<PAGE>
Exhibit 4
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NORTH CAROLINA NATURAL GAS CORPORATION
TO
______________________________________,
Trustee
------------
Indenture
(For [Subordinated] Debt Securities)
Dated as of _______________, 200_
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<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS*
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
PARTIES........................................................................................... 1
RECITAL OF THE COMPANY............................................................................ 1
ARTICLE I Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application................................ 1
-------------------------------------------------------
Section 101. Definitions..................................................................... 1
Section 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions............................................ 8
Section 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.......................................... 9
Section 104. Acts of Holders................................................................. 10
Section 105. Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company............................................ 11
Section 106. Notice to Holders of Debt Securities; Waiver.................................... 12
Section 107. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act............................................... 13
Section 108. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents........................................ 13
Section 109. Successors and Assigns.......................................................... 13
Section 110. Separability Clause............................................................. 13
Section 111. Benefits of Indenture........................................................... 13
Section 112. Governing Law................................................................... 13
Section 113. Legal Holidays.................................................................. 13
ARTICLE II Debt Security Forms................................................................... 14
-------------------
Section 201. Forms Generally................................................................. 14
Section 202. Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication................................. 14
Section 203. Debt Securities Issuable in the Form of a Global Security....................... 15
ARTICLE III The Debt Securities.................................................................. 18
-------------------
Section 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series............................................ 18
Section 302. Denominations................................................................... 21
Section 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.................................. 22
Section 304. Temporary Debt Securities....................................................... 24
Section 305. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange............................. 25
Section 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Debt Securities........................... 26
Section 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.................................. 27
Section 308. Persons Deemed Owners........................................................... 28
Section 309. Cancellation by Debt Security Registrar......................................... 28
Section 310. Computation of Interest......................................................... 29
-------------------------
* This table of contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.
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(i)
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<TABLE>
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Section 311. Payment to be in Proper Currency............................................... 29
[Section 312. Extension of Interest Payment................................................. 29]
ARTICLE IV Redemption of Debt Securities........................................................ 30
-----------------------------
Section 401. Applicability of Article....................................................... 30
Section 402. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.......................................... 30
Section 403. Selection of Debt Securities to be Redeemed.................................... 30
Section 404. Notice of Redemption........................................................... 31
Section 405. Debt Securities Payable on Redemption Date..................................... 32
Section 406. Debt Securities Redeemed in Part............................................... 33
ARTICLE V Sinking Funds......................................................................... 33
-------------
Section 501. Applicability of Article....................................................... 33
Section 502. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Debt Securities..................... 33
Section 503. Redemption of Debt Securities for Sinking Fund................................. 34
ARTICLE VI Covenants............................................................................ 34
---------
Section 601. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest..................................... 34
Section 602. Maintenance of Office or Agency................................................ 35
Section 603. Money for Debt Securities Payments to be Held in Trust......................... 35
Section 604. Corporate Existence............................................................ 37
Section 605. Maintenance of Properties...................................................... 37
Section 606. Annual Officer's Certificate as to Compliance.................................. 37
Section 607. Waiver of Certain Covenants.................................................... 37
ARTICLE VII Satisfaction and Discharge.......................................................... 38
--------------------------
Section 701. Satisfaction and Discharge of Debt Securities.................................. 38
Section 702. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture........................................ 40
Section 703. Application of Trust Money..................................................... 41
ARTICLE VIII Events of Default; Remedies........................................................ 42
---------------------------
Section 801. Events of Default.............................................................. 42
Section 802. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment............................. 43
Section 803. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee................ 45
Section 804. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim............................................... 45
Section 805. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Debt Securities............... 46
Section 806. Application of Money Collected................................................. 46
Section 807. Limitation on Suits............................................................ 47
Section 808. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest...... 47
Section 809. Restoration of Rights and Remedies............................................. 48
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(ii)
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Section 810. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.................................................. 48
Section 811. Delay or Omission Not Waiver.................................................... 48
Section 812. Control by Holders of Debt Securities........................................... 48
Section 813. Waiver of Past Defaults......................................................... 49
Section 814. Undertaking for Costs........................................................... 49
Section 815. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws................................................ 49
ARTICLE IX The Trustee........................................................................... 50
-----------
Section 901. Certain Duties and Responsibilities............................................. 50
Section 902. Notice of Defaults.............................................................. 50
Section 903. Certain Rights of Trustee....................................................... 51
Section 904. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Debt Securities..................... 52
Section 905. May Hold Debt Securities........................................................ 52
Section 906. Money Held in Trust............................................................. 52
Section 907. Compensation and Reimbursement.................................................. 52
Section 908. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests......................................... 53
Section 909. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility......................................... 53
Section 910. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor............................... 54
Section 911. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.......................................... 56
Section 912. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business..................... 57
Section 913. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company............................... 57
Section 914. Co-trustees and Separate Trustees............................................... 58
Section 915. Appointment of Authenticating Agent............................................. 59
ARTICLE X Holders' Lists and Reports by Trustee and Company...................................... 61
-------------------------------------------------
Section 1001. Lists of Holders............................................................... 61
Section 1002. Reports by Trustee and Company................................................. 61
ARTICLE XI Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance or Other Transfer................................... 62
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Section 1101. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms........................... 62
Section 1102. Successor Corporation Substituted.............................................. 62
ARTICLE XII Supplemental Indentures.............................................................. 63
-----------------------
Section 1201. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders............................. 63
Section 1202. Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders................................ 65
Section 1203. Execution of Supplemental Indentures........................................... 66
Section 1204. Effect of Supplemental Indentures.............................................. 66
Section 1205. Conformity With Trust Indenture Act............................................ 67
Section 1206. Reference in Debt Securities to Supplemental Indentures........................ 67
Section 1207. Modification Without Supplemental Indenture.................................... 67
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(iii)
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ARTICLE XIII Meetings of Holders; Action Without Meeting........................................ 67
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Section 1301. Purposes for Which Meetings May be Called..................................... 67
Section 1302. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings............................................ 68
Section 1303. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.......................................... 68
Section 1304. Quorum; Action................................................................ 69
Section 1305. Attendance at Meetings; Determination of Voting Rights;
Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings............................................... 69
Section 1306. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings............................... 70
Section 1307. Action Without Meeting........................................................ 71
ARTICLE XIV Immunity of Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors..................... 71
---------------------------------------------------------------
Section 1401. Liability Solely Corporate.................................................... 71
[ARTICLE XV Subordination of Securities......................................................... 72
---------------------------
Section 1501. Securities Subordinate to Senior Indebtedness................................. 72
Section 1502. Payment Over of Proceeds of Securities........................................ 72
Section 1503. Disputes with Holders of Certain Senior Indebtedness.......................... 74
Section 1504. Subrogation................................................................... 74
Section 1505. Obligation of the Company Unconditional....................................... 75
Section 1506. Priority of Senior Indebtedness Upon Maturity................................. 75
Section 1507. Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness...................................... 76
Section 1508. Notice to Trustee to Effectuate Subordination................................. 76
Section 1509. Modification, Extension, etc. of Senior Indebtedness.......................... 76
Section 1510. Trustee Has No Fiduciary Duty to Holders of Senior Indebtedness............... 76
Section 1511. Paying Agents Other than the Trustee.......................................... 77
Section 1512. Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness Not Impaired......................... 77
Section 1513. This Article Not to Prevent Events of Default................................. 77
Section 1514. Effect of Subordination Provisions; Termination............................... 77]
Testimonium...................................................................................... 78
Signature and Seals.............................................................................. 79
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(iv)
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NORTH CAROLINA NATURAL GAS CORPORATION
Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939
and Indenture, dated as of _______________, 200_
Trust Indenture Act Section Indenture Section
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
(S)310 (a)(1)..................................909
(a)(2)..................................909
(a)(3)..................................914
(a)(4)..................................Not Applicable
(b).....................................908
910
(S)311 (a).....................................913
(b).....................................913
(c).....................................913
(S)312 (a).....................................1001
(b).....................................1001
(c).....................................1001
(S)313 (a).....................................1002
(b).....................................1002
(c).....................................1002
(d).....................................1002
(S)314 (a).....................................1002
(a)(4)..................................606
(b).....................................Not Applicable
(c)(1)..................................102
(c)(2)..................................102
(c)(3)..................................Not Applicable
(d).....................................Not Applicable
(e).....................................102
(S)315 (a).....................................901
903
(b).....................................902
(c).....................................901
(d).....................................901
(e).....................................814
(S)316 (a).....................................812
813
(a)(1)(A)...............................802
812
(a)(1)(B)...............................813
(a)(2)..................................Not Applicable
(b).....................................808
(S)317 (a)(1)..................................803
(a)(2)..................................804
(b).....................................603
(S)318 (a).....................................107
</TABLE>
(v)
<PAGE>
INDENTURE (For [Subordinated]* Debt Securities), dated as of ______________,
2000, between NORTH CAROLINA NATURAL GAS CORPORATION, a corporation duly
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called
the "Company"), having its principal office at 411 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh,
North Carolina 27601-1748, and __________________, a ________________________,
having its principal corporate trust office at
_____________________________________, as Trustee (herein called the "Trustee").
RECITAL OF THE COMPANY
The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this
Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its [subordinated]*
debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the "Debt
Securities"), in an unlimited aggregate principal amount, to be issued in one or
more series as contemplated herein; and all acts necessary to make this
Indenture a valid agreement of the Company have been performed.
For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly
provided or unless the context otherwise requires, capitalized terms used herein
shall have the meanings assigned to them in Article I of this Indenture.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Debt
Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the
equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Debt Securities or of
series thereof, as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application
-------------------------------------------------------
Section 101. Definitions.
For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly
provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to
them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;
------------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Securities will be issued.
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which subordinated
Debt Securities will be issued.
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(b) all terms used herein without definition which are defined in the
Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the
meanings assigned to them therein;
(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the
meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles in the United States, and, except as otherwise herein expressly
provided, the term "generally accepted accounting principles" with respect
to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such
accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States at the
date of such computation or, at the election of the Company from time to
time, at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture;
provided, however, that in determining generally accepted accounting
principles applicable to the Company, the Company shall, to the extent
required, conform to any order, rule or regulation of any administrative
agency, regulatory authority or other governmental body having jurisdiction
over the Company; and
(d) the words "herein," "hereof" and "hereunder" and other words of
similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular
Article, Section or other subdivision.
Certain terms, used principally in Article IX, are defined in that
Article.
"Act", when used with respect to any Holder of a Debt Security, has
the meaning specified in Section 104.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified 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.
"Authenticating Agent" means any Person (other than the Company or an
Affiliate of the Company) authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 915 to
act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate one or more series of Debt
Securities or Tranche thereof.
"Authorized Officer" means the Chairman of the Board, the President,
any Vice President, the Treasurer or any other duly authorized officer of the
Company.
"Board of Directors" means either the board of directors of the
Company or any committee thereof duly authorized to act or any director or
directors and/or officer or officers of the Company to whom that board or
committee shall have duly delegated its authority in respect of matters relating
to this Indenture.
2
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"Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by
the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification, and delivered to the Trustee.
"Business Day", when used with respect to a Place of Payment or any
other particular location specified in the Debt Securities or this Indenture,
means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, which is not a day on which
banking institutions or trust companies in such Place of Payment or other
location are generally authorized or required by law, regulation or executive
order to remain closed, except as may be otherwise specified as contemplated by
Section 301.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from
time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or,
if at any time after the date of execution and delivery of this Indenture such
Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under
the Trust Indenture Act, then the body, if any, performing such duties at such
time.
"Company" means the Person named as the "Company" in the first
paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Person shall have become such
pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter
"Company" shall mean such successor Person.
"Company Request" or "Company Order" means a written request or order
signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer and delivered to the
Trustee.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Trustee at which at
any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally
administered, which office at the date of execution and delivery of this
Indenture is located at ___________________________.
"corporation" means a corporation, association, company, limited
liability company, joint stock company or business trust.
"Debt Securities" has the meaning stated in the first recital of this
Indenture and more particularly means any securities authenticated and delivered
under this Indenture.
"Debt Security Register" and "Debt Security Registrar" have the
respective meanings specified in Section 305.
"Defaulted Interest" has the meaning specified in Section 307.
"Depositary" shall mean, with respect to Debt Securities of any
series, for which the Company shall determine that such Debt Securities will be
issued as a Global Security, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York,
another clearing agency, or any successor registered as a clearing agency under
the Exchange Act or other applicable statute or regulation, which, in each case,
shall be designated by the Company pursuant to Section 203(d).
3
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"Designated Trustee Office" means any office or offices of the Trustee
or any Affiliate, servicer or other agent of the Trustee from time to time
established by the Trustee in its discretion as the location at which particular
actions or functions (for example, registration of securities and paying agent
responsibilities) will occur. The Trustee shall, upon the written request of
the Company or any Holder, provide the Company or such Holder with a written
list of its Designated Trustee Offices hereunder.
"Discount Debt Security" means any Debt Security which provides for an
amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a
declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 802.
"Interest" with respect to a Discount Debt Security means interest, if any,
borne by such Debt Security at a Stated Interest Rate.
"Dollar" or "$" means a dollar or other equivalent unit in such coin
or currency of the United States as at the time shall be legal tender for the
payment of public and private debts.
"Eligible Obligations" means:
(a) with respect to Debt Securities denominated in Dollars, Government
Obligations; or
(b) with respect to Debt Securities denominated in a currency other
than Dollars or in a composite currency, such other obligations or
instruments as shall be specified with respect to such Debt Securities, as
contemplated by Section 301.
"Event of Default" has the meaning specified in Section 801.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Global Security" shall mean, with respect to the Debt Securities, a
Debt Security executed by the Company and delivered by the Trustee to the
Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary's instruction, all in accordance with
this Indenture, which shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its
nominee.
"Governmental Authority" means the government of the United States or
of any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia or of any
county, municipality or other political subdivision of any thereof, or any
department, agency, authority or other instrumentality of any of the foregoing.
"Government Obligations" means:
(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and
interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States
entitled to the benefit of the full faith and credit thereof; and
4
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(b) certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments which
evidence a direct ownership interest in obligations described in clause (a)
above or in any specific interest or principal payments due in respect
thereof; provided, however, that the custodian of such obligations or
specific interest or principal payments shall be a bank or trust company
(which may include the Trustee or any Paying Agent) subject to Federal or
state supervision or examination with a combined capital and surplus of at
least $100,000,000; and provided, further, that except as may be otherwise
required by law, such custodian shall be obligated to pay to the holders of
such certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments the full amount
received by such custodian in respect of such obligations or specific
payments and shall not be permitted to make any deduction therefrom.
"Holder" means a Person in whose name a Debt Security is registered in
the Debt Security Register.
"Indenture" means this instrument as originally executed and delivered
and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more
indentures or Officer's Certificates supplemental hereto entered into pursuant
to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of particular
series of Debt Securities established as contemplated by Section 301.
"Interest Payment Date", when used with respect to any Debt Security,
means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Debt Security.
"Maturity", when used with respect to any Debt Security, means the
date on which the principal of such Debt Security or an installment of principal
becomes due and payable as provided in such Debt Security or in this Indenture,
whether at the Stated Maturity, by declaration of acceleration, upon call for
redemption or otherwise.
"Officer's Certificate" means a certificate signed by an Authorized
Officer and delivered to the Trustee.
"Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of counsel, who may be
counsel for the Company, or other counsel acceptable to the Trustee.
"Outstanding", when used with respect to Debt Securities, means, as of
the date of determination, all Debt Securities theretofore authenticated and
delivered under this Indenture, except:
(a) Debt Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or the Debt
Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Debt Security
Registrar for cancellation;
(b) Debt Securities deemed to have been paid in accordance with
Section 701; and
5
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(c) Debt Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in
exchange for or in lieu of which other Debt Securities have been
authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such
Debt Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the
Trustee proof satisfactory to it and the Company that such Debt Securities
are held by a bona fide purchaser or purchasers in whose hands such Debt
Securities are valid obligations of the Company;
provided, however, that in determining whether or not the Holders of the
requisite principal amount of the Debt Securities Outstanding under this
Indenture, or the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series or Tranche, have
given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver
hereunder or whether or not a quorum is present at a meeting of Holders of Debt
Securities,
(x) Debt Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor
upon the Debt Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such
other obligor (unless the Company, such Affiliate or such obligor owns
all Debt Securities Outstanding under this Indenture, or all
Outstanding Debt Securities of each such series and each such Tranche,
as the case may be, determined without regard to this clause (x))
shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in
determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any
such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or
waiver or upon any such determination as to the presence of a quorum,
only Debt Securities which the Trustee knows to be so owned shall be
so disregarded; provided, however, that Debt Securities so owned which
have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the
pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee's
right so to act with respect to such Debt Securities and that the
pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt
Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor;
and
(y) the principal amount of a Discount Debt Security that shall
be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of
the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of
such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity
thereof pursuant to Section 802;
provided, further, that, in the case of any Debt Security the principal of which
is payable from time to time without presentment or surrender, the principal
amount of such Debt Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding at any time
for all purposes of this Indenture shall be the original principal amount
thereof less the aggregate amount of principal thereof theretofore paid.
"Paying Agent" means any Person, including the Company, authorized by
the Company to pay the principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on
any Debt Securities on behalf of the Company.
"Periodic Offering" means an offering of Debt Securities of a series
from time to time any or all of the specific terms of which Debt Securities,
including without limitation the rate or rates of interest, if any, thereon, the
Stated Maturity or Maturities thereof and the
6
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redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, are to be determined by the
Company or its agents upon the issuance of such Debt Securities.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or unincorporated organization or any Governmental Authority.
"Place of Payment", when used with respect to the Debt Securities of
any series, or Tranche thereof, means the place or places, specified as
contemplated by Section 301, at which, subject to Section 602, principal of and
premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Debt Securities of such series or
Tranche are payable.
"Predecessor Debt Security" of any particular Debt Security means
every previous Debt Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as
that evidenced by such particular Debt Security; and, for the purposes of this
definition, any Debt Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in
exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security
shall be deemed (to the extent lawful) to evidence the same debt as the
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security.
"Redemption Date", when used with respect to any Debt Security to be
redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this
Indenture.
"Redemption Price", when used with respect to any Debt Security to be
redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this
Indenture.
"Regular Record Date" for the interest payable on any Interest Payment
Date on the Debt Securities of any series means the date specified for that
purpose as contemplated by Section 301.
"Required Currency" has the meaning specified in Section 311.
"Responsible Officer", when used with respect to the Trustee, means
any officer of the Trustee assigned by the Trustee to administer its corporate
trust matters.
["Senior Indebtedness" means all obligations (other than non-recourse
obligations and the indebtedness issued under this Indenture) of, or guaranteed
or assumed by, the Company for borrowed money, including both senior and
subordinated indebtedness for borrowed money (other than the Debt Securities),
or for the payment of money relating to any lease which is capitalized on the
consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its subsidiaries in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time, or
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, and in each
case, amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any such
indebtedness or
7
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obligations, whether existing as of the date of this Indenture or subsequently
incurred by the Company.]*
"Special Record Date" for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on the
Debt Securities of any series means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to
Section 307.
"Stated Interest Rate" means a rate (whether fixed or variable) at
which an obligation by its terms is stated to bear interest. Any calculation or
other determination to be made under this Indenture by reference to the Stated
Interest Rate on a Debt Security shall be made without regard to the effective
interest cost to the Company of such Debt Security and without regard to the
Stated Interest Rate on, or the effective cost to the Company of, any other
indebtedness in respect of which the Company's obligations are evidenced or
secured in whole or in part by such Debt Security.
"Stated Maturity", when used with respect to any obligation or any
installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date on which
the principal of such obligation or such installment of principal or interest is
stated to be due and payable (without regard to any provisions for redemption,
prepayment, acceleration, purchase or extension).
"Tranche" means a group of Debt Securities which (a) are of the same
series and (b) have identical terms except as to principal amount.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in
force and effect as of the date of execution of this Indenture; provided,
however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is succeeded by
another statute or is amended after such date, "Trust Indenture Act" shall mean
such successor statute or the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as so amended, to the
extent such successor statute or amendment is applicable to this Indenture or to
the actions of the Company or the Trustee under or pursuant to this Indenture.
"Trustee" means the Person named as the "Trustee" in the first
paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Trustee shall have become such
with respect to one or more series of Debt Securities pursuant to the applicable
provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter "Trustee" shall mean or include
each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more
than one such Person, "Trustee" as used with respect to the Debt Securities of
any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Debt Securities of that
series.
"United States" means the United States of America, its Territories,
its possessions and other areas subject to its political jurisdiction.
-----------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which subordinated
Debt Securities will be issued.
8
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Section 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions.
Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any
application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under
any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an
Officer's Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided
for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with
and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such
conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case
of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents
is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such
particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be
furnished.
Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:
(a) a statement that each Person signing such certificate or opinion
has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating
thereto;
(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 each such Person, such Person
has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such
Person to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or
condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such Person,
such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.
In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or
covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all
such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such
Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one
such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one
or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify
or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based,
insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of
reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations
with respect to the matters upon which such officer's certificate or opinion are
based are erroneous. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based,
insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the
information with respect to such factual
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<PAGE>
matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in
the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or
representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more
applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other
instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and
form one instrument.
Whenever, subsequent to the receipt by the Trustee of any Board
Resolution, Officer's Certificate, Opinion of Counsel or other document or
instrument, a clerical, typographical or other inadvertent or unintentional
error or omission shall be discovered therein, a new document or instrument may
be substituted therefor in corrected form with the same force and effect as if
originally filed in the corrected form and, irrespective of the date or dates of
the actual execution and/or delivery thereof, such substitute document or
instrument shall be deemed to have been executed and/or delivered as of the date
or dates required with respect to the document or instrument for which it is
substituted. Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, if any
such corrective document or instrument indicates that action has been taken by
or at the request of the Company which could not have been taken had the
original document or instrument not contained such error or omission, the action
so taken shall not be invalidated or otherwise rendered ineffective but shall be
and remain in full force and effect, (except to the extent that such action was
a result of willful misconduct or bad faith). Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, any Debt Securities issued under the authority of such
defective document or instrument shall nevertheless be the valid obligations of
the Company entitled to the benefits of this Indenture equally and ratably with
all other Outstanding Debt Securities.
Section 104. Acts of Holders.
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
election, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made,
given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more
instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person
or by an agent duly appointed in writing or, alternatively, may be embodied
in and evidenced by the record of Holders voting in favor thereof, either
in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of
Holders duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article
XIII, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as
herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective
when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the
Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such
instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied
therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the
"Act" of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments and so voting
at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a
writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a
Debt Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and
(subject to Section 901) conclusive in favor of the Trustee
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<PAGE>
and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record
of any meeting of Holders shall be proved in the manner provided in Section
1306.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such
instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such
execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer
authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the
individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the
execution thereof or may be proved in any other manner which the Trustee
and the Company deem sufficient. Where such execution is by a signer acting
in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or
affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority.
(c) The principal amount (except as otherwise contemplated in clause
(y) of the proviso to the definition of Outstanding) and serial numbers of
Debt Securities held by any Person, and the date of holding the same, shall
be proved by the Debt Security Register.
(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
election, waiver or other Act of a Holder shall bind every future Holder of
the same Debt Security and the Holder of every Debt Security issued upon
the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu
thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the
Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such
action is made upon such Debt Security.
(e) Until such time as written instruments shall have been delivered
to the Trustee with respect to the requisite percentage of principal amount
of Debt Securities for the action contemplated by such instruments, any
such instrument executed and delivered by or on behalf of a Holder may be
revoked with respect to any or all of such Debt Securities by written
notice by such Holder or any subsequent Holder, proven in the manner in
which such instrument was proven.
(f) Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof,
authenticated and delivered after any Act of Holders may, and shall if
required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as
to any action taken by such Act of Holders. If the Company shall so
determine, new Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, so
modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to
such action may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated
and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Debt Securities of
such series or Tranche.
(g) If the Company shall solicit from Holders any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company
may, at its option, fix in advance a record date for the determination of
Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction,
notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no
obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given
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<PAGE>
before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the
close of business on the record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the
purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of the
Outstanding Debt Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Debt Securities shall be computed
as of the record date.
Section 105. Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
election, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by
this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with, the
Trustee by any Holder or by the Company, or the Company by the Trustee or by any
Holder, shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein
expressly provided) if in writing and delivered personally to an officer or
other responsible employee of the addressee, or transmitted by facsimile
transmission or other direct written electronic means to such telephone number
or other electronic communications address as the parties hereto shall from time
to time designate, or transmitted by certified or registered mail, charges
prepaid, to the applicable address set opposite such party's name below or to
such other address as either party hereto may from time to time designate:
If to the Trustee, to:
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Attention: _____________________________
Telephone:______________________________
Telecopy:_______________________________
If to the Company, to:
North Carolina Natural Gas Corporation
411 Fayetteville Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-1748
Attention: _________________
Telephone: (919) 546-6111
Telecopy: (919) 546-____
Any communication contemplated herein shall be deemed to have been
made, given, furnished and filed if personally delivered, on the date of
delivery, if transmitted by facsimile transmission or other direct written
electronic means, upon date of receipt of the transmission, and if transmitted
by certified or registered mail, on the date of receipt.
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Section 106. Notice to Holders of Debt Securities; Waiver.
Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, where this Indenture
provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently
given, and shall be deemed given, to Holders if in writing and mailed, first-
class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at the address of
such Holder as it appears in the Debt Security Register, not later than the
latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving
of such notice.
In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by
reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice to
Holders by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of
the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose
hereunder. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the
failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any
particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to
other Holders.
Any notice required by this Indenture may be waived in writing by the
Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event
otherwise to be specified therein, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of
such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but
such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action
taken in reliance upon such waiver.
Section 107. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.
If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with
another provision hereof which is required or deemed to be included in this
Indenture by, or is otherwise governed by, any of the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act, such other provision shall control; and if any provision hereof
otherwise conflicts with the Trust Indenture Act, the Trust Indenture Act shall
control.
Section 108. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.
The Article and Section headings in this Indenture and the Table of
Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
Section 109. Successors and Assigns.
All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall
bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
Section 110. Separability Clause.
In case any provision in this Indenture or the Debt Securities 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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<PAGE>
Section 111. Benefits of Indenture.
Nothing in this Indenture or the Debt Securities, express or implied,
shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, their successors
hereunder, the Holders, [and so long as the notice described in Section 1514
hereof has not been given, the holders of Senior Indebtedness,]* any benefit or
any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.
Section 112. Governing Law.
This Indenture and the Debt Securities shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard
to conflicts of law principles thereof, except to the extent that the law of any
other jurisdiction shall be mandatorily applicable.
Section 113. Legal Holidays.
In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated
Maturity of any Debt Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of
Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the
Debt Securities other than a provision in Debt Securities of any series, or any
Tranche thereof, or in the indenture supplemental hereto, Board Resolution or
Officer's Certificate which establishes the terms of the Debt Securities of such
series or Tranche, which specifically states that such provision shall apply in
lieu of this Section) payment of interest or principal and premium, if any, need
not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next
succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect
as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated
Maturity, and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such Business
Day, no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and
after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity, as the
case may be, to such Business Day.
ARTICLE II
Debt Security Forms
-------------------
Section 201. Forms Generally.
The definitive Debt Securities of each series shall be in
substantially the form or forms thereof established in the indenture
supplemental hereto establishing such series or in a Board Resolution
establishing such series, or in an Officer's Certificate pursuant to such
supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, in each case with such appropriate
insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or
permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks
of identification and such legends or
-----------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
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<PAGE>
endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any
securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the
officers executing such Debt Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the
Debt Securities. If the form or forms of Debt Securities of any series are
established in a Board Resolution or in an Officer's Certificate pursuant to an
indenture supplement hereto or to a Board Resolution, such Board Resolution and
Officer's Certificate, if any, shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to
the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 303 for the
authentication and delivery of such Debt Securities.
Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Sections 301 or 1201(g),
the Debt Securities of each series shall be issuable in registered form without
coupons. The definitive Debt Securities shall be produced in such manner as
shall be determined by the officers executing such Debt Securities, as evidenced
by their execution thereof.
Section 202. Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication.
The Trustee's certificate of authentication shall be in substantially
the form set forth below:
This is one of the Debt Securities of the series designated
therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated:____________________ ________________________________________
as Trustee
By:_____________________________________
Authorized Representative
Section 203. Debt Securities Issuable in the Form of a Global Security.
(a) If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 301 that the
Debt Securities of a particular series are to be issued in whole or in part
in the form of one or more Global Securities, then the Company shall
execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with Section 303 and the
Company Order delivered to the Trustee thereunder, authenticate and deliver
such Global Security or Securities, which (i) shall represent, and shall be
denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Debt Securities of such series to be represented by such Global
Security or Securities, (ii) may provide that the aggregate amount of
Outstanding Debt Securities represented thereby may from time to time be
increased or reduced to reflect exchanges, (iii) shall be registered in the
name of the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities or its
nominee, (iv) shall be delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or
pursuant to the Depositary's instruction and (v) shall bear a legend in
accordance with the requirements of the Depositary.
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<PAGE>
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section or of Section
305, except as contemplated by the provisions of paragraph (c) below,
unless the terms of a Global Security expressly permit such Global Security
to be exchanged in whole or in part for individual Debt Securities, a
Global Security may be transferred, in whole but not in part and in the
manner provided in Section 305, only to a nominee of the Depositary for
such Global Security, or to the Depositary, or to a successor Depositary
for such Global Security selected or approved by the Company, or to a
nominee of such successor Depositary.
(c) (1) If at any time the Depositary for a Global Security notifies
the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as the
Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time the Depositary
for the Debt Securities for such series shall no longer be eligible or
in good standing under the Exchange Act, or other applicable statute
or regulation, the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary with
respect to such Global Security. If a successor Depositary for such
Global Security is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after
the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such
ineligibility, the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt
of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of Debt
Securities of such series in the form of definitive certificates in
exchange for such Global Security, will authenticate and deliver Debt
Securities of such series in the form of definitive certificates of
like tenor and terms in an aggregate principal amount equal to the
principal amount of the Global Security in exchange for such Global
Security. Such Debt Securities will be issued to and registered in the
name of such Person or Persons as are specified by the Depositary.
(2) The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion
determine that the Debt Securities of any series issued or issuable in
the form of one or more Global Securities shall no longer be
represented by such Global Security or Securities. In any such event
the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company
Request for the authentication and delivery of Debt Securities in the
form of definitive certificates in exchange in whole or in part for
such Global Security, will authenticate and deliver without service
charge to each Person specified by the Depositary Debt Securities in
the form of definitive certificates of like tenor and terms in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such
Global Security representing such series, or the aggregate principal
amount of such Global Securities representing such series, in exchange
for such Global Security or Securities.
(3) If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 301 with
respect to Debt Securities issued or issuable in the form of a Global
Security, the Depositary for such Global Security may surrender such
Global Security in exchange in whole or in part for Debt Securities in
the form of definitive certificates of like tenor and terms on such
terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon
the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall
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<PAGE>
authenticate and deliver, without service charge, (A) to each Person
specified by such Depositary a new Debt Security or Securities of the
same series of like tenor and terms and any authorized denomination as
requested by such Person in aggregate principal amount equal to and in
exchange for such Person's beneficial interest in the Global Security;
and (B) to such Depositary a new Global Security of like tenor and
terms and in an authorized denomination equal to the difference, if
any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Global Security
and the aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities delivered to
Holders thereof.
(4) In any exchange provided for in any of the preceding three
subparagraphs, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver Debt Securities in the form of definitive
certificates in authorized denominations. Upon the exchange of the
entire principal amount of a Global Security for Debt Securities in
the form of definitive certificates, such Global Security shall be
canceled by the Trustee. Except as provided in the immediately
preceding subparagraph, Debt Securities issued in exchange for a
Global Security pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such
names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such
Global Security, acting pursuant to instructions from its direct or
indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee.
Provided that the Company and the Trustee have so agreed, the Trustee
shall deliver such Debt Securities to the Persons in whose names the
Debt Securities are so to be registered.
(5) Any endorsement of a Global Security to reflect the principal
amount thereof, or any increase or decrease in such principal amount,
or changes in the rights of Holders of Outstanding Debt Securities
represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or
Persons as shall be specified in or pursuant to any applicable letter
of representations or other arrangement entered into with, or
procedures of, the Depositary with respect to such Global Security or
in the Company Order delivered or to be delivered pursuant to Section
303 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 303,
the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any such Global Security in
the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons
specified in or pursuant to any applicable letter of representations
or other arrangement entered into with, or procedures of, the
Depositary with respect to such Global Security or in any applicable
Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 303 is so
delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to such Global
Security contained therein shall be in writing but need not be
accompanied by or contained in an Officer's Certificate and need not
be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.
(6) The Depositary or, if there be one, its nominee, shall be the
Holder of a Global Security for all purposes under this Indenture; and
beneficial owners with respect to such Global Security shall hold
their interests pursuant to applicable procedures of such Depositary.
The Company, the Trustee and the Debt Security Registrar shall be
entitled to deal with such Depositary for all
17
<PAGE>
purposes of this Indenture relating to such Global Security (including
the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest and the giving
of instructions or directions by or to the beneficial owners of such
Global Security as the sole Holder of such Global Security and shall
have no obligations to the beneficial owners thereof (including any
direct or indirect participants in such Depositary). None of the
Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Debt Security Registrar
shall have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the
records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial
ownership interests of a Global Security in or pursuant to any
applicable letter of representations or other arrangement entered into
with, or procedures of, the Depositary with respect to such Global
Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records
relating to such beneficial ownership interests.
ARTICLE III
The Debt Securities
-------------------
Section 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.
The aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities which may be
authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.
The Debt Securities may be issued in one or more series. Subject to
the last paragraph of this Section, prior to the authentication and delivery of
Debt Securities of any series there shall be established by specification in a
supplemental indenture or in a Board Resolution, or in an Officer's Certificate
pursuant to a supplemental indenture or a Board Resolution:
(a) the title of the Debt Securities of such series (which shall
distinguish the Debt Securities of such series from Debt Securities of all
other series);
(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Debt
Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under
this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon
registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Debt
Securities of the series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 406 or 1206
and, except for any Debt Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are
deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);
(c) the Person or Persons (without specific identification) to whom
interest on Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall
be payable on any Interest Payment Date, if other than the Persons in whose
names such Debt Securities (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) are
registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such
interest;
(d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Debt Securities of
such series or any Tranche thereof, is payable or any formulary or other
method or other means by which such date or dates shall be determined, by
reference to an index or other fact or
18
<PAGE>
event ascertainable outside of this Indenture or otherwise (without regard
to any provisions for redemption, prepayment, acceleration, purchase or
extension);
(e) the rate or rates at which the Debt Securities of such series, or
any Tranche thereof, shall bear interest, if any (including the rate or
rates at which overdue principal shall bear interest, if different from the
rate or rates at which such Debt Securities shall bear interest prior to
Maturity, and, if applicable, the rate or rates at which overdue premium or
interest shall bear interest, if any), the period or periods during which
such rate or rates shall be applicable, or any formulary or other method or
other means by which such rate or rates, and any period or periods, shall
be determined, by reference to an index or other fact or event
ascertainable outside of this Indenture or otherwise; the date or dates
from which such interest shall accrue; the Interest Payment Dates on which
such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the
interest payable on such Debt Securities on any Interest Payment Date[; the
right of the Company, if any, to extend the interest payment periods and
the duration of any such extension as contemplated by Section 312]*; and
the basis of computation of interest, if other than as provided in Section
310;
(f) the place or places at which or methods by which (1) the principal
of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on Debt Securities of such
series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable, (2) registration of
transfer of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be
effected, (3) exchanges of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche
thereof, may be effected and (4) notices and demands to or upon the Company
in respect of the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof,
and this Indenture may be served; the Debt Security Registrar for such
series; and if such is the case, that the principal of such Debt Securities
shall be payable without presentment or surrender thereof;
(g) the period or periods within which, or the date or dates on which,
the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the
Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be redeemed, in
whole or in part, at the option of the Company and any restrictions on such
redemptions, including but not limited to a restriction on a partial
redemption by the Company of the Debt Securities of any series, or any
Tranche thereof, resulting in delisting of such Debt Securities from any
national exchange;
(h) the obligation or obligations, if any, of the Company to redeem or
purchase the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof,
pursuant to any sinking fund or other mandatory redemption or tender
provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods
within which or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which
and the terms and conditions upon which such Debt Securities
------------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
19
<PAGE>
shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such
obligation, and applicable exceptions to the requirements of Section 404 in
the case of mandatory redemption or redemption at the option of the Holder;
(i) the denominations in which Debt Securities of such series, or any
Tranche thereof, shall be issuable if other than denominations of $1,000
and any integral multiple thereof;
(j) the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in
which payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if
any, on the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall
be payable (if other than in Dollars);
(k) if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on
the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be
payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a coin or
currency other than that in which the Debt Securities are stated to be
payable, the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions
upon which, such election may be made;
(l) if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on
the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be
payable, or are to be payable at the election of the Company or a Holder
thereof, in securities or other property, the type and amount of such
securities or other property, or the formulary or other method or other
means by which such amount shall be determined, and the period or periods
within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, any such election
may be made;
(m) if the amount payable in respect of principal of or premium, if
any, or interest, if any, on the Debt Securities of such series, or any
Tranche thereof, may be determined with reference to an index or other fact
or event ascertainable outside this Indenture, the manner in which such
amounts shall be determined to the extent not established pursuant to
clause (e) of this paragraph;
(n) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the
principal amount of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof,
which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity
thereof pursuant to Section 802;
(o) any Events of Default, in addition to those specified in Section
801, with respect to the Debt Securities of such series, and any covenants
of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of the Debt Securities of
such series, or any Tranche thereof, in addition to those set forth in
Article VI;
(p) the terms, if any, pursuant to which the Debt Securities of such
series, or any Tranche thereof, may be converted into or exchanged for
shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company or any other
Person;
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<PAGE>
(q) the obligations or instruments, if any, which shall be considered
to be Eligible Obligations in respect of the Debt Securities of such
series, or any Tranche thereof, denominated in a currency other than
Dollars or in a composite currency, and any additional or alternative
provisions for the reinstatement of the Company's indebtedness in respect
of such Debt Securities after the satisfaction and discharge thereof as
provided in Section 701;
(r) whether the Debt Securities of the series shall be issued in whole
or in part in the form of a Global Security or Securities; the terms and
conditions, if any, upon which such Global Security or Securities may be
exchanged in whole or in part for certificated Debt Securities of such
series and of like tenor of any authorized denomination and the
circumstances under which such exchange may occur, if other than in the
manner provided for in Section 203; the Depositary for such Global Security
or Securities; and the form of any legend or legends to be borne by any
such Global Security in addition to or in lieu of the legend referred to in
Section 203;
(s) if the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are
to be issuable in bearer form, any and all matters incidental thereto which
are not specifically addressed in a supplemental indenture as contemplated
by clause (g) of Section 1201;
(t) to the extent not established pursuant to clause (r) of this
paragraph, any limitations on the rights of the Holders of the Debt
Securities of such Series, or any Tranche thereof, to transfer or exchange
such Debt Securities or to obtain the registration of transfer thereof; and
if a service charge will be made for the registration of transfer or
exchange of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, the
amount or terms thereof;
(u) any exceptions to Section 113, or variation in the definition of
Business Day, with respect to the Debt Securities of such series, or any
Tranche thereof;
(v) any collateral security, assurance or guarantee for such series of
Debt Securities;
(w) any credit enhancement applicable to the Debt Securities of such
series; and
(x) any other terms of the Debt Securities of such series, or any
Tranche thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture.
[The Debt Securities of each series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be
subordinated in the right of payment to Senior Indebtedness as provided in
Article XV.]*
---------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
21
<PAGE>
With respect to Debt Securities of a series subject to a Periodic
Offering, the indenture supplemental hereto or the Board Resolution which
establishes such series, or the Officer's Certificate pursuant to such
supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, as the case may be, may provide
general terms or parameters for Debt Securities of such series and provide
either that the specific terms of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche
thereof, shall be specified in a Company Order or that such terms shall be
determined by the Company or its agents in accordance with procedures specified
in a Company Order as contemplated by clause (b) of the third paragraph of
Section 303.
Section 302. Denominations.
Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect
to any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, the Debt Securities of each
series shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple
thereof.
Section 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.
Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect
to any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, the Debt Securities
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer and may have
the corporate seal of the Company affixed thereto or reproduced thereon attested
by any other Authorized Officer. The signature of any or all of these officers
on the Debt Securities may be manual or facsimile.
Debt Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of
individuals who were at the time of execution Authorized Officers of the Company
shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them
have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of
such Debt Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Debt
Securities.
The Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Debt Securities of a
series, for original issue, at one time or from time to time in accordance with
the Company Order referred to below, upon receipt by the Trustee of:
(a) the instrument or instruments establishing the form or forms and
terms of such series, as provided in Sections 201 and 301;
(b) a Company Order requesting the authentication and delivery of such
Debt Securities and, to the extent that the terms of such Debt Securities
shall not have been established in an indenture supplemental hereto or in a
Board Resolution, or in an Officer's Certificate pursuant to a supplemental
indenture or Board Resolution, all as contemplated by Sections 201 and 301,
either (i) establishing such terms or (ii) in the case of Debt Securities
of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, specifying procedures,
acceptable to the Trustee, by which such terms are to be established (which
procedures may provide, to the extent acceptable to the Trustee, for
authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions
from the Company or any agent or agents thereof, which oral instructions
are to be promptly confirmed electronically or in writing),
22
<PAGE>
in either case in accordance with the instrument or instruments delivered
pursuant to clause (a) above;
(c) the Debt Securities of such series, executed on behalf of the
Company by an Authorized Officer;
(d) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that:
(i) the form or forms of such Debt Securities have been duly
authorized by the Company and have been established in conformity with
the provisions of this Indenture;
(ii) the terms of such Debt Securities have been duly authorized
by the Company and have been established in conformity with the
provisions of this Indenture; and
(iii) assuming authentication and delivery by the Trustee and
subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will
have been duly issued under this Indenture and will be legal, valid
and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with
their terms, subject, as to enforcement, to laws relating to or
affecting generally the enforcement of creditors' rights, including,
without limitation, bankruptcy and insolvency laws and to general
principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law);
provided, however, that, with respect to Debt Securities of a series subject to
a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive such Opinion of
Counsel only once at or prior to the time of the first authentication of such
Debt Securities (provided that such Opinion of Counsel addresses the
authentication and delivery of all Debt Securities of such series) and that in
lieu of the opinions described in clauses (ii) and (iii) above Counsel may opine
that:
(x) when the terms of such Debt Securities shall have been
established pursuant to a Company Order or Orders or pursuant to such
procedures (acceptable to the Trustee) as may be specified from time
to time by a Company Order or Orders, all as contemplated by and in
accordance with the instrument or instruments delivered pursuant to
clause (a) above, such terms will have been duly authorized by the
Company and will have been established in conformity with the
provisions of this Indenture; and
(y) such Debt Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the
Trustee in accordance with this Indenture and the Company Order or
Orders or specified procedures referred to in paragraph (x) above and
issued and delivered by the Company in the manner and subject to any
conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will have been duly
issued under this Indenture and will constitute valid and legally
binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits provided
by the Indenture, and enforceable in accordance with their
23
<PAGE>
terms, subject, as to enforcement, to laws relating to or affecting
generally the enforcement of creditors' rights, including, without
limitation, bankruptcy and insolvency laws and to general principles
of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law).
With respect to Debt Securities of a series subject to a Periodic
Offering, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the authorization by the
Company of any of such Debt Securities, the form and terms thereof and the
legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof, upon the Opinion
of Counsel and other documents delivered pursuant to Sections 201 and 301 and
this Section, as applicable, at or prior to the time of the first authentication
of Debt Securities of such series unless and until such opinion or other
documents have been superseded or revoked or expire by their terms. In
connection with the authentication and delivery of Debt Securities of a series
subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall be entitled to assume that the
Company's instructions to authenticate and deliver such Debt Securities do not
violate any rules, regulations or orders of any Governmental Authority having
jurisdiction over the Company.
If the form or terms of the Debt Securities of any series have been
established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or an Officer's Certificate as
permitted by Sections 201 or 301, the Trustee shall not be required to
authenticate such Debt Securities if the issuance of such Debt Securities
pursuant to this Indenture will materially or adversely affect the Trustee's own
rights, duties or immunities under the Debt Securities and this Indenture or
otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect
to any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, each Debt Security
shall be dated the date of its authentication.
Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect
to any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, no Debt Security shall
be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for
any purpose unless there appears on such Debt Security a certificate of
authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the
Trustee or its agent by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Debt
Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Debt
Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to
the benefits of this Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Debt
Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder to the Company,
or any Person acting on its behalf, but shall never have been issued and sold by
the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Debt Security to the Debt
Security Registrar for cancellation as provided in Section 309 together with a
written statement (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be
accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Debt Security has never
been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such
Debt Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered
hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits hereof.
24
<PAGE>
Section 304. Temporary Debt Securities.
Pending the preparation of definitive Debt Securities of any series,
or any Tranche thereof, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the
Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Debt Securities which are
printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any
authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Debt
Securities in lieu of which they are issued, with such appropriate insertions,
omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such
Debt Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Debt
Securities; provided, however, that temporary Debt Securities need not recite
specific redemption, sinking fund, conversion or exchange provisions.
Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect
to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, after the
preparation of definitive Debt Securities of such series or Tranche, the
temporary Debt Securities of such series or Tranche shall be exchangeable,
without charge to the Holder thereof, for definitive Debt Securities of such
series or Tranche, upon surrender of such temporary Debt Securities at the
office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section 602 in a Place of
Payment for such Debt Securities. Upon such surrender of temporary Debt
Securities, the Company shall, except as aforesaid, execute and the Trustee
shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor definitive Debt Securities
of the same series and Tranche, of authorized denominations and of like tenor
and aggregate principal amount.
Until exchanged in full as hereinabove provided, temporary Debt
Securities shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this
Indenture as definitive Debt Securities of the same series and Tranche and of
like tenor authenticated and delivered hereunder.
Section 305. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.
The Company shall cause to be kept in each office designated pursuant
to Section 602, with respect to the Debt Securities of each series or any
Tranche thereof, a register (all registers kept in accordance with this Section
being collectively referred to as the "Debt Security Register") in which,
subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall
provide for the registration of Debt Securities of such series or Tranche and
the registration of transfer thereof. The Company shall designate one Person to
maintain the Debt Security Register for the Debt Securities of each series on a
consolidated basis, and such Person is referred to herein, with respect to such
series, as the "Debt Security Registrar". Anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company may designate one or more of its offices as an
office in which a register with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more
series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, shall be maintained, and the Company
may designate itself the Debt Security Registrar with respect to one or more of
such series. The Debt Security Register shall be open for inspection by the
Trustee and the Company at all reasonable times.
Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with
respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, upon
surrender for registration of transfer of any Debt Security of such series or
Tranche at the office or agency of the Company
25
<PAGE>
maintained pursuant to Section 602 in a Place of Payment for such series or
Tranche, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more
new Debt Securities of the same series and Tranche, of authorized denominations
and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with
respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, any Debt
Security of such series or Tranche may be exchanged at the option of the Holder,
for one or more new Debt Securities of the same series and Tranche, of
authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, upon
surrender of the Debt Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency.
Whenever any Debt Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall
execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Debt Securities
which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
All Debt Securities delivered upon any registration of transfer or
exchange of Debt Securities shall be valid obligations of the Company,
evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this
Indenture, as the Debt Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer
or exchange.
Every Debt Security presented or surrendered for registration of
transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company, the Trustee or
the Debt Security Registrar) be duly endorsed or shall be accompanied by a
written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee
or the Debt Security Registrar, as the case may be, duly executed by the Holder
thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect
to Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, no service charge
shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities,
but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any
registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities, other than exchanges
pursuant to Section 304, 406 or 1206 not involving any transfer.
The Company shall not be required to execute or to provide for the
registration of transfer of or the exchange of (a) Debt Securities of any
series, or any Tranche thereof, during a period of 15 days immediately preceding
the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of the Debt Securities of such
series or Tranche is to be given or (b) any Debt Security so selected for
redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Debt
Security being redeemed in part.
None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Debt
Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of
the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests of a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any
records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.
26
<PAGE>
Section 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Debt Securities.
If any mutilated Debt Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the
Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange
therefor a new Debt Security of the same series, and of like tenor and principal
amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (a)
evidence to their satisfaction of the ownership of and the destruction, loss or
theft of any Debt Security and (b) such security or indemnity as may be
reasonably required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them
harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such
Debt Security is held by a Person purporting to be the owner of such Debt
Security, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security, a new Debt
Security of the same series and Tranche, and of like tenor and principal amount
and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case any such mutilated, destroyed,
lost or stolen Debt Security has become or is about to become due and payable,
the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Debt Security, pay
such Debt Security.
Upon the issuance of any new Debt Security under this Section, the
Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other
reasonable expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected
therewith.
Every new Debt Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section
in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security shall constitute an
original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the
destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security shall be at any time enforceable by
anyone other than the Holder of such new Debt Security, and any such new Debt
Security shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and
proportionately with any and all other Debt Securities of such series duly
issued hereunder.
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to
the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement
or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Securities.
Section 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.
Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect
to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, interest on any
Debt Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on
any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Debt
Security (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) is registered at the close
of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.
27
<PAGE>
[Subject to Section 312]* any interest on any Debt Security of any
series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any
Interest Payment Date (herein called "Defaulted Interest") shall forthwith cease
to be payable to the Holder on the related Regular Record Date by virtue of
having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company,
at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:
(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to
the Persons in whose names the Debt Securities of such series (or their
respective Predecessor Debt Securities) are registered at the close of
business on a date (herein called a "Special Record Date") for the payment
of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner.
The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted
Interest proposed to be paid on each Debt Security of such series and the
date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall
deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount
proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make
arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date
of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for
the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this
clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for
the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days
and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not
less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the
proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such
Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company,
shall promptly cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted
Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class
postage prepaid, to each Holder of Debt Securities of such series at the
address of such Holder as it appears in the Debt Security Register, not
less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed
payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor
having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons
in whose names the Debt Securities of such series (or their respective
Predecessor Debt Securities) are registered at the close of business on
such Special Record Date.
(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Debt
Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with
the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Debt Securities
may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange,
if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed
payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed
practicable by the Trustee.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 305,
each Debt Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer
of or in exchange for or in
----------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
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<PAGE>
lieu of any other Debt Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and
unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Debt Security.
Section 308. Persons Deemed Owners.
Prior to due presentment of a Debt Security for registration of
transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee
may treat the Person in whose name such Debt Security is registered as the
absolute owner of such Debt Security for the purpose of receiving payment of
principal of and premium, if any, and (subject to Sections 305 and 307)
interest, if any, on such Debt Security and for all other purposes whatsoever,
whether or not such Debt Security is overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice
to the contrary.
Section 309. Cancellation by Debt Security Registrar.
All Debt Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration
of transfer or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Debt
Security Registrar, be delivered to the Debt Security Registrar and, if not
theretofore canceled, shall be promptly canceled by the Debt Security Registrar.
The Company may at any time deliver to the Debt Security Registrar for
cancellation any Debt Securities previously authenticated and delivered
hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever or which
the Company shall not have issued and sold, and all Debt Securities so delivered
shall be promptly canceled by the Debt Security Registrar. No Debt Securities
shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Debt Securities
canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this
Indenture. All certificates representing canceled Debt Securities held by the
Debt Security Registrar shall be disposed of in accordance with the customary
practices of the Debt Security Registrar at the time in effect, and the Debt
Security Registrar shall not be required to destroy any such certificates. The
Debt Security Registrar, if other than the trustee, shall promptly deliver a
certificate of disposition with respect to such disposed certificates to the
Trustee and the Company unless, by a Company Order, similarly delivered, the
Company shall direct that canceled Debt Securities be returned to it. The Debt
Security Registrar shall promptly deliver evidence of any cancellation of a Debt
Security in accordance with this Section to the Trustee and the Company. If the
Trustee is the entity acting as Debt Security Registrar, it shall promptly
deliver to the Company a certificate of disposition with respect to any
certificates disposed of and/or evidence of any cancellation of a Debt Security,
in each case in accordance with this Section, if so requested by a Company
Order.
Section 310. Computation of Interest.
Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Debt
Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, interest on the Debt
Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year
consisting of twelve 30-day months and on the basis of the actual number of days
elapsed within any month in relation to the deemed 30 days of such month.
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<PAGE>
Section 311. Payment to be in Proper Currency.
In the case of the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche
thereof, denominated in any currency other than Dollars or in a composite
currency (the "Required Currency"), except as otherwise specified with respect
to such Debt Securities as contemplated by Section 301, the obligation of the
Company to make any payment of the principal thereof, or the premium or interest
thereon, shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender by the Company, or
recovery by the Trustee, in any currency other than the Required Currency,
except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the Trustee
timely holding the full amount of the Required Currency then due and payable.
If any such tender or recovery is in a currency other than the Required
Currency, the Trustee may take such actions as it considers appropriate to
exchange such currency for the Required Currency. The costs and risks of any
such exchange, including without limitation the risks of delay and exchange rate
fluctuation, shall be borne by the Company, the Company shall remain fully
liable for any shortfall or delinquency in the full amount of Required Currency
then due and payable, and in no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable
therefor except in the case of its negligence or willful misconduct.
[Section 312. Extension of Interest Payment.
The Company shall have the right at any time, so long as the Company
is not in default in the payment of interest on the Debt Securities of any
series hereunder, to extend interest payment periods on all Securities of one or
more series, or Tranches thereof, if so specified as contemplated by Section 301
with respect to such Debt Securities and upon such terms as may be specified as
contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Debt Securities.]*
ARTICLE IV
Redemption of Debt Securities
-----------------------------
Section 401. Applicability of Article.
Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, which are
redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with
their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301
for Debt Securities of such series or Tranche) in accordance with this Article.
Section 402. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.
The election of the Company to redeem any Debt Securities shall be
evidenced by a Board Resolution and/or an Officer's Certificate. The Company
shall, at least 45 days prior to
----------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
30
<PAGE>
the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be
satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption
Date and of the principal amount of such Debt Securities to be redeemed. In the
case of any redemption of Debt Securities (a) prior to the expiration of any
restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Debt Securities or
elsewhere in this Indenture or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which
is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Debt Securities, the
Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officer's Certificate evidencing
compliance with such restriction or condition.
Section 403. Selection of Debt Securities to be Redeemed.
If less than all the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche
thereof, are to be redeemed, the particular Debt Securities to be redeemed shall
be selected by the Trustee from the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series
or Tranche not previously called for redemption, by such method as shall be
provided for any particular series, or, in the absence of any such provision, by
such method of random selection as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate
and which may, in any case, provide for the selection for redemption of portions
(equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Debt Securities of such series
or Tranche or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Debt
Securities of such series or Tranche of a denomination larger than the minimum
authorized denomination for Debt Securities of such series or Tranche; provided,
however, that if, as indicated in an Officer's Certificate, the Company shall
have offered to purchase all or any principal amount of the Debt Securities then
Outstanding of any series, or any Tranche thereof, and less than all of such
Debt Securities as to which such offer was made shall have been tendered to the
Company for such purchase, the Trustee, if so directed by Company Order, shall
select for redemption all or any principal amount of such Debt Securities which
have not been so tendered.
If the Debt Securities are then held in the form of a Global Security,
the Trustee shall select Debt Securities to be redeemed in accordance with the
customary procedures for the Depositary.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Debt Security
Registrar in writing of the Debt Securities selected for redemption and, in the
case of any Debt Securities selected to be redeemed in part, the principal
amount thereof to be redeemed.
For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise
requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Debt Securities shall
relate, in the case of any Debt Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in
part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Debt Securities which has
been or is to be redeemed.
Section 404. Notice of Redemption.
Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section
106 to the Holders of the Debt Securities to be redeemed not less than 30 nor
more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date.
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<PAGE>
All notices of redemption shall state:
(a) the Redemption Date,
(b) the Redemption Price,
(c) if less than all the Debt Securities of any series or Tranche are
to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Debt Securities to be
redeemed and the portion of the principal amount of any Debt Security to be
redeemed in part,
(d) that on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price, together with
accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date, will become due and
payable upon each such Debt Security to be redeemed and, if applicable and
provided that the Redemption Price is received by the Paying Agent or
Agents on or prior to the Redemption Date, that interest thereon will cease
to accrue on and after said date,
(e) the place or places where such Debt Securities are to be
surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if
any, unless it shall have been specified as contemplated by Section 301
with respect to such Debt Securities that such surrender shall not be
required,
(f) that the redemption is for a sinking or other fund, if such is the
case, and
(g) such other matters as the Company shall deem desirable or
appropriate (including CUSIP numbers with respect to such Debt Securities,
if the Company shall so elect, in which event such notice of redemption may
contain a disclaimer as to the correctness of such numbers either as
printed on the Debt Securities or on such notice of redemption).
Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Debt Securities in
accordance with Section 301, with respect to any notice of redemption of Debt
Securities at the election of the Company, unless, upon the giving of such
notice, such Debt Securities shall be deemed to have been paid in accordance
with Section 701, such notice may state that such redemption shall be
conditional upon the receipt by the Paying Agent or Agents for such Debt
Securities, on or prior to the date fixed for such redemption, of money
sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on
such Debt Securities and that if such money shall not have been so received such
notice shall be of no force or effect and the Company shall not be required to
redeem such Debt Securities. In the event that such notice of redemption
contains such a condition and such money is not so received, the redemption
shall not be made and within a reasonable time thereafter notice shall be given,
in the manner in which the notice of redemption was given, that such money was
not so received and such redemption was not required to be made, and the Paying
Agent or Agents for the Debt Securities otherwise to have been redeemed shall
promptly return to the Holders thereof any of such Debt Securities which had
been surrendered for payment upon such redemption.
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<PAGE>
Notice of redemption of Debt Securities to be redeemed at the election
of the Company, and any notice of non-satisfaction of a condition for redemption
as aforesaid, shall be given by the Company or, at the Company's request, by the
Debt Security Registrar in the name and at the expense of the Company. Notice
of mandatory redemption of Debt Securities shall be given by the Debt Security
Registrar in the name and at the expense of the Company.
Section 405. Debt Securities Payable on Redemption Date.
Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, and the
conditions, if any, set forth in such notice having been satisfied, the Debt
Securities or portions thereof so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date,
become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and
after such date (unless, in the case of an unconditional notice of redemption,
the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued
interest, if any) such Debt Securities or portions thereof, if interest-bearing,
shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Debt Security for
redemption in accordance with such notice, such Debt Security or portion thereof
shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued
interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that no such
surrender shall be a condition to such payment if so specified as contemplated
by Section 301 with respect to such Debt Security; and provided, further, that
except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to
such Debt Security, any installment of interest on any Debt Security the Stated
Maturity of which installment is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be
payable to the Holder of such Debt Security, or one or more Predecessor Debt
Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the related Regular
Record Date according to the terms of such Debt Security and subject to the
provisions of Section 307.
Section 406. Debt Securities Redeemed in Part.
Upon the surrender of any Debt Security which is to be redeemed only
in part at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so
requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof
or his attorney duly authorized in writing), the Company shall execute, and the
Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Debt Security,
without service charge, a new Debt Security or Debt Securities of the same
series and Tranche, of any authorized denomination requested by such Holder and
of like tenor and in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the
unredeemed portion of the principal of the Debt Security so surrendered.
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ARTICLE V
Sinking Funds
-------------
Section 501. Applicability of Article.
The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund
for the retirement of the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof,
except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Debt Securities
of such series or Tranche.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the
terms of Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is herein
referred to as a "mandatory sinking fund payment", and any payment in excess of
such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Debt Securities of any series,
or any Tranche thereof, is herein referred to as an "optional sinking fund
payment." If provided for by the terms of Debt Securities of any series, or any
Tranche thereof, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to
reduction as provided in Section 502. Each sinking fund payment shall be
applied to the redemption of Debt Securities of the series or Tranche in respect
of which it was made as provided for by the terms of such Debt Securities.
Section 502. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Debt Securities.
The Company (a) may deliver to the Trustee Outstanding Debt Securities
(other than any previously called for redemption) of a series or Tranche in
respect of which a mandatory sinking fund payment is to be made and (b) may
apply as a credit Debt Securities of such series or Tranche which have been
redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such
Debt Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund
payments pursuant to the terms of such Debt Securities, in each case in
satisfaction of all or any part of such mandatory sinking fund payment;
provided, however, that no Debt Securities shall be applied in satisfaction of a
mandatory sinking fund payment if such Debt Securities shall have been
previously so applied. Debt Securities so applied shall be received and
credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in
such Debt Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and
the amount of such mandatory sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.
Section 503. Redemption of Debt Securities for Sinking Fund.
Not less than 45 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for the
Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the Company shall deliver
to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate specifying:
(a) the amount of the next succeeding mandatory sinking fund payment
for such series or Tranche;
(b) the amount, if any, of the optional sinking fund payment to be
made together with such mandatory sinking fund payment;
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(c) the aggregate sinking fund payment;
(d) the portion, if any, of such aggregate sinking fund payment which
is to be satisfied by the payment of cash; and
(e) the portion, if any, of such aggregate sinking fund payment which
is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Debt Securities of such
series or Tranche pursuant to Section 502 and stating the basis for such
credit and that such Debt Securities have not previously been so credited,
and the Company shall also deliver to the Trustee any Debt Securities to be
so delivered.
If the Company shall not have delivered such Officer's Certificate
and, to the extent applicable, all such Debt Securities, on or prior to the 45th
day prior to such sinking fund payment date, the sinking fund payment for such
series or Tranche in respect of such sinking fund payment date shall be made
entirely in cash in the amount of the mandatory sinking fund payment. Not less
than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select
the Debt Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the
manner specified in Section 403 and the Debt Security Registrar shall cause
notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense
of the Company in the manner provided in Section 404. Such notice having been
duly given, the redemption of such Debt Securities shall be made upon the terms
and in the manner stated in Sections 405 and 406.
ARTICLE VI
Covenants
---------
Section 601. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest.
The Company shall pay the principal of and premium, if any, and
interest, if any, on the Debt Securities of each series in accordance with the
terms of such Debt Securities and this Indenture.
Section 602. Maintenance of Office or Agency.
The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for the Debt
Securities of each series, or any Tranche thereof, an office or agency where
payment of such Debt Securities shall be made, where the registration of
transfer or exchange of such Debt Securities may be effected and where notices
and demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Debt Securities and this
Indenture may be served. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the
Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of each such office or
agency and prompt notice to the Holders of any such change in the manner
specified in Section 106. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any
such required office or agency in respect of Debt Securities of any series, or
any Tranche thereof, or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address
thereof, payment of such Debt Securities shall be made, registration of transfer
or exchange thereof may be effected and notices and demands in respect thereof
may be served at
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the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the
Trustee as its agent for all such purposes in any such event.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other
offices or agencies with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series,
or any Tranche thereof, for any or all of the foregoing purposes and may from
time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that, unless
otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Debt
Securities of such series or Tranche no such designation or rescission shall in
any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency
for such purposes in each Place of Payment for such Debt Securities in
accordance with the requirements set forth above. The Company shall give prompt
written notice to the Trustee, and prompt notice to the Holders in the manner
specified in Section 106, of any such designation or rescission and of any
change in the location of any such other office or agency.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, any office or agency
required by this Section may be maintained at an office of the Company, in which
event the Company shall perform all functions to be performed at such office or
agency.
Section 603. Money for Debt Securities Payments to be Held in Trust.
If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with
respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, it shall,
on or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and
interest, if any, on any of such Debt Securities, segregate and hold in trust
for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the
principal and premium or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid
to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided. The Company shall
promptly notify the Trustee of any failure by the Company (or any other obligor
on such Debt Securities) to make any payment of principal of or premium, if any,
or interest, if any, on such Debt Securities.
Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for the Debt
Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, it shall, on or before each
due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such
Debt Securities, deposit with such Paying Agents sums sufficient (without
duplication) to pay the principal and premium or interest so becoming due, such
sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such
principal, premium or interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee)
the Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any failure by it so to act.
The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for the Debt Securities of
any series, or any Tranche thereof, other than the Company or the Trustee, to
execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent
shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that
such Paying Agent shall:
(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of and
premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Debt Securities in trust for
the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid
to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;
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(b) give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Company (or any
other obligor upon such Debt Securities) to make any payment of principal
of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Debt Securities; and
(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the
written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so
held in trust by such Paying Agent and furnish to the Trustee such
information as it possesses regarding the names and addresses of the
Persons entitled to such sums.
The Company may at any time pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying
Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such
Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those
upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent and, if so
stated in a Company Order delivered to the Trustee, in accordance with the
provisions of Article VII; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the
Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with
respect to such money.
Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held
by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of and premium, if
any, or interest, if any, on any Debt Security and remaining unclaimed for two
years after such principal and premium, if any, or interest has become due and
payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or, if then held by the
Company, shall be discharged from such trust; and, upon such payment or
discharge, the Holder of such Debt Security shall, as an unsecured general
creditor and not as a Holder of an Outstanding Debt Security, look only to the
Company for payment of the amount so due and payable and remaining unpaid, and
all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust
money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon
cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being
required to make any such payment to the Company, may at the expense of the
Company cause to be mailed, on one occasion only, notice to such Holder that
such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which
shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such mailing, any unclaimed
balance of such money then remaining will be paid to the Company.
Section 604. Corporate Existence.
Subject to the rights of the Company under Article XI, the Company
shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full
force and effect its corporate existence.
Section 605. Maintenance of Properties.
The Company shall cause (or, with respect to property owned in common
with others, make reasonable effort to cause) all its properties used or useful
in the conduct of its business to be maintained and kept in good condition,
repair and working order and shall cause (or, with respect to property owned in
common with others, make reasonable effort to cause) to be made all necessary
repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof, all as,
in the judgment of the Company, may be necessary so that the business carried on
in
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connection therewith may be properly conducted; provided, however, that nothing
in this Section shall prevent the Company from discontinuing, or causing the
discontinuance of, the operation and maintenance of any of its properties if
such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Company, desirable in the conduct
of its business.
Section 606. Annual Officer's Certificate as to Compliance.
Not later than ______________ in each year, commencing
_______________, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer's
Certificate which need not comply with Section 102, executed by the principal
executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting
officer of the Company, stating whether, to such officer's knowledge, the
Company is in compliance with all conditions and covenants under this
Indenture, such compliance to be determined without regard to any period of
grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture, and making any other
statements as may be required by the provisions of Section 314(a)(4) of the
Trust Indenture Act.
Section 607. Waiver of Certain Covenants.
The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any
term, provision or condition set forth in (a) Section 602 or any additional
covenant or restriction specified with respect to the Debt Securities of any
series, or any Tranche thereof, as contemplated by Section 301 if before the
time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series and Tranches
with respect to which compliance with Section 602 or such additional covenant or
restriction is to be omitted, considered as one class, shall, by Act of such
Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive
compliance with such term, provision or condition and (b) Section 604, 605, 606
or Article XI if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a
majority in principal amount of Debt Securities Outstanding under this Indenture
shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or
generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition; but, in the
case of (a) or (b), no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term,
provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such
waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of
the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in
full force and effect.
ARTICLE VII
Satisfaction and Discharge
--------------------------
Section 701. Satisfaction and Discharge of Debt Securities.
Any Debt Security or Debt Securities, or any portion of the principal
amount thereof, shall be deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this
Indenture, and the entire indebtedness of the Company in respect thereof shall
be deemed to have been satisfied and
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discharged, if there shall have been irrevocably deposited with the Trustee or
any Paying Agent (other than the Company), in trust:
(a) money in an amount which shall be sufficient, or
(b) in the case of a deposit made prior to the Maturity of such Debt
Securities or portions thereof, Eligible Obligations, which shall not
contain provisions permitting the redemption or other prepayment thereof at
the option of the issuer thereof, the principal of and the interest on
which when due, without any regard to reinvestment thereof, will provide
moneys which, together with the money, if any, deposited with or held by
the Trustee or such Paying Agent, shall be sufficient, or
(c) a combination of (a) or (b) which shall be sufficient,
to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, due
and to become due on such Debt Securities or portions thereof on or prior to
Maturity, provided, however, that in the case of the provision for payment or
redemption of less than all the Debt Securities of any series or Tranche, such
Debt Securities or portions thereof shall have been selected by the Trustee as
provided herein and, in the case of a redemption, the notice requisite to the
validity of such redemption shall have been given or irrevocable authority shall
have been given by the Company to the Trustee to give such notice, under
arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee; and provided, further, that the
Company shall have delivered to the Trustee and such Paying Agent:
(x) if such deposit shall have been made prior to the Maturity of
such Debt Securities, a Company Order stating that the money and
Eligible Obligations deposited in accordance with this Section shall
be held in trust, as provided in Section 703;
(y) if Eligible Obligations shall have been deposited, an Opinion
of Counsel that the obligations so deposited constitute Eligible
Obligations and do not contain provisions permitting the redemption or
other prepayment at the option of the issuer thereof, and an opinion
of an independent public accountant of nationally recognized standing,
selected by the Company, to the effect that the requirements set forth
in clause (b) above have been satisfied; and
(z) if such deposit shall have been made prior to the Maturity of
such Debt Securities, an Officer's Certificate stating the Company's
intention that, upon delivery of such Officer's Certificate, its
indebtedness in respect of such Debt Securities or portions thereof
will have been satisfied and discharged as contemplated in this
Section.
If the Company shall make any deposit of money and/or Eligible
Obligations with respect to any Debt Securities, or any portion of the principal
amount thereof, as contemplated by this section, the Company shall not deliver
an Officer's Certificate described in clause (z) above unless the Company shall
also deliver to the Trustee, together with such Officer's Certificate, an
Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, as a result of a change in law occurring
after the date of this
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Indenture, the Holders of such Debt Securities, or portions thereof, will not
recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as
a result of the satisfaction and discharge of the Company's indebtedness in
respect thereof and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the
same amounts, at the same times and in the same manner as if such satisfaction
and discharge had not been effected.
Upon the deposit of money or Eligible Obligations, or both, in
accordance with this Section, together with the documents required by clauses
(x), (y) and (z) above, the Trustee shall, upon receipt of a Company Request,
acknowledge in writing that the Debt Security or Debt Securities or portions
thereof with respect to which such deposit was made are deemed to have been paid
for all purposes of this Indenture and that the entire indebtedness of the
Company in respect thereof has been satisfied and discharged as contemplated in
this Section. In the event that all of the conditions set forth in the first
paragraph of this Section shall have been satisfied in respect of any Debt
Securities or portions thereof except that, for any reason, the Officer's
Certificate specified in clause (z) shall not have been delivered, such Debt
Securities or portions thereof shall nevertheless be deemed to have been paid
for all purposes of this Indenture, and the Holders of such Debt Securities or
portions thereof shall nevertheless be no longer entitled to the benefits of
this Indenture or of any of the covenants of the Company under Article VI
(except the covenants contained in Sections 602 and 603) or any other covenants
made in respect of such Debt Securities or portions thereof as contemplated by
Section 301, but the indebtedness of the Company in respect of such Debt
Securities or portions thereof shall not be deemed to have been satisfied and
discharged prior to Maturity for any other purpose, and the Holders of such Debt
Securities or portions thereof shall continue to be entitled to look to the
Company for payment of the indebtedness represented thereby; and, upon Company
Request, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing that such Debt Securities or
portions thereof are deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this
Indenture.
If payment at Stated Maturity of less than all of the Debt Securities
of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is to be provided for in the manner and
with the effect provided in this Section, the Trustee shall select such Debt
Securities, or portions of principal amount thereof, in the manner specified by
Section 403 for selection for redemption of less than all the Debt Securities of
a series or Tranche.
In the event that Debt Securities which shall be deemed to have been
paid for purposes of this Indenture, and, if such is the case, in respect of
which the Company's indebtedness shall have been satisfied and discharged, all
as provided in this Section do not mature and are not to be redeemed within the
sixty (60) day period commencing with the date of the deposit of moneys or
Eligible Obligations, as aforesaid, the Company shall, as promptly as
practicable, give a notice, in the same manner as a notice of redemption with
respect to such Debt Securities, to the Holders of such Debt Securities to the
effect that such deposit has been made and the effect thereof.
Notwithstanding that any Debt Securities shall be deemed to have been
paid for purposes of this Indenture, as aforesaid, the obligations of the
Company and the Trustee in
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respect of such Debt Securities under Sections 304, 305, 306, 404, 503 (as to
notice of redemption), 602, 603, 907, 914 and 915 and this Article shall
survive.
The Company shall pay, and shall indemnify the Trustee or any Paying
Agent with which Eligible Obligations shall have been deposited as provided in
this Section against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against
such Eligible Obligations or the principal or interest received in respect of
such Eligible Obligations, including, but not limited to, any such tax payable
by any entity deemed, for tax purposes, to have been created as a result of such
deposit.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) if, at any time
after a Debt Security would be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this
Indenture, and, if such is the case, the Company's indebtedness in respect
thereof would be deemed to have been satisfied or discharged, pursuant to this
Section (without regard to the provisions of this paragraph), the Trustee or any
Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall be required to return the money or
Eligible Obligations, or combination thereof, deposited with it as aforesaid to
the Company or its representative under any applicable Federal or State
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, such Debt Security shall thereupon
be deemed retroactively not to have been paid and any satisfaction and discharge
of the Company's indebtedness in respect thereof shall retroactively be deemed
not to have been effected, and such Debt Security shall be deemed to remain
Outstanding and (b) any satisfaction and discharge of the Company's indebtedness
in respect of any Debt Security shall be subject to the provisions of the last
paragraph of Section 603.
Section 702. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.
This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further
effect (except as hereinafter expressly provided), and the Trustee, at the
expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when
(a) no Debt Securities remain Outstanding hereunder; and
(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable
hereunder by the Company;
provided, however, that if, in accordance with the last paragraph of Section
701, any Debt Security, previously deemed to have been paid for purposes of this
Indenture, shall be deemed retroactively not to have been so paid, this
Indenture shall thereupon be deemed retroactively not to have been satisfied and
discharged, as aforesaid, and to remain in full force and effect, and the
Company shall execute and deliver such instruments as the Trustee shall
reasonably request to evidence and acknowledge the same.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as
aforesaid, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee under Sections 304,
305, 306, 404, 503 (as to notice of redemption), 602, 603, 907, 914 and 915 and
this Article shall survive.
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Upon satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as provided in this
Section, the Trustee shall assign, transfer and turn over to the Company,
subject to the lien provided by Section 907, any and all money, securities and
other property then held by the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the
Debt Securities other than money and Eligible Obligations held by the Trustee
pursuant to Section 703.
Section 703. Application of Trust Money.
Neither the Eligible Obligations nor the money deposited pursuant to
Section 701, nor the principal or interest payments on any such Eligible
Obligations, shall be withdrawn or used for any purpose other than, and shall be
held in trust for, the payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and
interest, if any, on, the Debt Securities or portions of principal amount
thereof in respect of which such deposit was made, all subject, however, to the
provisions of Section 603; provided, however, that, so long as there shall not
have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, or an event which, with the
giving of notice or the passage of time, would become an Event of Default, any
cash received from such principal or interest payments on such Eligible
Obligations, if not then needed for such purpose, shall, to the extent
practicable, be invested in Eligible Obligations of the type described in clause
(b) in the first paragraph of Section 701 maturing at such times and in such
amounts as shall be sufficient to pay when due the principal of and premium, if
any, and interest, if any, due and to become due on such Debt Securities or
portions thereof on and prior to the Maturity thereof, and interest earned from
such reinvestment shall be paid over to the Company as received, free and clear
of any trust, lien or pledge under this Indenture except the lien provided by
Section 907; and provided, further, that, so long as there shall not have
occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, or an event which, with the
giving of notice or the passage of time, would become an Event of Default, any
moneys held in accordance with this Section on the Maturity of all such Debt
Securities in excess of the amount required to pay the principal of and premium,
if any, and interest, if any, then due on such Debt Securities shall be paid
over to the Company free and clear of any trust, lien or pledge under this
Indenture except the lien provided by Section 907; and provided, further, that
if an Event of Default, or an event which, with the giving of notice or the
passage of time, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be
continuing, moneys to be paid over to the Company pursuant to this Section shall
be held until such Event of Default, or event which, with the giving of notice
or the passage of time, would become an Event of Default, shall have been waived
or cured.
ARTICLE VIII
Events of Default; Remedies
---------------------------
Section 801. Events of Default.
"Event of Default", wherever used herein with respect to Debt
Securities of any series, means any one of the following events:
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(a) failure to pay interest, if any, on any Debt Security of such
series within thirty (30) days after the same becomes due and payable[
(whether or not payment is prohibited by the provisions of Article XV
hereof); provided, however, that a valid extension of the interest payment
period by the Company as contemplated in Section 312 of this Indenture
shall not constitute a failure to pay interest for this purpose]*; or
(b) failure to pay the principal of or premium, if any, on any Debt
Security of such series when due and payable[(whether or not payment is
prohibited by the provisions of Article XV hereof]; or
(c) failure to perform or breach of any covenant or warranty of the
Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in
the performance of which or breach of which is elsewhere in this Section
specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this
Indenture solely for the benefit of one or more series of Debt Securities
other than such series) for a period of 60 days after there has been given,
by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee, or to the
Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount
of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series, a written notice
specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and
stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder, unless the
Trustee, or the Trustee and the Holders of a principal amount of Debt
Securities of such series not less than the principal amount of Debt
Securities the Holders of which gave such notice, as the case may be, shall
agree in writing to an extension of such period prior to its expiration;
provided, however, that the Trustee, or the Trustee and the Holders of such
principal amount of Debt Securities of such series, as the case may be,
shall be deemed to have agreed to an extension of such period for a maximum
of one hundred twenty (120) days if corrective action is initiated by the
Company within such period and is being diligently pursued; or
(d) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (1) a
decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case
or proceeding under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other similar law or (2) a decree or order adjudging the
Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition
by one or more Persons other than the Company seeking reorganization,
arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company
under any applicable Federal or state law, or appointing a custodian,
receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar
official for the Company or for any substantial part of its property, or
ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and any such decree
or order for relief or any such other decree or order shall have remained
unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or
-------------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
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(e) the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case or proceeding
under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to
be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry
of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in case or
proceeding under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any
bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it
of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under
any applicable Federal or state law, or the consent by it to the filing of
such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian,
receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or similar official
of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by
it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in
writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or
the authorization of such action by the Board of Directors; or
(f) any other Event of Default specified with respect to Debt
Securities of such series.
Section 802. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.
If an Event of Default due to the default in payment of principal of,
or premium, if any, or interest on, any series of Debt Securities or due to the
default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty of the
Company applicable to the Debt Securities of such series but not applicable to
all Outstanding Debt Securities shall have occurred and be continuing, either
the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 33% in principal amount of the Debt
Securities of such series may then declare the principal amount (or, if any of
the Debt Securities of such series are Discount Debt Securities, such portion of
the principal amount as may be specified in the terms thereof as contemplated by
Section 301) of all Debt Securities of such series and premium, if payment of
any thereof be in default, and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable
immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given
by the Holders). If an Event of Default due to default in the performance of
any other of the covenants or warranties herein applicable to all Outstanding
Debt Securities or an Event of Default specified in Section 801(d) or (e) shall
have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less
than 33% in principal amount of all Debt Securities then Outstanding (considered
as one class), and not the Holders of the Debt Securities of any one of such
series, may declare the principal amount (or, if any of the Debt Securities are
Discount Debt Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Debt
Securities as may be specified in the terms thereof as contemplated by Section
301) of all Debt Securities and premium, if payment of any thereof be in
default, and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately, by a
notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders).
As a consequence of each such declaration (herein referred to as a declaration
of acceleration) with respect to Debt Securities of any series, the principal
amount (or portion thereof in the case of Discount Debt Securities) of such Debt
Securities, premium, if any, and interest accrued
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thereon shall become due and payable immediately[ (provided that the payment of
principal of such Debt Securities shall remain subordinated to the extent
provided in Article XV hereof)]*.
With respect to a series of Debt Securities to which a credit
enhancement is applicable, the applicable supplemental indenture may provide
that the provider of such credit enhancement may, if default has occurred and is
continuing with respect to such series, have all the rights with respect to
remedies that would otherwise have been exercisable by the Holders of Debt
Securities of that series.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to
Debt Securities of any series shall have been made and before a judgment or
decree for payment of the money due shall have been obtained by the Trustee as
hereinafter in this Article provided, the Event or Events of Default giving rise
to such declaration of acceleration shall, without further act, be deemed to
have been waived, and such declaration and its consequences shall, without
further act, be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled, if
(a) the Company shall have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum
sufficient to pay
(1) all overdue interest on all Debt Securities of such series;
(2) the principal of and premium, if any, on any Debt
Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such
declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates
prescribed therefor in such Debt Securities;
(3) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful,
interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed
therefor in such Debt Securities;
(4) all amounts due to the Trustee under Section 907;
and
(b) any other Event or Events of Default with respect to Debt
Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of
Debt Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such
declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in
Section 813.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any
right consequent thereon.
------------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
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Section 803. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.
If an Event of Default described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 801
shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company shall, upon demand of the
Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of the Debt Securities of the
series with respect to which such Event of Default shall have occurred, the
whole amount then due and payable on such Debt Securities for principal and
premium, if any, and interest, if any, and, to the extent permitted by law,
interest on premium, if any, and on any overdue principal and interest, at the
rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Debt Securities, and, in addition
thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover any amounts due to
the Trustee under Section 907.
If the Company shall fail to pay such amounts forthwith upon such
demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may
institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and
unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may
enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Debt
Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the
manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor
upon such Debt Securities, wherever situated.
If an Event of Default with respect to Debt Securities of any series
shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed
to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Debt
Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the
Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights,
whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this
Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce
any other proper remedy.
Section 804. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation,
bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other
judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt
Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their
creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Debt
Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration
or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand
on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be
entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal,
premium, if any, and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the
Debt Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be
necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee
(including any claim for amounts due to the Trustee under Section 907) and
of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and
(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or
deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same,
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and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or
other similar official 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 amounts due it under Section 907.
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 Debt
Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to
vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 805. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Debt Securities.
All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Debt
Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession
of any of the Debt Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding
relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be
brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of
judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation,
expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be
for the ratable benefit of the Holders in respect of which such judgment has
been recovered.
Section 806. Application of Money Collected.
[Subject to the provisions of Article XV,]* any money collected by the
Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the
date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such
money on account of principal or premium, if any, or interest, if any, upon
presentation of the Debt Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of
which such money shall have been collected and the notation thereon of the
payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section
907;
Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the
Debt Securities for principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any,
in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been
collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according
to the amounts due and payable on such Debt Securities for principal,
premium, if any, and interest, if any, respectively; and
Third: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company, or to
whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same or as a court of
competent jurisdiction may direct.
------------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
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Section 807. Limitation on Suits.
No Holder shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial
or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a
receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:
(a) such Holder shall have previously given written notice to the
Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Debt
Securities of such series;
(b) the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series in respect of which
an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, considered as
one class, shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute
proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee
hereunder;
(c) such Holder or Holders shall have offered to the Trustee
reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be
incurred in compliance with such request;
(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request
and offer of indemnity shall have failed to institute any such proceeding;
and
(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request shall have
been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities
of all series in respect of which an Event of Default shall have occurred
and be continuing, considered as one class;
it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have
any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision
of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of
such Holders or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any
other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in
the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such
Holders.
Section 808. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and
Interest.
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of
any Debt Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to
receive payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and (subject to Section
307[ and 312']*) interest, if any, on such Debt Security on the Stated Maturity
or Maturities expressed in such Debt Security (or, in the case of redemption, on
the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such
payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such
Holder.
------------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
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Section 809. Restoration of Rights and Remedies.
If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce
any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding shall have been
discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or shall have been determined
adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject
to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, and Trustee and such
Holder shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions
hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and such Holder
shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 810. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.
Except as otherwise provided in the last paragraph of Section 306, no
right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the
Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every
right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in
addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter
existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any
right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent
assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
Section 811. Delay or Omission Not Waiver.
No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any
right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right
or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence
therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee
or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be
deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
Section 812. Control by Holders of Debt Securities.
If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing in
respect of a series of Debt Securities, the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series shall have the right to
direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the
Trustee, with respect to the Debt Securities of such series; provided, however,
that if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect
to more than one series of Debt Securities, the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all such
series, considered as one class, shall have the right to make such direction,
and not the Holders of the Debt Securities of any one of such series; and
provided, further, that
(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or
with this Indenture, and could not involve the Trustee in personal
liability in circumstances where indemnity would not in the Trustee's
reasonable discretion be adequate, and
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(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the
Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.
Before proceeding to exercise any right or power hereunder at the
direction of such Holders, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive from such
Holders reasonable security or indemnity, against the costs, expenses and
liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with any such direction.
Section 813. Waiver of Past Defaults.
The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Debt Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all
the Debt Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect
to such series and its consequences, except a default
(a) in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or
interest, if any, on any Debt Security of such series, or
(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Section
1202 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of
each Outstanding Debt Security of such series affected.
Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any and
all Events 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 814. Undertaking for Costs.
The Company and the Trustee agree, and each Holder by his acceptance
thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion
require, 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, suffered or
omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an
undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its
discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees,
against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and
good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the
provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the
Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any
Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in aggregate
principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series in respect of
which such suit may be brought, considered as one class, or to any suit
instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of
or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Debt Security on or after the
Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Debt Security (or, in the case
of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).
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Section 815. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws.
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that
it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim
or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted,
now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the
performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may
lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law
and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any
power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of
every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
ARTICLE IX
The Trustee
-----------
Section 901. Certain Duties and Responsibilities.
(a) The Trustee shall have and be subject to all the duties and
responsibilities specified with respect to an indenture trustee in the
Trust Indenture Act and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read
into this Indenture against the Trustee. For purposes of Sections 315(a)
and 315(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, the term "default" is hereby defined
as an Event of Default which has occurred and is continuing.
(b) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in
the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any
of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing
that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Indenture to the
contrary, the duties and responsibilities of the Trustee under this
Indenture shall be subject to the protections, exculpations and limitations
on liability afforded to the Trustee under the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act, including those provisions of such Act deemed by such Act to
be included herein.
(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of
this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or
affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of
this Section.
Section 902. Notice of Defaults.
The Trustee shall give the Holders notice of any default hereunder
with respect to the Debt Securities of any series to the Holders of Debt
Securities of such series of which it has knowledge (within the meaning of
Section 903(h) hereof) in the manner and to the extent required to do so by the
Trust Indenture Act, unless such default shall have been cured or
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waived; provided, however, that in the case of any default of the character
specified in Section 801(c), no such notice to Holders shall be given until at
least 60 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the
term "default" means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time, or
both, would become, an Event of Default.
Section 903. Certain Rights of Trustee.
Subject to the provisions of Section 901 and to the applicable
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act:
(a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or
refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order,
bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or
document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented
by the proper party or parties;
(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be
sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order, or as
otherwise expressly provided herein, and any resolution of the Board of
Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;
(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee
shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to
taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless
other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of
bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officer's Certificate,
(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such
counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization
and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(e) 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 Holder pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holder shall have
offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs,
expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with
such request or direction;
(f) 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, order,
bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or
document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may 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 (subject to applicable legal requirements) be entitled to examine,
during normal business hours, the books, records and premises of the
Company, personally or by agent or attorney;
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(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or
perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or
attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or
negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by
it hereunder; and
(h) the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or
Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities of any series for
which it is acting as Trustee unless either (1) a Responsible Officer of
the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of the default or Event of Default
or (2) written notice of such default or Event of Default (which shall
state that such notice is a "Notice of Default" or a "Notice of an Event of
Default" hereunder, as the case may be) shall have been given to the
Trustee by the Company, any other obligor on such Debt Securities or by any
Holder of such Debt Securities.
Section 904. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Debt Securities.
The recitals contained herein and in the Debt Securities (except the
Trustee's certificates of authentication) shall be taken as the statements of
the Company, and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes
responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as
to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Debt Securities.
Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the
use or application by the Company of Debt Securities or the proceeds thereof.
Section 905. May Hold Debt Securities.
Each of the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any
Debt Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or
any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Debt Securities and,
subject to Sections 908 and 913, may otherwise deal with the Company with the
same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent,
Paying Agent, Debt Security Registrar or such other agent.
Section 906. Money Held in Trust.
Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated
from other funds, except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be
under no liability for interest on investment of any money received by it
hereunder except as expressly provided herein or otherwise agreed with, and for
the sole benefit of, the Company.
Section 907. Compensation and Reimbursement.
The Company shall
(a) pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for
all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be
limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee
of an express trust);
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(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, reimburse the
Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and
advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any
provision of this Indenture, including the costs of collection (including
the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its
agents and counsel), except to the extent that any such expense,
disbursement or advance may be attributable to its negligence, willful
misconduct or bad faith; and
(c) indemnify the Trustee and hold it harmless from and against any
and all losses, demands, claims, liabilities, causes of action or expenses
(including reasonable attorney's fees and expenses) incurred by it arising
out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust
or trusts hereunder or the performance of its duties hereunder, including
the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or
liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its
powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, demand,
claim, liability, cause of action or expense may be attributable to its
negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. The Company shall assume the
defense of the Trustee with counsel acceptable to the Trustee, unless the
Trustee shall have been advised by counsel that there may be one or more
legal defenses available to it which are different from or additional to
those available to the Company.
As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company
under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Debt Securities
upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such other than
property and funds held in trust under Section 703 (except as otherwise provided
in Section 703). "Trustee" for purposes of this Section shall include any
predecessor Trustee; provided; however, that the negligence, willful misconduct
or bad faith of any Trustee hereunder shall not affect the rights of any other
Trustee hereunder.
When a Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with
an Event of Default specified in Section 801(d) or Section 801(e), the expenses
(including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the
compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of
administration under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or
other similar law.
The provisions of this Section shall survive termination of this
Indenture.
Section 908. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests.
If the Trustee shall have or acquire any conflicting interest within
the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it shall either eliminate such
conflicting interest or resign to the extent, in the manner and with the effect,
and subject to the conditions, provided in the Trust Indenture Act and this
Indenture. For purposes of Section 310(b)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act and to
the extent permitted thereby, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a
conflicting interest by virtue of being a Trustee under (i) this Indenture with
respect to Debt Securities of more than one series, (ii) the Indenture (For
[Subordinated] Debt Securities), dated as of _____________, 200_,
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or (iii) the Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated as of May 1, 1940, as
supplemented, or with respect to the securities issued thereunder.
Section 909. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.
There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be
(a) a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the
United States, any State or Territory thereof or the District of Columbia,
authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a
combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 and subject to
supervision or examination by Federal or State authority, or
(b) if and to the extent permitted by the Commission by rule,
regulation or order upon application, a corporation or other Person
organized and doing business under the laws of a foreign government,
authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a
combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 or the Dollar
equivalent of the applicable foreign currency and subject to supervision or
examination by authority of such foreign government or a political
subdivision thereof substantially equivalent to supervision or examination
applicable to United States institutional trustees,
and, in either case, qualified and eligible under this Article and the
Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at
least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of such supervising or
examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital
and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and
surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at
any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with
the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.
Section 910. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.
(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a
successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the
acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the
applicable requirements of Section 911.
(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Debt
Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the
Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by
Section 911 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days
after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may
petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a
successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of such series.
(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Debt
Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series delivered to the
Trustee and to the Company.
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(d) If at any time:
(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 908 after
written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been
a bona fide Holder for at least six months, or
(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 909 and
shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or
by any such Holder, or
(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be
adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of
its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take
charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the
purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
then, in any such case, (x) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the
Trustee with respect to all Debt Securities or (y) subject to Section 814, any
Holder who has been a bona fide Holder for at least six months may, on behalf of
himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Debt Securities
and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.
(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of
acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause
(other than as contemplated in clause (y) in subsection (d) of this
Section), with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series, the
Company, by a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee
or Trustees with respect to the Debt Securities of that or those series (it
being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with
respect to the Debt Securities of one or more or all of such series and
that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Debt
Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable
requirements of Section 911. If, within one year after such resignation,
removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor
Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of any series shall be
appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Debt Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the
retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon
its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable
requirements of Section 911, become the successor Trustee with respect to
the Debt Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the
successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with
respect to the Debt Securities of any series shall have been so appointed
by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner
required by Section 911, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a
Debt Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of
itself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the
Debt Securities of such series.
(f) So long as no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time,
or both, would become, an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, and except
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with respect to a Trustee appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in
principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities pursuant to subsection
(e) of this Section, if the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee (i)
a Board Resolution appointing a successor Trustee, effective as of a date
specified therein, and (ii) an instrument of acceptance of such
appointment, effective as of such date, by such successor Trustee in
accordance with Section 911, the Trustee shall be deemed to have resigned
as contemplated in subsection (b) of this Section, the successor Trustee
shall be deemed to have been appointed by the Company pursuant to
subsection (e) of this Section and such appointment shall be deemed to have
been accepted as contemplated in Section 911, all as of such date, and all
other provisions of this Section and Section 911 shall be applicable to
such resignation, appointment and acceptance except to the extent
inconsistent with this subsection (f).
(g) The Company or, should the Company fail so to act promptly, the
successor Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall give notice of each
resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Debt
Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with
respect to the Debt Securities of any series by mailing written notice of
such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Debt
Securities of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Debt
Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor
Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of such series and the address
of its corporate trust office.
Section 911. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.
(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with
respect to the Debt Securities of all series, every such successor Trustee
so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to
the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and
thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become
effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or
conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and
duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the
successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of all sums
owed to it, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such
successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee
and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all
property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.
(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with
respect to the Debt Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the
Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to
the Debt Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an
indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept
such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be
necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each
successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring
Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of that or those series to
which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the
retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Debt Securities, shall
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contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to
confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring
Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of that or those series as to
which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in
the retiring Trustee and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions
of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the
administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being
understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall
constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such
Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart
from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee;
and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the
resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to
the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any
further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights,
powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Debt
Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such
successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor
Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of all sums owed to it, shall
duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property
and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Debt
Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such
successor Trustee relates.
(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall
execute any instruments which fully vest in and confirm to such successor
Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in subsection (a) or
(b) of this Section, as the case may be.
(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the
time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and
eligible under this Article.
Section 912. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.
Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or
with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business
of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such
corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article,
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto. In case any Debt Securities shall have been
authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor
by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt
such authentication and deliver the Debt Securities so authenticated with the
same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Debt
Securities.
Section 913. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.
If the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company or any
other obligor upon the Debt Securities (other than by reason of a relationship
described in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act), the Trustee shall be
subject to any and all applicable provisions of the
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Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company or
such other obligor. For purposes of Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act:
(a) the term "cash transaction" means any transaction in which full
payment for goods or securities sold is made within seven days after
delivery of the goods or securities in currency or in checks or other
orders drawn upon banks or bankers and payable upon demand;
(b) the term "self-liquidating paper" means any draft, bill of
exchange, acceptance or obligation which is made, drawn, negotiated or
incurred by the Company for the purpose of financing the purchase,
processing, manufacturing, shipment, storage or sale of goods, wares or
merchandise and which is secured by documents evidencing title to,
possession of, or a lien upon, the goods, wares or merchandise or the
receivables or proceeds arising from the sale of the goods, wares or
merchandise previously constituting the security, provided the security is
received by the Trustee simultaneously with the creation of the creditor
relationship with the Company arising from the making, drawing, negotiating
or incurring of the draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation.
Section 914. Co-trustees and Separate Trustees.
At any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal
requirements of any applicable jurisdiction, the Company and the Trustee shall
have power to appoint, and, upon the written request of the Trustee or of the
Holders of at least thirty-three per centum (33%) in principal amount of the
Debt Securities then Outstanding, the Company shall for such purpose join with
the Trustee in the execution and delivery of all instruments and agreements
necessary or proper to appoint, one or more Persons approved by the Trustee
either to act as co-trustee, jointly with the Trustee, or to act as separate
trustee, in either case with such powers as may be provided in the instrument of
appointment, and to vest in such Person or Persons, in the capacity aforesaid,
any property, title, right or power deemed necessary or desirable, subject to
the other provisions of this Section. If the Company does not join in such
appointment within 15 days after the receipt by it of a request so to do, or if
an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee alone
shall have power to make such appointment.
Should any written instrument or instruments from the Company be
required by any co-trustee or separate trustee so appointed to more fully
confirm to such co-trustee or separate trustee such property, title, right or
power, any and all such instruments shall, on request, be executed, acknowledged
and delivered by the Company.
Every co-trustee or separate trustee shall, to the extent permitted by
law, but to such extent only, be appointed subject to the following conditions:
(a) the Debt Securities shall be authenticated and delivered, and all
rights, powers, duties and obligations hereunder in respect of the custody
of securities, cash and other personal property held by, or required to be
deposited or pledged with, the Trustee hereunder, shall be exercised
solely, by the Trustee;
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(b) the rights, powers, duties and obligations hereby conferred or
imposed upon the Trustee in respect of any property covered by such
appointment shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed
either by the Trustee or by the Trustee and such co-trustee or separate
trustee jointly, as shall be provided in the instrument appointing such co-
trustee or separate trustee, except to the extent that under any law of any
jurisdiction in which any particular act is to be performed, the Trustee
shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act, in which event
such rights, powers, duties and obligations shall be exercised and
performed by such co-trustee or separate trustee;
(c) the Trustee at any time, by an instrument in writing executed by
it, with the concurrence of the Company, may accept the resignation of or
remove any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed under this Section,
and, if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the
Trustee shall have power to accept the resignation of, or remove, any such
co-trustee or separate trustee without the concurrence of the Company. Upon
the written request of the Trustee, the Company shall join with the Trustee
in the execution and delivery of all instruments and agreements necessary
or proper to effectuate such resignation or removal. A successor to any co-
trustee or separate trustee so resigned or removed may be appointed in the
manner provided in this Section;
(d) no co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be personally
liable by reason of any act or omission of the Trustee, or any other such
trustee hereunder; and
(e) any Act of Holders delivered to the Trustee shall be deemed to
have been delivered to each such co-trustee and separate trustee.
Section 915. Appointment of Authenticating Agent.
The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect
to the Debt Securities of one or more series, or any Tranche thereof, which
shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Debt
Securities of such series or Tranche issued upon original issuance, exchange,
registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section
306, and Debt Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of
this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if
authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this
Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Debt Securities by the Trustee
or the Trustee's certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed
to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an
Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of
the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be
acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and
doing business under the laws of the United States, any State or territory
thereof or the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined
capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or
examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent
publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the
requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes
of this
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Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be
deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall
cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such
Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect
specified in this Section.
Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent
shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or
corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an
Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible
under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further
act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.
An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving 45 days
written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at
any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written
notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving
such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time
such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating
Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company. Any successor Authenticating
Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all
the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as
if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating
Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.
The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to
time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.
The provisions of Sections 308, 904 and 905 shall be applicable to
each Authenticating Agent.
If an appointment with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more
series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be made pursuant to this Section, the Debt
Securities of such series or Tranche may have endorsed thereon, in addition to
the Trustee's certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of
authentication substantially in the following form:
This is one of the Debt Securities of the series designated therein
referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated:___________________________
By___________________________
As Trustee
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By___________________________
As Authenticating Agent
By___________________________
Authorized Signatory
If all of the Debt Securities of a series may not be originally issued
at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of
authenticating Debt Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of
Payment where the Company wishes to have Debt Securities of such series
authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested by the
Company in writing (which writing need not comply with Section 102 and need not
be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), shall appoint, in accordance with this
Section and in accordance with such procedures as shall be acceptable to the
Trustee, an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment
designated by the Company with respect to such series of Debt Securities.
ARTICLE X
Holders' Lists and Reports by Trustee and Company
-------------------------------------------------
Section 1001. Lists of Holders.
Semiannually, not later than _______________ and _______________ in
each year, commencing with the year 200_, and at such other times as the Trustee
may request in writing, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to
the Trustee information as to the names and addresses of the Holders, and the
Trustee shall preserve such information and similar information received by it
in any other capacity and afford to the Holders access to information so
preserved by it, all to such extent, if any, and in such manner as shall be
required by the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that no such list need
be furnished so long as the Trustee shall be the Debt Security Registrar. Every
holder of Debt Securities by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the
Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent
of either of them shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any
such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Debt Securities
in accordance with Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act, or any successor
section of such Act, regardless of the source from which such information was
derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing
any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trustee
Indenture Act, or any successor section of such Act.
Section 1002. Reports by Trustee and Company.
Annually, not later than _______________ in each year, commencing
_______________, the Trustee shall transmit to the Holders, the Commission and
each securities exchange upon which any Debt Securities are listed, a report,
dated as of the next preceding _______________, with respect to any events and
other matters described in Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, in such
manner and to the extent required by the Trust Indenture Act.
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The Trustee shall transmit to the Holders, the Commission and each securities
exchange upon which any Debt Securities are listed, and the Company shall file
with the Trustee (within thirty (30) days after filing with the Commission in
the case of reports which pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act must be filed with
the Commission and furnished to the Trustee) and transmit to the Holders, such
other information, reports and other documents, if any, at such times and in
such manner, as shall be required by the Trust Indenture Act.
The Company shall notify the Trustee of the listing of any Debt
Securities on any securities exchange. Delivery of such reports, information
and documents by the Company to the Trustee is for informational purposes only,
and the Trustee's receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of
any information contained therein or determinable from information contained
therein, including the Company's compliance with any of its covenants hereunder
(as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer's
Certificates).
ARTICLE XI
Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance or Other Transfer
---------------------------------------------------
Section 1101. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.
The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other
corporation, or convey or otherwise transfer or lease its properties and assets
substantially as an entirety to any Person, unless
(a) the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the
Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer,
or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company substantially as
an entirety shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the
United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and shall
expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and
delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and
punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if
any, on all Outstanding Debt Securities and the performance of every
covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or
observed;
(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating
any indebtedness for borrowed money which becomes an obligation of the
Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the
Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event
which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of
Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and
(c) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer's
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such
consolidation, merger, conveyance, or other transfer or lease and such
supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions
precedent herein provided for relating to such transactions have been
complied with.
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Section 1102. Successor Corporation Substituted.
Upon any consolidation by the Company with or merger by the Company
into any other corporation or any conveyance, or other transfer or lease of the
properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance
with Section 1101, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or
into which the Company is merged or the Person to which such conveyance,
transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may
exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the
same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein,
and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be
relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Debt
Securities Outstanding hereunder.
ARTICLE XII
Supplemental Indentures
-----------------------
Section 1201. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.
Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at
any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures
supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the
following purposes:
(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and
the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein
and in the Debt Securities, all as provided in Article XI; or
(b) to add one or more covenants of the Company or other provisions
for the benefit of all Holders or for the benefit of the Holders of, or to
remain in effect only so long as there shall be Outstanding Debt Securities
of one or more specified series, or one or more specified Tranches thereof,
or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or
(c) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or
any series of Debt Securities Outstanding hereunder; or
(d) to change or eliminate any provision of this Indenture or to add
any new provision to this Indenture; provided, however, that if such
change, elimination or addition shall adversely affect the interests of the
Holders of Debt Securities of any series or Tranche Outstanding on the date
of such indenture supplemental hereto in any material respect, such change,
elimination or addition shall become effective with respect to such series
or Tranche only pursuant to the provisions of Section 1202 hereof or when
no Debt Security of such series or Tranche remains Outstanding; or
(e) to provide collateral security for the Debt Securities; or
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(f) to establish the form or terms of Debt Securities of any series
or Tranche as contemplated by Sections 201 and 301; or
(g) to provide for the authentication and delivery of bearer
securities and coupons appertaining thereto representing interest, if any,
thereon and for the procedures for the registration, exchange and
replacement thereof and for the giving of notice to, and the solicitation
of the vote or consent of, the holders thereof, and for any and all other
matters incidental thereto; or
(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
hereunder by a separate or successor Trustee with respect to the Debt
Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the
provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or
facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one
Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 911(b); or
(i) to provide for the procedures required to permit the Company to
utilize, at its option, a non-certificated system of registration for all,
or any series or Tranche of, the Debt Securities; or to provide for the
authentication and delivery of bearer securities and coupons appertaining
thereto representing interest, if any, thereon and for the procedures for
the registration, exchange and replacement thereof and for the giving of
notice to, and the solicitation of the vote or consent of, the holders
thereof, and for any and all other matters incidental thereto; or
(j) to change any place or places where (1) the principal of and
premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all or any series of Debt
Securities, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable, (2) all or any series
of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, may be surrendered for
registration of transfer, (3) all or any series of Debt Securities, or any
Tranche thereof, may be surrendered for exchange and (4) notices and
demands to or upon the Company in respect of all or any series of Debt
Securities, or any Tranche thereof, and this Indenture may be served; or
(k) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision
herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision
herein; provided that no such changes or additions shall adversely affect
the interests of the Holders of Debt Securities of any series or Tranche in
any material respect.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Trust
Indenture Act as in effect at the date of the execution and delivery of this
Indenture or at any time thereafter shall be amended and
(x) if any such amendment shall require one or more changes to any
provisions hereof or the inclusion herein of any additional provisions, or shall
by operation of law be deemed to effect such changes or incorporate such
provisions by reference or otherwise, this Indenture shall be deemed to have
been amended so as to conform to such amendment to the Trust Indenture Act, and
the Company and the Trustee may, without the consent of any Holders,
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enter into an indenture supplemental hereto to effect or evidence such changes
or additional provisions; or
(y) if any such amendment shall permit one or more changes to, or the
elimination of, any provisions hereof which, at the date of the execution and
delivery hereof or at any time thereafter, are required by the Trust Indenture
Act to be contained herein, this Indenture shall be deemed to have been amended
to effect such changes or elimination, and the Company and the Trustee may,
without the consent of any Holders, enter into an indenture supplemental hereto
to evidence such amendment hereof.
Section 1202. Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders.
With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of all series then Outstanding
under this Indenture, considered as one class, by Act of said Holders delivered
to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board
Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures
supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in
any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of, this Indenture; provided,
however, that if there shall be Debt Securities of more than one series
Outstanding hereunder and if a proposed supplemental indenture shall directly
affect the rights of the Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, but less
than all, of such series, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series so
directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided,
further, that if the Debt Securities of any series shall have been issued in
more than one Tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture shall directly
affect the rights of the Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, but less
than all, of such Tranches, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority
in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all Tranches
so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided,
further, that no such supplemental indenture shall:
(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any
installment of principal of or interest on[ (except as provided in Section
312 hereof)]* any Debt Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or
the rate of interest thereon (or the amount of any installment of interest
thereon) or change the method of calculating such rate or reduce any
premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the
principal of a Discount Debt Security that would be due and payable upon a
declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section
802, or change the coin or currency (or other property), in which any Debt
Security or any premium or the interest thereon is payable, or impair the
right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after
the Stated Maturity of any Debt Security (or, in the case of
------------------------
* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
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redemption, on or after the Redemption Date), without, in any such case,
the consent of the Holder of such Debt Security, or
(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt
Securities of any series or any Tranche thereof, the consent of the Holders
of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of
the Holders of which is required for any waiver of compliance with any
provision of this Indenture or of any default hereunder and its
consequences, or reduce the requirements of Section 1304 for quorum or
voting, without, in any such case, the consent of the Holders of each
Outstanding Debt Security of such series or Tranche, or
(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 607 or
Section 813 with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any
Tranche thereof (except to increase the percentages in principal amount
referred to in this Section or such other Sections or to provide that other
provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the
consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security affected thereby);
provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the
consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to "the
Trustee" and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this
proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 911(b), 914 and
1201(h).
A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other
provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the
benefit of one or more particular series of Debt Securities, or of one or more
Tranches thereof, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Debt Securities
of such series or Tranches with respect to such covenant or other provision,
shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of
Debt Securities of any other series or Tranche.
Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the Board
Resolution authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture,
compliance by the Company with Section 1203 hereof, and the filing with the
Trustee of evidence of the consent of the Holders of the Debt Securities
required hereunder with respect to the proposed supplemental indenture, the
Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental
indenture unless the supplemental indenture 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
supplemental indenture.
It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to
approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall
be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof. A waiver by a
Holder of such Holder's right to consent under this Section shall be deemed to
be a consent of such Holder.
Section 1203. Execution of Supplemental Indentures.
In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any
supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of
the trusts created by this
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Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section
901) shall be fully protected in relying upon an Opinion of Counsel stating that
the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this
Indenture.
Section 1204. Effect of Supplemental Indentures.
Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article
this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental
indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder
of Debt Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered
hereunder shall be bound thereby. Any supplemental indenture permitted by this
Article may restate this Indenture in its entirety, and, upon the execution and
delivery thereof, any such restatement shall supersede this Indenture as
theretofore in effect for all purposes.
Section 1205. Conformity With Trust Indenture Act.
Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall
conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.
Section 1206. Reference in Debt Securities to Supplemental Indentures.
Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, authenticated
and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this
Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form
approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental
indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Debt Securities of any
series, or any Tranche thereof, so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the
Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and
executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in
exchange for Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or Tranche.
Section 1207. Modification Without Supplemental Indenture.
If the terms of any particular series of Debt Securities shall have
been established in a Board Resolution or an Officer's Certificate pursuant to a
Board Resolution as contemplated by Section 301, and not in an indenture
supplemental hereto, additions to, changes in or the elimination of any of such
terms may be effected by means of a supplemental Board Resolution or Officer's
Certificate, as the case may be, delivered to, and accepted by, the Trustee;
provided, however, that such supplemental Board Resolution or Officer's
Certificate shall not be accepted by the Trustee or otherwise be effective
unless all conditions set forth in this Indenture which would be required to be
satisfied if such additions, changes or elimination were contained in a
supplemental indenture shall have been appropriately satisfied. Upon the
acceptance thereof by the Trustee, any such supplemental Board Resolution or
Officer's Certificate shall be deemed to be a "supplemental indenture" for
purposes of Section 1204 and 1206.
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ARTICLE XIII
Meetings of Holders; Action Without Meeting
-------------------------------------------
Section 1301. Purposes for Which Meetings May be Called.
A meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, or all,
series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, may be called at any time and from
time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by
this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Debt Securities of such
series or Tranches.
Section 1302. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.
(a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Debt
Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches
thereof, for any purpose specified in Section 1301, to be held at such time
and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, as the
Trustee shall determine, or, with the approval of the Company, at any other
place. Notice of every such meeting, setting forth the time and the place
of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at
such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not
less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the
meeting.
(b) If the Trustee shall have been requested to call a meeting of the
Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche
or Tranches thereof, by the Company or by the Holders of 33% in aggregate
principal amount of all of such series and Tranches, considered as one
class, for any purpose specified in Section 1301, by written request
setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the
meeting, and the Trustee shall not have given the notice of such meeting
within 21 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter
proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the
Company or the Holders of Debt Securities of such series and Tranches in
the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and
the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or in such
other place as shall be determined or approved by the Company, for such
meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice
thereof as provided in subsection (a) of this Section.
(c) Any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, or all,
series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, shall be valid without notice
if the Holders of all Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or
Tranches are present in person or by proxy and if representatives of the
Company and the Trustee are present, or if notice is waived in writing
before or after the meeting by the Holders of all Outstanding Debt
Securities of such series, or by such of them as are not present at the
meeting in person or by proxy, and by the Company and the Trustee.
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Section 1303. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.
To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of
one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, a Person shall
be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or
Tranches, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a
Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or
Tranches by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to
attend any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series or Tranche shall
be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any
representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the
Company and its counsel.
Section 1304. Quorum; Action.
The Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the Outstanding Debt Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to
which a meeting shall have been called as hereinbefore provided, considered as
one class, shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of Holders of Debt Securities
of such series and Tranches; provided, however, that if any action is to be
taken at such meeting which this Indenture expressly provides may be taken by
the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in
principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and Tranches,
considered as one class, the Persons entitled to vote such specified percentage
in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and
Tranches, considered as one class, shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of
a quorum within one hour of the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting
shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Debt Securities of such series
and Tranches, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for
such period as may be determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the
adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned
meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for such period as may
be determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such
adjourned meeting. Except as provided by Section 1305(e), notice of the
reconvening of any meeting adjourned for more than 30 days shall be given as
provided in Section 1302(a) not less than ten days prior to the date on which
the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an
adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of
the principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and
Tranches which shall constitute a quorum.
Except as limited by Section 1202, any resolution presented to a
meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as
aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of the
series and Tranches with respect to which such meeting shall have been called,
considered as one class; provided, however, that, except as so limited, any
resolution with respect to any action which this Indenture expressly provides
may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a
majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series
and Tranches, considered as one class, may be adopted at a meeting or an
adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present
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as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage
in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and
Tranches, considered as one class.
Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of
Debt Securities duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on
all the Holders of Debt Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to
which such meeting shall have been held, whether or not present or represented
at the meeting.
Section 1305. Attendance at Meetings; Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct
and Adjournment of Meetings.
(a) Attendance at meetings of Holders of Debt Securities may be in
person or by proxy; and, to the extent permitted by law, any such proxy
shall remain in effect and be binding upon any future Holder of the Debt
Securities with respect to which it was given unless and until specifically
revoked by the Holder or future Holder of such Debt Securities before being
voted.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the
Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for
any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities in regard to proof of the holding
of such Debt Securities and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to
the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and
examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to
vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it
shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any
such regulations, the holding of Debt Securities shall be proved in the
manner specified in Section 104 and the appointment of any proxy shall be
proved in the manner specified in Section 104. Such regulations may provide
that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be
presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or
other proof.
(c) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a
temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been
called by the Company or by Holders as provided in Section 1302(b), in
which case the Company or the Holders of Debt Securities of the series and
Tranches calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner
appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent
secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled
to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt
Securities of all series and Tranches represented at the meeting,
considered as one class.
(d) At any meeting each Holder or proxy shall be entitled to one vote
for each $1 principal amount of Debt Securities held or represented by him;
provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in
respect of any Debt Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the
chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting
shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Debt Security or
proxy.
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(e) Any meeting duly called pursuant to Section 1302 at which a
quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to
vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt
Securities of all series and Tranches represented at the meeting,
considered as one class; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned
without further notice.
Section 1306. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings.
The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders shall
be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders
or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial
numbers of the Outstanding Debt Securities, of the series and Tranches with
respect to which the meeting shall have been called, held or represented by
them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of
votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any
resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their
verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the
proceedings of each meeting of Holders shall be prepared by the secretary of the
meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the
inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or
more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of
the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1302
and, if applicable, Section 1304. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the
affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such
copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be
preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted
at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence
of the matters therein stated.
Section 1307. Action Without Meeting.
In lieu of a vote of Holders at a meeting as hereinbefore contemplated
in this Article, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action may be made, given or taken by Holders by written
instruments as provided in Section 104.
ARTICLE XIV
Immunity of Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors
---------------------------------------------------------------
Section 1401. Liability Solely Corporate.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or
premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Debt Securities, or any part
thereof, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or of
the indebtedness represented thereby, or upon any obligation, covenant or
agreement under this Indenture, against any incorporator, stockholder, officer
or director, as such, past, present or future of the Company or of any
predecessor or successor corporation (either directly or through the Company or
a predecessor or successor corporation), whether by virtue of any constitutional
provision, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or
penalty or otherwise; it being expressly agreed and understood that this
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Indenture and all the Debt Securities are solely corporate obligations, and that
no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, or be incurred by, any
incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, of the
Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or
indirectly through the Company or any predecessor or successor corporation,
because of the indebtedness hereby authorized or under or by reason of any of
the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any
of the Debt Securities or to be implied herefrom or therefrom, and that any such
personal liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of,
and as part of the consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the
issuance of the Debt Securities.
[ARTICLE XV
Subordination of Securities
---------------------------
Section 1501. Securities Subordinate to Senior Indebtedness.
The Company, for itself, its successors and assigns, covenants and
agrees, and each Holder of the Debt Securities of each series, by its acceptance
thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that the payment of the principal of and
premium, if any, and interest, if any, on each and all of the Debt Securities is
hereby expressly subordinated, to the extent and in the manner set forth in this
Article, in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior
Indebtedness.
Each Holder of the Debt Securities of each series, by its acceptance
thereof, authorizes and directs the Trustee on its behalf to take such action as
may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination as provided in
this Article, and appoints the Trustee its attorney-in-fact for any and all such
purposes.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, nothing contained in
this Article shall restrict the right of the Trustee or the Holders of
Securities to take any action to declare the Debt Securities to be due and
payable prior to their stated maturity pursuant to Section 802 or to pursue any
rights or remedies hereunder; provided, however, that all Senior Indebtedness
then due and payable shall first be paid in full before the Holders of the Debt
Securities or the Trustee are entitled to receive any direct or indirect payment
from the Company of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the Debt
Securities.
Section 1502. Payment Over of Proceeds of Securities.
In the event (a) of any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings or any
receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar proceedings in
respect of the Company or a substantial part of its property, or of any
proceedings for liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of the Company,
whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, whether voluntary or
involuntary or (b) subject to the provisions of Section 1503, that (i) a default
shall have occurred with respect to the payment of principal of or interest on
or other monetary amounts due and payable on any Senior Indebtedness, or (ii)
there shall have occurred a default (other than a
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default in the payment of principal or interest or other monetary amounts due
and payable) in respect of any Senior Indebtedness, as defined therein or in the
instrument under which the same is outstanding, permitting the holder or holders
thereof to accelerate the maturity thereof (with notice or lapse of time, or
both), and such default shall have continued beyond the period of grace, if any,
in respect thereof, and, in the cases of subclauses (i) and (ii) of this clause
(b), such default shall not have been cured or waived or shall not have ceased
to exist, or (c) that the principal of and accrued interest on the Debt
Securities of any series shall have been declared due and payable pursuant to
Section 801 and such declaration shall not have been rescinded and annulled as
provided in Section 802, then:
(1) the holders of all Senior Indebtedness shall first be
entitled to receive payment of the full amount due thereon, or
provision shall be made for such payment in money or money's worth,
before the Holders of any of the Debt Securities are entitled to
receive a payment on account of the principal of or interest on the
indebtedness evidenced by the Debt Securities, including, without
limitation, any payments made pursuant to Articles IV and V;
(2) any payment by, or distribution of assets of, the Company
of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to
which any Holder or the Trustee would be entitled except for the
provisions of this Article, shall be paid or delivered by the person
making such payment or distribution, whether a trustee in bankruptcy,
a receiver or liquidating trustee or otherwise, directly to the
holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or
representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture
under which any instruments evidencing any of such Senior Indebtedness
may have been issued, ratably according to the aggregate amounts
remaining unpaid on account of such Senior Indebtedness held or
represented by each, to the extent necessary to make payment in full
of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid after giving effect to any
concurrent payment or distribution (or provision therefor) to the
holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or
distribution is made to the Holder of the indebtedness evidenced by
the Debt Securities or to the Trustee under this Indenture; and
(3) in the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any
payment by, or distribution of assets of, the Company of any kind or
character, whether in cash, property or securities, in respect of
principal of or interest on the Debt Securities or in connection with
any repurchase by the Company of the Debt Securities, shall be
received by the Trustee or any Holder before all Senior Indebtedness
is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money or
money's worth, such payment or distribution in respect of principal of
or interest on the Debt Securities or in connection with any
repurchase by the Company of the Debt Securities shall be paid over to
the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or
representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture
under which any instruments evidencing any such Senior Indebtedness
may have been issued, ratably as aforesaid, for application to the
payment of all
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Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all such Senior
Indebtedness shall have been paid in full, after giving effect to any
concurrent payment or distribution (or provision therefor) to the
holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time after the 123rd day
following the date of deposit of cash or Eligible Obligations pursuant to
Section 701 (provided all conditions set out in such Section shall have been
satisfied), the funds so deposited and any interest thereon will not be subject
to any rights of holders of Senior Indebtedness including, without limitation,
those arising under this Article; provided that no event described in clauses
(d) and (e) of Section 801 with respect to the Company has occurred during such
123-day period.
For purposes of this Article only, the words "cash, property or
securities" shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as
reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation
provided for by a plan or reorganization or readjustment which are subordinate
in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness which may at the time be
outstanding to the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Debt
Securities are so subordinated as provided in this Article. The consolidation
of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another corporation or
the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or
transfer of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to
another corporation upon the terms and conditions provided for in Article XI
hereof shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or
reorganization for the purposes of this Section 1502 if such other corporation
shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply
with the conditions stated in Article XI hereof. Nothing in Section 1501 or in
this Section 1502 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or
pursuant to Section 907.
Section 1503. Disputes with Holders of Certain Senior Indebtedness.
Any failure by the Company to make any payment on or perform any other
obligation in respect of Senior Indebtedness, other than any indebtedness
incurred by the Company or assumed or guaranteed, directly or indirectly, by the
Company for money borrowed (or any deferral, renewal, extension or refunding
thereof) or any other obligation as to which the provisions of this Section
shall have been waived by the Company in the instrument or instruments by which
the Company incurred, assumed, guaranteed or otherwise created such indebtedness
or obligation, shall not be deemed a default under clause (b) of Section 1502 if
(i) the Company shall be disputing its obligation to make such payment or
perform such obligation and (ii) either (A) no final judgment relating to such
dispute shall have been issued against the Company which is in full force and
effect and is not subject to further review, including a judgment that has
become final by reason of the expiration of the time within which a party may
seek further appeal or review, or (B) in the event that a judgment that is
subject to further review or appeal has been issued, the Company shall in good
faith be prosecuting an appeal or other proceeding for review and a stay or
execution shall have been obtained pending such appeal or review.
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Section 1504. Subrogation.
Senior Indebtedness shall not be deemed to have been paid in full
unless the holders thereof shall have received cash (or securities or other
property satisfactory to such holders) in full payment of such Senior
Indebtedness then outstanding. Upon the payment in full of all Senior
Indebtedness, the Holders of the Debt Securities shall be subrogated to the
rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive any further payments or
distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to the
holders of the Senior Indebtedness until all amounts owing on the Debt
Securities shall be paid in full; and such payments or distributions of cash,
property or securities received by the Holders of the Debt Securities, by reason
of such subrogation, which otherwise would be paid or distributed to the holders
of such Senior Indebtedness shall, as between the Company, its creditors other
than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders, be deemed to be a
payment by the Company to or on account of Senior Indebtedness, it being
understood that the provisions of this Article are and are intended solely for
the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders, on the one hand, and
the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand.
If any payment or distribution to which the Holders of the Debt
Securities would otherwise have been entitled but for the provisions of this
Article shall have been applied, pursuant to the provisions of this Article, to
the payment of all amounts payable under Senior Indebtedness, then and in such
case, the Holders of the Debt Securities shall be entitled to receive from the
holders of such Senior Indebtedness any payments or distributions received by
such holders of Senior Indebtedness in excess of the amount required to make
payment in full, or provision for payment, of such Senior Indebtedness.
Section 1505. Obligation of the Company Unconditional.
Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in
the Debt Securities is intended to or shall impair, as among the Company, its
creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders, the
obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the
Holders the principal of and interest on the Debt Securities as and when the
same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended
to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders and creditors of the
Company other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein
or therein prevent the Trustee or any Holder from exercising all remedies
otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject
to the rights, if any, under this Article of the holders of Senior Indebtedness
in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company received upon the
exercise of any such remedy.
Upon any payment or distribution of assets or securities of the
Company referred to in this Article, the Trustee and the Holders shall be
entitled to rely upon any order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction
in which such bankruptcy, dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization
proceedings are pending or upon a certificate of the receiver, trustee in
bankruptcy, liquidating trustee agent or other person making such payment or
distribution delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders for the purpose of
ascertaining the persons entitled to
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participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and
other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the
amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon, and all other facts pertinent
thereto or to this Article.
Section 1506. Priority of Senior Indebtedness Upon Maturity.
Upon the maturity of the principal of any Senior Indebtedness by lapse
of time, acceleration or otherwise, all matured principal of Senior Indebtedness
and interest and premium, if any, thereon shall first be paid in full before any
payment of principal or premium or interest, if any, is made upon the Debt
Securities or before any Securities can be acquired by the Company or any
sinking fund payment is made with respect to the Debt Securities (except that
required sinking fund payments may be reduced by Securities acquired before such
maturity of such Senior Indebtedness).
Section 1507. Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness.
The Trustee shall be entitled to all rights set forth in this Article
with respect to any Senior Indebtedness at any time held by it, to the same
extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness. Nothing in this Article
shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.
Section 1508. Notice to Trustee to Effectuate Subordination.
The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any
fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment to or by
the Trustee in respect of the Debt Securities pursuant to the provisions of this
Article. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article or any other provision
of the Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the
existence of any facts which would prohibit the making of any payment of moneys
to or by the Trustee unless and until the Trustee shall have received written
notice thereof from the Company, from a Holder or from a holder of any Senior
Indebtedness or from any representative or representatives of such holder and,
prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee shall be entitled,
subject to Section 901, in all respects to assume that no such facts exist;
provided, however, that, if prior to the fifth Business Day preceding the date
upon which by the terms hereof any such moneys may become payable for any
purpose, or in the event of the execution of an instrument pursuant to Section
702 acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, then if prior to
the second Business Day preceding the date of such execution, the Trustee shall
not have received with respect to such moneys the notice provided for in this
Section, then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Trustee may, in its discretion, receive such moneys and/or apply the same to the
purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to
the contrary, which may be received by it on or after such date; provided,
however, that no such application shall affect the obligations under this
Article of the persons receiving such moneys from the Trustee.
Section 1509. Modification, Extension, etc. of Senior Indebtedness.
The holders of Senior Indebtedness may, without affecting in any
manner the subordination of the payment of the principal of and premium, if any,
and interest, if any, on the
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Debt Securities, at any time or from time to time and in their absolute
discretion, agree with the Company to change the manner, place or terms of
payment, change or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, any Senior
Indebtedness, or amend or supplement any instrument pursuant to which any Senior
Indebtedness is issued, or exercise or refrain from exercising any other of
their rights under the Senior Indebtedness including, without limitation, the
waiver of default thereunder, all without notice to or assent from the Holders
or the Trustee.
Section 1510. Trustee Has No Fiduciary Duty to Holders of Senior Indebtedness.
With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the Trustee
undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and objectives as
are specifically set forth in this Article, 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 it shall mistakenly pay over or deliver to the
Holders or the Company or any other Person, cash, property or securities to
which any holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this
Article or otherwise.
Section 1511. Paying Agents Other than the Trustee.
In case at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have
been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term "Trustee"
as used in this Article shall in such case (unless the context shall otherwise
require) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its
meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were named
in this Article in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided, however,
that Sections 1507, 1508 and 1510 shall not apply to the Company if it acts as
Paying Agent.
Section 1512. Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness Not Impaired.
No right of any present or future holder of Senior Indebtedness to
enforce the subordination herein shall at any time or in any way be prejudiced
or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any
noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this
Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof any such holder may have or be
otherwise charged with.
Section 1513. This Article Not to Prevent Events of Default.
The failure to make a payment on account of principal of, or premium,
if any, or interest on the Debt Securities by reason of any provision of this
Article shall not be construed as preventing the occurrence of an Event of
Default specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of Section 801.
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Section 1514. Effect of Subordination Provisions; Termination.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, other than
as provided in the immediately succeeding sentence, all the provisions of this
Indenture shall be subject to the provisions of this Article, so far as the same
may be applicable thereto.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the
provisions of this Article XV shall be of no further effect, and the Debt
Securities shall no longer be subordinated in right of payment to the prior
payment of Senior Indebtedness, if the Company shall have delivered to the
Trustee a notice to such effect. Any such notice delivered by the Company shall
not be deemed to be a supplemental indenture for purposes of Article XII.]*
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This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
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* Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which
subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to
be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed
and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
NORTH CAROLINA NATURAL
GAS CORPORATION
By:
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Name:
----------------------
Title:
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[SEAL]
ATTEST:
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By:
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Name:
---------------------
Title:
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(Trustee's Signature Page Follows)
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, Trustee
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By:
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Authorized Representative
[SEAL]
ATTEST:
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Authorized Representative
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