EXECUTION COPY
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DECRANE AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.
12% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2008
Guaranteed to the extent set forth herein by
AEROSPACE DISPLAY SYSTEMS, INC.
AUDIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
AVTECH CORPORATION
CORY COMPONENTS, INC.
DETTMERS INDUSTRIES, INC.
ELSINORE AEROSPACE SERVICES, INC.
ELSINORE ENGINEERING, INC.
HOLLINGSEAD INTERNATIONAL, INC.
TRI-STAR ELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
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INDENTURE
Dated as of October 5, 1998
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STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
TRUSTEE
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CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*
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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) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.03
(iv)(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.03
313(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.06
(b)(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N.A.
(b)(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.06;
7.07
(v)(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.06;
11.02
(vi)(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.06
314(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.03;
11.02
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N.A.
(c)(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.04
(c)(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.04
(c)(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N.A.
(vii)(e). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.05
(f) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NA
315 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.01
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.05,
11.02
(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) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.01
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N.A.
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.01
N.A. means not applicable.
*This Cross-Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
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ARTICLE 1. DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE . . . . . . . . . 1
SECTION 1.01. DEFINITIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SECTION 1.02. OTHER DEFINITIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
SECTION 1.03. INCORPORATION OF TIA PROVISIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
SECTION 1.04. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
ARTICLE 2. THE NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
SECTION 2.01. FORM AND DATING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
SECTION 2.02. EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SECTION 2.03. REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SECTION 2.04. PAYING AGENT TO HOLD MONEY IN TRUST. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SECTION 2.05. HOLDER LISTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SECTION 2.06. TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SECTION 2.07. REPLACEMENT NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SECTION 2.08. OUTSTANDING NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SECTION 2.09. TREASURY NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SECTION 2.10. TEMPORARY NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SECTION 2.11. CANCELLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SECTION 2.12. DEFAULTED INTEREST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
ARTICLE 3. REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
SECTION 3.01. NOTICES TO TRUSTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
SECTION 3.02. SELECTION OF NOTES TO BE REDEEMED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
SECTION 3.03. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
SECTION 3.04. EFFECT OF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
SECTION 3.05. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
SECTION 3.06. NOTES REDEEMED IN PART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
SECTION 3.07. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
SECTION 3.08. MANDATORY REDEMPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
SECTION 3.09. OFFER TO PURCHASE BY APPLICATION OF EXCESS PROCEEDS. . . . . 38
ARTICLE 4. COVENANTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
SECTION 4.01. PAYMENT OF NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
SECTION 4.02. MAINTENANCE OF OFFICE OR AGENCY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
SECTION 4.03. REPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
SECTION 4.04. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
SECTION 4.05. TAXES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
SECTION 4.06. STAY, EXTENSION AND USURY LAWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
SECTION 4.07. RESTRICTED PAYMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
SECTION 4.08. DIVIDEND AND OTHER PAYMENT RESTRICTIONS AFFECTING RESTRICTED
SUBSIDIARIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
SECTION 4.09. INCURRENCE OF INDEBTEDNESS AND ISSUANCE OF PREFERRED STOCK . 46
SECTION 4.10. ASSET SALES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
SECTION 4.11. TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
SECTION 4.12. LIENS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
i
SECTION 4.13. CORPORATE EXISTENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
SECTION 4.14. OFFER TO REPURCHASE UPON CHANGE OF CONTROL . . . . . . . . . 51
SECTION 4.15. NO SENIOR SUBORDINATED INDEBTEDNESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
SECTION 4.16. SALE AND LEASEBACK TRANSACTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
SECTION 4.17. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE FACILITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
SECTION 4.18. ADDITIONAL NOTE GUARANTEES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
ARTICLE 5. SUCCESSORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
SECTION 5.01. MERGER, CONSOLIDATION, OR SALE OF ASSETS . . . . . . . . . . 53
SECTION 5.02. SUCCESSOR CORPORATION SUBSTITUTED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
ARTICLE 6. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SECTION 6.01. EVENTS OF DEFAULT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SECTION 6.02. ACCELERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
SECTION 6.03. OTHER REMEDIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
SECTION 6.04. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
SECTION 6.05. CONTROL BY MAJORITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
SECTION 6.06. LIMITATION ON SUITS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
SECTION 6.07. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF NOTES TO RECEIVE PAYMENT. . . . . . . . 57
SECTION 6.08. COLLECTION SUIT BY TRUSTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
SECTION 6.09. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
SECTION 6.10. PRIORITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
SECTION 6.11. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
ARTICLE 7. TRUSTEE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
SECTION 7.01. DUTIES OF TRUSTEE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
SECTION 7.02. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
SECTION 7.03. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
SECTION 7.04. TRUSTEE'S DISCLAIMER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
SECTION 7.05. NOTICE OF DEFAULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
SECTION 7.06. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE TO HOLDERS OF THE NOTES . . . . . . . . . 61
SECTION 7.07. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
SECTION 7.08. REPLACEMENT OF TRUSTEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
SECTION 7.09. SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE BY MERGER, ETC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
SECTION 7.10. ELIGIBILITY; DISQUALIFICATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
SECTION 7.11. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST ISSUER . . . . . . 64
ARTICLE 8. LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE . . . . . . . . . . 64
SECTION 8.01. OPTION TO EFFECT LEGAL DEFEASANCE OR COVENANT DEFEASANCE . . 64
SECTION 8.02. LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
SECTION 8.03. COVENANT DEFEASANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
SECTION 8.04. CONDITIONS TO LEGAL OR COVENANT DEFEASANCE . . . . . . . . . 65
SECTION 8.05. DEPOSITED MONEY AND GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TO BE HELD IN TRUST;
OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
SECTION 8.06. REPAYMENT TO ISSUER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
SECTION 8.07. REINSTATEMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
ii
ARTICLE 9. AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
SECTION 9.01. WITHOUT CONSENT OF HOLDERS OF NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
SECTION 9.02. WITH CONSENT OF HOLDERS OF NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
SECTION 9.03. COMPLIANCE WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT. . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
SECTION 9.04. REVOCATION AND EFFECT OF CONSENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
SECTION 9.05. NOTATION ON OR EXCHANGE OF NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
SECTION 9.06. TRUSTEE TO SIGN AMENDMENTS, ETC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
ARTICLE 10. SUBORDINATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
SECTION 10.01. AGREEMENT TO SUBORDINATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
SECTION 10.02. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
SECTION 10.03. LIQUIDATION; DISSOLUTION; BANKRUPTCY . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
SECTION 10.04. DEFAULT ON DESIGNATED SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS. . . . . . . . . . 72
SECTION 10.05. ACCELERATION OF SECURITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
SECTION 10.06. WHEN DISTRIBUTION MUST BE PAID OVER. . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
SECTION 10.07. NOTICE BY ISSUER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
SECTION 10.08. SUBROGATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
SECTION 10.09. RELATIVE RIGHTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
SECTION 10.10. SUBORDINATION MAY NOT BE IMPAIRED BY ISSUER. . . . . . . . . 74
SECTION 10.11. DISTRIBUTION OR NOTICE TO REPRESENTATIVE . . . . . . . . . . 74
SECTION 10.12. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE AND PAYING AGENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
SECTION 10.13. AUTHORIZATION TO EFFECT SUBORDINATION. . . . . . . . . . . . 74
SECTION 10.14. NO WAIVER OF SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . 75
SECTION 10.15. AMENDMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
ARTICLE 11. NOTE GUARANTEES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
SECTION 11.01. GUARANTEE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
SECTION 11.02. SUBORDINATION OF NOTE GUARANTEE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
SECTION 11.03. LIMITATION ON GUARANTOR LIABILITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
SECTION 11.04. EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF NOTE GUARANTEE . . . . . . . . . . 77
SECTION 11.05. GUARANTORS MAY CONSOLIDATE, ETC., ON CERTAIN TERMS . . . . . 77
SECTION 11.06. RELEASES FOLLOWING SALE OF ASSETS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
ARTICLE 12. MISCELLANEOUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
SECTION 12.01. TRUST INDENTURE ACT CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
SECTION 12.02. NOTICES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
SECTION 12.03. COMMUNICATION BY HOLDERS OF NOTES WITH OTHER HOLDERS OF
NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
SECTION 12.04. CERTIFICATE AND OPINION AS TO CONDITIONS PRECEDENT . . . . . 79
SECTION 12.05. STATEMENTS REQUIRED IN CERTIFICATE OR OPINION. . . . . . . . 80
SECTION 12.06. RULES BY TRUSTEE AND AGENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
SECTION 12.07. NO PERSONAL LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND
STOCKHOLDERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
SECTION 12.08. GOVERNING LAW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
SECTION 12.09. NO ADVERSE INTERPRETATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS. . . . . . . . 81
SECTION 12.10. SUCCESSORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
SECTION 12.11. SEVERABILITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
SECTION 12.12. COUNTERPART ORIGINALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
SECTION 12.13. TABLE OF CONTENTS, HEADINGS, ETC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
iii
EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT A: FORM OF 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 SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
iv
INDENTURE dated as of October 5, 1998, by and among DeCrane Aircraft
Holdings, Inc., a Delaware Corporation (the "ISSUER"), Aerospace Display
Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Audio International, Inc., an Arkansas
corporation, Avtech Corporation, a Washington corporation, Cory Components,
Inc., a California corporation, Dettmers Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, Elsinore Aerospace Services, Inc., a California corporation,
Elsinore Engineering, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Hollingsead International,
Inc., a California corporation and Tri-Star Electronics International, Inc., a
California corporation (collectively, the "GUARANTORS") and State Street Bank
and Trust Company, as trustee (the "TRUSTEE").
The Issuer, 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
Issuer's 12% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008 (the "SENIOR SUBORDINATED
NOTES") and the new 12% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008 (the "NEW SENIOR
SUBORDINATED NOTES" and, together with the Senior Subordinated Notes, the
"NOTES") to be issued pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement
(defined below).
ARTICLE 1.
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
SECTION 1.01. DEFINITIONS.
"144A GLOBAL NOTE" means the form of the Notes initially sold to QIBs.
"ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SUBSIDIARY" means an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the
Issuer to which the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries sells any of
its accounts receivable pursuant to a Receivables Facility.
"ACQUIRED INDEBTEDNESS" means, with respect to any specified Person, (a)
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 (b) Indebtedness secured by a Lien
encumbering an asset acquired by such specified Person at the time such asset is
acquired by such specified Person.
"ACQUISITION" means the acquisition by an indirect subsidiary of Holdings
of at least majority of the outstanding stock of the Issuer, the merger of such
subsidiary into the Issuer, the repayment of certain indebtedness of the Issuer,
the payment of certain related fees and expenses and the Finance Merger.
"ACQUISITION FINANCING" means (i) the issuance and sale by the Issuer of
the Notes, (ii) the execution and delivery by the Issuer (or its predecessor)
and certain of its subsidiaries of the New Credit Facility and the borrowing
thereunder and the issuance and sale by the Issuer (or its predecessor) of
bridge notes to finance the Acquisition and (iii) the issuance and sale by
Holdings of common stock and preferred stock for consideration, the proceeds of
each of which were used to fund the purchase price for the Acquisition.
"ADDITIONAL NOTES" means additional Notes (other than the Initial Notes)
issued under this Indenture in accordance with Sections 2.02 and 4.09 hereof.
1
"AFFILIATE" of any specified Person means any other Person which, directly
or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under direct or indirect common
control with, such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, "control,"
when used with respect to any Person, means the power to direct the management
and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms
"controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
"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, disposition or other
transfer (a "disposition") of any properties, assets or rights (including,
without limitation, by way of a sale and leaseback) (provided that the sale,
lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets
of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole will be governed by Sections
4.14 and/or 5.01 and not by Section 4.10), and (b) the issuance, sale or
transfer by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Equity Interests
of any of the Issuer's Restricted Subsidiaries, in the case of either clause
(a) or (b), whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions
(i) that have a fair market value in excess of $5.0 million or (ii) for net
proceeds in excess of $5.0 million. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following
items shall not be deemed to be Asset Sales: (a) dispositions in the ordinary
course of business; (b) a disposition of assets by the Issuer to a Restricted
Subsidiary or by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Issuer or to another Restricted
Subsidiary; (c) a disposition of Equity Interests by a Restricted Subsidiary to
the Issuer or to another Restricted Subsidiary; (d) the sale and leaseback of
any assets within 90 days of the acquisition thereof; (e) foreclosures on
assets; (f) any exchange of like property pursuant to Section 1031 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for use in a Permitted Business;
(g) any sale of Equity Interests in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an
Unrestricted Subsidiary; (h) a Permitted Investment or a Restricted Payment that
is permitted by Section 4.07 hereof; and (i) sales of accounts receivable, or
participations therein, in connection with any Receivables Facility.
"ATTRIBUTABLE INDEBTEDNESS" in respect of a sale and leaseback transaction
means, at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at the rate
of interest implicit in such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP) of
the obligation of the lessee for net rental payments during the remaining term
of the lease included in such sale and leaseback transaction (including any
period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the
lessor, be extended).
"BANKRUPTCY LAW" means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state
law for the relief of debtors.
"BOARD OF DIRECTORS" means the Board of Directors of the Issuer, or any
authorized committee of the Board of Directors.
"BRIDGE NOTES" means the $100.0 million of Senior Subordinated Increasing
Rate Notes issued by DeCrane Finance Co. to DLJ Bridge Finance, Inc.
"BUSINESS DAY" means any day other than a Legal Holiday.
2
"CAPITAL EXPENDITURE INDEBTEDNESS" means Indebtedness incurred by any
Person to finance the purchase or construction or any property or assets
acquired or constructed by such Person which have a useful life or more than one
year so long as (a) the purchase or construction price for such property or
assets is included in "addition to property, plant or equipment" in accordance
with GAAP, (b) the acquisition or construction of such property or assets is not
part of any acquisition of a Person or line of business and (c) such
Indebtedness is incurred within 90 days of the acquisition or completion of
construction of such property or assets.
"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 (a) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock,
(b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares,
interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of
corporate stock, (c) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company,
partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited) and (d) 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) Government Securities, (ii) any certificate of
deposit maturing not more than 365 days after the date of acquisition issued by,
or demand deposit or time deposit of, an Eligible Institution or any lender
under the New Credit Facility, (iii) commercial paper maturing not more than 365
days after the date of acquisition of an issuer (other than an Affiliate of the
Issuer) with a rating, at the time as of which any investment therein is made,
of "A-3" (or higher) according to S&P or "P-2" (or higher) according to Moody's
or carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized rating agency if
both of the two named rating agencies cease publishing ratings of investments,
(iv) any bankers acceptances of money market deposit accounts issued by an
Eligible Institution and (v) any fund investing exclusively in investments of
the types described in clauses (i) through (iv) above and (vi) in the case of
any Subsidiary organized or having its principal place of business outside the
United States, investments denominated in the currency of the jurisdiction in
which such Subsidiary is organized or has its principal place of business which
are similar to the items specified in clauses (i) through (v) above (including
without limitation any deposit with any bank that is a lender to any such
Subsidiary).
"CEDEL" means Cedel Bank, societe anonyme.
"CHANGE OF CONTROL" means the occurrence of any of the following: (a) the
sale, lease, 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 assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, to any "person" or "group" (as such terms are used in Section 13(d) of
the Exchange Act), other than the Principals and their Related Parties; (b) the
adoption of a plan for the liquidation or dissolution of the Issuer; (c) the
consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or
consolidation) the result of which is that any "person" or "group" (as such
terms are used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), other than the Principals
and their Related Parties, becomes the "beneficial owner" (as such term is
defined in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries, of 50% or more of the voting
power of the outstanding voting stock of the Issuer; or (d) the first day on
which a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Issuer are not
Continuing Members.
3
"COMMISSION" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW" means, with respect to any Person for any period,
the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for
such period plus, to the extent deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income,
(a) an amount equal to any extraordinary or non-recurring loss plus any net loss
realized in connection with an Asset Sale, (b) provision for taxes based on
income or profits of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such
period, (c) Fixed Charges of such Person for such period, (d) depreciation,
amortization (including amortization of goodwill and other intangibles) and all
other non-cash charges (excluding any such non-cash charge 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),
including charges related to non-cash minority interests of such Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, (e) net periodic post-retirement
benefits, (f) other income or expense net as set forth on the face of such
Person's statement of operations, (g) expenses and charges of the Issuer related
to the Acquisition, the New Credit Facility and the application of the proceeds
thereof which are paid, taken or otherwise accounted for within 180 days of the
consummation of the Acquisition, and (h) any non-capitalized transaction costs
incurred in connection with actual or proposed financings, acquisition or
divestitures (including, but not limited to, financing and refinancing fees and
costs incurred in connection with the Acquisition), in each case, on a
consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the provision for taxes based on the income or profits of, the Fixed
Charges of, and the depreciation and amortization and other non-cash charges of,
a Restricted Subsidiary of a Person shall be added to Consolidated Net Income to
compute Consolidated Cash Flow only to the extent (and in the same proportion)
that Net Income of such Restricted Subsidiary was included in calculating the
Consolidated Net Income of such Person.
"CONSOLIDATED INTEREST EXPENSE" means, with respect to any Person for any
period, the sum of, without duplication, (a) the interest expense of such Person
and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis,
determined in accordance with GAAP (including amortization of original issue
discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of all payments
associated with Capital Lease Obligations, imputed interest with respect to
Attributable Indebtedness, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges
incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers' acceptance financings, and
net payments, if any, pursuant to Hedging Obligations; PROVIDED that in no event
shall any amortization of deferred financing costs be included in Consolidated
Interest Expense); and (b) the consolidated capitalized interest of such Person
and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued;
PROVIDED, however, that Receivables Fees shall be deemed not to constitute
Consolidated Interest Expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Consolidated
Interest Expense with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Wholly
Owned Restricted Subsidiary shall be included only to the extent (and in the
same proportion) that the net income of such Restricted Subsidiary was included
in calculating Consolidated Net Income.
"CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME" means, with respect to any Person for any period,
the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries
for such period, on a consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP;
PROVIDED that (a) the Net Income (or 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 referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary
thereof, (b) the Net Income (or loss) of any Restricted Subsidiary other than a
Subsidiary organized or having its principal place of business outside the
United States shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of
dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of that Net
4
Income (or loss) 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, (c) the Net Income (or loss) of any Person acquired in a
pooling of interests transaction for any period prior to the date of such
acquisition shall be excluded, (d) the cumulative effect of a change in
accounting principles shall be excluded and (e) expenses and charges related to
the Acquisition, the New Credit Facility and the application of the proceeds
thereof which are paid, taken or otherwise accounted for within 180 days of the
consummation of the Acquisition shall be excluded.
"CONTINUING MEMBERS" means, as of any date of determination, any member of
the board of directors of the Issuer who (a) was a member of such board of
directors immediately after consummation of the Acquisition or (b) was nominated
for election or elected to such board of directors with the approval of, or
whose election to the board of directors was ratified by, at least a majority of
the Continuing Members who were members of such board of directors at the time
of such nomination or election or any successor Continuing Directors appointed
by such Continuing Directors (or their successors).
"CORPORATE TRUST OFFICE OF THE TRUSTEE" shall be at the address of the
Trustee specified in Section 12.02 hereof or such other address as to which the
Trustee may give notice to the Issuer.
"CUSTODIAN" means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar
official under any Bankruptcy Law.
"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, in the form of
Exhibit A-1 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 The Depository Trust Company.
"DESIGNATED NONCASH CONSIDERATION" means the fair market value of non-cash
consideration received by the Issuer or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries in
connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as Designated Noncash
Consideration pursuant to an Officers' Certificate, setting forth the basis of
such valuation, executed by the principal executive officer and the principal
financial officer of the Issuer, less the amount of cash or Cash Equivalents
received in connection with a sale of such Designated Noncash Consideration.
"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), or upon the happening of any event (other than any event solely
within the control of the issuer thereof), matures or is mandatorily redeemable,
pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, is exchangeable for
Indebtedness (except to the extent exchangeable at the option of such Person
subject to the terms of any debt instrument to which such Person is a party) or
redeemable at the option of the Holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior
to the date on which the Notes mature; provided that any Capital Stock that
would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders thereof have the
right to require the Issuer to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence
of a Change of Control or an Asset Sale shall not constitute Disqualified Stock
if the
5
terms of such Capital Stock provide that the Issuer 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 provided further that, if such
Capital Stock is issued to any plan for the benefit of employees of the Issuer
or its Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Capital Stock
shall not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because it may be required to be
repurchased by the Issuer in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory
obligations.
"DLJMB" means DLJ Merchant Banking Partners II, L.P. and its Affiliates.
"DOMESTIC SUBSIDIARY" means a Subsidiary that is organized under the laws
of the United States or any State, district or territory thereof other than
Audio International Sales, Inc., a U.S. Virgin Islands corporation.
"ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION" means a commercial banking institution that has
combined capital and surplus not less than $100.0 million or its equivalent in
foreign currency, whose short-term debt is rated "A-3" or higher according to
Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or "P-2" or higher according to Moody's
Investor Services, Inc. ("Moody's") or carrying an equivalent rating by a
nationally recognized rating agency if both of the two named rating agencies
cease publishing ratings of investments.
"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.
"EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS" means Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted
Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness under the New Credit Facility) in
existence on the date of this Indenture, until such amounts are repaid.
"FINANCE MERGER" means the merger of DeCrane Finance Co. with and into
DeCrane Aircraft Holdings, Inc.
"FIXED CHARGES" means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum,
without duplication, of (a) the Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person for
such period and (b) all dividend payments on any series of preferred stock of
such Person (other than dividends payable solely in Equity Interests that are
not Disqualified Stock), in each case, on a consolidated basis and in accordance
with GAAP.
6
"FIXED CHARGE COVERAGE RATIO" means, with respect to any Person for any
period, the ratio of the Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person for such period
(exclusive of amounts attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in
accordance with GAAP, or operations and businesses disposed of prior to the
Calculation Date (as defined)) to the Fixed Charges of such Person for such
period (exclusive of amounts attributable to discontinued operations, as
determined in accordance with GAAP, or operations and businesses disposed of
prior to the Calculation Date). In the event that the referent Person or any of
its Subsidiaries incurs, assumes, guarantees or redeems any Indebtedness (other
than revolving credit borrowings) or issues or redeems preferred stock
subsequent to the commencement of the period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio is being calculated but 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 or redemption of Indebtedness, or such
issuance 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 making the computation referred
to above, acquisitions that have been made by the Issuer or any of its
Subsidiaries, including all mergers or consolidations and any related financing
transactions, during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such
reference period and on or prior to the Calculation Date shall be deemed to have
occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period and Consolidated
Cash Flow for such reference period shall be calculated to include the
Consolidated Cash Flow of the acquired entities on a pro forma basis after
giving effect to cost savings resulting from employee terminations, facilities
consolidations and closings, standardization of employee benefits and
compensation practices, consolidation of property, casualty and other insurance
coverage and policies, standardization of sales and distribution methods,
reductions in taxes other than income taxes and other cost savings reasonably
expected to be realized from such acquisition, as determined in good faith by
the principal financial officer of the Issuer (regardless of whether such cost
savings could then be reflected in pro forma financial statements under GAAP,
Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission or any other regulation or policy
of the Commission) and without giving effect to clause (c) of the proviso set
forth in the definition of Consolidated Net Income.
"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, 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.
"GTP" means Global Technology Partners, LLC and its Affiliates.
7
"GTP INVESTMENT" means the sale by Holdings to GTP of its common stock,
preferred stock or warrants to purchase common stock, the purchase price of
which will be partially financed by the GTP Loan, and the granting by Holdings
to GTP of options to purchase shares of its common stock.
"GTP LOANS" means one or more loans by the Issuer or Holdings to GTP to
finance GTP's purchase of common stock, preferred stock or warrants to purchase
common stock of Holdings; provided, however, that the aggregate principal amount
of all such GTP Loans outstanding at any time shall not exceed $2 million.
"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, letters of credit or
reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part of any
Indebtedness.
"GUARANTORS" means (i) each of the Domestic Subsidiaries of the Issuer that
is a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary on the date of the Indenture and (ii)
any other Subsidiary that executes a Note Guarantee in accordance with the
provisions of this Indenture.
"HEDGING OBLIGATIONS" means, with respect to any Person, the obligations of
such Person under (a) interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap
agreements and interest rate collar agreements and (b) other agreements or
arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest
rates and (c) agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against
fluctuations in exchange rates.
"HOLDER" means a Person in whose name a Note is registered.
"HOLDINGS" means DeCrane Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, the
corporate parent of the Issuer, or its successors.
"INDEBTEDNESS" means, with respect to any Person, any indebtedness of such
Person in respect of borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or
similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect
thereof) or banker's acceptances or representing Capital Lease Obligations or
the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or
representing any Hedging Obligations, except any such balance that constitutes
an accrued expense or trade payable, if and to the extent any of the foregoing
Indebtedness (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear
as a liability upon a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with
GAAP, as well as all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of
such Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person) and, to
the extent not otherwise included, the guarantee by such Person of any
Indebtedness of any other Person, PROVIDED that Indebtedness shall not include
the pledge by the Issuer of the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary of
the Issuer to secure Non-Recourse Debt of such Unrestricted Subsidiary. The
amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date shall be (a) the accreted
value thereof (together with any interest thereon that is more than 30 days past
due), in the case of any Indebtedness that does not require current payments of
interest, and (b) the principal amount thereof, in the case of any other
Indebtedness; PROVIDED that the principal amount of any Indebtedness that is
denominated in any currency other than United States dollars shall be the amount
thereof, as determined pursuant to the foregoing provision, converted into
United States dollars at the Spot Rate in effect on the date that such
Indebtedness was incurred (or, if such indebtedness was incurred prior to the
date of the Indenture, the Spot Rate in effect on the date of this Indenture).
"INDENTURE" means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to
time.
8
"INDIRECT PARTICIPANT" means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a
Global Note through a Participant.
"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 investments by such
Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of direct or
indirect loans (including guarantees by the referent Person of, and Liens on any
assets of the referent Person securing, Indebtedness or other obligations of
other Persons), 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, PROVIDED that an investment by the Issuer for consideration consisting of
common equity securities of the Issuer shall not be deemed to be an Investment.
If the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer sells or otherwise
disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary
of the Issuer such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition,
such Person is no longer a Subsidiary of the Issuer, the Issuer 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 such Restricted Subsidiary not
sold or disposed of in an amount determined as provided in the final paragraph
of Section 4.07 hereof.
"LEGAL HOLIDAY" means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking
institutions in the City of New York or the city in which the principal
corporate trust office of the Trustee is located, 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.
"LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL" means the letter of transmittal to be prepared by
the Issuer 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.
"MANAGEMENT LOANS" means one or more loans by the Issuer or Holdings to
officers and/or directors of the Issuer and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
to finance the purchase by such officers and directors of common stock of
Holdings; PROVIDED, however, that the aggregate principal amount of all such
Management Loans outstanding at any time shall not exceed $5.0 million.
"NET INCOME" means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of
such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in
respect of preferred stock dividends, excluding, however, (a) any gain (or
loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such gain (or
9
loss), realized in connection with (i) any Asset Sale (including, without
limitation, dispositions pursuant to sale and leaseback transactions) or
(ii) the extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries and (b) any extraordinary or nonrecurring gain (or
loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such extraordinary or
nonrecurring gain (or loss).
"NET PROCEEDS" means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Issuer 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, without duplication,
(a) the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale (including, without limitation,
legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and sales commissions, recording
fees, title transfer fees and appraiser fees and cost of preparation of assets
for sale) and any relocation expenses incurred as a result thereof, (b) taxes
paid or payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax
credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements), (c) amounts required to
be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness (other than revolving credit
Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the New Credit Facility) secured by a Lien on
the asset or assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale and (d) any reserve
established in accordance with GAAP or any amount placed in escrow, in either
case for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets until
such time as such reserve is reversed or such escrow arrangement is terminated,
in which case Net Proceeds shall include only the amount of the reserve so
reversed or the amount returned to the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries
from such escrow arrangement, as the case may be.
"NEW CREDIT FACILITY" means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of
August 28, 1998 among the Issuer, various financial institutions party thereto,
DLJ Capital Funding, Inc., as syndication agent, and The First National Bank of
Chicago, as administrative agent, 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, including any agreement (i) extending or
shortening the maturity of any Indebtedness incurred thereunder or contemplated
thereby, (ii) adding or deleting borrowers or guarantors thereunder,
(iii) increasing the amount of Indebtedness incurred thereunder or available to
be borrowed thereunder, PROVIDED that on the date such Indebtedness is incurred
it would not be prohibited by clause (i) of Section 4.09 hereof or (iv)
otherwise altering the terms and conditions thereof. Indebtedness under the New
Credit Facility outstanding on the date of this Indenture shall be deemed to
have been incurred on such date in reliance on the first paragraph of Section
4.09 hereof.
"NON-RECOURSE DEBT" means Indebtedness (i) 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 of the
Issuer 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 (ii) as to which the lenders have been notified in
writing that they will not have any recourse to the stock (other than the stock
of an Unrestricted Subsidiary pledged by the Issuer to secure debt of such
Unrestricted Subsidiary) or assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries; PROVIDED that in no event shall Indebtedness of any Unrestricted
Subsidiary fail to be Non-Recourse Debt solely as a result of any default
provisions contained in a guarantee thereof by the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries if the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary was
otherwise permitted to incur such guarantee pursuant to this Indenture.
"NON-U.S. PERSON" means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.
10
"NOTE CUSTODIAN" means the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes
in global form, or any successor entity thereto.
"NOTE GUARANTEE" means the Guarantee by each Guarantor of the Issuer's
payment obligations under this Indenture and the Notes, including any subsequent
Guarantees executed pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture.
"NOTES" has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble to 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 Issuer.
"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 Issuer
by two Officers of the Issuer, one of whom must be the principal executive
officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer or the principal
accounting officer of the Issuer, that meets the requirements of Sections 12.04
and 12.05 hereof.
"OPINION OF COUNSEL" means an opinion from legal counsel who is reasonably
acceptable to the Trustee, that meets the requirements of Sections 12.04 and
12.05 hereof. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer, any
Subsidiary of the Issuer or the Trustee.
"PARI PASSU INDEBTEDNESS" means Indebtedness of the Issuer that ranks PARI
PASSU in right of payment to the Notes.
"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 The Depository Trust Company, shall include Euroclear and
Cedel).
"PARTICIPATING BROKER-DEALER" has the meaning set forth in the Registration
Rights Agreement.
"PERMITTED BUSINESS" means the avionics manufacturing industry and any
business in which the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the
date of this Indenture or any business reasonably related, incidental or
ancillary thereto.
"PERMITTED INVESTMENTS" means (a) any Investment in the Issuer or in a
Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, (b) any Investment in cash or Cash
Equivalents, (c) any Investment by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of
the Issuer in a Person, if as a result of such Investment (i) such Person
becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or (ii) such Person is merged,
consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially
all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Issuer or a Wholly Owned
Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, (d) 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, (e) any Investment acquired solely
in exchange for Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the
11
Issuer, (f) any Investment in a Person engaged in a Permitted Business (other
than an Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary) having an aggregate fair
market value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this
clause (f) that are at that time outstanding, not to exceed 15% of Total Assets
at the time of such Investment (with the fair market value of each Investment
being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes
in value), (g) Investments relating to any special purpose Wholly Owned
Subsidiary of the Issuer organized in connection with a Receivables Facility
that, in the good faith determination of the board of directors of the Issuer,
are necessary or advisable to effect such Receivables Facility and (h) the
Management Loans and GTP Loans.
"PERMITTED LIENS" means: (i) Liens on property of a Person existing at the
time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Issuer or any
Restricted Subsidiary, PROVIDED that such Liens were not incurred in
contemplation of such merger or consolidation and do not secure any property or
assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary other than the property or
assets subject to the Liens prior to such merger or consolidation; (ii) Liens
existing on the date of this Indenture; (iii) Liens securing Indebtedness
consisting of Capitalized Lease Obligations, purchase money Indebtedness,
mortgage financings, industrial revenue bonds or other monetary obligations, in
each case incurred solely for the purpose of financing all or any part of the
purchase price or cost of construction or installation of assets used in the
business of the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries, or repairs, additions or
improvements to such assets, PROVIDED that (A) such Liens secure Indebtedness in
an amount not in excess of the original purchase price or the original cost of
any such assets or repair, additional or improvement thereto (plus an amount
equal to the reasonable fees and expenses in connection with the incurrence of
such Indebtedness), (B) such Liens do not extend to any other assets of the
Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries (and, in the case of repair, addition or
improvements to any such assets, such Lien extends only to the assets (and
improvements thereto or thereon) repaired, added to or improved), (C) the
Incurrence of such Indebtedness is permitted by Section 4.09 hereof and (D) such
Liens attach within 365 days of such purchase, construction, installation,
repair, addition or improvement; (iv) Liens to secure any refinancings,
renewals, extensions, modification or replacements (collectively, "refinancing")
(or successive refinancings), in whole or in part, of any Indebtedness secured
by Liens referred to in the clauses above so long as such Lien does not extend
to any other property (other than improvements thereto); (v) Liens securing
letters of credit entered into in the ordinary course of business and consistent
with past business practice; (vi) Liens on and pledges of the capital stock of
any Unrestricted Subsidiary securing Non-Recourse Debt of such Unrestricted
Subsidiary; (vii) Liens securing Indebtedness (including all Obligations) under
the New Credit Facility; and (viii) other Liens securing Indebtedness that is
permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be outstanding having an aggregate
principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed $50.0 million.
"PERMITTED REFINANCING INDEBTEDNESS" means any Indebtedness of the Issuer
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued within 60 days after repayment of,
in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance,
renew, replace, defease or refund other Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries; PROVIDED that (a) the principal amount (or accreted
value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed
the principal amount of (or accreted value, if applicable), plus premium, if
any, and accrued interest on the Indebtedness so extended, refinanced, renewed,
replaced, defeased or refunded (plus the amount of reasonable expenses incurred
in connection therewith), (b) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a
final maturity date no earlier than the final maturity date of, and has a
Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average
Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed,
replaced, defeased or refunded, and (c) if the Indebtedness being extended,
refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded is
12
subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to, the Notes on terms at least
as favorable, taken as a whole, to the Holders of Notes as those contained in
the documentation governing the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced,
renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded.
"PERSON" means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated
organization or government or agency or political subdivision thereof (including
any subdivision or ongoing business of any such entity or substantially all of
the assets of any such entity, subdivision or business).
"PRINCIPALS" means DLJMB.
"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.
"PUBLIC EQUITY OFFERING" means any issuance of common stock by the Issuer
(other than to Holdings and other than Disqualified Stock) or common stock or
preferred stock by Holdings (other than Disqualified Stock) registered pursuant
to the Securities Act, other than issuances registered on Form S-8 and issuances
registered on Form S-4, excluding issuances of common stock pursuant to employee
benefit plans of Holdings or the Issuer or otherwise as compensation to
employees of the Issuer or Holdings.
"QUALIFIED PROCEEDS" means any of the following or any combination of the
following: (i) cash; (ii) Cash Equivalents; (iii) assets that are used or useful
in a Permitted Business; and (iv) the Capital Stock of any Person engaged in a
Permitted Business if, in connection with the receipt by the Issuer or any
Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer of such Capital Stock, (A) such Person
becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of
the Issuer or (B) such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or
into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is
liquidated into, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer.
"QIB" means a "qualified institutional buyer" as defined in Rule 144A.
"RECEIVABLES FACILITY" means one or more receivables financing facilities,
as amended from time to time, pursuant to which the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries sells its accounts receivable to an Accounts Receivable
Subsidiary.
"RECEIVABLES FEES" means distributions or payments made directly or by
means of discounts with respect to any participation interests issued or sold in
connection with, and other fees paid to a Person that is not a Restricted
Subsidiary in connection with, any Receivables Facility.
"REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT" means the Registration Rights Agreement,
dated as of October 5, 1998, by and among the Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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.
13
"REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE" means a Regulation S Temporary Global Note or
Regulation S Permanent Global Note, as appropriate.
"REGULATION S PERMANENT GLOBAL NOTE" means a permanent global Note in the
form of Exhibit A-1 hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private
Placement Legend, if applicable, 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 A-2 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 Notes initially sold in reliance on Rule 903
of Regulation S.
"RELATED PARTY" means, with respect to any Principal, (i) any controlling
stockholder or partner of such Principal on the date of this Indenture, or (ii)
any trust, corporation, partnership or other entity, the beneficiaries,
stockholders, partners, owners or Persons beneficially holding (directly or
through one or more Subsidiaries) a 51% or more controlling interest of which
consist of the Principals and/or such other Persons referred to in the
immediately preceding clauses (i) or (ii).
"RESPONSIBLE OFFICER," when used with respect to the Trustee, means any
officer within the Corporate Trust Administration 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 an 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.
"SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT" means the Shelf Registration Statement as
defined in the Registration Rights Agreement.
14
"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
hereof.
"SPOT RATE" means, for any currency, the spot rate at which such currency
is offered for sale against United States dollars as determined by reference to
the New York foreign exchange selling rates, as published in The Wall Street
Journal on such date of determination for the immediately preceding business day
or, if such rate is not available, as determined in any publicly available
source of similar market data.
"STATED MATURITY" means, with respect to any installment of interest or
principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which such payment of
interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the original documentation
governing such Indebtedness, and shall not include any contingent obligations to
repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to the date
originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
"SUBSIDIARY" means, with respect to any Person, (a) 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 such
Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination
thereof) and (b) any partnership or limited liability company (i) the sole
general partner or the managing general partner or managing member of which is
such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (ii) the only general partners or
managing members of which are such Person or of one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person (or any combination thereof).
"TAX SHARING AGREEMENT" means any tax sharing agreement or arrangement
between the Issuer and Holdings, as the same may be amended from time to time;
PROVIDED that in no event shall the amount permitted to be paid pursuant to all
such agreements and/or arrangements exceed the amount the Issuer would be
required to pay for income taxes were it to file a consolidated tax return for
itself and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries as if it were a corporation
that was a parent of a consolidated group.
"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 consolidated assets of the Issuer and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, as shown on the most recent balance sheet (excluding
the footnotes thereto) of the Issuer prepared in accordance with GAAP.
"TREASURY RATE" means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity as
of such redemption date of United States Treasury securities with a constant
maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve
Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two
Business Days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is
no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most
nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to September 30, 2003;
PROVIDED that if the period from the redemption date to September 30, 2003 is
less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States
Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used.
15
"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 in the form of
Exhibit A-1 attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the
"Schedule of Exchanges of 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 that is designated by the
board of directors as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a board resolution,
but only to the extent that such Subsidiary: (a) has no Indebtedness other than
Non-Recourse Debt; (b) is not party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or
understanding with the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer unless
the terms of any such agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding are no
less favorable to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might
be obtained at the time from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Issuer; (c)
is a Person with respect to which neither the Issuer nor any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation (i) to subscribe for
additional Equity Interests (other than Investments described in clause (g) of
the definition of Permitted Investments) or (ii) to maintain or preserve such
Person's financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified
levels, of operating results; and (d) has not guaranteed or otherwise directly
or indirectly provided credit support for any Indebtedness of the Issuer or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries. Any such designation by the board of directors
shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified copy of
the board resolution giving effect to such designation and an Officers'
Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing
conditions and was permitted by Section 4.07 hereof. If, at any time, any
Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the foregoing requirements as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary, it shall thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted
Subsidiary for purposes of this Indenture and any Indebtedness of such
Subsidiary shall be deemed to be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of the
Issuer as of such date (and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be
incurred as of such date under Section 4.09 hereof, the Issuer shall be in
default of such covenant). The board of directors of the Issuer may at any time
designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; PROVIDED
that such designation shall be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by a
Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer of any outstanding Indebtedness of such
Unrestricted Subsidiary and such designation shall only be permitted if (i) such
Indebtedness is permitted under Section 4.09 hereof and (ii) no Default or Event
of Default would be in existence following such designation.
"U.S. PERSON" means (i) any individual resident in the United States,
(ii) any partnership or corporation organized or incorporated under the laws of
the United States, (iii) any estate of which an executor or administrator is a
U.S. Person (other than an estate governed by foreign law and of which at least
one executor or administrator is a non-U.S. Person who has sole or shared
investment discretion with respect to its assets), (iv) any trust of which any
trustee is a U.S. Person (other than a trust of which at least one trustee is a
non-U.S. Person who has sole or shared investment discretion with respect to its
assets and no beneficiary of the trust (and no settler, if the trust is
revocable) is a U.S. Person), (v) any agency or branch of a foreign entity
located in the United States, (vi) any non-discretionary or similar account
(other than an estate or trust) held by a dealer or other fiduciary for the
benefit or account of a U.S. Person, (vii) any discretionary or similar account
(other than an estate or trust) held by a dealer or other fiduciary organized,
incorporated or (if an individual) resident in the United States (other than
such an account held
16
for the benefit or account of a non-U.S. Person), (viii) any partnership or
corporation organized or incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction
and formed by a U.S. person principally for the purpose of investing in
securities not registered under the Securities Act (unless it is organized or
incorporated and owned, by "accredited investors" within the meaning of Rule
501(a) under the Securities Act who are not natural persons, estates or trusts);
provided that the term "U.S. Person" shall not include (A) a branch or agency of
a U.S. Person that is located and operating outside the United States for valid
business purposes as a locally regulated branch or agency engaged in the banking
or insurance business, (B) any employee benefit plan established and
administered in accordance with the law, customary practices and documentation
of a foreign country and (C) the international organizations set forth in
Section 902(o)(7) of Regulation S under the Securities Act and any other similar
international organizations, and their agencies, affiliates and pension plans.
"WEIGHTED AVERAGE LIFE TO MATURITY" means, when applied to any Indebtedness
at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing (a) the sum of the
products obtained by multiplying (i) 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 (ii) the
number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between
such date and the making of such payment, by (b) the then outstanding principal
amount of such Indebtedness.
"WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY" of any Person means a Subsidiary of such Person
all of the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership interests of which
(other than directors' qualifying shares) shall at the time be owned by such
Person or by one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.
"WHOLLY OWNED RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARY" of any Person means a Restricted
Subsidiary of such Person all the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership
interests of which (other than directors' qualifying shares) shall at the time
be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries
of such Person or by such Person and one or more Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiaries of such Person.
SECTION 1.02. OTHER DEFINITIONS.
Defined in
Term Section
"Affiliate Transaction" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.11
"Asset Sale". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.10
"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
"Designated Senior Indebtedness". . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.02
"Event of Default". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.01
"Excess Proceeds" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.10
"incur" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.09
"Legal Defeasance" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.02
17
"Offer Amount". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.09
"Offer Period". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.09
"Paying Agent". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.03
"Permitted Junior Securities" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.02
"Permitted Indebtedness". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.09
"Purchase Date" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.09
"Registrar" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.03
"Restricted Payments" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.07
"Representative". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.02
"Senior Indebtedness" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.02
SECTION 1.03. INCORPORATION OF TIA PROVISIONS.
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 Issuer 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 Commission rule under the TIA
have the meanings so assigned to them.
SECTION 1.04. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(2) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the
meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(3) "or" is not exclusive;
(4) words in the singular include the plural, and in
the plural include the singular;
(5) provisions apply to successive events and
transactions; and
18
(6) 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
Commission 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, except that
Notes used to pay Liquidated Damages may be in other denominations.
The terms and provisions contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are
hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture and the Issuer, 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 Exhibit A-1 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 A-1 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 Note
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 Exhibit A-2 attached
hereto, 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 Depositary for the accounts of designated agents holding on behalf of
Euroclear or Cedel Bank, duly executed by the Issuer 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, all as contemplated by Section
2.06 (a)(ii) hereof), and (ii) an Officers' Certificate from the Issuer.
Following the termination of the Restricted Period, beneficial interests in the
Regulation S Temporary
19
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 Issuer by manual or facsimile
signature. The Issuer's seal may be reproduced on the Notes and may be in
facsimile form.
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 Issuer 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 plus Notes issued
to pay Liquidated Damages pursuant to paragraph 2 of the Notes. The aggregate
principal amount of Notes outstanding at any time may not exceed such amount,
plus (i) any additional series of Notes permitted to be issued pursuant to
Section 4.09(a) hereof and (ii) except as provided in Section 2.07 hereof.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Issuer 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 Issuer.
SECTION 2.03. REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT.
The Issuer 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
Issuer 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 additional paying agent. The Issuer may change any Paying
Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Issuer shall notify the
Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this
Indenture. If the Issuer fails to appoint or maintain another entity as
Registrar or Paying Agent, the
20
Trustee shall act as such. The Issuer or any of their respective Subsidiaries
may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.
The Issuer initially appoints The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") to act
as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.
The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee to act as the Registrar and
Paying Agent and to act as Note Custodian with respect to the Global Notes.
SECTION 2.04. PAYING AGENT TO HOLD MONEY IN TRUST.
The Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer or a Subsidiary) shall have
no further liability for the money. If the Issuer 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 Issuer, 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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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, the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a
nominee of such successor Depositary. All Global Notes will be exchanged by the
Issuer for Definitive Notes if (i) the Issuer 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
Issuer within 90 days after the date of such notice from the Depositary or (ii)
the Issuer 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 Issuer 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 or (ii) there shall have occurred and be continuing a
default or an Event of Default and the Trustee receives a request from the
Depositary to issue Definitive Notes. Upon the occurrence of either
21
of the preceding events in (i) or (ii) above, Definitive Notes shall be issued
in such names as the Depositary shall instruct 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 an 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 Issuer in accordance with
Section 2.06(f) hereof, the requirements of this Section 2.06(b)(ii) shall
22
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.
(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 Issuer;
(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 Participating 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
23
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 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 Issuer
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
24
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
Issuer 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 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 Issuer 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) 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.
(iii) 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 Issuer;
25
(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 Participating 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 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.
(iv) BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN UNRESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES TO
UNRESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES. 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
Issuer 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
26
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 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 Issuer 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, and 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
27
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 Issuer;
(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 Participating 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;
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 Issuer
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.
28
(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 his 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.
(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 Issuer;
(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 Participating
Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in
accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
29
(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
Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer,
and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer and (ii) Definitive Notes in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount 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 Issuer 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
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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 THE ISSUER OR ANY OF ITS 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 903 OR 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 THE ISSUER 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 THE ISSUER) 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 (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)(ii), (c)(iii),
(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
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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 DECRANE AIRCRAFT
HOLDINGS, INC."
(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 will 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 will 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.
(i) GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO TRANSFERS AND EXCHANGES.
(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer
shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and
Definitive Notes upon the Issuer'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 Issuer 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 3.06, 3.09, 4.10 and 4.14 hereof).
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(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 Issuer, 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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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 and
Liquidated Damages, if any, on such Notes and for all other purposes, and
none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Issuer 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 Issuer and the
Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft
of any Note, the Issuer 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 Issuer, an indemnity
bond must be supplied by the Holder that is sufficient in the judgment of the
Trustee and the Issuer to protect the Issuer, the Trustee, any Agent and any
authenticating agent from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is
replaced. The Issuer may charge for its expenses in replacing a Note.
Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Issuer 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
33
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 Issuer or an
Affiliate of the Issuer holds the Note; however, Notes held by the Issuer or a
Subsidiary of the Issuer shall not be deemed to be outstanding for purposes of
Section 3.07 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 Issuer, 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
Issuer, or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or
under direct or indirect common control with the Issuer, 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 Issuer
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 Issuer considers
appropriate for temporary Notes and as shall be reasonably acceptable to the
Trustee. Without unreasonable delay, the Issuer 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 Issuer 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
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 Issuer. The Issuer 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.
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If the Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer (or, upon
the written request of the Issuer, the Trustee in the name and at the expense of
the Issuer) 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 Issuer 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 at any time, selection of
Notes for redemption will be made by the Trustee 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 by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate; PROVIDED
that no Notes of $1,000 or less shall be redeemed in part.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer 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.
SECTION 3.03. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
Subject to the provisions of Section 3.09 hereof, notices of redemption
shall be mailed by first class mail at least 30 but not more than 60 days before
the redemption date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered
address. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption
that relates to such Note shall state the portion of the principal amount
thereof to be redeemed. A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed
portion thereof will be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon
cancellation of the original Note. Notes called for redemption become due on the
date fixed for redemption. On and after the redemption date, interest ceases to
accrue on Notes or portions of them called for redemption.
35
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 Issuer 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 Issuer's request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in
the Issuer's name and at its expense; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer any money
deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Issuer in excess of the
amounts necessary to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, all
Notes to be redeemed.
If the Issuer 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 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
36
surrender for redemption because of the failure of the Issuer 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 and Liquidated Damages, if any, 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 Issuer shall issue
and, upon the Issuer's written request, the Trustee shall authenticate for the
Holder at the expense of the Issuer a new Note equal in principal amount to the
unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered.
SECTION 3.07. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.
(a) Except as provided below, the Notes will not be redeemable at the
Issuer's option prior to September 30, 2003. Thereafter, the Notes will be
subject to redemption at any time at the option of the Issuer, in whole or in
part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice, in cash at the
redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth
below, plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon
to the applicable redemption date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period
beginning on September 30 of the years indicated below:
YEAR PERCENTAGE
---- ----------
2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . 106.000%
2004. . . . . . . . . . . . . 104.000%
2005. . . . . . . . . . . . . 102.000%
2006 and thereafter . . . . . 100.000%
Notwithstanding the foregoing, on or prior to September 30, 2001, the
Issuer may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes ever
issued under this Indenture in cash at a redemption price of 112% of the
principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated
Damages, if any, thereon to the redemption date, with the net cash proceeds of
one or more Public Equity Offerings; PROVIDED that at least 65% of the aggregate
principal amount of Notes ever issued under this Indenture remains outstanding
immediately after the occurrence of any such redemption; and PROVIDED further
that such redemption shall occur within 90 days of the date of the closing of
any such Public Equity Offering.
In addition, at any time prior to September 30, 2003, the Issuer may, at
its option upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, redeem the Notes, in
whole but not in part, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' prior notice
(but in no event may any such redemption occur more than 60 days after the
occurrence of such Change of Control), in cash at a redemption price equal to
(i) the present value of the sum of all the remaining interest (excluding
accrued and unpaid interest, if any), premium and principal payments that would
become due on the Notes as if the Notes were to remain outstanding and be
redeemed on September 30, 2003, computed using a discount rate equal to the
Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, plus (ii) accrued and unpaid interest and
Liquidated Damages, if any, to the date of redemption.
37
(b) 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 Issuer is not required to make mandatory redemption of, 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 Issuer shall be
required to commence an offer to all Holders to purchase Notes (an "ASSET SALE
OFFER"), it shall follow the procedures specified below.
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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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 only elect to have all of such Note purchased and may not elect
to have only a portion of such Note purchased;
38
(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 Issuer, a depositary, if appointed by
the Issuer, 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
Issuer, 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 Issuer shall select the Notes to be
purchased on a PRO RATA basis (with such adjustments as may be deemed
appropriate by the Issuer so that only Notes in denominations of $1,000, or
integral multiples thereof, shall be purchased); and
(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 Issuer 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 Issuer in accordance with the
terms of this Section 3.09. The Issuer, 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
Issuer for purchase, and the Issuer shall promptly issue a new Note, and the
Trustee, upon written request from the Issuer 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 Issuer to the Holder thereof. The Issuer
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 Issuer 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 Issuer or a Subsidiary thereof, holds
as of 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the due date money deposited by the Issuer in
immediately available funds and designated for and sufficient to pay all
principal, premium, if any, and interest then
39
due. The Issuer 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 Issuer 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; they 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 Issuer 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 Issuer in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The
Issuer 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 Issuer
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.
The Issuer 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 Issuer of
its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, the
City of New York for such purposes. The Issuer 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 Issuer hereby designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as
one such office or agency of the Issuer in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof.
SECTION 4.03. REPORTS.
Whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, so
long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuer will furnish to the Holders of
Notes (a) all quarterly and annual financial information that would be required
to be contained in a filing with the Commission on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the
Issuer 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 Issuer's certified
independent accountants (PROVIDED that the Issuer may deliver financial
information with respect to its (direct or indirect) parent if the Issuer
delivers to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate certifying that such financial
information is substantially equivalent to the financial information with
respect to the Issuer) and (b) all current reports that would be required to be
filed with the Commission on Form 8-K if the Issuer were required to file such
reports, in each case, within the time periods specified in the Commission's
rules and regulations. In addition, following the consummation of the exchange
offer contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, whether or not required
by the rules and regulations of the Commission, the Issuer will file a copy of
all such information and reports with the Commission for public availability
within the time periods specified in the Commission's rules and regulations
(unless the Commission will not accept such a filing) and make such information
available to securities analysts and prospective investors upon request. In
addition, the Issuer and the Guarantors have agreed that, for so long
40
as any Notes remain outstanding, they will 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 Issuer 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 Issuer and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year
have been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to
determining whether the Issuer have kept, observed, performed and fulfilled
their 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
Issuer 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 Issuer 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
or Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes is prohibited or if such event has
occurred, a description of the event and what action the Issuer 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 Issuer's independent public accountants (which shall be
a firm of established national reputation) that in making the examination
necessary for certification of such financial statements, nothing has come to
their attention that would lead them to believe that the Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect
thereto.
SECTION 4.05. TAXES.
The Issuer 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 Issuer and each of the Guarantors covenant (to the extent that they may
lawfully do so) that they 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,
41
that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the
Issuer and each of the Guarantors (to the extent that they may lawfully do so)
hereby expressly waive all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenant
that they 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 Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, (a) declare or pay any dividend or make
any other payment or distribution on account of the Issuer's or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries' Equity Interests (other than dividends or distributions
payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer or
dividends or distributions payable to the Issuer or any Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary of the Issuer); (b) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire
for value any Equity Interests of the Issuer, any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
or any other Affiliate of the Issuer (other than any such Equity Interests owned
by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer); (c) make any
principal payment on or with respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or
otherwise acquire or retire for value, any Indebtedness of the Issuer that is
subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, except in accordance with the
mandatory redemption or repayment provisions set forth in the original
documentation governing such Indebtedness (but not pursuant to any mandatory
offer to repurchase upon the occurrence of any event); or (d) make any
Restricted Investment (all such payments and other actions set forth in clauses
(a) through (d) above being collectively referred to as "RESTRICTED PAYMENTS"),
unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment:
(i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof; and
(ii) the Issuer would, immediately after giving pro forma effect
thereto as if such 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 pursuant to the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of Section 4.09
hereof; and
(iii) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount
of all other Restricted Payments made by the Issuer and its Restricted
Subsidiaries after the date of this Indenture (excluding Restricted
Payments permitted by clauses (a) (to the extent that the declaration
of any dividend referred to therein reduces amounts available for
Restricted Payments pursuant to this clause (iii)), (b) through (i),
(k), (l), (o), (p) and (r) of the next succeeding paragraph), is less
than the sum, without duplication, of (A) 50% of the Consolidated Net
Income of the Issuer for the period (taken as one accounting period)
commencing October 1, 1998 to the end of the Issuer's most recently
ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are
available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, if such
Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, less 100% of
such deficit), plus (B) 100% of the Qualified Proceeds received by the
Issuer on or after the date of this Indenture from contributions to
the Issuer's capital or from the issue or sale on or after the date of
this Indenture of Equity Interests of the Issuer or of Disqualified
Stock or convertible debt securities of the Issuer to the extent that
they have been converted into such Equity Interests (other than Equity
Interests, Disqualified Stock or convertible debt securities sold to a
Subsidiary of the Issuer and other than Disqualified Stock or
convertible debt securities that
42
have been converted into Disqualified Stock), plus (C) the amount
equal to the net reduction in Investments in Persons after the date of
this Indenture who are not Restricted Subsidiaries (other than
Permitted Investments) resulting from (x) Qualified Proceeds received
as a dividend, repayment of a loan or advance or other transfer of
assets (valued at the fair market value thereof) to the Issuer or any
Restricted Subsidiary from such Persons, (y) Qualified Proceeds
received upon the sale or liquidation of such Investment and (z) the
redesignation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (excluding any increase in
the amount available for Restricted Payments pursuant to clause (j) or
(n) below arising from the redesignation of such Restricted
Subsidiary) whose assets are used or useful in, or which is engaged
in, one or more Permitted Business as Restricted Subsidiaries (valued
(proportionate to the Issuer's equity interest in such Subsidiary) at
the fair market value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time
of such redesignation).
The foregoing provisions will not prohibit:
(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) (i) the redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other
acquisition of any subordinated Indebtedness or Equity Interests of the Issuer
(the "RETIRED CAPITAL STOCK") in exchange for, or out of the net cash proceeds
of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Issuer)
of, other Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than any Disqualified Stock)
(the "REFUNDING CAPITAL 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 (iii)(B) of the
preceding paragraph;
(c) the defeasance, redemption, repurchase, retirement or other
acquisition of subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer with the net cash
proceeds from an incurrence of, or in exchange for, Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness;
(d) the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for
value of any Equity Interests of the Issuer or Holdings held by any member of
Holdings' or the Issuer's (or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries') management
pursuant to any management equity subscription agreement or stock option
agreement and any dividend to Holdings to fund any such repurchase, redemption,
acquisition or retirement, PROVIDED that (i) the aggregate price paid for all
such repurchased, redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests shall not
exceed (x) $4.0 million in any calendar year (with unused amounts in any
calendar year being carried over to succeeding calendar years subject to a
maximum (without giving effect to the following clause (y)) of $7.0 million in
any calendar year), plus (y) the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Issuer
during such calendar year from any reissuance of Equity Interests by the Issuer
or Holdings to members of management of the Issuer and its Restricted
Subsidiaries and (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing immediately after such transaction;
(e) payments and transactions in connection with the Acquisition, the
Acquisition Financing, the Offering, the New Credit Facility (including
commitment, syndication and arrangement fees payable thereunder) and the
application of the proceeds thereof (including the purchase of shares of common
stock of the Issuer and any payment therefor by way of dissenting rights or
otherwise) and the payment of fees and expenses with respect thereto;
43
(f) the payment of dividends or the making of loans or advances by the
Issuer to Holdings not to exceed $3.0 million in any fiscal year for costs and
expenses incurred by Holdings in its capacity as a holding company or for
services rendered by Holdings on behalf of the Issuer;
(g) payments or distributions to Holdings pursuant to any Tax Sharing
Agreement;
(h) the payment of dividends by a Restricted Subsidiary on any class of
common stock of such Restricted Subsidiary if (i) such dividend is paid pro rata
to all holders of such class of common stock and (ii) at least 51% of such class
of common stock is held by the Issuer or one or more of its Restricted
Subsidiaries;
(i) the repurchase of any class of common stock of a Restricted Subsidiary
if (i) such repurchase is made pro rata with respect to such class of common
stock and (ii) at least 51% of such class of common stock is held by the Issuer
or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(j) any other Restricted Investment made in a Permitted Business which,
together with all other Restricted Investments made pursuant to this clause (j)
since the date of this Indenture, does not exceed $25.0 million (in each case,
after giving effect to all subsequent reductions in the amount of any Restricted
Investment made pursuant to this clause (j), either as a result of (i) the
repayment or disposition thereof for cash or (ii) the redesignation of an
Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary (valued proportionate to the
Issuer's equity interest in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation)
at the fair market value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of
such redesignation), in the case of clause (i) and (ii), not to exceed the
amount of such Restricted Investment previously made pursuant to this clause
(j); PROVIDED that no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing immediately after making such Restricted Investment;
(k) the declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or
series of Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary issued
on or after the date of this Indenture in accordance with Section 4.09 hereof;
PROVIDED that no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing immediately after making such Restricted Payment;
(l) repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock
options if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of
such options;
(m) the payment of dividends or distributions on the Issuer's common
stock, following the first public offering of the Issuer's common stock or
Holdings' common stock after the date of this Indenture, of up to 6.0% per annum
of (i) the net proceeds received by the Issuer from such public offering of its
common stock or (ii) the net proceeds received by the Issuer from such public
offering of Holdings' common stock as common equity or preferred equity (other
than Disqualified Stock), other than, in each case, with respect to public
offerings with respect to the Issuer's common stock or Holdings' common stock
registered on Form S-8; PROVIDED that no Default or Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing immediately after any such payment of dividends or
distributions;
(n) any other Restricted Payment which, together with all other Restricted
Payments made pursuant to this clause (n) since the date of this Indenture, does
not exceed $10.0 million (in each case, after giving effect to all subsequent
reductions in the amount of any Restricted Investment made pursuant to this
clause (n) either as a result of (i) the repayment or disposition thereof for
cash or (ii) the redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted
Subsidiary (valued proportionate to the Issuer's equity interest in
44
such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation) at the fair market value of
the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation), in the
case of clause (i) and (ii), not to exceed the amount of such Restricted
Investment previously made pursuant to this clause (n); PROVIDED that no Default
or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing immediately after
making such Restricted Payment;
(o) the pledge by the Issuer of the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted
Subsidiary of the Issuer to secure Non-Recourse Debt of such Unrestricted
Subsidiary;
(p) the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value
of any Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary issued after the date of
this Indenture, PROVIDED that the aggregate price paid for any such repurchased,
redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests shall not exceed the sum of (i)
the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents received by such Restricted Subsidiary
from the issue or sale thereof and (ii) any accrued dividends thereon the
payment of which would be permitted pursuant to clause (k) above;
(q) any Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary that is funded by
Qualified Proceeds received by the Issuer on or after the date of the Indenture
from contributions to the Issuer's capital or from the issue and sale on or
after the date of this Indenture of Equity Interests of the Issuer or of
Disqualified Stock or convertible debt securities to the extent they have been
converted into such Equity Interests (other than Equity Interests, Disqualified
Stock or convertible debt securities sold to a Subsidiary of the Issuer and
other than Disqualified Stock or convertible debt securities that have been
converted into Disqualified Stock) in an amount (measured at the time such
Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value)
that does not exceed the amount of such Qualified Proceeds; and
(r) distributions or payments of Receivables Fees.
The board of directors of the Issuer may designate any Restricted
Subsidiary to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if such designation would not cause
a Default. For purposes of making such designation, all outstanding Investments
by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid in
cash) in the Subsidiary so designated will be deemed to be Restricted Payments
at the time of such designation and will reduce the amount available for
Restricted Payments under the first paragraph of this Section 4.07. All such
outstanding Investments will be deemed to constitute Restricted Investments in
an amount equal to the greater of (i) the net book value of such Investments at
the time of such designation and (ii) the fair market value of such Investments
at the time of such designation. Such designation will only be permitted if such
Restricted Investment would be permitted at such time and if such Restricted
Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
The amount of (i) 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 by the Issuer or such Restricted
Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment and (ii)
Qualified Proceeds (other than cash) shall be the fair market value on the date
of receipt thereof by the Issuer of such Qualified Proceeds. The fair market
value of any non-cash Restricted Payment shall be determined by the board of
directors of the Issuer whose resolution with respect thereto shall be delivered
to the Trustee. Not later than the date of making any Restricted Payment, the
Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that such
Restricted Payment is permitted and setting forth the basis upon which the
calculations required by this Section 4.07 were computed.
45
SECTION 4.08. DIVIDEND AND OTHER PAYMENT RESTRICTIONS AFFECTING RESTRICTED
SUBSIDIARIES.
The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to
exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any
Restricted Subsidiary to (a)(i) pay dividends or make any other distributions to
the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (A) on its Capital Stock or (B)
with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its
profits, or (ii) pay any Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries, (b) make loans or advances to the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries or (c) transfer any of its properties or assets to the
Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. However, the foregoing
restrictions will not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by
reason of (a) Existing Indebtedness as in effect on the date of this Indenture,
(b) the New Credit Facility as in effect as of the date of this Indenture, and
any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements,
refundings, replacements or refinancings thereof, (c) this Indenture and the
Notes, (d) applicable law and any applicable rule, regulation or order, (e) any
agreement or instrument of a Person acquired by the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition (except to
the extent created in contemplation of such 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, such Indebtedness was
permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be incurred, (f) customary
non-assignment provisions in leases and contracts entered into in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practices, (g) purchase money
obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business that impose
restrictions of the nature described in clause (e) above on the property so
acquired, (h) contracts for the sale of assets, including, without limitation,
customary restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement
that has been entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially
all of the Capital Stock or assets of such Subsidiary, (i) Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness, PROVIDED that the restrictions contained in the agreements
governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are, in the good faith
judgment of the Issuer's board of directors, not materially less favorable,
taken as a whole, to the Holders of the Notes than those contained in the
agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced, (j) secured Indebtedness
otherwise permitted to be incurred pursuant to Sections 4.09 and 4.12 hereof
that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets securing such
Indebtedness, (k) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by
customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, (l)
other Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries permitted to
be incurred subsequent to the Issuance Date pursuant to the provisions of
Section 4.09 hereof, (m) customary provisions in joint venture agreements and
other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, and
(n) restrictions created in connection with any Receivables Facility that, in
the good faith determination of the board of directors of the Issuer, are
necessary or advisable to effect such Receivables Facility.
SECTION 4.09. INCURRENCE OF INDEBTEDNESS AND ISSUANCE OF PREFERRED STOCK.
(a) the Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
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
Indebtedness), (b) the Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries to, issue any shares of Disqualified Stock and (c) the
Issuer will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of
preferred stock; PROVIDED that the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary may incur
Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue shares of Disqualified
Stock if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio
46
for the Issuer's most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which
internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on
which such additional Indebtedness is incurred or such Disqualified Stock is
issued would have been at least 2.0 to 1, determined on a consolidated pro forma
basis (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if
the additional Indebtedness had been incurred, or the Disqualified Stock had
been issued, as the case may be, at the beginning of such four-quarter period.
The provisions of the first paragraph of this Section 4.09 will not apply
to the incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness (collectively,
"PERMITTED INDEBTEDNESS"):
(i) the incurrence by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries of
Indebtedness under the New Credit Facility; PROVIDED that the aggregate
principal amount of all Indebtedness (with letters of credit being deemed to
have a principal amount equal to the maximum potential liability of the Issuer
and such Restricted Subsidiaries thereunder) then classified as having been
incurred in reliance upon this clause (i) that remains outstanding under the New
Credit Facility after giving effect to such incurrence does not exceed an amount
equal to $150.0 million;
(ii) the incurrence by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries of
Existing Indebtedness;
(iii) the incurrence by the Issuer of Indebtedness represented by the
Notes and this Indenture and by the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by
the Note Guarantees;
(iv) the incurrence by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries of
Indebtedness denominated in Swiss francs (or a European common currency as a
result of the implementation of European Monetary Union and the cessation of use
of Swiss francs as the lawful currency of Switzerland) in an aggregate principal
amount (or accreted value, as applicable) not to exceed $4.0 million outstanding
after giving effect to such incurrence;
(v) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
of Indebtedness represented by Capital Expenditure Indebtedness, Capital Lease
Obligations 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 Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, in an aggregate principal amount
(or accreted value, as applicable) not to exceed $15.0 million outstanding after
giving effect to such incurrence;
(vi) Indebtedness arising from agreements of the Issuer or any Restricted
Subsidiary providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or
similar obligations, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with the
disposition of any business, assets or a Subsidiary, other than guarantees of
Indebtedness incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such
business, assets or Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such
acquisition; PROVIDED that (A) such Indebtedness is not reflected on the balance
sheet of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (contingent obligations
referred to in a footnote or footnotes to financial statements and not otherwise
reflected on the balance sheet will not be deemed to be reflected on such
balance sheet for purposes of this clause (A)) and (B) the maximum assumable
liability in respect of such Indebtedness shall at no time exceed the gross
proceeds including non-cash proceeds (the fair market value of such non-cash
proceeds being measured at the time received and without giving effect to any
subsequent changes in value) actually received by the Issuer and/or such
Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such disposition;
47
(vii) the incurrence by the Issuer 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;
(viii) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
of intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Issuer and/or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries; PROVIDED that (i) if the Issuer is the obligor on such
Indebtedness, such Indebtedness is expressly subordinated to the prior payment
in full in cash of all Obligations with respect to the Notes and (ii)(A) any
subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such
Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Issuer or a Restricted
Subsidiary thereof and (B) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness
to a Person that is not either the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof
shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness
by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not
permitted by this clause (viii);
(ix) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
of Hedging Obligations that are incurred for the purpose of fixing or hedging
(A) interest rate risk with respect to any floating rate Indebtedness that is
permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be outstanding and (B) exchange rate
risk with respect to agreements or Indebtedness of such Person payable
denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, PROVIDED that such agreements
do not increase the Indebtedness of the obligor outstanding at any time other
than as a result of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or interest
rates or by reason of fees, indemnities and compensation payable thereunder;
(x) the guarantee by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of
Indebtedness of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that was
permitted to be incurred by another provision of this Section 4.09;
(xi) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
of Acquired Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, as
applicable) not to exceed $10.0 million outstanding after giving effect to such
incurrence;
(xii) obligations in respect of performance and surety bonds and
completion guarantees provided by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the
ordinary course of business; and
(xiii) the incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
of additional Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount (or accreted value,
as applicable) outstanding after giving effect to such incurrence, including all
Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance or replace any
Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (xiii), not to exceed $20.0
million.
For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.09, in the event
that an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the
categories of Permitted Indebtedness described in clauses (i) through (xiii)
above or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this
Section 4.09, the Issuer shall, in its sole discretion, classify such item of
Indebtedness in any manner that complies with this Section 4.09 and such item of
Indebtedness will be treated as having been incurred pursuant to only one of
such clauses or pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section 4.09. In
addition, the Issuer may, at any time, change the classification of an item of
Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) to any other clause or to the first
paragraph hereof PROVIDED that the Issuer would be permitted to incur such item
of Indebtedness (or such portion thereof) pursuant to such other clause or the
first paragraph of this Section 4.09, as the case
48
may be, at such time of reclassification. Accrual of interest, accretion or
amortization of original issue discount will not be deemed to be an incurrence
of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 4.09.
All Indebtedness under the New Credit Facility outstanding on the date of
this Indenture shall be deemed to have been incurred on such date in reliance on
the first paragraph of this Section 4.09.
SECTION 4.10. ASSET SALES
The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless (a) the Issuer or such
Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of
such Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value (evidenced by a
resolution of the board of directors set forth in an Officers' Certificate
delivered to the Trustee) of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or
otherwise disposed of and (b) at least 75% of the consideration therefor
received by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary is in the form of (i) cash
or Cash Equivalents or (ii) property or assets that are used or useful in a
Permitted Business, or the Capital Stock of any Person engaged in a Permitted
Business if, as a result of the acquisition by the Issuer or any Restricted
Subsidiary thereof, such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; PROVIDED that
the amount of (x) any liabilities (as shown on the Issuer's or such Restricted
Subsidiary's most recent balance sheet), of the Issuer or any Restricted
Subsidiary (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities that are by their
terms subordinated to the Notes or any guarantee thereof) that are assumed by
the transferee of any such assets pursuant to a customary novation agreement
that releases the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary from further liability,
(y) any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Issuer or any
such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are contemporaneously
(subject to ordinary settlement periods) converted by the Issuer or such
Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents (to the extent of the cash
or Cash Equivalents received), and (z) any Designated Noncash Consideration
received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Asset Sale
having an aggregate fair market value, taken together with all other Designated
Noncash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (z) that is at that time
outstanding, not to exceed 15% of Total Assets at the time of the receipt of
such Designated Noncash Consideration (with the fair market value of each item
of Designated Noncash Consideration being measured at the time received and
without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), shall be deemed to be
cash for purposes of this Section 4.10; and PROVIDED further that the 75%
limitation referred to in clause (b) above will not apply to any Asset Sale in
which the cash or Cash Equivalents portion of the consideration received
therefrom, determined in accordance with the foregoing proviso, is equal to or
greater than what the after-tax proceeds would have been had such Asset Sale
complied with the aforementioned 75% limitation.
Within 365 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale,
the Issuer or any such Restricted Subsidiary shall apply such Net Proceeds, at
its option (or to the extent the Issuer is required to apply such Net Proceeds
pursuant to the terms of the New Credit Facility), to (a) repay or purchase
Senior Indebtedness or Pari Passu Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Indebtedness
of any Restricted Subsidiary, PROVIDED that, if the Issuer shall so repay or
purchase Pari Passu Indebtedness of the Issuer, it will equally and ratably
reduce Indebtedness under the Notes if the Notes are then redeemable, or, if the
Notes may not then be redeemed, the Issuer shall make an offer (in accordance
with the procedures set forth below for an Asset Sale Offer) to all Holders of
Notes to purchase at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of
the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest and Liquidated Damages, if any,
thereon to the date of purchase, the Notes that would otherwise be redeemed or
(b) an investment in property, the making of a capital expenditure or the
acquisition of assets that are used or useful in a Permitted Business, or
Capital Stock of any Person primarily engaged in a Permitted Business if (i) as
a result of the acquisition by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary thereof,
such Person becomes a Restricted
49
Subsidiary or (ii) the Investment in such Capital Stock is permitted by clause
(f) of the definition of Permitted Investments. Pending the final application of
any such Net Proceeds, the Issuer may temporarily reduce Indebtedness or
otherwise invest such 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 first sentence of this paragraph will be deemed to constitute
"Excess Proceeds." When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $10.0
million, the Issuer shall be required to make an offer to all Holders of Notes
(an "Asset Sale Offer") 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, thereon to the date of purchase, in
accordance with the procedures set forth in this Indenture. To the extent that
any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Asset Sale Offer, the Issuer
may use such Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by this
Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by Holders
thereof in connection with an Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Excess
Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased as set forth in
Section 3.02 hereof. Upon completion of such offer to purchase, the amount of
Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
The Issuer 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 the Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the
provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of
this Indenture relating to such Asset Sale Offer, the Issuer will comply with
the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have
breached its obligations described in this Indenture by virtue thereof.
SECTION 4.11. TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES.
The Issuer 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 of the Issuer (each of the foregoing, an "AFFILIATE
TRANSACTION"), unless (a) such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no
less favorable to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that would
have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Issuer or such Restricted
Subsidiary with an unrelated Person and (b) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee,
with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate
Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $7.5 million, either
(i) a resolution of the board of directors set forth in an Officers' Certificate
certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with clause (a) above and
that such Affiliate Transaction has been approved by a majority of the
disinterested members of the board of directors or (ii) an opinion as to the
fairness to the Holders of such Affiliate Transaction from a financial point of
view issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national
standing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following items shall not be deemed to
be Affiliate Transactions:
(a) customary directors' fees, indemnification or similar arrangements or
any employment agreement or other compensation plan or arrangement entered into
by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of
business (including ordinary course loans to employees not to exceed (i) $5.0
million outstanding in the aggregate at any time and (ii) $2.0 million to any
one employee) and consistent with the past practice of the Issuer or such
Restricted Subsidiary; (b) transactions between or among the Issuer and/or its
Restricted Subsidiaries; (c) payments of customary fees by the Issuer or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries to DLJMB and its Affiliates made for any financial
advisory, financing,
50
underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking
activities, including, without limitation, in connection with acquisitions or
divestitures which are approved by a majority of the board of directors in good
faith; (d) any agreement as in effect on the date of this Indenture or any
amendment thereto (so long as such amendment is not disadvantageous to the
Holders of the Notes in any material respect) or any transaction contemplated
thereby; (e) payments and transactions in connection with the Acquisition, the
New Credit Facility and the Bridge Notes (including commitment, syndication and
arrangement fees payable thereunder) and the Offering (including discounts and
commissions in connection therewith) and the application of the proceeds
thereof, and the payment of the fees and expenses with respect thereto; (f)
Restricted Payments that are permitted by Section 4.07 hereof and any Permitted
Investments; (g) payments and transactions in connection with the GTP
Investment, and the payment of fees and expenses with respect thereto; and (h)
sales of accounts receivable, or participations therein, in connection with any
Receivables Facility.
SECTION 4.12. LIENS.
The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to
exist any Lien, other than a Permitted Lien, that secures obligations under any
Pari Passu Indebtedness or subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer on any asset
or property now owned or hereafter acquired by the Issuer or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries, or any income or profits therefrom or assign or convey
any right to receive income therefrom, unless the Notes are equally and ratably
secured with the obligations so secured until such time as such obligations are
no longer secured by a Lien; PROVIDED that, in any case involving a Lien
securing subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer, such Lien is subordinated to
the Lien securing the Notes to the same extent that such subordinated
Indebtedness is subordinated to the Notes.
SECTION 4.13. CORPORATE EXISTENCE.
Subject to Article 5 hereof, the Issuer shall do or cause to be done all
things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect (i) the
corporate, partnership or other existence of itself and each of its
Subsidiaries, in accordance with the respective organizational documents (as the
same may be amended from time to time) of the Issuer or any such Subsidiary and
(ii) the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Issuer
and its Subsidiaries; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Issuer shall not be required
to preserve any such right, license or franchise, or the corporate, partnership
or other existence of itself and 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 Issuer 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 4.14. OFFER TO REPURCHASE UPON CHANGE OF CONTROL.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each Holder of Notes will
have the right to require the Issuer to repurchase all or any part (equal to
$1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of such Holder's Notes pursuant to the
offer described below (the "CHANGE OF CONTROL OFFER") at an offer price in cash
equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid
interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, thereon to the date of repurchase (the
"CHANGE OF CONTROL PAYMENT"). Within 60 days following any Change of Control,
the Issuer will (or will cause the Trustee to) mail a notice to each Holder
describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control
and offering to repurchase Notes on the date specified in such notice, which
date 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"), pursuant to
51
the procedures required by this Indenture and described in such notice. The
Issuer 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 the Notes as
a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any
securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Indenture
relating to such Change of Control Offer, the Issuer shall comply with the
applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have
breached their obligations described in this Indenture by virtue thereof.
On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent
lawful, (a) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered
pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, (b) 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 (c) 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
Issuer. The Paying Agent will promptly mail to each Holder of Notes so tendered
the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will 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, if any; PROVIDED that each such new Note will be in a principal
amount of $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof. Prior to complying with the
provisions of this Section 4.14, but in any event within 90 days following a
Change of Control, the Issuer shall either repay all outstanding Senior
Indebtedness or obtain the requisite consents, if any, under all agreements
governing outstanding Senior Indebtedness to permit the repurchase of Notes
required by this Section 4.14. The Issuer shall publicly announce the results of
the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of
Control Payment Date.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.14, the
Issuer will 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
Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer and
purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of
Control Offer.
SECTION 4.15. NO SENIOR SUBORDINATED INDEBTEDNESS.
The Issuer shall not Incur any Indebtedness that is subordinate or junior
in right of payment to any Senior Indebtedness and senior in right of payment to
the Notes and no Guarantor shall Incur any Indebtedness that is subordinate or
junior in right of payment to any Senior Indebtedness and senior in right of
payment to the Note Guarantees.
SECTION 4.16. SALE AND LEASEBACK TRANSACTIONS.
The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, enter into any sale and leaseback transaction; PROVIDED that
the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary may enter into a sale and leaseback
transaction if (a) the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be,
could have (i) incurred Indebtedness in an amount equal to the Attributable
Indebtedness relating to such sale and leaseback transaction pursuant to the
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of Section
4.09 herein and (ii) incurred a Lien to secure such Indebtedness pursuant to
Section 4.12 hereof, (b) the gross cash proceeds of such sale and leaseback
transaction are at least equal to the fair market value (as determined in good
faith by the board of directors and set forth in an Officers' Certificate
delivered to the Trustee) of the property that is the subject of such sale and
leaseback transaction and (c) the transfer of
52
assets in such sale and leaseback transaction is permitted by, and the Issuer
applies the proceeds of such transaction in compliance with, Section 4.10
hereof.
SECTION 4.17. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE FACILITY
No Accounts Receivable Subsidiary will incur any Indebtedness if
immediately after giving effect to such incurrence the aggregate outstanding
Indebtedness of all Accounts Receivable Subsidiaries (excluding any Indebtedness
owed to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary) would exceed $60.0 million.
SECTION 4.18. ADDITIONAL NOTE GUARANTEES
If any Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is a Domestic
Subsidiary guarantees any Indebtedness under the New Credit Facility, then such
Restricted Subsidiary shall become a Guarantor by executing a Supplemental
Indenture in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E and deliver an Opinion of
Counsel to the Trustee to the effect that such Supplemental Indenture has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Subsidiary and constitutes a
valid and binding obligation of such Subsidiary, enforceable against such
Subsidiary in accordance with its terms (subject to customary exceptions).
ARTICLE 5.
SUCCESSORS
SECTION 5.01. MERGER, CONSOLIDATION, OR SALE OF ASSETS.
The Issuer may not consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the
Issuer is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, transfer, convey or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one
or more related transactions, to another Person unless (a) the Issuer is the
surviving corporation or the Person formed by or surviving any such
consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) or to which such sale,
assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition shall have been 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
such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) or the Person to which
such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition shall have been
made assumes all the obligations of the Issuer under the Registration Rights
Agreement, the Notes and this Indenture pursuant to a supplemental indenture in
a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, (c) immediately after such
transaction no Default or Event of Default exists and (d) the Issuer or the
Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than
the Issuer), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other
disposition shall have been made (i) will, at the time of such transaction and
after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such transaction had occurred at the
beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, 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 or (ii) would
(together with its Restricted Subsidiaries) have a higher Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio immediately after such transaction (after giving pro forma effect thereto
as if such transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable
four-quarter period) than the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Issuer and its
Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such transaction. The foregoing
clause (d) will not prohibit (a) a merger between the Issuer and a Wholly Owned
Subsidiary of Holdings created for the purpose of holding the Capital Stock of
the Issuer, (b) a merger between the Issuer and a Wholly Owned Restricted
Subsidiary or (c) a merger between the Issuer and an Affiliate incorporated
solely for the purpose of reincorporating the
53
Issuer in another State of the United States so long as, in each case, the
amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries is not
increased thereby. The Issuer shall not lease all or substantially all of its
assets to any Person.
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
Issuer in accordance with Section 5.01 hereof, the successor corporation formed
by such consolidation or into or with which the Issuer 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 "Issuer" shall refer instead to
the successor corporation and not to the Issuer), and may exercise every right
and power of the Issuer under this Indenture with the same effect as if such
successor Person had been named as the Issuer herein; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
the predecessor Issuer shall not be relieved from the obligation to pay the
principal of and interest or Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes except in
the case of a sale of all of the Issuer's assets that meets the requirements of
Section 5.01 hereof.
ARTICLE 6.
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
SECTION 6.01. EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
Each of the following constitutes an Event of Default:
(a) default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on, or
Liquidated Damages with respect to, the Notes (whether or not prohibited by
Article 10 hereof);
(b) default in payment when due of the principal of or premium, if any, on
the Notes (whether or not prohibited by Article 10 hereof);
(c) failure by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries for 30
days after receipt of notice from the Trustee or Holders of at least 25% in
principal amount of the Notes then outstanding to comply with Sections 4.07,
4.09, 4.10, 4.14 or Article 5 hereof;
(d) failure by the Issuer for 60 days after notice from the Trustee or the
Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding to
comply with any of its other agreements in this Indenture or the Notes;
(e) default 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 Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the
payment of which is guaranteed by the Issuer 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 Indebtedness at its stated final maturity (after giving effect to any
applicable grace period provided in such Indebtedness) (a "PAYMENT DEFAULT") or
(ii) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its stated final
maturity and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness,
together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which
54
there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so
accelerated, aggregates $10.0 million or more;
(f) failure by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay
final judgments aggregating in excess of $10.0 million (net of any amounts with
respect to which a reputable and creditworthy insurance company has acknowledged
liability in writing), which judgments are not paid, discharged or stayed for a
period of 60 days;
(g) except as permitted by this Indenture, any Note Guarantee shall be
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
its Note Guarantee; and
(h) the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant
Subsidiary or any group of Restricted 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,
(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
(i) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any
Bankruptcy Law that:
(i) is for relief against the Issuer or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted
Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant
Subsidiary in an involuntary case;
(ii) appoints a Custodian of the Issuer or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted
Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant
Subsidiary or for all or substantially all of the property of the Issuer or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any
group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a
Significant Subsidiary; or
(iii) orders the liquidation of the Issuer or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted
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.
SECTION 6.02. ACCELERATION.
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If any Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause
(h) or (i) of Section 6.01 hereof with respect to the Company, any Restricted
Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted
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 pursuant to the New Credit Facility shall be
outstanding, such acceleration shall not be effective until the earlier of
(a) an acceleration of any such Indebtedness under the New Credit Facility or
(b) five business days after receipt by the Issuer and the administrative agent
under the New Credit Facility of written notice of such acceleration. Upon any
such declaration, the Notes shall become due and payable immediately.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in clause (h) or
(i) of Section 6.01 hereof occurs with respect to the Issuer, any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of
Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant
Subsidiary, all outstanding Notes shall become 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
or Liquidated Damages, if any, that has become due solely because of the
acceleration) have been cured or waived, PROVIDED that, in the event of a
declaration of acceleration of the Notes because an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing as a result of the acceleration of any Indebtedness
described in clause (e) of Section 6.01 hereof, the declaration of acceleration
of the Notes shall be automatically annulled if the holders of any Indebtedness
described in clause (e) have rescinded the declaration of acceleration in
respect of such Indebtedness within 30 days of the date of such declaration and
if (i) the annulment of the acceleration of the Notes would not conflict with
any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (ii) all
existing Events of Default, except non-payment of principal or interest on the
Notes that became due solely because of the acceleration of the Notes, have been
cured or waived.
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 and Liquidated Damages, if any, 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
56
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.
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 Issuer for the whole amount of principal
of, premium and Liquidated Damages, if any, and interest remaining unpaid on the
Notes and interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, on overdue principal and, to
the extent lawful, interest and such further amount as shall be sufficient to
cover the costs and expenses of
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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 Issuer
(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 6, 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;
SECOND: to holders of Senior Indebtedness to the extent required by
Article 10 or Section 11.02 hereof;
THIRD: 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
FOURTH: to the Issuer 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.
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SECTION 6.11. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS.
In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture
or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as 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 man would
exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his 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 7.01;
(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.
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(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), (c), (e) and (f) of this Section 7.01 and Section 7.02 hereof.
(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 Issuer. 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 Issuer shall be sufficient if signed by an
Officer of the Issuer.
(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.
(g) Except with respect to Section 4.01 hereof, the Trustee shall have no
duty to inquire as to the performance of the Issuer's covenants in Article 4
hereof. In addition, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any
Default or Event of Default except (i) any Event of Default occurring pursuant
to Sections 6.01(a), 6.01(b) and 4.01 or (ii) any Default or Event of Default of
which the Trustee shall have received written notification or obtained actual
knowledge.
(h) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the
facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent,
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order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or
document, but the Trustee may, in its discretion, make such further inquiry or
investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit and if the Trustee
shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be
entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Issuer personally or
by agent or attorney.
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 Issuer or any Affiliate of the
Issuer with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. However, in
the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate
such conflict within 90 days, apply to the Commission 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 Issuer's use of the proceeds from the Notes or any money
paid to the Issuer or upon the Issuer'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 or Liquidated Damages, if any, 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 March 15 beginning with the March 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 (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 Issuer and filed with the Commission and each stock
exchange on which the Notes are listed in accordance with TIA Section 313(d).
The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee when the Notes are listed on any
stock exchange.
SECTION 7.07. COMPENSATION AND INDEMNITY.
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The Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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 Issuer (including
this Section 7.07) and defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by
the Issuer or any Holder or any other person) or liability in connection with
the exercise or performance of any of its powers or 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 Issuer promptly of any
claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the
Issuer shall not relieve the Issuer of its obligations hereunder. The Issuer
shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The
Trustee may have separate counsel and the Issuer shall pay the reasonable fees
and expenses of such counsel. The Issuer need not pay for any settlement made
without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
The obligations of the Issuer under this Section 7.07 shall survive the
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
To secure the Issuer'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(h) or (i) 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 Issuer. The Holders of Notes of a
majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may remove the
Trustee by so notifying the Trustee and the Issuer in writing. The Issuer may
remove the Trustee if:
(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof;
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(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 Issuer 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 Issuer.
If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the
retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Issuer, or the
Holders of Notes 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.
If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder of a Note who has been
a Holder of a Note for at least six months, fails to comply with Section 7.10
hereof, such Holder of a Note 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 Issuer. 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 of the Notes. 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 Issuer'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 ISSUER.
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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 Issuer 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 8.
SECTION 8.02. LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE.
Upon the Issuer's exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option
applicable to this Section 8.02, the Issuer and the Guarantors shall, subject to
the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be deemed
to have been discharged from their obligations with respect to all outstanding
Notes and Notes Guarantees on the date the conditions set forth below are
satisfied (hereinafter, "LEGAL DEFEASANCE"). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance
means that the Issuer 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 Issuer, 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 payments in
respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest and Liquidated
Damages, if any, on such Notes when such payments are due from the trust
referred to below,
(b) the Issuer's obligations with respect to the Notes concerning issuing
temporary Notes, registration of Notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen
Notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for
security payments held in trust,
(c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee, and
the Issuer's obligations in connection therewith and
(d) the Legal Defeasance provisions of this Indenture.
SECTION 8.03. COVENANT DEFEASANCE.
Upon the Issuer's exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option
applicable to this Section 8.03, the Issuer and each Guarantor shall, subject to
the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be released
from their obligations under the covenants contained in Sections 4.07, 4.08,
4.09, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.14, 4.15, 4.16, 4.17 and 4.18 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
64
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 Issuer 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 Issuer'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(d) 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 Issuer must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for
the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, cash in U.S. 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, if any, and interest and
Liquidated Damages, if any, on the outstanding Notes on the stated maturity or
on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Issuer must
specify whether the Notes are being defeased to maturity or to a particular
redemption date;
(b) in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to
the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States reasonably acceptable to
the Trustee confirming that (i) the Issuer has received from, or there has been
published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (ii) 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, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, 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 Covenant Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to
the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States reasonably acceptable to
the Trustee confirming that, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions,
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 borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit) or, insofar as Events
of Default from bankruptcy or insolvency events are concerned, at any time in
the period ending on the 123rd day after the date of deposit;
65
(e) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will 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 Issuer or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is
bound;
(f) the Issuer must have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to
the effect that, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, after the
123rd day following the deposit, the trust funds will not be subject to the
effect of Section 547 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any analogous New
York State law provision or any other applicable federal or New York bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors' rights
generally;
(g) the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate
stating that the deposit was not made by the Issuer with the intent of
preferring the Holders of Notes over the other creditors of the Issuer with the
intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Issuer
or others; and
(h) the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate and an
Opinion of Counsel (which opinion may be subject to customary assumptions and
exclusions), each stating that all conditions precedent provided for 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 Issuer 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 and
Liquidated Damages, if any, but such money need not be segregated from other
funds except to the extent required by law.
The Issuer 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 8 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee
shall deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time upon the request of the
Issuer 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 ISSUER.
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Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by
the Issuer, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or
interest or Liquidated Damages, if any, on any Note and remaining unclaimed for
two years after such principal, and premium, if any, or interest or Liquidated
Damages, if any, has become due and payable shall be paid to the Issuer on its
request or (if then held by the Issuer) shall be discharged from such trust; and
the Holder of such Note shall thereafter, as a secured creditor, look only to
the Issuer for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying
Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Issuer as
trustees 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 Issuer 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 will be repaid to the Issuer.
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 Issuer'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 Issuer makes any
payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest or Liquidated Damages, if
any, on any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer
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 Issuer, 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;
(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 Issuer's or Guarantor's
obligations to the Holders of the Notes by a successor to the Issuer or a
Guarantor 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 materially adversely
affect the legal rights hereunder of any Holder of the Note;
(e) to comply with requirements of the Commission in order to effect or
maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA;
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(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 Issuer accompanied by a resolution of their 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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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 may be amended or supplemented 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 or
Liquidated Damages, if any, 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). Notwithstanding the foregoing, any (i) amendment to or
waiver of Sections 4.10 and 4.14 hereof, and (ii) amendment to Article 10 herein
will require the consent of the Holders of at least two-thirds in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes then outstanding if such amendment would
materially adversely affect the rights of Holders of 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 Issuer 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 Issuer 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.
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.
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After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 becomes
effective, the Issuer shall mail to the Holders of Notes affected thereby a
notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Any failure of
the Issuer 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 Issuer 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 the provisions with respect to the redemption of the Notes (other than
Sections 4.10 and 4.14 hereof),
(c) reduce the rate of or extent the time for payment of interest on any
Note,
(d) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of or
premium, if any, 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 Notes 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,
(g) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Note (other than
Sections 4.10 and 4.14 hereof,
(h) release any Guarantor from its obligations under its Note Guarantee or
this Indenture, except in accordance with the terms of this Indenture, or
(i) make any change in the foregoing amendment and waiver provisions.
SECTION 9.03. COMPLIANCE WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT.
Every amendment or supplement to this Indenture or the Notes shall be set
forth in an amended or supplemental Indenture that complies with the TIA as then
in effect.
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,
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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 Issuer 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 9 if the amendment or supplement does not adversely
affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. The Issuer
may not sign an amendment or supplemental Indenture until its 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
11.04 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 Issuer agrees, and each Holder by accepting a Note agrees, that the
payment of Subordinated Note Obligations are subordinated in right of payment,
to the extent and in the manner set forth in this Article 10, to the prior
payment in full in cash or cash equivalents of all Senior Indebtedness, whether
outstanding on the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred and that the
subordination is for the benefit of the holders of Senior Indebtedness. The
provisions of this Article 10 shall constitute a continuing offer to all Persons
that, in reliance upon such provisions, become holders of, or continue to hold
Senior Indebtedness, and they or each of them may enforce the rights of holders
of Senior Indebtedness hereunder, subject to the terms and provisions hereof.
SECTION 10.02. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
"CASH EQUIVALENTS" means Cash Equivalents of the type described in clause
(i) of the definition thereof maturing not more than 90 days after the date of
the acquisition thereof.
"DESIGNATED SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS" means (a) any Indebtedness outstanding
under the New Credit Facility and (b) any other Senior Indebtedness permitted
under this Indenture the principal amount of which is $25.0 million or more and
that has been designated by the Issuer in writing to the Trustee as "Designated
Senior Indebtedness."
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"PERMITTED JUNIOR SECURITIES" means Equity Interests in the Issuer or debt
securities of the Issuer that are subordinated to all Senior Indebtedness (and
any debt securities issued in exchange for Senior Indebtedness) to substantially
the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Notes are subordinated to
Senior Indebtedness.
"REPRESENTATIVE" means the indenture trustee or other trustee, agent or
representative for any Senior Indebtedness.
"SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS" means, with respect to any Person, (a) all
Obligations of such Person outstanding under the New Credit Facility and all
Hedging Obligations payable to a lender or an Affiliate thereof or to a Person
that was a lender or an Affiliate thereof at the time the contract was entered
into under the New Credit Facility or any of its Affiliates, including, without
limitation, interest accruing subsequent to the filing of, or which would have
accrued but for the filing of, a petition for bankruptcy, whether or not such
interest is an allowable claim in such bankruptcy proceeding, (b) any other
Indebtedness, unless the instrument under which such Indebtedness is incurred
expressly provides that it is subordinated in right of payment to any other
Senior Indebtedness of such Person and (c) all Obligations with respect to the
foregoing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, Senior
Indebtedness will not include (i) any liability for federal, state, local or
other taxes, (ii) any Indebtedness of such Person (other than pursuant to the
New Credit Facility) to any of its Subsidiaries or other Affiliates, (iii) any
trade payables or (iv) any Indebtedness that is incurred in violation of this
Indenture.
"SUBORDINATED NOTE OBLIGATIONS" means all Obligations with respect to the
Notes, including, without limitation, principal, premium (if any), interest and
Liquidated Damages payable pursuant to the terms of the Notes (including upon
the acceleration or redemption thereof), together with and including any amounts
received or receivable upon the exercise of rights of rescission or other rights
of action (including claims for damages) or otherwise.
A "distribution" or "payment" may consist of a distribution, payment or
other transfer of assets by or on behalf of the Issuer (including, without
limitation, a redemption, repurchase or other acquisition of the Notes) from any
source, of any kind or character, whether in cash, securities or other property,
by set-off or otherwise.
SECTION 10.03. LIQUIDATION; DISSOLUTION; BANKRUPTCY.
Upon any distribution to creditors of the Issuer in a liquidation or
dissolution of the Issuer or in a bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency,
receivership or similar proceeding relating to the Issuer or its property, an
assignment for the benefit of creditors or any marshalling of the Issuer's
assets and liabilities, (a) the holders of Senior Indebtedness will be entitled
to receive payment in full in cash or cash equivalents of all Obligations due in
respect of such Senior Indebtedness (including interest after the commencement
of any such proceeding at the rate specified in the applicable Senior
Indebtedness) before the Holders of Notes will be entitled to receive any
payment with respect to the Subordinated Note Obligations, and (b) until all
Obligations with respect to Senior Indebtedness are paid in full in cash or cash
equivalents, any distribution to which the Holders of Notes would be entitled
shall be made to the holders of Senior Indebtedness (except that Holders of
Notes may receive and retain Permitted Junior Securities and payments made from
the trust described Section 8.04 hereof) as their interests appear.
SECTION 10.04. DEFAULT ON DESIGNATED SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS.
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The Issuer may not make any payment or distribution to the Trustee or any
Holder upon or in respect of the Subordinated Note Obligations (except in
Permitted Junior Securities or from the trust described in Section 8.04 hereof)
until all principal and other obligations with respect to Senior Indebtedness
have been paid in full in cash or cash equivalents, if
(a) a default in the payment of the principal (including reimbursement
obligations in respect of letters of credit) of, premium, if any, or interest on
or commitment fees relating to, Designated Senior Indebtedness occurs and is
continuing beyond any applicable period of grace, or
(b) any other default occurs and is continuing with respect to Designated
Senior Indebtedness that permits holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness
as to which such default relates to accelerate its maturity and the Trustee
receives a notice of such default (a "PAYMENT BLOCKAGE NOTICE") from the Issuer
or the holders of any Designated Senior Indebtedness.
Payments on the Notes may and shall be resumed (a) in the case of a payment
default, upon the date on which such default is cured or waived and (b) in case
of a nonpayment default, the earlier of the date on which such nonpayment
default is cured or waived or 179 days after the date on which the applicable
Payment Blockage Notice is received, unless the maturity of any Designated
Senior Indebtedness has been accelerated. No new period of payment blockage may
be commenced unless and until 360 days have elapsed since the effectiveness of
the immediately prior Payment Blockage Notice. 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 or cured for a period of not
less than 90 days.
SECTION 10.05. ACCELERATION OF SECURITIES.
If payment of the Notes is accelerated because of an Event of Default, the
Issuer shall promptly notify holders of Senior Indebtedness of the acceleration.
SECTION 10.06. WHEN DISTRIBUTION MUST BE PAID OVER.
In the event that the Trustee or any Holder receives any payment of any
Subordinated Note Obligations at a time when the Trustee or such Holder, as
applicable, has actual knowledge that such payment is prohibited by Section
10.03 or 10.04 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 Indebtedness as their interests
may appear or their Representative under the indenture or other agreement (if
any) pursuant to which Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their
respective interests may appear, for application to the payment of all
Obligations with respect to Senior Indebtedness 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 Indebtedness.
With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, 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 Indebtedness 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 Indebtedness, 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 Issuer or any other Person money or assets to which any
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holders of Senior Indebtedness 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 10.07. NOTICE BY ISSUER.
The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee and the Paying Agent of any
facts known to the Issuer 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 Indebtedness as
provided in this Article 10.
SECTION 10.08. SUBROGATION.
After all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full in cash or cash equivalents
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 Indebtedness to receive distributions applicable
to Senior Indebtedness to the extent that distributions otherwise payable to the
Holders of Notes have been applied to the payment of Senior Indebtedness. A
distribution made under this Article 10 to holders of Senior Indebtedness that
otherwise would have been made to Holders of Notes is not, as between the Issuer
and Holders, a payment by the Issuer on the Notes.
SECTION 10.09. RELATIVE RIGHTS.
This Article 10 defines the relative rights of Holders of Notes and holders
of Senior Indebtedness. Nothing in this Indenture shall:
(1) impair, as between the Issuer and Holders of Notes, the obligation of
the Issuer, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay principal of and
interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes in accordance with their
terms;
(2) affect the relative rights of Holders of Notes and creditors of the
Issuer other than its rights in relation to holders of Senior Indebtedness; or
(3) 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 Indebtedness to receive distributions and payments
otherwise payable to Holders of Notes.
If the Issuer fails because of this Article 10 to pay principal of or
interest or Liquidated Damages, if any, on a Note on the due date, the failure
is still a Default or Event of Default.
SECTION 10.10. SUBORDINATION MAY NOT BE IMPAIRED BY ISSUER.
No right of any holder of Senior Indebtedness to enforce the subordination
of the Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes shall be impaired by any act or
failure to act by the Issuer or any Holder or by the failure of the Issuer or
any Holder to comply with this Indenture.
SECTION 10.11. DISTRIBUTION OR NOTICE TO REPRESENTATIVE.
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Whenever a distribution is to be made or a notice given to holders of
Senior Indebtedness, the distribution may be made and the notice given to their
Representative.
Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Issuer 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 Indebtedness and other Indebtedness of
the Issuer, 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 10.12. 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 Issuer 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
Indebtedness with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any
Agent may do the same with like rights.
SECTION 10.13. 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 Representative is hereby authorized to file an appropriate claim
for and on behalf of the Holders of the Notes.
SECTION 10.14. NO WAIVER OF SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS.
(a) No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to
enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be
prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act by any such holder.
(b) Without in any way limiting the generality of paragraph (a) of this
Section 10.14, the holders of Senior Indebtedness may, at any time and from time
to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or any Holder, without
incurring responsibility to any Holder and without impairing or releasing the
subordination provided in this Article 10 or the obligations hereunder of the
Holders to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the
following: (i) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time
of payment of, or renew or alter, any Senior Indebtedness or any instrument
evidencing the same or any agreement under which Senior Indebtedness is
outstanding; (ii)
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sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged
or otherwise securing Senior Indebtedness; (iii) release any Person liable in
any manner for the collection of Senior Indebtedness; and (iv) exercise or
refrain from exercising any rights against either Issuer or any other Person.
SECTION 10.15. AMENDMENTS.
The provisions of this Article 10 shall not be amended or modified without
the written consent of the holders of all Senior Indebtedness.
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 Issuer hereunder or thereunder, that: (a) the principal
of and interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, 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 and Liquidated
Damages, if any, on the Notes, if any, if lawful, and all other obligations of
the Issuer 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 (b) 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 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 Issuer, 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 Issuer, any right to require a
proceeding first against the Issuer, 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 Issuer, the Guarantors or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or
other similar official acting in relation to either the Issuer 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
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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 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 Guarantors agree, and each Holder by accepting a Note agrees, that the
Obligations of each Guarantor under its Note Guarantee pursuant to this Article
11 shall be junior and subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of such Guarantor
on the same basis as the Notes are junior and subordinated to Senior
Indebtedness of the Issuer as provided in Article 10 hereof. 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 Section 4.15 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 under its Note Guarantee and this Article 11 shall be limited to the
maximum amount as will, 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 11, 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 this Indenture shall be executed on behalf of such Guarantor
by one of its officers.
If an Officer whose signature is on this Indenture no longer holds that
office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note, 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 Issuer creates or acquires any new Subsidiaries
subsequent to the date of this Indenture, if required by Section 4.20 hereof,
the Issuer shall cause such Subsidiaries to execute
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supplemental indentures to this Indenture in accordance with Section 4.20 hereof
and this Article 11, to the extent applicable.
SECTION 11.05. GUARANTORS MAY CONSOLIDATE, ETC., ON CERTAIN TERMS.
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) subject to Section 11.06 hereof, the Person formed by or surviving any
such consolidation or merger (if other than a Guarantor or the Issuer)
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;
(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or
Event of Default exists; and
(c) the Issuer would, at the time of such transaction and after giving pro
forma effect thereto as if such transaction had occurred at the beginning of the
applicable four-quarter period, 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 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. 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 Issuer
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 Issuer or
another Guarantor.
SECTION 11.06. RELEASES FOLLOWING SALE OF ASSETS.
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 of the capital stock of any Guarantor, 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 this Indenture, including without limitation Section 4.10 hereof.
Upon delivery by the Issuer 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 Issuer in
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accordance with the applicable 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.
Any Guarantor not released from its obligations under its Note Guarantee
shall remain liable for the full amount of principal of and interest and
Liquidated Damages, if any, on the Notes and for the other obligations of any
Guarantor under this Indenture as provided in this Article 11.
ARTICLE 12.
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 12.01. 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 12.02. NOTICES.
Any notice or communication by the Issuer, 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 Issuer and/or Guarantor:
DeCrane Aircraft Holdings, Inc.
2361 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 180
El Segundo, California 90245
Telecopier No.:
Attention:
With a copy to:
Davis Polk & Wardwell
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Telecopier No.: (212) 450-4800
Attention: Richard Truesdell, Jr, Esq.
If to the Trustee:
State Street Bank and Trust Company
225 Asylum Street, 23rd Floor
Hartford, Connecticut 06103
Telecopier No.: 860-244-1889
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
(a) The Issuer, any Guarantor or the Trustee, by notice to the others may
designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or
communications.
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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 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 Issuer mails a notice or communication to Holders, it shall mail a
copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
SECTION 12.03. 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 Issuer, the
Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA Section
312(c).
SECTION 12.04. CERTIFICATE AND OPINION AS TO CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.
Upon any request or application by the Issuer to the Trustee to take any
action under this Indenture, the Issuer 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 12.05
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 12.05
hereof) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions
precedent and covenants have been satisfied.
SECTION 12.05. 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:
(a) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has
read such covenant or condition;
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(b) 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;
(c) 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
(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such
condition or covenant has been satisfied.
SECTION 12.06. 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 12.07. NO PERSONAL LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND
STOCKHOLDERS.
No member, director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the
Issuer or any Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations
of the Issuer or such Guarantor under the Notes, the Note Guarantees or this
Indenture 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 such liability. The waiver and release are part of the
consideration for issuance of the Notes.
SECTION 12.08. 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 12.09. NO ADVERSE INTERPRETATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or
debt agreement of the Issuer or its Subsidiaries or of any other Person. Any
such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this
Indenture.
SECTION 12.10. SUCCESSORS.
All agreements of the Issuer in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind its
successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its
successors.
SECTION 12.11. 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.
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SECTION 12.12. 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 12.13. 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.
[Signatures on following page]
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SIGNATURES
Dated as of October 5, 1998
DECRANE AIRCRAFT HOLDINGS, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
AEROSPACE DISPLAY SYSTEMS, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
AUDIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
AVTECH CORPORATION
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
CORY COMPONENTS, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
DETTMERS INDUSTRIES, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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ELSINORE AEROSPACE SERVICES, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
ELSINORE ENGINEERING, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
HOLLINGSEAD INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
TRI-STAR ELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By:
------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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