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EXHIBIT 4.1
INSTRON CORPORATION
13-1/4% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2009
INDENTURE
Dated as of September 29, 1999
Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association
Trustee
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CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*
Trust Indenture
Act Section Indenture Section
310(a)(1)................................................................... 7.10
(a)(2)................................................................... 7.10
(a)(3)................................................................... N.A.
(a)(4)................................................................... N.A.
(a)(5)................................................................... 7.10
(b)...................................................................... 7.10
(c)...................................................................... N.A.
311(a)...................................................................... 7.11
(b)...................................................................... 7.11
(c)...................................................................... N.A.
312(a)...................................................................... 2.05
(b)...................................................................... 13.03
(c)...................................................................... 13.03
313(a)...................................................................... 7.06
(b)(2)................................................................... 7.07
(c)...................................................................... 7.06;13.02
(d)...................................................................... 7.06
314(a)...................................................................... 4.03;13.05
(c)(3)................................................................... N.A.
(e)...................................................................... 13.05
(f)...................................................................... N.A.
315(a)...................................................................... 7.01
(b)...................................................................... 7.05,12.02
(c)...................................................................... 7.01
(d)...................................................................... 7.01
(e)...................................................................... 6.11
316(a) (last sentence)...................................................... 2.09
(a)(1)(A)................................................................ 6.05
(a)(1)(B)................................................................ 6.04
(a)(2)................................................................... N.A.
(b)...................................................................... 6.07
(c)...................................................................... 2.12
317(a)(1)................................................................... 6.08
(a)(2)................................................................... 6.09
(b)...................................................................... 2.04
318(a)...................................................................... N.A.
(b)...................................................................... N.A.
(c)...................................................................... 13.01
N.A. means not applicable.
* This Cross Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE 1.
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
Section 1.01. Definitions................................................................................... 1
Section 1.02. Other Definitions............................................................................. 16
Section 1.03. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act............................................. 16
Section 1.04. Rules of Construction......................................................................... 17
ARTICLE 2.
THE NOTES
Section 2.01. Form and Dating............................................................................... 17
Section 2.02. Execution and Authentication.................................................................. 18
Section 2.03. Registrar and Paying Agent.................................................................... 18
Section 2.04. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust........................................................... 19
Section 2.05. Holder Lists.................................................................................. 19
Section 2.06. Transfer and Exchange......................................................................... 19
Section 2.07. Replacement Notes............................................................................. 30
Section 2.08. Outstanding Notes............................................................................. 31
Section 2.09. Treasury Notes................................................................................ 31
Section 2.10. Temporary Notes............................................................................... 31
Section 2.11. Cancellation.................................................................................. 31
Section 2.12. Defaulted Interest............................................................................ 32
ARTICLE 3.
REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT
Section 3.01. Notices to Trustee............................................................................ 32
Section 3.02. Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed............................................................. 32
Section 3.03. Notice of Redemption.......................................................................... 33
Section 3.04. Effect of Notice of Redemption................................................................ 33
Section 3.05. Deposit of Redemption Price................................................................... 33
Section 3.06. Notes Redeemed in Part........................................................................ 34
Section 3.07. Optional Redemption........................................................................... 34
Section 3.08. Mandatory Redemption.......................................................................... 34
Section 3.09. Offer to Purchase by Application of Excess Proceeds........................................... 34
ARTICLE 4.
COVENANTS
Section 4.01. Payment of Notes.............................................................................. 36
Section 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency............................................................... 36
Section 4.03. Reports....................................................................................... 37
Section 4.04. Compliance Certificate........................................................................ 37
Section 4.05. Taxes......................................................................................... 38
Section 4.06. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws................................................................ 38
Section 4.07. Restricted Payments........................................................................... 38
Section 4.08. Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries................................ 40
Section 4.09. Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock.................................... 41
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Section 4.10. Asset Sales................................................................................... 44
Section 4.11. Transactions with Affiliates.................................................................. 45
Section 4.12. Liens......................................................................................... 45
Section 4.13. Business Activities........................................................................... 46
Section 4.14. Corporate Existence........................................................................... 46
Section 4.15. Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control.................................................... 46
Section 4.16. No Senior Subordinated Debt................................................................... 47
Section 4.17. Payments for Consent.......................................................................... 47
Section 4.18. Additional Note Guarantees.................................................................... 47
Section 4.19. Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries....................................... 48
ARTICLE 5.
SUCCESSORS
Section 5.01. Merger, Consolidation, or Sale of Assets...................................................... 48
Section 5.02. Successor Corporation Substituted............................................................. 48
ARTICLE 6.
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
Section 6.01. Events of Default............................................................................. 49
Section 6.02. Acceleration.................................................................................. 50
Section 6.03. Other Remedies................................................................................ 51
Section 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults....................................................................... 51
Section 6.05. Control by Majority........................................................................... 51
Section 6.06. Limitation on Suits........................................................................... 51
Section 6.07. Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment................................................. 52
Section 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee.................................................................... 52
Section 6.09. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.............................................................. 52
Section 6.10. Priorities.................................................................................... 52
Section 6.11. Undertaking for Costs......................................................................... 53
ARTICLE 7.
TRUSTEE
Section 7.01. Duties of Trustee............................................................................. 53
Section 7.02. Rights of Trustee............................................................................. 54
Section 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee.................................................................. 54
Section 7.04. Trustee's Disclaimer.......................................................................... 55
Section 7.05. Notice of Defaults............................................................................ 55
Section 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes.................................................... 55
Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity.................................................................... 55
Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee........................................................................ 56
Section 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.............................................................. 57
Section 7.10. Eligibility; Disqualification................................................................. 57
Section 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company............................................. 57
ARTICLE 8.
LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
Section 8.01. Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance...................................... 57
Section 8.02. Legal Defeasance and Discharge................................................................ 57
Section 8.03. Covenant Defeasance........................................................................... 58
Section 8.04. Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance.................................................... 58
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Section 8.05. Deposited Money and Government Securities to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions. 59
Section 8.06. Repayment to Company.......................................................................... 60
Section 8.07. Reinstatement................................................................................. 60
ARTICLE 9.
AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER
Section 9.01. Without Consent of Holders of Notes........................................................... 60
Section 9.02. With Consent of Holders of Notes.............................................................. 61
Section 9.03. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act........................................................... 62
Section 9.04. Revocation and Effect of Consents............................................................. 63
Section 9.05. Notation on or Exchange of Notes.............................................................. 63
Section 9.06. Trustee to Sign Amendments, etc............................................................... 63
ARTICLE 10.
SUBORDINATION
Section 10.01. Agreement to Subordinate................................................................... 63
Section 10.02. Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy....................................................... 63
Section 10.03. Default on Designated Senior Debt.......................................................... 64
Section 10.04. Acceleration of Securities................................................................. 64
Section 10.05. When Distribution Must Be Paid Over........................................................ 65
Section 10.06. Notice by Company.......................................................................... 65
Section 10.07. Subrogation................................................................................ 65
Section 10.08. Relative Rights............................................................................ 65
Section 10.09. Subordination May Not Be Impaired by Company............................................... 66
Section 10.10. Distribution or Notice to Representative................................................... 66
Section 10.11. Rights of Trustee and Paying Agent......................................................... 66
Section 10.12. Authorization to Effect Subordination...................................................... 66
Section 10.13. Amendments................................................................................. 67
ARTICLE 11.
NOTE GUARANTEES
Section 11.01. Guarantee.................................................................................. 67
Section 11.02. Subordination of Note Guarantee............................................................ 68
Section 11.03. Limitation on Guarantor Liability.......................................................... 68
Section 11.04. Execution and Delivery of Note Guarantee................................................... 68
Section 11.05. Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms......................................... 69
Section 11.06. Releases Following Sale of Assets.......................................................... 69
ARTICLE 12.
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 12.01. Satisfaction and Discharge................................................................. 70
Section 12.02. Application of Trust Money................................................................. 71
ARTICLE 13.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 13.01. Trust Indenture Act Controls............................................................... 71
Section 13.02. Notices.................................................................................... 71
Section 13.03. Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes.............................. 72
Section 13.04. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent......................................... 72
Section 13.05. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.............................................. 73
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Section 13.06. Rules by Trustee and Agents................................................................ 73
Section 13.07. No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders................... 73
Section 13.08. Governing Law.............................................................................. 73
Section 13.09. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.............................................. 73
Section 13.10. Successors................................................................................. 74
Section 13.11. Severability............................................................................... 74
Section 13.12. Counterpart Originals...................................................................... 74
Section 13.13. Table of Contents, Headings, etc........................................................... 74
Section 13.14. Limitation on Trust Liability.............................................................. 74
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A1 FORM OF NOTE
Exhibit A2 FORM OF REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE
Exhibit B FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
Exhibit C FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
Exhibit D FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF ACQUIRING INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR
Exhibit E FORM OF NOTE GUARANTEE
Exhibit F FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
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INDENTURE dated as of September 29, 1999 among Instron Corporation, a
Massachusetts corporation (the "Company"), the Guarantors (as defined) and
Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association, as trustee (the "Trustee").
The Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee agree as follows for the
benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of
the 13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2009 (the "Senior Subordinated Notes")
and the new 13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2009 (the "New Senior
Subordinated Notes" and, together with the Senior Subordinated Notes, the
"Notes"):
ARTICLE 1.
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
Section 1.01. Definitions.
"144A Global Note" means a global note substantially in the form of
Exhibit A/A-1 hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement
Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the
Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a denomination equal to the
outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A.
"Acquired Debt" means, with respect to any specified Person, (i)
Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is
merged with or into or became a Subsidiary of such specified Person, including,
without limitation, Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in
contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into or becoming a
Subsidiary of such specified Person and (ii) Indebtedness secured by a Lien
encumbering any assets acquired by such specified Person.
"Additional Notes" means up to $50.0 million aggregate principal amount
of Notes (other than the Initial Notes) issued under this Indenture in
accordance with Sections 2.02 and 4.09 hereof, as part of the same series as the
Initial Notes.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, "control"
(including, with correlative meanings, the terms "controlling," "controlled by"
and "under common control with"), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise; provided, however,
that beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Voting Stock of a Person shall
be deemed to be control.
"Agent" means any Registrar, Paying Agent or co-registrar.
"Applicable Procedures" means, with respect to any transfer or exchange
of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of
the Depositary, Euroclear and Cedel that apply to such transfer or exchange.
"Asset Sale" means: (a) the sale, lease, conveyance or other
disposition of any assets or rights, other than sales of inventory in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practices; provided that the
sale, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets
of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole shall be governed by the
provisions of Section 4.15 hereof and/or the provisions described in Section
5.01 hereof and not by the provisions of Section 4.10 hereof; and (b) the
issuance of Equity Interests by any of the Company's Restricted Subsidiaries or
the sale of Equity Interests in any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than
the issuance of director qualifying shares or similar required
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issuances). Notwithstanding the preceding, the following items shall not be
deemed to be Asset Sales: (i) any single transaction or series of related
transactions that involves assets having a fair market value of less than $2.0
million; (ii) a transfer of assets between or among the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, (iii) an issuance of Equity Interests by a Restricted
Subsidiary to the Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary; (iv) the sale or
lease of equipment, inventory, accounts receivable or other assets in the
ordinary course of business; (v) the sale or other disposition of cash or Cash
Equivalents; (vi) a Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment that is permitted
by Section 4.07 hereof; and (vii) the licensing or sublicensing of intellectual
property or other general intangibles and licenses, leases or subleases of other
property in the ordinary course of business and which do not materially
interfere with the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
"Asset Swap" means an exchange of assets by the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary of the Company for (i) one or more Permitted Businesses, (ii) a
controlling equity interest in any Person whose assets consist primarily of one
or more Permitted Businesses, (iii) cash and/or (iv) Productive Assets.
"Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or
state law for the relief of debtors.
"Beneficial Owner" has the meaning assigned to the term in Rule 13d-3
and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial
ownership of any particular "person" (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3)
of the Exchange Act), such "person" shall be deemed to have beneficial ownership
of all securities that such "person" has the right to acquire by conversion or
exercise of other securities, whether the right is currently exercisable or is
exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition. The terms
"beneficially owns" and "beneficially owned" shall have a corresponding meaning.
"Board of Directors" means (i) with respect to a corporation, the board
of directors of the corporation; (ii) with respect to a partnership, the Board
of Directors of the general partner of the partnership; and (iii) with respect
to any other Person, the board or committee of the Person serving a similar
function.
"Broker-Dealer" has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights
Agreement.
"Business Day" means any day other than a Legal Holiday.
"Capital Lease Obligation" means, at the time any determination thereof
is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that
would at such time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in
accordance with GAAP.
"Capital Stock" means (i) in the case of a corporation, corporate
stock, (ii) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all
shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however
designated) of corporate stock, (iii) in the case of a partnership or limited
liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or
limited) and (iv) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person
the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of
assets of, the issuing Person.
"Cash Equivalents" means (i) United States dollars, (ii) securities
issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States
government or any agency or instrumentality thereof (provided that the full
faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof) having
maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition, (iii)
certificates of deposit and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year
or less from the date of acquisition, bankers' acceptances with maturities not
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exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case, with any lender
party to the Credit Agreement or with any domestic commercial bank having
capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million and a Thomson Bank Watch Rating
of "B" or better, (iv) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven
days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (ii) and (iii)
above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications
specified in clause (iii) above, (v) commercial paper having the highest rating
obtainable from Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor's Rating
Services and in each case maturing within six months after the date of
acquisition, and (vi) money market funds at least 95% of the assets of which
constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (i) through (v) of
this definition.
"Cedel" means Cedel Bank, SA.
"Change of Control" means the occurrence of any of the following: (i)
the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other
than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related
transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any "person" (as
that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than a
Principal or a Related Party of a Principal; (ii) the adoption of a plan
relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; (iii) the
consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or
consolidation) the result of which is that any "person" (as defined herein),
other than the Principals and their Related Parties, becomes the Beneficial
Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of the
Company, measured by voting power rather than number of shares; or (iv) the
first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the
Company are not Continuing Directors.
"Company" means Instron Corporation, and any and all successors
thereto.
"Consolidated Cash Flow" means, with respect to any specified Person
for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of that Person for that period plus
(i) an amount equal to any extraordinary loss plus any net loss realized by that
Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Sale,
to the extent those losses were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income,
plus (ii) provision for taxes based on income or profits of that Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for that period, to the extent that the provision for
taxes was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus (iii) consolidated
interest expense of that Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for that period,
whether paid or accrued and whether or not capitalized (including, without
limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount,
non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment
obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital
Lease Obligations, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in
respect of letter of credit or bankers' acceptance financings, and net of the
effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations), to the
extent that any such expense was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income,
plus (iv) depreciation, amortization (including amortization of goodwill and
other intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were
paid in a prior period) and other non-cash expenses (excluding any such non-cash
expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash
expenses in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was
paid in a prior period) of that Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for that
period to the extent that the depreciation, amortization and other non-cash
expenses were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, minus (v) non-cash
items increasing Consolidated Net Income for that period, other than the accrual
of revenue in the ordinary course of business, in each case, on a consolidated
basis and determined in accordance with GAAP. Notwithstanding the preceding, the
provision for taxes based on the income or profits of, and the depreciation and
amortization and other non-cash expenses of, a Restricted Subsidiary of the
Company shall be added to Consolidated Net Income to compute Consolidated Cash
Flow of the Company only to the extent that a corresponding amount would be
permitted at the date of determination to be dividended to the Company by that
Restricted
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Subsidiary without prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained), and
without direct or indirect restriction pursuant to the terms of its charter and
all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes, rules and
governmental regulations applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its
stockholders.
"Consolidated Net Income" means, with respect to any specified Person
for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of that Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for that period, on a consolidated basis, determined in
accordance with GAAP; provided that (i) the Net Income (but not loss) of any
Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the
equity method of accounting shall be included only to the extent of the amount
of dividends or distributions paid in cash to the specified Person or a
Restricted Subsidiary thereof, (ii) the Net Income of any Restricted Subsidiary
shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or
similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of that Net Income is not at
the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval
(that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by operation of the
terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order,
statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted
Subsidiary or its stockholders, (iii) the Net Income of any Person acquired in a
pooling of interests transaction for any period prior to the date of such
acquisition shall be excluded, (iv) the cumulative effect of a change in
accounting principles shall be excluded, (v) any nonrecurring fees, expenses and
costs relating to the Recapitalization incurred on or prior to date of this
Indenture, including, without limitation, any fees and expenses incurred in
connection with the Credit Agreement, any compensation expense incurred in
connection with the cancellation, retirement or acceleration of vesting of stock
options or restricted stock, modifications of existing employment agreements and
expenses related to early extinguishments of debt, shall be excluded and (vi)
the Net Income of any Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be excluded, whether or not
distributed to the specified Person or one of its Subsidiaries.
"Continuing Directors" means, as of any date of determination, any
member of the Board of Directors of the Company who (i) was a member of such
Board of Directors on the date of this Indenture or (ii) was nominated for
election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority
of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board at the time of such
nomination or election.
"Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee" shall be at the address of the
Trustee specified in Section 13.02 hereof or such other address as to which the
Trustee may give notice to the Company.
"Credit Agreement" means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of the
date of this Indenture, by and among the Company, certain of its Subsidiaries
and National City Bank, as agent, providing for up to $50.0 million of revolving
credit borrowings and $30.0 million of term loan borrowings, including any
related notes, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements
executed in connection therewith, and in each case as amended, modified,
renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time.
"Credit Facilities" means, one or more debt facilities (including,
without limitation, the Credit Agreement), commercial paper facilities or
indentures, in each case with banks or other lenders (or trustees therefor)
providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing
(including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose
entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables), letters
of credit or debt securities, in each case, as amended, restated, modified,
renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced in whole or in part from time to time.
"Custodian" means the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes
in global form, or any successor entity thereto.
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"Default" means any event that is, or with the passage of time or the
giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.
"Definitive Note" means a certificated Note registered in the name of
the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.06 hereof,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A1 hereto except that such Note shall not
bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the "Schedule of Exchanges of
Interests in the Global Note" attached thereto.
"Depositary" means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in
whole or in part in global form, the Person specified in Section 2.03 hereof as
the Depositary with respect to the Notes, and any and all successors thereto
appointed as depositary hereunder and having become such pursuant to the
applicable provision of this Indenture.
"Designated Senior Debt" means (i) any Indebtedness outstanding under
the Credit Agreement and (ii) after payment in full of all Obligations under the
Credit Agreement, any other Senior Debt permitted hereunder the principal amount
of which is $15.0 million or more and that has been designated by the Company as
"Designated Senior Debt."
"Disqualified Stock" means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by
the terms of any security into which it is convertible, or for which it is
exchangeable, in each case at the option of the holder thereof), or upon the
happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a
sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder
thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the
date on which the Notes mature. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, (i) any
Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the
holders thereof have the right to require the Company to repurchase the Capital
Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale shall not
constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of the Capital Stock provide that the
Company may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock pursuant to such
provisions unless such repurchase or redemption complies with Section 4.07
hereof and (ii) shares of common stock of the Company beneficially owned by any
member of the Company's management or any immediate family member thereof shall
not constitute Disqualified Stock.
"Domestic Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary that guarantees or otherwise
provides direct credit support for any Indebtedness of the Company; provided
that a person organized and existing outside the United States shall not be
considered a Domestic Subsidiary solely by virtue of direct borrowing
obligations under Credit Facilities guaranteed by the Company.
"Equity Interests" means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or
other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is
convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
"Euroclear" means Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Brussels
office, as operator of the Euroclear system.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Exchange Notes" means the Notes issued in the Exchange Offer pursuant
to Section 2.06(f) hereof.
"Exchange Offer" has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights
Agreement.
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement" has the meaning set forth in
the Registration Rights Agreement.
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"Existing Indebtedness" means Indebtedness of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement) in existence
on the date of this Indenture, until such amounts are repaid and commitments are
permanently reduced.
"Fixed Charges" means, with respect to any specified Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the sum, without duplication, of (i) the
consolidated interest expense of that Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for
such period, whether paid or accrued, including, without limitation,
amortization of original issue discount (other than original issue discount
solely attributable to the Notes in connection with the issuance of the
Warrants), non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred
payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with
Capital Lease Obligations, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges
incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers' acceptance financings, and
the net effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations
except expenses incurred with respect to fixing or hedging the risks associated
with fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, but excluding amortization
of debt issuance costs, plus (ii) the consolidated interest of that Person and
its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period, plus (iii)
any interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person that is Guaranteed by
that Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets
of that Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether or not the
Guarantee or Lien is called upon, plus (iv) the product of (a) all dividends,
whether paid or accrued and whether or not in cash, on any series of preferred
stock of that Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, other than dividends
on Equity Interests payable solely in Equity Interests of the Company (other
than Disqualified Stock) or to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the
Company, times (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator
of which is one minus the then current combined effective federal, state and
local statutory tax rate of that Person, expressed as a decimal, in each case,
on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP.
"Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio" means, with respect to any specified
Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the ratio of the
Consolidated Cash Flow of that Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such
period to the Fixed Charges of that Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for
such period. In the event that the specified Person or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries incurs, assumes, Guarantees, repays, repurchases or redeems any
Indebtedness (other than ordinary working capital borrowings) or issues,
repurchases or redeems preferred stock subsequent to the commencement of the
period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is being calculated and on or
prior to the date on which the event for which the calculation of the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the "Calculation Date"), then the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence,
assumption, Guarantee, repayment, repurchase or redemption of Indebtedness, or
such issuance, repurchase or redemption of preferred stock, and the use of the
proceeds therefrom as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the
applicable four-quarter reference period. In addition, for purposes of
calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, (i) acquisitions and dispositions
that have been made by the specified Person or any of its Subsidiaries,
including through mergers or consolidations and including any related financing
transactions, during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to the
reference period and on or prior to the Calculation Date shall be given pro
forma effect as if they had occurred on the first day of the four-quarter
reference period and Consolidated Cash Flow for such reference period shall be
calculated on a pro forma basis in accordance with Regulation S-X under the
Securities Act (giving effect to any Pro Forma Cost Savings), but without giving
effect to clause (iii) of the proviso set forth in the definition of
Consolidated Net Income; (ii) if since the beginning of the reference period any
Person (that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or
into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of that
period) shall have made any acquisitions and dispositions including through
mergers or consolidations and including any related financing transactions that
would have required adjustment pursuant to this definition, then the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect thereto (as
described in (i) above) for the reference period as if the acquisition or
disposition had occurred at the beginning of the applicable
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four-quarter period; (iii) the Consolidated Cash Flow attributable to
discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations
or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, shall be excluded; and
(iv) the Fixed Charges attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in
accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the
Calculation Date, shall be excluded, but only to the extent that the obligations
giving rise to such Fixed Charges will not be obligations of the specified
Person or any of its Subsidiaries following the Calculation Date.
"Foreign Subsidiary" means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company
that is not a Domestic Subsidiary or that is engaged in trade or business
outside of the United States.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the
opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of
the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such
other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting
profession, which are in effect on the date of this Indenture.
"Global Notes" means, individually and collectively, each of the
Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes, substantially in the
form of Exhibit A hereto issued in accordance with Section 2.01, 2.06(b)(iv),
2.06(d)(ii) or 2.06(f) hereof.
"Global Note Legend" means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(ii),
which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.
"Government Securities" means direct obligations of, or obligations
guaranteed by, the United States of America, and the payment for which the
United States pledges its full faith and credit.
"Guarantee" means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable
instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), direct or
indirect, in any manner (including, without limitation, by way of a pledge of
assets or through letters of credit or reimbursement agreements in respect
thereof), of all or any part of any Indebtedness.
"Guarantors" means each of (i) Instron Asia Limited; Instron Japan
Company, Ltd.; Instron/Lawrence Corporation; Instron Realty Trust; IRT-II Trust;
and Instron Schenck Testing Systems Corp.; and (ii) any other subsidiary that
executes a Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of this
Indenture; and their respective successors and assigns.
"Hedging Obligations" means, with respect to any specified Person, the
obligations of that Person under (i) interest rate swap agreements, interest
rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements, (ii) other agreements
or arrangements designed solely to protect that Person against fluctuations in
interest rates and (iii) agreements entered into solely for the purpose of
fixing or hedging the risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currency
exchange rates.
"Holder" means a Person in whose name a Note is registered.
"immediate family" has the meaning assigned to the term in Rule
16a-1(e) under the Exchange Act.
"Indebtedness" means with respect to any specified Person, any
indebtedness of that Person, whether or not contingent, in respect of (i)
borrowed money, (ii) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar
instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect
thereof), (iii) banker's acceptances, (iv) representing Capital Lease
Obligations, (v) the balance deferred and unpaid of the
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purchase price of any property, except any such balance that constitutes an
accrued expense or trade payable or (vi) representing any Hedging Obligations,
if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than letters of credit
and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the
specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, the term
"Indebtedness" includes all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any
asset of the specified Person (whether or not the Indebtedness is assumed by the
specified Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the Guarantee by
the specified Person of any indebtedness of any other Person if and to the
extent such Indebtedness would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the
specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. The term "Indebtedness" shall
not include amounts owing to any insurance company in connection with the
financing of insurance premiums permitted by the insurance company in the
ordinary course of business. The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of
any date shall be (i) the accreted value thereof, in the case of any
Indebtedness issued with original issue discount, and (ii) the principal amount
thereof, together with any interest thereon that is more than 30 days past due,
in the case of any other Indebtedness.
"Indenture" means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time
to time.
"Indirect Participant" means a Person who holds a beneficial interest
in a Global Note through a Participant.
"Initial Notes" means the first $60.0 million aggregate principal
amount of Notes issued under this Indenture on the date hereof.
"Institutional Accredited Investor" means an institution that is an
"accredited investor" as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the
Securities Act, who are not also QIBs.
"Investments" means with respect to any Person, all direct or indirect
investments by that Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms
of loans (including Guarantees or other obligations), advances or capital
contributions (excluding commission, travel and similar advances to officers and
employees made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other
acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other
securities, together with all items that are or would be classified as
investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP. If the Company
or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company sells or otherwise disposes of any
Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary of the Company
such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, that Person is
no longer a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, the Company shall be deemed to
have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or disposition equal to the
fair market value of the Equity Interests of that Subsidiary not sold or
disposed of in an amount determined as provided in the final paragraph of
Section 4.07 hereof. The acquisition by the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company of a Person that holds an Investment in a third Person shall be deemed
to be an Investment by the Company or that Subsidiary in the third Person in an
amount equal to the fair market value of the Investment held by the acquired
Person in the third Person in an amount determined as provided in the final
paragraph of Section 4.07 hereof.
"Kirtland" means Kirtland Capital Partners III L.P.
"Legal Holiday" means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking
institutions in the City of New York or at a place of payment are authorized by
law, regulation or executive order to remain closed. If a payment date is a
Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the
next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue on
such payment for the intervening period.
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"Letter of Transmittal" means the letter of transmittal to be prepared
by the Company and sent to all Holders of the Notes for use by such Holders in
connection with the Exchange Offer.
"Lien" means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge,
charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset,
whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law
(including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in
the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security
interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under
the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction).
"Liquidated Damages" means all liquidated damages then owing pursuant
to Section 5 of the Registration Rights Agreement.
"Net Income" means, with respect to any specified Person, the net
income (loss) of that Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any
reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends, excluding, however, (i) any
gain or loss, together with any related provision for taxes on the gain or loss,
realized in connection with (a) any Asset Sale or (b) the disposition of any
securities by that Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or the
extinguishment of any Indebtedness of that Person or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries and (ii) any extraordinary gain or loss, together with any related
provision for taxes on the extraordinary gain or loss.
"Net Proceeds" means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale
(including, without limitation, any cash received upon the sale or other
disposition of any non-cash consideration received in any Asset Sale), net of
all costs relating to that Asset Sale, including, without limitation, legal,
accounting and investment banking fees, and sales commissions, and any
relocation expenses incurred as a result thereof, taxes paid or payable as a
result thereof, in each case, after taking into account any available tax
credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements, and amounts required to
be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness, other than Senior Debt, secured by
a Lien on the asset or assets that were the subject of the Asset Sale and any
reserve for adjustment in respect of the sale price of the asset or assets or
for any indemnification obligations assumed in connection with the Asset Sale,
established in accordance with GAAP.
"Non-Recourse Debt" means Indebtedness (i) as to which neither the
Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (A) provides credit support of
any kind (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would
constitute Indebtedness), (B) is directly or indirectly liable as a guarantor or
otherwise, or (C) constitutes the lender, provided, however, that the Company or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may act as a guarantor with respect to any
Non-Recourse Debt, provided that such Guarantee (1) shall be deemed an
incurrence of Indebtedness not otherwise permitted by clause (x) of Section 4.09
hereof and (2) is a Restricted Investment that must be permitted by Section 4.07
hereof; (ii) no default with respect to which (including any rights that the
holders thereof may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted
Subsidiary) would permit upon notice, lapse of time or both any holder of any
other Indebtedness (other than the Notes) of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause
the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity;
and (iii) as to which the lenders have been notified in writing that they will
not have any recourse to the stock or assets of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries.
"Non-U.S. Person" means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.
"Note Guarantee" means the Guarantee by each Guarantor of the Company's
payment obligations under this Indenture and on the Notes, executed pursuant to
the provisions of this Indenture.
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"Notes" has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble to this
Indenture. The Initial Notes and the Additional Notes shall be treated as a
single class for all purposes under this Indenture.
"Obligations" means any principal, interest, penalties, fees,
indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under
the documentation governing any Indebtedness.
"Offering" means the offering of the Notes by the Company.
"Officer" means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board,
the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the
Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Controller,
the Secretary or any Vice-President of such Person.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed on behalf of the
Company by two Officers of the Company, one of whom must be the principal
executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer or the
principal accounting officer of the Company, that meets the requirements of
Section 13.05 hereof.
"Opinion of Counsel" means an opinion from legal counsel who is
reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, that meets the requirements of Section
13.05 hereof. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, any
Subsidiary of the Company or the Trustee.
"Participant" means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or
Cedel, a Person who has an account with the Depositary, Euroclear or Cedel,
respectively (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear and Cedel).
"Permitted Business" means the business conducted by the Company and
its Subsidiaries on the date of this offering memorandum and businesses
reasonably related thereto or supportive thereof.
"Permitted Investments" means (i) any Investment in the Company or in a
Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any Investment in Cash Equivalents,
(iii) any Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company
in a Person, if as a result of the Investment (a) the Person becomes a
Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or a Permitted Joint Venture of the Company
that is engaged in a Permitted Business or (b) the Person is merged,
consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially
all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary of the Company or a Permitted Joint Venture of the Company that is
engaged in a Permitted Business, (iv) any Investment made as a result of the
receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to
and in compliance with Section 4.10 hereof, (v) any acquisition of assets to the
extent acquired in exchange for the issuance of Equity Interests (other than
Disqualified Stock) of the Company, (vi) Hedging Obligations, (vii) Investments
existing on the date of this Indenture and any amendment, modification,
restatement, extension, renewal, refunding, replacement, refinancing, in whole
or in part, thereof, (viii) extensions of trade credit or advances to customers
on commercially reasonable terms, each in the ordinary course of business, (ix)
loans or advances to employees, officers, directors or consultants otherwise
permitted by this Indenture and in the ordinary course of business not to exceed
an aggregate of $1.0 million at any one time and (x) other Investments in any
Person having an aggregate fair market value (measured on the date each such
Investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value),
when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (x)
that are at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $10.0 million and
10.0% of Total Assets as of the date of such Investment. In the event that an
item meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted
Investments described in clauses (i) through (x) above, the Company may, in its
sole discretion, classify or reclassify that item in any manner that complies
with this Indenture and that item shall be treated as having been made pursuant
to only one of such clauses.
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"Permitted Joint Venture" means, with respect to any Person (i) any
corporation, association, or other business entity engaged in a Permitted
Business of which 50% of the Voting Stock is at the time of determination owned
or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the
Restricted Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof (collectively, a
"Group") or (ii) any corporation, association or other business entity engaged
in a Permitted Business as to which the Group, at the time of initial
Investment, has a contractual right to acquire 50% of the Voting Stock, provided
that the Investment shall cease to be a Permitted Joint Venture if the Group
fails to acquire 50% of the Voting Stock within six months of the initial
Investment.
"Permitted Junior Securities" means Equity Interests in the Company or
any Guarantor or debt securities that are subordinated to all Senior Debt (and
any debt securities issued in exchange for Senior Debt) to substantially the
same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Notes and the Note Guarantees
are subordinated to Senior Debt pursuant to this Indenture.
"Permitted Liens" means (i) Liens in favor of the Company or the
Guarantors, (ii) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time the Person
is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary of the Company, provided that the Liens were in existence prior to
the contemplation of the merger or consolidation and do not extend to any assets
other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Company or
the Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) Liens on property existing at the time of
acquisition thereof by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company,
provided that the Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of the
acquisition, (iv) Liens existing on the date of this Indenture, (v) Liens on
assets of Unrestricted Subsidiaries that secure Non-Recourse Debt of
Unrestricted Subsidiaries, (vi) Liens to secure the performance of statutory
obligations, surety or appeal bonds, performance bonds or other obligations of a
like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, (vii) Liens for taxes,
assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or
that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly
instituted and diligently concluded, provided that any reserve or other
appropriate provision as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have
been made thereunder and (viii) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of
business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company with respect
to obligations that do not exceed $5.0 million at any one time outstanding.
"Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness" means any Indebtedness of the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net
proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or
refund other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
(other than intercompany Indebtedness); provided that (i) the principal amount
(or accreted value, if applicable) of the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness
does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the
Indebtedness so extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded
(plus all accrued interest thereon and the amount of all expenses and premiums
incurred in connection therewith), (ii) if the Indebtedness being extended,
refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded is subordinated in right of
payment to the Notes, the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final
maturity date later than the final maturity date of, and is subordinated in
right of payment to, the Notes on terms at least as favorable to the Holders of
Notes as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being
extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded and (iii) the
Indebtedness is incurred either by the Company or by the Restricted Subsidiary
who is the obligor on the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed,
replaced, defeased or refunded.
"Permitted Sale and Leaseback" means a sale and leaseback by the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of all or a portion of the
manufacturing facility and property located in High Wycombe, United Kingdom
owned by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the date of the
Indenture or added thereto since the date of the Indenture in the ordinary
course of business; provided that the Net Proceeds of such Permitted Sale and
Leaseback shall be applied pursuant to Section 4.10 hereof.
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"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited
liability company or government or other entity.
"Principals" means Kirtland and its Affiliates, George S. Burr, Helen
L. Burr, the Harold Hindman Trust--1969, James M. McConnell, Joseph E. Amaral,
Kenneth L. Andersen, John R. Barrett, Jonathan L. Burr, the Jonathan L. Burr
Trust--1965, Yahya Gharagozlou, Arthur D. Hindman, William J. Milliken, Linton
A. Moulding, Jane Elizabeth Moulding, Norman L. Smith and any other employee
stockholder of the Company as of the date of the Indenture.
"Private Placement Legend" means the legend set forth in Section
2.06(g)(i) to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture except where
otherwise permitted by the provisions of this Indenture.
"Pro Forma Cost Savings" means the reduction in costs that occurred
during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to the reference period
and on or prior to the Calculation Date that were (i) directly attributable to
an acquisition and calculated on a basis that is consistent with Article 11 of
Regulation S-X under the Securities Act as in effect on the date of the
Indenture or (ii) that have actually been implemented as of the applicable
Calculation Date by the business that was the subject of any acquisition within
six months of the date of the acquisition, that are supportable and quantifiable
by the underlying accounting records of the business, and are described, as
provided below, in an Officers' Certificate, as if, in the case of each of
clause (i) and (ii), all the reductions in costs had been effected as of the
beginning of the period. Pro Forma Cost Savings described in clause (ii) above
shall be set forth in reasonable specificity in a certificate delivered to the
Trustee from the Company's Chief Financial Officer and, in the case of Pro Forma
Cost Savings in excess of $5.0 million per four-quarter period, this certificate
shall be accompanied by a supporting opinion from an accounting firm of national
standing.
"Productive Assets" means any long term assets that are used or useful
in a Permitted Business.
"QIB" means a "qualified institutional buyer" as defined in Rule 144A.
"Qualified Equity Offering" means a primary offering of Capital Stock,
or rights, warrants or options to acquire Capital Stock of the Company (other
than Disqualified Stock) to Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company for
net proceeds to the Company of at least $15.0 million.
"Recapitalization" means that certain transaction where, pursuant to a
merger agreement, dated as of May 6, 1999, among the Company, Kirtland and ISN
Acquisition Corporation, as amended by amendment no. 1 thereto, dated as of
August 5, 1999, the parties thereto effected a recapitalization of the Company
on the date of this Indenture.
"Registration Rights Agreement" means the Registration Rights
Agreement, dated as of September __, 1999, by and among the Company, the
Guarantors and the other parties named on the signature pages thereof, as such
agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time and, with
respect to any Additional Notes, one or more registration rights agreements
between the Company and the other parties thereto, as such agreement(s) may be
amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, relating to rights given by
the Company to the purchasers of Additional Notes to register such Additional
Notes under the Securities Act.
"Regulation S" means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.
"Regulation S Global Note" means a Regulation S Temporary Global Note
or Regulation S Permanent Global Note, as appropriate.
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"Regulation S Permanent Global Note" means a permanent global Note in
the form of Exhibit A1 hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private
Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name
of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the
outstanding principal amount of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note upon
expiration of the Restricted Period.
"Regulation S Temporary Global Note" means a temporary global Note in
the form of Exhibit A2 hereto bearing the Private Placement Legend and deposited
with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its
nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of
the Notes initially sold in reliance on Rule 903 of Regulation S.
"Related Party" means (i) any controlling stockholder, 80% (or more)
owned Subsidiary, or immediate family member (in the case of an individual) of
any Principal or (ii) any trust, corporation, partnership or other entity, the
beneficiaries, stockholders, partners, owners or Persons beneficially holding an
80% or more controlling interest of which consist of any one or more Principals
and/or the other Persons referred to in the immediately preceding clause (i).
"Representative" means the indenture trustee or other trustee, agent or
representative for any Senior Debt.
"Responsible Officer," when used with respect to the Trustee, means any
officer within the Corporate Trust Services department of the Trustee (or any
successor group of the Trustee) or any other officer of the Trustee customarily
performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated
officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter,
any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of
and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Restricted Definitive Note" means a Definitive Note bearing the
Private Placement Legend.
"Restricted Global Note" means a Global Note bearing the Private
Placement Legend.
"Restricted Investment" means any Investment other than a Permitted
Investment.
"Restricted Period" means the 40-day restricted period as defined in
Regulation S.
"Restricted Subsidiary" of a Person means any Subsidiary of the
referent Person that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
"Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
"Rule 144A" means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.
"Rule 903" means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.
"Rule 904" means Rule 904 promulgated the Securities Act.
"SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Senior Debt" means (i) all Indebtedness of the Company or any
Guarantor outstanding under the Credit Facilities and all Hedging Obligations
with respect thereto, (ii) any other Indebtedness of the Company or any
Guarantor that is permitted to be incurred by the Company or any Guarantor
pursuant to
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this Indenture, unless the instrument under which such Indebtedness is incurred
expressly provides that it is on a parity with or subordinated in right of
payment to the Notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee, and (iii) all Obligations with
respect to any of the foregoing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the
foregoing, Senior Debt shall not include (a) any liability for federal, state,
local or other taxes owed or owing by the Company, (b) any Indebtedness of the
Company to any of its Subsidiaries or other Affiliates, (c) any trade payables
and (d) any Indebtedness that is incurred in violation of this Indenture. A
distribution may consist of cash, securities or other property, by set-off or
otherwise.
"Shelf Registration Statement" means the Shelf Registration Statement
as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement.
"Significant Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary that would be a
"significant subsidiary" as defined in Article 1, Rule 1 - 02 of Regulation S -
X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation is in effect
on the date of this Indenture.
"Stated Maturity" means, with respect to any installment of interest or
principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which the payment of
interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the original documentation
governing the Indebtedness, and shall not include any contingent obligations to
repay, redeem or repurchase any of the interest or principal prior to the date
originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
"Subordinated Management Notes" means notes evidencing subordinated
obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued to
current or former employees, directors, officers or consultants of the Company
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in lieu of cash payments for any Equity
Interest of the Company being repurchased from such persons that (i) provide
that for so long as a Default under the Notes has occurred and is continuing, no
payment shall be made with respect to any Obligations under such Subordinated
Management Notes and (ii) are subordinated in full to the prior payment in cash
of all amounts due in respect of the Notes.
"Subsidiary" means, with respect to any specified Person, (i) any
corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the
total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the
occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or
trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by
that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a
combination thereof) and (ii) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or
the managing general partner of which is that Person or a Subsidiary of that
Person or (b) the only general partners of which are that Person or one or more
Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).
"TIA" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. Sections
77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date on which this Indenture is qualified
under the TIA.
"Total Assets" means the total assets of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis determined in accordance with GAAP, as
shown on the most recently available consolidated balance sheet of the Company
and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
"Trustee" means the party named as such above until a successor
replaces it in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and
thereafter means the successor serving hereunder.
"Unrestricted Global Note" means a permanent global Note substantially
in the form of Exhibit A1 attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and
that has the "Schedule of Exchanges of
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Interests in the Global Note" attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on
behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary, representing a series of
Notes that do not bear the Private Placement Legend.
"Unrestricted Definitive Note" means one or more Definitive Notes that
do not bear and are not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.
"Unrestricted Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary of the Company that is
designated by the Board of Directors as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a
Board Resolution, but only to the extent that the Subsidiary (i) has no
Indebtedness other than Non-Recourse Debt, (ii) is not party to any agreement,
contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary of the Company unless the terms of any such agreement, contract,
arrangement or understanding are no less favorable to the Company or its
Restricted Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons
who are not Affiliates of the Company, (iii) is a Person with respect to which
neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or
indirect obligation (a) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (b) to
maintain or preserve that Person's financial condition or to cause that Person
to achieve any specified levels of operating results and (iv) has not guaranteed
or otherwise directly or indirectly provided credit support for any Indebtedness
of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. Any designation of a
Subsidiary of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be evidenced to
the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified copy of the Board Resolution
giving effect to the designation and an Officers' Certificate certifying that
the designation complied with the preceding conditions and was permitted by
Section 4.07 hereof. If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to
meet the preceding requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it shall
thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of this Indenture
and any Indebtedness of the Subsidiary shall be deemed to be incurred by a
Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as of such date and, if the Indebtedness is
not permitted to be incurred as of such date under Section 4.09 hereof, the
Company shall be in default of that covenant. The Board of Directors of the
Company may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted
Subsidiary; provided that the designation shall be deemed to be an incurrence of
Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of any outstanding
Indebtedness of the Unrestricted Subsidiary and the designation shall only be
permitted if (1) the Indebtedness is permitted under Section 4.09 hereof,
calculated on a pro forma basis as if the designation had occurred at the
beginning of the four-quarter reference period; and (2) no Default or Event of
Default would be in existence following the designation.
"U.S. Person" means a U.S. person as defined in Rule 902(o) under the
Securities Act.
"Voting Stock" of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of
that Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board of
Directors of that Person.
"Warrants" means the warrants to purchase 30,654 shares of the
Company's common stock issued with the Notes on the date of the Indenture as
part of the units offering.
"Weighted Average Life to Maturity" means, when applied to any
Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing (i) the sum
of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining
installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of
principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (b) the
number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between
the date and the making of the payment by (ii) the then outstanding principal
amount of the Indebtedness.
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Section 1.02. Other Definitions.
Defined in
Term Section
---- -------
"Affiliate Transaction"............................................................. 4.11
"Asset Sale Offer".................................................................. 3.09
"Authentication Order".............................................................. 2.02
"Bankruptcy Law".................................................................... 4.01
"Change of Control Offer"........................................................... 4.15
"Change of Control Payment.......................................................... 4.15
"Change of Control Payment Date".................................................... 4.15
"Covenant Defeasance"............................................................... 8.03
"Event of Default".................................................................. 6.01
"Excess Proceeds"................................................................... 4.10
"incur"............................................................................. 4.09
"Legal Defeasance".................................................................. 8.02
"Offer Amount"...................................................................... 3.09
"Offer Period"...................................................................... 3.09
"Paying Agent"...................................................................... 2.03
"Payment Blockage Notice" .......................................................... 10.03
"Payment Default" .................................................................. 6.01
"Permitted Debt".................................................................... 4.09
"Purchase Date"..................................................................... 3.09
"Registrar"......................................................................... 2.03
"Restricted Payments"............................................................... 4.07
Section 1.03. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the 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:
"indenture securities" means the Notes;
"indenture security Holder" means a Holder of a Note;
"indenture to be qualified" means this Indenture;
"indenture trustee" or "institutional trustee" means the Trustee; and
"obligor" on the Notes and the Note Guarantees means the Company and
the Guarantors, respectively, and any successor obligor upon the Notes and the
Note Guarantees, respectively.
All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA,
defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA
have the meanings so assigned to them.
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Section 1.04. Rules of Construction.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned
to it in accordance with GAAP;
(c) "or" is not exclusive;
(d) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include
the singular;
(e) provisions apply to successive events and transactions; and
(f) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act shall
be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or rules
adopted by the SEC from time to time.
ARTICLE 2.
THE NOTES
Section 2.01. Form and Dating.
(a) General. The Notes and the Trustee's certificate of authentication
shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto. The Notes may have
notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or
usage. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall
be in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.
The terms and provisions contained in the Notes shall constitute, and
are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture and the Company, the
Guarantors and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture,
expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby. However,
to the extent any provision of any Note conflicts with the express provisions of
this Indenture, the provisions of this Indenture shall govern and be
controlling.
(b) Global Notes. Notes issued in global form shall be substantially in
the form of Exhibits A1 or A2 attached hereto (including the Global Note Legend
thereon and the "Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note" attached
thereto). Notes issued in definitive form shall be substantially in the form of
Exhibit A1 attached hereto (but without the Global Note Legend thereon and
without the "Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note" attached
thereto). Each Global Note shall represent such of the outstanding Notes as
shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed
thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented
thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to
reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect
the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of
outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the
Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions
given by the Holder thereof as required by Section 2.06 hereof.
(c) Temporary Global Notes. Notes offered and sold in reliance on
Regulation S shall be issued initially in the form of the Regulation S Temporary
Global Note, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes
represented thereby with the Trustee, at its New York office, as custodian for
the Depositary, and registered in the name of the Depositary or the nominee of
the
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Depositary for the accounts of designated agents holding on behalf of Euroclear
or Cedel Bank, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as
hereinafter provided. The Restricted Period shall be terminated upon the receipt
by the Trustee of (i) a written certificate from the Depositary, together with
copies of certificates from Euroclear and Cedel Bank certifying that they have
received certification of non-United States beneficial ownership of 100% of the
aggregate principal amount of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note (except to
the extent of any beneficial owners thereof who acquired an interest therein
during the Restricted Period pursuant to another exemption from registration
under the Securities Act and who will take delivery of a beneficial ownership
interest in a 144A Global Note bearing a Private Placement Legend, all as
contemplated by Section 2.06(a)(ii) hereof), and (ii) an Officers' Certificate
from the Company. Following the termination of the Restricted Period, beneficial
interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note shall be exchanged for
beneficial interests in Regulation S Permanent Global Notes pursuant to the
Applicable Procedures. Simultaneously with the authentication of Regulation S
Permanent Global Notes, the Trustee shall cancel the Regulation S Temporary
Global Note. The aggregate principal amount of the Regulation S Temporary Global
Note and the Regulation S Permanent Global Notes may from time to time be
increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee and the
Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, in connection with transfers of
interest as hereinafter provided.
(d) Euroclear and Cedel Procedures Applicable. The provisions of the
"Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System" and "Terms and Conditions
Governing Use of Euroclear" and the "General Terms and Conditions of Cedel Bank"
and "Customer Handbook" of Cedel Bank shall be applicable to transfers of
beneficial interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note and the
Regulation S Permanent Global Notes that are held by Participants through
Euroclear or Cedel Bank.
Section 2.02. Execution and Authentication.
One Officer shall sign the Notes for the Company by manual or facsimile
signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office
at the time a Note is authenticated, the Note shall nevertheless be valid.
A Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature
of the Trustee. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has
been authenticated under this Indenture.
The Trustee shall, upon a written order of the Company signed by one
Officer (an "Authentication Order"), authenticate Notes for original issue up to
the aggregate principal amount stated in paragraph 4 of the Notes. The aggregate
principal amount of Notes outstanding at any time may not exceed such amount
except as provided in Section 2.07 hereof.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the
Company to authenticate Notes. An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes
whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to
authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An
authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with Holders or an
Affiliate of the Company.
Section 2.03. Registrar and Paying Agent.
The Company shall maintain an office or agency where Notes may be
presented for registration of transfer or for exchange ("Registrar") and an
office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment ("Paying Agent"). The
Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange.
The Company may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional
paying agents. The term "Registrar" includes any co-registrar and the term
"Paying Agent" includes any
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additional paying agent. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar
without notice to any Holder. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of
the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If the Company
fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the
Trustee shall act as such. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act as
Paying Agent or Registrar.
The Company initially appoints The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") to
act as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.
The Company initially appoints the Trustee to act as the Registrar and
Paying Agent and to act as Custodian with respect to the Global Notes.
Section 2.04. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to
agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of
Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of
principal, premium or Liquidated Damages, if any, or interest on the Notes, and
will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such
payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying
Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may
require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment
over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a
Subsidiary) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a
Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust
fund for the benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying Agent. Upon
any bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings relating to the Company, the
Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.
Section 2.05. Holder Lists.
The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably
practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of
all Holders and shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a). If the Trustee
is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least seven
Business Days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the
Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the
Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders of
Notes and the Company shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a).
Section 2.06. Transfer and Exchange.
(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. A Global Note may not be
transferred as a whole except by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary,
by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the
Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary
or a nominee of such successor Depositary. All Global Notes shall be exchanged
by the Company for Definitive Notes if (i) the Company delivers to the Trustee
notice from the Depositary that it is unwilling or unable to continue to act as
Depositary or that it is no longer a clearing agency registered under the
Exchange Act and, in either case, a successor Depositary is not appointed by the
Company within 120 days after the date of such notice from the Depositary or
(ii) the Company in its sole discretion determines that the Global Notes (in
whole but not in part) should be exchanged for Definitive Notes and delivers a
written notice to such effect to the Trustee; provided that in no event shall
the Regulation S Temporary Global Note be exchanged by the Company for
Definitive Notes prior to (x) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (y)
the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule
903(c)(3)(ii)(B) under the Securities Act. Upon the occurrence of either of the
preceding events in (i) or (ii) above, Definitive Notes shall be issued in such
names as the Depositary shall instruct
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the Trustee. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in
part, as provided in Sections 2.07 and 2.10 hereof. Every Note authenticated and
delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof,
pursuant to this Section 2.06 or Section 2.07 or 2.10 hereof, shall be
authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note. A
Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this
Section 2.06(a), however, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be
transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 2.06(b), (c) or (f) hereof.
(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes.
The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be
effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions of this
Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Beneficial interests in the Restricted
Global Notes shall be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those
set forth herein to the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of
beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with
either subparagraph (i) or (ii) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of
the other following subparagraphs, as applicable:
(i) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note.
Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred
to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial
interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the
transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend;
provided, however, that prior to the expiration of the Restricted
Period, transfers of beneficial interests in the Temporary Regulation S
Global Note may not be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or
benefit of a U.S. Person (other than the Initial Purchaser). Beneficial
interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons
who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an
Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be
required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers
described in this Section 2.06(b)(i).
(ii) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests
in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of
beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 2.06(b)(i) above,
the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the
Registrar either (A) (1) a written order from a Participant or an
Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the
Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be
credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount
equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2)
instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures
containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited
with such increase or (B) (1) a written order from a Participant or an
Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the
Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a
Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be
transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given by the Depositary
to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose
name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or
exchange referred to in (1) above; provided that in no event shall
Definitive Notes be issued upon the transfer or exchange of beneficial
interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note prior to (x) the
expiration of the Restricted Period and (y) the receipt by the
Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903 under the
Securities Act. Upon consummation of an Exchange Offer by the Company
in accordance with Section 2.06(f) hereof, the requirements of this
Section 2.06(b)(ii) shall be deemed to have been satisfied upon receipt
by the Registrar of the instructions contained in the Letter of
Transmittal delivered by the Holder of such beneficial interests in the
Restricted Global Notes. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements
for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes
contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under
the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of
the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof.
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(iii) Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted
Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be
transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a
beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer
complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(ii) above and the
Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the transferee will take delivery in the form
of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note, then the
transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof; and
(B) if the transferee will take delivery in the form
of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Temporary Global
Note or the Regulation S Global Note, then the transferor must
deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto,
including the certifications in item (2) thereof.
(iv) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a
Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in the Unrestricted
Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be
exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an
Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery
thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global
Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of
Section 2.06(b)(ii) above and:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to
the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights
Agreement and the holder of the beneficial interest to be
transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in
the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of
Transmittal that it is not (1) a broker-dealer, (2) a Person
participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3)
a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the
Company;
(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration
Rights Agreement;
(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer
pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in
accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the holder of such beneficial
interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to
exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial
interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a
certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C
hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(a)
thereof; or
(2) if the holder of such beneficial
interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to
transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who
shall take delivery thereof in the form of a
beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a
certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications in item (4)
thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if
the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so
require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable
to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer
is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the
restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the
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Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to
maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
If any such transfer is effected pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D)
above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the
Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance
with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more
Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the
aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to
subparagraph (B) or (D) above.
Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged
for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a
beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.
(c) Transfer or Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.
(i) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to
Restricted Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in
a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest
for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial
interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a
Restricted Definitive Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the
following documentation:
(A) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a
Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial
interest for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from
such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the
certifications in item (2)(a) thereof;
(B) if such beneficial interest is being transferred
to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities
Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(C) if such beneficial interest is being transferred
to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance
with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a
certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto,
including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such beneficial interest is being transferred
pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of
the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144 under the
Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a)
thereof;
(E) if such beneficial interest is being transferred
to an Institutional Accredited Investor in reliance on an
exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities
Act other than those listed in subparagraphs (B) through (D)
above, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion
of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable;
(F) if such beneficial interest is being transferred
to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to
the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the
certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
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(G) if such beneficial interest is being transferred
pursuant to an effective registration statement under the
Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c)
thereof,
the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the
applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section
2.06(h) hereof, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a
Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive
Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted
Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) shall be registered in
such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations
as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar
through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or
Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes
to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any
Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a
Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(i) shall bear
the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions
on transfer contained therein.
(ii) Beneficial Interests in Regulation S Temporary Global
Note to Definitive Notes. Notwithstanding Sections 2.06(c)(i)(A) and
(C) hereof, a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Temporary Global
Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note or transferred to a
Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note
prior to (x) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (y) the
receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule
903(c)(3)(ii)(B) under the Securities Act, except in the case of a
transfer pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of
the Securities Act other than Rule 903 or Rule 904.
(ii) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to
Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A holder of a beneficial interest in a
Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an
Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest
to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted
Definitive Note only if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to
the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights
Agreement and the holder of such beneficial interest, in the
case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a
transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal
that it is not (1) a broker-dealer, (2) a Person participating
in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who
is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company;
(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration
Rights Agreement;
(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer
pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in
accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the holder of such beneficial
interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to
exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive
Note that does not bear the Private Placement Legend,
a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit
C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b)
thereof; or
(2) if the holder of such beneficial
interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to
transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who
shall take
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delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note
that does not bear the Private Placement Legend, a
certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications in item (4)
thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if
the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so
require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable
to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer
is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the
restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private
Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain
compliance with the Securities Act.
(iii) Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes to
Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Subject to Section 2.06(a), if any
holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes
to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to
transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery
thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of
the conditions set forth in Section 2.06(b)(ii) hereof, the Trustee
shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global
Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and
the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note
in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in
exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section
2.06(c)(iii) shall be registered in such name or names and in such
authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such
beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions
from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The
Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose
names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in
exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section
2.06(c)(iii) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.
(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests.
(i) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in
Restricted Global Notes. If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note
proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a
Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes
to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial
interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the
Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note
proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a
Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the
form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item
(2)(b) thereof;
(B) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being
transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the
Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1)
thereof;
(C) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being
transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in
accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act,
a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto,
including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being
transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with
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Rule 144 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect
set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in
item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being
transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor in
reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of
the Securities Act other than those listed in subparagraphs
(B) through (D) above, a certificate to the effect set forth
in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications,
certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3)
thereof, if applicable;
(F) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being
transferred to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a
certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto,
including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(G) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being
transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement
under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set
forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in
item (3)(c) thereof,
the Trustee shall cancel the Restricted Definitive Note, increase or
cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of, in the case of
clause (A) above, the appropriate Restricted Global Note, in the case
of clause (B) above, the 144A Global Note, in the case of clause (C)
above, the Regulation S Global Note.
(ii) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in
Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may
exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global
Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes
delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an
Unrestricted Global Note only if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to
the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights
Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the
transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the
applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a
broker-dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution
of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an affiliate (as
defined in Rule 144) of the Company;
(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration
Rights Agreement;
(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer
pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in
accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes
proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial
interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a
certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C
hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(c)
thereof; or
(2) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes
proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall
take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial
interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a
certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications in item (4)
thereof;
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and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if
the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so
require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable
to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer
is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the
restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private
Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain
compliance with the Securities Act.
Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the
subparagraphs in this Section 2.06(d)(ii), the Trustee shall cancel the
Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate
principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.
(iii) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in
Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note
may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted
Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a Person who takes
delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an
Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for
such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee shall cancel the applicable
Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the
aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.
If any such exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a
beneficial interest is effected pursuant to subparagraphs (ii)(B),
(ii)(D) or (iii) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has
not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an
Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the
Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive
Notes so transferred.
(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes.
Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder's compliance with
the provisions of this Section 2.06(e), the Registrar shall register the
transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer
or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Registrar
the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or
by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder
shall provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as
applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section
2.06(e).
(i) Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive
Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and
registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form
of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the
following:
(A) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule
144A under the Securities Act, then the transferor must
deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto,
including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(B) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903
or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in
the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in
item (2) thereof; and
(C) if the transfer will be made pursuant to any
other exemption from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate
in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications,
certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3)
thereof, if applicable.
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(ii) Restricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive
Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder
thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person
or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted
Definitive Note if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to
the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights
Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the
transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the
applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a
broker-dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution
of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an affiliate (as
defined in Rule 144) of the Company;
(B) any such transfer is effected pursuant to the
Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the
Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) any such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer
pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in
accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(1) if the Holder of such Restricted
Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for
an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from
such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto,
including the certifications in item (1)(d) thereof;
or
(2) if the Holder of such Restricted
Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a
Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of
an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from
such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto,
including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if
the Registrar so requests, an Opinion of Counsel in form
reasonably acceptable to the Company to the effect that such
exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act
and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in
the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order
to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(iii) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive
Notes. A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such
Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an
Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a request to register
such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted
Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.
(f) Exchange Offer. Upon the occurrence of the Exchange Offer in
accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company shall issue and,
upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02, the
Trustee shall authenticate (i) one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial
interests in the Restricted Global Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that
certify in the applicable Letters of Transmittal that (x) they are not
broker-dealers, (y) they are not participating in a distribution of the Exchange
Notes and (z) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company,
and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer and (ii) Definitive Notes in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount
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of the Restricted Definitive Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer.
Concurrently with the issuance of such Notes, the Trustee shall cause the
aggregate principal amount of the applicable Restricted Global Notes to be
reduced accordingly, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver to the Persons designated by the Holders of Definitive
Notes so accepted Definitive Notes in the appropriate principal amount.
(g) Legends. The following legends shall appear on the face of all
Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued under this Indenture unless
specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of this Indenture.
(i) Private Placement Legend.
(A) Except as permitted by subparagraph (B) below,
each Global Note and each Definitive Note (and all Notes
issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall
bear the legend in substantially the following form:
"THIS NOTE (OR ITS PREDECESSOR) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER
THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"),
AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE
TRANSFERRED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR
BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS, EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE NEXT SENTENCE. BY
ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE HOLDER:
(1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER"
(AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) (A "QIB"), (B) IT
HAS ACQUIRED THIS NOTE IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH
REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR (C) IT IS AN INSTITUTIONAL
"ACCREDITED INVESTOR" (AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(A) (1), (2), (3) OR (7)
OR REGULATION D UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (AN "IAI"),
(2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS
NOTE EXCEPT (A) TO INSTRON OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES, (B) TO A PERSON
WHOM THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QIB PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN
ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QIB IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE
REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, (C) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION MEETING THE
REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 904 OF THE SECURITIES ACT, (D) IN A TRANSACTION
MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) TO
AN IAI THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES THE TRUSTEE A SIGNED
LETTER CONTAINING CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS RELATING TO
THE TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (THE FORM OF WHICH CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE
TRUSTEE) AND, IF SUCH TRANSFER IS IN RESPECT OF AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT OF NOTES LESS THAN $250,000, AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE
TO INSTRON THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES
ACT, (F) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF
COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO INSTRON) OR (G) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND, IN EACH CASE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY
OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION AND
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(3) AGREES THAT IT WILL DELIVER TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS
NOTE OR AN INTEREST HEREIN IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO
THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND.
AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION" AND "UNITED STATES"
HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY RULE 902 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT. THE INDENTURE CONTAINS A PROVISION REQUIRING THE TRUSTEE TO REFUSE TO
REGISTER ANY TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE IN VIOLATION OF THE FOREGOING."
(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or
Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraphs (b)(iv),
(c)(iii), (c)(iv), (d)(ii), (d)(iii), (e)(ii), (e)(iii) or (f)
to this Section 2.06 (and all Notes issued in exchange
therefor or substitution thereof) shall not bear the Private
Placement Legend.
(ii) Global Note Legend. Each Global Note shall bear a legend
in substantially the following form:
"THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE
GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL
OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED
PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.07 OF THE INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE
EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(a) OF THE INDENTURE,
(III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT
TO SECTION 2.11 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO
A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF INSTRON CORPORATION."
(iii) Regulation S Temporary Global Note Legend The Regulation
S Temporary Global Note shall bear a legend in substantially the
following form:
"THE RIGHTS ATTACHING TO THIS REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE, AND THE
CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING ITS EXCHANGE FOR CERTIFICATED NOTES, ARE AS
SPECIFIED IN THE INDENTURE (AS DEFINED HEREIN). NEITHER THE HOLDER NOR THE
BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF THIS REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE ENTITLED
TO RECEIVE PAYMENT OF INTEREST HEREON."
(h) Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes. At such time as all
beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for
Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or
canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note shall be returned to or
retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof. At
any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note
is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in
the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive
Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be
reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the
Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such
reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred
to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest
in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly
and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the
Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.
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(i) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.
(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the
Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes
and Definitive Notes upon the Company's order or at the Registrar's
request.
(ii) No service charge shall be made to a holder of a
beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive
Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or
similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than
any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon
exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.10, 3.06, 3.09, 4.10, 4.15
and 9.05 hereof
(iii) The Registrar shall not be required to register the
transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in
part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.
(iv) All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any
registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive
Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the
same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as
the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration
of transfer or exchange.
(v) The Company shall not be required (A) to issue, to
register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period
beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of any
selection of Notes for redemption under Section 3.02 hereof and ending
at the close of business on the day of selection, (B) to register the
transfer of or to exchange any Note so selected for redemption in whole
or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in
part or (C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a
record date and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date.
(vi) Prior to due presentment for the registration of a
transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Company may deem
and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the
absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of
principal of and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and
none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Company shall be affected by
notice to the contrary.
(vii) The Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and
Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.02
hereof.
(viii) All certifications, certificates and Opinions of
Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this
Section 2.06 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be
submitted by facsimile.
Section 2.07. Replacement Notes.
If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or the Company and
the Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or
theft of any Note, the Company shall issue and the Trustee, upon receipt of an
Authentication Order, shall authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee's
requirements are met. If required by the Trustee or the Company, an indemnity
bond must be supplied by the Holder that is sufficient in the judgment of the
Trustee and the Company to protect the Company, the
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Trustee, any Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss that any of them
may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company may charge for its expenses in
replacing a Note.
Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company and
shall be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture equally and
proportionately with all other Notes duly issued hereunder.
Section 2.08. Outstanding Notes.
The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by
the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for
cancellation, those reductions in the interest in a Global Note effected by the
Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof, and those described in this
Section as not outstanding. Except as set forth in Section 2.09 hereof, a Note
does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the
Company holds the Note; however, Notes held by the Company or a Subsidiary of
the Company shall not be deemed to be outstanding for purposes of Section
3.07(b) hereof.
If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 hereof, it ceases to be
outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the
replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser.
If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section
4.01 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding and interest on it ceases to accrue.
If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary or an
Affiliate of any thereof) holds, on a redemption date or maturity date, money
sufficient to pay Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such
Notes shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding and shall cease to accrue
interest.
Section 2.09. Treasury Notes.
In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of
Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the
Company, or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or
under direct or indirect common control with the Company, shall be considered as
though not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the
Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent,
only Notes that the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.
Section 2.10. Temporary Notes.
Until certificates representing Notes are ready for delivery, the
Company may prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order,
shall authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in
the form of certificated Notes but may have variations that the Company
considers appropriate for temporary Notes and as shall be reasonably acceptable
to the Trustee. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the
Trustee shall authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes.
Holders of temporary Notes shall be entitled to all of the benefits of
this Indenture.
Section 2.11. Cancellation.
The Company at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for
cancellation. The Registrar and Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any
Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The
Trustee and no one else shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of
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transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall destroy
canceled Notes (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange
Act). Certification of the destruction of all canceled Notes shall be delivered
to the Company. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has
paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Section 2.12. Defaulted Interest.
If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes, it shall
pay the defaulted interest in any lawful manner plus, to the extent lawful,
interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the Persons who are Holders on a
subsequent special record date, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes
and in Section 4.01 hereof. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of
the amount of defaulted interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date
of the proposed payment. The Company shall fix or cause to be fixed each such
special record date and payment date, provided that no such special record date
shall be less than 10 days prior to the related payment date for such defaulted
interest. At least 15 days before the special record date, the Company (or, upon
the written request of the Company, the Trustee in the name and at the expense
of the Company) shall mail or cause to be mailed to Holders a notice that states
the special record date, the related payment date and the amount of such
interest to be paid.
ARTICLE 3.
REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT
Section 3.01. Notices to Trustee.
If the Company elects to redeem Notes pursuant to the optional
redemption provisions of Section 3.07 hereof, it shall furnish to the Trustee,
at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, an
Officers' Certificate setting forth (i) the clause of this Indenture pursuant to
which the redemption shall occur, (ii) the redemption date, (iii) the principal
amount of Notes to be redeemed and (iv) the redemption price.
Section 3.02. Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed.
If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed or purchased in an
offer to purchase at any time, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be redeemed
or purchased among the Holders of the Notes in compliance with the requirements
of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are
listed or, if the Notes are not so listed, on a pro rata basis, by lot or in
accordance with any other method the Trustee considers fair and appropriate. In
the event of partial redemption by lot, the particular Notes to be redeemed
shall be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 30 nor more
than 60 days prior to the redemption date by the Trustee from the outstanding
Notes not previously called for redemption.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Notes
selected for redemption and, in the case of any Note selected for partial
redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. Notes and portions of
Notes selected shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000;
except that if all of the Notes of a Holder are to be redeemed, the entire
outstanding amount of Notes held by such Holder, even if not a multiple of
$1,000, shall be redeemed. Except as provided in the preceding sentence,
provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption also
apply to portions of Notes called for redemption.
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Section 3.03. Notice of Redemption.
Subject to the provisions of Section 3.09 hereof, at least 30 days but
not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall mail or cause
to be mailed, by first class mail, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose
Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address.
The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and shall state:
(a) the redemption date;
(b) the redemption price;
(c) if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal
amount of such Note to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date upon
surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the
unredeemed portion shall be issued upon cancellation of the original Note;
(d) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(e) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying
Agent to collect the redemption price;
(f) that, unless the Company defaults in making such redemption
payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after
the redemption date;
(g) the paragraph of the Notes and/or Section of this Indenture
pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and
(h) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of
the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.
At the Company's request, the Trustee shall give the notice of
redemption in the Company's name and at its expense; provided, however, that the
Company shall have delivered to the Trustee, at least 45 days prior to the
redemption date, an Officers' Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such
notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided
in the preceding paragraph.
Section 3.04. Effect of Notice of Redemption.
Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section 3.03
hereof, Notes called for redemption become irrevocably due and payable on the
redemption date at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be
conditional.
Section 3.05. Deposit of Redemption Price.
One Business Day prior to the redemption date, the Company shall
deposit with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the
redemption price of and accrued interest on all Notes to be redeemed on that
date. The Trustee or the Paying Agent shall promptly return to the Company any
money deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Company in excess of
the amounts necessary to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on,
all Notes to be redeemed.
If the Company complies with the provisions of the preceding paragraph,
on and after the redemption date, interest shall cease to accrue on the Notes or
the portions of Notes called for redemption. If a Note is redeemed on or after
an interest record date but on or prior to the related interest payment
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date, then any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Person in whose
name such Note was registered at the close of business on such record date. If
any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender for
redemption because of the failure of the Company to comply with the preceding
paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption
date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any interest not
paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes
and in Section 4.01 hereof.
Section 3.06. Notes Redeemed in Part.
Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed in part, the Company shall
issue and, upon the Company's written request, the Trustee shall authenticate
for the Holder at the expense of the Company a new Note equal in principal
amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered.
Section 3.07. Optional Redemption.
(a) Except as set forth in clause (b) of this Section 3.07, the Company
shall not have the option to redeem the Notes pursuant to this Section 3.07
prior to September 15, 2004. Thereafter, the Company shall have the option to
redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at the redemption prices (expressed as
percentages of principal amount) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid
interest and Liquidated Damages thereon, if any, to the applicable redemption
date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on September 15 of
the years indicated below:
Year Percentage
---- ----------
2004............................................................................. 106.625%
2005............................................................................. 104.417%
2006............................................................................. 102.208%
2007 and thereafter.............................................................. 100.000%
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (a) of this Section 3.07,
at any time prior to September 15, 2002, the Company may on any one or more
occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes with the
net proceeds of a Qualified Equity Offering at a redemption price equal to
113.250% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid
Liquidated Damages thereon, if any; provided that at least 65% in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes originally issued remain outstanding immediately
after the occurrence of any such redemption and that such redemption occurs
within 45 days of the date of the closing of such Qualified Equity Offering.
(c) Any redemption pursuant to this Section 3.07 shall be made pursuant
to the provisions of Section 3.01 through 3.06 hereof.
Section 3.08. Mandatory Redemption.
The Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption or
sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.
Section 3.09. Offer to Purchase by Application of Excess Proceeds.
In the event that, pursuant to Section 4.10 hereof, the Company shall
be required to commence an offer to all Holders to purchase Notes (an "Asset
Sale Offer"), it shall follow the procedures specified below.
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The Asset Sale Offer shall remain open for a period of 20 Business Days
following its commencement and no longer, except to the extent that a longer
period is required by applicable law (the "Offer Period"). No later than five
Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the "Purchase Date"),
the Company shall purchase the principal amount of Notes required to be
purchased pursuant to Section 4.10 hereof (the "Offer Amount") or, if less than
the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered in response to the Asset
Sale Offer. Payment for any Notes so purchased shall be made in the same manner
as interest payments are made.
If the Purchase Date is on or after an interest record date and on or
before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest shall
be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of
business on such record date, and no additional interest shall be payable to
Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer.
Upon the commencement of an Asset Sale Offer, the Company shall send,
by first class mail, a notice to the Trustee and each of the Holders, with a
copy to the Trustee. The notice shall contain all instructions and materials
necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale
Offer. The Asset Sale Offer shall be made to all Holders. The notice, which
shall govern the terms of the Asset Sale Offer, shall state:
(a) that the Asset Sale Offer is being made pursuant to this Section
3.09 and Section 4.10 hereof and the length of time the Asset Sale Offer shall
remain open;
(b) the Offer Amount, the purchase price and the Purchase Date;
(c) that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment shall continue
to accrete or accrue interest;
(d) that, unless the Company defaults in making such payment, any Note
accepted for payment pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer shall cease to accrete or
accrue interest after the Purchase Date;
(e) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to an Asset
Sale Offer may elect to have Notes purchased in integral multiples of $1,000
only;
(f) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to any
Asset Sale Offer shall be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled
"Option of Holder to Elect Purchase" on the reverse of the Note completed, or
transfer by book-entry transfer, to the Company, a depositary, if appointed by
the Company, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least
three days before the Purchase Date;
(g) that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the
Company, the depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not
later than the expiration of the Offer Period, a telegram, telex, facsimile
transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal
amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such
Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased;
(h) that, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by
Holders exceeds the Offer Amount, the Company shall select the Notes to be
purchased on a pro rata basis (with such adjustments as may be deemed
appropriate by the Company so that only Notes in denominations of $1,000, or
integral multiples thereof, shall be purchased); and
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(i) that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part shall be
issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the
Notes surrendered (or transferred by book-entry transfer).
On or before the Purchase Date, the Company shall, to the extent
lawful, accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the
Offer Amount of Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Asset Sale
Offer, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered,
and shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that such
Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Company in accordance
with the terms of this Section 3.09. The Company, the Depositary or the Paying
Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly (but in any case not later than five
days after the Purchase Date) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount
equal to the purchase price of the Notes tendered by such Holder and accepted by
the Company for purchase, and the Company shall promptly issue a new Note, and
the Trustee, upon written request from the Company shall authenticate and mail
or deliver such new Note to such Holder, in a principal amount equal to any
unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered. Any Note not so accepted shall be
promptly mailed or delivered by the Company to the Holder thereof. The Company
shall publicly announce the results of the Asset Sale Offer on the Purchase
Date.
Other than as specifically provided in this Section 3.09, any purchase
pursuant to this Section 3.09 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of
Sections 3.01 through 3.06 hereof.
ARTICLE 4.
COVENANTS
Section 4.01. Payment of Notes.
The Company shall pay or cause to be paid the principal of, premium, if
any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the
Notes. Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be considered paid on the
date due if the Paying Agent, if other than the Company or a Subsidiary thereof,
holds as of 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the due date money deposited by the
Company in immediately available funds and designated for and sufficient to pay
all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due. The Company shall pay all
Liquidated Damages, if any, in the same manner on the dates and in the amounts
set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
The Company shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any
proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal at the rate equal to
1% per annum in excess of the then applicable interest rate on the Notes to the
extent lawful; it shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any
proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest and
Liquidated Damages (without regard to any applicable grace period) at the same
rate to the extent lawful.
Section 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency.
The Company shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New
York, an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate
of the Trustee, Registrar or co-registrar) where Notes may be surrendered for
registration of transfer or for exchange and where notices and demands to or
upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The
Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any
change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company
shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to
furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders,
notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the
Trustee.
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The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other
offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or
all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided,
however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the
Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of
Manhattan, the City of New York for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt
written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any
change in the location of any such other office or agency.
The Company hereby designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee
as one such office or agency of the Company in accordance with Section 2.03.
Section 4.03. Reports.
(a) Whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the SEC, so
long as any Notes are outstanding, the Company shall furnish to the Holders of
Notes (i) all quarterly and annual financial information that would be required
to be contained in a filing with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company
were required to file such forms, including a "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and, with respect to
the annual information only, a report thereon by the Company's certified
independent accountants and (ii) all current reports that would be required to
be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file such
reports, in each case, within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and
regulations. In addition, following consummation of the Exchange Offer, whether
or not required by the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Company shall file
a copy of all such information and reports with the SEC for public availability
within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and regulations (unless the
SEC will not accept such a filing) and make such information available to
securities analysts and prospective investors upon request. The Company shall at
all times comply with TIA Section 314(a).
(b) For so long as any Notes remain outstanding, the Company and the
Guarantors shall furnish to the Holders and to securities analysts and
prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be
delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
Section 4.04. Compliance Certificate.
(a) The Company and each Guarantor (to the extent that such Guarantor
is so required under the TIA) shall deliver to the Trustee, within 90 days after
the end of each fiscal year, an Officers' Certificate stating that a review of
the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal
year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to
determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its
obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer
signing such certificate, that to the best of his or her knowledge the Company
has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in
this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of
the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (or, if a Default or
Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of
Default of which he or she may have knowledge and what action the Company is
taking or proposes to take with respect thereto) and that to the best of his or
her knowledge no event has occurred and remains in existence by reason of which
payments on account of the principal of or interest, if any, on the Notes is
prohibited or if such event has occurred, a description of the event and what
action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.
(b) So long as not contrary to the then current recommendations of the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the year-end financial
statements delivered pursuant to Section 4.03(a) above shall be accompanied by a
written statement of the Company's independent public accountants (who shall be
a firm of established national reputation) that in making the examination
necessary for
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certification of such financial statements, nothing has come to their attention
that would lead them to believe that the Company has violated any provisions of
Article 4 or Article 5 hereof or, if any such violation has occurred, specifying
the nature and period of existence thereof, it being understood that such
accountants shall not be liable directly or indirectly to any Person for any
failure to obtain knowledge of any such violation.
(c) The Company shall, so long as any of the Notes are outstanding,
deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon any Officer becoming aware of any Default
or Event of Default, an Officers' Certificate specifying such Default or Event
of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with
respect thereto.
Section 4.05. Taxes.
The Company shall pay, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay,
prior to delinquency, all material taxes, assessments, and governmental levies
except such as are contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings or
where the failure to effect such payment is not adverse in any material respect
to the Holders of the Notes.
Section 4.06. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.
The Company and each of the Guarantors covenants (to the extent that it
may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any
manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension
or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may
affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company and
each of the Guarantors (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby
expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it
shall not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of
any power herein granted to the Trustee, but shall suffer and permit the
execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
Section 4.07. Restricted Payments.
The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly: (i) declare or pay any dividend or make
any other payment or distribution on account of the Company's or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries' Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any
payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) or to the direct or indirect holders of the
Company's or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries' Equity Interests in their
capacity as such (other than dividends or distributions payable in (a) Equity
Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or (b) to the Company
or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company); (ii) purchase, redeem or otherwise
acquire or retire for value (including, without limitation, in connection with
any merger or consolidation involving the Company) any Equity Interests of the
Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company; (iii) make any payment
on or with respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or
retire for value any Indebtedness that is subordinated to the Notes or the Note
Guarantees, except (a) a payment of interest or principal at the Stated Maturity
thereof or (b) any payment with respect to Indebtedness owed solely to the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or (iv) make any Restricted
Investment (all the payments and other actions set forth in clauses (i) through
(iv) above being collectively referred to as "Restricted Payments"), unless, at
the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment:
(a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof; and
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(b) the Company would, at the time of the Restricted Payment and after
giving pro forma effect thereto as if the Restricted Payment had been made at
the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to
incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio test set forth in Section 4.09 hereof; and
(c) the Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all
other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries
after the date of this Indenture (excluding Restricted Payments permitted by
clauses (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) of the next succeeding paragraph), is
less than the sum, without duplication, of:
(i) 50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Company for the
period (taken as one accounting period) from the beginning of the first
fiscal quarter commencing after the date of this Indenture to the end
of the Company's most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal
financial statements are available at the time of the Restricted
Payment (or, if the Consolidated Net Income for this period is a
deficit, less 100% of the deficit), plus
(ii) 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds received by the
Company since the date of this Indenture as a contribution to its
common equity capital or from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of
the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or from the issue or sale
of convertible or exchangeable Disqualified Stock or convertible or
exchangeable debt securities of the Company that have been converted
into or exchanged for the Equity Interests (other than Equity Interests
(or Disqualified Stock or debt securities) sold to a Subsidiary of the
Company), plus
(iii) to the extent that any Restricted Investment that was
made after the date of this Indenture is sold for cash or otherwise
liquidated or repaid for cash, the cash proceeds with respect to the
Restricted Investment (less the cost of disposition, if any), plus
(iv) 100% of any dividends received by the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary after the date of this Indenture from an
Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company, to the extent that the
dividends were not otherwise included in Consolidated Net Income of the
Company for that period, plus
(v) to the extent that any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the
Company is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary after the date of
this Indenture, the fair market value of the Company's Investment in
that Subsidiary as of the date of the redesignation.
The preceding provisions shall not prohibit, and these items shall not
be considered Restricted Payments:
(a) the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date of
declaration thereof, if at said date of declaration such payment would have
complied with the provisions of this Indenture;
(b) the redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other
acquisition of any subordinated Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary or of any Equity Interests of the Company in exchange for, or out of
the net cash proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a
Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) of, Subordinated Indebtedness or Equity
Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock); provided that the
amount of any such net cash proceeds that are utilized for any such redemption,
repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition shall be excluded from
clause (3)(b) of the preceding paragraph;
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(c) the defeasance, redemption, repurchase or other acquisition of
Subordinated Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor with the net cash
proceeds from an incurrence of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;
(d) the payment of any dividend by a Restricted Subsidiary of the
Company to the holders of its Equity Interests on a pro rata basis;
(e) so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would be
caused thereby, (a) the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or
retirement for value of any Equity Interests of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary of the Company held by any current or former employee, officer,
director or consultant of the Company (or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries)
under any management equity subscription agreement, stock option agreement or
other employee or management plan or agreement or employment benefit plan, and
(b) any payment made that is related to or in respect of any Subordinated
Management Notes; provided that the aggregate price paid for all repurchased,
redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests, together with the aggregate
amount of payments made that are related to or in respect of Subordinated
Management Notes, shall not exceed $1.0 million in any calendar year (provided
that in any calendar year this amount shall be increased by the amount available
for use, but not used, under this clause (5) in the immediately preceding year);
(f) repurchases of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the exercise and
of stock options if the Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise price
thereof; and
(g) so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would be
caused thereby, other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed
$2.0 million.
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) shall be the
fair market value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or
securities proposed to be transferred or issued to or by the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment.
The fair market value of any assets or securities that are required to be valued
by this Section 4.07 shall be determined by the Board of Directors whose
resolution with respect thereto shall be delivered to the Trustee. The Board of
Directors' determination must be based upon an opinion or appraisal issued by an
accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing if the
fair market value exceeds 5.0% of Total Assets. Not later than 30 days after the
date of making any Restricted Payment, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee
an Officers' Certificate stating that the Restricted Payment is permitted and
setting forth the basis upon which the calculations required by this Section
4.07 were computed, together with a copy of any fairness opinion or appraisal
required by this Indenture.
Section 4.08. Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries.
The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or permit to exist or become
effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any
Restricted Subsidiary to: (a)(i) pay dividends or make any other distributions
(A) on its Capital Stock to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries,
or (B) with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by,
its profits, or (ii) pay any indebtedness owed to the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries; (b) make loans or advances to the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries; or (c) transfer any of its properties or assets to the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. However, the preceding
restrictions shall not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or
by reason of: (i) Existing Indebtedness and the Credit Agreement, each as in
effect on the date of this Indenture and any amendments, modifications,
restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or
refinancings thereof, provided that such amendments, modifications,
restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacement or
refinancings are no more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect
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to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in such
Existing Indebtedness or the Credit Agreement, each as in effect on the date of
this Indenture; (ii) this Indenture, the Notes, the Exchange Notes and the Note
Guarantees; (iii) applicable law, regulation or order; (iv) any instrument
governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by the Company or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of the acquisition
(except to the extent the Indebtedness was incurred in connection with or in
contemplation of the acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not
applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than
the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired, provided that,
in the case of Indebtedness, the Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of this
Indenture to be incurred; (v) customary non-assignment provisions in leases
entered into in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practices; (vi) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary
course of business that impose restrictions on the property so acquired of the
nature described in clause (c) above; (vii) any agreement for the sale or other
disposition of a Restricted Subsidiary that restricts distributions by that
Restricted Subsidiary pending its sale or other disposition; (viii) Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness, provided that the restrictions contained in the
agreements governing the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are no more
restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing
the Indebtedness being refinanced; (ix) Liens securing Indebtedness that limit
the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to the Lien; (x)
provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets or property
in joint venture agreements, assets sale agreements, stock sale agreements and
other similar agreements; (xi) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net
worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course
of business; (xii) Indebtedness incurred after the date of this Indenture in
accordance with the terms of this Indenture; provided, that the restrictions
contained in the agreements governing this new Indebtedness are, in the good
faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, not materially less
favorable, taken as a whole, to the holders of the Notes than those contained in
the agreements governing Indebtedness outstanding on the date of this Indenture;
(xiii) customary provisions in agreements with respect to Permitted Joint
Ventures; and (xiv) any encumbrances or restrictions imposed by any amendments,
modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings,
replacements or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations
referred to in clauses (i) through (xiii) above; provided that the amendments,
modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings,
replacements or refinancings are, in the good faith judgment of the Board of
Directors, no more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to the dividend
and other payment restrictions than those contained in the dividend or other
payment restrictions before the amendment, modification, restatement, renewal,
increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing.
Section 4.09. Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock.
The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise
become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to
(collectively, "incur") any Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt), and the
Company shall not issue any Disqualified Stock and shall not permit any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of preferred stock; provided,
however, that the Company may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or
issue Disqualified Stock, and the Company's Restricted Subsidiaries may incur
Indebtedness or issue preferred stock, if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for
the Company's most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal
financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which the
additional Indebtedness is incurred or the Disqualified Stock or preferred stock
is issued would have been at least 2.0 to 1.0 if the incurrence or issuance
occurs on or before the third anniversary of the date of this Indenture and at
least 2.25 to 1.0 if the incurrence or issuance occurs at any time thereafter,
in each case determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application
of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness had been
incurred or the preferred stock or Disqualified Stock had been issued, as the
case may be, at the beginning of the four-quarter period.
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The provisions of the first paragraph of this Section 4.09 shall not
prohibit the incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness
(collectively, "Permitted Debt"):
(i) the incurrence by the Company and any Restricted
Subsidiary of additional term or revolving credit Indebtedness and
letters of credit under Credit Facilities in an aggregate principal
amount at any one time outstanding under this clause (i) (with letters
of credit being deemed to have a principal amount equal to the face
amount thereof) not to exceed $80.0 million less the aggregate amount
of all Net Proceeds of Asset Sales applied by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries to repay any Indebtedness under a Credit
Facility and effect a corresponding commitment reduction thereunder in
the case of revolving credit Indebtedness pursuant to Section 4.10
hereof;
(ii) the incurrence by the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries of the Existing Indebtedness;
(iii) the incurrence by the Company and the Guarantors of
Indebtedness represented by the Notes and the related Note Guarantees
to be issued on the date of this Indenture and the Exchange Notes and
the related Note Guarantees to be issued pursuant to the Registration
Rights Agreement;
(iv) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries of Indebtedness represented by Capital Lease Obligations,
mortgage financings or purchase money obligations, in each case,
incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase
price or cost of construction or improvement of property, plant or
equipment used in the business of the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary, in an aggregate principal amount, including all Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance or replace any
Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (iv), not to exceed 5.0%
of Total Assets at any time outstanding, provided that the aggregate
amount of Indebtedness at any one time outstanding pursuant to this
clause (iv), clause (xii) and clause (xiv) of this Section 4.09 shall
not exceed $15.0 Million;
(v) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in exchange for, or
the net proceeds of which are used to refund, refinance or replace
Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness) that was permitted
by this Indenture to be incurred under the first paragraph of this
Section 4.09 or clauses (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) or (xiv) of this
paragraph;
(vi) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries of intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company
and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that:
(A) if the Company or any Guarantor is the obligor on
the Indebtedness, the Indebtedness must be expressly
subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all
Obligations with respect to the Notes, in the case of the
Company, or the Subsidiary Guarantee, in the case of a
Guarantor; and
(B) (1) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity
Interests that results in any such Indebtedness being held by
a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary
thereof and (2) any sale or other transfer of any such
Indebtedness to a Person that is not either the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary thereof; shall be deemed, in each case,
to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the
Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be,
that was not permitted by this clause (vi);
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(vii) the incurrence by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries of Hedging Obligations that are
incurred solely (A) for the purpose of fixing or hedging
interest rate risk with respect to any floating rate
Indebtedness that is permitted by the terms of this Indenture
to be outstanding or (B) for the purpose of fixing or hedging
the risks associated with fluctuations in foreign currency
exchange rates;
(viii) the guarantee by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness of the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that was permitted to be
incurred by another provision of this Section 4.09;
(ix) the accrual of interest, the accretion or
amortization of original issue discount, the payment of
interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional
Indebtedness with the same terms, and the payment or accrual
of dividends on Disqualified Stock in the form of additional
shares of the same class of Disqualified Stock shall not be
deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance of
Disqualified Stock for purposes of this Section 4.09;
provided, in each case, that the amount thereof is included in
Fixed Charges of the Company as accrued;
(x) the incurrence by the Company's Unrestricted
Subsidiaries of Non-Recourse Debt or issuance of preferred
stock, provided, however, that if any of the Indebtedness
ceases to be Non-Recourse Debt of an Unrestricted Subsidiary,
this event shall be deemed to constitute an incurrence of
Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that
was not permitted by this clause (x);
(xi) the issuance by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries of Subordinated Management Notes not
to exceed $1.0 million in any calendar year (provided that in
any calendar year such amount shall be increased by the amount
available for issuance, but not issued, under this clause (xi)
in any preceding calendar year);
(xii) the incurrence by any Foreign Subsidiary of the
Company of Indebtedness for working capital purposes not to
exceed $5.0 million;
(xiii) the incurrence of Indebtedness (including
letters of credit) in respect of workers' compensation claims,
self-insurance obligations, warranties, performance, surety,
bid or similar advance payment bonds and completion guarantees
provided by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practices; and
(xiv) the incurrence by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries of additional Indebtedness or the
issuance of Disqualified Stock in an aggregate principal
amount (or accreted value or liquidation preference, as
applicable) at any time outstanding, including all Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance or
replace any Indebtedness incurred or Disqualified Stock issued
pursuant to this clause (xiv), not to exceed $7.5 million.
For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.09, in the
event that an item of proposed Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one
of the categories of Permitted Debt described in clauses (i) through (xiv)
above, or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this
Section 4.09, the Company shall be permitted to classify the item of
Indebtedness on the date of its incurrence in any manner that complies with this
Section 4.09. Indebtedness under Credit Facilities outstanding on the date on
which Notes are first issued and authenticated under this Indenture shall be
deemed to have been incurred on such date in reliance on the exception provided
by clause (i) of the definition of Permitted Debt.
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Section 4.10. Asset Sales.
The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless (i) the Company (or the
Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) receives consideration at the time of
the Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value of the assets or Equity
Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of, (ii) the fair market value is
determined by the Company's Board of Directors and evidenced by a resolution of
the Board of Directors set forth in an Officers' Certificate delivered to the
Trustee and (iii) except in the case of an Asset Swap, at least 75% of the
consideration therefor received by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiary is
in the form of cash, Cash Equivalents or Productive Assets. For purposes of this
provision, each of the following shall be deemed to be cash: (A) any liabilities
(as shown on the Company's or that Restricted Subsidiary's most recent balance
sheet), of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than contingent
liabilities and liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes or
any Subsidiary Guarantee) that are expressly assumed by the transferee of any
such assets; and (B) any securities, notes or other obligations received by the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from the transferee that are within 60 days
after the consummation of the Asset Sale converted by the Company or its
Restricted Subsidiary into cash (to the extent of the cash received in that
conversion).
Within 365 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from an Asset
Sale, including any cash received in an Asset Swap, the Company may apply the
Net Proceeds at its option (i) to repay Senior Debt and, if the Senior Debt
repaid is revolving credit Indebtedness, to correspondingly reduce commitments
with respect thereto, (ii) to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of,
or a majority of the Voting Stock of, another Permitted Business or to make a
Permitted Investment in a joint venture that is a Permitted Business, (iii) to
purchase Notes in open market transactions, provided that the Company shall be
deemed to have applied Net Proceeds in satisfaction of the requirements of this
Section 4.10 pursuant to this clause (iii) in an amount equal to the lesser of
(A) the purchase price in the open market transactions and (B) 100% of the
principal amount of the Notes repurchased, (iv) to make a capital expenditure or
(v) to acquire Productive Assets. Pending the final application of any Net
Proceeds, the Company may temporarily reduce revolving credit borrowings or
otherwise invest Net Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by this
Indenture. Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested as
provided in the preceding paragraph shall constitute "Excess Proceeds." When the
aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $10.0 million, the Company shall
make an Asset Sale Offer pursuant to section 3.09 hereof to all Holders of Notes
and all holders of other Indebtedness that is pari passu with the Notes
containing provisions similar to those set forth in this Indenture with respect
to offers to purchase or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets to purchase
the maximum principal amount of Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness that may
be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds. The offer price in any Asset Sale Offer
shall be equal to 100% of principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest and
Liquidated Damages, if any, to the date of purchase, and shall be payable in
cash. If any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Asset Sale Offer,
the Company may use the Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited
by this Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and other pari
passu Indebtedness tendered into an Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of
Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes and other pari passu
Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata basis based on the principal amount
of Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness tendered. Upon completion of each
Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the
Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the
extent the laws and regulations are applicable in connection with each
repurchase of Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the
provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Asset Sale
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 Asset Sale provisions of this Indenture by virtue of these
conflicts.
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Section 4.11. Transactions with Affiliates.
The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise
dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or
assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction, contract,
agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit
of, any Affiliate (each, an "Affiliate Transaction"), unless (i) the Affiliate
Transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the Company or the
relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a
comparable transaction by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiary with an
unrelated Person and (ii) the Company delivers to the Trustee (A) with respect
to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions
involving aggregate consideration in excess of $1.0 million, a resolution of the
Board of Directors set forth in an Officers' Certificate certifying that the
Affiliate Transaction complies with this Section 4.11 and that the Affiliate
Transaction has been approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the
Board of Directors and (B) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series
of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of
$10.0 million, an opinion issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment
banking firm of national standing that the Affiliate Transaction complies with
clause (i) of the first paragraph of this Section 4.11.
The following items shall not be deemed to be Affiliate Transactions
and, therefore, shall not be subject to the provisions of the prior paragraph:
(i) any employment agreement entered into by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and consistent with
the past practice of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiary; (ii) transactions
between or among the Company and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries; (iii)
transactions with a Person that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because
the Company owns an Equity Interest in that Person; (iv) payment of reasonable
directors fees; (v) sales of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) to
Affiliates of the Company; (vi) Restricted Payments that are permitted by
Section 4.07 hereof; (vii) the Advisory Services Agreement between the Company
and Kirtland Partners Ltd. as in effect on the date of this Indenture; (viii)
providing indemnity to current or former officers, directors, employees or
consultants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the Company; (ix) performance of obligations
of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under any agreement to
which it is a party on the date of this Indenture that is described in the
Offering Memorandum, dated as of September 21, 1999, of the Company relating to
the Offering, each agreement as in effect on the date of this Indenture; (x) the
grant of stock options, restricted stock or similar rights to acquire common
stock of the Company to the Company's or its Subsidiaries' employees, officers,
directors and consultants pursuant to plans approved by the Board of Directors
of the Company; (xi) loans or advances to the Company's or its Subsidiaries'
employees or consultants otherwise permitted by this Indenture and not to exceed
an aggregate of $1 million at any one time; (xii) the payment of all fees and
expenses related to the Recapitalization; and (xiii) transactions with
customers, joint venture partners, clients, suppliers, or purchasers or sellers
of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of business and
consistent with past practice in compliance with the terms of this Indenture and
which are fair to the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, in the reasonable
determination of the Board of Directors of the Company.
Section 4.12. Liens.
The Company shall not and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or
become effective any Lien of any kind securing Indebtedness that is pari passu
or subordinated in right of payment to the Notes (other than Permitted Liens)
upon any of their property or assets, now owned or hereafter acquired, unless
all payments due under this Indenture and the Notes are secured on an equal and
ratable basis with the obligations so secured until the time that those
obligations are no longer secured by a Lien.
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Section 4.13. Business Activities.
The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary
to, engage in any business other than Permitted Businesses, except to the extent
as would not be material to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as
a whole.
Section 4.14. Corporate Existence.
Subject to Article 5 hereof, the Company shall do or cause to be done
all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect (i) its
corporate existence, and the corporate, partnership or other existence of each
of its Subsidiaries, in accordance with the respective organizational documents
(as the same may be amended from time to time) of the Company or any such
Subsidiary and (ii) the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises
of the Company and its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise, or the
corporate, partnership or other existence of any of its Subsidiaries, if the
Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer
desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material
respect to the Holders of the Notes.
Section 4.15. Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Company shall make
an offer (a "Change of Control Offer") to each Holder to repurchase all or any
part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of each Holder's Notes at
a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus
accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages thereon, if any, to the date
of purchase (the "Change of Control Payment"). Within 10 days following any
Change of Control, the Company shall mail a notice to each Holder stating: (1)
that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 4.15 and
that all Notes tendered will be accepted for payment; (2) the purchase price and
the purchase date, which shall be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60
days from the date such notice is mailed (the "Change of Control Payment Date");
(3) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest; (4) that,
unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all
Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer shall cease
to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date; (5) that Holders
electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will
be required to surrender the Notes, with the form entitled "Option of Holder to
Elect Purchase" on the reverse of the Notes completed, to the Paying Agent at
the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third
Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date; (6) that Holders will
be entitled to withdraw their election if the Paying Agent receives, not later
than the close of business on the second Business Day preceding the Change of
Control Payment Date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter
setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of Notes delivered
for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to
have the Notes purchased; and (7) that Holders whose Notes are being purchased
only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the
unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion must be
equal to $1,000 in principal amount or an integral multiple thereof. The Company
shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any
other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and
regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of Notes in
connection with a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any
securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control 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
Change of Control provisions of this Indenture by virtue of such conflict.
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(b) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the
extent lawful, (1) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly
tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, (2) deposit with the Paying
Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes
or portions thereof so tendered and (3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the
Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers' Certificate stating the
aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions thereof being purchased by the
Company. The Paying Agent shall promptly mail to each Holder of Notes so
tendered payment in an amount equal to the purchase price for the Notes, and the
Trustee shall promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book
entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased
portion of the Notes surrendered by such Holder, if any; provided, that each
such new Note shall be in a principal amount of $1,000 or an integral multiple
thereof. The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Change of
Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment
Date.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.15, the
Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of
Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the
times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this
Section 4.15 and Section 3.09 hereof and all other provisions of this Indenture
applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all
Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.
(d) Prior to complying with any of the provisions of this Section 4.15,
but in any event within 90 days following a Change of Control, the Company shall
either repay all outstanding Senior Debt or obtain the requisite consents, if
any, under all agreements governing outstanding Senior Debt to permit the
repurchase of Notes required by this Section 4.15.
Section 4.16. No Senior Subordinated Debt.
The Company shall not incur, create, issue, assume, guarantee or
otherwise become liable for any Indebtedness that is subordinate or junior in
right of payment to any Senior Debt of the Company and senior in any respect in
right of payment to the Notes. No Guarantor shall incur, create, issue, assume,
guarantee or otherwise become liable for any Indebtedness that is subordinate or
junior in right of payment to the Senior Debt of the Guarantor and senior in any
respect in right of payment to that Guarantor's Subsidiary Guarantee.
Section 4.17. Payments for Consent.
The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration to or for the
benefit of any Holder of Notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or
amendment of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture or the Notes
unless the consideration is offered to be paid and is paid to all Holders of the
Notes that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in the
solicitation documents relating to the consent, waiver or agreement.
Section 4.18. Additional Note Guarantees.
If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or
creates another Domestic Subsidiary after the date of this Indenture, then that
newly acquired or created Domestic Subsidiary must become a Guarantor and
execute a supplemental indenture and deliver an Opinion of Counsel to the
Trustee within 10 Business Days of the date on which it was acquired or created;
provided that any Domestic Subsidiary that has been properly designated as
Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with this Indenture shall not be required
to become Guarantor for so long as it continues to constitute an Unrestricted
Subsidiary. The form of such Note Guarantee is attached as Exhibit E hereto.
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Section 4.19. Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
The Board of Directors may designate any Restricted Subsidiary to be an
Unrestricted Subsidiary if that designation would not cause a Default. If a
Restricted Subsidiary is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the aggregate
fair market value of all outstanding Investments owned by the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries in the Subsidiary so designated shall be deemed to be an
Investment made as of the time of such designation and shall either reduce the
amount available for Restricted Payments under the first paragraph of Section
4.07 hereof, or reduce the amount available for future Investments under one or
more clauses of the definition of Permitted Investments, as the Company shall
determine. That designation shall only be permitted if the Investment would be
permitted at that time and if the Restricted Subsidiary otherwise meets the
definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. The Board of Directors may redesignate
any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if the redesignation
would not cause a Default.
ARTICLE 5.
SUCCESSORS
Section 5.01. Merger, Consolidation, or Sale of Assets.
The Company shall not, directly or indirectly (i) consolidate or merge
with or into another Person (whether or not the Company is the surviving
corporation) or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all
or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions,
to another Person; unless: (A) either (1) the Company is the surviving
corporation or (2) the Person formed by or surviving any consolidation or merger
(if other than the Company) or to which a sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance
or other disposition was made is a corporation organized or existing under the
laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (B)
the Person formed by or surviving any consolidation or merger (if other than the
Company) or the Person to which a sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or
other disposition was made assumes all the obligations of the Company under the
Notes, this Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement pursuant to
agreements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, (C) immediately after the
transaction no Default or Event of Default exists and (D) the Company or the
Person formed by or surviving any consolidation or merger (if other than the
Company), or to which the sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other
disposition was made shall, on the date of the transaction after giving pro
forma effect thereto and any related financing transactions as if the same had
occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, (1) have a
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio at least equal to 1.75 to 1.0 and equal to or
greater than the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company immediately before
the transaction or (2) be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional
Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio Test set forth in the
first paragraph of Section 4.09 hereof. In addition, the Company shall not,
directly or indirectly, lease all or substantially all of its and its Restricted
Subsidiaries' properties or assets, in one or more related transactions, to any
other Person. This Section 5.01 shall not apply to a sale, assignment, transfer,
conveyance or other disposition of assets between or among the Company and any
of the Guarantors.
Section 5.02. Successor Corporation Substituted.
Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer,
lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets
of the Company in accordance with Section 5.01 hereof, the successor corporation
formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to
which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition is
made shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date
of such consolidation, merger, sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition, the
provisions of this Indenture referring to the "Company" shall refer instead to
the successor corporation and not to the Company), and may exercise every right
and power of
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the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor
Person had been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the
predecessor Company shall not be relieved from the obligation to pay the
principal of and interest on the Notes except in the case of a sale, assignment,
transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all of the Company's assets that
meets the requirements of Section 5.01 hereof.
ARTICLE 6.
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
Section 6.01. Events of Default.
An "Event of Default" occurs if:
(a) the Company defaults in the payment when due of interest on, or
Liquidated Damages with respect to, the Notes and such default continues for a
period of 30 days, whether or not prohibited by Article 10 hereof;
(b) the Company defaults in the payment when due of principal of or
premium, if any, on the Notes when the same becomes due and payable at maturity,
upon redemption or otherwise, whether or not prohibited by Article 10 hereof;
(c) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries fails to comply with any of
the provisions of Section 4.15 or 5.01 hereof;
(d) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries fails to observe or perform
any other covenant, representation, warranty or other agreement in this
Indenture or the Notes for 60 days after notice to the Company by the Trustee or
the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes
(including Additional Notes, if any) then outstanding voting as a single class;
(e) a default occurs under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under
which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any
Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists, or
is created after the date of this Indenture, which default (i) is caused by a
failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the Indebtedness
before the expiration of the grace period provided in the Indebtedness on the
date of the default, or (ii) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness
prior to its express maturity and, in each case, the principal amount of such
Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness
the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $10 million or more;
(f) a final judgment or final judgments for the payment of money are
entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction against the Company or
any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as
a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary and such judgment or
judgments remain undischarged for a period (during which execution shall not be
effectively stayed) of 60 days, provided that the aggregate of all such
undischarged judgments exceeds $10 million;
(g) the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of
Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary
pursuant to or within the meaning of Bankruptcy Law:
(i) commences a voluntary case,
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(ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it
in an involuntary case,
(iii) consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for
all or substantially all of its property,
(iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its
creditors, or
(v) generally is not paying its debts as they become due; or
(h) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under
any Bankruptcy Law that:
(i) is for relief against the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a
whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary
case;
(ii) appoints a custodian of the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a
whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary or for all or
substantially all of the property of the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a
whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary; or
(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a
whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary;
and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days;
or
(i) except as permitted by this Indenture, any Note Guarantee is held
in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any
reason to be in full force and effect or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on
behalf of any Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under such
Guarantor's Note Guarantee.
Section 6.02. Acceleration.
If any Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in
clause (g) or (h) of Section 6.01 hereof with respect to the Company, any
Significant Subsidiary or any group of Significant Subsidiaries that, taken as a
whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary) occurs and is continuing, the
Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then
outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately;
provided, that so long as any Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under this
Indenture as part of the Credit Facilities shall be outstanding, such
acceleration shall not be effective until the earlier of (i) an acceleration of
any Indebtedness under the Credit Facilities or (ii) five Business Days after
receipt by the Company and the administrative agent under the Credit Facilities
of written notice of such acceleration of the Notes. Upon any such declaration,
the Notes shall become due and payable immediately. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in clause (g) or (h) of Section 6.01
hereof occurs with respect to the Company, any of its Significant Subsidiaries
or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a
Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding Notes shall be due and payable
immediately without further action or notice. The Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by written notice to
the Trustee may on behalf of all of the Holders rescind an acceleration and its
consequences if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree
and if all existing Events of Default (except nonpayment of principal, interest
or premium that has become due solely because of the acceleration) have been
cured or waived.
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Section 6.03. Other Remedies.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue
any available remedy to collect the payment of principal, premium, if any, and
interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the
Notes or this Indenture.
The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any
of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or
omission by the Trustee or any Holder of a Note in exercising any right or
remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or
constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. All remedies are
cumulative to the extent permitted by law.
Section 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults.
Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders
of all of the Notes waive an existing Default or Event of Default and its
consequences hereunder, except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the
payment of the principal of, premium and Liquidated Damages, if any, or interest
on, the Notes (including in connection with an offer to purchase) (provided,
however, that the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
then outstanding Notes may rescind an acceleration and its consequences,
including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration).
Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of
Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose
of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other
Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.05. Control by Majority.
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes
may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for
exercising any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power
conferred on it. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that
conflicts with law or this Indenture that the Trustee determines may be unduly
prejudicial to the rights of other Holders of Notes or that may involve the
Trustee in personal liability.
Section 6.06. Limitation on Suits.
A Holder of a Note may pursue a remedy with respect to this Indenture
or the Notes only if:
(a) the Holder of a Note gives to the Trustee written notice of a
continuing Event of Default;
(b) the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then
outstanding Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;
(c) such Holder of a Note or Holders of Notes offer and, if requested,
provide to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss,
liability or expense;
(d) the Trustee does not comply with the request within 60 days after
receipt of the request and the offer and, if requested, the provision of
indemnity; and
(e) during such 60-day period the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the then outstanding Notes do not give the Trustee a direction
inconsistent with the request.
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A Holder of a Note may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights
of another Holder of a Note or to obtain a preference or priority over another
Holder of a Note.
Section 6.07. Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any
Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal, premium and Liquidated
Damages, if any, and interest on the Note, on or after the respective due dates
expressed in the Note (including in connection with an offer to purchase), or to
bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective
dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder
Section 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee.
If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(a) or (b) occurs and
is continuing, the Trustee is authorized to recover judgment in its own name and
as trustee of an express trust against the Company for the whole amount of
principal of, premium and Liquidated Damages, if any, and interest remaining
unpaid on the Notes and interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful,
interest 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 is authorized to file such proofs of claim and other papers
or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the
Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses,
disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the
Holders of the Notes allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company
(or any other obligor upon the Notes), its creditors or its property and shall
be entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money or other
property payable or deliverable on any such claims and any custodian in any such
judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to
the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of
such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to
it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under
Section 7.07 hereof. To the extent that the payment of any such compensation,
expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and
any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07 hereof out of the estate in
any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall
be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions,
dividends, money, securities and other properties that the Holders may be
entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan
of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise. Nothing herein contained shall be
deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on
behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or
composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder, or to authorize the
Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 6.10. Priorities.
If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article, it shall
pay out the money in the following order:
First: to the Trustee, its agents and attorneys for amounts
due under Section 7.07 hereof, including payment of all compensation,
expense and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee
and the costs and expenses of collection;
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Second: to Holders of Notes for amounts due and unpaid on the
Notes for principal, premium and Liquidated Damages, if any, and
interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind,
according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal,
premium and Liquidated Damages, if any and interest, respectively; and
Third: to the Company or to such party as a court of competent
jurisdiction shall direct.
The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to
Holders of Notes pursuant to this Section 6.10.
Section 6.11. Undertaking for Costs.
In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this
Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by
it as a Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party
litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the
court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable
attorneys' fees, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to
the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant.
This Section does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder of a
Note pursuant to Section 6.07 hereof, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in
principal amount of the then outstanding Notes.
ARTICLE 7.
TRUSTEE
Section 7.01. Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee
shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and
use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would
exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person's own
affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(i) the duties of the Trustee shall be determined solely by
the express provisions of this Indenture and the Trustee need perform
only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and
no others, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into
this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may
conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the
correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or
opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of
this Indenture. However, the Trustee shall examine the certificates and
opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements
of this Indenture.
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liabilities for its own
negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful
misconduct, except that:
(i) this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b)
of this Section;
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(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment
made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that
the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any
action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a
direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05 hereof.
(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of
this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs
(a), (b), and (c) of this Section.
(e) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend
or risk its own funds or incur any liability. The Trustee shall be under no
obligation to exercise any of its rights and powers under this Indenture at the
request of any Holders, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee
security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or
expense.
(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received
by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in
trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the
extent required by law.
Section 7.02. Rights of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely upon any document believed by it
to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The
Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an
Officers' Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be
liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on
such Officers' Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee may consult with
counsel and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall
be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of
any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in
reliance thereon.
(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not
be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due
care.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to
take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or
powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.
(e) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any
demand, request, direction or notice from the Company shall be sufficient if
signed by an Officer of the Company.
(f) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the
rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of
any of the Holders unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee
reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities
that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
Section 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the
owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company or any
Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not
Trustee. However, in the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting
interest it
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must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to
continue as trustee or resign. Any Agent may do the same with like rights and
duties. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11 hereof.
Section 7.04. Trustee's Disclaimer.
The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as
to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, it shall not be
accountable for the Company's use of the proceeds from the Notes or any money
paid to the Company or upon the Company's direction under any provision of this
Indenture, it shall not be responsible for the use or application of any money
received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, and it shall not be
responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement in the Notes or
any other document in connection with the sale of the Notes or pursuant to this
Indenture other than its certificate of authentication.
Section 7.05. Notice of Defaults.
If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing and if it is
known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to Holders of Notes a notice of the
Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs. Except in the case
of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of, premium, if any, or
interest on any Note, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a
committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding
the notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Notes.
Section 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes.
Within 60 days after each May 15 beginning with the May 15 following
the date of this Indenture, and for so long as Notes remain outstanding, the
Trustee shall mail to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such
reporting date that complies with TIA Section 313(a) (but if no event described
in TIA Section 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the
reporting date, no report need be transmitted). The Trustee also shall comply
with TIA Section 313(b)(2). The Trustee shall also transmit by mail all reports
as required by TIA Section 313(c).
A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to the Holders of
Notes shall be mailed to the Company and filed with the SEC and each stock
exchange on which the Notes are listed in accordance with TIA Section 313(d).
The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when the Notes are listed on any
stock exchange.
Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity.
The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable
compensation for its acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder. The
Trustee's compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a
trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee promptly
upon request for all reasonable disbursements, advances and expenses incurred or
made by it in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses shall
include the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee's
agents and counsel.
The Company shall indemnify the Trustee against any and all losses,
liabilities or expenses incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the
acceptance or administration of its duties under this Indenture, including the
costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Company (including
this Section 7.07) and defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by
the Company or any Holder or any other person) or liability in connection with
the exercise or performance of any of its powers or
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duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, liability or expense may
be attributable to its negligence or bad faith. The Trustee shall notify the
Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the
Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its
obligations hereunder. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall
cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company
shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not
pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld.
The obligations of the Company under this Section 7.07 shall survive
the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
To secure the Company's payment obligations in this Section, the
Trustee shall have a Lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or
collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal and
interest on particular Notes. Such Lien shall survive the satisfaction and
discharge of this Indenture.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of
Default specified in Section 6.01(g) or (h) hereof occurs, the expenses and the
compensation for the services (including the fees and expenses of its agents and
counsel) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any
Bankruptcy Law.
The Trustee shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 313(b)(2)
to the extent applicable.
Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee.
A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor
Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee's acceptance of
appointment as provided in this Section.
The Trustee may resign in writing at any time and be discharged from
the trust hereby created by so notifying the Company. The Holders of a majority
in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by so
notifying the Trustee and the Company in writing. The Company may remove the
Trustee if:
(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof;
(b) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for
relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;
(c) a custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its
property; or
(d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.
If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the
office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor
Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders
of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may appoint a
successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.
If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the
retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company, or
the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes
may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a
successor Trustee.
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If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder who has been a
Holder for at least six months, fails to comply with Section 7.10, such Holder
may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee
and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its
appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Thereupon, the
resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the
successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee
under this Indenture. The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its
succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property
held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, provided all sums owing to the
Trustee hereunder have been paid and subject to the Lien provided for in Section
7.07 hereof. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section
7.08, the Company's obligations under Section 7.07 hereof shall continue for the
benefit of the retiring Trustee.
Section 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.
If the Trustee consolidates, merges or converts into, or transfers all
or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation,
the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor
Trustee.
Section 7.10. Eligibility; Disqualification.
There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a corporation
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or
of any state thereof that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trustee power, that is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authorities and that has a combined capital and surplus of at least $100 million
as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.
This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the
requirements of TIA Section 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee is subject to
TIA Section 310(b).
Section 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.
The Trustee is subject to TIA Section 311(a), excluding any creditor
relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been
removed shall be subject to TIA Section 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.
ARTICLE 8.
LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
Section 8.01. Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.
The Company may, at the option of its Board of Directors evidenced by a
resolution set forth in an Officers' Certificate, at any time, elect to have
either Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof be applied to all outstanding Notes upon
compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article Eight.
Section 8.02. Legal Defeasance and Discharge.
Upon the Company's exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option
applicable to this Section 8.02, the Company shall, subject to the satisfaction
of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be deemed to have been
discharged from its obligations with respect to all outstanding Notes on the
date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, "Legal
Defeasance"). For this purpose, Legal
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Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged
the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes, which shall
thereafter be deemed to be "outstanding" only for the purposes of Section 8.05
hereof and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in (a) and (b)
below, and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Notes and this
Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Company,
shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the
following provisions which shall survive until otherwise terminated or
discharged hereunder: (a) the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive
solely from the trust fund described in Section 8.04 hereof, and as more fully
set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if
any, and interest on such Notes when such payments are due, (b) the Company's
obligations with respect to such Notes under Article 2 and Section 4.02 hereof,
(c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder
and the Company's obligations in connection therewith and (d) this Article
Eight. Subject to compliance with this Article Eight, the Company may exercise
its option under this Section 8.02 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its
option under Section 8.03 hereof.
Section 8.03. Covenant Defeasance.
Upon the Company's exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option
applicable to this Section 8.03, the Company shall, subject to the satisfaction
of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be released from its
obligations under the covenants contained in Sections 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.10,
4.11, 4.12, 4.13, 4.15, 4.16, 4.17, 418 hereof and clause (iv) of Section 5.01
hereof with respect to the outstanding Notes on and after the date the
conditions set forth in Section 8.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, "Covenant
Defeasance"), and the Notes shall thereafter be deemed not "outstanding" for the
purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and
the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall
continue to be deemed "outstanding" for all other purposes hereunder (it being
understood that such Notes shall not be deemed outstanding for accounting
purposes). For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the
outstanding Notes, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no
liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such
covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere
herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant
to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to
comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.01
hereof, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such
Notes shall be unaffected thereby. In addition, upon the Company's exercise
under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03 hereof,
subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof,
Sections 6.01(c) through 6.01(f) hereof shall not constitute Events of Default.
Section 8.04. Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance.
The following shall be the conditions to the application of either
Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof to the outstanding Notes:
In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:
(a) the Company must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust,
for the benefit of the Holders, cash in United States dollars, non-callable
Government Securities, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be
sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public
accountants, to pay the principal of, premium and Liquidated Damages, if any,
and interest on the outstanding Notes on the stated date for payment thereof or
on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be;
(b) in the case of an election under Section 8.02 hereof, the Company
shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States
reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming
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that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the
Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the date of this Indenture, there
has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to
the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that,
the Holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for
federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be
subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the
same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not
occurred;
(c) in the case of an election under Section 8.03 hereof, the Company
shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States
reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that the Holders of the
outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax
purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal
income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as
would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;
(d) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default
resulting from the incurrence of Indebtedness all or a portion of the proceeds
of which shall be used to defease the Notes pursuant to this Article Eight
concurrently with such incurrence) or insofar as Sections 6.01(g) or 6.01(h)
hereof is concerned, at any time in the period ending on the 91st day after the
date of deposit;
(e) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a
breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or
instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
bound;
(f) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of
Counsel (which may be subject to customary exceptions) to the effect that on the
91st day following the deposit, the trust funds will not be subject to the
effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally;
(g) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent
of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company or with the
intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of
the Company; and
(h) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions
precedent provided for or relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant
Defeasance have been complied with.
Section 8.05. Deposited Money and Government Securities to be Held in Trust;
Other Miscellaneous Provisions.
Subject to Section 8.06 hereof, all money and non-callable Government
Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other
qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 8.05, the
"Trustee") pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof in respect of the outstanding Notes
shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the
provisions of such Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or
through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as Paying Agent) as the
Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Notes of all sums due and to
become due thereon in respect of principal, premium, if any, and interest, but
such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required
by law.
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The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or
other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or non-callable Government
Securities deposited pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof or the principal and
interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other
charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Notes.
Anything in this Article Eight to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon the request
of the Company any money or non-callable Government Securities held by it as
provided in Section 8.04 hereof which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized
firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification
thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under
Section 8.04(a) hereof), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be
required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant
Defeasance.
Section 8.06. Repayment to Company.
Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held
by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any,
or interest on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such
principal, and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be
paid to the Company on its request or (if then held by the Company) shall be
discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter look
only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or
such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the
Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the
Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment,
may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in the New York
Times and The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money
remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be
less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any
unclaimed balance of such money then remaining shall be repaid to the Company.
Section 8.07. Reinstatement.
If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any United States
dollars or non-callable Government Securities in accordance with Section 8.02 or
8.03 hereof, as the case may be, by reason of any order or judgment of any court
or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such
application, then the Company's obligations under this Indenture and the Notes
shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to
Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is
permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03
hereof, as the case may be; provided, however, that, if the Company makes any
payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note following the
reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights
of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money held by the
Trustee or Paying Agent.
ARTICLE 9.
AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER
Section 9.01. Without Consent of Holders of Notes.
Notwithstanding Section 9.02 of this Indenture, the Company, the
Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture, the Note
Guarantees or the Notes without the consent of any Holder of a Note:
(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
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(b) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of
certificated Notes or to alter the provisions of Article 2 hereof (including the
related definitions) in a manner that does not materially adversely affect any
Holder;
(c) to provide for the assumption of the Company's or a Guarantor's
obligations to the Holders of the Notes by a successor to the Company pursuant
to Article 5 or Article 11 hereof;
(d) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or
benefits to the Holders of the Notes or that does not adversely affect the legal
rights hereunder of any Holder of the Note;
(e) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or
maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA;
(f) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with
the limitations set forth in this Indenture as of the date hereof; or
(g) to allow any Guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture and/or a
Note Guarantee with respect to the Notes.
Upon the request of the Company accompanied by a resolution of its
Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental
Indenture, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section
7.02 hereof, the Trustee shall join with the Company and the Guarantors in the
execution of any amended or supplemental Indenture authorized or permitted by
the terms of this Indenture and to make any further appropriate agreements and
stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be
obligated to enter into such amended or supplemental Indenture that affects its
own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Section 9.02. With Consent of Holders of Notes.
Except as provided below in this Section 9.02, the Company and the
Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture (including Section 3.09, 4.10 and
4.15 hereof), the Note Guarantees and the Notes with the consent of the Holders
of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes (including Additional
Notes, if any) then outstanding voting as a single class (including consents
obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, or purchase
of, the Notes), and, subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, any existing
Default or Event of Default (other than a Default or Event of Default in the
payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, except a
payment default resulting from an acceleration that has been rescinded) or
compliance with any provision of this Indenture, the Note Guarantees or the
Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the then outstanding Notes (including Additional Notes, if any) voting
as a single class (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer
or exchange offer for, or purchase of, the Notes). Section 2.08 hereof shall
determine which Notes are considered to be "outstanding" for purposes of this
Section 9.02.
Upon the request of the Company accompanied by a resolution of its
Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental
Indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence satisfactory to the
Trustee of the consent of the Holders of Notes as aforesaid, and upon receipt by
the Trustee of the documents described in Section 7.02 hereof, the Trustee shall
join with the Company in the execution of such amended or supplemental Indenture
unless such amended or supplemental Indenture directly affects the Trustee's own
rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case
the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into
such amended or supplemental Indenture.
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It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Notes under
this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment or
waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance
thereof.
After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section becomes
effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders of Notes affected thereby a
notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Any failure of
the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in
any way impair or affect the validity of any such amended or supplemental
Indenture or waiver. Subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, the Holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes,
if any) then outstanding voting as a single class may waive compliance in a
particular instance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the
Notes. However, without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or
waiver under this Section 9.02 may not (with respect to any Notes held by a
non-consenting Holder):
(a) reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to
an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(b) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any Note or
alter or waive any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of the Notes
except as provided above with respect to Sections 3.09, 4.10 and 4.15 hereof;
(c) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest,
including default interest, on any Note;
(d) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of,
or premium or interest, or Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes (except a
rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (including Additional
Notes, if any) and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such
acceleration);
(e) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Notes;
(f) make any change in the provisions of this Indenture relating to
waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of Notes to receive payments
of principal of or interest on the Notes;
(g) make any change in Section 6.04 or 6.07 hereof or in the foregoing
amendment and waiver provisions;
(h) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Note (other than a
payment required by one of the covenants described in Section 3.09 hereof;
(i) release any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Note
Guarantee or this Indenture, except in accordance with the terms of this
Indenture.
Section 9.03. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.
Every amendment or supplement to this Indenture or the Notes shall be
set forth in a amended or supplemental Indenture that complies with the TIA as
then in effect.
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Section 9.04. Revocation and Effect of Consents.
Until an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent
to it by a Holder of a Note is a continuing consent by the Holder of a Note and
every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same
debt as the consenting Holder's Note, even if notation of the consent is not
made on any Note. However, any such Holder of a Note or subsequent Holder of a
Note may revoke the consent as to its Note if the Trustee receives written
notice of revocation before the date the waiver, supplement or amendment becomes
effective. An amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective in accordance
with its terms and thereafter binds every Holder.
Section 9.05. Notation on or Exchange of Notes.
The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment,
supplement or waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated. The Company in
exchange for all Notes may issue and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an
Authentication Order, authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment,
supplement or waiver.
Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note shall not
affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.
Section 9.06. Trustee to Sign Amendments, etc.
The Trustee shall sign any amended or supplemental Indenture authorized
pursuant to this Article Nine if the amendment or supplement does not adversely
affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. The Company
may not sign an amendment or supplemental Indenture until the Board of Directors
approves it. In executing any amended or supplemental indenture, the Trustee
shall be entitled to receive and (subject to Section 7.01 hereof) shall be fully
protected in relying upon, in addition to the documents required by Section
13.04 hereof, an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that
the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture is authorized or
permitted by this Indenture.
ARTICLE 10.
SUBORDINATION
Section 10.01. Agreement to Subordinate.
The Company agrees, and each Holder by accepting a Note agrees, that
the Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes is subordinated in right of payment, to
the extent and in the manner provided in this Article 10, to the prior payment
in full of all Senior Debt (whether outstanding on the date hereof or hereafter
created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed), and that the subordination is for the
benefit of the holders of Senior Debt.
Section 10.02. Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy.
Upon any distribution to creditors of the Company in a liquidation or
dissolution of the Company or in a bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency,
receivership or similar proceeding relating to the Company or its property, in
an assignment for the benefit of creditors or any marshaling of the Company's
assets and liabilities:
(i) holders of Senior Debt shall be entitled to receive
payment in full of all Obligations due in respect of such Senior Debt
(including interest after the commencement of any
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such proceeding at the rate specified in the applicable Senior Debt)
before Holders of the Notes shall be entitled to receive any payment
with respect to the Notes (except that Holders may receive (A)
Permitted Junior Securities and (B) payments and other distributions
made from any defeasance trust created pursuant to Section 8.01
hereof); and
(ii) until all Obligations with respect to Senior Debt (as
provided in clause (i) above) are paid in full, any distribution to
which Holders would be entitled but for this Article 10 shall be made
to holders of Senior Debt (except that Holders of Notes may receive (A)
Permitted Junior Securities and (B) payments and other distributions
made from any defeasance trust created pursuant to Section 8.01
hereof), as their interests may appear.
Section 10.03. Default on Designated Senior Debt.
(a) The Company may not make any payment or distribution to the Trustee
or any Holder in respect of Obligations with respect to the Notes and may not
acquire from the Trustee or any Holder any Notes for cash or property (other
than (A) Permitted Junior Securities and (B) payments and other distributions
made from any defeasance trust created pursuant to Section 8.01 hereof) until
all principal and other Obligations with respect to the Senior Debt have been
paid in full if:
(i) a default in the payment of any principal or other
Obligations with respect to Designated Senior Debt occurs and is
continuing beyond any applicable grace period in the agreement,
indenture or other document governing such Designated Senior Debt; or
(ii) a default, other than a payment default, on Designated
Senior Debt occurs and is continuing that then permits holders of the
Designated Senior Debt to accelerate its maturity and the Trustee
receives a notice of the default (a "Payment Blockage Notice") from a
Person who may give it pursuant to Section 10.11 hereof. If the Trustee
receives any such Payment Blockage Notice, no subsequent Payment
Blockage Notice shall be effective for purposes of this Section unless
and until (A) at least 360 days shall have elapsed since the
effectiveness of the immediately prior Payment Blockage Notice and (B)
all scheduled payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on
the Securities that have come due have been paid in full in cash. No
nonpayment default that existed or was continuing on the date of
delivery of any Payment Blockage Notice to the Trustee shall be, or be
made, the basis for a subsequent Payment Blockage Notice unless such
default shall have been waived for a period of not less than 180 days.
(b) The Company may and shall resume payments on and distributions in
respect of the Notes and may acquire them upon the earlier of:
(i) the date upon which the default is cured or waived, or
(ii) in the case of a default referred to in clause (ii) of
Section 10.03(a) hereof, 179 days pass after notice is received if the
maturity of such Designated Senior Debt has not been accelerated,
if this Article 10 otherwise permits the payment, distribution or acquisition at
the time of such payment or acquisition.
Section 10.04. Acceleration of Securities.
If payment of the Securities is accelerated because of an Event of
Default, the Company shall promptly notify holders of Senior Debt of the
acceleration.
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Section 10.05. When Distribution Must Be Paid Over.
In the event that the Trustee or any Holder receives any payment of any
Obligations with respect to the Notes at a time when the Trustee or such Holder,
as applicable, has actual knowledge that such payment is prohibited by Section
10.03 hereof, such payment shall be held by the Trustee or such Holder, in trust
for the benefit of, and shall be paid forthwith over and delivered, upon written
request, to, the holders of Senior Debt as their interests may appear or their
Representative under this Indenture or other agreement (if any) pursuant to
which Senior Debt may have been issued, as their respective interests may
appear, for application to the payment of all Obligations with respect to Senior
Debt remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Obligations in full in
accordance with their terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or
distribution to or for the holders of Senior Debt.
With respect to the holders of Senior Debt, the Trustee undertakes to
perform only such obligations on the part of the Trustee as are specifically set
forth in this Article 10, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect
to the holders of 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, and shall not be liable to any such holders if the
Trustee shall pay over or distribute to or on behalf of Holders or the Company
or any other Person money or assets to which any holders of Senior Debt shall be
entitled by virtue of this Article 10, except if such payment is made as a
result of the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Trustee.
Section 10.06. Notice by Company.
The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee and the Paying Agent of
any facts known to the Company that would cause a payment of any Obligations
with respect to the Notes to violate this Article 10, but failure to give such
notice shall not affect the subordination of the Notes to the Senior Debt as
provided in this Article 10.
Section 10.07. Subrogation.
After all Senior Debt is paid in full and until the Notes are paid in
full, Holders of Notes shall be subrogated (equally and ratably with all other
Indebtedness pari passu with the Notes) to the rights of holders of Senior Debt
to receive distributions applicable to Senior Debt to the extent that
distributions otherwise payable to the Holders of Notes have been applied to the
payment of Senior Debt. A distribution made under this Article 10 to holders of
Senior Debt that otherwise would have been made to Holders of Notes is not, as
between the Company and Holders, a payment by the Company on the Notes.
Section 10.08. Relative Rights.
This Article 10 defines the relative rights of Holders of Notes and
holders of Senior Debt. Nothing in this Indenture shall:
(i) impair, as between the Company and Holders of Notes, the
obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay
principal of and interest on the Notes in accordance with their terms;
(ii) affect the relative rights of Holders of Notes and
creditors of the Company other than their rights in relation to holders
of Senior Debt; or
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(iii) prevent the Trustee or any Holder of Notes from
exercising its available remedies upon a Default or Event of Default,
subject to the rights of holders and owners of Senior Debt to receive
distributions and payments otherwise payable to Holders of Notes.
If the Company fails because of this Article 10 to pay principal of or
interest on a Note on the due date, the failure is still a Default or Event of
Default.
Section 10.09. Subordination May Not Be Impaired by Company.
No right of any holder of Senior Debt to enforce the subordination of
the Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes shall be impaired by any act or failure
to act by the Company or any Holder or by the failure of the Company or any
Holder to comply with this Indenture.
Section 10.10. Distribution or Notice to Representative.
Whenever a distribution is to be made or a notice given to holders of
Senior Debt, the distribution may be made and the notice given to their
Representative.
Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to
in this Article 10, the Trustee and the Holders of Notes shall be entitled to
rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction or
upon any certificate of such Representative or of the liquidating trustee or
agent or other Person making any distribution to the Trustee or to the Holders
of Notes for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in
such distribution, the holders of the 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 10.
Section 10.11. Rights of Trustee and Paying Agent.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 10 or any other
provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of
the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment or
distribution by the Trustee, and the Trustee and the Paying Agent may continue
to make payments on the Notes, unless the Trustee shall have received at its
Corporate Trust Office at least five Business Days prior to the date of such
payment written notice of facts that would cause the payment of any Obligations
with respect to the Notes to violate this Article 10. Only the Company or a
Representative may give the notice. Nothing in this Article 10 shall impair the
claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 7.07 hereof.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may hold Senior
Debt with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do
the same with like rights.
Section 10.12. Authorization to Effect Subordination.
Each Holder of Notes, by the Holder's acceptance thereof, authorizes
and directs the Trustee on such Holder's behalf to take such action as may be
necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination as provided in this
Article 10, and appoints the Trustee to act as such Holder's attorney-in-fact
for any and all such purposes. If the Trustee does not file a proper proof of
claim or proof of debt in the form required in any proceeding referred to in
Section 6.09 hereof at least 30 days before the expiration of the time to file
such claim, the Representatives are hereby authorized to file an appropriate
claim for and on behalf of the Holders of the Notes.
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Section 10.13. Amendments.
The provisions of this Article 10 shall not be amended or modified
without the written consent of the holders of all Senior Debt.
ARTICLE 11.
NOTE GUARANTEES
Section 11.01. Guarantee
Subject to this Article 11, each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly and
severally, unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of a Note authenticated and
delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns,
irrespective of the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes or
the obligations of the Company hereunder or thereunder, that: (a) the principal
of and interest on the Notes shall be promptly paid in full when due, whether at
maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue
principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if lawful, and all other
obligations of the Company to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder
shall be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms
hereof and thereof; and (b) in case of any extension of time of payment or
renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that same shall 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.
Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed or any performance so
guaranteed for whatever reason, the Guarantors shall be jointly and severally
obligated to pay the same immediately. Each Guarantor agrees that this is a
guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection.
The Guarantors hereby agree that their obligations hereunder shall be
unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the
Notes or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any
waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes 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 hereby
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 covenant that this Note Guarantee shall not be discharged except by complete
performance of the obligations contained in the Notes and this Indenture.
If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to
return to the Company, the Guarantors or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or
other similar official acting in relation to either the Company or the
Guarantors, any amount paid by either to the Trustee or such Holder, this Note
Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full
force and effect.
Each Guarantor agrees that it shall not be entitled to any right of
subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any obligations guaranteed
hereby until payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby. Each
Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantors, 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 6 hereof
for the purposes of this Note 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 declaration of acceleration of
such obligations as provided in Article 6 hereof, such obligations (whether or
not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors
for the purpose of this Note Guarantee. The Guarantors shall have the right to
seek
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contribution from any non-paying Guarantor so long as the exercise of such right
does not impair the rights of the Holders under the Guarantee.
Section 11.02. Subordination of Note Guarantee.
The Obligations of each Guarantor under its Note Guarantee pursuant to
this Article 10 shall be junior and subordinated to all existing and future
Senior debt of each Guarantor and pari passu in right of payment with any future
senior subordinated Indebtedness of each Guarantor. For the purposes of the
foregoing sentence, the Trustee and the Holders shall have the right to receive
and/or retain payments by any of the Guarantors only at such times as they may
receive and/or retain payments in respect of the Notes pursuant to this
Indenture, including Article 10 hereof.
Section 11.03. Limitation on Guarantor Liability.
Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby
confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Note Guarantee of
such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes
of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent
Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any
Note Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders
and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of such
Guarantor shall, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other
contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor that are relevant under such
laws, and after giving effect to any collections from, rights to receive
contribution from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in
respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under this Article 10, result
in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Note Guarantee not constituting a
fraudulent transfer or conveyance.
Section 11.04. Execution and Delivery of Note Guarantee.
To evidence its Note Guarantee set forth in Section 11.01, each
Guarantor hereby agrees that a notation of such Note Guarantee substantially in
the form included in Exhibit E shall be endorsed by an Officer of such Guarantor
on each Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and that this Indenture
shall be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by its President or one of its
Vice Presidents.
Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Note Guarantee set forth in
Section 11.01 shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure
to endorse on each Note a notation of such Note Guarantee.
If an Officer whose signature is on this Indenture or on the Note
Guarantee no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the
Note on which a Note Guarantee is endorsed, the Note Guarantee shall be valid
nevertheless.
The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication
thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of the Note Guarantee set forth
in this Indenture on behalf of the Guarantors.
In the event that the Company creates or acquires any new Subsidiaries
subsequent to the date of this Indenture, if required by Section 4.24 hereof,
the Company shall cause such Subsidiaries to execute supplemental indentures to
this Indenture and Note Guarantees in accordance with Section 4.24 hereof and
this Article 11, to the extent applicable.
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Section 11.05. Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.05, no Guarantor may
consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such Guarantor is the
surviving Person) another Person whether or not affiliated with such Guarantor
unless:
(a) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or
Event of Default exists; and
(b) either (i) subject to Section 11.05 hereof, the Person formed by or
surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than a Guarantor or the
Company) unconditionally assumes all the obligations of such Guarantor pursuant
to a supplemental indenture in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Trustee, under the Notes, this Indenture and the Note Guarantee on the terms set
forth herein or therein; or (ii) the Net Proceeds of such sale or other
disposition are applied in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.10
hereof.
In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance and upon
the assumption by the successor Person, by supplemental indenture, executed and
delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the Note
Guarantee endorsed upon the Notes and the due and punctual performance of all of
the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Guarantor,
such successor Person shall succeed to and be substituted for the Guarantor with
the same effect as if it had been named herein as a Guarantor. Such successor
Person thereupon may cause to be signed any or all of the Note Guarantees to be
endorsed upon all of the Notes issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not
have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee. All the Note
Guarantees so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit
under this Indenture as the Note Guarantees theretofore and thereafter issued in
accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Note
Guarantees had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.
Except as set forth in Articles 4 and 5 hereof, and notwithstanding
clauses (a) and (b) above, nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the
Notes shall prevent any consolidation or merger of a Guarantor with or into the
Company or another Guarantor, or shall prevent any sale or conveyance of the
property of a Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the
Company or another Guarantor.
Section 11.06. Releases Following Sale of Assets.
In the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all
of the assets of any Guarantor, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, or
a sale or other disposition of all to the capital stock of any Guarantor, in
each case to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such
transactions) a Subsidiary of the Company, then such Guarantor (in the event of
a sale or other disposition, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, of
all of the capital stock of such Guarantor) or the corporation acquiring the
property (in the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially
all of the assets of such Guarantor) shall be released and relieved of any
obligations under its Note Guarantee; provided (i) that the Net Proceeds of such
sale or other disposition are applied in accordance with the applicable
provisions of this Indenture, including without limitation Section 4.10 hereof,
or (ii) if the Company properly designates any Restricted Subsidiary that is a
Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Upon delivery by the Company to the
Trustee of an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that
such sale or other disposition was made by the Company in accordance with the
provisions of this Indenture, including without limitation Section 4.10 hereof,
the Trustee shall execute any documents reasonably required in order to evidence
the release of any Guarantor from its obligations under its Note Guarantee.
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Any Guarantor not released from its obligations under its Note
Guarantee shall remain liable for the full amount of principal of and interest
on the Notes and for the other obligations of any Guarantor under this Indenture
as provided in this Article 11.
ARTICLE 12.
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 12.01. Satisfaction and Discharge.
This Indenture shall be discharged and shall cease to be of further
effect as to all Notes issued hereunder, when:
(1) either:
(a) all Notes that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or
destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for
whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust
and thereafter repaid to the Company) have been delivered to
the Trustee for cancellation; or
(b) all Notes that have not been delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the
making of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become
due and payable within one year and the Company or any
Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited
with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the
benefit of the Holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable
Government Securities, or a combination thereof, in such
amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any
reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire
indebtedness on the Notes not delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation for principal, premium and Liquidated Damages, if
any, and accrued interest to the date of maturity or
redemption;
(2) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on
the date of such deposit or shall occur as a result of such deposit and
such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or
constitute a default under, any other instrument to which the Company
[or any Guarantor] is a party or by which the Company or any Guarantor
is bound;
(3) the Company or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums
payable by it under this Indenture; and
(4) the Company has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee under
this Indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the
Notes at maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be.
In addition, the Company must deliver an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of
Counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and
discharge have been satisfied.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, if
money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (b) of
clause (1) of this Section, the provisions of Section 12.02 and Section 8.06
shall survive.
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Section 12.02. Application of Trust Money.
Subject to the provisions of Section 8.06, all money deposited with the
Trustee pursuant to Section 12.01 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in
accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Indenture, to the payment,
either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its
own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto,
of the principal (and premium, if any) and interest for whose payment such money
has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from
other funds except to the extent required by law.
If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or
Government Securities in accordance with Section 12.01 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, the
Company's and any Guarantor's obligations under this Indenture and the Notes
shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to
Section 12.01; provided that if the Company has made any payment of principal
of, premium, if any, or interest on any Notes because of the reinstatement of
its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of
such Notes to receive such payment from the money or Government Securities held
by the Trustee or Paying Agent.
ARTICLE 13.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 13.01. Trust Indenture Act Controls.
If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with
the duties imposed by TIA Section 318(c), the imposed duties shall control.
Section 13.02. Notices.
Any notice or communication by the Company, any Guarantor or the
Trustee to the others is duly given if in writing and delivered in Person or
mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested),
telex, telecopier or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to
the others' address:
If to the Company and/or any Guarantor:
Instron Corporation
100 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Telecopier No.: (781) 828-5750
Attention: Linton A. Moulding
With a copy to:
Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue
North Point
901 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
Telecopier No.: (216) 579-0212
Attention: Christopher M. Kelly
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If to the Trustee:
Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association
N9303-120
Sixth and Marquette
Minneapolis, MN 55479
Telecopier No.: (612) 667-9825
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
The Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee, by notice to the others may
designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or
communications.
All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders) shall
be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally
delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage
prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt acknowledged,
if telecopied; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier,
if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.
Any notice or communication to a Holder shall be mailed by first class
mail, certified or registered, return receipt requested, or by overnight air
courier guaranteeing next day delivery to its address shown on the register kept
by the Registrar. Any notice or communication shall also be so mailed to any
Person described in TIA Section 313(c), to the extent required by the TIA.
Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall
not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.
If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above
within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee
receives it.
If the Company mails a notice or communication to Holders, it shall
mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
Section 13.03. Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes.
Holders may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other
Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes. The
Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of
TIA Section 312(c).
Section 13.04. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take
any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:
(a) an Officers' Certificate in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in
Section 13.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all
conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture
relating to the proposed action have been satisfied; and
(b) an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 13.05
hereof) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions
precedent and covenants have been satisfied.
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Section 13.05. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition
or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided
pursuant to TIA Section 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA
Section 314(e) and shall include:
(c) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has
read such covenant or condition;
(d) 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;
(e) a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he or she has made
such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an
informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been
satisfied; and
(f) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person,
such condition or covenant has been satisfied.
Section 13.06. Rules by Trustee and Agents.
The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of
Holders. The Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set
reasonable requirements for its functions.
Section 13.07. No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and
Stockholders.
No past, present or future director, officer, employee, Affiliate,
incorporator or stockholder of the Company or any Guarantor, solely by reason of
this status, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the
Guarantors under the Notes, this Indenture, the Note Guarantees or for any claim
based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation.
Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all this liability.
The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.
Section 13.08. Governing Law.
THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN AND BE USED TO
CONSTRUE THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE NOTE GUARANTEES WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT
TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION
OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.
Section 13.09. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan
or debt agreement of the Company or its Subsidiaries or of any other Person. Any
such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this
Indenture.
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Section 13.10. Successors.
All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Notes shall
bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind
its successors. All agreements of each Guarantor in this Indenture shall bind
its successors, except as otherwise provided in Section 11.05.
Section 13.11. Severability.
In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes shall be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of
the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 13.12. Counterpart Originals.
The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each
signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same
agreement.
Section 13.13. Table of Contents, Headings, etc.
The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table and Headings of the
Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of
reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Indenture and shall in
no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
Section 13.14. Limitation on Trust Liability.
Each of Instron Realty Trust ("Trust") and IRT-II Trust ("Trust II") is
a voluntary association with transferable shares organized under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts (more commonly referred to as a "Massachusetts
Business Trust") and all persons dealing with each of Trust and Trust II must
look solely to the property of each of Trust and Trust II for the enforcement of
any claims against either Trust or Trust II. Neither the trustees, officers,
agents nor shareholders of either Trust or Trust II assume any personal
liability for obligations entered into on its behalf. In no event shall the
Trustee seek or attempt to obtain any recovery or judgement against any trustee,
officer, director, employee or shareholder of either Trust or Trust II. The
Declaration of Trust, dated as of April 23, 1957, of Trust, and the Declaration
of Trust, dated as of October 19, 1998, of Trust II are on file with the
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This Indenture has been executed
on behalf of each of Trust and Trust II by the trustees or officers in such
capacities and not individually.
[Signatures on following page]
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SIGNATURES
Dated as of September 29, 1999
INSTRON CORPORATION
By: /s/ John R. Barrett
---------------------------------------
Name: John R. Barrett
Title: Treasurer and Vice President of
Corporate Development
INSTRON SCHENCK TESTING SYSTEMS CORP.
By: /s/ John R. Barrett
---------------------------------------
Name: John R. Barrett
Title: Treasurer and Vice President of
Corporate Development
INSTRON/LAWRENCE CORPORATION
By: /s/ John R. Barrett
---------------------------------------
Name: John R. Barrett
Title: Treasurer and Vice President of
Corporate Development
INSTRON REALTY TRUST
By: /s/ Linton A. Moulding
---------------------------------------
Name: Linton A. Moulding
Title: Chief Financial Officer and Vice
President
IRT-II TRUST
By: /s/ Linton A. Moulding
---------------------------------------
Name: Linton A. Moulding
Title: Chief Financial Officer and Vice
President
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INSTRON JAPAN COMPANY, LTD.
By: /s/ John R. Barrett
---------------------------------------
Name: John R. Barrett
Title: Treasurer and Vice President of
Corporate Development
INSTRON ASIA LIMITED
By: /s/ John R. Barrett
---------------------------------------
Name: John R. Barrett
Title: Treasurer and Vice President of
Corporate Development
NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By: /s/ Curtis Schwegman
---------------------------------------
Name: Curtis Schwegman
Title: Vice President
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EXHIBIT A1
[Face of Note]
CUSIP/CINS ________
13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2009
No. __ $____________
INSTRON CORPORATION
promises to pay to _____________________________________________________________
or registered assigns,
the principal sum of ___________________________________________________________
Dollars on September 15, 2009.
Interest Payment Dates: March 15 and September 15
Record Dates: March 1 and September 1
Dated: September 29, 1999
INSTRON CORPORATION
By:
_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
This is one of the Notes referred to
in the within-mentioned Indenture:
NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
By: _______________________________
Authorized Signatory
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[Back of Note]
13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2009
[Insert the Global Note Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the
Indenture]
[Insert the Private Placement Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions
of the Indenture]
Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them
in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.
1. INTEREST. Instron Corporation, a Massachusetts corporation (the
"Company"), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at
13-1/4% per annum from September 29, 1999 until maturity and shall pay the
Liquidated Damages payable pursuant to Section 5 of the Registration Rights
Agreement referred to below. The Company shall pay interest and Liquidated
Damages semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, or
if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each
an "Interest Payment Date"). Interest on the Notes shall accrue from the most
recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid,
from the date of issuance; provided that if there is no existing Default in the
payment of interest, and if this Note is authenticated between a record date
referred to on the face hereof and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date,
interest shall accrue from such next succeeding Interest Payment Date; provided,
further, that the first Interest Payment Date shall be March 15, 2000. The
Company shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding
under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time to
time on demand at a rate that is 1% per annum in excess of the rate then in
effect; it shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any
proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest and
Liquidated Damages (without regard to any applicable grace periods) from time to
time on demand at the same rate to the extent lawful. Interest shall be computed
on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
2. METHOD OF PAYMENT. The Company shall pay interest on the Notes
(except defaulted interest) and Liquidated Damages to the Persons who are
registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the March 1 or September
1 next preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled
after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as
provided in Section 2.12 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest.
The Notes shall be payable as to principal, premium and Liquidated Damages, if
any, and interest at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such
purpose within or without the City and State of New York, or, at the option of
the Company, payment of interest and Liquidated Damages may be made by check
mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders,
and provided that payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds shall
be required with respect to principal of and interest, premium and Liquidated
Damages on, all Global Notes and all other Notes the Holders of which shall have
provided wire transfer instructions to the Company or the Paying Agent. Such
payment shall be in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at
the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.
3. PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR. Initially, Norwest Bank Minnesota,
National Association, the Trustee under the Indenture, shall act as Paying Agent
and Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without
notice to any Holder. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act in any such
capacity.
4. INDENTURE. The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as
of September 29, 1999 ("Indenture") by and among the Company, the Guarantors
listed on Schedule I thereto and the
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Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those
made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended (15 U.S. Code Sections 77aaa-77bbbb). The Notes are subject to all
such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and such Act for a
statement of such terms. To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with
the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the indenture shall
govern and be controlling. The Notes are obligations of the Company limited to
$150.0 million in aggregate principal amount.
5. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.
(a) Except as set forth in clause (b) of this paragraph 5, the Company
shall not have the option to redeem the Notes pursuant to this paragraph 5 prior
to September 15, 2004. Thereafter, the Company shall have the option to redeem
the Notes, in whole or in part, at the redemption prices (expressed as
percentages of principal amount) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid
interest and Liquidated Damages thereon, if any, to the applicable redemption
date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on September 15 of
the years indicated below:
Year Percentage
---- ----------
2004............................................................................. 106.625%
2005............................................................................. 104.417%
2006............................................................................. 102.208%
2007 and thereafter.............................................................. 100.000%
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (a) of this paragraph 5,
at any time prior to September 15, 2002, the Company on any one or more
occasions may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes with
the net proceeds of a Qualified Equity Offering at a redemption price equal to
113.250% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid
Liquidated Damages thereon, if any; provided that at least 65% in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes originally issued remain outstanding immediately
after the occurrence of any such redemption and that such redemption occurs
within 45 days of the date of the closing of such Qualified Equity Offering.
(c) Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph 5 shall be made pursuant
to the provisions of Section 3.01 through 3.06 of the Indenture.
6. MANDATORY REDEMPTION.
Except as set forth in paragraph 7 below, the Company shall not be
required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to
the Notes.
7. REPURCHASE AT OPTION HOLDER.
(a) If there is a Change of Control, the Company shall be required to
make an offer (a "Change of Control Offer") to repurchase all or any part (equal
to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of each Holder's Notes at a purchase
price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and
unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages thereon, if any, to the date of purchase
(the "Change of Control Payment"). Within 10 days following any Change of
Control, the Company shall mail a notice to each Holder setting forth the
procedures governing the Change of Control Offer as required by the Indenture.
(b) If the Company or a Subsidiary consummates any Asset Sales, within
five days of each date on which the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds
$10 million, the Company shall commence an offer to all Holders of Notes (as
"Asset Sale Offer") pursuant to Section 3.09 of the Indenture to
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purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes (including any Additional Notes)
that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an
amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid
interest and Liquidated Damages thereon, if any, to the date fixed for the
closing of such offer, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the
Indenture. To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes (including any
Additional Notes) tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the
Excess Proceeds, the Company (or such Subsidiary) may use such deficiency for
general corporate purposes. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes
surrendered by Holders thereof exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the
Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased on a pro rata basis. Holders of
Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase shall receive an Asset Sale
Offer from the Company prior to any related purchase date and may elect to have
such Notes purchased by completing the form entitled "Option of Holder to Elect
Purchase" on the reverse of the Notes.
8. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION. Notice of redemption shall be mailed at least
30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder
whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address. Notes in denominations
larger than $1,000 may be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of
$1,000, unless all of the Notes held by a Holder are to be redeemed. On and
after the redemption date interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof
called for redemption.
9. DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE. The Notes are in registered form
without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. The
transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes may be exchanged as provided in
the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other
things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the
Company may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or
permitted by the Indenture. The Company need not exchange or register the
transfer of any Note or portion of a Note selected for redemption, except for
the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part. Also, the Company
need not exchange or register the transfer of any Notes for a period of 15 days
before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or during the period between a record
date and the corresponding Interest Payment Date.
10. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. The registered Holder of a Note may be
treated as its owner for all purposes.
11. AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER. Subject to certain exceptions,
the Indenture, the Note Guarantees or the Notes may be amended or supplemented
with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of
the then outstanding Notes and Additional Notes, if any, voting as a single
class, and any existing default or compliance with any provision of the
Indenture, the Note Guarantees or the Notes may be waived with the consent of
the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes and
Additional Notes, if any, voting as a single class. Without the consent of any
Holder of a Note, the Indenture, the Note Guarantees or the Notes may be amended
or supplemented to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to provide for
uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes, to
provide for the assumption of the Company's or Guarantor's obligations to
Holders of the Notes in case of a merger or consolidation, to make any change
that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of the Notes
or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any
such Holder, to comply with the requirements of the SEC in order to effect or
maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, [to
provide for the Issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the limitations
set forth in the Indenture], or to allow any Guarantor to execute a supplemental
indenture to the Indenture and/or a Note Guarantee with respect to the Notes.
12. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES. An Event of Default occurs if: (i) the
Company defaults in the payment when due of interest on, or Liquidated Damages
with respect to, the Notes and such default continues for a period of 30 days,
whether or not prohibited by Article 10 of the Indenture; (ii) the
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Company defaults in the payment when due of principal of or premium, if any, on
the Notes when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon redemption or
otherwise, whether or not prohibited by Article 10 of the Indenture; (iii) the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries fails to comply with any of the provisions of
Section 4.15 or 5.01 of the Indenture; (iv) the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries fails to observe or perform any other covenant, representation,
warranty or other agreement in the Indenture or the Notes for 60 days after
notice to the Company by the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes, if any) then
outstanding voting as a single class; (v) a default occurs under any mortgage,
indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be
secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or
guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the Indenture, which
default (a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium,
if any, on the Indebtedness before the expiration of the grace period provided
in the Indebtedness on the date of the default, or (b) results in the
acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity and, in each
case, the principal amount of such Indebtedness, together with the principal
amount of any other such Indebtedness the maturity of which has been so
accelerated, aggregates $10 million or more; (vi) a final judgment or final
judgments for the payment of money are entered by a court or courts of competent
jurisdiction against the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any
group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant
Subsidiary and such judgment or judgments remain undischarged for a period
(during which execution shall not be effectively stayed) of 60 days, provided
that the aggregate of all such undischarged judgments exceeds $10 million; (vii)
the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries
that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or
within the meaning of Bankruptcy Law: (a) commences a voluntary case, (b)
consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(c) consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially
all of its property, (d) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its
creditors, or (e) generally is not paying its debts as they become due; or
(viii) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any
Bankruptcy Law that: (a) is for relief against the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole,
would constitute a Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case; (b) appoints a
custodian of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of
Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary
or for all or substantially all of the property of the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole,
would constitute a Significant Subsidiary; or (c) orders the liquidation of the
Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries
that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary; and the order
or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days; or (ix) except
as permitted by this Indenture, any Note Guarantee is held in any judicial
proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in
full force and effect or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of any
Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under such Guarantor's Note
Guarantee. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the
Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may
declare all the Notes to be due and payable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in
the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or
insolvency, all outstanding Notes shall become due and payable without further
action or notice. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as
provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority
in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee in its
exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Holders of the
Notes notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or
Event of Default relating to the payment of principal or interest) if it
determines that withholding notice is in their interest. The Holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice
to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any
existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under the Indenture
except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of interest on,
or the principal of, the Notes. The Company is required to deliver to the
Trustee annually a
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statement regarding compliance with the Indenture, and the Company is required
upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, to deliver to the
Trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.
13. TRUSTEE DEALINGS WITH COMPANY. The Trustee, in its individual or
any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform
services for the Company or its Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the
Company or its Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee.
14. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS. A director, officer, employee,
incorporator or stockholder, of the Company, as such, shall not have any
liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes or the Indenture or
for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or
their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such
liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance
of the Notes.
15. AUTHENTICATION. This Note shall not be valid until authenticated by
the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.
16. ABBREVIATIONS. Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a
Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (=
tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship
and not as tenants in common), CUST (= Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts
to Minors Act).
17. ADDITIONAL RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES AND
RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE Notes. In addition to the rights provided to Holders of
Notes under the Indenture, Holders of Restricted Global Notes and Restricted
Definitive Notes shall have all the rights set forth in the Registration Rights
Agreement dated as of September 29, 1999, between the Company and the parties
named on the signature pages thereof or, in the case of Additional Notes,
Holders of Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes shall have
the rights set forth in one or more registration rights agreements, if any,
between the Company and the other parties thereto, relating to rights given by
the Company to the purchasers of any Additional Notes (collectively, the
"Registration Rights Agreement").
18. CUSIP NUMBERS. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the
Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused
CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers
in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made
as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as
contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the
other identification numbers placed thereon.
The Company shall furnish to any Holder upon written request and
without charge a copy of the Indenture and/or the Registration Rights Agreement.
Requests may be made to:
Instron Corporation
100 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Attention: Linton A. Moulding
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ASSIGNMENT FORM
To assign this Note, fill in the form below:
(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to: __________________________________
(Insert assignee's legal name)
________________________________________________________________________________
(Insert assignee's soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Print or type assignee's name, address and zip code)
and irrevocably appoint ________________________________________________________
to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute
another to act for him.
Date: _______________
Your Signature: _____________________________
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)
Signature Guarantee*: _________________________
* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other
signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).
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OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company
pursuant to Section 4.10 or 4.15 of the Indenture, check the appropriate box
below:
/ / Section 4.10 / / Section 4.15
If you want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the
Company pursuant to Section 4.10 or Section 4.15 of the Indenture, state the
amount you elect to have purchased:
$_______________
Date: _______________
Your Signature: _____________________________
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)
Tax Identification No.: _____________________
Signature Guarantee*: _________________________
* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other
signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).
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SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE*
The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest
in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of
another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have
been made:
Principal Amount
Amount of decrease Amount of increase in of this Global Note Signature of
in Principal Amount Principal Amount following such authorized officer
of of decrease of Trustee or Note
Date of Exchange this Global Note this Global Note (or increase) Custodian
---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------- ---------
* This schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.
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EXHIBIT A2
[Face of Regulation S Temporary Global Note]
CUSIP/CINS __________
13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2009
No. ___ $__________
INSTRON CORPORATION
promises to pay to _____________________________________________________________
or registered assigns,
the principal sum of ___________________________________________________________
Dollars on September 29, 2009.
Interest Payment Dates: March 15, and September 15
Record Dates: March 1, and September 1
Dated: September 29, 1999
INSTRON CORPORATION
By: _________________________________________
Name:
Title:
This is one of the Notes referred to
in the within-mentioned Indenture:
NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
By: _______________________________
Authorized Signatory
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[Back of Regulation S Temporary Global Note]
13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2009
THE RIGHTS ATTACHING TO THIS REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE, AND THE
CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING ITS EXCHANGE FOR CERTIFICATED NOTES, ARE AS
SPECIFIED IN THE INDENTURE (AS DEFINED HEREIN). NEITHER THE HOLDER NOR THE
BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF THIS REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE ENTITLED
TO RECEIVE PAYMENT OF INTEREST HEREON.
THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE
GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL
OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED
PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.07 OF THE INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE
EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(a) OF THE INDENTURE,
(III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT
TO SECTION 2.11 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO
A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF INSTRON CORPORATION.
THIS NOTE (OR ITS PREDECESSOR) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES
ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE
OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO,
OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS, EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE NEXT
SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE
HOLDER:
(1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER"
(AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) (A "QIB"), (B) IT HAS
ACQUIRED THIS NOTE IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR (C) IT IS AN INSTITUTIONAL "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" (AS
DEFINED IN RULE 501(A) (1), (2), (3) OR (7) OR REGULATION D UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT (AN "IAI"),
(2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT RESELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS
NOTE EXCEPT (A) TO INSTRON OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES, (B) TO A PERSON WHOM THE
SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QIB PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE
ACCOUNT OF A QIB IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, (C) IN
AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 904 OF THE SECURITIES
ACT, (D) IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144 UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT, (E) TO AN IAI THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES THE
TRUSTEE A SIGNED LETTER CONTAINING CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS
RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (THE FORM OF WHICH CAN BE OBTAINED FROM
THE TRUSTEE) AND, IF SUCH TRANSFER IS IN RESPECT OF AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT OF NOTES LESS THAN $250,000, AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO INSTRON
THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT, (F) IN ACCORDANCE
WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT
(AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO INSTRON) OR (G) PURSUANT TO
AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND, IN EACH CASE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
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APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER
APPLICABLE JURISDICTION AND
(3) AGREES THAT IT WILL DELIVER TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS
NOTE OR AN INTEREST HEREIN IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT
OF THIS LEGEND.
AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION" AND "UNITED STATES"
HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY RULE 902 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT. THE INDENTURE CONTAINS A PROVISION REQUIRING THE TRUSTEE TO REFUSE TO
REGISTER ANY TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE IN VIOLATION OF THE FOREGOING.
Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them
in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.
1. INTEREST. Instron Corporation, a Massachusetts corporation (the
"Company"), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at
13-1/4% per annum from September 29, 1999 until maturity and shall pay the
Liquidated Damages payable pursuant to Section 5 of the Registration Rights
Agreement referred to below. The Company shall pay interest and Liquidated
Damages semi-annually on March 15 and September 15 of each year, or if any such
day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each an
"Interest Payment Date"). Interest on the Notes shall accrue from the most
recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid,
from the date of issuance; provided that if there is no existing Default in the
payment of interest, and if this Note is authenticated between a record date
referred to on the face hereof and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date,
interest shall accrue from such next succeeding Interest Payment Date; provided,
further, that the first Interest Payment Date shall be March 15, 2000. The
Company shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding
under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time to
time on demand at a rate that is 1% per annum in excess of the rate then in
effect; it shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any
proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest and
Liquidated Damages (without regard to any applicable grace periods) from time to
time on demand at the same rate to the extent lawful. Interest shall be computed
on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
Until this Regulation S Temporary Global Note is exchanged for one or
more Regulation S Permanent Global Notes, the Holder hereof shall not be
entitled to receive payments of interest hereon; until so exchanged in full,
this Regulation S Temporary Global Note shall in all other respects be entitled
to the same benefits as other Senior Subordinated Notes under the Indenture.
2. METHOD OF PAYMENT. The Company shall pay interest on the Notes
(except defaulted interest) and Liquidated Damages to the Persons who are
registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the March 1 or September
1 next preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled
after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as
provided in Section 2.12 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest.
The Notes shall be payable as to principal, premium, interest and Liquidated
Damages at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose
within or without the City and State of New York, or, at the option of the
Company, payment of interest and Liquidated Damages may be made by check mailed
to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders, and
provided that payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds shall be
required with respect to principal of and interest, premium and Liquidated
Damages on, all Global Notes and all other Notes the Holders of which shall have
provided wire transfer
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instructions to the Company or the Paying Agent. Such payment shall be in such
coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is
legal tender for payment of public and private debts.
3. PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR. Initially, Norwest Bank Minnesota,
National Association, the Trustee under the Indenture, shall act as Paying Agent
and Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without
notice to any Holder. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act in any such
capacity.
4. INDENTURE. The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as
of September 29, 1999 ("Indenture") by and among the Company, the Guarantors
listed on Schedule I thereto and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include
those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference
to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S. Code Sections
77aaa-77bbbb). The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred
to the Indenture and such Act for a statement of such terms. The Notes are
obligations of the Company limited to $150.0 million in aggregate principal
amount.
5. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.
(a) Except as set forth in clause (b) of this paragraph 5, the Company
shall not have the option to redeem the Notes pursuant to this paragraph 5 prior
to September 15, 2004. Thereafter, the Company shall have the option to redeem
the Notes, in whole or in part, at the redemption prices (expressed as
percentages of principal amount) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid
interest and Liquidated Damages thereon, if any, to the applicable redemption
date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on September 15, of
the years indicated below:
Year Percentage
---- ----------
2004............................................................................. 106.625%
2005............................................................................. 104.417%
2006............................................................................. 102.208%
2007 and thereafter.............................................................. 100.000%
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (a) of this paragraph 5,
at any time prior to September 15, 2002, the Company may on any one or more
occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes with the
net proceeds of a Qualified Equity Offering at a redemption price equal to
113.250% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid
Liquidated Damages thereon, if any; provided that at least 65% in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes originally issued remain outstanding immediately
after the occurrence of any such redemption and that such redemption occurs
within 45 days of the date of the closing of such Qualified Equity Offering.
(c) Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph 5 shall be made pursuant
to the provisions of Section 3.01 through 3.06 of the Indenture.
6. MANDATORY REDEMPTION.
Except as set forth in paragraph 7 below, the Company shall not be
required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to
the Notes.
7. REPURCHASE AT OPTION OF HOLDER.
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(a) If there is a Change of Control, the Company shall be required to
make an offer (a "Change of Control Offer") to repurchase all or any part (equal
to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of each Holder's Notes at a purchase
price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and
unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (the "Change of Control
Payment"). Within 10 days following any Change of Control, the Company shall
mail a notice to each Holder setting forth the procedures governing the Change
of Control Offer as required by the Indenture.
(b) If the Company or a Subsidiary consummates any Asset Sales, within
five days of each date on which the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds
$10 million, the Company shall commence an offer to all Holders of Notes (as
"Asset Sale Offer") pursuant to Section 3.09 of the Indenture to purchase the
maximum principal amount of Notes that may be purchased out of the Excess
Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal
amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any,
to the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the Indenture. To the extent that the aggregate amount
of Notes tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the Excess
Proceeds, the Company (or such Subsidiary) may use such deficiency for general
corporate purposes. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by
Holders thereof exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select
the Notes to be purchased on a pro rata basis. Holders of Notes that are the
subject of an offer to purchase shall receive an Asset Sale Offer from the
Company prior to any related purchase date and may elect to have such Notes
purchased by completing the form entitled "Option of Holder to Elect Purchase"
on the reverse of the Notes.
8. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION. Notice of redemption shall be mailed at least
30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder
whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address. Notes in denominations
larger than $1,000 may be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of
$1,000, unless all of the Notes held by a Holder are to be redeemed. On and
after the redemption date interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof
called for redemption.
9. DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE. The Notes are in registered form
without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. The
transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes may be exchanged as provided in
the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other
things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the
Company may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or
permitted by the Indenture. The Company need not exchange or register the
transfer of any Note or portion of a Note selected for redemption, except for
the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part. Also, it need not
exchange or register the transfer of any Notes for a period of 15 days before a
selection of Notes to be redeemed or during the period between a record date and
the corresponding Interest Payment Date.
This Regulation S Temporary Global Note is exchangeable in whole or in
part for one or more Global Notes only (i) on or after the termination of the
40-day restricted period (as defined in Regulation S) and (ii) upon presentation
of certificates (accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel, if applicable) required
by Article 2 of the Indenture. Upon exchange of this Regulation S Temporary
Global Note for one or more Global Notes, the Trustee shall cancel this
Regulation S Temporary Global Note.
10. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. The registered Holder of a Note may be
treated as its owner for all purposes.
11. AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER. Subject to certain exceptions,
the Indenture or the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of
the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount
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of the then outstanding Notes, and any existing default or compliance with any
provision of the Indenture or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes. Without
the consent of any Holder of a Note, the Indenture or the Notes may be amended
or supplemented to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to provide for
uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes, to
provide for the assumption of the Company's obligations to Holders of the Notes
in case of a merger or consolidation, to make any change that would provide any
additional rights or benefits to the Holders of the Notes or that does not
adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any such Holder, or to
comply with the requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the
qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.
12. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES. An Event of Default occurs if: (i) the
Company defaults in the payment when due of interest on, or Liquidated Damages
with respect to, the Notes and such default continues for a period of 30 days,
whether or not prohibited by Article 10 of the Indenture; (ii) the Company
defaults in the payment when due of principal of or premium, if any, on the
Notes when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon redemption or
otherwise, whether or not prohibited by Article 10 of the Indenture; (iii) the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries fails to comply with any of the provisions of
Section 4.15 or 5.01 of the Indenture; (iv) the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries fails to observe or perform any other covenant, representation,
warranty or other agreement in the Indenture or the Notes for 60 days after
notice to the Company by the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes, if any) then
outstanding voting as a single class; (v) a default occurs under any mortgage,
indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be
secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or
guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the Indenture, which
default (a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium,
if any, on the Indebtedness before the expiration of the grace period provided
in the Indebtedness on the date of the default, or (b) results in the
acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity and, in each
case, the principal amount of such Indebtedness, together with the principal
amount of any other such Indebtedness the maturity of which has been so
accelerated, aggregates $10 million or more; (vi) a final judgment or final
judgments for the payment of money are entered by a court or courts of competent
jurisdiction against the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any
group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant
Subsidiary and such judgment or judgments remain undischarged for a period
(during which execution shall not be effectively stayed) of 60 days, provided
that the aggregate of all such undischarged judgments exceeds $10 million; (vii)
the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries
that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or
within the meaning of Bankruptcy Law: (a) commences a voluntary case, (b)
consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(c) consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially
all of its property, (d) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its
creditors, or (e) generally is not paying its debts as they become due; or
(viii) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any
Bankruptcy Law that: (a) is for relief against the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole,
would constitute a Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case; (b) appoints a
custodian of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of
Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary
or for all or substantially all of the property of the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole,
would constitute a Significant Subsidiary; or (c) orders the liquidation of the
Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Subsidiaries
that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary; and the order
or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days; or (ix) except
as permitted by this Indenture, any Note Guarantee is held in any judicial
proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in
full force and effect or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of any
Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under such Guarantor's Note
Guarantee. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the
Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may
declare all the Notes to be due and payable.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Event of Default arising from
certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency, all outstanding Notes shall become
due and payable without further action or notice. Holders may not enforce the
Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain
limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding
Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee
may withhold from Holders of the Notes notice of any continuing Default or Event
of Default (except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of
principal or interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in their
interest. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes
then outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of
the Notes waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences
under the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the
payment of interest on, or the principal of, the Notes. The Company is required
to deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the
Indenture, and the Company is required upon becoming aware of any Default or
Event of Default, to deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such Default
or Event of Default.
13. TRUSTEE DEALINGS WITH COMPANY. The Trustee, in its individual or
any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform
services for the Company or its Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the
Company or its Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee.
14. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS. A director, officer, employee,
incorporator or stockholder, of the Company or any of the Guarantors, as such,
shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company or such
Guarantor under the Notes, the Note Guarantees or the Indenture or for any claim
based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation.
Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The
waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Notes.
15. AUTHENTICATION. This Note shall not be valid until authenticated by
the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.
16. ABBREVIATIONS. Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a
Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (=
tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship
and not as tenants in common), CUST (= Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts
to Minors Act).
17. ADDITIONAL RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES AND
RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE Notes. In addition to the rights provided to Holders of
Notes under the Indenture, Holders of Restricted Global Notes and Restricted
Definitive Notes shall have all the rights set forth in the Registration Rights
Agreement dated as of September __, 1999, between the Company and the parties
named on the signature pages thereof or, in the case of Additional Notes,
Holders of Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes shall have
the rights set forth in one or more registration rights agreements, if any,
between the Company and the other parties thereto, relating to rights given by
the Company to the purchasers of any Additional Notes (collectively, the
"Registration Rights Agreement").
18. CUSIP NUMBERS. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the
Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused
CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers
in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made
as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as
contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the
other identification numbers placed thereon.
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The Company shall furnish to any Holder upon written request and
without charge a copy of the Indenture and/or the Registration Rights Agreement.
Requests may be made to:
Instron Corporation
100 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Attention: Linton A. Moulding
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ASSIGNMENT FORM
To assign this Note, fill in the form below:
(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to: __________________________________
(Insert assignee's legal name)
________________________________________________________________________________
(Insert assignee's soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Print or type assignee's name, address and zip code)
and irrevocably appoint ________________________________________________________
to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute
another to act for him.
Date: _______________
Your Signature: _____________________________
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)
Signature Guarantee*: _________________________
* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other
signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).
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OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company
pursuant to Section 4.10 or 4.15 of the Indenture, check the appropriate box
below:
[ ] Section 4.10 [ ] Section 4.15
If you want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the
Company pursuant to Section 4.10 or Section 4.15 of the Indenture, state the
amount you elect to have purchased:
$_______________
Date: _______________
Your Signature: ________________________________
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the face
of this Note)
Tax Identification No.: ________________________
Signature Guarantee*: _________________________
* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program
(or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).
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SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE
The following exchanges of a part of this Regulation S Temporary Global
Note for an interest in another Global Note, or of other Restricted Global Notes
for an interest in this Regulation S Temporary Global Note, have been made:
Principal Amount
Amount of decrease Amount of increase in of this Global Note Signature of
in Principal Amount Principal Amount following such authorized officer
of of decrease of Trustee or Note
Date of Exchange this Global Note this Global Note (or increase) Custodian
---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------- ---------
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
Instron Corporation
100 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association
N9303-120
Sixth and Marquette
Minneapolis, MN 55479
Re: 13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2009
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of September 29,
1999 (the "Indenture"), among Instron Corporation, as issuer (the "Company"),
the Guarantors set forth on the signature pages thereto and Norwest Bank
Minnesota, National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not
defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
___________________, (the "Transferor") owns and proposes to transfer
the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the
principal amount of $___________ in such Note[s] or interests (the "Transfer"),
to ___________________________ (the "Transferee"), as further specified in Annex
A hereto. In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:
[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]
1. [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST
IN THE 144A GLOBAL NOTE OR A DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A. The Transfer
is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United
States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and,
accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial
interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor
reasonably believed and believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or
Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to
which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each
such account is a "qualified institutional buyer" within the meaning of Rule
144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and such Transfer is
in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the
United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the
terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note
will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private
Placement Legend printed on the 144A Global Note and/or the Definitive Note and
in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
2. [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST
IN THE TEMPORARY REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE, THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE OR A
DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO REGULATION S. The Transfer is being effected
pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act
and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer
is not being made to a person in the United States and (x) at the time the buy
order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such
Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes
that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was
executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities
market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows
that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no
directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of
Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) the
transaction is not part of a
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plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act and
(iv) if the proposed transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the
Restricted Period, the transfer is not being made to a U.S. Person or for the
account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Upon
consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the
Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be
subject to the restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the Private Placement
Legend printed on the Regulation S Global Note, the Temporary Regulation S
Global Note and/or the Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities
Act.
3. [ ] CHECK AND COMPLETE IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A
BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN THE DEFINITIVE NOTE PURSUANT TO ANY PROVISION OF THE
SECURITIES ACT OTHER THAN RULE 144A OR REGULATION S. The Transfer is being
effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial
interests in Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes and
pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue
sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the
Transferor hereby further certifies that (check one):
(a) [ ] such Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in
accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act;
or
(b) [ ] such Transfer is being effected to the Company or a
subsidiary thereof;
or
(c) [ ] such Transfer is being effected pursuant to an
effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in
compliance with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act;
or
(d) [ ] such Transfer is being effected to an Institutional
Accredited Investor and pursuant to an exemption from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A, Rule 144 or
Rule 904, and the Transferor hereby further certifies that it has not
engaged in any general solicitation within the meaning of Regulation D
under the Securities Act and the Transfer complies with the transfer
restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in a Restricted Global
Note or Restricted Definitive Notes and the requirements of the
exemption claimed, which certification is supported by (1) a
certificate executed by the Transferee in the form of Exhibit D to the
Indenture and (2) if such Transfer is in respect of a principal amount
of Notes at the time of transfer of less than $250,000, an Opinion of
Counsel provided by the Transferor or the Transferee (a copy of which
the Transferor has attached to this certification), to the effect that
such Transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act. Upon
consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of
the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note
will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the
Private Placement Legend printed on the Definitive Notes and in the
Indenture and the Securities Act.
4. [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFEREE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST
IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE OR OF AN UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE.
(a) [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO RULE 144. (i) The Transfer is
being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities
Act and in compliance with the transfer
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restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities
laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer
contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in
order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the
proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred
beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the
restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on
the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the
Indenture.
(b) [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO REGULATION S. (i) The Transfer
is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under
the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in
the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the
United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture
and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain
compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer
in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial
interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on
transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted
Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
(c) [ ] CHECK IF TRANSFER IS PURSUANT TO OTHER EXEMPTION. (i) The
Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from
the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule
903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in
the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the
United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture
and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain
compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer
in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial
interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer
enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global
Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your
benefit and the benefit of the Company.
____________________________
[Insert Name of Transferor]
By:________________________
Name:
Title:
Dated: _______________________
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ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
1. The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following:
[CHECK ONE OF (a) OR (b)]
(c) a beneficial interest in the:
(i) [ ] 144A Global Note (CUSIP _________), or
(ii) [ ] Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP _________),
or
(b) [ ] a Restricted Definitive Note.
2. After the Transfer the Transferee will hold:
[CHECK ONE]
(a) [ ] a beneficial interest in the:
(i) [ ] 144A Global Note (CUSIP _________), or
(ii) [ ] Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP _________),
or
(iii) [ ] Unrestricted Global Note (CUSIP _________);
or
(b) [ ] a Restricted Definitive Note; or
(c) [ ] an Unrestricted Definitive Note,
in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.
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EXHIBIT C
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
Instron Corporation
100 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association
N9303-120
Sixth and Marquette
Minneapolis, MN 55479
Re: 13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2009
(CUSIP ____________)
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of September 29,
1999 (the "Indenture"), among Instron Corporation, as issuer (the "Company"),
the Guarantors set forth on the signature pages thereto and Norwest Bank
Minnesota, National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not
defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
__________________________, (the "Owner") owns and proposes to exchange
the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal
amount of $____________ in such Note[s] or interests (the "Exchange"). In
connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:
1. EXCHANGE OF RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN A
RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE FOR UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS
IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE
(a) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED
GLOBAL NOTE TO BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection
with the Exchange of the Owner's beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note
for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal
amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired
for the Owner's own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been
effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global
Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the United States Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), (iii) the restrictions on transfer
contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in
order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial
interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any
applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(b) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED
GLOBAL NOTE TO UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of
the Owner's beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted
Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being
acquired for the Owner's own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has
been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the
Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities
Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the
Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with
the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance
with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(c) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO
BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN AN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the
Owner's Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for
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EXHIBIT C
a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies
(i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner's own account
without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the
transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to
and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer
contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in
order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial
interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities
laws of any state of the United States.
(d) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO
UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Owner's Exchange of a
Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby
certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner's
own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance
with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and
pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on
transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not
required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the
Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable
blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
2. EXCHANGE OF RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN
RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES FOR RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES OR BENEFICIAL INTERESTS
IN RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES
(a) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED
GLOBAL NOTE TO RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE. In connection with the Exchange of
the Owner's beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted
Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that
the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner's own account
without transfer. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with
the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue
to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private
Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture
and the Securities Act.
(b) [ ] CHECK IF EXCHANGE IS FROM RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTE TO
BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN A RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTE. In connection with the Exchange
of the Owner's Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in the
[CHECK ONE] 144A Global Note, [ ] Regulation S Global Note, with an equal
principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is
being acquired for the Owner's own account without transfer and (ii) such
Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions
applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with
the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities
laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed
Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest
issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private
Placement Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the
Indenture and the Securities Act.
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EXHIBIT C
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your
benefit and the benefit of the Company.
___________________________
[Insert Name of Transferor]
By: _______________________
Name:
Title:
Dated: ______________________
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EXHIBIT D
FORM OF CERTIFICATE FROM
ACQUIRING INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR
Instron Corporation
100 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association
N9303-120
Sixth and Marquette
Minneapolis, MN 55479
Re: 13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2009
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of September 29,
1999 (the "Indenture"), among Instron Corporation, as issuer (the "Company"),
the Guarantors set forth on the signature pages thereto and Norwest Bank
Minnesota, National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not
defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
In connection with our proposed purchase of $____________ aggregate
principal amount of:
(a) [ ] a beneficial interest in a Global Note, or
(b) [ ] a Definitive Note,
we confirm that:
1. We understand that any subsequent transfer of the Notes or any
interest therein 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 Notes or any interest therein except in
compliance with, such restrictions and conditions and the United States
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").
2. We understand that the offer and sale of the Notes have not been
registered under the Securities Act, and that the Notes and any interest therein
may not be offered or sold except as permitted in the following sentence. We
agree, on our own behalf and on behalf of any accounts for which we are acting
as hereinafter stated, that if we should sell the Notes or any interest therein,
we will do so only (A) to the Company or any subsidiary thereof, (B) in
accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act to a "qualified institutional
buyer" (as defined therein), (C) 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 you and to the Company a signed letter
substantially in the form of this letter and, if such transfer is in respect of
a principal amount of Notes, at the time of transfer of less than $250,000, an
Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Company to the effect
that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act, (D) outside the
United States in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities
Act, (E) pursuant to the provisions of Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act or
(F) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act,
and we further agree to provide to any person purchasing the Definitive Note or
beneficial interest in a Global Note from us in a transaction meeting the
requirements of clauses (A) through (E) of this paragraph a notice advising such
purchaser that resales thereof are restricted as stated herein.
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3. We understand that, on any proposed resale of the Notes or
beneficial interest therein, we will be required to furnish to you and the
Company such certifications, legal opinions and other information as you and the
Company may reasonably require to confirm that the proposed sale complies with
the foregoing restrictions. We further understand that the Notes purchased by us
will bear a legend to the foregoing effect.
4. 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 Notes, and we and
any accounts for which we are acting are each able to bear the economic risk of
our or its investment.
5. We are acquiring the Notes or beneficial interest therein purchased
by us for our own 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.
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.
____________________________________
[Insert Name of Accredited Investor]
By: _______________________________
Name:
Title:
Dated: _______________________
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EXHIBIT E
FORM OF NOTATION OF GUARANTEE
For value received, each Guarantor (which term includes any successor
Person under the Indenture) has, jointly and severally, unconditionally
guaranteed, to the extent set forth in the Indenture and subject to the
provisions in the Indenture dated as of September 29, 1999 (the "Indenture")
among Instron Corporation, the Guarantors listed on Schedule I thereto and
Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association, as trustee (the "Trustee"), (a)
the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest
on the Notes (as defined in the Indenture), whether at maturity, by
acceleration, redemption or otherwise, the due and punctual payment of interest
on overdue principal and premium, and, to the extent permitted by law, interest,
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 of the Indenture and
(b) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes 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. The obligations of the
Guarantors to the Holders of Notes and to the Trustee pursuant to the Note
Guarantee and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article 11 of the
Indenture and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms of
the Note Guarantee. Each Holder of a Note, by accepting the same, (a) agrees to
and shall be bound by such provisions, (b) authorizes and directs the Trustee,
on behalf of such Holder, to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate
to effectuate the subordination as provided in the Indenture and (c) appoints
the Trustee attorney-in-fact of such Holder for such purpose; provided, however,
that the Indebtedness evidenced by this Note Guarantee shall cease to be so
subordinated and subject in right of payment upon any defeasance of this Note in
accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.
INSTRON SCHENCK TESTING SYSTEMS CORP.
By: _________________________________
Name:
Title:
INSTRON/LAWRENCE CORPORATION
By: _________________________________
Name:
Title:
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EXHIBIT E
INSTRON REALTY TRUST
By: ___________________________________
Name:
Title:
IRT-II TRUST
By: ___________________________________
Name:
Title:
INSTRON JAPAN COMPANY, LTD.
By: ___________________________________
Name:
Title:
INSTRON ASIA LIMITED
By: ___________________________________
Name:
Title:
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EXHIBIT F
FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
TO BE DELIVERED BY SUBSEQUENT GUARANTORS
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this "Supplemental Indenture"), dated as of
________________, among __________________ (the "Guaranteeing Subsidiary"), a
subsidiary of Instron Corporation (or its permitted successor), a Massachusetts
corporation (the "Company"), the other Guarantors (as defined in the Indenture
referred to herein) and Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association, as trustee
under the indenture referred to below (the "Trustee").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the
Trustee an indenture (the "Indenture"), dated as of September 29, 1999 providing
for the issuance of an aggregate principal amount of up to $150.0 million of
13-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2009 (the "Notes");
WHEREAS, the Indenture provides that under certain circumstances the
Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental
indenture pursuant to which the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall unconditionally
guarantee all of the Company's Obligations under the Notes and the Indenture on
the terms and conditions set forth herein (the "Note Guarantee"); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.01 of the Indenture, the Trustee is
authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the
Guaranteeing Subsidiary and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the
equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes as follows:
1. CAPITALIZED TERMS. Capitalized terms used herein without definition
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
2. AGREEMENT TO GUARANTEE. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary hereby agrees as
follows:
(a) Along with all Guarantors named in the Indenture, to
jointly and severally Guarantee to each Holder of a Note authenticated
and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and
assigns, the Notes or the obligations of the Company hereunder or
thereunder, that:
(i) the principal of and interest on the Notes will
be promptly paid in full when due, whether at maturity, by
acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the
overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if
lawful, 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 Notes or any of such other obligations, that
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. Failing
payment when due of any amount so
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guaranteed or any performance so guaranteed for whatever
reason, the Guarantors shall be jointly and severally
obligated to pay the same immediately.
(b) The obligations hereunder shall be unconditional,
irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes
or the Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any
waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes 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.
(c) The following is hereby waived: 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.
(d) This Note Guarantee shall not be discharged except by
complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes and the
Indenture, and the Guaranteeing Subsidiary accepts all obligations of a
Guarantor under the Indenture.
(e) If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or
otherwise to return to the Company, the Guarantors, or any Custodian,
Trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to
either the Company or the Guarantors, any amount paid by either to the
Trustee or such Holder, this Note Guarantee, to the extent theretofore
discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect.
(f) The Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall not be entitled to any
right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any
obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all obligations
guaranteed hereby.
(g) As between the Guarantors, 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
6 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Note 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 declaration of acceleration of such obligations
as provided in Article 6 of the Indenture, such obligations (whether or
not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the
Guarantors for the purpose of this Note Guarantee.
(h) The Guarantors shall have the right to seek contribution
from any non-paying Guarantor so long as the exercise of such right
does not impair the rights of the Holders under the Guarantee.
(i) Pursuant to Section 11.02 of the Indenture, after giving
effect to any maximum amount and any other contingent and fixed
liabilities that are relevant under any applicable Bankruptcy or
fraudulent conveyance laws, and after giving effect to any collections
from, rights to receive contribution from or payments made by or on
behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such
other Guarantor under Article 11 of the Indenture, this new Note
Guarantee shall be limited to the maximum amount permissible such that
the obligations of such Guarantor under this Note Guarantee will not
constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance.
3. EXECUTION AND DELIVERY. Each Guaranteeing Subsidiary agrees that the
Note Guarantees shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any
failure to endorse on each Note a notation of such Note Guarantee.
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4. GUARANTEEING SUBSIDIARY MAY CONSOLIDATE, ETC. ON CERTAIN TERMS.
(a) The Guaranteeing Subsidiary may not consolidate with or
merge with or into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving
Person) another corporation, Person or entity whether or not affiliated
with such Guarantor unless:
(i) subject to Sections 11.04 and 11.05 of the
Indenture, the Person formed by or surviving any such
consolidation or merger (if other than a Guarantor or the
Company) unconditionally assumes all the obligations of such
Guarantor, pursuant to a supplemental indenture in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, under the
Notes, the Indenture and the Note Guarantee on the terms set
forth herein or therein; and
(ii) immediately after giving effect to such
transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists.
(b) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or
conveyance and upon the assumption by the successor corporation, by
supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and
satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the Note Guarantee endorsed
upon the Notes and the due and punctual performance of all of the
covenants and conditions of the Indenture to be performed by the
Guarantor, such successor corporation shall succeed to and be
substituted for the Guarantor with the same effect as if it had been
named herein as a Guarantor. Such successor corporation thereupon may
cause to be signed any or all of the Note Guarantees to be endorsed
upon all of the Notes issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not
have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee. All the
Note Guarantees so issued shall in all respects have the same legal
rank and benefit under the Indenture as the Note Guarantees theretofore
and thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of the Indenture as
though all of such Note Guarantees had been issued at the date of the
execution hereof.
(c) Except as set forth in Articles 4 and 5 and Section 11.05
of Article 10 of the Indenture, and notwithstanding clauses (a) and (b)
above, nothing contained in the Indenture or in any of the Notes shall
prevent any consolidation or merger of a Guarantor with or into the
Company or another Guarantor, or shall prevent any sale or conveyance
of the property of a Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an
entirety to the Company or another Guarantor.
5. RELEASES.
(a) In the event of a sale or other disposition of all of the
assets of any Guarantor, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise,
or a sale or other disposition of all to the capital stock of any
Guarantor, in each case to a Person that is not (either before or after
giving effect to such transaction) a Restricted Subsidiary of the
Company, then such Guarantor (in the event of a sale or other
disposition, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, of all of
the capital stock of such Guarantor) or the corporation acquiring the
property (in the event of a sale or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor) will be released and
relieved of any obligations under its Note Guarantee; provided that the
Net Proceeds of such sale or other disposition are applied in
accordance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture, including
without limitation Section 4.10 of the Indenture. Upon delivery by the
Company to the Trustee of an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of
Counsel to the effect that such sale or other disposition was made by
the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture,
including without limitation Section 4.10 of the Indenture, the Trustee
shall execute any documents reasonably
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required in order to evidence the release of any Guarantor from its
obligations under its Note Guarantee.
(b) Any Guarantor not released from its obligations under its
Note Guarantee shall remain liable for the full amount of principal of
and interest on the Notes and for the other obligations of any
Guarantor under the Indenture as provided in Article 11 of the
Indenture.
6. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS. No past, present or future director,
officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder or agent of the Guaranteeing
Subsidiary, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company
or any Guaranteeing Subsidiary under the Notes, any Note Guarantees, the
Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect
of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of the
Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and
release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. Such waiver may
not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws and it
is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.
7. NEW YORK LAW TO GOVERN. THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
SHALL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE BUT WITHOUT
GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT
THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.
8. COUNTERPARTS. The parties may sign any number of copies of this
Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them
together represent the same agreement.
9. EFFECT OF HEADINGS. The Section headings herein are for convenience
only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
10. THE TRUSTEE. The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner
whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental
Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which
recitals are made solely by the Guaranteeing Subsidiary and the Company.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental
Indenture to be duly executed and attested, all as of the date first above
written.
Dated: _______________, ____
[GUARANTEEING SUBSIDIARY]
By: _______________________________
Name:
Title:
[Instron Corporation]
By: _______________________________
Name:
Title:
[EXISTING GUARANTORS]
By: _______________________________
Name:
Title:
[TRUSTEE],
as Trustee
By: _______________________________
Authorized Signatory
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SCHEDULE I
SCHEDULE OF GUARANTORS
The following schedule lists each Guarantor under the Indenture as of
the Issue Date:
Instron Schenck Testing Systems Corp.
Instron/Lawrence Corporation
Instron Realty Trust
IRT II Trust
Instron Japan Company, Ltd.
Instron Asia Limited
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