time
of sale, or at negotiated prices. Such sales may be effected in
transactions (which may involve crosses or block transactions) (i)
on any national securities exchange or quotation service on which
the Registered Securities may be listed or quoted at the time of
sale, (ii) in the over-the-counter market, (iii) in transactions
otherwise than on such exchanges or services or in the
over-the-counter market, or (iv) through the writing of options. In
connection with sales of the Registrable Securities or otherwise,
the Selling Securityholder may enter into hedging transactions with
broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short sales of the
Registrable Securities in the course of hedging the positions they
assume. The Selling Securityholder may also sell Registrable
Securities short and deliver Registrable Securities to close out
such short positions, or loan or pledge Registrable Securities to
broker-dealers that in turn may sell such securities.
State any exceptions here:
By signing below, the Selling Securityholder acknowledges that it understands
its obligation to comply, and agrees that it will comply, with the provisions of
the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, particularly
Regulation M.
In the event that the Selling Securityholder transfers all or any portion of the
Registrable Securities listed in Item (3) above after the date on which such
information is provided to the Company, the Selling Securityholder agrees to
notify the transferee(s) at the time of the transfer of its rights and
obligations under this Notice and Questionnaire and the Exchange and
Registration Rights Agreement.
By signing below, the Selling Securityholder consents to the disclosure of the
information contained herein in its answers to Items (1) through (6) above and
the inclusion of such information in the Shelf Registration Statement and
related Prospectus. The Selling Securityholder understands that such information
will be relied upon by the Company in connection with the preparation of the
Shelf Registration Statement and related Prospectus.
In accordance with the Selling Securityholder's obligation under Section 3(d) of
the Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement to provide such information as
may be required by law for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement, the
Selling Securityholder agrees to promptly notify the Company of any inaccuracies
or changes in the information provided herein which
A-5
may occur subsequent to the date hereof at any time while the Shelf Registration
Statement remains in effect. All notices hereunder and pursuant to the Exchange
and Registration Rights Agreement shall be made in writing, by hand-delivery,
first-class mail, or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery as follows:
(i) To the Company:
American Achievement Corporation
7211 Circle S Road
Austin, TX 78745
Attn: Chief Financial Officer
(ii) With a copy to:
Ropes & Gray LLP
One International Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02110-2624
Attention: Todd Boes, Esq.
Once this Notice and Questionnaire is executed by the Selling Securityholder and
received by the Company's counsel, the terms of this Notice and Questionnaire,
and the representations and warranties contained herein, shall be binding on,
shall inure to the benefit of and shall be enforceable by the respective
successors, heirs, personal representatives, and assigns of the Company and the
Selling Securityholder (with respect to the Registrable Securities beneficially
owned by such Selling Securityholder and listed in Item (3) above. This
Agreement shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New
York.
A-6
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this
Notice and Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or by its
duly authorized agent.
Dated: ___________________________
______________________________________________________________
Selling Securityholder
(Print/type full legal name of beneficial owner of Registrable
Securities)
By: __________________________________________________________
Name:
Title:
PLEASE RETURN THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RECEIPT ON
OR BEFORE [DEADLINE FOR RESPONSE] TO THE COMPANY'S COUNSEL AT:
American Achievement Corporation
7211 Circle S Road
Austin, TX 78745
Attn: Chief Financial Officer
With a copy to:
Ropes & Gray LLP
One International Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02110-2624
Attention: Todd Boes, Esq.
A-7
EXHIBIT B
NOTICE OF TRANSFER PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT
The Bank of New York
American Achievement Corporation
c/o The Bank of New York
101 Barclay Street
New York, New York 10286
Attention: Trust Officer
Re: American Achievement Corporation (the "Company")
8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012
Dear Sirs:
Please be advised that _____________________ has transferred $__________________
aggregate principal amount of the above-referenced Notes pursuant to an
effective Registration Statement on Form [______] (File No. 333-_______) filed
by the Company.
We hereby certify that the prospectus delivery requirements, if any, of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, have been satisfied and that the above-named
beneficial owner of the Notes is named as a "Selling Holder" in the Prospectus
dated [date] or in supplements thereto, and that the aggregate principal amount
of the Notes transferred are the Notes listed in such Prospectus opposite such
owner's name.
Dated:
Very truly yours,
_____________________________
(Name)
By: _____________________________
(Authorized Signature)
B-1