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EXHIBIT 4.1
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INDENTURE
Dated as of July 7, 1998
among
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC.,
as Issuer,
ARMSTRONG MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.,
SIMONDS HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
and
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES FSC, INC.,
as Guarantors,
and
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
as Trustee
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up to $150,000,000
10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008, Series A
10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008, Series B
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CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
TIA Indenture
Section Section
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310(a)(1)................................................ 7.10
(a)(2)................................................ 7.10
(a)(3)................................................ N.A.
(a)(4)................................................ N.A.
(a)(5)................................................ 7.10
(b)................................................... 7.08; 7.10
(c)................................................... N.A.
311(a)................................................... 7.11
(b)................................................... 7.11
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312(a)................................................... 2.05
(b)................................................... 11.03
(c)................................................... 11.03
313(a)................................................... 7.06
(b)(1)................................................ 7.06
(b)(2)................................................ 7.06; 7.07
(c)................................................... 7.05; 7.06; 11.02
(d)................................................... 7.06
314(a)................................................... 4.08; 4.10; 11.02
(b)................................................... N.A.
(c)(1)................................................ 4.08; 11.04
(c)(2)................................................ 11.04
(c)(3................................................. 4.08; 11.04
(d)................................................... N.A.
(e)................................................... 11.05
(f)................................................... N.A.
315(a)................................................... 7.01(b)
(b)................................................... 7.05; 11.02
(c)................................................... 7.01(a)
(d)................................................... 7.01(c)
(e)................................................... 6.11
316(a)(last sentence).................................... 2.09
(a)(1)(A)............................................. 6.05
(a)(1)(B)............................................. 6.04
(a)(2)................................................ N.A.
(b)................................................... 6.07; 9.04
(c)................................................... 9.04
317(a)(1)................................................ 6.08
(a)(2)................................................ 6.09
(b)................................................... 2.04
318(a)................................................... 11.01
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(c)................................................... 11.01
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"N.A." means Not Applicable.
NOTE: This Cross-Reference Table shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be
a part of the Indenture.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
----
ARTICLE ONE
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
SECTION 1.01. Definitions................................................. 1
SECTION 1.02. Incorporation by Reference of TIA........................... 27
SECTION 1.03. Rules of Construction....................................... 27
ARTICLE TWO
THE SECURITIES
SECTION 2.01. Form and Dating............................................. 28
SECTION 2.02. Execution and Authentication................................ 29
SECTION 2.03. Registrar and Paying Agent.................................. 30
SECTION 2.04. Paying Agent To Hold Assets in Trust........................ 30
SECTION 2.05. Securityholder Lists........................................ 30
SECTION 2.06. Transfer and Exchange....................................... 31
SECTION 2.07. Replacement Securities...................................... 31
SECTION 2.08. Outstanding Securities...................................... 32
SECTION 2.09. Treasury Securities......................................... 32
SECTION 2.10. Temporary Securities........................................ 33
SECTION 2.11. Cancellation................................................ 33
SECTION 2.12. Defaulted Interest.......................................... 33
SECTION 2.13. CUSIP Number................................................ 34
SECTION 2.14. Deposit of Moneys........................................... 34
SECTION 2.15. Book-Entry Provisions for Global Securities................. 34
SECTION 2.16. Registration of Transfers and Exchanges..................... 35
ARTICLE THREE
REDEMPTION
SECTION 3.01. Notices to Trustee.......................................... 40
SECTION 3.02. Selection of Securities To Be Redeemed...................... 41
SECTION 3.03. Notice of Redemption........................................ 41
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SECTION 3.04. Effect of Notice of Redemption.............................. 42
SECTION 3.05. Deposit of Redemption Price................................. 42
SECTION 3.06. Securities Redeemed in Part................................. 43
ARTICLE FOUR
COVENANTS
SECTION 4.01. Payment of Securities....................................... 43
SECTION 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency............................. 43
SECTION 4.03. Limitation on Incurrence of Additional Indebtedness......... 44
SECTION 4.04. Limitation on Restricted Payments........................... 45
SECTION 4.05. Corporate Existence......................................... 46
SECTION 4.06. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims........................... 47
SECTION 4.07. Maintenance of Properties and Insurance..................... 47
SECTION 4.08. Compliance Certificate; Notice of Default................... 48
SECTION 4.09. Compliance with Laws........................................ 49
SECTION 4.10. SEC Reports................................................. 49
SECTION 4.11. Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws..................... 50
SECTION 4.12. Limitation on Asset Sales................................... 50
SECTION 4.13. Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions
Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries....................... 53
SECTION 4.14. Limitation on Preferred Stock of Restricted
Subsidiaries............................................. 54
SECTION 4.15. Limitation on Liens......................................... 54
SECTION 4.16. [Intentionally Omitted]..................................... 55
SECTION 4.17. Prohibition on Incurrence of Senior Subordinated Debt....... 55
SECTION 4.18. Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates................. 55
SECTION 4.19. Issuance of Subsidiary Guarantees........................... 56
SECTION 4.20. [Intentionally Omitted]..................................... 57
SECTION 4.21. Conduct of Business......................................... 57
SECTION 4.22. Payments for Consent........................................ 57
SECTION 4.23. Limitation on Designations of Unrestricted
Subsidiaries............................................. 58
SECTION 4.24. Change of Control........................................... 59
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ARTICLE FIVE
SUCCESSOR CORPORATION
SECTION 5.01. Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets................. 61
SECTION 5.02. Successor Corporation Substituted........................... 63
ARTICLE SIX
DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
SECTION 6.01. Events of Default........................................... 64
SECTION 6.02. Acceleration................................................ 66
SECTION 6.03. Other Remedies.............................................. 67
SECTION 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults..................................... 67
SECTION 6.05. Control by Majority......................................... 68
SECTION 6.06. Limitation on Suits......................................... 68
SECTION 6.07. Rights of Holders To Receive Payment........................ 69
SECTION 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee.................................. 69
SECTION 6.09. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim............................ 69
SECTION 6.10. Priorities.................................................. 70
SECTION 6.11. Undertaking for Costs....................................... 70
ARTICLE SEVEN
TRUSTEE
SECTION 7.01. Duties of Trustee........................................... 71
SECTION 7.02. Rights of Trustee........................................... 72
SECTION 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee................................ 74
SECTION 7.04. Trustee's Disclaimer........................................ 74
SECTION 7.05. Notice of Default........................................... 74
SECTION 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders............................... 75
SECTION 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity.................................. 75
SECTION 7.08. Replacement of Trustee...................................... 76
SECTION 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc............................ 78
SECTION 7.10. Eligibility; Disqualification............................... 78
SECTION 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company........... 78
ARTICLE EIGHT
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE
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SECTION 8.01. Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.................... 78
SECTION 8.02. Satisfaction and Discharge.................................. 83
SECTION 8.03. Survival of Certain Obligations............................. 83
SECTION 8.04. Acknowledgment of Discharge by Trustee...................... 84
SECTION 8.05. Application of Trust Assets................................. 84
SECTION 8.06. Repayment to the Company or Guarantors; Unclaimed
Money.................................................... 84
SECTION 8.07. Reinstatement............................................... 85
ARTICLE NINE
AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS
SECTION 9.01. Without Consent of Holders.................................. 86
SECTION 9.02. With Consent of Holders..................................... 86
SECTION 9.03. Compliance with TIA......................................... 88
SECTION 9.04. Revocation and Effect of Consents........................... 88
SECTION 9.05. Notation on or Exchange of Securities....................... 89
SECTION 9.06. Trustee To Sign Amendments, Etc............................. 89
ARTICLE TEN
GUARANTEE
SECTION 10.01. Unconditional Guarantee..................................... 90
SECTION 10.02. Severability................................................ 91
SECTION 10.03. Release of a Guarantor...................................... 91
SECTION 10.04. Limitation of a Guarantor's Liability....................... 92
SECTION 10.05. Contribution................................................ 92
SECTION 10.06. Waiver of Subrogation....................................... 93
SECTION 10.07. Execution of Guarantees..................................... 93
SECTION 10.08. Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws..................... 94
ARTICLE ELEVEN
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 11.01. TIA Controls................................................ 94
SECTION 11.02. Notices..................................................... 94
SECTION 11.03. Communications by Holders with Other Holders................ 96
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SECTION 11.04. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent......... 96
SECTION 11.05. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.............. 96
SECTION 11.06. Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent, Registrar.................. 97
SECTION 11.07. Legal Holidays............................................. 97
SECTION 11.08. Governing Law.............................................. 97
SECTION 11.09. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.............. 97
SECTION 11.10. No Recourse Against Others................................. 97
SECTION 11.11. Successors................................................. 98
SECTION 11.12. Duplicate Originals........................................ 98
SECTION 11.13. Severability............................................... 98
SECTION 11.14. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc........................... 98
ARTICLE TWELVE
SUBORDINATION
SECTION 12.01. Securities Subordinated to Senior Debt; Guarantees
Subordinated to Guarantor Senior Debt................... 98
SECTION 12.02. No Payment on Securities in Certain Circumstances.......... 99
SECTION 12.03. Payment Over of Proceeds upon Dissolution, Etc............. 101
SECTION 12.04. Payments May Be Paid Prior to Dissolution.................. 103
SECTION 12.05. Subrogation................................................ 104
SECTION 12.06. Obligations of the Company Unconditional................... 104
SECTION 12.07. Notice to Trustee.......................................... 105
SECTION 12.08. Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of
Liquidating Agent....................................... 105
SECTION 12.09. Trustee's Relation to Senior Debt or Guarantor
Senior Debt............................................. 106
SECTION 12.10. Subordination Rights Not Impaired by Acts or
Omissions of the Company or a Guarantor or
Holders of Senior Debt.................................. 106
SECTION 12.11. Holders Authorize Trustee To Effectuate
Subordination of Securities............................. 107
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SECTION 12.12. This Article Twelve Not To Prevent Events of Default....... 108
SECTION 12.13. Trustee's Compensation Not Prejudiced...................... 108
SIGNATURES ................................................................ S-1
Exhibit A - Form of Series A Security
Exhibit B - Form of Series B Security
Exhibit C - Form of Legend for Global Securities
Exhibit D - Transfer Certificate
Exhibit E - Transferee Certificate for Institutional Accredited Investors
Exhibit F - Transferee Certificate for Regulation S Transfers
Exhibit G - Form of Guarantee
Note: This Table of Contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part
of the Indenture.
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INDENTURE dated as of July 7, 1998, among SIMONDS INDUSTRIES
INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), as Issuer, ARMSTRONG MANUFACTURING
COMPANY, an Oregon corporation, SIMONDS HOLDING COMPANY, INC., a Delaware
corporation, and SIMONDS INDUSTRIES FSC, INC., a U.S. Virgin Islands
corporation, as Guarantors, and State Street Bank and Trust Company, as Trustee
(the "Trustee").
The Company has duly authorized the issue of 10 1/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2008, Series A, and 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due
2008, Series B, and to provide therefor, the Company has duly authorized the
execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make the
Securities, when duly issued and executed by the Company and authenticated and
delivered hereunder, the valid and binding obligations of the Company, and to
make this Indenture a valid and binding agreement of the Company, have been
done.
Each party hereto agrees as follows for the benefit of each
other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the
Securities:
ARTICLE ONE
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
SECTION 1.01. DEFINITIONS.
"Acquired Indebtedness" means Indebtedness of a Person or any
of its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted
Subsidiary or at the time it merges or consolidates with the Company or any of
the Restricted Subsidiaries or assumed by the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person and in
each case not incurred by such Person in connection with, or in anticipation or
contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such
acquisition, merger or consolidation.
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"Adjusted Net Assets" has the meaning provided in Section
10.05.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any specified Person, any
other Person who directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries
controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified
Person. The term "control" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a
Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise; and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings
correlative of the foregoing.
"Affiliate Transaction" has the meaning provided in Section
4.18.
"Agent" means any Registrar, Paying Agent or co-Registrar.
"Asset Acquisition" means (a) an Investment by the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary in any other Person pursuant to which such Person
shall become a Restricted Subsidiary, or shall be merged with or into the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, or (b) the acquisition by the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary of the assets of any Person (other than a Restricted
Subsidiary) which constitute all or substantially all of the assets of such
Person or comprises any division or line of business of such Person or any other
properties or assets of such Person other than in the ordinary course of
business.
"Asset Sale" means any direct or indirect sale, issuance,
conveyance, lease (other than operating leases entered into in the ordinary
course of business), assignment or other transfer (other than the granting of a
Lien in accordance with Section 4.15 hereof) for value by the Company or any of
the Restricted Subsidiaries (including any Sale and Leaseback Transaction) to
any Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of (a) any Capital
Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary; or (b) any other property or assets of
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the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than in the ordinary course of
business; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Asset Sales shall not include (i) a
transaction or series of related transactions for which the Company or the
Restricted Subsidiaries receive aggregate consideration of less than $1.0
million, (ii) the sale, lease, conveyance, disposition or other transfer of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Company as permitted by Article V
hereof, or (iii) any Restricted Payment made in accordance with Section 4.04
hereof.
"Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar
Federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.
"Blockage Period" has the meaning provided in Section 12.02.
"Board of Directors" means, as to any Person, the board of
directors of such Person or any duly authorized committee thereof.
"Board Resolution" means, with respect to any Person, a copy
of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such
Person to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors of such Person and to
be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to
the Trustee.
"Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
any other day on which banking institutions in the City of New York are required
or authorized by law or other governmental action to be closed.
"Capitalized Lease Obligation" means, as to any Person, the
obligations of such Person under a lease that are required to be classified and
accounted for as capital lease obligations under GAAP and, for purposes of this
definition, the amount of such obligations at any date shall be the capitalized
amount of such obligations at such date, determined in accordance with GAAP.
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"Capital Stock" means (i) with respect to any Person that is a
corporation, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents
(however designated and whether or not voting) of corporate stock, including
each class of Common Stock and Preferred Stock of such Person and (ii) with
respect to any Person that is not a corporation, any and all partnership or
other equity interests of such Person.
"Cash Equivalents" means (i) marketable direct obligations
issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States Government or
issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the
United States, in each case maturing within one year from the date of
acquisition thereof; (ii) marketable direct obligations issued by any state of
the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or
any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the date of
acquisition thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having one of the two
highest ratings obtainable from either Standard & Poor's Corporation ("S&P") or
Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"); (iii) commercial paper maturing no
more than one year from the date of creation thereof and, at the time of
acquisition, having a rating of at least A-1 from S&P or at least P-1 from
Moody's; (iv) certificates of deposit or bankers' acceptances maturing within
one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any bank organized under
the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of
Columbia or any U.S. branch of a foreign bank having at the date of acquisition
thereof combined capital and surplus of not less than $250,000,000; (v)
repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying
securities of the types described in clause (i) above entered into with any bank
meeting the qualifications specified in clause (iv) above; and (vi) investments
in money market funds which invest substantially all their assets in securities
of the types described in clauses (i) through (v) above.
"Change of Control" means the occurrence of one or more of the
following events: (i) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one
transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of
the assets of the
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Company to any Person or group of related Persons for purposes of Section 13(d)
of the Exchange Act (a "Group"), together with any Affiliates thereof (whether
or not otherwise in compliance with the provisions of this Indenture); (ii) the
approval by the holders of Capital Stock of the Company of any plan or proposal
for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company (whether or not otherwise in
compliance with the provisions of this Indenture); or (iii) any Person or Group
(other than the Permitted Holder(s)) shall become the beneficial owner, directly
or indirectly, of shares representing more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary
voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of the
Company.
"Change of Control Offer" has the meaning provided in Section
4.24.
"Change of Control Payment Date" has the meaning provided in
Section 4.24.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as
from time to time constituted, or if at any time after the execution of this
Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the applicable duties
now assigned to it, then the body or bodies performing such duties at such time.
"Common Stock" of any Person means any and all shares,
interests or other participations in, and other equivalents (however designated
and whether voting or non-voting) of such Person's common stock, whether
outstanding on the Issue Date or issued after the Issue Date, and includes,
without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.
"Company" means the party named as such in this Indenture
until a successor replaces it pursuant to this Indenture and thereafter means
such successor.
"Consolidated EBITDA" means, with respect to the Company, for
any period, the sum (without duplication) of (i) Consolidated Net Income and
(ii) to the extent Consolidated
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Net Income has been reduced thereby, (A) all income taxes of the Company and the
Restricted Subsidiaries paid or accrued in accordance with GAAP for such period
(other than income taxes attributable to extraordinary or nonrecurring gains or
taxes attributable to Asset Sales outside the ordinary course of business), (B)
Consolidated Interest Expense and (C) Consolidated Non-cash Charges, LESS any
non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period, all as
determined on a consolidated basis for the Company and the Restricted
Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.
"Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio" means, with respect
to the Company, the ratio of Consolidated EBITDA of the Company during the four
full fiscal quarters (the "Four Quarter Period") ending on or prior to the date
of the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio (the "Transaction Date") to Consolidated Fixed Charges of
the Company for the Four Quarter Period. In addition to and without limitation
of the foregoing, for purposes of this definition, "Consolidated EBITDA" and
"Consolidated Fixed Charges" shall be calculated after giving effect on a PRO
FORMA basis for the period of such calculation to (i) the incurrence or
repayment of any Indebtedness of the Company or any of the Restricted
Subsidiaries (and the application of the proceeds thereof) giving rise to the
need to make such calculation and any incurrence or repayment of other
Indebtedness (and the application of the proceeds thereof), other than the
incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness in the ordinary course of business for
working capital purposes pursuant to working capital facilities, occurring
during the Four Quarter Period or at any time subsequent to the last day of the
Four Quarter Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date, as if such
incurrence or repayment, as the case may be (and the application of the proceeds
thereof), occurred on the first day of the Four Quarter period and (ii) any
Asset Sales or other dispositions or Asset Acquisitions (including, without
limitation, any Asset Acquisition giving rise to the need to make such
calculation as a result of the Company or one of the Restricted Subsidiaries
(including any person who becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a
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result of the Asset Acquisition) incurring, assuming or otherwise being liable
for Acquired Indebtedness and also including any Consolidated EBITDA (PROVIDED
that such Consolidated EBITDA shall be included only to the extent includable
pursuant to the definition of "Consolidated Net Income") attributable to the
assets which are the subject of the Asset Acquisition or Asset Sale or other
disposition during the Four Quarter Period) occurring during the Four Quarter
Period or at any time subsequent to the last day of the Four Quarter Period and
on or prior to the Transaction Date as if such Asset Sale or other disposition
or Asset Acquisition (including the incurrence, assumption or liability for any
such Acquired Indebtedness) occurred on the first day of the Four Quarter
Period. If the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries directly or
indirectly guarantees Indebtedness of a third Person, the preceding sentence
shall give effect to the incurrence of such guaranteed Indebtedness as if the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary had directly incurred or otherwise assumed
such guaranteed Indebtedness. Furthermore, in calculating "Consolidated Fixed
Charges" for purposes of determining the denominator (but not the numerator) of
this "Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio," (1) interest on outstanding
Indebtedness determined on a fluctuating basis as of the Transaction Date and
which will continue to be so determined thereafter shall be deemed to have
accrued at a fixed rate per annum equal to the rate of interest on such
Indebtedness in effect on the Transaction Date; (2) if interest on any
Indebtedness actually incurred on the Transaction Date may optionally be
determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a
eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rates, then the interest rate in
effect on the Transaction Date will be deemed to have been in effect during the
Four Quarter Period; and (3) notwithstanding clause (1) above, interest on
Indebtedness determined on a fluctuating basis, to the extent such interest is
covered by agreements relating to Interest Swap Obligations, shall be deemed to
accrue at the rate per annum resulting after giving effect to the operation of
such agreements.
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"Consolidated Fixed Charges" means, with respect to the
Company for any period, the sum, without duplication, of (i) Consolidated
Interest Expense, plus (ii) the product of (x) the amount of all dividend
payments on any series of Preferred Stock of the Company (other than dividends
paid in Qualified Capital Stock) paid, accrued or scheduled to be paid or
accrued during such period times (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is one
and the denominator of which is one minus the then current effective
consolidated federal, state and local income tax rate of the Company, expressed
as a decimal.
"Consolidated Interest Expense" means, with respect to the
Company for any period, the sum of, without duplication: (i) the aggregate of
the interest expense of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such
period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, including
without limitation, (a) any amortization of debt discount (other than any such
amortization relating to Indebtedness repaid on the Issue Date), (b) the net
costs under Interest Swap Obligations, (c) all capitalized interest and (d) the
interest portion of any deferred payment obligation; and (ii) the interest
component of Capitalized Lease Obligations paid, accrued and/or scheduled to be
paid or accrued by the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such
period as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
"Consolidated Net Income" means, with respect to the Company,
for any period, the aggregate net income (or loss) of the Company and the
Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis, determined in
accordance with GAAP; PROVIDED that there shall be excluded therefrom (a)
after-tax gains and losses from Asset Sales or abandonments or reserves relating
thereto, (b) extraordinary or nonrecurring gains or losses, (c) the net income
of any Person acquired in a "pooling of interests" transaction accrued prior to
the date it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged or consolidated with
the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, (d) the net income (but not loss) of
any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration of dividends or
similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of that income is restricted
by a
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contract, operation of law or otherwise, (e) the net income of any Person, other
than a Restricted Subsidiary, except to the extent of cash dividends or
distributions paid to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary by such Person,
(f) any restoration to income of any contingency reserve, except to the extent
that provision for such reserve was made out of Consolidated Net Income accrued
at any time following the Issue Date or any such restorations which do not
exceed $500,000 in the aggregate in any four fiscal quarter period, (g) income
or loss attributable to discontinued operations (including, without limitation,
operations disposed of during such period whether or not such operations were
classified as discontinued) and (h) in the case of a successor to the Company by
consolidation or merger or as a transferee of the Company's assets, any earnings
of the successor corporation prior to such consolidation, merger or transfer of
assets.
"Consolidated Non-cash Charges" means, with respect to the
Company, for any period, the aggregate depreciation, amortization and other
non-cash expenses of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries reducing
Consolidated Net Income of the Company for such period, determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (excluding any such charge which
requires an accrual of or a reserve for cash charges for any future period).
"Covenant Defeasance" has the meaning provided in Section
8.01.
"Credit Agreement" means the Credit Agreement dated as of the
Issue Date, among the Company, the Guarantors, the lenders party thereto in
their capacities as lenders thereunder and First Union National Bank, as agent,
together with the related documents thereto (including, without limitation, any
guarantee agreements and security documents), in each case as such agreements
may be amended (including any amendment and restatement thereof), supplemented
or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement extending the
maturity of, refinancing, replacing or otherwise restructuring (including
increasing the amount of available borrowings thereunder (PROVIDED that such
increase in borrowings is
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permitted by Section 4.03 hereof (including the definition of Permitted
Indebtedness)) or adding Restricted Subsidiaries as additional borrowers or
guarantors thereunder) all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such
agreement or any successor or replacement agreement and whether by the same or
any other agent, lender or group of lenders.
"Currency Agreement" means any foreign exchange contract,
currency swap agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to
protect the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary against fluctuations in
currency values.
"Custodian" means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator,
sequestrator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
"Default" means an event or condition the occurrence of which
is, or with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an Event
of Default.
"Default Notice" has the meaning provided in Section 12.02.
"Depository" means, with respect to the Securities issued in
the form of one or more Global Securities, The Depository Trust Company or
another Person designated as Depository by the Company, which must be a clearing
agency registered under the Exchange Act.
"Designated Senior Debt" means (i) Indebtedness under or in
respect of the Credit Agreement and (ii) any other Indebtedness constituting
Senior Debt which, at the time of determination, has an aggregate principal
amount of at least $10,000,000 and is specifically designated in the instrument
evidencing such Senior Debt as "Designated Senior Debt" by the Company.
"Designation" has the meaning provided in Section 4.23.
"Designation Amount" has the meaning provided in Section 4.23.
20
"Disqualified Capital Stock" means that portion of any Capital
Stock which, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is
convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any
event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund
obligation or otherwise, or is mandatorily exchangeable for Indebtedness, or is
redeemable, or exchangeable for Indebtedness, at the sole option of the holder
thereof on or prior to the final maturity date of the Securities.
"Domestic Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary" means a Wholly
Owned Restricted Subsidiary incorporated or otherwise organized or existing
under the laws of the United States, any State thereof, the District of Columbia
or any territory or possession of the United States.
"Event of Default" has the meaning provided in Section 6.01.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, or any successor statute or statutes thereto, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
"Fair market value" means, with respect to any asset or
property, the price which could be negotiated in an arm's-length, free market
transaction, for cash, between a willing seller and a willing and able buyer,
neither of whom is under undue pressure or compulsion to complete the
transaction. Fair market value shall be determined by the Board of Directors of
the Company acting reasonably and in good faith and shall be evidenced by a
Board Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company delivered to the
Trustee.
"Final Maturity Date" means July 1, 2008.
"Foreign Restricted Subsidiary" means any Restricted
Subsidiary that is organized or existing under the laws of any jurisdiction
other than the United States, any State thereof, the District of Columbia or any
territory or possession of the United States.
21
"Four Quarter Period" has the meaning provided in the
definition of "Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio" above.
"Funding Guarantor" has the meaning provided in Section 10.05.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles set
forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and
pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other
statements by such other entity as may be approved by a significant segment of
the accounting profession of the United States, which are in effect as of the
Issue Date.
"Global Security" means a security evidencing all or a part of
the Securities issued to the Depository in accordance with Section 2.01 and
bearing the legend prescribed in EXHIBIT C.
"Guarantee" has the meaning provided in Section 4.19.
"Guarantor" means (i) each Domestic Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary of the Company as of the Issue Date and (ii) each other Person that
in the future executes a Guarantee pursuant to Section 4.19 hereof or otherwise;
PROVIDED that any Person constituting a Guarantor as described above shall cease
to constitute a Guarantor when its Guarantee is released in accordance with the
terms of this Indenture.
"Guarantor Senior Debt" means, with respect to any Guarantor,
(i) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest (including any interest
accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition of bankruptcy at the rate
provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such
interest is an allowed claim under applicable law) on any Indebtedness of such
Guarantor, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter created, incurred
or assumed, unless, in the case of any particular Indebtedness, the instrument
creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding
expressly provides that such Indebtedness shall
22
not be senior in right of payment to the Guarantee of such Guarantor. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, "Guarantor Senior Debt" shall also
include the principal of, premium, if any, interest (including any interest
accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition of bankruptcy at the rate
provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such
interest is an allowed claim under applicable law) on, and all other amounts
owing in respect of, (x) all monetary obligations of every nature of the Company
or any Guarantor with respect to the Credit Agreement, including, without
limitation, obligations to pay principal and interest, reimbursement obligations
under letters of credit, fees, expenses and indemnities, (y) all Interest Swap
Obligations and (z) all obligations under Currency Agreements, in each case
whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter incurred. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, "Guarantor Senior Debt" shall not include (i) any Indebtedness of
such Guarantor owing to a Subsidiary of such Guarantor or any Affiliate of such
Guarantor or any of such Affiliate's Subsidiaries, (ii) Indebtedness to, or
guaranteed on behalf of, any shareholder, director, officer or employee of such
Guarantor or any Subsidiary of such Guarantor (including, without limitation,
amounts owed for compensation), (iii) Indebtedness to trade creditors and other
amounts incurred in connection with obtaining goods, materials or services, (iv)
Indebtedness represented by Disqualified Capital Stock, (v) any liability for
federal, state, local or other taxes owed or owing by such Guarantor, (vi)
Indebtedness incurred in violation Section 4.03 hereof, (vii) Indebtedness
which, when incurred and without respect to any election under Section 1111(b)
of Title 11, United States Code, is without recourse to such Guarantor and
(viii) any Indebtedness which is, by its express terms, subordinated in right of
payment to any other Indebtedness of such Guarantor.
"Holder" or "Securityholder" means a Person in whose name a
Security is registered on the Registrar's books.
"incur" has the meaning provided in Section 4.03.
"Indebtedness" means, with respect to any Person, without
duplication, (i) all Obligations of such Person for
23
borrowed money, (ii) all Obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds,
debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (iii) all Capitalized Lease
Obligations of such Person, (iv) all Obligations of such Person issued or
assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale
obligations and all Obligations under any title retention agreement (but
excluding trade accounts payable and other accrued liabilities arising in the
ordinary course of business that are not overdue by 90 days or more or are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and
diligently conducted), (v) all Obligations for the reimbursement of any obligor
on any letter of credit, banker's acceptance or similar credit transaction, (vi)
guarantees and other contingent obligations in respect of Indebtedness of any
other Person referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above and clause (viii)
below, (vii) all Obligations of any other Person of the type referred to in
clauses (i) through (vi) which are secured by any Lien on any property or asset
of such Person, the amount of such Obligation being deemed to be the lesser of
the fair market value of such property or asset or the amount of the Obligation
so secured, (viii) all Obligations under currency agreements and interest swap
agreements of such Person and (ix) all Disqualified Capital Stock issued by such
Person with the amount of Indebtedness represented by such Disqualified Capital
Stock being equal to the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation
preference and its maximum fixed repurchase price, but excluding accrued
dividends, if any. For purposes hereof, the "maximum fixed repurchase price" of
any Disqualified Capital Stock which does not have a fixed repurchase price
shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Capital
Stock as if such Disqualified Capital Stock were purchased on any date on which
Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to this Indenture, and
if such price is based upon, or measured by, the fair market value of such
Disqualified Capital Stock, such fair market value shall be determined
reasonably and in good faith by the Board of Directors of the issuer of such
Disqualified Capital Stock.
24
"Indenture" means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented
from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.
"Independent" when used with respect to any specified Person
means such a Person who (a) is in fact independent; (b) does not have any direct
financial interest or any material indirect financial interest in the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, or in any Affiliate of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries; and (c) is not an officer, employee, promoter, underwriter,
trustee, partner, director or Person performing similar functions for the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Whenever it is provided in this Indenture
that any Independent Person's opinion or certificate shall be furnished to the
Trustee, such Person shall be appointed by the Company, and such opinion or
certificate shall state that the signer has read this definition and that the
signer is Independent within the meaning hereof.
"Independent Financial Advisor" means a firm (i) which does
not, and whose directors, officers and employees and Affiliates do not, have a
direct or indirect financial interest in the Company and (ii) which, in the
judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, is otherwise independent and
qualified to perform the task for which it is to be engaged.
"Initial Purchasers" means Salomon Brothers Inc, First Union
Capital Markets, a division of Wheat First Securities, Inc., and Schroder & Co.
Inc.
"Institutional Accredited Investor" means an institution that
is an "accredited investor" as that term is defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3)
or (7) under the Securities Act.
"Interest Payment Date" means the stated maturity of an
installment of interest on the Securities.
"Interest Swap Obligations" means the obligations of any
Person pursuant to any arrangement with any other Person, whereby, directly or
indirectly, such Person is entitled to
25
receive from time to time periodic payments calculated by applying either a
floating or a fixed rate of interest on a stated notional amount in exchange for
periodic payments made by such other Person calculated by applying a fixed or a
floating rate of interest on the same notional amount and shall include, without
limitation, interest rate swaps, caps, floors, collars and similar agreements.
"Investment" means, with respect to any Person, (i) any direct
or indirect loan or other extension of credit (including, without limitation, a
guarantee) or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other
property to others or any payment for property or services for the account or
use of others), or (ii) any purchase or acquisition by such Person of any
Capital Stock, bonds, notes, debentures or other securities or evidences of
Indebtedness issued by, any Person. "Investment" shall exclude extensions of
trade credit by the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries on commercially
reasonable terms in accordance with normal trade practices of the Company or
such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be. If the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of any Capital Stock of any Restricted
Subsidiary (the "Referent Subsidiary") such that, after giving effect to any
such sale or disposition the Referent Subsidiary shall cease to be a Restricted
Subsidiary, the Company shall be deemed to have made an Investment on the date
of any such sale or disposition equal to the fair market value of the Capital
Stock of the Referent Subsidiary not sold or disposed of.
"Issue Date" means the date of original issuance of the
Securities.
"Legal Defeasance" has the meaning provided in Section 8.01.
"Lien" means any lien, mortgage, deed of trust, pledge,
security interest, charge or encumbrance of any kind (including any conditional
sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof and any
agreement to give any security interest).
26
"Net Cash Proceeds" means, with respect to any Asset Sale, the
proceeds in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents, including payments in respect
of deferred payment obligations when received in the form of cash or Cash
Equivalents (other than the portion of any such deferred payment constituting
interest), received by the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries from
such Asset Sale net of (a) reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and fees relating
to such Asset Sale (including, without limitation, legal, accounting and
investment banking fees, sales commissions and relocation expenses), (b) taxes
paid or payable after taking into account any reduction in consolidated tax
liability due to available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing
arrangements, (c) repayments of Indebtedness secured by the property or assets
subject to such Asset Sale that is required to be repaid in connection with such
Asset Sale and (d) appropriate amounts to be determined by the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, as a reserve, in accordance with
GAAP, against any liabilities associated with such Asset Sale and retained by
the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, after such Asset
Sale, including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit
liabilities, liabilities related to environmental matters and liabilities under
any indemnification obligations associated with such Asset Sale.
"Net Proceeds Offer" has the meaning provided in Section 4.12.
"Net Proceeds Offer Amount" has the meaning provided in
Section 4.12.
"Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date" has the meaning provided in
Section 4.12.
"Net Proceeds Offer Trigger Date" has the meaning provided in
Section 4.12.
"Obligations" means all obligations for principal, premium,
interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications,
27
reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation
governing any Indebtedness.
"Officer" means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of
the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the
Chief Financial Officer, the Controller, or the Secretary of such Person.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by two
Officers of the Company.
"Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion from legal
counsel which and who are acceptable to the Trustee.
"Participants" has the meaning provided in Section 2.15.
"Paying Agent" has the meaning provided in Section 2.03.
"Permitted Holders" means (i) Fleet Venture Resources, Inc.,
Fleet Equity Partners VI-B, L.P., Chisholm Partners III, L.P., Kennedy Plaza
Partners, Habib Y. Gorgi, Bernard V. Buonanno III, Ross B. George and Joseph L.
Sylvia and (ii) any Person "controlled" (as defined in the definition of
"Affiliate") by one or more Persons identified in clause (i) of this definition.
"Permitted Indebtedness" means, without duplication, each of
the following:
(i) Indebtedness under the Securities, this Indenture and any
Guarantees not to exceed $100,000,000 in aggregate principal amount;
(ii) Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Credit Agreement in an
aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the
greater of (x) $30.0 million and (y) the sum of (A) 85% of the net book
value of the accounts receivable of the Company and the Restricted
Subsidiaries and (B) 50% of the net book value of the inventory of the
Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries
28
LESS (C) the amount of Indebtedness outstanding pursuant to clause
(xiii) of this definition reduced in the case of (x) by any required
permanent repayments with the proceeds of Asset Sales (which are
accompanied by a corresponding permanent commitment reduction)
thereunder;
(iii) other Indebtedness of the Company and the Restricted
Subsidiaries outstanding on the Issue Date reduced by the amount of any
scheduled amortization payments or mandatory prepayments when actually
paid or permanent reductions thereon;
(iv) Interest Swap Obligations of the Company covering Indebtedness
of the Company or any Guarantor and Interest Swap Obligations of any
Restricted Subsidiary covering Indebtedness of such Restricted
Subsidiary; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such Interest Swap Obligations are
entered into to protect the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries
from fluctuations in interest rates on Indebtedness incurred in
accordance with this Indenture to the extent the notional principal
amount of such Interest Swap Obligations does not exceed the principal
amount of the Indebtedness to which such Interest Swap Obligations
relates;
(v) Indebtedness under Currency Agreements; PROVIDED that in the
case of Currency Agreements which relate to Indebtedness, such Currency
Agreements do not increase the Indebtedness of the Company and the
Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding other than as a result of
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or by reason of fees,
indemnities and compensation payable thereunder;
(vi) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary for so long as such Indebtedness is held by the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, in each case subject to no Lien
held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
PROVIDED that if as of any date any Person other than the Company or an
a Restricted Subsidiary owns or holds any
29
such Indebtedness or holds a Lien in respect of such Indebtedness, such
date shall be deemed the incurrence of Indebtedness not constituting
Permitted Indebtedness by the issuer of such Indebtedness;
(vii) Indebtedness of the Company to a Restricted Subsidiary for so
long as such Indebtedness is held by a Restricted Subsidiary, in each
case subject to no Lien; PROVIDED that (a) any Indebtedness of the
Company to any Restricted Subsidiary is unsecured and (b) if as of any
date any person other than a Restricted Subsidiary owns or holds any
such Indebtedness or any Person holds a Lien in respect of such
Indebtedness, such date shall be deemed the incurrence of Indebtedness
not constituting Permitted Indebtedness by the Company;
(viii) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other
financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument
inadvertently (except in the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against
insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five business
days of incurrence;
(ix) Indebtedness of the Company or any of the Restricted
Subsidiaries represented by letters of credit for the account of the
Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in order to
provide security for workers' compensation claims, payment obligations
in connection with self-insurance or similar requirements in the
ordinary course of business;
(x) Refinancing Indebtedness;
(xi) additional Indebtedness of the Company and the Guarantors in
an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $10.0 million at any one
time outstanding;
(xii) Purchase Money Indebtedness and Capitalized Lease Obligations
(and any Indebtedness incurred to Refinance such Purchase Money
Indebtedness or Capitalized
30
Lease Obligations) not to exceed $10.0 million at any one time
outstanding; and
(xiii) Indebtedness of Foreign Restricted Subsidiaries that are not
Guarantors in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding
not to exceed the greater of (a) $25.0 million or (b) the sum of (x)
85% of the net book value of accounts receivable of the Foreign
Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors and (y) 50% of the net
book value of the inventory of the Foreign Restricted Subsidiaries that
are not Guarantors.
"Permitted Investments" means (i) Investments by the Company
or any Restricted Subsidiary in any Person that is or will become immediately
after such Investment a Restricted Subsidiary or that will merge or consolidate
into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; (ii) investments in the Company by
any Restricted Subsidiary; PROVIDED that any Indebtedness evidencing such
Investment is unsecured; (iii) investments in cash and Cash Equivalents; (iv)
loans and advances to employees, officers and directors of the Company and the
Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business for bona fide
business purposes not in excess of $1.0 million at any time outstanding; (v)
Currency Agreements and Interest Swap Obligations entered into in the ordinary
course of the Company's or a Restricted Subsidiary's businesses and otherwise in
compliance with this Indenture; (vi) Investments in securities of trade
creditors or customers received pursuant to any plan of reorganization or
similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such trade creditors or
customers; (vii) Investments made by the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries
as a result of consideration received in connection with an Asset Sale made in
compliance with Section 4.12 hereof; (viii) Investments in Persons, including,
without limitation, Unrestricted Subsidiaries and joint ventures, engaged in a
business similar or related to the businesses in which the Company and the
Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the Issue Date not to exceed $10.0
million at any one time outstanding; and (ix) Investments in the Notes.
31
"Permitted Liens" means the following types of Liens:
(i) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims
either (a) not delinquent or (b) contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and as to which the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary
shall have set aside on its books such reserves as may be required
pursuant to GAAP;
(ii) statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers,
warehousemen, mechanics, suppliers, materialmen, repairmen and other
Liens imposed by law incurred in the ordinary course of business for
sums not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith, if such
reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required by
GAAP shall have been made in respect thereof;
(iii) Liens incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of
business in connection with workers' compensation, unemployment
insurance and other types of social security, including any Lien
securing letters of credit issued in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice in connection therewith, or to secure the
performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds,
bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money
bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the
payment of borrowed money);
(iv) judgment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default so long
as such Lien is adequately bonded and any appropriate legal proceedings
which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment
shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such
proceedings may be initiated shall not have expired;
(v) easements, rights-of-way, zoning restrictions and other
similar charges or encumbrances in respect of real property not
impairing in any material respect the ordinary conduct of the business
of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries;
32
(vi) any interest or title of a lessor under any Capitalized Lease
Obligation; PROVIDED that such Liens do not extend to any property or
assets which is not leased property subject to such Capitalized Lease
Obligation;
(vii) purchase money Liens securing Indebtedness incurred to finance
property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary acquired
in the ordinary course of business, and Liens securing Indebtedness
which Refinances any such Indebtedness; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (A) the
related purchase money Indebtedness (or Refinancing Indebtedness) shall
not exceed the cost of such property or assets and shall not be secured
by any property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary
other than the property and assets so acquired and (B) the Lien
securing the purchase money Indebtedness shall be created within 90
days of such acquisition;
(viii) Liens upon specific items of inventory or other goods and
proceeds of any Person securing such Person's obligations in respect of
bankers' acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person
to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or
other goods;
(ix) Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect to
commercial letters of credit which encumber documents and other
property relating to such letters of credit and products and proceeds
thereof;
(x) Liens encumbering deposits made to secure obligations arising
from statutory, regulatory, contractual or warranty requirements of the
Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, including rights of
offset and set-off;
(xi) Liens securing Interest Swap Obligations which Interest Swap
Obligations relate to Indebtedness that is otherwise permitted under
this Indenture;
33
(xii) Liens securing Indebtedness under Currency Agreements;
(xiii) Liens securing Acquired Indebtedness (and any Indebtedness
which Refinances such Acquired Indebtedness) incurred in accordance
with Section 4.03; PROVIDED that (A) such Liens secured the Acquired
Indebtedness at the time of and prior to the incurrence of such
Acquired Indebtedness by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and
were not granted in connection with, or in anticipation of the
incurrence of such Acquired Indebtedness by the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary and (B) such Liens do not extend to or cover any property or
assets of the Company or of any of the Restricted Subsidiaries other
than the property or assets that secured the Acquired Indebtedness
prior to the time such Indebtedness became Acquired Indebtedness of the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; and
(xiv) Liens securing Indebtedness of Foreign Restricted Subsidiaries
that are not Guarantors incurred in accordance with this Indenture;
PROVIDED that such Liens do not extend to any property or assets other
than property or assets of Foreign Restricted Subsidiaries that are not
Guarantors.
"Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation,
unincorporated organization, trust or joint venture, or a governmental agency or
political subdivision thereof.
"Physical Securities" has the meaning provided in Section
2.01.
"Preferred Stock" of any Person means any Capital Stock of
such Person that has preferential rights to any other Capital Stock of such
Person with respect to dividends or redemptions or upon liquidation.
"Private Placement Legend" means the legend initially set
forth on the Securities in the form set forth on EXHIBIT A.
34
"pro forma" means, with respect to any calculation made or
required to be made pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, a calculation in
accordance with Article 11 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act as
interpreted by the Company's Board of Directors in consultation with its
independent certified public accountants.
"Public Equity Offering" has the meaning provided in Paragraph
6 of the Securities.
"Purchase Agreement" means the purchase agreement dated as of
June 30, 1998 by and among the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial
Purchasers.
"Purchase Money Indebtedness" means Indebtedness of the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred for the purpose of financing all
or any part of the purchase price or the cost of construction or improvement of
any property, PROVIDED that the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness
does not exceed the lesser of the fair market value of such property or such
purchase price or cost.
"Qualified Capital Stock" means any Capital Stock that is not
Disqualified Capital Stock.
"Qualified Institutional Buyer" or "QIB" shall have the
meaning specified in Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
"Record Date" means the Record Dates specified in the
Securities; PROVIDED that if any such date is not a Business Day, the Record
Date shall be the first day immediately preceding such specified day that is a
Business Day.
"Redemption Date," when used with respect to any Security to
be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption pursuant to this Indenture
and the Securities.
"Redemption Price," when used with respect to any Security to
be redeemed, means the price fixed for such redemption, payable in immediately
available funds, pursuant to this Indenture and the Securities.
35
"Reference Date" has the meaning provided in Section 4.04.
"Refinance" means in respect of any security or Indebtedness,
to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, redeem, defease or retire,
or to issue a security or Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for, such
security or Indebtedness in whole or in part. "Refinanced" and "Refinancing"
shall have correlative meanings.
"Refinancing Indebtedness" means any Refinancing by the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness incurred in accordance with
Section 4.03 hereof (other than pursuant to clause (ii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii),
(viii), (ix), (xi), (xii) or (xiii) of the definition of Permitted
Indebtedness), in each case that does not (1) result in an increase in the
aggregate principal amount of any Indebtedness of such Person as of the date of
such proposed Refinancing (plus the amount of any premium reasonably necessary
to Refinance such Indebtedness and plus the amount of reasonable expenses
incurred by the Company in connection with such Refinancing) or (2) create
Indebtedness with (A) a Weighted Average Life to Maturity that is less than the
Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Indebtedness being Refinanced or (B) a
final maturity earlier than the final maturity of the Indebtedness being
Refinanced; PROVIDED that if such Indebtedness being Refinanced is Indebtedness
of the Company or a Guarantor, then such Refinancing Indebtedness shall be
Indebtedness solely of the Company and/or Guarantors.
"Registrar" has the meaning provided in Section 2.03.
"Registration Rights Agreement" means the Registration Rights
Agreement dated as of the Issue Date among the Company, the Guarantors and the
Initial Purchasers.
"Regulation S" means Regulation S under the Securities Act.
"Replacement Assets" means assets and property that will be
used in the business of the Company and/or its
36
Restricted Subsidiaries as existing on the Issue Date or in a business the same,
similar or reasonably related thereto (including Capital Stock of a Person which
becomes a Restricted Subsidiary if such Person is engaged in businesses which
comply with Section 4.21 hereof).
"Representative" means the indenture trustee or other trustee,
agent or representative in respect of any Designated Senior Debt; PROVIDED that
if, and for so long as, any Designated Senior Debt lacks such a representative,
then the Representative for such Designated Senior Debt shall at all times
constitute the holders of a majority in outstanding principal amount of such
Designated Senior Debt in respect of any Designated Senior Debt.
"Responsible Officer" shall mean, when used with respect to
the Trustee, any officer in the Corporate Trust Department of the Trustee
including any vice president, assistant vice president or any other officer of
the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the
Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, and to whom any
corporate trust matter is referred because of such officer's knowledge of and
familiarity with the particular subject.
"Restricted Payment" has the meaning provided in Section 4.04.
"Restricted Security" has the meaning set forth in Rule
144(a)(3) under the Securities Act; PROVIDED that the Trustee shall be entitled
to request and conclusively rely upon an Opinion of Counsel with respect to
whether any Security is a Restricted Security.
"Restricted Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary of the Company
that has not been designated by the Board of Directors of the Company, by a
Board Resolution delivered to the Trustee, as an Unrestricted Subsidiary
pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.23 hereof. Any such Designation may
be revoked by a Board Resolution of the Company delivered to the Trustee,
subject to the provisions of such covenant.
37
"Revocation" has the meaning provided in Section 4.23.
"Rule 144A" means Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
"Sale and Leaseback Transaction" means any direct or indirect
arrangement with any Person or to which any such Person is a party, providing
for the leasing to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of any property,
whether owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary at the Issue Date or
later acquired, which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or
such Restricted Subsidiary to such Person or to any other Person from whom funds
have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such Property.
"SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from
time to time constituted, or if at any time after the execution of this
Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the applicable duties
now assigned to it, then the body or bodies performing such duties at such time.
"Securities" means the Series A Securities and the Series B
Securities treated as a single class of securities, as amended or supplemented
from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof, that are issued pursuant
to this Indenture.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
or any successor statute or statutes thereto, and the rules and regulations of
the Commission promulgated thereunder.
"Senior Debt" means the principal of, premium, if any, and
interest (including any interest accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition
of bankruptcy at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect
thereto, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable law)
on any Indebtedness of the Company, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or
thereafter created, incurred or assumed, unless, in the case of any particular
Indebtedness, the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to
which the same is outstanding expressly provides that such Indebtedness shall
not be senior in right of payment to the Securities. Without
38
limiting the generality of the foregoing, "Senior Debt" shall also include the
principal of, premium, if any, interest (including any interest accruing
subsequent to the filing of a petition of bankruptcy at the rate provided for in
the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest is an
allowed claim under applicable law) on, and all other amounts owing in respect
of, (x) all monetary obligations of every nature of the Company under the Credit
Agreement, including, without limitation, obligations to pay principal and
interest reimbursement obligations under letters of credit, fees, expenses and
indemnities, (y) all Interest Swap Obligations and (z) all obligations under
Currency Agreements, in each case whether outstanding on the Issue Date or
thereafter incurred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, "Senior Debt" shall not
include (i) any Indebtedness of the Company to a Restricted Subsidiary or any
Affiliate of the Company or any of such Affiliate's Subsidiaries, (ii)
Indebtedness to, or guaranteed on behalf of, any shareholder, director, officer
or employee of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (including without
limitation, amounts owed for compensation), (iii) Indebtedness to trade
creditors and other amounts incurred in connection with obtaining goods,
materials or services, (iv) Indebtedness represented by Disqualified Capital
Stock, (v) any liability for federal, state, local or other taxes owed by the
Company, (vi) Indebtedness incurred in violation of Section 4.03, (vii)
Indebtedness which, when incurred and without respect to any election under
Section 1111(b) of Title 11, United States Code, is without recourse to the
Company and (viii) any Indebtedness which is, by its express terms, subordinated
in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Company.
"Series A Securities" means the 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2008, Series A, of the Company issued pursuant to this Indenture and
sold pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
"Series B Securities" means the 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2008, Series B, of the Company to be issued in exchange for the Series
A Securities pursuant to this Indenture.
39
"Significant Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person,
any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person that satisfies the criteria for a
"significant subsidiary" set forth in Rule 1.02(w) of Regulation S-X under the
Securities Act.
"Subsidiary", with respect to any Person, means (a) any
corporation of which the outstanding Capital Stock having at least a majority of
the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors under ordinary
circumstances shall at the time be owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person
or (b) any other Person of which at least a majority of the voting interest
under ordinary circumstances is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by
such Person.
"Surviving Entity" has the meaning provided in Section 5.01.
"TIA" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. ss.ss.
77aaa-77bbbb), as amended, as in effect on the date of the execution of this
Indenture until such time as this Indenture is qualified under the TIA, and
thereafter as in effect on the date on which this Indenture is qualified under
the TIA, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.03.
"Trustee" means the party named as such in this Indenture
until a successor replaces it in accordance with the provisions of this
Indenture and thereafter means such successor.
"Unrestricted Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary of the Company
designated as such pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.23. Any such
designation may be revoked by a Board Resolution of the Company delivered to the
Trustee, subject to the provisions of such covenant.
"U.S. Government Obligations" shall have the meaning provided
in Section 8.01.
"U.S. Legal Tender" means such coin or currency in immediately
available funds of the United States of America as
40
at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and
private debts.
"U.S. Physical Securities" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.01.
"Weighted Average Life to Maturity" means, when applied to any
Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing (a) the then
outstanding aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness into (b) the sum of
the total of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then
remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payment
of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii)
the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) which will elapse
between such date and the making of such payment.
"Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary" of the Company means any
Restricted Subsidiary of which all the outstanding voting securities (other than
in the case of a Foreign Restricted Subsidiary, directors' qualifying shares or
an immaterial amount of shares required to be owned by other Persons pursuant to
applicable law) are owned by the Company or any Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary.
SECTION 1.02. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF TIA.
Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, such
provision is incorporated by reference in, and made a part of, this Indenture.
The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
"Commission" means the SEC.
"indenture securities" means the Securities.
"indenture security holder" means a Holder or a
Securityholder.
"indenture to be qualified" means this Indenture.
41
"indenture trustee" or "institutional trustee" means the
Trustee.
"obligor" on the indenture securities means the Company, any
Guarantor and any other obligor on the Securities.
All other TIA terms used in this Indenture that are defined by
the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule and
not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them therein.
SECTION 1.03. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(2) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the
meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(3) "or" is not exclusive;
(4) words in the singular include the plural, and words
in the plural include the singular;
(5) provisions apply to successive events and
transactions; and
(6) "herein," "hereof" and other words of similar import
refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article,
Section or other subdivision.
ARTICLE TWO
THE SECURITIES
SECTION 2.01. FORM AND DATING.
The Series A Securities and the Trustee's certificate of
authentication thereof shall be substantially in the form of EXHIBIT A annexed
hereto, which is hereby incorporated in and
42
expressly made a part of this Indenture. The Series B Securities and the
Trustee's certificate of authentication thereof shall be substantially in the
form of EXHIBIT B annexed hereto, which is hereby incorporated in and expressly
made a part of this Indenture. The Securities may have notations, legends or
endorsements (including notations relating to any Guarantees, stock exchange
rule or usage). The Company and the Trustee shall approve the form of the
Securities and any notation, legend or endorsement (including notations relating
to any Guarantees) on them. Each Security shall be dated the date of its
issuance and shall be authenticated by the Trustee.
Securities offered and sold in reliance on Rule 144A shall be
issued initially in the form of one or more permanent Global Securities in
registered form, substantially in the form set forth in EXHIBIT A, deposited
with the Trustee, as custodian for the Depository, and shall bear the legend set
forth on EXHIBIT C. The aggregate principal amount of any Global Security may
from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records
of the Trustee, as custodian for the Depository, as hereinafter provided.
Securities offered and sold in offshore transactions in
reliance on Regulation S shall be issued in the form of certificated Securities
in registered form in substantially the form set forth in EXHIBIT A (the
"Offshore Physical Securities"). Securities offered and sold in reliance on any
other exemption from registration under the Securities Act other than as
described in the preceding paragraph shall be issued, and Securities offered and
sold in reliance on Rule 144A may be issued, in the form of certificated
Securities in registered form in substantially the form set forth in EXHIBIT A
(the "U.S. Physical Securities"). The Offshore Physical Securities and the U.S.
Physical Securities are sometimes collectively herein referred to as the
"Physical Securities."
SECTION 2.02. EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATION.
Two Officers, or an Officer and an Assistant Secretary, shall
sign, or one Officer shall sign and one
43
Officer or an Assistant Secretary (each of whom shall, in each case, have been
duly authorized by all requisite corporate actions) shall attest to, the
Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature. The Company's seal
shall also be reproduced on the Securities.
If an Officer or Assistant Secretary whose signature is on a
Security was an Officer or Assistant Secretary at the time of such execution but
no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Security,
the Security shall be valid nevertheless. Each Guarantor shall execute its
Guarantee in the manner set forth in Section 10.07.
A Security shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of
the Trustee manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Security.
The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been
authenticated under this Indenture.
The Trustee shall authenticate Securities upon a written order
of the Company in the form of an Officers' Certificate. The Officers'
Certificate shall specify the amount of Securities to be authenticated, the
series of Securities and the date on which the Securities are to be
authenticated. The aggregate principal amount of Securities outstanding at any
time may not exceed $150,000,000, except as provided in Section 2.07. Upon
receipt of a written order of the Company in the form of an Officers'
Certificate, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities in substitution for
Securities originally issued to reflect any name change of the Company.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent reasonably
acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. Unless otherwise provided
in the appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever
the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the
Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the
same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company and Affiliates of the Company.
44
The Securities shall be issuable only in registered form
without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.
SECTION 2.03. REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT.
The Company shall maintain an office or agency in the Borough
of Manhattan, The City of New York, where (a) Securities may be presented or
surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange ("Registrar"), (b)
Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment ("Paying Agent") and (c)
notices and demands in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be
served. The Registrar shall keep a register of the Securities and of their
transfer and exchange. The Company, upon written notice to the Trustee, may have
one or more co-Registrars and one or more additional Paying Agents reasonably
acceptable to the Trustee. The term "Paying Agent" includes any additional
Paying Agent. The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying
Agent until such time as the Trustee has resigned or a successor has been
appointed. Neither the Company nor any Affiliate of the Company may act as
Paying Agent except as otherwise expressly provided in the form of the Security.
SECTION 2.04. PAYING AGENT TO HOLD ASSETS IN TRUST.
The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the
Trustee to agree in writing that each Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the
benefit of Holders or the Trustee all assets held by the Paying Agent for the
payment of principal of, premium if any, or interest on, the Securities, and
shall notify the Trustee in writing of any Default by the Company in making any
such payment. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to distribute
all assets held by it to the Trustee and account for any assets disbursed and
the Trustee may at any time, but shall be under no obligation to, during the
continuance of any payment Default, upon written request to a Paying Agent,
require such Paying Agent to distribute all assets held by it to the Trustee and
to account for any assets distributed. Upon distribution to the Trustee of all
assets that shall have been delivered by the Company to
45
the Paying Agent, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability for such
assets.
SECTION 2.05. SECURITYHOLDER LISTS.
The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is
reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and
addresses of Holders. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall
furnish to the Trustee before each Record Date and at such other times as the
Trustee may request in writing a list as of such date and in such form as the
Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Holders, which list
may be conclusively relied upon by the Trustee.
SECTION 2.06. TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE.
Subject to the provisions of Sections 2.15 and 2.16, when
Securities are presented to the Registrar or a co-Registrar with a request to
register the transfer of such Securities or to exchange such Securities for an
equal principal amount of Securities of other authorized denominations of the
same series, the Registrar or co-Registrar shall register the transfer or make
the exchange as requested if its requirements for such transaction are met;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Securities surrendered for transfer or exchange
shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in
form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar or co-Registrar, duly
executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing. To
permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute and
the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar's or co-Registrar's
written request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of
transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection
therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or other governmental charge
payable upon exchanges or transfers pursuant to Section 2.02, 2.10, 3.06, 4.12,
4.24 or 9.05). The Registrar or co-Registrar shall not be required to register
the transfer of or exchange of any
46
Security (i) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before
the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities and ending at the close of
business on the day of such mailing and (ii) selected for redemption in whole or
in part pursuant to Article Three, except the unredeemed portion of any Security
being redeemed in part.
Any Holder of a Global Security shall, by acceptance of such
Global Security, agree that transfers of beneficial interests in such Global
Security may be effected only through a book-entry system maintained by the
Depository (or its agent), and that ownership of a beneficial interest in a
Global Security shall be required to be reflected in a book entry system.
SECTION 2.07. REPLACEMENT SECURITIES.
If a mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee or if
the Holder of a Security claims that the Security has been lost, destroyed or
wrongfully taken, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate
upon written notice from the Company a replacement Security if the Trustee's
requirements are met. If required by the Trustee or the Company, such Holder
must provide an indemnity bond or other indemnity, sufficient in the judgment of
both the Company and the Trustee, to protect the Company, the Trustee and any
Agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Security is replaced. The
Company and the Trustee may charge such Holder for their respective reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses in replacing a Security, including reasonable fees and
expenses of counsel. Every replacement Security is an additional obligation of
the Company.
SECTION 2.08. OUTSTANDING SECURITIES.
Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities that
have been authenticated by the Trustee except those canceled by it, those
delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section as not
outstanding. Subject to Section 2.09, a Security does not cease to be
47
outstanding because the Company or any of its Affiliates holds the Security.
If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 (other than
a mutilated Security surrendered for replacement), it ceases to be outstanding
unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security
is held by a BONA FIDE purchaser. A mutilated Security ceases to be outstanding
upon surrender of such Security and replacement thereof pursuant to Section
2.07.
If on a Redemption Date or the Final Maturity Date the Paying
Agent holds U.S. Legal Tender or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to pay
all of the principal and interest due on the Securities payable on that date,
then on and after that date such Securities cease to be outstanding and interest
on them ceases to accrue.
SECTION 2.09. TREASURY SECURITIES.
In determining whether the Holders of the required principal
amount of Securities have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent,
Securities owned by the Company, any Guarantor or any of their respective
Affiliates shall be disregarded, except that, for the purposes of determining
whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver
or consent, only Securities that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually
knows are so owned shall be disregarded.
The Trustee may require an Officers' Certificate listing
Securities owned by the Company, any Guarantor or any of their respective
Affiliates.
SECTION 2.10. TEMPORARY SECURITIES.
Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the
Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon
receipt of a written order of the Company in the form of an Officers'
Certificate. The Officers' Certificate shall specify the amount of temporary
Securities to
48
be authenticated and the date on which the temporary Securities are to be
authenticated. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of
definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers
appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company
shall prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate upon receipt of a written order
of the Company pursuant to Section 2.02 definitive Securities in exchange for
temporary Securities.
SECTION 2.11. CANCELLATION.
The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee
for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the
Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for transfer, exchange or payment.
The Trustee, or at the direction of the Trustee, the Registrar or the Paying
Agent, and no one else, shall cancel and, at the written direction of the
Company, shall dispose of all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange,
payment or cancellation. Subject to Section 2.07, the Company may not issue new
Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee
for cancellation. If the Company or any Guarantor shall acquire any of the
Securities, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction
of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are
surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation pursuant to this Section 2.11.
SECTION 2.12. DEFAULTED INTEREST.
If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the
Securities, it shall pay interest on overdue principal and on overdue
installments of interest (without grace periods) from time to time on demand at
the rate of 2% PER ANNUM in excess of the rate shown on the Security.
SECTION 2.13. CUSIP NUMBER.
The Company in issuing the Securities will use a "CUSIP"
number, and if so, the Trustee shall use the CUSIP number in notices of
redemption or exchange as a convenience to
49
Holders; PROVIDED that any such notice may state that no representation is made
as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number printed in the notice or
on the Securities, and that reliance may be placed only on the other
identification numbers printed on the Securities.
SECTION 2.14. DEPOSIT OF MONEYS.
Prior to 11:00 a.m. New York City time on each Interest
Payment Date and the Final Maturity Date, the Company shall deliver by wire
transfer to the Paying Agent in immediately available funds money sufficient to
make cash payments due on such Interest Payment Date or the Final Maturity Date,
as the case may be, in a timely manner which permits the Paying Agent to remit
payment to the Holders on such Interest Payment Date or the Final Maturity Date,
as the case may be.
SECTION 2.15. BOOK-ENTRY PROVISIONS FOR GLOBAL SECURITIES.
(a) The Global Securities initially shall (i) be
registered in the name of the Depository or the nominee of such Depository, (ii)
be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for such Depository and (iii) bear
legends as set forth in EXHIBIT C.
Members of, or participants in, the Depository
("Participants") shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any
Global Security held on their behalf by the Depository, or the Trustee as its
custodian, or under the Global Security, and the Depository may be treated by
the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the
absolute owner of the Global Security for all purposes whatsoever.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the
Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any
written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depository
or impair, as between the Depository and Participants, the operation of
customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any
Security.
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(b) Transfers of Global Securities shall be limited to
transfers in whole, but not in part, to the Depository, its successors or their
respective nominees. Interests of beneficial owners in the Global Securities may
be transferred or exchanged for Physical Securities in accordance with the rules
and procedures of the Depository and the provisions of Section 2.16. In
addition, Physical Securities shall be transferred to all beneficial owners in
exchange for their beneficial interests in Global Securities if (i) the
Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as
Depository for any Global Security and a successor depositary is not appointed
by the Company within 90 days of such notice or (ii) an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing and the Registrar has received a request from the
Depository to issue Physical Securities.
(c) In connection with the transfer of Global Securities
as an entirety to beneficial owners pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section
2.15, the Global Securities shall be deemed to be surrendered to the Trustee for
cancellation, and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall upon written
instructions from the Company authenticate and deliver, to each beneficial owner
identified by the Depository in exchange for its beneficial interest in the
Global Securities, an equal aggregate principal amount of Physical Securities of
authorized denominations.
(d) Any Physical Security constituting a Restricted
Security delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Security pursuant to
paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section 2.15 shall, except as otherwise provided by
Section 2.16, bear the Private Placement Legend.
(e) The Holder of any Global Security may grant proxies
and otherwise authorize any Person, including Participants and Persons that may
hold interests through Participants, to take any action which a Holder is
entitled to take under this Indenture or the Securities.
51
SECTION 2.16. REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS AND EXCHANGES.
(a) TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE OF PHYSICAL SECURITIES. When
Physical Securities are presented to the Registrar with a request:
(i) to register the transfer of the Physical Securities;
or
(ii) to exchange such Physical Securities for an equal
number of Physical Securities of other authorized denominations,
the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if
the requirements under this Indenture as set forth in this Section 2.16 for such
transactions are met; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Physical Securities presented
or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange:
(I) shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar or
co-Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly
authorized in writing; and
(II) in the case of Physical Securities the offer and sale
of which have not been registered under the Securities Act, such
Physical Securities shall be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel
addressed to the Registrar to the effect that such transfer and
exchange is in compliance with applicable securities law and, in the
sole discretion of the Company, by the following additional information
and documents, as applicable:
(A) if such Physical Security is being delivered
to the Registrar by a holder for registration in the name of
such holder, without transfer, a certification from such
holder to that effect (in substantially the form of EXHIBIT D
hereto); or
(B) if such Physical Security is being
transferred to a Qualified Institutional Buyer in
52
accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a
certification to that effect (in substantially the form of
EXHIBIT D hereto); or
(C) if such Physical Security is being
transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor, delivery
of a certification to that effect (in substantially the form
of EXHIBIT D hereto) and a Transferee Certificate for
Institutional Accredited Investors in substantially the form
of EXHIBIT E hereto; or
(D) if such Physical Security is being
transferred in reliance on Regulation S, delivery of a
certification to that effect (in substantially the form of
EXHIBIT D hereto) and a Transferee Certificate for Regulation
S Transfers in substantially the form of EXHIBIT F hereto and
an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company
to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the
Securities Act; or
(E) if such Physical Security is being
transferred in reliance on Rule 144 under the Securities Act,
delivery of a certification to that effect (in substantially
the form of EXHIBIT D hereto) and an Opinion of Counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the Company to the effect that such
transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act; or
(F) if such Physical Security is being
transferred in reliance on another exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act, a
certification to that effect (in substantially the form of
EXHIBIT D hereto) and an Opinion of Counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the Company to the effect that such transfer
is in compliance with the Securities Act.
(b) RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF A PHYSICAL SECURITY FOR A
BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A GLOBAL SECURITY. A Physical
53
Security may not be exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Global Security
except upon satisfaction of the requirements set forth below. Upon receipt by
the Registrar of a Physical Security, duly endorsed or accompanied by
appropriate instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Registrar,
together with:
(A) a certification, in substantially the form
of EXHIBIT D hereto, that such Physical Security is being
transferred to a Qualified Institutional Buyer; and
(B) written instructions directing the Registrar
to make, or to direct the Depository to make, an endorsement
on the Global Security to reflect an increase in the aggregate
amount of the Securities represented by the Global Security,
then the Registrar shall cancel such Physical Security and cause, or direct the
Depository to cause, in accordance with the standing instructions and procedures
existing between the Depository and the Registrar, the number of Securities
represented by the Global Security to be increased accordingly. If no Global
Security is then outstanding, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall upon
written instructions from the Company authenticate a new Global Security in the
appropriate amount.
(c) TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE OF GLOBAL SECURITIES. The
transfer and exchange of Global Securities or beneficial interests therein shall
be effected through the Depository, in accordance with this Indenture (including
the restrictions on transfer set forth herein) and the procedures of the
Depository therefor.
(d) TRANSFER OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A GLOBAL
SECURITY FOR A PHYSICAL SECURITY.
(i) Any Person having a beneficial interest in a Global
Security may upon request exchange such beneficial interest for a
Physical Security. Upon receipt by the
54
Registrar of written instructions or such other form of instructions as
is customary for the Depository from the Depository or its nominee on
behalf of any Person having a beneficial interest in a Global Security
and upon receipt by the Trustee of a written order or such other form
of instructions as is customary for the Depository or the Person
designated by the Depository as having such a beneficial interest
containing registration instructions and, in the case of any such
transfer or exchange of a beneficial interest in Securities the offer
and sale of which have not been registered under the Securities Act,
the following additional information and documents:
(A) if such beneficial interest is being
transferred to the Person designated by the Depository as
being the beneficial owner, a certification from such Person
to that effect (in substantially the form of EXHIBIT D
hereto); or
(B) if such beneficial interest is being
transferred to a Qualified Institutional Buyer in accordance
with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certification to
that effect (in substantially the form of EXHIBIT D hereto);
or
(C) if such beneficial interest is being
transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor, delivery
of a certification to that effect (in substantially the form
of EXHIBIT D hereto) and a Certificate for Institutional
Accredited Investors in substantially the form of EXHIBIT E
hereto; or
(D) if such beneficial interest is being
transferred in reliance on Regulation S, delivery of a
certification to that effect (in substantially the form of
EXHIBIT D hereto) and a Transferee Certificate for Regulation
S Transfers in substantially the form of EXHIBIT F hereto and
an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company
to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the
Securities Act; or
55
(E) if such beneficial interest is being
transferred in reliance on Rule 144 under the Securities Act,
delivery of a certification to that effect (in substantially
the form of EXHIBIT D hereto) and an Opinion of Counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the Company to the effect that such
transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act; or
(F) if such beneficial interest is being
transferred in reliance on another exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act, a
certification to that effect (in substantially the form of
EXHIBIT D hereto) and an Opinion of Counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the Company to the effect that such transfer
is in compliance with the Securities Act,
then the Registrar will cause, in accordance with the standing
instructions and procedures existing between the Depository and the
Registrar, the aggregate amount of the Global Security to be reduced
and, following such reduction, the Company will execute and, upon
receipt of an authentication order in the form of an Officers'
Certificate, the Trustee will authenticate and deliver to the
transferee a Physical Security.
(ii) Securities issued in exchange for a beneficial
interest in a Global Security pursuant to this Section 2.16(d) shall be
registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the
Depository, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect
participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Registrar in writing. The
Registrar shall deliver such Physical Securities to the Persons in
whose names such Physical Securities are so registered.
(e) RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE OF GLOBAL
SECURITIES. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, a Global
Security may not be transferred as a whole except by the Depository to a nominee
of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another
nominee
56
of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor
Depository or a nominee of such successor Depository.
(f) PRIVATE PLACEMENT LEGEND. Upon the transfer, exchange
or replacement of Securities not bearing the Private Placement Legend, the
Registrar shall deliver Securities that do not bear the Private Placement
Legend. Upon the transfer, exchange or replacement of Securities bearing the
Private Placement Legend, the Registrar shall deliver only Securities that bear
the Private Placement Legend unless, and the Trustee is hereby authorized to
deliver Securities without the Private Placement Legend if, (i) there is
delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Company and the Trustee to the effect that neither such legend nor the related
restrictions on transfer are required in order to maintain compliance with the
provisions of the Securities Act or (ii) such Security has been sold pursuant to
an effective registration statement under the Securities Act.
(g) GENERAL. By its acceptance of any Security bearing
the Private Placement Legend, each Holder of such a Security acknowledges the
restrictions on transfer of such Security set forth in this Indenture and in the
Private Placement Legend and agrees that it will transfer such Security only as
provided in this Indenture.
The Registrar shall retain copies of all letters, notices and
other written communications received pursuant to Section 2.15 or this Section
2.16. The Company shall have the right to inspect and make copies of all such
letters, notices or other written communications at any reasonable time upon the
giving of reasonable written notice to the Registrar.
57
ARTICLE THREE
REDEMPTION
SECTION 3.01. NOTICES TO TRUSTEE.
If the Company elects to redeem Securities pursuant to
Paragraph 5 or Paragraph 6 of the Securities, it shall notify the Trustee in
writing of the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price and the principal amount of
Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give notice of redemption to
Trustee at least 45 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date
(unless a shorter notice shall be agreed to by the Trustee in writing), together
with an Officers' Certificate stating that such redemption will comply with the
conditions contained herein.
SECTION 3.02. SELECTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REDEEMED.
If fewer than all of the Securities are to be redeemed, the
Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed, on a PRO RATA basis, by lot
or by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if the Securities are redeemed pursuant to Paragraph 6 of the
Securities, the Securities shall be redeemed solely on a PRO RATA basis or on as
nearly a PRO RATA basis as is practicable (subject to the procedures of the
Depository) unless the securities exchange, if any, on which the Securities are
listed requires a different method. If the Securities are listed on any national
securities exchange, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the
requirements of such exchange in respect of any redemption. The Trustee shall
make the selection from the Securities outstanding and not previously called for
redemption and shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities
selected for redemption and, in the case of any Security selected for partial
redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. The Trustee may select
for redemption portions (equal to $1,000 or any integral multiple thereof) of
the principal of Securities that have denominations larger than $1,000.
Provisions of this
58
Indenture that apply to Securities called for redemption also apply to portions
of Securities called for redemption.
SECTION 3.03. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
At least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a Redemption
Date, the Company shall mail or cause to be mailed a notice of redemption by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, to each Holder whose Securities are to be
redeemed. At the Company's written request, the Trustee shall give the notice of
redemption in the Company's name and at the Company's expense. Each notice for
redemption shall identify the Securities to be redeemed and shall state:
(1) the Redemption Date;
(2) the Redemption Price and the amount of accrued
interest, if any, to be paid;
(3) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(4) that Securities called for redemption must be
surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the Redemption Price plus
accrued interest, if any;
(5) that, unless the Company defaults in making the
redemption payment, interest on Securities called for redemption ceases
to accrue on and after the Redemption Date, and the only remaining
right of the Holders of such Securities is to receive payment of the
Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date
upon surrender to the Paying Agent of the Securities redeemed;
(6) if any Security is being redeemed in part, the
portion of the principal amount of such Security to be redeemed and
that, after the Redemption Date, and upon surrender of such Security, a
new Security or Securities in aggregate principal amount equal to the
unredeemed portion thereof will be issued;
(7) if fewer than all the Securities are to be redeemed,
the identification of the particular Securities
59
(or portion thereof) to be redeemed, as well as the aggregate principal
amount of Securities to be redeemed and the aggregate principal amount
of Securities to be outstanding after such partial redemption; and
(8) the Paragraph of the Securities pursuant to which the
Securities are to be redeemed.
SECTION 3.04. EFFECT OF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section
3.03, Securities called for redemption become due and payable on the Redemption
Date and at the Redemption Price plus accrued interest, if any. Upon surrender
to the Paying Agent, such Securities called for redemption shall be paid at the
Redemption Price (which shall include accrued interest thereon to the Redemption
Date), but installments of interest, the maturity of which is on or prior to the
Redemption Date, shall be payable to Holders of record at the close of business
on the relevant Record Dates.
SECTION 3.05. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE.
Prior to 11:00 a.m. New York City time on the Redemption Date,
the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent U.S. Legal Tender sufficient to
pay the Redemption Price plus accrued interest, if any, of all Securities to be
redeemed on that date.
If the Company complies with the preceding paragraph, then,
unless the Company defaults in the payment of such Redemption Price plus accrued
interest, if any, interest on the Securities to be redeemed will cease to accrue
on and after the applicable Redemption Date, whether or not such Securities are
presented for payment.
SECTION 3.06. SECURITIES REDEEMED IN PART.
Upon surrender of a Security that is to be redeemed in part,
the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security or Securities equal
in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.
60
ARTICLE FOUR
COVENANTS
SECTION 4.01. PAYMENT OF SECURITIES.
The Company shall pay the principal of and interest on the
Securities in the manner provided in the Securities. An installment of principal
of or interest on the Securities shall be considered paid on the date it is due
if the Trustee or Paying Agent holds on that date U.S. Legal Tender designated
for and sufficient to pay the installment.
The Company shall pay, to the extent such payments are lawful,
interest on overdue principal and it shall pay interest on overdue installments
of interest (without regard to any applicable grace periods) from time to time
on demand at the rate borne by the Securities plus 2% per annum. Interest will
be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.
SECTION 4.02. MAINTENANCE OF OFFICE OR AGENCY.
The Company shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The
City of New York, the office or agency required under Section 2.03. The Company
shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change
in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail
to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the
Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and
demands may be made or served at the address of the Trustee set forth in Section
11.02. The Company hereby initially designates the office of the Trustee at 61
Broadway, New York, New York 10004, Attention: Corporate Trust Department, as
its office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.
61
SECTION 4.03. LIMITATION ON INCURRENCE OF ADDITIONAL INDEBTEDNESS.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume,
guarantee, acquire, become liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to,
or otherwise become responsible for payment of (collectively, "incur") any
Indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if no
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of
or as a consequence of the incurrence of any such Indebtedness, the Company or
any Guarantor may incur Indebtedness (including, without limitation, Acquired
Indebtedness) and the Restricted Subsidiaries may incur Acquired Indebtedness,
in each case if on the date of the incurrence of such Indebtedness, after giving
effect to the incurrence thereof, the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio
of the Company is greater than 2.0 to 1.0.
No Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio test of the preceding paragraph (including, without
limitation, Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement) shall reduce the amount of
Indebtedness which may be incurred pursuant to any clause of the definition of
Permitted Indebtedness (including, without limitation, Indebtedness under the
Credit Agreement pursuant to clause (ii) of the definition of Permitted
Indebtedness).
Indebtedness of a Person existing at the time such Person
becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or which is secured by a Lien on an asset
acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (whether or not such
Indebtedness is assumed by the acquiring Person) shall be deemed incurred at the
time the Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or at the time of the asset
acquisition, as the case may be.
SECTION 4.04. LIMITATION ON RESTRICTED PAYMENTS.
The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, (a) declare or pay any
dividend or make any distribution (other
62
than dividends or distributions payable in Qualified Capital Stock of the
Company) on or in respect of shares of the Company's Capital Stock (including
any such payment made by any Person (including, without limitation, an
Unrestricted Subsidiary) with the proceeds from an Investment made by the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) to holders of such Capital Stock, (b)
purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Capital Stock of
the Company or any warrants, rights or options to purchase or acquire shares of
any class of such Capital Stock (including any such payment made by any Person
(including, without limitation, an Unrestricted Subsidiary) with the proceeds
from an Investment made by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) or (c) make
any Investment (other than Permitted Investments) (each of the foregoing actions
set forth in clauses (a), (b) and (c) being referred to as a "Restricted
Payment"), if at the time of such Restricted Payment or immediately after giving
effect thereto, (i) a Default or an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing or (ii) the Company is not able to incur at least $1.00 of additional
Indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness) in compliance with Section 4.03
or (iii) the aggregate amount of Restricted Payments (including such proposed
Restricted Payment) made subsequent to the Issue Date (the amount expended for
such purpose, if other than in cash, being the fair market value of such
property as determined reasonably and in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company) shall exceed the sum of: (w) 50% of the cumulative Consolidated Net
Income (or if cumulative Consolidated Net Income shall be a loss, minus 100% of
such loss) of the Company earned subsequent to the Issue Date and through the
end of the most recent fiscal quarter for which financial statements are
available prior to the date such Restricted Payment occurs (the "Reference Date"
(treating such period as a single accounting period); PLUS (x) 100% of the fair
market value of the aggregate net proceeds received by the Company from any
Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company) from the issuance and sale
subsequent to the Issue Date and on or prior to the Reference Date of Qualified
Capital Stock of the Company or of other securities converted to Qualified
Capital Stock of the Company; PLUS (y) without duplication of any amounts
included in
63
clause (iii)(x) above, 100% of the fair market value of the aggregate net
proceeds of any contribution to the common equity capital of the Company
received by the Company from a holder of the Company's Capital Stock (excluding,
in the case of clauses (iii)(x) and (y), any net proceeds from a Public Equity
Offering to the extent used to redeem the Securities); PLUS (z) an amount equal
to the lesser of (A) the sum of the fair market value of the Capital Stock of an
Unrestricted Subsidiary owned by the Company and/or the Restricted Subsidiaries
and the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary
owed to the Company and each Restricted Subsidiary on the date of Revocation of
such Unrestricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with
Section 4.23 or (B) the Designation Amount with respect to such Unrestricted
Subsidiary on the date of the Designation of such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted
Subsidiary in accordance with Section 4.23.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions set forth in the
immediately preceding paragraph do not prohibit: (1) the payment of any dividend
within 60 days after the date of declaration of such dividend if the dividend
would have been permitted on the date of declaration; (2) the acquisition of any
shares of Capital Stock of the Company, either (i) solely in exchange for shares
of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company or (ii) through the application of net
proceeds of a substantially concurrent sale for cash (other than to a Subsidiary
of the Company) of shares of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company; (3) so long
as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing,
repurchases of Capital Stock (or options therefor) of the Company from officers,
directors, employees or consultants pursuant to equity ownership or compensation
plans or stockholders agreements not to exceed $1.0 million in any year; (4) so
long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing,
other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5.0 million; and
(5) Restricted Payments made on the Issue Date in connection with the
Recapitalization Distribution as defined in the Offering Memorandum relating to
the Notes. In determining the aggregate amount of Restricted Payments made
subsequent to the Issue Date in accordance with clause (iii) of
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the immediately preceding paragraph, amounts expended pursuant to clauses (1),
(2), (3) and (4) shall be included in such calculation.
SECTION 4.05. CORPORATE EXISTENCE.
Except as otherwise permitted by Article Five, the Company
shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full
force and effect its corporate existence and the corporate, partnership or other
existence of each of the Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with the
respective organizational documents of each Restricted Subsidiary and the rights
(charter and statutory) and material franchises of the Company and each of its
Restricted Subsidiaries; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be
required to preserve any such right or franchise, or the corporate existence of
any Restricted Subsidiary, if the Board of Directors of the Company shall
determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of
the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
and that the loss thereof is not, and will not be, adverse in any material
respect to the Holders.
SECTION 4.06. PAYMENT OF TAXES AND OTHER CLAIMS.
The Company shall pay or discharge or cause to be paid or
discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, (i) all material taxes,
assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon it or any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries or upon the income, profits or property of it or any of
the Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) all lawful claims for labor, materials and
supplies which, in each case, if unpaid, might by law become a material
liability or Lien upon the property of it or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be required to pay or discharge or
cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim whose
amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings and for which appropriate provision has been made.
65
SECTION 4.07. MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTIES AND INSURANCE.
(1) The Company shall cause all material properties owned
by or leased by it or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries used in the conduct of
its business or the business of any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to be
improved or maintained and kept in normal condition, repair and working order
(reasonable wear and tear excepted) and supplied with all necessary equipment
and shall cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements,
betterments and improvements thereof, all as in its judgment may be necessary,
so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and
advantageously conducted at all times; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that nothing in this
Section 4.07 shall prevent the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries
from discontinuing the use, operation or maintenance of any of such properties,
or disposing of any of them, if such discontinuance or disposal is, in the
judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company or of the Board of Directors
of any Restricted Subsidiary, or of an officer (or other agent employed by the
Company or of any of the Restricted Subsidiaries) of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries having managerial responsibility for any such property,
desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary, and if such discontinuance or disposal is not adverse in any
material respect to the Holders.
(2) The Company shall maintain, and shall cause the
Restricted Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with responsible carriers against
such risks and in such amounts, and with such deductibles, retentions,
self-insured amounts and co-insurance provisions, as are customarily carried by
similar businesses of similar size, including property and casualty loss,
workers' compensation and interruption of business insurance.
SECTION 4.08. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE; NOTICE OF DEFAULT.
(1) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 100
days after the close of each fiscal year an Officers' Certificate stating that a
review of the activities of the Company has been made under the supervision of
the signing
66
officers with a view to determining whether it has kept, observed, performed and
fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture and further stating, as to each
such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his knowledge the
Company during such preceding fiscal year has kept, observed, performed and
fulfilled each and every such covenant and no Default or Event of Default
occurred during such year and at the date of such certificate no Default or
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or, if such signers do know of
such Default or Event of Default, the certificate shall describe its status with
particularity. The Officers' Certificate shall also notify the Trustee should
the Company elect to change the manner in which it fixes its fiscal year end.
(2) The annual financial statements delivered pursuant to
Section 4.10 shall be accompanied by a written report of the Company's
independent accountants (who shall be a firm of established national reputation)
that in conducting their audit of such financial statements nothing has come to
their attention that would lead them to believe that the Company has violated
any provisions of Article Four, Five or Six of this Indenture insofar as they
relate to accounting matters or, if any such violation has occurred, specifying
the nature and period of existence thereof, it being understood that such
accountants shall not be liable directly or indirectly to any Person for any
failure to obtain knowledge of any such violation.
(3) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within ten
days of becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default in the performance of
any covenant, agreement or condition contained in this Indenture, an Officers'
Certificate specifying the Default or Event of Default and describing its status
with particularity.
SECTION 4.09. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS.
The Company shall comply, and shall cause each of the
Restricted Subsidiaries to comply, with all applicable statutes, rules,
regulations, orders and restrictions of the United States of America, all states
and municipalities
67
thereof, and of any governmental department, commission, board, regulatory
authority, bureau, agency and instrumentality of the foregoing, in respect of
the conduct of their respective businesses and the ownership of their respective
properties, except for such noncompliances as would not in the aggregate have a
material adverse effect on the financial condition or results of operations of
the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
SECTION 4.10. SEC REPORTS.
(1) The Company will file with the SEC all information
documents and reports to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Exchange Act, whether or not the Company is subject to such filing
requirements so long as the SEC will accept such filings. The Company (at its
own expense) will file with the Trustee within 15 days after it files them with
the SEC, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and
other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may
by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company files with the SEC
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Upon qualification of this
Indenture under the TIA, the Company shall also comply with the provisions of
TIA ss. 314(a).
(2) At the Company's expense, regardless of whether the
Company is required to furnish such reports to its stockholders pursuant to the
Exchange Act, the Company shall cause its consolidated financial statements,
comparable to that which would have been required to appear in annual or
quarterly reports, to be delivered to the Trustee and the Holders. The Company
will also make such reports available to prospective purchasers of the
Securities, securities analysts and broker-dealers upon their request.
(3) For so long as any of the Securities remain
outstanding the Company will make available to any prospective purchaser of the
Securities or beneficial owner of the Securities in connection with any sale
thereof the information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act
during any
68
period when the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) under the Exchange
Act.
SECTION 4.11. WAIVER OF STAY, EXTENSION OR USURY LAWS.
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do
so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner
whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law
or any usury law or other law that would prohibit or forgive the Company from
paying all or any portion of the principal of and/or interest on the Securities
as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force,
or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture, and (to
the extent that it may lawfully do so) the Company hereby expressly waives all
benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder,
delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but
will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law
had been enacted.
SECTION 4.12. LIMITATION ON ASSET SALES.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless (i) the Company or
the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration
at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value of the
assets sold or otherwise disposed of (as determined in good faith by the
Company's Board of Directors), (ii) at least 75% of the consideration received
by the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from such Asset
Sale shall be in the form of cash, Cash Equivalents and/or Replacement Assets
and is received at the time of such disposition; and (iii) upon the consummation
of an Asset Sale, the Company shall apply, or cause such Restricted Subsidiary
to apply, the Net Cash Proceeds relating to such Asset Sale within 360 days of
receipt thereof either (A) to prepay any Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt
and, in the case of any Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt under any revolving
credit facility, effect a permanent reduction in the availability under such
revolving
69
credit facility, (B) to acquire Replacement Assets, or (C) a combination of
prepayment and investment permitted by the foregoing clauses (iii)(A) and
(iii)(B). On the 361st day after an Asset Sale or such earlier date, if any, as
the Board of Directors of the Company or of such Restricted Subsidiary
determines not to apply the Net Cash Proceeds relating to such Asset Sale as set
forth in clauses (iii)(A), (iii)(B) and (iii)(C) of the next preceding sentence
(each, a "Net Proceeds Offer Trigger Date"), such aggregate amount of Net Cash
Proceeds which have not been applied on or before such Net Proceeds Offer
Trigger Date as permitted in clauses (iii)(A), (iii)(B) and (iii)(C) of the next
preceding sentence (each, a "Net Proceeds Offer Amount") shall be applied by the
Company to make an offer to purchase (the "Net Proceeds Offer") on a date (the
"Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date") not less than 30 nor more than 60 days
following the applicable Net Proceeds Offer Trigger Date, from all Holders on a
PRO RATA basis, that principal amount of Securities equal to the Net Proceeds
Offer Amount at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities
to be purchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the date
of purchase; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if at any time any non-cash consideration
received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in
connection with any Asset Sale is converted into or sold or otherwise disposed
of for cash (other than interest received with respect to any such non-cash
consideration) or Cash Equivalents, then such conversion or disposition shall be
deemed to constitute an Asset Sale hereunder and the Net Cash Proceeds thereof
shall be applied in accordance with this covenant. The Company may defer the Net
Proceeds Offer until there is an aggregate unutilized Net Proceeds Offer Amount
equal to or in excess of $5,000,000 resulting from one or more Asset Sales or
deemed Asset Sales (at which time, the entire unutilized Net Proceeds Offer
Amount, and not just the amount in excess of $5,000,000, shall be applied as
required pursuant to this paragraph).
In the event of the transfer of substantially all (but not
all) of the property and assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries
as an entirety to a Person in a
70
transaction permitted under Section 5.01, the successor corporation shall be
deemed to have sold the properties and assets of the Company and the Restricted
Subsidiaries not so transferred for purposes of this covenant, and shall comply
with the provisions of this covenant with respect to such deemed sale as if it
were an Asset Sale. In addition, the fair market value (as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company) of such properties and assets of
the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries deemed to be sold shall be deemed to
be Net Cash Proceeds for purposes of this covenant.
Notice of each Net Proceeds Offer pursuant to this Section
4.12 will be mailed or caused to be mailed, by first class mail, by the Company
within 30 days following the Net Proceeds Offer Trigger Date to all Holders at
their last registered addresses, with a copy to the Trustee. The notice shall
contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to
tender Securities pursuant to the Net Proceeds Offer and shall state the
following terms:
(1) that the Net Proceeds Offer is being made pursuant to
Section 4.12 and that all Securities tendered in whole or in part in
integral multiples of $1,000 will be accepted for payment; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if the principal amount of Securities tendered in a Net
Proceeds Offer exceeds the aggregate amount of the Net Cash Proceeds
Offer Amount, the Company shall select the Securities to be purchased
on a PRO RATA basis;
(2) the purchase price (including the amount of accrued
interest, if any) and the Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date (which shall
be at least 20 Business Days from the date of mailing of notice of such
Net Proceeds Offer, or such longer period as required by law);
(3) that any Security not tendered will continue to
accrue interest;
(4) that, unless the Company defaults in making payment
therefor, any Security accepted for payment
71
pursuant to the Net Proceeds Offer shall cease to accrue interest after
the Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date;
(5) that Holders electing to have a Security purchased
pursuant to a Net Proceeds Offer will be required to surrender the
Security, with the form entitled "Option of Holder to Elect Purchase"
on the reverse of the Security completed, to the Paying Agent at the
address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the
Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date;
(6) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their
election if the Paying Agent receives, not later than the Business Day
prior to the Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date, a facsimile transmission
or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of
the Security the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that
such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Security
purchased; and
(7) that Holders whose Securities are purchased only in
part will be issued new Securities in a principal amount equal to the
unpurchased portion of the Securities surrendered.
On or before the Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date, the Company
shall (i) accept for payment Securities or portions thereof tendered pursuant to
the Net Proceeds Offer which are to be purchased in accordance with item (1)
above, (ii) deposit with the Paying Agent in accordance with Section 2.14 U.S.
Legal Tender sufficient to pay the purchase price plus accrued interest, if any,
of all Securities to be purchased and (iii) deliver to the Trustee Securities so
accepted together with an Officers' Certificate stating the Securities or
portions thereof being purchased by the Company. The Paying Agent shall promptly
mail to the Holders of Securities so accepted payment in an amount equal to the
purchase price plus accrued interest, if any. For purposes of this Section 4.12,
the Trustee shall act as the Paying Agent.
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The Company shall and shall cause its Subsidiaries to comply
with all tender offer rules under state and Federal securities laws, including,
but not limited to, Section 14(e) under the Exchange Act and Rule 14e-1
thereunder, to the extent applicable to such offer. To the extent that the
provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the foregoing
provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall comply with the applicable
securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its
obligations under the foregoing provisions of this Indenture by virtue thereof.
SECTION 4.13. LIMITATION ON DIVIDEND AND OTHER PAYMENT RESTRICTIONS AFFECTING
RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES.
The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or
permit to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction on the
ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to (a) pay dividends or make any other
distributions on or in respect of its Capital Stock; (b) make loans or advances
or to pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to the Company or any other
Restricted Subsidiary; or (c) transfer any of its property or assets to the
Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary, except for such encumbrances or
restrictions existing under or by reasons of: (1) applicable law; (2) this
Indenture; (3) customary non-assignment provisions of any contract or any lease
governing a leasehold interest of any Restricted Subsidiary; (4) any instrument
governing Acquired Indebtedness, which encumbrance or restriction is not
applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than
the Person or the properties or assets of the Person so acquired; (5) agreements
existing on the Issue Date to the extent and in the manner such agreements are
in effect on the Issue Date; (6) any other agreement entered into after the
Issue Date which contains encumbrances and restrictions which are not materially
more restrictive with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary than those in effect
with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to agreements as in effect
on the Issue Date; (7) any instrument governing Indebtedness of a Foreign
Restricted
73
Subsidiary; PROVIDED that after giving effect to the imposition of such
encumbrance or restriction, the Company would be able to incur $1.00 of
additional Indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness) in compliance with
Section 4.03; (8) customary restrictions on the transfer of any property or
assets arising under a security agreement governing a Lien permitted under
Section 4.15 hereof; (9) any agreement governing Refinancing Indebtedness
incurred to Refinance the Indebtedness issued, assumed or incurred pursuant to
an agreement referred to in clause (2), (4) or (5) above; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction contained in any
such Refinancing Indebtedness are not materially more restrictive than the
provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction contained in agreements
referred to in such clause (2), (4), (5) or (7); and (10) any agreement
governing the sale or disposition of any Restricted Subsidiary which restricts
dividends and distributions pending such sale or disposition.
SECTION 4.14. LIMITATION ON PREFERRED STOCK OF RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES.
The Company will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries
to issue any Preferred Stock (other than to the Company or to a Restricted
Subsidiary) or permit any Person (other than the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary) to own any Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary.
SECTION 4.15. LIMITATION ON LIENS.
The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or
permit or suffer to exist any Liens of any kind against or upon any property or
assets of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries whether owned on the
Issue Date or acquired after the Issue Date, or any proceeds therefrom, or
assign or otherwise convey any right to receive income or profits therefrom
unless (i) in the case of Liens securing Indebtedness that is expressly
subordinate or junior in right of payment to the Notes, the Notes are secured by
a Lien on such property, assets or proceeds that is senior in
74
priority to such Liens and (ii) in all other cases, the Notes are equally and
ratably secured, except for (A) Liens existing as of the Issue Date to the
extent and in the manner such Liens are in effect on the Issue Date; (B) Liens
securing Senior Debt and Liens securing Guarantor Senior Debt; (C) Liens
securing the Notes and any Guarantees; (D) Liens in favor of the Company or a
Guarantor; (E) Liens securing Refinancing Indebtedness which is incurred to
Refinance any Indebtedness which Refinancing Indebtedness has been secured by a
Lien permitted under this Indenture and which has been incurred in accordance
with the provisions of this Indenture; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such Liens do not
extend to or cover any property or assets of the Company or any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries not securing the Indebtedness so Refinanced; and (F)
Permitted Liens.
SECTION 4.16. [INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]
SECTION 4.17. PROHIBITION ON INCURRENCE OF SENIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT.
The Company will not, and will not permit any Guarantor to,
incur or suffer to exist Indebtedness that is senior in right of payment to the
Securities or the Guarantee of such Guarantor and subordinate in right of
payment to any other Indebtedness of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case
may be.
SECTION 4.18. LIMITATIONS ON TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES.
(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into or permit to
exist any transaction or series of related transactions (including, without
limitation, the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or the
rendering of any service) with, or for the benefit of, any of its Affiliates
(each, an "Affiliate Transaction"), other than (x) Affiliate Transactions
permitted under paragraph (b) below and (y) Affiliate Transactions on terms that
are not materially less favorable than those that would have reasonably been
expected in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm's-
75
length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company or such
Restricted Subsidiary. All Affiliate Transactions (and each series of related
Affiliate Transactions which are similar or part of a common plan) involving
aggregate payments or other property with a fair market value in excess of $1.0
million shall be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company or such
Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, such approval to be evidenced by a
Board Resolution stating that such Board of Directors has determined that such
transaction complies with the foregoing provisions. If the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary enters into an Affiliate Transaction (or series of related
Affiliate Transactions related to a common plan) that involves an aggregate fair
market value of more than $10.0 million, the Company or such Restricted
Subsidiary, as the case may be, shall, prior to the consummation thereof, obtain
a favorable opinion as to the fairness of such transaction or series of related
transactions to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary, as the case
may be, from a financial point of view, from an Independent Financial Advisor
and file the same with the Trustee.
(b) The restrictions set forth in clause (a) shall not
apply to (i) employment, consulting and compensation arrangements and agreements
of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary consistent with past practice or
approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors
(or a committee comprised of disinterested directors); (ii) reasonable fees and
compensation paid to and indemnity provided on behalf of, officers, directors,
employees, consultants or agents of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary as
determined in good faith by the Company's Board of Directors or senior
management; (iii) consulting fees paid by the Company consistent with past
practice; (iv) transactions exclusively between or among the Company and any of
the Restricted Subsidiaries or exclusively between or among such Restricted
Subsidiaries, PROVIDED such transactions are not otherwise prohibited by this
Indenture; and (v) Restricted Payments or Permitted Investments permitted by
this Indenture.
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SECTION 4.19. ISSUANCE OF SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES.
If (a) any Domestic Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary incurs
any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness owing to the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary) or (b) any Restricted Subsidiary (including any Foreign Restricted
Subsidiary) guarantees any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness owing to the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) of the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries (other than a Subsidiary of such Restricted Subsidiary) then, in
either case, the Company shall cause such Domestic Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, to (i) execute and
deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture in form reasonably satisfactory
to the Trustee pursuant to which such Domestic Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, shall
unconditionally guarantee (each, a "Guarantee") all of the Company's obligations
under the Securities and this Indenture on the terms set forth in Article Ten
and (ii) deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel (which may contain
customary exceptions) that such supplemental indenture has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by such Domestic Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary or
such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, and constitutes a legal, valid,
binding and enforceable obligation of such Domestic Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be. Thereafter, such
Domestic Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary or such Restricted Subsidiary, as
the case may be, shall be a Guarantor for all purposes of this Indenture. The
Company may cause any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to issue a
Guarantee and become a Guarantor.
SECTION 4.20. [INTENTIONALLY OMITTED].
SECTION 4.21. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS.
The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted
Subsidiary to, engage in any businesses which are not either (i) the same,
similar or related to the businesses in which the Company and the Restricted
Subsidiaries are
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engaged on the Issue Date, (ii) Permitted Investments or (iii) businesses
acquired through an acquisition after the Issue Date which are not material to
the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
SECTION 4.22. PAYMENTS FOR CONSENT.
The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any of its
Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any
consideration, whether by way of interest, fee or otherwise, to any Holder of
any Securities for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of
any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture, the Securities or the
Guarantees unless such consideration is offered to be paid to all Holders of the
Securities who so consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth
in solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or agreement.
SECTION 4.23. LIMITATION ON DESIGNATIONS OF UNRESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES.
The Company may designate any Subsidiary of the Company (other
than a Subsidiary of the Company which owns Capital Stock of a Restricted
Subsidiary) as an "Unrestricted Subsidiary" under this Indenture (a
"Designation") only if:
(a) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at
the time of or after giving effect to such Designation; and
(b) the Company would be permitted under this Indenture
to make an Investment at the time of Designation (assuming the
effectiveness of such Designation) in an amount (the "Designation
Amount") equal to the sum of (i) the fair market value of the Capital
Stock of such Subsidiary owned by the Company and/or any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries on such date and (ii) the aggregate amount of
Indebtedness of such Subsidiary owed to the Company and the Restricted
Subsidiaries on such date; and
78
(c) the Company would be permitted to incur $1.00 of
additional Indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness) pursuant to
Section 4.03 hereof at the time of Designation (assuming the
effectiveness of such Designation).
In the event of any such Designation, the Company shall be
deemed to have made an Investment constituting a Restricted Payment in the
Designation Amount pursuant to Section 4.04 hereof for all purposes of this
Indenture. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary
to, at any time (x) provide direct or indirect credit support for or a guarantee
of any Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary (including any undertaking
agreement or instrument evidencing such Indebtedness), (y) be directly or
indirectly liable for any Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or (z) be
directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness which provides that the
holder thereof may (upon notice, lapse of time or both) declare a default
thereon or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its
final scheduled maturity upon the occurrence of a default with respect to any
Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary (including any right to take
enforcement action against such Unrestricted Subsidiary), except, in the case of
clause (x) or (y), to the extent permitted under Section 4.04 hereof.
The Company may revoke any Designation of a Subsidiary as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary ("Revocation"), whereupon such Subsidiary shall then
constitute a Restricted Subsidiary, if
(a) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at
the time and after giving effect to such Revocation; and
(b) all Liens and Indebtedness of such Unrestricted
Subsidiary outstanding immediately following such Revocation would, if
incurred at such time, have been permitted to be incurred for all
purposes of this Indenture.
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All Designations and Revocations must be evidenced by an
Officers' Certificate of the Company delivered to the Trustee certifying
compliance with the foregoing provisions.
SECTION 4.24. CHANGE OF CONTROL.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the
Company shall within 30 days of the Change of Control either (i) repay in full
and terminate all commitments under all Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement
and all other Senior Debt the terms of which require repayment upon a Change of
Control or offer to repay in full and terminate all commitments under all
Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement and all other such Senior Debt and to
repay the Indebtedness owed to each lender which has accepted such offer or (ii)
obtain the requisite consents under the Credit Agreement and all other Senior
Debt to permit the repurchase of the Securities as provided below. After the
Company complies with the covenant in the immediately preceding sentence, the
Company shall make an offer to purchase (a "Change of Control Offer"), and shall
purchase, on a Business Day not more than 60 nor less than 30 days following the
occurrence of the Change of Control (the "Change of Control Payment Date"), all
of the then outstanding Securities at a purchase price equal to 101% of the
principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to
the Change of Control Payment Date. The Change of Control Offer shall remain
open for 20 Business Days (or such longer period as may be required by law) and
until the close of business on the Change of Control Payment Date.
(b) Within 30 days following the date upon which the
Change of Control occurred (the "Change of Control Date"), the Company shall
mail, or cause to be mailed, by first class mail, a notice to each Holder, with
a copy to the Trustee, which notice shall govern the terms of the Change of
Control Offer. The notice to the Holders shall contain all instructions and
materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Securities pursuant to the
Change of Control Offer. Such notice shall state:
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(1) that the Change of Control Offer is being made
pursuant to this Section 4.24 and that all Securities tendered and not
withdrawn will be accepted for payment;
(2) the purchase price (including the amount of accrued
interest) and the Change of Control Payment Date;
(3) that any Security not tendered will continue to
accrue interest;
(4) that, unless the Company defaults in making payment
therefor, any Security accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of
Control Offer shall cease to accrue interest after the Change of
Control Payment Date;
(5) that Holders electing to have a Security purchased
pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender the
Security, with the form entitled "Option of Holder to Elect Purchase"
on the reverse of the Security completed, to the Paying Agent at the
address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the
third Business Day prior to the Change of Control Payment Date;
(6) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their
election if the Paying Agent receives, not later than the Business Day
prior to the Change of Control Payment Date, a facsimile transmission
or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of
the Securities the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that
such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Securities
purchased;
(7) that Holders whose Securities are purchased only in
part will be issued new Securities in a principal amount equal to the
unpurchased portion of the Securities surrendered; and
(8) the circumstances and relevant facts regarding such
Change of Control.
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On or before the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company
shall (i) accept for payment Securities or portions thereof tendered pursuant to
the Change of Control Offer, (ii) deposit with the Paying Agent in accordance
with Section 2.14 U.S. Legal Tender sufficient to pay the purchase price plus
accrued interest, if any, of all Securities so tendered and (iii) deliver to the
Trustee Securities so accepted together with an Officers' Certificate stating
the Securities or portions thereof being purchased by the Company. Upon receipt
by the Paying Agent of the monies specified in clause (ii) above and a copy of
the Officers' Certificate specified in clause (iii) above, the Paying Agent
shall promptly mail to the Holders of Securities so accepted payment in an
amount equal to the purchase price plus accrued interest, if any, and the
Trustee shall promptly authenticate and mail to such Holders new Securities
equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Securities
surrendered. Any Securities not so accepted shall be promptly mailed by the
Company to the Holder thereof. For purposes of this Section 4.24, the Trustee
shall act as the Paying Agent.
Any amounts remaining after the purchase of all validly
tendered and not validly withdrawn Securities pursuant to a Change of Control
Offer shall be returned by the Trustee to the Company.
The Company shall and shall cause its Subsidiaries to comply
with all tender offer rules under state and Federal securities laws, including,
but not limited to, Section 14(e) under the Exchange Act and Rule 14e-1
thereunder, to the extent applicable to such offer. To the extent that the
provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section
4.24, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and
regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this
Section 4.24 by virtue thereof.
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ARTICLE FIVE
SUCCESSOR CORPORATION
SECTION 5.01. MERGERS, CONSOLIDATIONS AND SALES OF ASSETS.
(a) The Company will not, in a single transaction or
series of related transactions, consolidate or merge with or into any Person, or
sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of (or cause or
permit any Restricted Subsidiary to sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or
otherwise dispose of) all or substantially all of the Company's assets
(determined on a consolidated basis for the Company and the Restricted
Subsidiaries) whether as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any
Person unless: (i) either (1) the Company shall be the surviving or continuing
corporation or (2) the Person (if other than the Company) formed by such
consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires
by sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition the
properties and assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries
substantially as an entirety (the "Surviving Entity") (x) shall be a corporation
organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States or any State
thereof or the District of Columbia and (y) shall expressly assume, by
supplemental indenture (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Trustee), executed and delivered to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of
the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on all of the Securities and
the performance of every covenant of the Securities, this Indenture and the
Registration Rights Agreement on the part of the Company to be performed or
observed; (ii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and the
assumption contemplated by clause (i)(2)(y) above (including giving effect to
any Indebtedness and Acquired Indebtedness incurred or anticipated to be
incurred in connection with or in respect of such transaction), the Company or
such Surviving Entity, as the case may be, shall be able to incur at least $1.00
of additional Indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness) pursuant to
Section 4.03 hereof;
83
(iii) immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such transaction
and the assumption contemplated by clause (i)(2)(y) above (including, without
limitation, giving effect to any Indebtedness and Acquired Indebtedness incurred
or anticipated to be incurred and any Lien granted in connection with or in
respect of the transaction), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred
or be continuing; and (iv) the Company or the Surviving Entity shall have
delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel,
each stating that such consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, transfer, lease,
conveyance or other disposition and, if a supplemental indenture is required in
connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with the
applicable provisions of this Indenture and that all conditions precedent in
this Indenture relating to such transaction have been satisfied.
(b) For purposes of the foregoing, the transfer (by
lease, assignment, sale or otherwise, in a single transaction or series of
transactions) of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of one or
more Restricted Subsidiaries, the Capital Stock of which constitutes all or
substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company, shall be deemed
to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of
the Company.
(c) No Guarantor (other than any Guarantor whose
Guarantee is to be released in accordance with the terms of the Guarantee and
this Indenture in connection with any transaction complying with the provisions
of Section 4.12 will, and the Company will not cause or permit any Guarantor to,
consolidate with or merge with or into any Person other than the Company or any
other Guarantor unless: (i) the entity formed by or surviving any such
consolidation or merger (if other than the Guarantor) is a corporation organized
and existing under the laws of the United States or any State thereof or the
District of Columbia; (ii) such entity assumes by supplemental indenture all of
the obligations of the Guarantor under this Indenture, such Guarantor's
Guarantee and the Registration Rights Agreement; (iii) immediately after giving
effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred
84
and be continuing; (iv) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and
the use of any net proceeds therefrom on a PRO FORMA basis, the Company could
satisfy the provisions of clause (a)(ii) of this Section 5.01; and (v) the
Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and Opinion
of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation or merger and, if a
supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such
supplemental indenture comply with the applicable provisions of this Indenture
and that all conditions precedent in this Indenture relating to such transaction
have been satisfied.
SECTION 5.02. SUCCESSOR CORPORATION SUBSTITUTED.
In accordance with the foregoing, upon any such consolidation,
merger, conveyance, lease or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets
of the Company in which the Company is not the continuing corporation, the
Surviving Entity formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is
merged or to which such conveyance, lease or transfer is made shall succeed to,
and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company
under this Indenture and the Securities with the same effect as if such
successor had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter the predecessor
corporation will be relieved of all further obligations and covenants under this
Indenture, the Securities and the Registration Rights Agreement; PROVIDED that
solely for purposes of computing amounts described in subclause (iii) of Section
4.04, any such Surviving Entity shall only be deemed to have succeeded to and be
substituted for the Company with respect to periods subsequent to the effective
time of such merger, consolidation or transfer of assets.
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ARTICLE SIX
DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
SECTION 6.01. EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
An "Event of Default" occurs if:
(1) the Company fails to pay interest on any Security for
a period of 30 days after the same becomes due and payable (whether or
not such payment shall be prohibited by Article Twelve); or
(2) the Company fails to pay the principal of any
Security, when such principal becomes due and payable, whether at
maturity, upon redemption or otherwise (including the failure to make a
payment to purchase Securities tendered pursuant to a Change of Control
Offer or Net Proceeds Offer) (whether or not such payment shall be
prohibited by Article Twelve); or
(3) the Company or any Guarantor defaults in the
observance or performance of any other covenant or agreement contained
in this Indenture, the Securities or any Guarantee, which default
continues for a period of 60 days after (x) the Company receives
written notice specifying the default and requiring the Company to
remedy the same from the Trustee or (y) the Company and the Trustee
receive such a notice from Holders of at least 25% in principal amount
of outstanding Securities (except in the case of a default with respect
to Article Five, which will constitute an Event of Default with such
notice requirement but without such passage of time requirement); or
(4) the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary defaults under
any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued
or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness of the
Company or of any Restricted Subsidiary (or the payment of which is
86
guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary) which default
(a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of such Indebtedness after
any applicable grace period provided in such Indebtedness on the date
of such default (a "principal payment default"), or (b) results in the
acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity (and
such acceleration is not rescinded, or such Indebtedness is not repaid,
within 30 days) and, in each case, the principal amount of any such
Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such
Indebtedness under which there has been a principal payment default or
the maturity of which has been so accelerated (and such acceleration is
not rescinded, or such Indebtedness is not repaid, within 30 days),
aggregates $7.5 million; or
(5) the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (A)
admits in writing its inability to pay its debts generally as they
become due, (B) commences a voluntary case or proceeding under any
Bankruptcy Law with respect to itself, (C) consents to the entry of a
judgment, decree or order for relief against it in an involuntary case
or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law, (D) consents to the appointment
of a Custodian of it or for substantially all of its property, (E)
consents to or acquiesces in the institution of a bankruptcy or an
insolvency proceeding against it, (F) makes a general assignment for
the benefit of its creditors, or (G) takes any corporate action to
authorize or effect any of the foregoing; or
(6) a court of competent jurisdiction enters a judgment,
decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries in an involuntary case or proceeding under any
Bankruptcy Law, which shall (A) approve as properly filed a petition
seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition in
respect of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, (B)
appoint a Custodian of the Company or any of its Significant
Subsidiaries or for substantially all of any of their property or (C)
order
87
the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs; and such judgment, decree
or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60
consecutive days; or
(7) one or more judgments, orders or decrees of any court
or regulatory or administrative agency of competent jurisdiction for
the payment of money in excess of $7.5 million not covered by adequate
insurance, either individually or in the aggregate, shall be entered
against the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or any
of their respective properties and shall not be discharged or fully
bonded and there shall have been a period of 60 days after the date on
which any period for appeal has expired and during which a stay of
enforcement of such judgment, order or decree shall not be in effect;
or
(8) any Guarantee of a Guarantor ceases to be in full
force and effect, or any Guarantee of a Guarantor is declared to be
null and void and unenforceable or any Guarantee of a Guarantor is
found to be invalid or any Guarantor denies its liability under its
Guarantee (other than by reason of release of a Guarantor in accordance
with the terms of this Indenture).
The Trustee shall, within 30 days after the occurrence of any
Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, give to the
holders of Securities notice of such Default; PROVIDED that, except in the case
of a Default in the payment of principal of or interest on any of the
Securities, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so
long as a Responsible Officer of the Trustee in good faith determines that the
withholding of such notice is in the interest of the Holders of Securities.
SECTION 6.02. ACCELERATION.
If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default
specified in clause (5) or (6) above) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee
or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then
outstanding
88
Securities may declare the unpaid principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and
unpaid interest on, all the Securities then outstanding to be immediately due
and payable, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee, if given
by Holders) specifying the respective Event(s) of Default and that it is a
"notice of acceleration" and upon such declaration such principal amount,
premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest will become immediately due and
payable. If an Event of Default specified in clause (5) or (6) above occurs and
is continuing, all unpaid principal of, and premium, if any, and accrued and
unpaid interest on, the Securities then outstanding will IPSO FACTO become and
be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part
of the Trustee or any Holder.
At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect
to the Securities as described in the preceding paragraph, the Holders of a
majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities may rescind and
cancel such declaration and its consequences (a) if the rescission would not
conflict with any judgment or decree, (b) if all existing Events of Default have
been cured or waived except nonpayment of principal or interest that has become
due solely because of the acceleration, (c) to the extent the payment of such
interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest and overdue
principal, which has become due otherwise than by such declaration of
acceleration, has been paid, (d) if the Company has paid the Trustee its
reasonable compensation and reimbursed the Trustee for its reasonable expenses,
disbursements and advances and (e) in the event of the cure or waiver of an
Event of Default of the type described in clauses (5) and (6) of the description
of Events of Default above, the Trustee shall have received an Officers'
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel that such Event of Default has been cured
or waived. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any
right consequent thereto.
SECTION 6.03. OTHER REMEDIES.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee
may pursue any available remedy by proceeding at law or
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in equity to collect the payment of principal of or interest on the Securities
or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Securities, this Indenture
or any Guarantee.
The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not
possess any of the Securities or does not produce any of them in the proceeding.
A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Securityholder in exercising any right
or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy
or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. No remedy is
exclusive of any other remedy. All available remedies are cumulative to the
extent permitted by law.
SECTION 6.04. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS.
Subject to Sections 6.02, 6.07 and 9.02, the Holders of not
less than a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities by
written notice to the Trustee may waive an existing Default or Event of Default
and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of principal of, premium
or interest on any Security as specified in clauses (1) and (2) of Section 6.01.
The Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that
the requisite percentage of Holders have consented to such waiver and attaching
copies of such consents upon which the Trustee may conclusively rely. When a
Default or Event of Default is waived, it is cured and ceases.
SECTION 6.05. CONTROL BY MAJORITY.
The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of
the outstanding Securities may direct the time, method and place of conducting
any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust
or power conferred on it. Subject to Section 7.01, however, the Trustee may
refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with any law or this Indenture,
that the Trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of another
Securityholder, or that may involve the Trustee in personal liability; PROVIDED
that
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the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not
inconsistent with such direction.
In the event the Trustee takes any action or follows any
direction pursuant to this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to
indemnification from the Company satisfactory to it in its sole discretion
against any fees, loss, liability, cost or expense caused by taking such action
or following such direction.
SECTION 6.06. LIMITATION ON SUITS.
A Securityholder may not pursue any remedy with respect to
this Indenture, the Securities or any Guarantee unless:
(1) the Holder gives to the Trustee written notice of a
continuing Event of Default;
(2) the Holder or Holders of at least 25% in principal
amount of the outstanding Securities make a written request to the
Trustee to pursue the remedy;
(3) such Holder or Holders offer and, if requested,
provide to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against
any loss, liability or expense;
(4) the Trustee does not comply with the request within
30 days after receipt of the request and the offer and, if requested,
the provision of indemnity; and
(5) during such 30-day period the Holder or Holders of a
majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities do not give
the Trustee a direction which, in the opinion of the Trustee, is
inconsistent with the request.
A Securityholder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the
rights of another Securityholder or to obtain a preference or priority over such
other Securityholder.
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SECTION 6.07. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the
right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, premium and interest on
a Security, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security, or
to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such
respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of the
Holder.
SECTION 6.08. COLLECTION SUIT BY TRUSTEE.
If an Event of Default in payment of principal, premium or
interest specified in clause (1) or (2) of Section 6.01 occurs and is
continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of
an express trust against the Company or any other obligor on the Securities for
the whole amount of principal and accrued interest remaining unpaid, together
with interest on overdue principal and, to the extent that payment of such
interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest, in each case
at the rate per annum borne by the Securities and such further amount as shall
be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the
reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee,
its agents and counsel.
SECTION 6.09. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM.
The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or
documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the
Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, legal
fees, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents, nominees,
custodians, counsel, accountants and experts) and the Securityholders allowed in
any judicial proceedings relating to the Company, its creditors or its property
and shall be entitled and empowered to collect and receive any monies or other
property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same,
and any Custodian in any such judicial proceedings is hereby authorized by each
Securityholder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the
Trustee shall consent
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to the making of such payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the
Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, legal
fees, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents, nominees,
custodians and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section
7.07. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to
authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Securityholder any
plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the
Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to
vote in respect of the claim of any Securityholder in any such proceeding.
SECTION 6.10. PRIORITIES.
If the Trustee collects any money or property pursuant to this
Article Six, it shall pay out the money or property in the following order:
First: to the Trustee for amounts owing under Section 7.07;
Second: if the Holders are forced to proceed against the
Company, a Guarantor or any other obligor on the Securities directly
without the Trustee, to Holders for their collection costs;
Third: to Holders for amounts due and unpaid on the Securities
for principal, premium and interest, ratably, without preference or
priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the
Securities for principal, premium and interest, respectively; and
Fourth: to the Company or any Guarantors, as their respective
interests may appear.
The Trustee, upon prior notice to the Company, may fix a
record date and payment date for any payment to Securityholders pursuant to this
Section 6.10.
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SECTION 6.11. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS.
In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under
this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or
omitted by it as Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by
any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit,
and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including
reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses, against any party litigant in the suit,
having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by
the party litigant. This Section 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a
suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.07, or a suit by a Holder or Holders of
more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities.
ARTICLE SEVEN
TRUSTEE
SECTION 7.01. Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default actually known to a
Responsible Officer of the Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee
shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and
use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person
would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
Subject to such provisions, the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise
any of its rights or powers under this Indenture at the request of any of the
holders of Securities, unless they shall have offered to the Trustee security
and indemnity satisfactory to it in its sole discretion.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default
actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee:
(1) The Trustee need perform only those duties as are
specifically set forth herein and no others and no
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implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture
against the Trustee.
(2) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee
may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the
correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or
opinions and such other documents delivered to it pursuant to Section
11.04 hereof furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Indenture. However, the Trustee shall examine the
certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to
the requirements of this Indenture.
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for
its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful
misconduct, except that:
(1) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph
(b) of this Section 7.01.
(2) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of
judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee,
unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the
pertinent facts.
(3) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any
action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a
direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05.
(d) No provision of this Indenture shall require the
Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or to take or omit
to take any action under this Indenture or take any action at the request or
direction of Holders if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that
repayment of such funds is not assured to it or it does not receive an indemnity
satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against such risk, liability, loss,
fee or expense which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or
direction.
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(e) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way
relates to the Trustee is subject to this Section 7.01.
(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any
money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the
Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other
funds except to the extent required by law.
SECTION 7.02. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.
Subject to Section 7.01:
(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be
protected in acting or refraining from acting on any document believed
by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper
Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in
the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it
may require an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, which
shall conform to the provisions of Section 11.05. The Trustee shall not
be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in
reliance on such certificate or opinion.
(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys, agents,
custodians and nominees and shall not be responsible for the misconduct
or negligence of any attorney, agent, custodian or nominee (other than
such a person who is an employee of the Trustee) appointed with due
care.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it
takes or omits to take in good faith which it reasonably believes to be
authorized or within its rights or powers.
(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice
or opinion of such counsel as to matters of law shall be full and
complete authorization and protection
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from liability in respect of any action taken, omitted or suffered by
it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion
of such counsel.
(f) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise
any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the
request, order or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to the
provisions of this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to
the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the fees, costs,
expenses and liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby.
(g) Except with respect to Section 4.01, the Trustee
shall not have any duty as to inquire as to the performance by the
Company of its covenants or obligations under this Indenture. The
Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice or any knowledge of any
matter (including without limitation defaults or events of default)
unless a Responsible Officer assigned to and working in the Trustee's
Corporate Trust Administration has actual knowledge thereof or unless
written notice thereof is received by the Trustee, attention: Corporate
Trust Administration and such notice references the Securities
generally, the Company or this Indenture.
SECTION 7.03. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become
the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company, its
Subsidiaries, any Guarantors and their respective Affiliates with the same
rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like
rights. However, the Trustee must comply with Sections 7.10 and 7.11.
SECTION 7.04. TRUSTEE'S DISCLAIMER.
The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no
representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the
Securities, it shall not be accountable for the
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Company's use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be
responsible for any statement of the Company in this Indenture or any document
issued in connection with the sale of Securities (including without limitation
any preliminary or final offering memorandum) or any statement in the Securities
other than the Trustee's certificate of authentication. The Trustee makes no
representations with respect to the effectiveness or adequacy of this Indenture.
The Trustee shall not be responsible for independently ascertaining or
maintaining such validity, if any, and shall be fully protected in relying upon
certificates and opinions delivered to it in accordance with the terms of this
Indenture.
SECTION 7.05. NOTICE OF DEFAULT.
If a Default or an Event of Default occurs and is continuing
and a Responsible Officer of the Trustee receives actual notice of such event,
the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder, as their names and addresses
appear on the Securityholder list described in Section 2.05, notice of the
uncured Default or Event of Default within 30 days after the Trustee receives
such notice. Except in the case of a Default or an Event of Default in payment
of principal of, premium or interest on, any Security, including the failure to
make payment on (i) the Change of Control Payment Date pursuant to a Change of
Control Offer or (ii) the Excess Proceeds Offer Payment Date pursuant to an
Excess Proceeds Offer, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as the
board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors,
of the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the
interest of the Securityholders.
SECTION 7.06. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE TO HOLDERS.
This Section 7.06 shall not be operative as a part of this
Indenture until this Indenture is qualified under the TIA, and, until such
qualification, this Indenture shall be construed as if this Section 7.06 were
not contained herein.
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Within 60 days after each May 15 of each year beginning with
1999, the Trustee shall, to the extent that any of the events described in TIA
ss. 313(a) occurred within the previous twelve months, but not otherwise, mail
to each Securityholder a brief report dated as of such date that complies with
TIA ss. 313(a). The Trustee also shall comply with TIA ss.ss. 313(b), 313(c) and
313(d).
A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to
Securityholders shall be mailed to the Company and filed with the SEC and each
securities exchange, if any, on which the Securities are listed.
The Company shall notify a Responsible Officer of the Trustee
if the Securities become listed on any securities exchange or of any delisting
thereof.
SECTION 7.07. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNITY.
The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time
reasonable compensation for its services hereunder. The Trustee's compensation
shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express
trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable
disbursements, expenses and advances (including reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel) incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its
services, except any such disbursements, expenses and advances as may be
attributable to the Trustee's negligence or bad faith. Such expenses shall
include the reasonable compensation, legal fees, disbursements and expenses of
the Trustee's agents, accountants, experts, nominees, custodians and counsel and
any taxes or other expenses incurred by a trust created pursuant to Section 8.01
hereof.
The Company shall indemnify the Trustee, its directors,
officers and employees and each predecessor trustee for, and hold it harmless
against, any loss, liability or expense incurred by the Trustee without
negligence or bad faith on its part arising out of or in connection with the
administration of this trust and its duties under this
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Indenture, including the reasonable expenses and attorneys' fees of defending
itself against any claim of liability arising hereunder. The Trustee shall
notify the Company promptly of any claim asserted against the Trustee for which
it may seek indemnity. However, the failure by the Trustee to so notify the
Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder. The Company
shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense (and may
employ its own counsel) at the Company's expense. The Company need not pay for
any settlement made without its written consent, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed. The Company need not reimburse any expense or
indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee as a result of
the violation of this Indenture by the Trustee if such violation arose from the
Trustee's negligence or bad faith.
To secure the Company's payment obligations in this Section
7.07, the Trustee shall have a senior claim and lien prior to the Securities
against all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity
as Trustee.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an
Event of Default specified in clause (5) or (6) of Section 6.01 occurs, the
expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its agents and counsel)
and the compensation for the services shall be preferred over the status of the
Holders in a proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law and are intended to constitute
expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law. The Company's obligations
under this Section 7.07 and any claim arising hereunder shall survive the
resignation or removal of any Trustee, the discharge of the Company's
obligations pursuant to Article Eight and any rejection or termination under any
Bankruptcy Law.
SECTION 7.08. REPLACEMENT OF TRUSTEE.
The Trustee may resign at any time by so notifying the Company
in writing. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding
Securities may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Company and the Trustee in
writing and may
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appoint a successor trustee with the Company's consent. The Company may
remove the Trustee if:
(1) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;
(2) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent;
(3) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of
the Trustee or its property; or
(4) the Trustee becomes legally incapable of acting with
respect to its duties hereunder.
If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in
the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall notify each Holder of
such event and shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after
the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Securities may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the
successor Trustee appointed by the Company.
A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its
appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that,
the retiring Trustee shall transfer, after payment of all sums then owing to the
Trustee pursuant to Section 7.07, all property held by it as Trustee to the
successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided in Section 7.07, the resignation
or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor
Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this
Indenture; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no Trustee under this Indenture shall be
liable for any act or omission of any successor Trustee. A successor Trustee
shall mail notice of its succession to each Securityholder.
If a successor Trustee does not take office within 30 days
after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the
Company or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the outstanding
Securities may petition any
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court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
If the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10, any
Securityholder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal
of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this
Section 7.08, the Company's obligations under Section 7.07 shall continue for
the benefit of the retiring Trustee and the Company shall pay to any such
replaced or removed Trustee all amounts owed under Section 7.07 upon such
replacement or removal.
SECTION 7.09. SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE BY MERGER, ETC.
If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or
transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another
corporation, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any
further act shall, if such resulting, surviving or transferee corporation is
otherwise eligible hereunder, be the successor Trustee. In case any Securities
shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office,
any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating
Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so
authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself
authenticated such Securities.
SECTION 7.10. ELIGIBILITY; DISQUALIFICATION.
This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the
requirement of TIA ss.ss. 310(a)(1) and 310(a)(5). The Trustee shall have a
combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 as set forth in its most
recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA
ss. 310(b); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that there shall be excluded from the operation
of TIA ss. 310(b)(1) any indenture or indentures under which other securities,
or certificates of interest or participation in other securities, of the Company
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are outstanding, if the requirements for such exclusion set forth in TIA ss.
310(b)(1) are met.
SECTION 7.11. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST COMPANY.
The Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee hereunder, shall
comply with TIA ss. 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA
ss. 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA
ss. 311(a) to the extent indicated.
ARTICLE EIGHT
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE
SECTION 8.01. LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE.
(a) The Company may, at its option by Board Resolution,
at any time, with respect to the Securities, elect to have either paragraph (b)
or paragraph (c) below be applied to the outstanding Securities upon compliance
with the conditions set forth in paragraph (d).
(b) Upon the Company's exercise under paragraph (a) of
the option applicable to this paragraph (b), the Company shall be deemed to have
been released and discharged from its obligations with respect to the
outstanding Securities on the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied
(hereinafter, "Legal Defeasance"). For this purpose, such Legal Defeasance means
that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire
indebtedness represented by the outstanding Securities, which shall thereafter
be deemed to be "outstanding" only for the purposes of the Sections and matters
under this Indenture referred to in (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied
all its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as
such Securities are concerned, except for the following, which shall survive
until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of the
Holders of outstanding Securities to receive payment in respect
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of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Securities when such
payments are due, (ii) the Company's obligations to issue temporary Securities,
register the transfer or exchange of any Securities, replace mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen Securities and maintain an office or agency for
payments in respect of the Securities, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties
and immunities of the Trustee, and (iv) the Legal Defeasance provisions of this
Indenture. The Company may exercise its option under this paragraph (b)
notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under paragraph (c) below with
respect to the Securities.
(c) Upon the Company's exercise under paragraph (a) of
the option applicable to this paragraph (c), the Company shall be released and
discharged from its obligations under any covenant contained in Article Five and
in Sections 4.03 through 4.24 with respect to the outstanding Securities on and
after the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter,
"Covenant Defeasance"), and the Securities shall thereafter be deemed to be not
"outstanding" for the purpose of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration
or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such
covenants, but shall continue to be deemed "outstanding" for all other purposes
hereunder. For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect
to the outstanding Securities, the Company and any Guarantor may omit to comply
with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation
set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any
reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in
any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and
such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default
under Section 6.01(3), nor shall any event referred to in Section 6.01(4) or (7)
thereafter constitute a Default or an Event of Default thereunder but, except as
specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be
unaffected thereby.
(d) The following shall be the conditions to application
of either paragraph (b) or paragraph (c) above to the outstanding Securities:
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(1) The Company shall have irrevocably deposited in trust
with the Trustee, pursuant to an irrevocable trust and security
agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee,
U.S. Legal Tender or direct non-callable obligations of, or
non-callable obligations guaranteed by, the United States of America
for the payment of which obligation or guarantee the full faith and
credit of the United States of America is pledged ("U.S. Government
Obligations") maturing as to principal and interest in such amounts and
at such times as are sufficient, without consideration of the
reinvestment of such interest and principal and after payment of all
Federal, state and local taxes or other charges or assessments in
respect thereof payable by the Trustee, in the opinion of a nationally
recognized firm of Independent public accountants expressed in a
written certification thereof (in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Trustee) delivered to the Trustee, to pay the
principal of, premium, if any, and interest on all the outstanding
Securities on the dates on which any such payments are due and payable
in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of the Securities;
(2) Such deposits shall not cause the Trustee to have a
conflicting interest as defined in and for purposes of the TIA;
(3) The Trustee shall have received Officers'
Certificates stating that no Default or Event of Default or event which
with notice or lapse of time or both would become a Default or an Event
of Default with respect to the Securities shall have occurred and be
continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as Section 6.01(5)
or (6) is concerned, at any time during the period ending on the 91st
day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this
condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such
period);
(4) The Trustee shall have received Officers'
Certificates stating that such deposit will not result in a Default
under this Indenture or a breach or violation
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of, or constitute a default under, any other material instrument or
agreement to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or
by which it or its property is bound;
(5) (i) In the event the Company elects paragraph (b)
hereof, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee to the
effect that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been
published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the
Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable federal income
tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such
Opinion of Counsel shall state that Holders of the Securities will not
recognize income gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a
result of such deposit and the defeasance contemplated hereby and will
be subject to Federal income taxes in the same manner and at the same
times as would have been the case of such deposit and defeasance had
not occurred, or (ii) in the event the Company elects paragraph (c)
hereof, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, to the
effect that, Holders of the Securities will not recognize income, gain
or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and
the defeasance contemplated hereby and will be subject to Federal
income tax in the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same
times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had
not occurred;
(6) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an
Opinion of Counsel stating that as a result of the Legal Defeasance or
Covenant Defeasance, neither the Trustee nor the trust have become or
are deemed to have become an "investment company" under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(7) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an
Officers' Certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
the Trustee, stating that the deposit
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under clause (1) was not made by the Company, a Guarantor or any
Subsidiary of the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering,
delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company, a Guarantor,
or any Subsidiary of the Company or others;
(8) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an
Opinion of Counsel, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
the Trustee, to the effect that, (A) the trust funds will not be
subject to the rights of holders of Indebtedness of the Company or any
Guarantor other than the Securities and (B) assuming no intervening
bankruptcy of the Company between the date of deposit and the 91st day
following the deposit and that no Holder of Securities is an insider of
the Company, after the passage of 90 days following the deposit, the
trust funds will not be subject to any applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or similar law affecting creditors' rights
generally;
(9) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions
precedent specified herein relating to the defeasance contemplated by
this Section 8.01 have been complied with; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no
deposit under clause (1) above shall be effective to terminate the
obligations of the Company under the Securities or this Indenture prior
to 90 days following any such deposit; and
(10) The Company shall have paid all amounts owing to the
Trustee pursuant to Section 7.07.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Opinion of Counsel required
by paragraph (5) above need not be delivered if all Securities not theretofore
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (i) have become due and payable, (ii)
will become due and payable on the maturity date for the securities within one
year, or (iii) are to be called for redemption within one year under
arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption
by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company.
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In the event all or any portion of the Securities are to be
redeemed through such irrevocable trust, the Company must make arrangements
satisfactory to the Trustee, at the time of such deposit, for the giving of the
notice of such redemption or redemptions by the Trustee in the name and at the
expense of the Company.
SECTION 8.02. SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE.
In addition to the Company's rights under Section 8.01, the
Company may terminate all of its obligations under this Indenture (subject to
Section 8.03) when:
(1) all Securities theretofore authenticated and
delivered (other than Securities which have been destroyed, lost or
stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section
2.07) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(2) all Securities not theretofore delivered to the
Trustee for cancellation (except lost, stolen or destroyed Securities
which have been replaced or paid) have been called for redemption
pursuant to the terms of the Securities or have otherwise become due
and payable and the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be
deposited with the Trustee funds in an amount sufficient to pay and
discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Securities not theretofore
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal of, premium,
if any, and interest on the Securities to the date of deposit together
with irrevocable instructions from the Company directing the Trustee to
apply such funds to the payment thereof at maturity or redemption, as
the case may be; and
(3) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other
sums payable hereunder and under the Securities by the Company; and
(4) there exists no Default or Event of Default under
this Indenture; and
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(5) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions
precedent specified herein relating to the satisfaction and discharge
of this Indenture have been complied with; and
(6) the Company shall have paid all amounts owing to the
Trustee pursuant to Section 7.07.
SECTION 8.03. SURVIVAL OF CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this
Indenture and of the Securities referred to in Section 8.01 or 8.02, the
respective obligations of the Company and the Trustee under Sections 2.02, 2.03,
2.04, 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 2.13, 4.01, 4.02 and 6.07, Article Seven and
Sections 8.05, 8.06 and 8.07 shall survive until the Securities are no longer
outstanding, and thereafter the obligations of the Company and the Trustee under
Sections 7.07, 8.05, 8.06 and 8.07 shall survive. Nothing contained in this
Article Eight shall abrogate any of the rights, obligations or duties of the
Trustee under this Indenture.
SECTION 8.04. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DISCHARGE BY TRUSTEE.
Subject to Section 8.07, after (i) the conditions of Section
8.01 or 8.02 have been satisfied, (ii) the Company has paid or caused to be paid
all other sums payable hereunder by the Company, and (iii) the Company has
delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel,
each stating that all conditions precedent referred to in clause (i) above
relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied
with, the Trustee upon written request shall acknowledge in writing the
discharge of the Company's obligations under this Indenture except for those
surviving obligations specified in Section 8.03.
SECTION 8.05. APPLICATION OF TRUST ASSETS.
The Trustee shall hold any U.S. Legal Tender or U.S.
Government Obligations deposited with it in the irrevocable
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trust established pursuant to Section 8.01. The Trustee shall apply the
deposited U.S. Legal Tender or the U.S. Government Obligations, together with
earnings thereon, through the Paying Agent, in accordance with this Indenture
and the terms of the irrevocable trust agreement established pursuant to Section
8.01, to the payment of principal of and interest on the Securities. The U.S.
Legal Tender or U.S. Government Obligations so held in trust and deposited with
the Trustee in compliance with Section 8.01 shall not be part of the trust
estate under this Indenture, but shall constitute a separate trust fund for the
benefit of all Holders entitled thereto.
SECTION 8.06. REPAYMENT TO THE COMPANY OR GUARANTORS; UNCLAIMED MONEY.
Subject to Sections 7.07 and 8.01, the Trustee shall promptly
pay to the Company, or if deposited with the Trustee by any Guarantor, to such
Guarantor, upon receipt by the Trustee of an Officers' Certificate, any excess
money, determined in accordance with Section 8.01, held by it at any time. The
Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company or any Guarantor, as the
case may be, upon receipt by the Trustee or the Paying Agent, as the case may
be, of an Officers' Certificate, any money held by it for the payment of
principal, premium, if any, or interest that remains unclaimed for two years
after payment to the Holders is required; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Trustee
and the Paying Agent before being required to make any payment may, but need
not, at the expense of the Company cause to be published once in a newspaper of
general circulation in The City of New York or mail to each Holder entitled to
such money notice that such money remains unclaimed and that after a date
specified therein (which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such
mailing or publication and shall be at least two years after the date such money
held by the Trustee for the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest
remains unclaimed), any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be
repaid to the Company. After payment to the Company or any Guarantor, as the
case may be, Securityholders entitled to such money must look solely to the
Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property
law designates another
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Person, and all liability of the Trustee or Paying Agent with respect to such
money shall thereupon cease.
SECTION 8.07. REINSTATEMENT.
If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or
U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Indenture by reason of any
legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or
governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such
application, then and only then the Company's and each Guarantor's, if any,
obligations under this Indenture and the Securities shall be revived and
reinstated as though no deposit had been made pursuant to this Indenture until
such time as the Trustee is permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government
Obligations in accordance with this Indenture; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the
Company or the Guarantors, as the case may be, have made any payment of
principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Securities because of the
reinstatement of their obligations, the Company or the Guarantors, as the case
may be, shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Securities to
receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the
Trustee or Paying Agent.
ARTICLE NINE
AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS
SECTION 9.01. WITHOUT CONSENT OF HOLDERS.
The Company and any Guarantors (when authorized by Board
Resolutions), and the Trustee, together, may amend or supplement this Indenture
or the Securities without notice to or consent of any Securityholder:
(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
(2) to evidence the succession in accordance with Article
Five hereof of another Person to the Company or a Guarantor and the
assumption by any such successor of the
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covenants of the Company or a Guarantor herein and in the Securities or
a Guarantee, as the case may be;
(3) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition
to or in place of certificated Securities;
(4) to make any other change that does not materially
adversely affect the rights of any Securityholders hereunder;
(5) to comply with any requirements of the SEC in
connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA; or
(6) to add or release any Guarantor pursuant to the terms
of this Indenture;
PROVIDED that each of the Company and any Guarantors has delivered to the
Trustee an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers' Certificate, each stating that
such amendment or supplement complies with the provisions of this Section 9.01.
SECTION 9.02. WITH CONSENT OF HOLDERS.
Subject to Section 6.07, the Company and any Guarantors (when
authorized by Board Resolutions) and the Trustee, together, with the written
consent of the Holder or Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the then outstanding Securities, may amend or supplement this
Indenture, the Securities and any Guarantees without notice to any other
Securityholders. Subject to Section 6.07, the Holder or Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Securities may waive
compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities
without notice to any other Securityholder. Without the consent of each
Securityholder affected, however, no amendment, supplement or waiver, including
a waiver pursuant to Section 6.04, may:
(1) reduce the principal amount of Securities whose
Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver of any
provision of this Indenture, the Securities or any Guarantees;
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(2) reduce the rate or change or have the effect of
changing the time for payment of interest, including default interest,
on any Security;
(3) reduce the principal amount of any Security;
(4) change or have the effect of changing the Final
Maturity Date of any Security, or alter the redemption or repurchase
provisions contained in this Indenture or the Securities in a manner
adverse to any Holder;
(5) make any change in provisions of this Indenture
protecting the right of each Holder to receive payment of principal of
and interest on such Security on or after the due date thereof or to
bring suit to enforce such payment, or permitting Holders of a majority
in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities to waive
Defaults or Events of Default;
(6) make any changes in Section 6.04, 6.07 or this
Section 9.02;
(7) make the principal of, premium or the interest on any
Security payable in money other than as provided for in this Indenture
as in effect on the date hereof;
(8) affect the ranking of the Securities or any
Guarantee, in each case in a manner adverse to the Holders;
(9) amend, modify or change the obligation of the Company
to make or consummate a Change of Control Offer after the occurrence of
a Change of Control or make or consummate a Net Proceeds Offer with
respect to any Asset Sale that has been consummated or waive any
default in the performance thereof or modify any of the provisions or
definitions with respect to any such offers;
(10) release any Guarantor from any of its obligations
under its Guarantee or this Indenture otherwise than in accordance with
the terms of this Indenture; or
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(11) modify the provisions of Section 4.22 in any manner
adverse to a Holder of Notes.
It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under
this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment,
supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the
substance thereof.
After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section
9.02 becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders affected thereby a
notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Any failure of
the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in
any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.
SECTION 9.03. COMPLIANCE WITH TIA.
From the date on which this Indenture is qualified under the
TIA, every amendment, waiver or supplement of this Indenture or the Securities
shall comply with the TIA as then in effect.
SECTION 9.04. REVOCATION AND EFFECT OF CONSENTS.
Until an amendment, waiver or supplement becomes effective, a
consent to it by a Holder is a continuing consent by the Holder and every
subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same
debt as the consenting Holder's Security, even if notation of the consent is not
made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke
the consent as to his Security or portion of his Security by notice to the
Trustee or the Company received before the date on which the Trustee receives an
Officers' Certificate certifying that the Holders of the requisite principal
amount of Securities have consented (and not theretofore revoked such consent)
to the amendment, supplement or waiver.
The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record
date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled
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to consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver. If a record date is fixed,
then notwithstanding the last sentence of the immediately preceding paragraph,
those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated
proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to revoke any consent
previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such
record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 90 days
after such record date.
After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, it
shall bind every Securityholder, unless it makes a change described in any of
clauses (1) through (10) of Section 9.02, in which case, the amendment,
supplement or waiver shall bind only each Holder of a Security who has consented
to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that
evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder's Security; PROVIDED that any
such waiver shall not impair or affect the right of any Holder to receive
payment of principal of and interest on a Security, on or after the respective
due dates expressed in such Security, or to bring suit for the enforcement of
any such payment on or after such respective dates without the consent of such
Holder.
SECTION 9.05. NOTATION ON OR EXCHANGE OF SECURITIES.
If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of a
Security, the Trustee may require the Holder of the Security to deliver it to
the Trustee. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation on the Security about
the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively, if the Company or
the Trustee so determines, the Company in exchange for the Security shall issue
and the Trustee shall authenticate a new Security that reflects the changed
terms. Failure to make the appropriate notation or to issue a new Security shall
not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.
SECTION 9.06. TRUSTEE TO SIGN AMENDMENTS, ETC.
The Trustee shall execute any amendment, supplement or waiver
authorized pursuant to this Article Nine; PROVIDED
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that the Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, execute any such amendment,
supplement or waiver which affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or
immunities under this Indenture. The Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and
shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers'
Certificate each stating that the execution of any amendment, supplement or
waiver authorized pursuant to this Article Nine is authorized or permitted by
this Indenture and constituted the legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Company enforceable in accordance with its terms. Such Opinion of Counsel shall
be at the expense of the Company, and the Trustee shall have a lien under
Section 7.07 for any such expense.
ARTICLE TEN
GUARANTEE
SECTION 10.01. UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTEE.
Each Guarantor agrees to unconditionally, jointly and
severally, guarantee to each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by
the Trustee, and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, that: (i) the
principal of, premium and interest on the Securities will be promptly paid in
full when due, subject to any applicable grace period, whether at maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise and interest on the overdue principal, if any, and
interest on any interest, to the extent lawful, of the Securities and all other
Obligations of the Company to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder
will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms
hereof and thereof; and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or
renewal of any Securities or of any such other Obligations, the same will be
promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the
extension or renewal, subject to any applicable grace period, whether at stated
maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, subject, however, in the case of clauses
(i) and (ii) above, to the limitations set forth in
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Section 10.03. Each Guarantor agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be
unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the
Securities or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any
waiver or consent by any Holder of the Securities with respect to any provisions
hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Company, any action
to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a
legal or equitable discharge or defense of a Guarantor. Each Guarantor waives
diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the
event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a
proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever
and covenants that its Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete
performance of the obligations contained in the Securities, this Indenture and
each Guarantee. If any Securityholder or the Trustee is required by any court or
otherwise to return to the Company, any Guarantor or any custodian, trustee,
liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to the Company or any
Guarantor, any amount paid by the Company or any Guarantor to the Trustee or
such Securityholder, each Guarantee to the extent theretofore discharged, shall
be reinstated in full force and effect. Each Guarantor further agrees that, as
between each Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the
other hand, (x) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be
accelerated as provided in Article Six for the purposes of each Guarantee
notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such
acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (y) in the
event of any acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article Six, such
obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and
payable by each Guarantor for the purpose of its Guarantee.
SECTION 10.02. SEVERABILITY.
In case any provision of a Guarantee shall be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining
provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
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SECTION 10.03. RELEASE OF A GUARANTOR.
If all or substantially all of the assets of any Guarantor or
all of the Capital Stock of any Guarantor owned by the Company and/or any of the
Restricted Subsidiaries is sold (including by issuance, merger, consolidation or
otherwise) by the Company and/or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in a
transaction constituting an Asset Sale, and if the Net Cash Proceeds from such
Asset Sale are to be used in accordance with Section 4.12, then such Guarantor
(in the event of a sale or other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of such
Guarantor) or the corporation or other entity acquiring such assets (in the
event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets
of such Guarantor) shall be released and discharged of its Obligations under its
Guarantee.
The Trustee shall deliver an appropriate instrument evidencing
such release upon receipt of a request by the Company accompanied by an
Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Counsel certifying as to the compliance
with this Section 10.03. Any Guarantor not so released remains liable for the
full amount of principal of and interest on the Securities as provided in this
Article Ten.
SECTION 10.04. LIMITATION OF A GUARANTOR'S LIABILITY.
Each Guarantor and, by its acceptance hereof, each Holder
hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the guarantee
by such Guarantor pursuant to its Guarantee not constitute a fraudulent transfer
or conveyance for purposes of any Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent
Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar Federal or
state law. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Holders and each Guarantor
irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor under its Guarantee
shall be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other
contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor, and after giving effect to
any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in
respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under its Guarantee, or
pursuant to Section 10.05, result in the obligations of such
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Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting such fraudulent transfer or
conveyance.
SECTION 10.05. CONTRIBUTION.
In order to provide for just and equitable contribution among
the Guarantors, the Guarantors agree, INTER SE, that in the event any payment or
distribution is made by any Guarantor (a "Funding Guarantor") under its
Guarantee, such Funding Guarantor shall be entitled to a contribution from all
other Guarantors in a PRO RATA amount based on the Adjusted Net Assets of each
Guarantor (including the Funding Guarantor) for all payments, damages and
expenses incurred by that Funding Guarantor in discharging the Company's
obligations with respect to the Securities or any other Guarantor's obligations
with respect to its Guarantee. "Adjusted Net Assets" of a Guarantor at any date
shall mean the lesser of the amount by which (x) the fair value of the property
of such Guarantor exceeds the total amount of liabilities, including, without
limitation, contingent liabilities (after giving effect to all other fixed and
contingent liabilities incurred or assumed on such date), but excluding
liabilities under the Guarantee of such Guarantor at such date and (y) the
present fair salable value of the assets of such Guarantor at such date exceeds
the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Guarantor
on its debts (after giving effect to all other fixed and contingent liabilities
incurred or assumed on such date), excluding debt in respect of the Guarantee of
such Guarantor, as they become absolute and matured.
SECTION 10.06. WAIVER OF SUBROGATION.
Until all Guarantee Obligations are paid in full, each
Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any claims or other rights which it may now
or hereafter acquire against the Company that arise from the existence, payment,
performance or enforcement of such Guarantor's obligations under its Guarantee
and this Indenture, including, without limitation, any right of subrogation,
reimbursement, exoneration, indemnification, and any right to participate in any
claim or remedy of any Holder of Securities against the Company, whether or not
such claim,
119
remedy or right arises in equity, or under contract, statute or common law,
including, without limitation, the right to take or receive from the Company,
directly or indirectly, in cash or other property or by set-off or in any other
manner, payment or security on account of such claim or other rights. If any
amount shall be paid to any Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence and
the Securities shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall have been
deemed to have been paid to such Guarantor for the benefit of, and held in trust
for the benefit of, the Holders of the Securities, and shall forthwith be paid
to the Trustee for the benefit of such Holders to be credited and applied upon
the Securities, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture. Each Guarantor
acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the
financing arrangements contemplated by this Indenture and that the waiver set
forth in this Section 10.06 is knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.
SECTION 10.07. EXECUTION OF GUARANTEES.
To evidence its guarantee to the Securityholders set forth in
this Article Ten, each Guarantor shall execute a Guarantee in substantially the
form of EXHIBIT G attached hereto, which shall be endorsed on each Security
ordered to be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee. Each Guarantor agrees
that its Guarantee set forth in this Article Ten shall remain in full force and
effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Security a notation of
such Guarantee. Each such Guarantee shall be signed on behalf of each Guarantor
by two Officers, or an Officer and an Assistant Secretary or one Officer shall
sign and one Officer or an Assistant Secretary (each of whom shall, in each
case, have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate actions) shall attest
to such Guarantee prior to the authentication of the Security on which it is
endorsed, and the delivery of such Security by the Trustee, after the
authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of such
Guarantee on behalf of such Guarantor. Such signatures upon the Guarantee may be
by manual or facsimile signature of such officers and may be imprinted or
otherwise reproduced on the Guarantee, and in case any such officer who shall
have signed the Guarantee shall cease to be
120
such officer before the Security on which such Guarantee is endorsed shall have
been authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or disposed of by the Company,
such Security nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as
though the person who signed the Guarantee had not ceased to be such officer of
the Guarantor.
SECTION 10.08. WAIVER OF STAY, EXTENSION OR USURY LAWS.
Each Guarantor covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully
do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner
whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law
or any usury law or other law that would prohibit or forgive each such Guarantor
from performing its Guarantee as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or
at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the
performance of this Indenture; and (to the extent that it may lawfully do so)
each such Guarantor hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such
law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any
power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of
every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
ARTICLE ELEVEN
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 11.01. TIA CONTROLS.
If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or
conflicts with the duties imposed by operation of Section 318(c) of the TIA, the
imposed duties shall control.
SECTION 11.02. NOTICES.
Any notices or other communications required or permitted
hereunder shall be in writing, and shall be sufficiently given if made by hand
delivery, by telex, by
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telecopier or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt
requested, addressed as follows:
if to the Company or a Guarantor:
Simonds Industries Inc.
135 Intervale Road
Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile: (978) 343-3489
if to the Trustee:
State Street Bank and Trust Company
Two International Place
Fourth Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
Facsimile: (617) 664-5151
Each of the Company and the Trustee by written notice to each
other such person may designate additional or different addresses for notices to
such person. Any notice or communication to the Company or a Guarantor or the
Trustee shall be deemed to have been given or made as of the date so delivered
if personally delivered; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is
acknowledged, if telecopied; and five (5) calendar days after mailing if sent by
registered or certified mail, postage prepaid (except that a notice of change of
address shall not be deemed to have been given until actually received by the
addressee).
Any notice or communication mailed to a Securityholder shall
be mailed to him by first class mail or other equivalent means at his address as
it appears on the registration books of the Registrar and shall be sufficiently
given to him if so mailed within the time prescribed.
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Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Securityholder
or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other
Securityholders. If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided
above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.
SECTION 11.03. COMMUNICATIONS BY HOLDERS WITH OTHER HOLDERS.
Securityholders may communicate pursuant to TIA ss. 312(b)
with other Securityholders with respect to their rights under this Indenture,
the Securities or any Guarantees. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and
any other Person shall have the protection of TIA ss. 312(c).
SECTION 11.04. CERTIFICATE AND OPINION AS TO CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.
Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee
to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the
Trustee at the request of the Trustee:
(1) an Officers' Certificate, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Trustee, stating that, in the opinion of the
signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this
Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(2) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of
such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
SECTION 11.05. STATEMENTS REQUIRED IN CERTIFICATE OR OPINION.
Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture, other than the Officers'
Certificate required by Section 4.08, shall include:
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(1) a statement that the person making such certificate
or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions
contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(3) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he
has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable
him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant
or condition has been complied with; and
(4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of
each such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that with respect to matters of fact an Opinion of
Counsel may rely on an Officers' Certificate or certificates of public
officials.
SECTION 11.06. RULES BY TRUSTEE, PAYING AGENT, REGISTRAR.
The Trustee, Paying Agent or Registrar may make reasonable
rules for its functions.
SECTION 11.07. LEGAL HOLIDAYS.
If a payment date is not a Business Day, payment may be made
on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day with the same force and effect
as if made on such payment date.
SECTION 11.08. GOVERNING LAW.
THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES AND ANY GUARANTEES SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK,
AS APPLIED TO CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT
REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW. Each of the parties hereto agrees to
submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York in any action
or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Indenture.
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SECTION 11.09. NO ADVERSE INTERPRETATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture,
loan or debt agreement of any of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
Guarantor. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to
interpret this Indenture.
SECTION 11.10. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS.
A director, officer, employee, stockholder or incorporator, as
such, of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Guarantor shall not have
any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor under the
Securities, this Indenture or any Guarantee or for any claim based on, in
respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creations. Each
Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability.
Such waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the
Securities.
SECTION 11.11. SUCCESSORS.
All agreements of the Company and any Guarantors in this
Indenture, the Securities and any Guarantees shall bind their respective
successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its
successor.
SECTION 11.12. DUPLICATE ORIGINALS.
All parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture.
Each signed copy or counterpart shall be an original, but all of them together
shall represent the same agreement.
SECTION 11.13. SEVERABILITY.
In case any one or more of the provisions in this Indenture,
in the Securities or in any Guarantee shall be held invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and
enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining
125
provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, it being
intended that all of the provisions hereof shall be enforceable to the full
extent permitted by law.
SECTION 11.14. TABLE OF CONTENTS, HEADINGS, ETC.
The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and headings of
the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience
of reference only, and are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no
way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
ARTICLE TWELVE
SUBORDINATION
SECTION 12.01. SECURITIES SUBORDINATED TO SENIOR DEBT; GUARANTEES SUBORDINATED
TO GUARANTOR SENIOR DEBT.
The Company and each Guarantor covenants and agrees, and each
Holder of the Securities, by its acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and
agrees, that all Securities and Guarantees shall be issued subject to the
provisions of this Article Twelve; and each Person holding any Security, whether
upon original issue or upon transfer, assignment or exchange thereof, accepts
and agrees that the payment of all Obligations on the Securities and Guarantees
by the Company and any Guarantors shall, to the extent and in the manner herein
set forth, be subordinated and junior in right of payment to the prior payment
in full in cash or Cash Equivalents (or such payment shall be duly provided for
to the satisfaction of the holders of the Senior Debt and Guarantor Senior Debt,
as the case may be) of all Obligations on the Senior Debt and Guarantor Senior
Debt, as the case may be; that the subordination is for the benefit of, and
shall be enforceable directly by, the holders of Senior Debt and Guarantor
Senior Debt, as the case may be, and that each holder of Senior Debt and
Guarantor Senior Debt, as the case may be, whether now
126
outstanding or hereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed shall be
deemed to have acquired Senior Debt and Guarantor Senior Debt, as the case may
be, in reliance upon the covenants and provisions contained in this Indenture.
SECTION 12.02. NO PAYMENT ON SECURITIES IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
(a) If any default occurs and is continuing in the
payment when due, whether at maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration or
otherwise, of any principal of, interest on, unpaid drawings for letters of
credit issued in respect of, or regularly accruing fees with respect to, any
Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt, no payment of any kind or character shall
be made by or on behalf of the Company or the applicable Guarantor or any other
Person on the Company's or such Guarantor's, as the case may be, behalf with
respect to any Obligations on the Securities or the Guarantee of such Guarantor,
as the case may be, or to acquire any of the Securities for cash or property or
otherwise. In addition, if any other event of default occurs and is continuing
with respect to any Designated Senior Debt, as such event of default is defined
in the instrument creating or evidencing such Designated Senior Debt, permitting
the holders of such Designated Senior Debt then outstanding to accelerate the
maturity thereof and if the Representative for the respective issue of
Designated Senior Debt gives written notice of the event of default to the
Trustee (a "Default Notice"), then neither the Company nor any other Person on
its behalf shall (x) make any payment of any kind or character with respect to
any Obligations on the Securities or (y) acquire any of the Securities for cash
or property or otherwise for a period of time (the "Blockage Period")
terminating on the earliest to occur of (1) the date all events of default on
the applicable issue of Designated Senior Debt have been cured or waived or
shall have ceased to exist and the Company and the Trustee receive written
notice thereof from the Representative for the applicable issue of Designated
Senior Debt, (2) the Trustee receives written notice from the Representative for
the applicable issue of Designated Senior Debt terminating the Blockage Period
or the benefits of this sentence are waived by
127
the Representative for the applicable issue of Designated Senior Debt, (3) the
applicable issue of Designated Senior Debt is discharged or paid in full in cash
or Cash Equivalents or (4) the expiration of the 180-day consecutive period
commencing on the date of the giving of such Default Notice. Upon the
termination of such Blockage Period, the Company shall (to the extent not
otherwise prohibited by this Article Twelve) promptly resume making all payments
on the Securities, including all payments not made during such Blockage Period.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall a Blockage
Period extend beyond 180 days from the date the payment on the Securities was
due and only one such Blockage Period may be commenced within any 360
consecutive days. No event of default which existed or was continuing on the
date of the commencement of any Blockage Period with respect to the Designated
Senior Debt shall be, or be made, the basis for commencement of a second
Blockage Period by the Representative of such Designated Senior Debt, whether or
not after a period of 360 consecutive days, unless such event of default shall
have been cured or waived or ceased to exit for a period of not less than 90
consecutive days (it being acknowledged that any subsequent action, or any
breach of any financial covenants for a period commencing after the date of
commencement of such Blockage Period that, in either case, would give rise to an
event of default pursuant to any provisions of the Designated Senior Debt under
which an event of default previously existed or was continuing shall constitute
a new event of default for this purpose).
(b) In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any
payment shall be received by the Trustee or any Holder when such payment is
prohibited by Section 12.02(a), such payment shall be held in trust for the
benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of Senior Debt
or Guarantor Senior Debt, as the case may be, (PRO RATA to such holders on the
basis of the respective amount of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt, as the
case may be, held by such holders) as their respective interests may appear. The
Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely on information regarding amounts
then due and owing on the Senior Debt or Guarantor
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Senior Debt, as the case may be, if any, received from the holders of Senior
Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt (or their Representatives), as the case may be,
or, if such information is not received from such holders or their
Representatives, from the Company and only amounts included in the information
provided to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of Senior Debt or Guarantor
Senior Debt, as the case may be. The Company shall keep complete and accurate
records of the names, addresses and amounts owed to all holders of Senior Debt
and Guarantor Senior Debt, shall produce such records to the Trustee upon
request and the Trustee shall be absolutely protected in relying on such records
in paying over or delivering moneys pursuant to this Article Twelve.
Nothing contained in this Article Twelve shall limit or
compromise the right of the Trustee or the Holders to take any action to
accelerate the maturity of the Securities pursuant to Section 6.02 or to pursue
any rights or remedies hereunder or otherwise; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that all
Senior Debt and Guarantor Senior Debt of the applicable Guarantor thereafter due
or declared to be due shall first be paid in full in cash or Cash Equivalents
before the Holders are entitled to receive any payment of any kind or character
with respect to Obligations on the Securities or the Guarantee of the applicable
Guarantor, as the case may be.
SECTION 12.03. PAYMENT OVER OF PROCEEDS UPON DISSOLUTION, ETC.
(a) Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the
Company or a Guarantor of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or
securities to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution, winding-up,
reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets
of the Company or such Guarantor or in a bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency,
receivership or other similar proceeding relating to the Company or its property
or such Guarantor or its property, whether voluntary or involuntary, all
Obligations due or to become due upon all Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt
of such Guarantor, as the case may be, shall first be paid in full in cash or
Cash Equivalents, or such payment shall be duly
129
provided for to the satisfaction of the holders of Senior Debt or Guarantor
Senior Debt of such Guarantor, as the case may be, before any payment or
distribution of any kind or character is made on account of any Obligations on
the Securities or the Guarantee of such Guarantor, as the case may be, or for
the acquisition of any of the Securities for cash or property or otherwise. Upon
any such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation, reorganization, receivership or
similar proceeding, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company or a
Guarantor of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to
which the Holders or the Trustee under this Indenture would be entitled, except
for the provisions hereof, shall be paid by the Company or such Guarantor or by
any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person
making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under
this Indenture if received by them, directly to the holders of Senior Debt or
Guarantor Senior Debt of such Guarantor, as the case may be (PRO RATA to such
holders on the basis of the respective amounts of Senior Debt or Guarantor
Senior Debt of such Guarantor, as the case may be, held by such holders) or
their respective Representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any
indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt of
such Guarantor, as the case may be, may have been issued, as their respective
interests may appear, for application to the payment of Senior Debt or Guarantor
Senior Debt of such Guarantor, as the case may be, remaining unpaid until all
such Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt of such Guarantor, as the case may be,
has been paid in full in cash or Cash Equivalents after giving effect to any
concurrent payment, distribution or provision therefor to or for the holders of
Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt of such Guarantor, as the case may be.
(b) To the extent any payment of Senior Debt or Guarantor
Senior Debt (whether by or on behalf of the Company or a Guarantor, as proceeds
of security or enforcement of any right of setoff or otherwise) is declared to
be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be paid to any receiver,
trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other similar Person under
any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership,
130
fraudulent conveyance or similar law, then, if such payment is recovered by, or
paid over to, such receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent
or other similar Person, the Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt or part
thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be deemed to be reinstated and
outstanding as if such payment had not occurred.
(c) In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any
payment or distribution of assets of the Company or a Guarantor of any kind or
character, whether in cash, property or securities, shall be received by any
Holder when such payment or distribution is prohibited by Section 12.03(a), such
payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be
paid over or delivered to, the holders of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt
of such Guarantor, as the case may be (PRO RATA to such holders on the basis of
the respective amount of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt of such Guarantor,
as the case may be, held by such holders) or their respective Representatives,
or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such
Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt of such Guarantor, as the case may be, may
have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, for application to
the payment of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt of such Guarantor, as the
case may be, remaining unpaid until all such Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior
Debt of such Guarantor, as the case may be, has been paid in full in cash or
Cash Equivalents, after giving effect to any concurrent payment, distribution or
provision therefor to or for the holders of such Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior
Debt of such Guarantor, as the case may be.
(d) The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger
of the Company with or into, another corporation or the liquidation or
dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of all or
substantially all of its assets, to another corporation upon the terms and
conditions provided in Article Five hereof shall not be deemed a dissolution,
winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section if,
in the event the Company is not the surviving corporation, such other
corporation shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or
transfer,
131
assume the Company's obligations hereunder in accordance with Article Five
hereof.
SECTION 12.04. PAYMENTS MAY BE PAID PRIOR TO DISSOLUTION.
Nothing contained in this Article Twelve or elsewhere in this
Indenture shall prevent (i) the Company, except under the conditions described
in Sections 12.02 and 12.03, from making payments at any time for the purpose of
making payments of principal of and interest on the Securities, or from
depositing with the Trustee any monies for such payments, or (ii) in the absence
of actual knowledge by the Trustee that a given payment would be prohibited by
Section 12.02 or 12.03, the application by the Trustee of any monies deposited
with it for the purpose of making such payments of principal of, and interest
on, the Securities to the Holders entitled thereto unless at least one Business
Day prior to the date upon which such payment would otherwise become due and
payable, the Trustee shall have received the written notice provided for in
Section 12.02(a) or in Section 12.07. The Company shall give prompt written
notice to the Trustee of any dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or
reorganization of the Company.
SECTION 12.05. SUBROGATION.
Subject to the payment in full in cash or Cash Equivalents of
all Senior Debt and Guarantor Senior Debt, the Holders shall be subrogated to
the rights of the holders of Senior Debt and Guarantor Senior Debt to receive
payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company and
such Guarantor applicable to the Senior Debt and Guarantor Senior Debt until the
Securities shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no
such payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Debt and Guarantor
Senior Debt by or on behalf of the Company or any Guarantor or by or on behalf
of the Holders by virtue of this Article Twelve which otherwise would have been
made to the Holders shall, as between the Company or any Guarantor and the
Holders, be deemed to be a payment by the Company or any Guarantor to or on
account of the Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt, as the
132
case may be, it being understood that the provisions of this Article Twelve are
and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the
Holders, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior
Debt, as the case may be, on the other hand.
SECTION 12.06. OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY UNCONDITIONAL.
Nothing contained in this Article Twelve or elsewhere in this
Indenture or in the Securities or Guarantees is intended to or shall impair, as
among the Company, any Guarantor, their respective creditors other than the
holders of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt, and the Holders, the obligation
of the Company and any Guarantors, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay
to the Holders the principal of and any interest on the Securities as and when
the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is
intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders and creditors of
the Company and any Guarantors other than the holders of any Senior Debt or
Guarantor Senior Debt, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Holders
or the Trustee on their behalf from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted
by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if
any, under this Article Twelve of the holders of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior
Debt in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company or any Guarantor
received upon the exercise of any such remedy.
SECTION 12.07. NOTICE TO TRUSTEE.
The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of
any fact known to the Company which would prohibit the making of any payment to
or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities pursuant to the provisions of
this Article Twelve. Regardless of anything to the contrary contained in this
Article Twelve or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged
with knowledge of the existence of any default or event of default with respect
to any Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt or of any other facts which would
prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee unless
133
and until the Trustee shall have received notice in writing from the Company, or
from a holder of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt or a Representative
therefor, and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee
shall be entitled to assume (in the absence of actual knowledge of a Responsible
Officer to the contrary) that no such facts exist.
In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that
any evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of
Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt to participate in any payment or
distribution pursuant to this Article Twelve, the Trustee may request such
Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to
the amounts of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt held by such Person, the
extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or
distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under
this Article Twelve, and if such evidence is not furnished the Trustee may defer
any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of
such person to receive such payment.
SECTION 12.08. RELIANCE ON JUDICIAL ORDER OR CERTIFICATE OF LIQUIDATING AGENT.
Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company or
Guarantor referred to in this Article Twelve, the Trustee, subject to the
provisions of Article Seven hereof, and the Holders shall be entitled to rely
upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which
bankruptcy, dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings
are pending, or upon a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy,
liquidating trustee, agent or other person making such payment or distribution,
delivered to the Trustee or the Holders, for the purpose of ascertaining the
persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior
Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt and other Indebtedness of the Company, the amount
thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon
and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article Twelve.
134
SECTION 12.09. TRUSTEE'S RELATION TO SENIOR DEBT OR GUARANTOR SENIOR DEBT.
The Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall
be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article Twelve with respect to
any Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt which may at any time be held by it in
its individual capacity or any other capacity to the same extent as any other
holder of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt and nothing in this Indenture
shall deprive the Trustee or any such agent of any of its rights as such holder.
The Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior
Debt if it shall mistakenly pay over or deliver to the Holders, the Company or
any other Person monies or assets to which any such holder of the Senior Debt or
Guarantor Senior Debt shall be entitled by virtue of this Article Twelve.
With respect to the holders of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior
Debt, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants
and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article Twelve, and no
implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Debt or
Guarantor Senior Debt shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The
Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior
Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt.
Whenever a distribution is to be made or a notice given to
holders or owners of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt, the distribution may
be made and the notice may be given to their Representative, if any.
SECTION 12.10. SUBORDINATION RIGHTS NOT IMPAIRED BY ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF THE
COMPANY OR A GUARANTOR OR HOLDERS OF SENIOR DEBT.
No right of any present or future holders of any Senior Debt
or Guarantor Senior Debt to enforce subordination as provided herein shall at
any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on
the part of the Company or a Guarantor or by any act or failure to act, in good
135
faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company or a Guarantor
with the terms of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof which any
such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.
Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing
paragraph, the holders of Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt may, at any time
and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee, without
incurring responsibility to the Trustee or the Holders and without impairing or
releasing the subordination provided in this Article Twelve or the obligations
hereunder of the Holders to the holders of the Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior
Debt, do any one or more of the following: (i) change the manner, place or terms
of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, Senior Debt or
Guarantor Senior Debt, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner Senior
Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt, or any instrument evidencing or securing the same
or any agreement under which Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt is
outstanding; (ii) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property
pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt;
(iii) release any Person liable in any manner for the payment or collection of
Senior Debt or Guarantor Senior Debt; and (iv) exercise or refrain from
exercising any rights against the Company or a Guarantor or any other Person.
SECTION 12.11. HOLDERS AUTHORIZE TRUSTEE TO EFFECTUATE SUBORDINATION OF
SECURITIES.
Each Holder by its acceptance of the Securities authorizes and
expressly directs the Trustee on its behalf to take such action as may be
necessary or appropriate to effectuate, as between the holders of Senior Debt or
Guarantor Senior Debt and the Holders, the subordination provided in this
Article Twelve, and appoints the Trustee its attorney-in-fact for such purposes,
including, in the event of any dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or
reorganization of the Company or a Guarantor (whether in bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership, reorganization or similar proceedings or upon an assignment for
the benefit of creditors or otherwise) tending towards
136
liquidation of the business and assets of the Company or a Guarantor, the filing
of a claim for the unpaid balance of its Securities and accrued interest in the
form required in those proceedings.
If the Trustee does not file a proper claim or proof of debt
in the form required in such proceeding prior to 30 days before the expiration
of the time to file such claim or claims, then the holders of the Senior Debt or
Guarantor Senior Debt or their Representative are or is hereby authorized to
have the right to file and are or is hereby authorized to file an appropriate
claim for and on behalf of the Holders of said Securities. Nothing herein
contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee or the holders of Senior Debt
or Guarantor Senior Debt or their Representative to authorize or consent to or
accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement,
adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder
thereof, or to authorize the Trustee or the holders of Senior Debt or Guarantor
Senior Debt or their Representative to vote in respect of the claim of any
Holder in any such proceeding.
SECTION 12.12. THIS ARTICLE TWELVE NOT TO PREVENT EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
The failure to make a payment on account of principal of or
interest on the Securities by reason of any provision of this Article Twelve
will not be construed as preventing the occurrence of an Event of Default.
SECTION 12.13. TRUSTEE'S COMPENSATION NOT PREJUDICED.
Nothing in this Article Twelve will apply to amounts due to
the Trustee pursuant to other Sections in this Indenture.
137
SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
ARMSTRONG MANUFACTURING COMPANY
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
SIMONDS HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES FSC, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
as Trustee
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
138
EXHIBIT A
[FORM OF SERIES A SECURITY]
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED
OR SOLD EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER (1)
REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" (AS DEFINED IN RULE
144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (B) IT IS AN INSTITUTIONAL "ACCREDITED
INVESTOR" (AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a)(1), (2), (3) OR (7) UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT) (AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR") OR (C) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING
THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT WITHIN TWO
YEARS AFTER THE ORIGINAL ISSUANCE OF THIS SECURITY RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER
THIS SECURITY EXCEPT (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) INSIDE THE
UNITED STATES TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR
THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES TO THE TRUSTEE A SIGNED LETTER
CONTAINING CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS (THE FORM OF WHICH LETTER CAN
BE OBTAINED FROM THE TRUSTEE), (D) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO PERSONS OTHER
THAN U.S. PERSONS IN OFFSHORE TRANSACTIONS MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 904
UNDER REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) PURSUANT TO THE EXEMPTION FROM
REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE), OR
(F) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND
(3) AGREES THAT IT WILL GIVE TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS SECURITY IS TRANSFERRED
A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS
"OFFSHORE TRANSACTION," "UNITED STATES" AND "U.S. PERSON" HAVE THE RESPECTIVE
MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.
A-1
139
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC.
10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes
due July 1, 2008, Series A
CUSIP No.:
No. [ ] $[ ]
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company",
which term includes any successor corporation), for value received promises to
pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of [ ] Dollars, on
July 1, 2008.
Interest Payment Dates: January 1 and July 1, commencing
January 1, 1999
Record Dates: December 15 and June 15
Reference is made to the further provisions of this Security
contained herein, which will for all purposes have the same effect as if set
forth at this place.
A-2
140
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Security to be
signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officers.
Dated: July 7, 1998
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
A-3
141
This is one of the 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008,
Series A, described in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated: July 7, 1998 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
as Trustee
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
A-4
142
(REVERSE OF SECURITY)
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC.
10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes
due July 1, 2008, Series A
1. INTEREST.
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Security at
the rate per annum shown above. The Company will pay interest semi-annually on
January 1 and July 1 of each year (an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing
January 1, 1999. Interest on the Securities will accrue from the most recent
date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from July
7, 1998. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve
30-day months.
The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal from time
to time on demand at the rate borne by the Securities plus 2% and on overdue
installments of interest (without regard to any applicable grace periods) to the
extent lawful.
2. METHOD OF PAYMENT.
The Company shall pay interest on the Securities (except
defaulted interest) to the persons who are the registered Holders at the close
of business on the Record Date immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date
even if the Securities are canceled on registration of transfer or registration
of exchange after such Record Date. Holders must surrender Securities to a
Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Company shall pay principal and
interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal
tender for payment of public and private debts. The Company may deliver any such
interest payment to the Paying Agent or to a Holder at the Holder's registered
address.
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3. PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR.
Initially, State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Trustee")
will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent,
Registrar or co-Registrar without notice to the Holders.
4. INDENTURE.
The Company issued the Securities under an Indenture, dated as
of July 7, 1998 (the "Indenture"), among the Company, the Guarantors and the
Trustee. Capitalized terms herein are used as defined in the Indenture unless
otherwise defined herein. The terms of the Securities include those stated in
the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. ss.ss. 77aaa-77bbbb) (the "TIA"), as in effect
on the date of the Indenture until such time as the Indenture is qualified under
the TIA, and thereafter as in effect on the date on which the Indenture is
qualified under the TIA. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the
Securities are subject to all such terms, and Holders of Securities are referred
to the Indenture and the TIA for a statement of them. The Securities are limited
in aggregate principal amount to $150,000,000.
5. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.
The Securities will be redeemable, at the Company's option, in
whole at any time or in part from time to time, on and after July 1, 2003 at the
following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount)
if redeemed during the twelve-month period commencing on July 1 of the years set
forth below, plus, in each case, accrued interest thereon to the date of
redemption:
Year Percentage
---- ----------
2003........................................ 105.125%
2004........................................ 103.417%
2005........................................ 101.708%
2006 and thereafter......................... 100.000%
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6. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION UPON PUBLIC EQUITY OFFERING.
At any time, or from time to time, on or prior to July 1,
2001, the Company may, at its option, use the net cash proceeds of one or more
Public Equity Offerings (as defined) to redeem up to 35% of the Securities
issued at a redemption price equal to 110.250% of the principal amount thereof
plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption; PROVIDED
that at least 65% of the principal amount of Securities remains outstanding
immediately after giving effect to any such redemption. In order to effect the
foregoing redemption with the net cash proceeds of a Public Equity Offering, the
Company shall send the redemption notice not later than 90 days after the
consummation of such Public Equity Offering.
As used in the preceding paragraph, "Public Equity Offering"
means an underwritten public offering of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company
pursuant to a registration statement filed with and declared effective by the
SEC in accordance with the Securities Act.
7. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
Notice of redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not
more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each Holder of Securities to be
redeemed at such Holder's registered address. Securities in denominations of
$1,000 may be redeemed only in whole. The Trustee may select for redemption
portions (equal to $1,000 or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal of
Securities that have denominations larger than $1,000.
If any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of
redemption that relates to such Security shall state the portion of the
principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Security in a principal amount
equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in the name of the Holder
thereof upon cancellation of the original Security. On and after the Redemption
Date, interest will cease to accrue on Securities or portions thereof called for
redemption.
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8. CHANGE OF CONTROL OFFER.
Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Company will
be required to offer to purchase all of the outstanding Securities at a purchase
price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid
interest, if any, to the date of repurchase.
9. LIMITATION ON DISPOSITION OF ASSETS.
The Company is, subject to certain conditions, obligated to
make an offer to purchase Securities at 100% of their principal amount plus
accrued and unpaid interest to the date of repurchase with certain net cash
proceeds of certain sales or other dispositions of assets in accordance with the
Indenture.
10. DENOMINATIONS; TRANSFER; EXCHANGE.
The Securities are in registered form, without coupons, in
denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. A Holder shall
register the transfer of or exchange Securities in accordance with the
Indenture. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish
appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay certain transfer
taxes or similar governmental charges payable in connection therewith as
permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer of or
exchange any Securities or portions thereof selected for redemption, except the
unredeemed portion of any security being redeemed in part.
11. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS.
The registered Holder of a Security shall be treated as the
owner of it for all purposes.
12. UNCLAIMED FUNDS.
If funds for the payment of principal or interest remain
unclaimed for two years, the Trustee and the Paying Agent will repay the funds
to the Company at its request. After that, all liability of the Trustee and such
Paying Agent with respect to such funds shall cease.
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13. LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE.
The Company may be discharged from its obligations under the
Indenture and the Securities except for certain provisions thereof, and may be
discharged from its obligations to comply with certain covenants contained in
the Indenture and the Securities, in each case upon satisfaction of certain
conditions specified in the Indenture.
14. AMENDMENT; SUPPLEMENT; WAIVER.
Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture or the Securities
may be amended or supplemented with the written consent of the Holders of at
least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then
outstanding, and any existing Default or Event of Default or compliance with any
provision may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Securities then outstanding. Without notice to
or consent of any Holder, the parties thereto may amend or supplement the
Indenture or the Securities to, among other things, cure any ambiguity, defect
or inconsistency, provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in
place of certificated Securities or comply with any requirements of the SEC in
connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the TIA, or make any
other change that does not materially adversely affect the rights of any Holder
of a Security.
15. RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS.
The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other
things, limit the ability of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries to make
restricted payments, to incur indebtedness, to create liens, to issue preferred
or other capital stock of subsidiaries, to sell assets, to permit restrictions
on dividends and other payments by subsidiaries to the Company, to consolidate,
merge or sell all or substantially all of its assets, to engage in transactions
with affiliates or to engage in certain businesses. The limitations are subject
to a number of important qualifications and exceptions.
16. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee
or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal
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amount of Securities then outstanding may declare all the Securities to be due
and payable immediately in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture. Holders of Securities may not enforce the Indenture or the Securities
except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee is not obligated to enforce the
Indenture or the Securities unless it has received indemnity satisfactory to it.
The Indenture permits, subject to certain limitations therein provided, Holders
of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then outstanding
to direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may
withhold from Holders of Securities notice of any continuing Default or Event of
Default (except a Default in payment of principal, premium or interest,
including an accelerated payment) if it determines that withholding notice is in
their interest.
17. TRUSTEE DEALINGS WITH COMPANY.
The Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any
other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise
deal with the Company, its Subsidiaries, any Guarantor and their respective
Affiliates as if it were not the Trustee.
18. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS.
No stockholder, director, officer, employee or incorporator,
as such, of the Company shall have any liability for any obligation of the
Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in
respect of or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of a
Security by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The
waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the
Securities.
19. AUTHENTICATION.
This Security shall not be valid until the Trustee or
authenticating agent signs the certificate of authentication on this Security.
20. ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINED TERMS.
Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder of
a Security or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (=
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tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint
tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (=
Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors Act).
21. CUSIP NUMBERS.
Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on
Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused CUSIP numbers
to be printed on the Securities as a convenience to the Holders of the
Securities. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers as
printed on the Securities and reliance may be placed only on the other
identification numbers printed hereon.
22. REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company
will be obligated upon the occurrence of certain events to consummate an
exchange offer pursuant to which the Holder of this Security shall have the
right to exchange this Series A Security for the Company's 10 1/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2008, Series B (the "Series B Securities"), which have
been registered under the Securities Act, in like principal amount and having
terms identical in all material respects as the Series A Securities. The Holders
shall be entitled to receive certain additional interest payments in the event
such exchange offer is not consummated and upon certain other conditions, all
pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights
Agreement.
23. SUBORDINATION.
The Securities are subordinated in right of payment, in the
manner and to the extent set forth in the Indenture, to the prior payment in
full in cash or Cash Equivalents of all Senior Debt of the Company, whether
outstanding on the date of the Indenture or thereafter created, incurred,
assumed or guaranteed. Each Holder by his acceptance hereof agrees to be bound
by such provisions and authorizes and expressly directs the Trustee, on his
behalf, to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the
subordination provided for in the Indenture and appoints the Trustee his
attorney-in-fact for such purposes.
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The Company will furnish to any Holder of a Security upon
written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made
to: SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC., 135 Intervale Road, Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420,
Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
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GUARANTEE
Each undersigned Guarantor (as defined in the Indenture
referred to in the Security upon which this notation is endorsed and each
referred to as the "Guarantor," which term includes any successor person under
the Indenture) unconditionally guarantees on a senior subordinated basis as set
forth in Article Twelve of the Indenture (such guarantee by the Guarantor being
referred to herein as a "Guarantee") (i) the due and punctual payment of the
principal of and interest on the Securities, whether at maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise, the due and punctual payment of interest on the
overdue principal and interest, if any, on the Securities, to the extent lawful,
and the due and punctual performance of all other obligations of the Company to
the Holders or the Trustee all in accordance with the terms set forth in Article
Ten of the Indenture and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or
renewal of any Securities or any of such other obligations, that the same will
be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of
the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or
otherwise.
No stockholder, officer, director or incorporator, as such,
past, present or future, of the Guarantor shall have any liability under the
Guarantee by reason of his or its status as such stockholder, officer, director
or incorporator.
The Guarantee shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until the certificate of authentication on the Securities upon which the
Guarantee is noted shall have been executed by the Trustee under the Indenture
by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers.
ARMSTRONG MANUFACTURING COMPANY
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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SIMONDS HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES FSC, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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ASSIGNMENT FORM
I or we assign and transfer this Security to
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)
and irrevocably appoint ________________________________________________________
agent to transfer this Security on the books of the Company. The agent may
substitute another to act for him.
Dated: _________________ Signed: _________________________________
(Sign exactly as name appears on
the other side of this Security)
Signature Guarantee: ___________________________________________________________
Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion
Program (or other signature guarantor reasonably acceptable
to the Trustee)
A-16
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OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you want to elect to have this Security purchased by the
Company pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.24 of the Indenture, check the
appropriate box:
Section 4.12 [ ] Section 4.24 [ ]
If you want to elect to have only part of this Security
purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.24 of the
Indenture, state the amount: $_____________
Date: ________________ Your Signature: _______________________________________
(Sign exactly as
your name appears
on the other side
of this Security)
Signature Guarantee: ___________________________________________________________
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EXHIBIT B
[FORM OF SERIES B SECURITY]
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC.
10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes
due July 1, 2008, Series B
CUSIP No.: [ ]
No. [ ] $[ ]
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company", which term includes any successor corporation), for value received
promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of [ ]
Dollars, on July 1, 2008.
Interest Payment Dates: January 1 and July 1, commencing
January 1, 1999
Record Dates: December 15 and June 15
Reference is made to the further provisions of this Security
contained herein, which will for all purposes have the same effect as if set
forth at this place.
B-1
156
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Security to be
signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officers.
Dated:
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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This is one of the 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008,
Series B, described in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated: STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
as Trustee
By:
----------------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
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(REVERSE OF SECURITY)
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC.
10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes
due July 1, 2008, Series B
1. INTEREST.
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Security at
the rate per annum shown above. The Company will pay interest semi-annually on
January 1 and July 1 of each year (an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing
January 1, 1999. Interest on the Securities will accrue from the most recent
date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from July
7, 1998. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve
30-day months.
The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal from time
to time on demand at the rate borne by the Securities plus 2% and on overdue
installments of interest (without regard to any applicable grace periods) to the
extent lawful.
2. METHOD OF PAYMENT.
The Company shall pay interest on the Securities (except
defaulted interest) to the persons who are the registered Holders at the close
of business on the Record Date immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date
even if the Securities are canceled on registration of transfer or registration
of exchange after such Record Date. Holders must surrender Securities to a
Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Company shall pay principal and
interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal
tender for payment of public and private debts. The Company may deliver any such
interest payment to the Paying Agent or to a Holder at the Holder's registered
address.
3. PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR.
Initially, State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Trustee")
will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company
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159
may change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-Registrar without notice to the
Holders.
4. INDENTURE.
The Company issued the Securities under an Indenture, dated as
of July 7, 1998 (the "Indenture"), among the Company, the Guarantors and the
Trustee. Capitalized terms herein are used as defined in the Indenture unless
otherwise defined herein. The terms of the Securities include those stated in
the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. secs. 77aaa-77bbbb) (the "TIA"), as in effect
on the date of the Indenture until such time as the Indenture is qualified under
the TIA, and thereafter as in effect on the date on which the Indenture is
qualified under the TIA. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the
Securities are subject to all such terms, and Holders of Securities are referred
to the Indenture and the TIA for a statement of them. The Securities are limited
in aggregate principal amount to $150,000,000.
5. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.
The Securities will be redeemable, at the Company's option, in
whole at any time or in part from time to time, on and after July 1, 2003 at the
following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount)
if redeemed during the twelve-month period commencing on July 1 of the years set
forth below, plus, in each case, accrued interest thereon to the date of
redemption:
Year Percentage
---- ----------
2003........................................ 105.125%
2004........................................ 103.417%
2005........................................ 101.708%
2006 and thereafter......................... 100.000%
6. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION UPON PUBLIC EQUITY OFFERING.
At any time, or from time to time, on or prior to July 1,
2001, the Company may, at its option, use the net cash proceeds of one or more
Public Equity Offerings (as defined) to redeem up to 35% of the Securities
issued at a redemption price equal to 110.250% of the principal amount thereof
plus accrued
B-5
160
and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption; PROVIDED that at least
65% of the principal amount of Securities remains outstanding immediately after
giving effect to any such redemption. In order to effect the foregoing
redemption with the net cash proceeds of a Public Equity Offering, the Company
shall send the redemption notice not later than 90 days after the consummation
of such Public Equity Offering.
As used in the preceding paragraph, "Public Equity Offering"
means an underwritten public offering of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company
pursuant to a registration statement filed with and declared effective by the
SEC in accordance with the Securities Act.
7. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
Notice of redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not
more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each Holder of Securities to be
redeemed at such Holder's registered address. Securities in denominations of
$1,000 may be redeemed only in whole. The Trustee may select for redemption
portions (equal to $1,000 or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal of
Securities that have denominations larger than $1,000.
If any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of
redemption that relates to such Security shall state the portion of the
principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Security in a principal amount
equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in the name of the Holder
thereof upon cancellation of the original Security. On and after the Redemption
Date, interest will cease to accrue on Securities or portions thereof called for
redemption.
8. CHANGE OF CONTROL OFFER.
Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Company will
be required to offer to purchase all of the outstanding Securities at a purchase
price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid
interest, if any, to the date of repurchase.
B-6
161
9. LIMITATION ON DISPOSITION OF ASSETS.
The Company is, subject to certain conditions, obligated to
make an offer to purchase Securities at 100% of their principal amount plus
accrued and unpaid interest to the date of repurchase with certain net cash
proceeds of certain sales or other dispositions of assets in accordance with the
Indenture.
10. DENOMINATIONS; TRANSFER; EXCHANGE.
The Securities are in registered form, without coupons, in
denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. A Holder shall
register the transfer of or exchange Securities in accordance with the
Indenture. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish
appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay certain transfer
taxes or similar governmental charges payable in connection therewith as
permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer of or
exchange any Securities or portions thereof selected for redemption, except the
unredeemed portion of any security being redeemed in part.
11. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS.
The registered Holder of a Security shall be treated as the
owner of it for all purposes.
12. UNCLAIMED FUNDS.
If funds for the payment of principal or interest remain
unclaimed for two years, the Trustee and the Paying Agent will repay the funds
to the Company at its request. After that, all liability of the Trustee and such
Paying Agent with respect to such funds shall cease.
13. LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE.
The Company may be discharged from its obligations under the
Indenture and the Securities except for certain provisions thereof, and may be
discharged from its obligations to comply with certain covenants contained in
the Indenture and the Securities, in each case upon satisfaction of certain
conditions specified in the Indenture.
B-7
162
14. AMENDMENT; SUPPLEMENT; WAIVER.
Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture or the Securities
may be amended or supplemented with the written consent of the Holders of at
least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then
outstanding, and any existing Default or Event of Default or compliance with any
provision may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Securities then outstanding. Without notice to
or consent of any Holder, the parties thereto may amend or supplement the
Indenture or the Securities to, among other things, cure any ambiguity, defect
or inconsistency, provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in
place of certificated Securities or comply with any requirements of the SEC in
connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the TIA, or make any
other change that does not materially adversely affect the rights of any Holder
of a Security.
15. RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS.
The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other
things, limit the ability of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries to make
restricted payments, to incur indebtedness, to create liens, to issue preferred
or other capital stock of subsidiaries, to sell assets, to permit restrictions
on dividends and other payments by subsidiaries to the Company, to consolidate,
merge or sell all or substantially all of its assets, to engage in transactions
with affiliates or to engage in certain businesses. The limitations are subject
to a number of important qualifications and exceptions.
16. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee
or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of Securities then
outstanding may declare all the Securities to be due and payable immediately in
the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. Holders of Securities
may not enforce the Indenture or the Securities except as provided in the
Indenture. The Trustee is not obligated to enforce the Indenture or the
Securities unless it has received indemnity satisfactory to it. The Indenture
permits, subject to certain limitations therein provided,
B-8
163
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then
outstanding to direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The
Trustee may withhold from Holders of Securities notice of any continuing Default
or Event of Default (except a Default in payment of principal, premium or
interest, including an accelerated payment) if it determines that withholding
notice is in their interest.
17. TRUSTEE DEALINGS WITH COMPANY.
The Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any
other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise
deal with the Company, its Subsidiaries, any Guarantor and their respective
Affiliates as if it were not the Trustee.
18. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS.
No stockholder, director, officer, employee or incorporator,
as such, of the Company shall have any liability for any obligation of the
Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in
respect of or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of a
Security by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The
waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the
Securities.
19. AUTHENTICATION.
This Security shall not be valid until the Trustee or
authenticating agent signs the certificate of authentication on this Security.
20. ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINED TERMS.
Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder of
a Security or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (=
tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship
and not as tenants in common), CUST (= Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts
to Minors Act).
B-9
164
21. CUSIP NUMBERS.
Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on
Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused CUSIP numbers
to be printed on the Securities as a convenience to the Holders of the
Securities. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers as
printed on the Securities and reliance may be placed only on the other
identification numbers printed hereon.
22. SUBORDINATION.
The Securities are subordinated in right of payment, in the
manner and to the extent set forth in the Indenture, to the prior payment in
full, in cash or Cash Equivalents of all Senior Debt of the Company, whether
outstanding on the date of the Indenture or thereafter created, incurred,
assumed or guaranteed. Each Holder by his acceptance hereof agrees to be bound
by such provisions and authorizes and expressly directs the Trustee, on his
behalf, to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the
subordination provided for in the Indenture and appoints the Trustee his
attorney-in-fact for such purposes.
The Company will furnish to any Holder of a Security upon
written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made
to: SIMONDS INDUSTRIES INC., 135 Intervale Road, Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420,
Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
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165
GUARANTEE
Each undersigned Guarantor (as defined in the Indenture
referred to in the Security upon which this notation is endorsed and each
referred to as the "Guarantor," which term includes any successor person under
the Indenture) unconditionally guarantees on a senior subordinated basis as set
forth in Article Twelve of the Indenture (such guarantee by the Guarantor being
referred to herein as a "Guarantee") (i) the due and punctual payment of the
principal of and interest on the Securities, whether at maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise, the due and punctual payment of interest on the
overdue principal and interest, if any, on the Securities, to the extent lawful,
and the due and punctual performance of all other obligations of the Company to
the Holders or the Trustee all in accordance with the terms set forth in Article
Ten of the Indenture and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or
renewal of any Securities or any of such other obligations, that the same will
be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of
the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or
otherwise.
No stockholder, officer, director or incorporator, as such,
past, present or future, of the Guarantor shall have any liability under the
Guarantee by reason of his or its status as such stockholder, officer, director
or incorporator.
The Guarantee shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until the certificate of authentication on the Securities upon which the
Guarantee is noted shall have been executed by the Trustee under the Indenture
by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers.
ARMSTRONG MANUFACTURING COMPANY
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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167
SIMONDS HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
SIMONDS INDUSTRIES FSC, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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ASSIGNMENT FORM
I or we assign and transfer this Security to
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)
________________________________________________________________________________
(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)
and irrevocably appoint ________________________________________________________
agent to transfer this Security on the books of the Company. The agent may
substitute another to act for him.
Dated: _________________ Signed: _________________________________
(Sign exactly as name appears on
the other side of this Security)
Signature Guarantee: ___________________________________________________________
Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion
Program (or other signature guarantor reasonably acceptable
to the Trustee)
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OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you want to elect to have this Security purchased by the
Company pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.24 of the Indenture, check the
appropriate box:
Section 4.12 [ ] Section 4.24 [ ]
If you want to elect to have only part of this Security
purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.12 or Section 4.24 of the
Indenture, state the amount: $_____________
Date: ________________ Your Signature: _______________________________________
(Sign exactly as
your name appears
on the other side
of this Security)
Signature Guarantee: ___________________________________________________________
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170
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF LEGEND FOR GLOBAL SECURITIES
Any Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder
shall bear a legend (which would be in addition to any other legends required in
the case of a Restricted Security) in substantially the following form:
THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE
INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A
DEPOSITORY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITORY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITORY. THIS
SECURITY IS NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A
PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITORY OR ITS NOMINEE EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED
CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS
SECURITY (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY AS A WHOLE BY THE
DEPOSITORY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE
DEPOSITORY TO THE DEPOSITORY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY) MAY
BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE
INDENTURE.
UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION
("DTC"), TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER,
EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE
NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO.
OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED
OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
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EXHIBIT D
CERTIFICATE TO BE DELIVERED UPON EXCHANGE
OR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER OF SECURITIES
Re: 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008, Series A, and
10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008, Series B (the
"Securities"), of Simonds Industries Inc.
------------------------------------------------------------
This Certificate relates to $_______ principal amount of
Securities held in the form of* ___ a beneficial interest in a Global Security
or* _______ Physical Securities by ______ (the "Transferor").
The Transferor:*
[ ] has requested by written order that the Registrar deliver in
exchange for its beneficial interest in the Global Security held by the
Depositary a Physical Security or Physical Securities in definitive, registered
form of authorized denominations and an aggregate number equal to its beneficial
interest in such Global Security (or the portion thereof indicated above); or
[ ] has requested by written order that the Registrar exchange or
register the transfer of a Physical Security or Physical Securities.
In connection with such request and in respect of each such
Security, the Transferor does hereby certify that the Transferor is familiar
with the Indenture relating to the above captioned Securities and the
restrictions on transfers thereof as provided in Section 2.16 of such Indenture,
and that the transfer of this Securities does not require registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act") because*:
[ ] Such Security is being acquired for the Transferor's own
account, without transfer (in satisfaction of Section 2.16(a)(II)(A) or Section
2.16(d)(i)(A) of the Indenture).
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172
[ ] Such Security is being transferred to a "qualified
institutional buyer" (as defined in Rule 144A under the Act), in reliance on
Rule 144A.
[ ] Such Security is being transferred to an institutional
"accredited investor" (within the meaning of subparagraphs (a)(1), (2), (3) or
(7) of Rule 501 under the Act.
[ ] Such Security is being transferred in reliance on Regulation
S under the Act
[ ] Such Security is being transferred in reliance on Rule 144
under the Act.
Such Security is being transferred in reliance on and in
compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Act other
than Rule 144A or Rule 144 or Regulation S under the Act to a person other than
an institutional "accredited investor."
---------------------------------------
[INSERT NAME OF TRANSFEROR]
By:
-----------------------------------
[Authorized Signatory]
Date:______________
* Check applicable box.
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EXHIBIT E
FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE
DELIVERED IN CONNECTION WITH
TRANSFERS TO INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTORS
---------------, ----
[TRUSTEE]
Attention: [ ]
Re: Simonds Industries Inc. (the "Company") Indenture (the
"Indenture") relating to 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due
2008, Series A, or 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008,
Series B
--------------------------------------------------------------
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with our proposed purchase of 10 1/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2008, Series A, or 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due
2008, Series B (the "Securities"), of Simonds Industries Inc. (the "Company"),
we confirm that:
1. We have received such information as we deem
necessary in order to make our investment decision.
2. We understand that any subsequent transfer of the
Securities is subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the
Indenture and the undersigned agrees to be bound by, and not to resell, pledge
or otherwise transfer the Securities except in compliance with, such
restrictions and conditions and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act").
3. We understand that the offer and sale of the
Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act, and that the
Securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the
account or benefit of, U.S. persons except as permitted in the following
sentence. We agree, on our own behalf and on behalf of any accounts for
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174
which we are acting as hereinafter stated, that if we should sell any
Securities, we will do so only (A) to the Company or any subsidiary thereof, (B)
inside the United States in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act
to a "qualified institutional buyer" (as defined therein), (C) inside the United
States to an institutional "accredited investor" (as defined below) that, prior
to such transfer, furnishes (or has furnished on its behalf by a U.S.
broker-dealer) to the Trustee a signed letter substantially in the form hereof,
(D) outside the United States in accordance with Regulation S under the
Securities Act, (E) pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule
144 under the Securities Act (if available), or (F) pursuant to an effective
registration statement under the Securities Act, and we further agree to provide
to any person purchasing Securities from us a notice advising such purchaser
that resales of the Securities are restricted as stated herein.
4. We understand that, on any proposed resale of
Securities, we will be required to furnish to the Trustee and the Company, such
certification, legal opinions and other information as the Trustee and the
Company may reasonably require to confirm that the proposed sale complies with
the foregoing restrictions. We further understand that the Securities purchased
by us will bear a legend to the foregoing effect.
5. We are an institutional "accredited investor" (as
defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) of Regulation D under the Securities
Act) and have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as
to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of our investment in the
Securities, and we and any accounts for which we are acting are each able to
bear the economic risk of our or their investment, as the case may be.
6. We are acquiring the Securities purchased by us for
our account or for one or more accounts (each of which is an institutional
"accredited investor") as to each of which we exercise sole investment
discretion.
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175
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this letter and
are irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any
interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry
with respect to the matters covered hereby.
Very truly yours,
[Name of Transferor]
By:
----------------------------------------
[Authorized Signatory]
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176
EXHIBIT F
FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE
DELIVERED IN CONNECTION
WITH REGULATION S TRANSFERS
---------------, ----
[TRUSTEE]
Attention: [ ]
Re: Simonds Industries Inc. (the "Company") 10 1/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2008, Series A, and 10 1/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2008, Series B (the "Securities")
---------------------------------------------------------
Dear Sirs:
In connection with our proposed sale of $____________
aggregate principal amount of the Securities, we confirm that such sale has been
effected pursuant to and in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and, accordingly, we represent
that:
(1) the offer of the Securities was not made to a person
in the United States;
(2) either (a) at the time the buy offer was originated,
the transferee was outside the United States or we and any person acting on our
behalf reasonably believed that the transferee was outside the United States, or
(b) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a
designated off-shore securities market and neither we nor any person acting on
our behalf knows that the transaction has been pre-arranged with a buyer in the
United States;
(3) no directed selling efforts have been made in the
United States in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b)
of Regulation S, as applicable;
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177
(4) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to
evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act; and
(5) we have advised the transferee of the transfer
restrictions applicable to the Securities.
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this letter and
are irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any
interested party in any administrative or legal proceedings or official inquiry
with respect to the matters covered hereby. Defined terms used herein without
definition have the respective meanings provided in Regulation S.
Very truly yours,
[Name of Transferor]
By:
----------------------------------------
[Authorized Signatory]
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178
EXHIBIT G
[FORM OF GUARANTEE]
Each undersigned Guarantor (as defined in the Indenture
referred to in the Security upon which this notation is endorsed and each
referred to as the "Guarantor," which term includes any successor person under
the Indenture) unconditionally guarantees on a senior subordinated basis as set
forth in Article Twelve of the Indenture (such guarantee by the Guarantor being
referred to herein as a "Guarantee") (i) the due and punctual payment of the
principal of and interest on the Securities, whether at maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise, the due and punctual payment of interest on the
overdue principal and interest, if any, on the Securities, to the extent lawful,
and the due and punctual performance of all other obligations of the Company to
the Holders or the Trustee all in accordance with the terms set forth in Article
Ten of the Indenture and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or
renewal of any Securities or any of such other obligations, that the same will
be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of
the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or
otherwise.
No stockholder, officer, director or incorporator, as such,
past, present or future, of the Guarantor shall have any liability under the
Guarantee by reason of his or its status as such stockholder, officer, director
or incorporator.
The Guarantee shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until the certificate of authentication on the Securities upon which the
Guarantee is noted shall have been executed by the Trustee under the Indenture
by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers.
G-1