PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus dated March 12, 1998)
$12,023,316,429
Morgan Stanley, Dean Witter, Discover & Co.
GLOBAL MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, SERIES C
GLOBAL UNITS, SERIES C
-----------------------
Due More Than Nine Months from Date of Issue
-----------------------
Morgan Stanley, Dean Witter, Discover & Co. (the "Company") may offer from
time to time, either alone or as part of a Unit, its Global Medium-Term Notes,
which are issuable in one or more series and may be offered and sold in the
United States, outside the United States or both in and outside the United
States simultaneously. Global Medium-Term Notes issued as part of a Unit will be
issued in conjunction with one or more Universal Warrants, Purchase Contracts or
any combination thereof. See "Description of Units." The Global Medium-Term
Notes, Series C (the "Notes"), and the Global Units, Series C, each consisting
of one or more Series C Notes, Universal Warrants, Purchase Contracts or any
combination thereof (the "Units" and together with the Series C Notes, the
"Program Securities"), offered by this Prospectus Supplement are offered
primarily in the United States at an aggregate initial public offering price of
up to $12,023,316,429, or the equivalent thereof in other currencies, including
the euro and composite currencies such as the ECU (the "Specified Currency").
See "Important Currency Exchange Information." Such aggregate offering price is
subject to reduction as a result of the sale by the Company of certain other
Debt Securities, including the sale of the Company's Global Medium-Term Notes,
Series D and Series E and Global Units, Series D and Series E outside the United
States and of certain Warrants, Preferred Stock, Purchase Contracts and Units.
See "Plan of Distribution."
The Notes may be issued as Senior Indebtedness or Subordinated
Indebtedness. Subordinated Indebtedness will be subordinate to all Senior
Indebtedness. See "Description of Debt Securities -- Subordinated Debt" in the
accompanying Prospectus. The interest rate on each Note will be either a fixed
rate established by the Company at the date of issue of such Note, which may be
zero in the case of certain Original Issue Discount Notes, or a floating rate as
set forth therein and specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. Such
interest rates may be determined by reference to the prices of certain
securities or commodities. A Fixed Rate Note may pay a level amount in respect
of both interest and principal amortized over the life of the Note (an
"Amortizing Note"). Each Note will mature on any day more than nine months from
the date of issue, as set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement. See
"Description of Notes." Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement, the Notes may not be redeemed by the Company or be repayable at the
option of the holder prior to maturity and will be issued in fully registered
form in denominations of $1,000 (or, in the case of Notes not denominated in
U.S. dollars, the equivalent thereof in the Specified Currency, rounded to the
nearest 1,000 units of the Specified Currency) or any amount in excess thereof
which is an integral multiple of $1,000 (or, in the case of Notes not
denominated in U.S. dollars, 1,000 units of the Specified Currency). Any terms
relating to Notes being denominated in foreign currencies or composite
currencies will be as set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Universal Warrants included in Units will entitle the holders thereof to
purchase or sell (a) securities of an entity unaffiliated with the Company, a
basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities or any
combination of the above, (b) currencies or composite currencies or (c)
commodities. The Company may satisfy its obligations, if any, with respect to
any Universal Warrants by delivering the underlying securities, currencies or
commodities or, in the case of underlying securities or commodities, the cash
value thereof, as set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement. A Universal
Warrant issued as part of a Unit may not be separated from the other securities
comprising such Unit prior to such Warrant's expiration date unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Purchase Contracts included in Units will require the holders thereof to
purchase or sell (a) securities of an entity unaffiliated with the Company, a
basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities or any
combination of the above, (b) currencies or composite currencies or (c)
commodities. A Purchase Contract issued as part of a Unit may not be separated
from the other securities comprising such Unit prior to such Purchase Contract's
settlement date, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement. The applicable Pricing Supplement will also specify the methods by
which the holders may purchase or sell such securities, currencies or
commodities and any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or
other provisions relating to the settlement of a Purchase Contract.
Each Program Security will be represented either by a Global Program
Security registered in the name of a nominee of The Depository Trust Company, as
Depositary (a "Book-Entry Program Security"), or by a certificate issued in
definitive form (a "Certificated Program Security"), as set forth in the
applicable Pricing Supplement. Interests in Global Program Securities
representing Book-Entry Program Securities will be shown on, and transfers
thereof will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary
(with respect to participants' interests) and its participants. Book-Entry
Program Securities will not be issuable as Certificated Program Securities
except under the circumstances described in the accompanying Prospectus.
-----------------------
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS.
ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
-----------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Price to Agent's Proceeds to
Public (1) Commission (2) Company (2)(3)
---------- -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Per Note or Unit..... 100.000% .125%-.750% 99.875% -99.250%
Total(4)............. $12,023,316,429 $15,029,146 - $90,174,873 $12,008,287,283 - $11,933,141,556
</TABLE>
- -------------------
(1) Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, Notes will
be sold at 100% of their principal amount and Units will be sold at 100% of
the principal amount of any Notes included therein.
(2) Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
commission payable to an Agent for each Program Security sold through the
Agent will range from .125% to .750% of the Price to Public of such Program
Security; provided, however, that commissions with respect to Program
Securities having a maturity of 30 years or greater will be negotiated. The
Company may also sell Program Securities to an Agent, as principal, at
negotiated discounts, for resale to investors and other purchasers.
(3) Before deducting expenses payable by the Company estimated at $3,935,500.
(4) Or the equivalent thereof in other currencies, including composite
currencies.
-----------------------
Offers to purchase the Program Securities are being solicited from time to
time by Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated ("MS & Co.") and Dean Witter Reynolds
Inc. ("DWR"), wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company (each an "Agent" and,
together, the "Agents"), on behalf of the Company. The Agents have agreed to use
reasonable efforts to solicit purchases of such Program Securities. The Company
may also sell Program Securities to an Agent acting as principal for its own
account or otherwise as determined by such Agent. No termination date for the
offering of the Program Securities has been established. The Company or the
Agents may reject any order in whole or in part. The Program Securities will
not, unless otherwise noted in the applicable Pricing Supplement, be listed on
any securities exchange, and there can be no assurance that the Program
Securities offered hereby will be sold or that there will be a secondary market
for the Program Securities. See "Plan of Distribution."
This Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus may be used by
the Agents in connection with offers and sales of the Program Securities in
market-making transactions at negotiated prices related to prevailing market
prices at the time of sale or otherwise. The Agents may act as principal or
agent in such transactions.
-----------------------
MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER
March 12, 1998
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any
representations other than those contained in this Prospectus Supplement, any
Pricing Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus in connection with the offer
contained in this Prospectus Supplement, any Pricing Supplement and the
accompanying Prospectus and, if given or made, such information or
representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Company
or by the Agents. This Prospectus Supplement, any Pricing Supplement and the
accompanying Prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of
an offer to buy Securities by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or
solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or
solicitation is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful
to make such offer or solicitation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
-----
Prospectus Supplement
Important Currency Exchange Information......................................S-3
Description of Notes.........................................................S-4
Description of Units........................................................S-24
Foreign Currency Risks......................................................S-31
United States Federal Taxation..............................................S-32
Plan of Distribution........................................................S-45
Legal Matters...............................................................S-46
Prospectus
Available Information..........................................................2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference................................2
The Company....................................................................4
Use of Proceeds................................................................4
Consolidated Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Earnings to Fixed
Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends.....................................5
Description of Debt Securities.................................................5
Description of Warrants.......................................................11
Description of Purchase Contracts.............................................13
Description of Units..........................................................14
Limitations on Issuance of Bearer Securities and Bearer Debt Warrants.........14
Description of Capital Stock..................................................15
Global Securities.............................................................27
Plan of Distribution..........................................................29
Legal Matters.................................................................30
Experts.......................................................................31
ERISA Matters for Pension Plans and Insurance Companies.......................31
-----------------------
CERTAIN PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN THIS OFFERING MAY ENGAGE IN TRANSACTIONS THAT
STABILIZE, MAINTAIN OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE PRICE OF THE PROGRAM SECURITIES OR
ANY SECURITIES THE PRICES OF WHICH MAY BE USED TO DETERMINE PAYMENTS ON SUCH
PROGRAM SECURITIES. SPECIFICALLY, THE AGENTS SPECIFIED IN THE RELEVANT PRICING
SUPPLEMENT MAY OVERALLOT IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, AND MAY BID FOR, AND
PURCHASE, THE PROGRAM SECURITIES OR ANY SECURITIES THE PRICES OF WHICH MAY BE
USED TO DETERMINE PAYMENTS ON SUCH PROGRAM SECURITIES IN THE OPEN MARKET. FOR A
DESCRIPTION OF THESE ACTIVITIES, SEE "PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION" HEREIN AND IN THE
RELEVANT PRICING SUPPLEMENT.
-----------------------
IMPORTANT CURRENCY EXCHANGE INFORMATION
Purchasers are required to pay for the Program Securities in U.S. dollars,
and payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on, Notes or payments
with respect to Units or any security comprised by such Unit will be made in
U.S. dollars, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Currently, there are limited facilities in the United States for the conversion
of U.S. dollars into foreign currencies and vice versa. In addition, most banks
do not currently offer non-U.S. dollar denominated checking or savings account
facilities in the United States. Accordingly, unless otherwise specified in a
Pricing Supplement or unless alternative arrangements are made (and subject, in
the case of Book-Entry Program Securities, to any additional procedures that may
be required), payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on, Notes (or
any payment with respect to a Unit or any security constituting such Unit) in a
Specified Currency other than U.S. dollars will be made to an account at a bank
outside the United States. See "Description of Notes," "Description of Units"
and "Foreign Currency Risks."
If the applicable Pricing Supplement provides for payments of principal of
and interest on a non-U.S. dollar denominated Note (or any payment with respect
to a Unit or any security constituting such Unit) to be made in U.S. dollars or
for payments of principal of and interest on a U.S. dollar denominated Note (or
any payment with respect to a Unit or any security constituting such Unit) to be
made in a Specified Currency other than U.S. dollars, the conversion of the
Specified Currency into U.S. dollars or U.S. dollars into the Specified
Currency, as the case may be, will be handled by MS & Co., in its capacity as
Exchange Rate Agent, or such other Exchange Rate Agent identified in the Pricing
Supplement. The costs of such conversion will be borne by the holder of the Note
or Unit through deductions from such payments.
References herein to "U.S. dollars" or "U.S.$" or "$" are to the currency
of the United States of America.
-----------------------
DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
The following description of the particular terms of the Notes offered
hereby supplements the description of the general terms and provisions of the
Debt Securities set forth in the Prospectus, to which reference is hereby made.
In particular, as used under this caption, the term "Company" means Morgan
Stanley, Dean Witter, Discover & Co. The particular terms of the Notes sold
pursuant to any pricing supplement (a "Pricing Supplement") will be described
therein. The terms and conditions set forth in "Description of Notes" will apply
to each Note unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement and
in such Note. The Notes described herein may be offered either alone or as part
of a Unit. See "Description of Units."
If any Note is not to be denominated in U.S. dollars, the applicable
Pricing Supplement will specify the currency or currencies, including composite
currencies such as the European Currency Unit (the "ECU"), in which the
principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, with respect to such Note are
to be paid, along with any other terms relating to the non-U.S. dollar
denomination, including exchange rates for the Specified Currency as against the
U.S. dollar at selected times during the last five years, and any exchange
controls affecting such Specified Currency. See "Foreign Currency Risks."
General
The Notes may be issued either alone or as part of a Unit, under the Senior
Debt Indenture ("Senior Notes") or the Subordinated Debt Indenture
("Subordinated Notes"). The Notes issued under each Indenture, together with the
Company's Global Medium-Term Notes, Series D, and its Global Medium-Term Notes,
Series E, referred to below under "Plan of Distribution," will constitute a
single series under such Indenture, together with any medium-term notes of the
Company issued in the future under such Indenture which are designated by the
Company as constituting a single series of securities with the Notes and the
Global Medium-Term Notes, Series D, and Global Medium-Term Notes, Series E, for
purposes of such Indenture. Neither Indenture limits the amount of additional
indebtedness that the Company may incur. At November 30, 1997, the Company had
approximately $14.0 billion aggregate principal amount of medium-term notes
outstanding under the Senior Debt Indenture and approximately $77.8 million
aggregate principal amount of medium-term notes outstanding under the
Subordinated Debt Indenture. Such aggregate principal amounts may be increased
from time to time as authorized by, or pursuant to authority delegated by, the
Board of Directors of the Company. For the purpose of this paragraph, (i) the
principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Note (as defined below) means
the Issue Price (as defined below) of such Note and (ii) the principal amount of
any Note issued in a foreign currency or composite currency means the U.S.
dollar equivalent on the date of issue of the Issue Price of such Note.
Notes issued under the Senior Debt Indenture will rank pari passu with all
other Senior Indebtedness of the Company and with all other unsecured and
unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company, subject to certain statutory
exceptions in the event of liquidation upon insolvency. Notes issued under the
Subordinated Debt Indenture will rank pari passu with all other subordinated
indebtedness of the Company and, together with such other subordinated
indebtedness, will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in
full of the Senior Indebtedness of the Company. See "Description of Debt
Securities -- Subordinated Debt" in the Prospectus. At November 30, 1997, the
Company had outstanding approximately $39.2 billion of Senior Indebtedness,
approximately $1.3 billion of subordinated indebtedness and approximately $999
million of Capital Units. Each Capital Unit consists of a subordinated debenture
of Morgan Stanley Finance plc, a subsidiary of the Company, guaranteed by the
Company on a subordinated basis and a related purchase contract issued by the
Company requiring the holder to purchase one depositary share representing
ownership of a fraction or multiple of a share of the Company's preferred stock.
Fixed Rate Notes, Amortizing Notes and Original Issue Discount Notes will
mature on any day more than nine months from the date of issue, as set forth in
the applicable Pricing Supplement. Floating Rate Notes (including Renewable
Notes, as defined below) will mature on an Interest Payment Date (as defined
below) more than nine months from the date of issue, as set forth in the
applicable Pricing Supplement. Except as may be specified for Notes denominated
in foreign or composite currencies or as otherwise provided in the applicable
Pricing Supplement, the Notes will be issued only in fully registered form in
denominations of $1,000 or any amount in excess thereof which is an integral
multiple of $1,000.
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Pricing Supplement, Notes
denominated in a Specified Currency other than U.S. dollars will be issued in
denominations of the equivalent of $1,000 (rounded to an integral multiple of
1,000 units of such Specified Currency), or any amount in excess thereof which
is an integral multiple of 1,000 units of such Specified Currency, as determined
by reference to the noon dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers
of such Specified Currency published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
(the "Market Exchange Rate") on the Business Day (as defined below) immediately
preceding the date of issuance; provided, however, that in the case of ECUs, the
Market Exchange Rate shall be the rate of exchange determined by the Commission
of the European Communities (or any successor thereto) as published in the
Official Journal of the European Communities, or any successor publication, on
the Business Day immediately preceding the date of issuance.
The Notes will be offered on a continuing basis, and each Note will be
issued, either alone or as part of a Unit, initially as either a Book-Entry Note
or a Certificated Note. Except as set forth in the Prospectus under "Global
Securities," Book-Entry Notes will not be issuable as Certificated Notes. See
"Book-Entry System" below.
The Notes may be presented for payment of principal, premium, if any, and
interest, transfer of the Notes will be registrable and the Notes will be
exchangeable at the agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York,
maintained by the Company for such purpose; provided that Book-Entry Notes will
be exchangeable only in the manner and to the extent set forth under "Global
Securities -- Registered Global Securities" in the Prospectus. On the date
hereof, the agent for the payment, transfer and exchange of the Notes (the
"Paying Agent") is The Chase Manhattan Bank (formerly known as Chemical Bank),
acting through its corporate trust office at 450 West 33rd Street, New York, New
York 10001.
The applicable Pricing Supplement will specify the price (the "Issue
Price") of each Note to be sold pursuant thereto, the interest rate or interest
rate formula, ranking, maturity, currency or composite currency, principal
amount and any other terms on which each such Note will be issued.
As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth
below:
"Business Day" means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is
neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized
or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York and (i) with
respect to LIBOR Notes (as defined below), that is also a London Banking Day,
(ii) with respect to Notes denominated in a Specified Currency other than U.S.
dollars, Australian dollars or ECUs, in the principal financial center of the
country of the Specified Currency, (iii) with respect to Notes denominated in
Australian dollars, in Sydney and (iv) with respect to Notes denominated in
ECUs, that is not a non-ECU clearing day, as determined by the ECU Banking
Association in Paris.
An "Interest Payment Date" with respect to any Note shall be a date on
which, under the terms of such Note, regularly scheduled interest shall be
payable.
"London Banking Day" means any day on which dealings in deposits in the
relevant Index Currency (as defined below) are transacted in the London
interbank market.
"Original Issue Discount Note" means any Note that 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 the relevant Indenture.
The "Record Date" with respect to any Interest Payment Date shall be the
date 15 calendar days prior to such Interest Payment Date, whether or not such
date shall be a Business Day.
Payment Currency
If the Notes are denominated in a Specified Currency other than U.S.
Dollars, and the holder does not elect (in whole or in part) to receive payment
in U.S. dollars pursuant to the next succeeding paragraph, payment of interest,
principal or any premium with regard to such Notes will be made by wire transfer
of immediately available funds to an account maintained by the holder thereof
with a bank located outside the United States if appropriate wire transfer
instructions have been received by the Paying Agent in writing not less than 15
calendar days prior to the applicable payment date; provided that, if such wire
transfer instructions are not received, such payments will be made by check
payable in such Specified Currency mailed to the address of the person entitled
thereto as such address shall appear in the Note register; and provided,
further, that payment of the principal of the Notes, any premium and the
interest due at maturity (or on any redemption or repayment date) will be made
upon surrender of the Notes at the office or agency of the Paying Agent.
If so specified in the applicable pricing Supplement, the holder of Notes
denominated in a Specified Currency other than U.S. dollars may elect to receive
all or a portion of payments on such Notes in U.S. dollars by transmitting a
written request to the Paying Agent, on or prior to the Record Date or at least
ten Business Days prior to the maturity date or any redemption or repayment
date, as the case may be. Such election shall remain in effect unless such
request is revoked by written notice to the Paying Agent as to all or a portion
of payments on such Notes at least five Business Days prior to such Record Date
or at least ten days prior to the maturity date or any redemption or repayment
date, as the case may be.
If the holder elects to receive in U.S. dollars all or a portion of
payments of principal, premium, if any, or interest on, Notes denominated in a
Specified Currency other than U.S. dollars, the Exchange Rate Agent will convert
the Specified Currency into U.S. dollars based on the highest bid quotation in
The City of New York received by the Exchange Rate Agent at approximately 11:00
A.M., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding the applicable
payment date from three recognized foreign exchange dealers (one of which may be
the Exchange Rate Agent unless the Exchange Rate Agent is an affiliate of the
Company) for the purchase by the quoting dealer of the Specified Currency for
U.S. dollars for settlement on such payment date in the aggregate amount of the
Specified Currency payable to the holders of Notes and at which the applicable
dealer commits to execute a contract. If such bid quotations are not available,
payments will be made in the Specified Currency. All currency exchange costs
will be borne by the holders of Notes by deductions from such payments.
Except as set forth below, if the principal of, premium, if any, or
interest on, any Note is payable in a Specified Currency other than U.S. dollars
and such Specified Currency is not available to the Company for making payments
thereof due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond
the control of the Company or is no longer used by the government of the country
issuing such currency or for the settlement of transactions by public
institutions within the international banking community, then the Company will
be entitled to satisfy its obligations to holders of the Notes by making such
payments in U.S. dollars on the basis of the Market Exchange Rate on the date of
such payment or, if the Market Exchange Rate is not available on such date, as
of the most recent practicable date; provided, however, that if the euro has
been substituted for such Specified Currency (as described under "European
Monetary Union" below), the Company may at its option (or shall, if so required
by applicable law) without the consent of the holders of such Notes effect the
payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Note denominated
in such Specified Currency in euro in lieu of such Specified Currency, in
conformity with legally applicable measures taken pursuant to, or by virtue of,
the treaty establishing the European Community (the "EC"), as amended by the
treaty on European Union (as so amended, the "Treaty"). Any payment made in U.S.
dollars or in euro as described above where the required payment is in an
unavailable Specified Currency will not constitute an Event of Default.
European Monetary Union
Special Provisions Relating to Notes Denominated in ECU
The value of the ECU, in which the Notes may be denominated or may be
payable, is equal to the value of the ECU that is from time to time used as the
unit of account of the EC and which is at the date hereof valued on the basis of
specified amounts of the currencies of 12 of the 15 member states of the EC.
Under Article 109G of the Treaty, the currency composition of the ECU may not be
changed. Other changes to the ECU may be made by the EC in conformity with EC
law, in which event the ECU will change accordingly. The Treaty contemplates
that European economic and monetary union ("EMU") will occur in three stages.
The Treaty provides that the third stage of EMU will start on January 1, 1999,
and on that date the value of the ECU as against the currencies of member states
participating in the third stage will be irrevocably fixed and the ECU will
become a currency in its own right, replacing all or some of the currencies of
the 15 member states of the EC (as of the date of this Prospectus Supplement,
such currencies include the Austrian shilling, Belgian franc, Danish krone,
Dutch guilder, Finnish markka, French franc, German mark, Greek drachma, Irish
pound, Italian lira, Luxembourg franc, Portuguese escudo, Spanish peseta,
Swedish krona and pound sterling). On June 17, 1997, the Council of the European
Union adopted Council Regulation (EC) No. 1103/97, which recites that the name
of that currency will be the euro and provides that, in accordance with the
Treaty, references to the ECU will be replaced by references to the euro at the
rate of one euro for one ECU. The euro will be divided into one hundred cents
and references in this section to the "euro" and the "cent" are to such new
currency adopted pursuant to the Treaty. The European Council is expected to
decide no later than July 1, 1998, which of the 15 member states of the EC will
be deemed eligible to adopt the euro on the basis of an examination of certain
macro-economic criteria, including the achievement of price, long-term interest
rate and exchange rate stability as well as public financing sustainable without
excessive deficit. From the start of the third stage of EMU, all payments in
respect of the Notes denominated or payable in ECU will be payable in euro at
the rate of one euro for one ECU. In such circumstances, the following
provisions for payment in a component currency will not apply.
Alternative Calculations for Payment of Notes Denominated in ECU in a
Component Currency
With respect to each due date for the payment of principal of, or interest
on, the Notes on or after the first business day in Brussels on which the ECU
ceases to be used as the unit of account of the EC and has not become a currency
in its own right replacing all or some of the currencies of the member states of
the EC, the Company shall choose a substitute currency (the "Chosen Currency"),
which may be any currency which was, on the last day on which the ECU was used
as the unit of account of the EC, a component currency of the ECU or U.S.
dollars, in which all payments due on or after that date with respect to the
Notes and coupons shall be made. Notice of the Chosen Currency so selected
shall, where practicable, be published in the manner described in "Optional
Redemption" below. The amount of each payment in such Chosen Currency shall be
computed on the basis of the equivalent of the ECU in that currency, determined
as described below, as of the fourth business day in Brussels prior to the date
on which such payment is due.
On the first business day in Brussels on which the ECU ceases to be used as
the unit of account of the EC and has not become a currency in its own right
replacing all or some of the currencies of the member states of the EC, the
Company shall select a Chosen Currency in which all payments with respect to
Notes and coupons having a due date prior thereto but not yet presented for
payment are to be made. Notice of the Chosen Currency so selected shall, where
practicable, be published in the manner described in "Optional Redemption"
below. The amount of each payment in such Chosen Currency shall be computed on
the basis of the equivalent of the ECU in that currency, determined as described
below, as of such first business day.
The equivalent of the ECU in the relevant Chosen Currency as of any date
(the "Day of Valuation") shall be determined by, or on behalf of, the Exchange
Rate Agent on the following basis. The amounts and components composing the ECU
for this purpose (the "Components") shall be the amounts and components that
composed the ECU as of the last date on which the ECU was used as the unit of
account of the EC. The equivalent of the ECU in the Chosen Currency shall be
calculated by, first, aggregating the U.S. dollar equivalents of the Components;
and then, in the case of a Chosen Currency other than U.S. dollars, using the
rate used for determining the U.S. dollar equivalent of the Components in the
Chosen Currency as set forth below, calculating the equivalent in the Chosen
Currency of such aggregate amount in U.S. dollars.
The U.S. dollar equivalent of each of the Components shall be determined
by, or on behalf of, the Exchange Rate Agent on the basis of the middle spot
delivery quotations prevailing at 2:30 P.M., Brussels time, on the Day of
Valuation, as obtained by, or on behalf of, the Exchange Rate Agent from one or
more major banks, as selected by the Company, in the country of issue of the
component currency in question.
If for any reason no direct quotations are available for a Component as of
a Day of Valuation from any of the banks selected for this purpose, in computing
the U.S. dollar equivalent of such Component, the Exchange Rate Agent shall
(except as provided below) use the most recent direct quotations for such
Component obtained by it or on its behalf, provided that such quotations were
prevailing in the country of issue not more than two Business Days before such
Day of Valuation. If such most recent quotations were so prevailing in the
country of issue more than two Business Days before such Day of Valuation, the
Exchange Rate Agent shall determine the U.S. dollar equivalent of such Component
on the basis of cross rates derived from the middle spot delivery quotations for
such component currency and for the U.S. dollar prevailing at 2:30 P.M.,
Brussels time, on such Day of Valuation, as obtained by, or on behalf of, the
Exchange Rate Agent from one or more major banks, as selected by the Company, in
a country other than the country of issue of such component currency.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Exchange Rate Agent shall determine the U.S.
dollar equivalent of such Component on the basis of such cross rates if the
Company or such agent judges that the equivalent so calculated is more
representative than the U.S. dollar equivalent calculated as provided in the
first sentence of this paragraph. Unless otherwise specified by the Company, if
there is more than one market for dealing in any component currency by reason of
foreign exchange regulations or for any other reason, the market to be referred
to in respect of such currency shall be that upon which a nonresident issuer of
securities denominated in such currency would purchase such currency in order to
make payments in respect of such securities.
Payments in the Chosen Currency will be made at the specified office of a
paying agent in the country of the Chosen Currency or, if none, or at the option
of the holder, at the specified office of any Paying Agent either by a check
drawn on, or by transfer to an account maintained by the holder with, a bank in
the principal financial center of the country of the Chosen Currency.
All determinations referred to above made by, or on behalf of, the Company
or by, or on behalf of, the Exchange Rate Agent shall be at such entity's sole
discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive for all
purposes and binding on holders of Notes and coupons.
Special Provisions Relating to Payments on Notes Denominated in the
Currencies of EC Member States
If, pursuant to the Treaty, the euro is substituted for all or some of the
currencies of the member countries of the EC, the Company may at its option (or
shall, if so required by applicable law) without the consent of the holders of
the affected Notes effect the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or
interest on, the Notes denominated in such currencies in euro in conformity with
legally applicable measures taken pursuant to, or by virtue of, the Treaty.
Interest and Principal Payments
Interest will be payable to the person in whose name the Note is registered
at the close of business on the applicable Record Date; provided that the
interest payable upon maturity, redemption or repayment (whether or not the date
of maturity, redemption or repayment is an Interest Payment Date) will be
payable to the person to whom principal is payable. The initial interest payment
on a Note will be made on the first Interest Payment Date falling after the date
the Note is issued; provided, however, that payments of interest (or, in the
case of an Amortizing Note, principal and interest) on a Note issued less than
15 calendar days before an Interest Payment Date will be paid on the next
succeeding Interest Payment Date to the holder of record on the Record Date with
respect to such succeeding Interest Payment Date. See "United States Federal
Taxation -- Discount Notes" below.
U.S. dollar payments of interest, other than interest payable at maturity
(or on the date of redemption or repayment, if a Note is redeemed or repaid by
the Company prior to maturity), will be made by check mailed to the address of
the person entitled thereto as shown on the Note register. U.S. dollar payments
of principal, premium, if any, and interest upon maturity, redemption or
repayment will be made in immediately available funds against presentation and
surrender of the Note. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the Depositary (as
defined below), as holder of Book-Entry Notes, shall be entitled to receive
payments of interest by wire transfer of immediately available funds and (b) a
holder of $10,000,000 (or the equivalent) or more in aggregate principal amount
of Certificated Notes having the same Interest Payment Date shall be entitled to
receive payments of interest, other than interest due at maturity or on any date
of redemption or repayment, by wire transfer of immediately available funds upon
written request to the Paying Agent not later than 15 calendar days prior to the
applicable Interest Payment Date.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, a
beneficial owner of Book-Entry Notes denominated in a Specified Currency
electing to receive payments of principal or any premium or interest in a
currency other than U.S. dollars must notify the participant through which its
interest is held on or prior to the applicable Record Date, in the case of a
payment of interest, and on or prior to the sixteenth day prior to maturity (or
the date of redemption or repayment if a Note is redeemed or repaid prior to
maturity), in the case of principal or premium of such beneficial owner's
election to receive all or a portion of such payment in a Specified Currency.
Such participant must notify the Depositary of such election on or prior to the
third Business Day after such Record Date, in the case of a payment of interest,
and on or prior to the twelfth Business Day prior to maturity (or the date of
redemption or repayment if a Note is redeemed or repaid prior to maturity) in
the case of a payment of principal or premium. The Depositary will notify the
Paying Agent of such election on or prior to the fifth Business Day after such
Record Date, in the case of a payment of interest, and on or prior to the tenth
Business Day prior to maturity (or the date of redemption or repayment if a Note
is redeemed or repaid prior to maturity) in the case of a payment of principal
or premium. If complete instructions are received by the participant and
forwarded by the participant to the Depositary, and by the Depositary to the
Paying Agent, on or prior to such dates, the beneficial owner will receive
payments in the Specified Currency by wire transfer of immediately available
funds to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located outside the
United States; otherwise the beneficial owner will receive payments in U.S.
dollars.
Certain Notes, including Original Issue Discount Notes, may be considered
to be issued with original issue discount, which must be included in income for
United States federal income tax purposes at a constant yield. See "United
States Federal Taxation -- Discount Notes" below. Unless otherwise specified in
the applicable Pricing Supplement, if the principal of any Original Issue
Discount Note is declared to be due and payable immediately as described under
"Description of Debt Securities -- Events of Default" in the Prospectus, the
amount of principal due and payable with respect to such Note shall be limited
to the aggregate principal amount of such Note multiplied by the sum of its
Issue Price (expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount) plus
the original issue discount amortized from the date of issue to the date of
declaration, which amortization shall be calculated using the "interest method"
(computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in effect
on the date of declaration). Special considerations applicable to any such Notes
will be set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Fixed Rate Notes
Each Fixed Rate Note will bear interest from the date of issuance at the
annual rate stated on the face thereof, except as described below under
"Extension of Maturity," until the principal thereof is paid or made available
for payment. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement,
such interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day
months. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement,
payments of interest on Fixed Rate Notes other than Amortizing Notes will be
made semiannually on each March 1 and September 1 and at maturity or upon any
earlier redemption or repayment. Payments of principal and interest on
Amortizing Notes, which are securities on which payments of principal and
interest are made in equal installments over the life of the security, will be
made either quarterly on each March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1 or
semiannually on each March 1 and September 1, as set forth in the applicable
Pricing Supplement, and at maturity or upon any earlier redemption or repayment.
Payments with respect to Amortizing Notes will be applied first to interest due
and payable thereon and then to the reduction of the unpaid principal amount
thereof. A table setting forth repayment information in respect of each
Amortizing Note will be provided to the original purchaser and will be
available, upon request made to the Company, to subsequent holders.
Interest on Fixed Rate Notes will accrue from and including the most recent
Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, or,
if no interest has been paid or duly provided for, from and including the date
of issuance, until but excluding the date the principal thereof has been paid or
duly made available for payment (except as provided below). If any Interest
Payment Date for any Fixed Rate Note would fall on a day that is not a Business
Day, the interest payment shall be postponed to the next day that is a Business
Day, and no interest on such payment shall accrue for the period from and after
the Interest Payment Date. If the maturity date (or date of redemption or
repayment) of any Fixed Rate Note would fall on a day that is not a Business
Day, the payment of interest and principal (and premium, if any) may be made on
the next succeeding Business Day, and no interest on such payment shall accrue
for the period from and after the maturity date (or date of redemption or
repayment).
Interest payments for Fixed Rate Notes will include accrued interest from
and including the date of issue or from and including the last date in respect
of which interest has been paid, as the case may be, to, but excluding, the
Interest Payment Date or the date of maturity or earlier redemption or
repayment, as the case may be. The interest rates the Company will agree to pay
on newly issued Fixed Rate Notes are subject to change without notice by the
Company from time to time, but no such change will affect any Fixed Rate Notes
theretofore issued or that the Company has agreed to issue.
Floating Rate Notes
Each Floating Rate Note will bear interest from the date of issuance until
the principal thereof is paid or made available for payment at a rate determined
by reference to an interest rate basis or formula (the "Base Rate"), which may
be adjusted by a Spread and/or Spread Multiplier (each as defined below). The
applicable Pricing Supplement will designate one or more of the following Base
Rates as applicable to each Floating Rate Note: (a) the CD Rate (a "CD Rate
Note"), (b) the Commercial Paper Rate (a "Commercial Paper Rate Note"), (c) the
Federal Funds Rate (a "Federal Funds Rate Note"), (d) LIBOR (a "LIBOR Note"),
(e) the Prime Rate (a "Prime Rate Note"), (f) the Treasury Rate (a "Treasury
Rate Note"), (g) the Constant-Maturity Treasury Rate (a "CMT Rate Note") or (h)
such other Base Rate or interest rate formula as is set forth in such Pricing
Supplement and in such Floating Rate Note. The "Index Maturity" for any Floating
Rate Note is the period of maturity of the instrument or obligation from which
the Base Rate is calculated and will be specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
interest rate on each Floating Rate Note will be calculated by reference to the
specified Base Rate (i) plus or minus the Spread, if any, and/or (ii) multiplied
by the Spread Multiplier, if any. The "Spread" is the number of basis points
(one one-hundredth of a percentage point) specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement to be added to or subtracted from the Base Rate for such Floating
Rate Note, and the "Spread Multiplier" is the percentage specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement to be applied to the Base Rate for such Floating
Rate Note.
As specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, a Floating Rate Note may
also have either or both of the following: (i) a maximum limitation, or ceiling,
on the rate of interest which may accrue during any interest period ("Maximum
Interest Rate"); and (ii) a minimum limitation, or floor, on the rate of
interest that may accrue during any interest period ("Minimum Interest Rate").
In addition to any Maximum Interest Rate that may be applicable to any Floating
Rate Note pursuant to the above provisions, the interest rate on a Floating Rate
Note will in no event be higher than the maximum rate permitted by New York law,
as the same may be modified by United States law of general application. Under
current New York law, the maximum rate of interest, subject to certain
exceptions, for any loan in an amount less than $250,000 is 16% and for any loan
in the amount of $250,000 or more but less than $2,500,000 is 25% per annum on a
simple interest basis. These limits do not apply to loans of $2,500,000 or more.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the rate
of interest on each Floating Rate Note will be reset daily, weekly, monthly,
quarterly, semiannually or annually (such period being the "Interest Reset
Period" for such Note, and the first day of each Interest Reset Period being an
"Interest Reset Date"), as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement;
provided, however, that (a) the interest rate in effect from the date of issue
to the first Interest Reset Date with respect to a Floating Rate Note will be
the initial interest rate set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement (the
"Initial Interest Rate") and (b) unless otherwise specified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement, the interest rate in effect for the ten calendar days
immediately prior to maturity, redemption or repayment will be that in effect on
the tenth calendar day preceding such maturity, redemption or repayment date.
The determination of the rate of interest at which a Floating Rate Note will be
reset on any Interest Reset Date will be made on the Interest Determination Date
(as defined below) pertaining to such Interest Reset Date. If any Interest Reset
Date for any Floating Rate Note would otherwise be a day that is not a Business
Day, such Interest Reset Date shall be postponed to the next succeeding Business
Day, except that in the case of a LIBOR Note, if such Business Day is in the
next succeeding calendar month, such Interest Reset Date shall be the
immediately preceding Business Day.
Interest on Floating Rate Notes will be payable as specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement, if any Interest Payment Date (other than the maturity date
or any earlier redemption or repayment date) for any Floating Rate Note would
fall on a day that is not a Business Day with respect to such Floating Rate
Note, such Interest Payment Date will be the following day that is a Business
Day with respect to such Floating Rate Note, except that, in the case of a LIBOR
Note, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar month, such
Interest Payment Date shall be the immediately preceding day that is a Business
Day with respect to such LIBOR Note. If the maturity date or any earlier
redemption or repayment date of a Floating Rate Note would fall on a day that is
not a Business Day, the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest will
be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and no interest on such payment
shall accrue for the period from and after such maturity, redemption or
repayment date, as the case may be.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, interest
payments for Floating Rate Notes shall be the amount of interest accrued from
and including the date of issue or from and including the last date to which
interest has been paid to, but excluding, the Interest Payment Date or maturity
date or date of redemption or repayment.
With respect to a Floating Rate Note, accrued interest shall be calculated
by multiplying the principal amount of such Floating Rate Note by an accrued
interest factor. Such accrued interest factor will be computed by adding the
interest factors calculated for each day in the period for which interest is
being paid. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
interest factor for each such day is computed by dividing the interest rate
applicable to such day by 360, in the case of CD Rate Notes, Commercial Paper
Rate Notes, Federal Funds Rate Notes, LIBOR Notes and Prime Rate Notes or by the
actual number of days in the year, in the case of Treasury Rate Notes and CMT
Rate Notes. All percentages used in or resulting from any calculation of the
rate of interest on a Floating Rate Note will be rounded, if necessary, to the
nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point (.0000001), with five
one-millionths of a percentage point rounded upward, and all dollar amounts used
in or resulting from such calculation on Floating Rate Notes will be rounded to
the nearest cent, with one-half cent rounded upward. The interest rate in effect
on any Interest Reset Date will be the applicable rate as reset on such date.
The interest rate applicable to any other day is the interest rate from the
immediately preceding Interest Reset Date (or, if none, the Initial Interest
Rate).
The applicable Pricing Supplement shall specify a calculation agent (the
"Calculation Agent") with respect to any issue of Floating Rate Notes. Upon the
request of the holder of any Floating Rate Note, the Calculation Agent will
provide the interest rate then in effect and, if determined, the interest rate
that will become effective on the next Interest Reset Date with respect to such
Floating Rate Note.
The "Interest Determination Date" pertaining to an Interest Reset Date for
CD Rate Notes, Commercial Paper Rate Notes, Federal Funds Rate Notes, Prime Rate
Notes and CMT Rate Notes will be the second Business Day next preceding such
Interest Reset Date. The Interest Determination Date pertaining to an Interest
Reset Date for a LIBOR Note will be the second London Banking Day preceding such
Interest Reset Date, except that the Interest Determination Date pertaining to
an Interest Reset Date for a LIBOR Note for which the Index Currency is pounds
sterling will be such Interest Reset Date. The Interest Determination Date
pertaining to an Interest Reset Date for a Treasury Rate Note will be the day of
the week in which such Interest Reset Date falls on which Treasury bills would
normally be auctioned. Treasury bills are normally sold at auction on Monday of
each week, unless that day is a legal holiday, in which case the auction is
normally held on the following Tuesday, but such auction may be held on the
preceding Friday. If, as the result of a legal holiday, an auction is so held on
the preceding Friday, such Friday will be the Interest Determination Date
pertaining to the Interest Reset Date occurring in the next succeeding week. If
an auction falls on a day that is an Interest Reset Date, such Interest Reset
Date will be the next following Business Day.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
"Calculation Date," where applicable, pertaining to an Interest Determination
Date will be the earlier of (i) the tenth calendar day after such Interest
Determination Date, or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding
Business Day, or (ii) the Business Day preceding the applicable Interest Payment
Date or Maturity Date (or, with respect to any principal amount to be redeemed
or repaid, any redemption or repayment date), as the case may be.
Interest rates will be determined by the Calculation Agent as follows:
CD Rate Notes
CD Rate Notes will bear interest at the interest rate (calculated with
reference to the CD Rate and the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any, and
subject to the Minimum Interest Rate and the Maximum Interest Rate, if any)
specified in the CD Rate Notes and in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, "CD Rate"
means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date, the rate on such date
for negotiable certificates of deposit having the Index Maturity designated in
the applicable Pricing Supplement as published by the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System in "Statistical Release H.15(519), Selected Interest
Rates," or any successor publication of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System ("H.15(519)") under the heading "CDs (Secondary Market)," or, if
not so published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date
pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the CD Rate will be the rate on
such Interest Determination Date for negotiable certificates of deposit of the
Index Maturity designated in the applicable Pricing Supplement as published by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in its daily statistical release "Composite
3:30 P.M. Quotations for U.S. Government Securities" (the "Composite
Quotations") under the heading "Certificates of Deposit." If such rate is not
yet published in either H.15(519) or the Composite Quotations by 3:00 P.M., New
York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest
Determination Date, the CD Rate on such Interest Determination Date will be
calculated by the Calculation Agent and will be the arithmetic mean of the
secondary market offered rates as of 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on such
Interest Determination Date for certificates of deposit in an amount that is
representative for a single transaction at that time with a remaining maturity
closest to the Index Maturity designated in the Pricing Supplement of three
leading nonbank dealers in negotiable U.S. dollar certificates of deposit in The
City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent for negotiable certificates
of deposit of major United States money center banks; provided, however, that if
the dealers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as
set forth above, the "CD Rate" in effect for the applicable period will be the
same as the CD Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if
there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable on the CD
Rate Notes for which such CD Rate is being determined shall be the Initial
Interest Rate).
Commercial Paper Rate Notes
Commercial Paper Rate Notes will bear interest at the interest rate
(calculated with reference to the Commercial Paper Rate and the Spread and/or
Spread Multiplier, if any, and subject to the Minimum Interest Rate and the
Maximum Interest Rate, if any) specified in the Commercial Paper Rate Notes and
in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement,
"Commercial Paper Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date,
the Money Market Yield (as defined below) of the rate on such date for
commercial paper having the Index Maturity specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement, as such rate shall be published in H.15(519), under the heading
"Commercial Paper -- Nonfinancial." In the event that such rate is not published
by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such
Interest Determination Date, then the Commercial Paper Rate shall be the Money
Market Yield of the rate on such Interest Determination Date for commercial
paper of the specified Index Maturity as published in Composite Quotations under
the heading "Commercial Paper." If by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on such
Calculation Date such rate is not yet available in either H.15(519) or Composite
Quotations, then the Commercial Paper Rate shall be the Money Market Yield of
the arithmetic mean of the offered rates as of 11:00 A.M., New York City time,
on such Interest Determination Date of three leading dealers of commercial paper
in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent for commercial paper
of the specified Index Maturity, placed for an industrial issuer whose bond
rating is "AA," or the equivalent, from a nationally recognized rating agency;
provided, however, that if the dealers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation
Agent are not quoting offered rates as mentioned in this sentence, the
Commercial Paper Rate in effect for the applicable period will be the same as
the Commercial Paper Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period
(or, if there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable on
the Commercial Paper Rate Notes for which such Commercial Paper Rate is being
determined shall be the Initial Interest Rate).
"Money Market Yield" shall be a yield calculated in accordance with the
following formula:
Money Market Yield = D x 360
------------- x 100
360 - (D x M)
where "D" refers to the applicable per annum rate for commercial paper quoted on
a bank discount basis and expressed as a decimal, and "M" refers to the actual
number of days in the Index Maturity.
Federal Funds Rate Notes
Federal Funds Rate Notes will bear interest at the interest rate
(calculated with reference to the Federal Funds Rate and the Spread and/or
Spread Multiplier, if any, and subject to the Minimum Interest Rate and the
Maximum Interest Rate, if any) specified in the Federal Funds Rate Notes and in
the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
"Federal Funds Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date, the
rate on such date for Federal funds as published in H.15(519) under the heading
"Federal Funds (Effective)," or, if not so published by 9:00 A.M., New York City
time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest Determination Date,
the Federal Funds Rate will be the rate on such Interest Determination Date as
published in the Composite Quotations under the heading "Federal Funds/Effective
Rate." If such rate is not yet published in either H.15(519) or the Composite
Quotations by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining
to such Interest Determination Date, the Federal Funds Rate for such Interest
Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent and will be the
arithmetic mean of the rates for the last transaction in overnight Federal
funds, as of 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on such Interest Determination
Date, arranged by three leading brokers of Federal funds transactions in The
City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent; provided, however, that if
the brokers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as
set forth above, the "Federal Funds Rate" in effect for the applicable period
will be the same as the Federal Funds Rate for the immediately preceding
Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate
of interest payable on the Federal Funds Rate Notes for which such Federal Funds
Rate is being determined shall be the Initial Interest Rate).
LIBOR Notes
LIBOR Notes will bear interest at the interest rate (calculated with
reference to LIBOR and the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any, and subject
to the Minimum Interest Rate and the Maximum Interest Rate, if any) specified in
the LIBOR Notes and in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, "LIBOR"
for each Interest Determination Date will be determined by the Calculation Agent
as follows:
(i) As of the Interest Determination Date, the Calculation Agent
will determine (a) if "LIBOR Reuters" is specified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement, the arithmetic mean of the offered rates (unless
the specified Designated LIBOR Page (as defined below) by its terms
provides only for a single rate, in which case such single rate shall
be used) for deposits in the London interbank market in the Index
Currency for the period of the Index Maturity, each as designated in
the applicable Pricing Supplement, commencing on the second London
Banking Day immediately following such Interest Determination Date,
which appear on the Designated LIBOR Page at approximately 11:00 A.M.,
London time, on such Interest Determination Date, if at least two such
offered rates appear (unless, as aforesaid, only a single rate is
required) on such Designated LIBOR Page, or (b) if "LIBOR Telerate" is
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the rate for deposits
in the Index Currency for the period of the Index Maturity, each as
designated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, commencing on the
second London Banking Day following such Interest Determination Date
(or, if pounds sterling is the Index Currency, commencing on such
Interest Determination Date), that appears on the Designated LIBOR
Page at approximately 11:00 A.M., London time, on such Interest
Determination Date. If fewer than two offered rates appear (if "LIBOR
Reuters" is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement and
calculation of LIBOR is based on the arithmetic mean of the offered
rates), or if no rate appears (if the applicable Pricing Supplement
specifies either (x) "LIBOR Reuters" and the Designated LIBOR Page by
its terms provides only for a single rate or (y) "LIBOR Telerate"),
LIBOR in respect of that Interest Determination Date will be
determined as if the parties had specified the rate described in (ii)
below.
(ii) With respect to an Interest Determination Date on which
fewer than two offered rates appear (if "LIBOR Reuters" is specified
in the applicable Pricing Supplement and calculation of LIBOR is based
on the arithmetic mean of the offered rates) or no rate appears (if
the applicable Pricing Supplement specifies either (x) "LIBOR Reuters"
and the Designated LIBOR Page by its terms provides only for a single
rate or (y) "LIBOR Telerate"), the Calculation Agent will request the
principal London offices of each of four major reference banks in the
London interbank market, as selected by the Calculation Agent (after
consultation with the Company), to provide the Calculation Agent with
its offered quotations for deposits in the Index Currency for the
period of the specified Index Maturity, commencing on the second
London Banking Day immediately following such Interest Determination
Date (or, if pounds sterling is the Index Currency, commencing on such
Interest Determination Date), to prime banks in the London interbank
market at approximately 11:00 A.M., London time, on such Interest
Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to an amount of not
less than $1 million (or the equivalent in the Index Currency, if the
Index Currency is not the U.S. dollar) that is representative of a
single transaction in such Index Currency in such market at such time.
If at least two such quotations are provided, LIBOR determined on such
Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of such
quotations. If fewer than two quotations are provided, LIBOR
determined on such Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic
mean of rates quoted at approximately 11:00 A.M. (or such other time
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement), in the applicable
principal financial center for the country of the Index Currency on
such Interest Determination Date, by three major banks in such
principal financial center selected by the Calculation Agent (after
consultation with the Company) on such Interest Determination Date for
loans in the Index Currency to leading European banks, for the period
of the specified Index Maturity commencing on the second London
Banking Day immediately following such Interest Determination Date
(or, if pounds sterling is the Index Currency, commencing on such
Interest Determination Date) and in a principal amount of not less
than $1 million (or the equivalent in the Index Currency, if the Index
Currency is not the U.S. dollar) that is representative of a single
transaction in such Index Currency in such market at such time;
provided, however, that if the banks selected as aforesaid by the
Calculation Agent are not quoting rates as mentioned in this sentence,
"LIBOR" for such Interest Reset Period will be the same as LIBOR for
the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no
such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable on the LIBOR
Notes for which LIBOR is being determined shall be the Initial
Interest Rate).
"Index Currency" means the currency (including composite currencies)
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement as the currency for which LIBOR
shall be calculated; provided, however, that if the euro is substituted for such
currency (or such composite currency), the Index Currency shall be the euro. If
no such currency is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Index
Currency shall be U.S. dollars.
"Designated LIBOR Page" means either (a) if "LIBOR Reuters" is designated
in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the display on the Reuters Monitor Money
Rates Service for the purpose of displaying the London interbank rates of major
banks for the applicable Index Currency or its designated successor, or (b) if
"LIBOR Telerate" is designated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the display
on the Dow Jones Telerate Service for the purpose of displaying the London
interbank rates of major banks for the applicable Index Currency or its
designated successor. If neither LIBOR Reuters nor LIBOR Telerate is specified
in the applicable Pricing Supplement, LIBOR for the applicable Index Currency
will be determined as if LIBOR Telerate (and, if the U.S. dollar is the Index
Currency, Page 3750) had been specified.
Prime Rate Notes
Prime Rate Notes will bear interest at the interest rate (calculated with
reference to the Prime Rate and the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any, and
subject to the Minimum Interest Rate and the Maximum Interest Rate, if any)
specified in the Prime Rate Notes and in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, "Prime
Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date, the rate set forth
in H.15(519) for such date opposite the caption "Bank Prime Loan." If such rate
is not yet published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date
pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the Prime Rate for such Interest
Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of the rates of interest publicly
announced by each bank named on the Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page (as defined
below) as such bank's prime rate or base lending rate as in effect for such
Interest Determination Date as quoted on the Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page on
such Interest Determination Date, or, if fewer than four such rates appear on
the Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page for such Interest Determination Date, the rate
shall be the arithmetic mean of the prime rates quoted on the basis of the
actual number of days in the year divided by 360 as of the close of business on
such Interest Determination Date by at least two of the three major money center
banks in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent from which
quotations are requested. If fewer than two quotations are provided, the Prime
Rate shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent and shall be determined as the
arithmetic mean on the basis of the prime rates in The City of New York by the
appropriate number of substitute banks or trust companies organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, in each case
having total equity capital of at least $500 million and being subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authority, selected by the
Calculation Agent to quote such rate or rates; provided, however, that if the
banks or trust companies selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not
quoting rates as set forth above, the "Prime Rate" in effect for such Interest
Reset Period will be the same as the Prime Rate for the immediately preceding
Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate
of interest payable on the Prime Rate Notes for which such Prime Rate is being
determined shall be the Initial Interest Rate). "Reuters Screen USPRIME1 Page"
means the display designated as Page "USPRIME1" on the Reuters Monitor Money
Rates Service (or such other page as may replace the USPRIME1 Page on that
service for the purpose of displaying prime rates or base lending rates of major
United States banks).
Treasury Rate Notes
Treasury Rate Notes will bear interest at the interest rate (calculated
with reference to the Treasury Rate and the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if
any, and subject to the Minimum Interest Rate and the Maximum Interest Rate, if
any) specified in the Treasury Rate Notes and in the applicable Pricing
Supplement.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
"Treasury Rate" means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date, the rate
for the auction held on such date of direct obligations of the United States
("Treasury Bills") having the Index Maturity designated in the applicable
Pricing Supplement, as published in H.15(519) under the heading "Treasury
Bills--auction average (investment)" or, if not so published by 9:00 A.M., New
York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest
Determination Date, the auction average rate on such Interest Determination Date
(expressed as a bond equivalent, on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as
applicable, and applied on a daily basis) as otherwise announced by the United
States Department of the Treasury. In the event that the results of the auction
of Treasury Bills having the Index Maturity designated in the applicable Pricing
Supplement are not published or reported as provided above by 3:00 P.M., New
York City time, on such Calculation Date or if no such auction is held on such
Interest Determination Date, then the Treasury Rate shall be calculated by the
Calculation Agent and shall be a yield to maturity (expressed as a bond
equivalent, on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and
applied on a daily basis) calculated using the arithmetic mean of the secondary
market bid rates, as of approximately 3:30 P.M., New York City time, on such
Interest Determination Date, of three leading primary United States government
securities dealers selected by the Calculation Agent for the issue of Treasury
Bills with a remaining maturity closest to the Index Maturity designated in the
applicable Pricing Supplement; provided, however, that if the dealers selected
as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting bid rates as mentioned in
this sentence, the "Treasury Rate" for such Interest Reset Date will be the same
as the Treasury Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if
there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable on the
Treasury Rate Notes for which the Treasury Rate is being determined shall be the
Initial Interest Rate).
CMT Rate Notes
CMT Rate Notes will bear interest at the interest rate (calculated with
reference to the CMT Rate and the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any, and
subject to the Minimum Interest Rate and the Maximum Interest Rate, if any)
specified in the CMT Rate Notes and in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Unless otherwise indicated in an applicable Pricing Supplement, "CMT Rate"
means, with respect to any Interest Determination Date, the rate displayed for
the Index Maturity designated in such CMT Rate Note on the Designated CMT
Telerate Page (as defined below) under the caption "... Treasury Constant
Maturities ... Federal Reserve Board Release H.15 " under the column for the
Designated CMT Maturity Index (as defined below) for (i) if the Designated CMT
Telerate Page is 7055, the rate on such Interest Determination Date and (ii) if
the Designated CMT Telerate Page is 7052, the week or the month, as applicable,
ended immediately preceding the week in which the related Interest Determination
Date occurs. If such rate is no longer displayed on the relevant page, or if not
displayed by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the related Calculation Date,
then the CMT Rate for such Interest Determination Date will be such Treasury
Constant Maturity rate for the Designated CMT Maturity Index as published in the
relevant H.15(519). If such rate is no longer published, or if not published by
3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the related Calculation Date, then the CMT
Rate for such Interest Determination Date will be such Treasury Constant
Maturity rate for the Designated CMT Maturity Index (or other United States
Treasury rate for the Designated CMT Maturity Index) for the Interest
Determination Date with respect to the related Interest Reset Date as may then
be published by either the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or
the United States Department of the Treasury that the Calculation Agent
determines to be comparable to the rate formerly displayed on the Designated CMT
Telerate Page and published in the relevant H.15(519). If such information is
not provided by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the related Calculation Date,
then the CMT Rate for the Interest Determination Date will be calculated by the
Calculation Agent and will be a yield to maturity, based on the arithmetic mean
of the secondary market closing offer side prices as of approximately 3:30 P.M.,
New York City time, on the Interest Determination Date reported, according to
their written records, by three leading primary United States government
securities dealers (each, a "Reference Dealer") in The City of New York (which
may include an Agent or other affiliates of the Company) selected by the
Calculation Agent (from five such Reference Dealers selected by the Calculation
Agent, after consultation with the Company, and eliminating the highest
quotation (or, in the event of equality, one of the highest) and the lowest
quotation (or, in the event of equality, one of the lowest)), for the most
recently issued direct noncallable fixed rate obligations of the United States
("Treasury notes") with an original maturity of approximately the Designated CMT
Maturity Index and remaining term to maturity of not less than such Designated
CMT Maturity Index minus one year. If the Calculation Agent cannot obtain three
such Treasury notes quotations, the CMT Rate for such Interest Determination
Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent and will be a yield to maturity
based on the arithmetic mean of the secondary market offer side prices as of
approximately 3:30 P.M., New York City time, on the Interest Determination Date
of three Reference Dealers in The City of New York (from five such Reference
Dealers selected by the Calculation Agent, after consultation with the Company,
and eliminating the highest quotation (or, in the event of equality, one of the
highest) and the lowest quotation (or, in the event of equality, one of the
lowest)), for Treasury notes with an original maturity of the number of years
that is the next highest to the Designated CMT Maturity Index and a remaining
term to maturity closest to the Designated CMT Maturity Index and in an amount
of at least $100,000,000. If three or four (and not five) of such Reference
Dealers are quoting as described above, then the CMT Rate will be based on the
arithmetic mean of the offer prices obtained and neither the highest nor the
lowest of such quotes will be eliminated; provided, however, that if fewer than
three Reference Dealers selected by the Calculation Agent are quoting as
described herein, the CMT Rate for such Interest Reset Date will be the same as
the CMT Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there
was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable on the CMT Rate
Notes for which the CMT Rate is being determined shall be the Initial Interest
Rate). If two Treasury notes with an original maturity as described in the
second preceding sentence have remaining terms to maturity equally close to the
Designated CMT Maturity Index, the quotes for the Treasury note with the shorter
remaining term to maturity will be used.
"Designated CMT Telerate Page" means the display on the Dow Jones Telerate
Service on the page designated in an applicable Pricing Supplement (or any other
page as may replace such page on that service for the purpose of displaying
Treasury Constant Maturities as reported in H.15(519)), for the purpose of
displaying Treasury Constant Maturities as reported in H.15(519). If no such
page is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Designated CMT
Telerate Page shall be 7052, for the most recent week.
"Designated CMT Maturity Index" shall be the original period to maturity of
the U.S. Treasury securities (either 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 20 or 30 years)
specified in an applicable Pricing Supplement with respect to which the CMT Rate
will be calculated. If no such maturity is specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement, the Designated CMT Maturity Index shall be two years.
Renewable Notes
The Company may also issue from time to time variable rate renewable notes
(the "Renewable Notes") that will bear interest at the interest rate (calculated
with reference to a Base Rate and the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any,
and subject to the Minimum Interest Rate and the Maximum Interest Rate, if any)
specified in the Renewable Notes and in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Renewable Notes are Book-Entry Floating Rate Notes.
The Renewable Notes will mature on an Interest Payment Date as specified in
the applicable Pricing Supplement (the "Initial Maturity Date"), unless the
maturity of all or any portion of the principal amount thereof is extended in
accordance with the procedures described below. On the Interest Payment Dates in
March and September in each year (unless different Interest Payment Dates are
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement) (each such Interest Payment
Date, an "Election Date"), the maturity of the Renewable Notes will be extended
to the Interest Payment Date occurring twelve months after such Election Date
(unless a different extension period is specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement), unless the holder thereof elects to terminate the automatic
extension of the maturity of the Renewable Notes or of any portion thereof
having a principal amount of $1,000 or any multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof
by delivering a notice to such effect to the Paying Agent not less than nor more
than a number of days to be specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement prior
to such Election Date. Such option may be exercised with respect to less than
the entire principal amount of the Renewable Notes; provided that the principal
amount for which such option is not exercised is at least $1,000 or any larger
amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the maturity of the Renewable Notes may not be extended beyond the Final
Maturity Date, as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement (the "Final
Maturity Date"). If the holder elects to terminate the automatic extension of
the maturity of any portion of the principal amount of the Renewable Notes and
such election is not revoked as described below, such portion will become due
and payable on the Interest Payment Date falling six months (unless another
period is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement) after the Election
Date prior to which the holder made such election.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, an
election to terminate the automatic extension of maturity may be revoked as to
any portion of the Renewable Notes having a principal amount of $1,000 or any
multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof by delivering a notice to such effect to
the Paying Agent on any day following the effective date of the election to
terminate the automatic extension of maturity and prior to the date 15 days
before the date on which such portion would otherwise mature. Such a revocation
may be made for less than the entire principal amount of the Renewable Notes for
which the automatic extension of maturity has been terminated; provided that the
principal amount of the Renewable Notes for which the automatic extension of
maturity has been terminated and for which such a revocation has not been made
is at least $1,000 or any larger amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a revocation may not be made during the period
from and including a Record Date to but excluding the immediately succeeding
Interest Payment Date.
An election to terminate the automatic extension of the maturity of the
Renewable Notes, if not revoked as described above by the holder making the
election or any subsequent holder, will be binding upon such subsequent holder.
The Renewable Notes may be redeemed in whole or in part at the option of
the Company on the Interest Payment Dates in each year specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, commencing with the Interest Payment Date
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, at a redemption price of 100% of
the principal amount of the Renewable Notes to be redeemed, together with
accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary in this Prospectus Supplement, notice of redemption will be
provided by mailing a notice of such redemption to each holder by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, at least 180 days and not more than 210 days prior to the
date fixed for redemption.
Renewable Notes may also be issued, from time to time, with the Spread or
Spread Multiplier to be reset by a remarketing agent in remarketing procedures
(the "Remarketing Procedures") to be specified in such Renewable Notes and in
the applicable Pricing Supplement. A description of the Remarketing Procedures,
the terms of the remarketing agreement between the Company and the remarketing
agent and the terms of any additional agreements with other parties that may be
involved in the Remarketing Procedures will be set forth in the applicable
Pricing Supplement.
Exchangeable Notes
Notes may be issued, from time to time, that are optionally or mandatorily
exchangeable into the securities of an entity unaffiliated with the Company,
into a basket of such securities, into an index or indices of such securities or
into any combination of the above, as may be set forth in the applicable Pricing
Supplement (the "Exchangeable Notes"). The Exchangeable Notes may or may not
bear interest or be issued with original issue discount or at a premium.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, optionally
Exchangeable Notes (the "Optionally Exchangeable Notes") will entitle the holder
of such a Note, during a period, or at specific times, to exchange such Note for
the underlying security, basket of securities or index or indices of securities
(or combination thereof) at a specified rate of exchange. If so specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, Optionally Exchangeable Notes will be redeemable
at the option of the Company prior to maturity. If the holder of an Optionally
Exchangeable Note does not elect to exchange such Note prior to maturity or any
applicable redemption date, such holder will receive the principal amount of
such Note.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement,
mandatorily Exchangeable Notes (the "Mandatorily Exchangeable Notes") do not
entitle the holder of such a Note to exchange such Note prior to maturity; at
maturity, the holder is required to exchange such Note for the underlying
security, basket of securities or index or indices of securities (or combination
thereof) at a specified rate of exchange, and, therefore, the holder of a
Mandatorily Exchangeable Note may receive less than the principal amount of such
Note at maturity. If so indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
specified rate at which a Mandatorily Exchangeable Note may be exchanged may
vary depending on the value of the underlying security, basket of securities or
index or indices (or combination thereof) so that, upon exchange, the holder
participates in a percentage, which may be less than, equal to, or greater than
100% of the change in value of the underlying security, basket of securities or
index or indices (or combination thereof).
Upon exchange, at maturity or otherwise, the holder of an Exchangeable Note
may receive, at the specified exchange rate, either the underlying security or
the securities constituting the relevant basket or index or indices at the
specified exchange rate or the cash value of such underlying security or
securities, as may be specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. The
underlying security or securities constituting any basket, index or indices may
be the securities of either U.S. or foreign entities or both, and the
Exchangeable Notes may or may not provide for protection against fluctuations in
the rate of currency exchange between the currency in which such Note is
denominated and the currency or currencies in which the market prices of such
underlying security or securities are quoted, as may be specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement. Exchangeable Notes may have other terms, which
will be specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
If an Optionally Exchangeable Note is represented by a Registered Global
Security, the Depositary's nominee will be the holder of such Note or any
interest therein and therefore will be the only entity that can exercise a right
to exchange. In order to ensure that the Depositary's nominee will timely
exercise a right to exchange with respect to a particular Note or any portion
thereof, the beneficial owner of such Note must instruct the broker or other
direct or indirect participant through which it holds an interest in such Note
to notify the Depositary of its desire to exercise a right to exchange.
Different firms have different deadlines for accepting instructions from their
customers and, accordingly, each beneficial owner should consult the broker or
other direct or indirect participant through which it holds an interest in a
Note in order to ascertain the deadline for such an instruction in order for
timely notice to be delivered to the Depositary.
Payments upon Acceleration of Maturity
If the principal amount payable at maturity of any Exchangeable Note is
declared due and payable prior to maturity, the amount payable (unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement) with respect to (i) an
Optionally Exchangeable Note will equal the face amount of such Note plus
accrued interest, if any, to but excluding the date of payment, provided that if
a holder shall have exchanged an Optionally Exchangeable Note prior to such time
without having received the amount due upon such exchange, the amount payable
shall be the amount due upon exchange and shall not include any accrued but
unpaid interest, and (ii) a Mandatorily Exchangeable Note will equal an amount
determined as if the date of such declaration were the maturity date plus
accrued interest, if any, to but excluding the date of payment.
Currency Linked Notes
Notes may be issued, from time to time, with the principal amount payable
on any principal payment date, or the amount of interest payable on any interest
payment date, to be determined by reference to the value of one or more
currencies (or composite currencies) as compared to the value of one or more
other currencies (or composite currencies) ("Currency Linked Notes").
Information as to the one or more currencies (or composite currencies) to which
the principal amount payable on any principal payment date or the amount of
interest payable on any interest payment date is indexed, the currency in which
the face amount of the Currency Linked Note is denominated (the "Denominated
Currency"), the currency in which principal on the Currency Linked Note will be
paid (the "Payment Currency"), specific historic exchange rate information, any
currency risks relating to the specific currencies selected, and certain
additional tax considerations, if any, will be set forth in the applicable
Pricing Supplement. The Denominated Currency and the Payment Currency may be the
same currency or different currencies. Unless otherwise specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, interest on Currency Linked Notes will be paid in
the Denominated Currency based on the face amount of the Currency Linked Note at
the rate per annum and on the dates set forth in the applicable Pricing
Supplement. Currency Linked Notes may include, but are not limited to, Notes of
the types described below.
Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities (PERLS)
PERLS are Currency Linked Notes pursuant to which the principal amount
payable on any principal payment date equals the Payment Currency equivalent at
such date of a fixed amount of a designated currency (or composite currency)
(the "Indexed Currency"). Generally, the fixed amount of Indexed Currency to
which the principal of a PERLS will be linked will be approximately equal in
value to the face amount of the PERLS in the Denominated Currency based on the
exchange rate between the Indexed Currency and the Denominated Currency in
effect at the time of pricing. The Denominated Currency, the Indexed Currency
and the Payment Currency will be identified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement. In addition, the fixed amount of the Indexed Currency to which the
principal of the PERLS is linked will be set forth in the applicable Pricing
Supplement for a specific representative face amount of the PERLS as well as for
the aggregate face amount of all PERLS forming part of the same issue (the
"Conversion Reference Amount").
Holders of PERLS may receive an amount of principal greater than, less than
or equal in value to the face amount of the PERLS, depending on the change, if
any, in the relative exchange rates of the Denominated Currency, the Payment
Currency and the Indexed Currency from the issue date to the date that is two
Exchange Rate Days (as defined below) preceding the maturity date.
The Payment Currency equivalent of any Indexed Currency amount on any date
will be determined by an exchange rate agent (identified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement) based on the arithmetic mean of the quotations obtained by
such agent from reference dealers (identified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement) at 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second Exchange Rate Day
preceding such date for the purchase by the reference dealers of the Conversion
Reference Amount of the Indexed Currency with the Payment Currency for
settlement on such date; provided that if there is no cross-exchange rate
available in New York City between the Indexed Currency and the Payment
Currency, the quotations will be calculated by the exchange rate agent at the
time referred to above using the U.S. dollar equivalent of the Indexed Currency
and the Payment Currency as the basis for comparing the values of such
currencies; and provided further that if the Payment Currency and the Indexed
Currency are identical, then the Payment Currency equivalent of any Indexed
Currency amount will be such amount.
"Exchange Rate Day" means, with respect to any currency conversion, any day
other than a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New
York City are authorized or required by law or executive order to close and that
is a business day in each of the cities designated in the Pricing Supplement for
the currencies being converted and, in the case of conversions involving ECUs,
that is not a non-ECU clearing day, as determined by the ECU Banking Association
in Paris.
Reverse Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities (Reverse PERLS)
Reverse PERLS are Currency Linked Notes pursuant to which the principal
amount payable on any principal payment date equals the Payment Currency
equivalent at such date of a fixed amount of a designated currency (or composite
currency) (the "First Indexed Currency") minus the Payment Currency equivalent
at maturity of a fixed amount of another designated currency (or composite
currency) (the "Second Indexed Currency"); provided that the minimum principal
amount payable at maturity will be zero. Generally, the fixed amount of the
First Indexed Currency to which the principal of a Reverse PERLS will be linked
will be approximately equal in value to twice the face amount of the Reverse
PERLS in the Denominated Currency, and the fixed amount of the Second Indexed
Currency to which the principal of a Reverse PERLS will be linked will be
approximately equal in value to the face amount of the Reverse PERLS in the
Denominated Currency, in each case based on the exchange rate between each
Indexed Currency and the Denominated Currency in effect at the time of pricing.
Holders of Reverse PERLS may receive an amount of principal greater than,
less than (with a minimum of zero) or equal in value to the face amount of the
Reverse PERLS, depending on the change, if any, in the relative exchange rates
of the Denominated Currency, the Payment Currency and the First and Second
Indexed Currencies from the issue date to the date that is two Exchange Rate
Days preceding the maturity date.
The Denominated Currency, the First and Second Indexed Currencies and the
Payment Currency will be identified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. In
addition, the fixed amounts of the First and Second Indexed Currencies to which
the principal of the Reverse PERLS is linked will be set forth in the applicable
Pricing Supplement for a specific representative face amount of the Reverse
PERLS as well as for the aggregate face amount of all Reverse PERLS forming part
of the same issue (respectively, the "First Conversion Reference Amount" and the
"Second Conversion Reference Amount").
The Payment Currency equivalent of any First Indexed Currency amount on any
date will be determined by an exchange rate agent (identified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement) based on the arithmetic mean of the quotations obtained by
such agent from reference dealers (identified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement) at 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second Exchange Rate Day
preceding such date for the purchase by the reference dealers of the First
Conversion Reference Amount of the First Indexed Currency with the Payment
Currency for settlement on such date; provided that if there is no
cross-exchange rate available in New York City between the First Indexed
Currency and the Payment Currency, the quotations will be calculated by the
exchange rate agent at the time referred to above using the U.S. dollar
equivalent of the First Indexed Currency and the Payment Currency as the basis
for comparing the values of such currencies; provided further that if the First
Indexed Currency and the Payment Currency are identical, then the Payment
Currency equivalent of any First Indexed Currency amount will be such amount.
The Payment Currency equivalent of any Second Indexed Currency amount on
any date will be determined by an exchange rate agent (identified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement) based on the arithmetic mean of the quotations
obtained by such agent from the reference dealers (identified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement) at 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second Exchange
Rate Day preceding such date for the sale by the reference dealers of the Second
Conversion Reference Amount of the Second Indexed Currency for the Payment
Currency for settlement on such date; provided that if there is no
cross-exchange rate available in New York City between the Second Indexed
Currency and the Payment Currency, the quotations will be calculated by the
exchange rate agent at the time referred to above using the U.S. dollar
equivalent of the Second Indexed Currency and the Payment Currency as the basis
for comparing the values of such currencies; provided further that if the Second
Indexed Currency and the Payment Currency are identical, then the Payment
Currency equivalent of any Second Indexed Currency amount will be such amount.
Multicurrency Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities (Multicurrency
PERLS)
Multicurrency PERLS are Currency Linked Notes pursuant to which the
principal amount payable on any principal payment date equals the Payment
Currency equivalent at such date of a fixed amount of a designated currency (or
composite currency) (the "First Indexed Currency") plus or minus the Payment
Currency equivalent at maturity of a fixed amount of a second designated
currency (or composite currency) (the "Second Indexed Currency") plus or minus
the Payment Currency equivalent at maturity of a fixed amount of a third
designated currency (or composite currency) (the "Third Indexed Currency");
provided that the minimum principal amount payable at maturity will be zero.
Generally, the added and subtracted fixed amounts of the First, Second and Third
Indexed Currencies (each, an "Indexed Currency") to which the principal of a
Multicurrency PERLS will be linked will have an aggregate value approximately
equal to the face amount of the Multicurrency PERLS in the Denominated Currency
based on exchange rates between each Indexed Currency and the Denominated
Currency in effect at the time of pricing.
Holders of Multicurrency PERLS may receive an amount of principal greater
than, less than (with a minimum of zero) or equal in value to the face amount of
the Multicurrency PERLS, depending on the change, if any, in the relative
exchange rates for the Denominated Currency, the Payment Currency and the First,
Second and Third Indexed Currencies from the issue date to the date that is two
Exchange Rate Days preceding the maturity date.
The Denominated Currency, each Indexed Currency, the Payment Currency and
whether the fixed amounts of the Second and Third Indexed Currencies are to be
added or subtracted to determine the principal amount payable at maturity of the
Multicurrency PERLS will be set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement. In
addition, the fixed amounts of the First, Second and Third Indexed Currencies to
which the principal of the Multicurrency PERLS is linked will be set forth in
the applicable Pricing Supplement for a specific representative face amount of
the Multicurrency PERLS as well as for the aggregate face amount of all
Multicurrency PERLS forming part of the same issue (respectively, the "First
Conversion Reference Amount," the "Second Conversion Reference Amount" and the
"Third Conversion Reference Amount," each a "Conversion Reference Amount"). As
used herein, "Added Indexed Currency" means the First Indexed Currency and any
other Indexed Currency that is added to determine the principal amount payable
at maturity of the Multicurrency PERLS and a "Subtracted Indexed Currency" means
an Indexed Currency that is subtracted to determine the principal amount payable
at maturity of the Multicurrency PERLS.
The Payment Currency equivalent of any Added Indexed Currency amount on any
date will be determined by an exchange rate agent (identified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement) based on the arithmetic mean of the quotations obtained by
such agent from reference dealers (identified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement) at 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second Exchange Rate Day
preceding such date for the purchase by the reference dealers of the applicable
Conversion Reference Amount of the Added Indexed Currency with the Payment
Currency for settlement on such date; provided that if there is no
cross-exchange rate available in New York City between the Added Indexed
Currency and the Payment Currency, the quotations will be calculated by the
exchange rate agent at the time referred to above using the U.S. dollar
equivalent of the Added Indexed Currency and the Payment Currency as the basis
for comparing the values of such currencies; provided further that if the Added
Indexed Currency and the Payment Currency are identical, then the Payment
Currency equivalent of any Added Indexed Currency amount will be such amount.
The Payment Currency equivalent of any Subtracted Indexed Currency amount
on any date will be determined by an exchange rate agent (identified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement) based on the arithmetic mean of the quotations
obtained by such agent from reference dealers (identified in the applicable
Pricing Supplement) at 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second Exchange
Rate Day preceding such date for the sale by the reference dealers of the
applicable Conversion Reference Amount of the Subtracted Indexed Currency for
the Payment Currency, for settlement on such date; provided that if there is no
cross-exchange rate available in New York City between the Subtracted Indexed
Currency and the Payment Currency, the quotations will be calculated by the
exchange rate agent at the time referred to above using the U.S. dollar
equivalent of the Subtracted Indexed Currency and the Payment Currency as the
basis for comparing the values of such currencies; provided further that if the
Subtracted Indexed Currency and the Payment Currency are identical, then the
Payment Currency equivalent of any Subtracted Indexed Currency amount will be
such amount.
Payments upon Acceleration of Maturity
If the principal amount payable at maturity of any PERLS, Reverse PERLS or
Multicurrency PERLS is declared due and payable prior to maturity, the amount
payable with respect to such Note will be paid in the Denominated Currency and
will equal the face amount of such Note plus accrued interest to but excluding
the date of payment.
Notes Linked to Commodity Prices, Single Securities, Baskets of Securities or
Indices
Notes may be issued, from time to time, with the principal amount payable
on any principal payment date, or the amount of interest payable on any interest
payment date, to be determined by reference to one or more commodity prices,
securities of entities unaffiliated with the Company, baskets of such securities
or indices and on such other terms as may be set forth in the relevant Pricing
Supplement.
Extension of Maturity
The Pricing Supplement relating to each Fixed Rate Note (other than an
Amortizing Note or a Currency Linked Note) will indicate whether the Company has
the option to extend the maturity of such Fixed Rate Note for one or more
periods of one or more whole years (each, an "Extension Period") up to but not
beyond the date (the "Final Maturity Date") set forth in such Pricing
Supplement. If the Company has such option with respect to any such Fixed Rate
Note (an "Extendible Note"), the following procedures will apply, unless
modified as set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
The Company may exercise such option with respect to an Extendible Note by
notifying the Paying Agent of such exercise at least 45 but not more than 60
days prior to the maturity date originally in effect with respect to such Note
(the "Original Maturity Date") or, if the maturity date of such Note has already
been extended, prior to the maturity date then in effect (an "Extended Maturity
Date"). No later than 38 days prior to the Original Maturity Date or an Extended
Maturity Date, as the case may be (each, a "Maturity Date"), the Paying Agent
will mail to the holder of such Note a notice (the "Extension Notice") relating
to such Extension Period, first-class mail, postage prepaid, setting forth (a)
the election of the Company to extend the maturity of such Note; (b) the new
Extended Maturity Date; (c) the interest rate applicable to the Extension
Period; and (d) the provisions, if any, for redemption during the Extension
Period, including the date or dates on which, the period or periods during which
and the price or prices at which such redemption may occur during the Extension
Period. Upon the mailing by the Paying Agent of an Extension Notice to the
holder of an Extendible Note, the maturity of such Note shall be extended
automatically, and, except as modified by the Extension Notice and as described
in the next paragraph, such Note will have the same terms it had prior to the
mailing of such Extension Notice.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, not later than 10:00 A.M., New York City
time, on the twentieth calendar day prior to the Maturity Date then in effect
for an Extendible Note (or, if such day is not a Business Day, not later than
10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the immediately succeeding Business Day), the
Company may, at its option, revoke the interest rate provided for in the
Extension Notice and establish a higher interest rate for the Extension Period
by causing the Paying Agent to send notice of such higher interest rate to the
holder of such Note by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or by such other means
as shall be agreed between the Company and the Paying Agent. Such notice shall
be irrevocable. All Extendible Notes with respect to which the Maturity Date is
extended in accordance with an Extension Notice will bear such higher interest
rate for the Extension Period, whether or not tendered for repayment.
If the Company elects to extend the maturity of an Extendible Note, the
holder of such Note will have the option to require the Company to repay such
Note on the Maturity Date then in effect at a price equal to the principal
amount thereof plus any accrued and unpaid interest to such date. In order for
an Extendible Note to be so repaid on such Maturity Date, the holder thereof
must follow the procedures set forth below under "Repayment at the Noteholders'
Option; Repurchase" for optional repayment, except that the period for delivery
of such Note or notification to the Paying Agent shall be at least 25 but not
more than 35 days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect and except that a
holder who has tendered an Extendible Note for repayment pursuant to an
Extension Notice may, by written notice to the Paying Agent, revoke any such
tender for repayment until 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the twentieth
calendar day prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a
Business Day, until 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the immediately succeeding
Business Day).
Book-Entry System
Upon issuance, all Fixed Rate Book-Entry Notes having the same Issue Date,
interest rate, if any, amortization schedule, if any, ranking, maturity date and
other terms, if any, will be represented by a single Global Note, and all
Floating Rate Book-Entry Notes having the same Issue Date, Initial Interest
Rate, Base Rate, Interest Reset Period, Interest Payment Dates, Index Maturity,
Spread and/or Spread Multiplier, if any, Minimum Interest Rate, if any, Maximum
Interest Rate, if any, ranking, maturity date and other terms, if any, will be
represented by a single Global Note. Each Global Note representing Book-Entry
Notes will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, New
York, New York (the "Depositary"), and registered in the name of a nominee of
the Depositary. Certificated Notes will not be exchangeable for Book-Entry Notes
(or interests therein) and, except under the circumstances described in the
Prospectus under "Global Securities," Book-Entry Notes (or interests therein)
will not be exchangeable for Certificated Notes and will not otherwise be
issuable as Certificated Notes.
A further description of the Depositary's procedures with respect to Global
Notes representing Book-Entry Notes is set forth in the Prospectus under "Global
Securities." The Depositary has confirmed to the Company, the Agent and each
Trustee that it intends to follow such procedures.
Optional Redemption
If applicable, the Pricing Supplement will indicate the terms on which the
Notes will be redeemable at the option of the Company. Notice of redemption will
be provided by mailing a notice of such redemption to each holder by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, at least 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the
date fixed for redemption to the respective address of each holder as that
address appears upon the books maintained by the Paying Agent. Unless otherwise
specified in an applicable Pricing Supplement, the Notes, except for Amortizing
Notes, will not be subject to any sinking fund.
Repayment at the Noteholders' Option; Repurchase
If applicable, the Pricing Supplement relating to each Note will indicate
that the Note will be repayable at the option of the holder on a date or dates
specified prior to its maturity date and, unless otherwise specified in such
Pricing Supplement, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof,
together with accrued interest to the date of repayment, unless such Note was
issued with original issue discount, in which case the Pricing Supplement will
specify the amount payable upon such repayment.
In order for such a Note to be repaid, the Paying Agent must receive at
least 15 days but not more than 30 days prior to the repayment date (i) the Note
with the form entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" on the reverse of the Note
duly completed or (ii) a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or a letter
from a member of a national securities exchange, or the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or a commercial bank or trust company in
the United States setting forth the name of the holder of the Note, the
principal amount of the Note, the principal amount of the Note to be repaid, the
certificate number or a description of the tenor and terms of the Note, a
statement that the option to elect repayment is being exercised thereby and a
guarantee that the Note to be repaid, together with the duly completed form
entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" on the reverse of the Note, will be
received by the Paying Agent not later than the fifth Business Day after the
date of such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter; provided,
however, that such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter shall only
be effective if such Note and form duly completed are received by the Paying
Agent by such fifth Business Day. Except in the case of Renewable Notes or
Extendible Notes, and unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement, exercise of the repayment option by the holder of a Note will be
irrevocable. The repayment option may be exercised by the holder of a Note for
less than the entire principal amount of the Note but, in that event, the
principal amount of the Note remaining outstanding after repayment must be an
authorized denomination.
If a Note is represented by a Registered Global Security, the Depositary's
nominee will be the holder of such Note and therefore will be the only entity
that can exercise a right to repayment. In order to ensure that the Depositary's
nominee will timely exercise a right to repayment with respect to a particular
Note, the beneficial owner of such Note must instruct the broker or other direct
or indirect participant through which it holds an interest in such Note to
notify the Depositary of its desire to exercise a right to repayment. Different
firms have different cut-off times for accepting instructions from their
customers and, accordingly, each beneficial owner should consult the broker or
other direct or indirect participant through which it holds an interest in a
Note in order to ascertain the cut-off time by which such an instruction must be
given in order for timely notice to be delivered to the Depositary.
The Company may purchase Notes at any price in the open market or
otherwise. Notes so purchased by the Company may, at the discretion of the
Company, be held or resold or surrendered to the relevant Trustee for
cancellation.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
The following description of the Units offered hereby, including the
designation and the terms of the Notes, Universal Warrants and Purchase
Contracts that may be included in a Unit, supplements the description of the
Units, Universal Warrants and Purchase Contracts set forth in the Prospectus, to
which reference is hereby made. In particular, the terms of the Universal
Warrants and Purchase Contracts offered hereby relate solely to Universal
Warrants and Purchase Contracts issued as part of a Unit. The terms and
conditions of Notes issued as part of a Unit are set forth above under
"Description of Notes."
The particular terms of the Units, including the terms of the Notes,
Universal Warrants and Purchase Contracts that may be included in a Unit,
offered pursuant to any Pricing Supplement will be described therein. The terms
and conditions set forth in the Prospectus under "Description of Units,"
"Description of Warrants," "Description of Purchase Contracts" and "Description
of Debt Securities" and those set forth below under "-- General," "-- Certain
Provisions of the Unit Agreement," "-- Purchase Contracts," "-- Universal
Warrants" and "-- Certain Provisions of the Universal Warrant Agreement" and
above under "Description of Notes" will apply to each Unit and to any Universal
Warrant, Purchase Contract or Note included in such Unit, respectively, unless
otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. Provisions related to
the introduction of the euro at the start of the third stage of EMU, described
above under "Description of Notes -- European Monetary Union" may apply to Units
and any Purchase Contract or Universal Warrants comprised by such Units as
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
General
The Company may issue from time to time Units that may include one or more
Notes, Universal Warrants or Purchase Contracts. Reference is made to the
applicable Pricing Supplement for (i) the designation and the terms of the Units
and of the Notes, Universal Warrants, Purchase Contracts, or any combination
thereof, comprising such Units, including whether and under what circumstances
such Notes, Universal Warrants or Purchase Contracts may be traded separately,
(ii) a description of any additional terms of the Unit Agreement (as defined
below) and (iii) a description of any additional provisions for the issuance,
payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the Units (or of the securities
comprised by such Units).
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, Units will
be issued only in fully registered form, in denominations of a single Unit and
any integral multiple thereof, with face amounts as indicated in the applicable
Pricing Supplement. Unless otherwise specified int he applicable Pricing
Supplement, the Units will be issued pursuant to the Unit Agreement dated as of
March 12, 1998 (the "Unit Agreement") among the Company, The Chase Manhattan
Bank, as Unit Agent (the "Unit Agent"), as Collateral Agent (the "Collateral
Agent"), and as Trustee and Paying Agent under the Senior Debt Indenture and as
Warrant Agent under the Universal Warrant Agreement, and the holders from time
to time of the Units. Each Unit will be issued as either a Book-Entry Unit or a
Certificated Unit, and any security comprised by such Unit shall be in the
corresponding form.
Book-Entry System. Upon issuance, all Book-Entry Units comprising the same
securities and having the same issue date and other terms, if any, will be
represented by a single registered global Unit (a "Registered Global Unit").
Each Registered Global Unit representing Book-Entry Units (and each Registered
Global Security (as defined in the Prospectus under "Global Securities")
comprised by such Registered Global Unit) will be deposited with, or on behalf
of, the Depositary, and registered in the name of a nominee of the Depositary.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, Certificated
Units will not be exchangeable for Book-Entry Units (or interests therein) and,
except under the circumstances described in the Prospectus under "Global
Securities," Book-Entry Units (or interests therein) will not be exchangeable
for Certificated Units and will not otherwise be issuable as Certificated Units.
If a Book-Entry Unit represented by a Registered Global Unit (i) includes a
Universal Warrant entitling the holder to exercise the Universal Warrant to
purchase or sell Warrant Property (as defined below), (ii) includes any Note or
Purchase Contract that entitles the holder thereof to redeem, accelerate or take
any other action with respect to such Note or Purchase Contract or (iii)
otherwise entitles the holder of the Unit to take any action with respect to the
Unit or any security comprised by such Unit, the Depositary's nominee will be
the only entity that can exercise such right. In order to ensure that the
Depositary's nominee will timely exercise a right conferred by a Unit (or by the
securities comprised by such Unit) with respect to a particular Unit (or any
security comprised by such Unit) or any portion thereof, the beneficial owner of
such Unit must instruct the broker or other direct or indirect participant
through which it holds an interest in such Unit to notify the Depositary of its
desire to exercise any such right. Different firms have different deadlines for
accepting instructions from their customers and, accordingly, each beneficial
owner should consult the broker or other direct or indirect participant through
which it holds an interest in a Unit in order to ascertain the deadline for such
an instruction in order for timely notice to be delivered to the Depositary.
A further description of the Depositary's procedures with respect to
Registered Global Securities (including Registered Global Units and the other
Registered Global Securities comprised by such Units) representing Book-Entry
Securities is set forth in the Prospectus under "Global Securities." The
Depositary has confirmed to the Company, the Unit Agent, the Collateral Agent,
the Paying Agent, the Warrant Agent and each Trustee that it intends to follow
such procedures.
Payments with respect to Units and Securities Comprised by Units. At the
office of the Unit Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York,
maintained by the Company for such purpose, (i) the Units, accompanied by each
of the securities comprised by such Unit (unless the applicable Pricing
Supplement indicates that any such securities are separable from such Unit), may
be presented for payment or delivery of Warrant Property or Purchase Contract
Property (as defined below) or any other amounts due with respect thereto, (ii)
transfer of the Units will be registrable and (iii) the Units will be
exchangeable, provided that Book-Entry Units will be exchangeable only in the
manner and to the extent set forth under "Global Securities" in the Prospectus.
On the date hereof, the agent for the payment, transfer and exchange of the
Units is The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Unit Agent, acting through its corporate
trust office at 450 West 33rd Street, New York, New York 10001. No service
charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of the Units
(or of any security comprised by such Unit) or interest therein, except for any
tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith.
Certain Provisions of the Unit Agreement
Under the terms of the Unit Agreement, each holder of a definitive Unit and
each beneficial owner of a Book-Entry Unit, by its acceptance thereof, (i)
consents to and agrees to be bound by the terms of the Unit Agreement and (ii)
appoints the Unit Agent as its authorized agent to execute, deliver and perform
any Purchase Contract (other than a Prepaid Purchase Contract which requires no
performance by the holder) included in such Unit in which such holder or
beneficial owner has an interest on behalf of such holder or beneficial owner,
as the case may be. Under the terms of the Unit Agreement, each holder of a
definitive Unit and each beneficial owner of a Book-Entry Unit, by acceptance
thereof, irrevocably agrees to be a party to and be bound by the terms of any
Purchase Contract (other than a Pre-paid Purchase Contract which requires no
performance by the holder) included in such Unit in which such holder or
beneficial owner has an interest. Upon the registration of transfer of a Unit,
the transferee will assume the obligations, if any, of the transferor under any
Purchase Contract included in such Unit and under any other security comprised
by such Unit in which such holder or beneficial owner has an interest, and the
transferor will be released from such obligations. Pursuant to the terms of the
Unit Agreement, the Company has consented to the transfer of any such
obligations to the transferee, to the assumption of such obligations by the
transferee and the release of the transferor, if such transfer is made in
accordance with the provisions of the Unit Agreement.
Remedies. The Unit Agreement provides that upon the acceleration of the
Notes (or Pre-paid Purchase Contracts) comprised by any Units, the obligations
of the Company and the holders under any Purchase Contracts comprised by such
Units may also be accelerated upon the request of the holders of not less than
25% of all the Purchase Contracts, on behalf of all such holders, that
constitute a part of Units that comprise such accelerated Notes. No holder of
any Unit or interest therein shall have any right by virtue of or by availing
itself of any provision of the Unit Agreement to institute any action or
proceeding at law or in equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise upon or under or
with respect to the Unit Agreement, or for the appointment of a trustee,
receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official, unless such holder
shall have given written notice to the Unit Agent and the Company of the
occurrence and continuance of a default thereunder and, (i) in the case of an
Event of Default under the Notes or the Senior Debt Indenture, unless the
procedures (including notice to the Trustee and the Company) described in
Article Five of the Senior Debt Indenture have been complied with and (ii) in
the case of certain defaults under any Purchase Contracts included in such Unit,
unless the holders of not less than 25% of the affected Purchase Contracts
comprised by all Units then outstanding shall have made written request upon the
Unit Agent to institute such action or proceeding in its own name as Unit Agent
under the Unit Agreement and shall have offered to the Unit Agent such
reasonable indemnity as it may require, and the Unit Agent for 60 days after its
receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity shall have failed to
institute any such action or proceedings and no direction inconsistent with such
request shall have been given to the Unit Agent pursuant to the Unit Agreement
in writing by the holders of a majority of the outstanding affected Units. If
such conditions have been satisfied, any holder of an affected Unit may then
(but only then) institute such action or proceeding. Notwithstanding the above,
the holder of any Unit or Purchase Contract will have the unconditional right to
purchase or sell, as the case may be, Purchase Contract Property pursuant to
such Purchase Contract and to institute suit for the enforcement of such right.
Except as may be described in a Pricing Supplement applicable to a
particular series of Units, there are no covenants or other provisions in the
Unit Agreement providing for a put or increased interest or otherwise that would
afford holders of Units additional protection in the event of a recapitalization
transaction, a change of control of the Company or a highly leveraged
transaction.
Modification. The Unit Agreement and the terms of the Purchase Contracts
and the Purchase Contract Certificates may be amended by the Company and the
Unit Agent, without the consent of the holders, for the purpose of curing any
ambiguity, or of curing, correcting or supplementing any defective or
inconsistent provision therein or in any other manner which the Company may deem
necessary or desirable and which will not adversely affect the interests of the
affected holders in any material respect.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Unit
Agreement will contain provisions permitting the Company and the Unit Agent,
with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority of all series of
Units at the time outstanding under such Unit Agreement and affected thereby
(voting as one class), to modify the rights of the holders of the Units of each
series so affected or the terms of any Purchase Contracts included in any such
series of Units and the terms of the Unit Agreement relating to the Purchase
Contracts of each series so affected, except that no such modification may,
without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Unit affected thereby, (i)
impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any Purchase Contract,
(ii) materially adversely affect the holders' rights under any Purchase Contract
or Unit or (iii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of outstanding Units issued
under the Unit Agreement, the consent of the holders of which is required for
the modification or amendment of the provisions of the Unit Agreement relating
to any such Purchase Contracts or for any waiver of compliance with certain
provisions of the Unit Agreement or waiver of certain defaults relating to any
such Purchase Contracts. Modifications of any Notes comprised by Units may only
be made in accordance with the Senior Debt Indenture, as described in the
Prospectus under "Description of Debt Securities -- Modification of the
Indentures." Modifications of any Universal Warrants comprised by Units may only
be made in accordance with the terms of the Universal Warrant Agreement as
described below under "Certain Provisions of the Universal Warrant Agreement."
Title. The Company, the Unit Agent and any agent of the Company or the Unit
Agent will treat the registered owner of any Unit or Purchase Contract as the
owner thereof (whether or not the Note constituting a part of such Unit shall be
overdue and notwithstanding any notice to the contrary) for the purpose of
making payment, the performance of any Purchase Contracts included in any series
of Units and for all other purposes.
Replacement of Unit Certificates or Purchase Contract Certificates. Any
mutilated certificate evidencing a definitive Unit or Purchase Contract will be
replaced at the expense of the holder upon surrender of such certificate to the
Unit Agent. Certificates that have been destroyed, lost or stolen will be
replaced at the expense of the holder upon delivery to the Company and the Unit
Agent of evidence of the destruction, loss or theft thereof satisfactory to the
Company and the Unit Agent. In the case of a destroyed, lost or stolen
certificate, an indemnity satisfactory to the Unit Agent and the Company may be
required at the expense of the holder of the Units or Purchase Contracts
evidenced by such certificate before a replacement will be issued.
The Unit Agreement provides that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no such
replacement certificate need be delivered (i) during the period beginning 15
days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption or of any other
exercise of any right held by the Company with respect to the Unit (or any
security comprised by such Unit) evidenced by the mutilated, destroyed, lost or
stolen certificate and ending on the day of the giving of such notice, (ii) if
such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen certificate evidences any security
selected or called for redemption or other exercise of a right held by the
Company or (iii) at any time on or after the date of settlement or redemption,
as applicable, with respect to any Purchase Contract included in the Unit (or at
any time on or after the last exercise date with respect to any Universal
Warrant included in the Unit) evidenced by such mutilated, destroyed, lost or
stolen certificate, except with respect to any Units that remain or will remain
outstanding following such date of settlement or redemption or such last
exercise date.
Governing Law. The Unit Agreement, the Units and the Purchase Contracts
will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of
New York.
Purchase Contracts
The Company may, pursuant to the Unit Agreement, issue from time to time,
as part of a Unit with one or more Notes or Universal Warrants, Purchase
Contracts for the purchase or sale of (a) securities of an entity unaffiliated
with the Company, a basket of such securities, and index or indices of such
securities or any combination of the above, (b) currencies or composite
currencies or (c) commodities (collectively, "Purchase Contract Property"). The
applicable Pricing Supplement will specify whether or not a Purchase Contract
issued as part of a Unit may be separated from the other securities comprised by
such Unit prior to such Purchase Contract's settlement date. Purchase Contracts
may not be so separated prior to the 91st day after the issuance of a Unit,
unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. The applicable
Pricing Supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may
purchase or sell such Purchase Contract Property and any acceleration,
cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the
settlement of a Purchase Contract. The Unit Agreement will not be qualified as
an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act"), the Unit Agent will not be required to qualify as a trustee
thereunder and the holders of Units and Purchase Contracts will not have the
benefits of the protections of the Trust Indenture Act. However, any Notes or
Pre-paid Purchase Contracts issued as part of a Unit will be issued under an
indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and the trustee thereunder
will have qualified as a trustee under the Trust Indenture Act.
The Purchase Contracts may be issued in fully registered global or
definitive form, as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. In each
case, the form of the Purchase Contract included in a Unit will correspond to
the form of the Unit and of any Note or Universal Warrant included in such Unit.
See "Global Securities" in the Prospectus.
Under circumstances specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement,
payments in respect of principal of Notes that are part of Units that include
Purchase Contracts requiring the holders to purchase Purchase Contract Property
may be applied by the Unit Agent in satisfaction of the obligations of the
holders of the Units under the related Purchase Contracts (unless a holder has
delivered cash in respect of its obligations under such Purchase Contract). Upon
settlement of any such Purchase Contract, the Purchase Contract Property will be
delivered only upon presentation and surrender of the certificates evidencing
Units at the office of the Unit Agent. If a holder delivers cash in settlement
of its obligations under a Purchase Contract that is part of a Unit, any related
Note that is a part of such Unit will remain outstanding if the maturity extends
beyond the relevant settlement date and, as more fully described in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, the holder will receive a registered Certificated
Note or an interest in a registered Global Note.
In order to secure the observance and performance of any covenants and
agreements of the holders of Purchase Contracts contained in the Unit Agreement
and in such Purchase Contracts, holders of Purchase Contracts acting through the
Unit Agent, as their attorney-in-fact, shall be deemed to grant, sell, convey,
assign, transfer and pledge unto The Chase Manhattan Bank, in its capacity as
Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Company, as collateral security for the
performance when due by such holders of their respective obligations under the
Unit Agreement and under such Purchase Contracts, a security interest in and to,
and a lien upon and right of set-off (the "Pledge") against, all of their right,
title and interest in and to (i) any Notes that are part of Units that include
such Purchase Contracts, or such other property as may be specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement (the "Pledged Items"); (ii) all additions to and
substitutions for such Pledged Items as may be permissible, if so specified in
the applicable Pricing Supplement; (iii) all income, proceeds and collections
received or to be received, or derived or to be derived, at any time from or in
connection with (i) and (ii) above; and (iv) all powers and rights owned or
thereafter acquired under or with respect to the Pledged Items. All payments
with respect to any Pledged Items received by the Collateral Agent shall be paid
by the Collateral Agent, unless such payments have been released from the Pledge
pursuant to the Unit Agreement, to the Company in satisfaction of the respective
obligations of the holders of the Units of which such Pledged Items are a part
under the Purchase Contracts forming a part of such Units.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, in the
event that a holder does not elect to deliver cash in settlement of its
obligations under a Purchase Contract that is part of a Unit and fails to
present and surrender the certificate evidencing the Units held by such holder
to the Unit Agent when required, the Purchase Contract Property to be purchased
by such holder under the Purchase Contracts evidenced thereby shall be
registered in the name of, and together with any distributions thereon shall be
held by, the Unit Agent in trust for the benefit of such holder until such
certificate is presented and surrendered or the holder provides satisfactory
evidence that such certificate has been destroyed, lost or stolen, together with
any indemnity that may be required by the Unit Agent or the Company in respect
thereof. In the event that a certificate is not presented (or such evidence and
indemnity are not provided) on or prior to the date two years after the relevant
settlement date with respect to the related Purchase Contract, any payments
received by the Unit Agent in respect of the Purchase Contract Property
delivered in respect of the Units evidenced by such certificate will be paid by
the Unit Agent to the Company and such holder will thereafter be required to
look solely to the Company for payment thereof. The Unit Agent will have no
obligation to invest or to pay interest on any amounts held by the Unit Agent
pending distribution, as described above.
Unsecured Obligations of the Company. The Purchase Contracts are unsecured
contractual obligations of the Company and will rank pari passu with the
Company's other unsecured contractual obligations and with the Company's
unsecured and unsubordinated debt. Most of the assets of the Company are owned
by its subsidiaries. Therefore, the Company's rights and the rights of its
creditors, including holders of Purchase Contracts, to participate in the
distribution of assets of any subsidiary upon such subsidiary's liquidation or
recapitalization will be subject to the prior claims of such subsidiary's
creditors, except to the extent that the Company may itself be a creditor with
recognized claims against the subsidiary. In addition, dividends, loans and
advances from certain subsidiaries to the Company are restricted by legal
requirements, including (in the case of MS & Co. and DWR) net capital
requirements under the Exchange Act and under rules of certain exchanges and
other regulatory bodies and (in the case of Greenwood Trust Company and other
bank subsidiaries) by banking regulations.
Universal Warrants
The Company may issue from time to time, as part of a Unit with one or more
Notes or Purchase Contracts, Universal Warrants to purchase or sell (a)
securities of an entity unaffiliated with the Company, a basket of such
securities, an index or indices of such securities or any combination of the
above, (b) currencies or composite currencies or (c) commodities (collectively,
"Warrant Property"). The Company may satisfy its obligations, if any, with
respect to any Universal Warrants by delivering the Warrant Property or, in the
case of underlying securities or commodities, the cash value thereof, as set
forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement. The applicable Pricing Supplement
will specify whether or not a Universal Warrant issued as part of a Unit may be
separated from the other securities comprised by such Unit prior to such
Universal Warrant's expiration. Universal Warrants may not be so separated prior
to the 91st day after the issuance of a Unit, unless otherwise specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
Universal Warrants comprising part of a Unit will be issued under the Universal
Warrant Agreement dated as of March 12, 1998 (the "Universal Warrant Agreement")
between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Warrant Agent (the "Warrant
Agent"), and may be issued in one or more series as set forth in the applicable
Pricing Supplement. The following summaries of certain provisions of the
Universal Warrant Agreement and Universal Warrants do not purport to be complete
and such summaries are subject to the detailed provisions of such Universal
Warrant Agreement to which reference is hereby made for a full description of
such provisions, including the definition of certain terms used herein, and for
other information regarding the Universal Warrants.
Reference is made to the applicable Pricing Supplement for the following
terms of and information relating to any Universal Warrants: (i) the specific
designation and aggregate number of and the price at which the Universal
Warrants will be issued; (ii) the currency or composite currency for which the
Universal Warrants may be purchased; (iii) the date on which the right to
exercise the Universal Warrants shall commence and the date on which such right
shall expire or, if the Universal Warrants are not continuously exercisable
throughout such period, the specific date or dates on which they will be
exercisable; (iv) the identity of any depositaries, execution or paying agents,
transfer agents, registrars or determination or other agents in respect of the
Universal Warrants; (v) whether such Universal Warrants are put Warrants or call
Warrants; (vi) (a) the specific Warrant Property (and the amount thereof)
purchasable or saleable upon exercise of each Universal Warrant; (b) the price
at which and the currency or composite currency with which such Warrant Property
may be purchased or sold upon such exercise (or the method of determining the
same); (c) whether such exercise price may be paid in cash, by the exchange of
any other security offered with such Universal Warrants or both and the method
of such exercise; and (d) whether the exercise of such Universal Warrants is to
be settled in cash or by delivery of the underlying securities or commodities or
both; and (vii) any other terms of the Universal Warrants.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
Universal Warrants may be issued in fully registered global or definitive form,
as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. In each case, the form of the
Universal Warrant included in a Unit will correspond to the form of the Unit and
of any other securities included in such Unit. See "Global Securities" in the
Prospectus.
At the option of the holder, upon request confirmed in writing and subject
to the terms of the Universal Warrant Agreement, Universal Warrants in
definitive form may be presented for exchange and for registration of transfer
(with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed), but only in
connection with the transfer of the applicable Unit and each of the securities
comprised by such Unit, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Pricing
Supplement, at the corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent (or any other
office indicated in the Pricing Supplement relating to the Units comprising such
Universal Warrants) without service charge and upon payment of any taxes and
other governmental charges as described in the Universal Warrant Agreement. Such
transfer or exchange will be effected only if the Warrant Agent is satisfied
with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request.
Certain Provisions of the Universal Warrant Agreement
Modifications. The Universal Warrant Agreement and the terms of the
Universal Warrants and the Universal Warrant Certificates may be amended by the
Company and the Warrant Agent, without the consent of the holders, for the
purpose of curing any ambiguity, or of curing, correcting or supplementing any
defective or inconsistent provision therein or in any other manner which the
Company may deem necessary or desirable and which will not adversely affect the
interests of the affected holders in any material respect.
The Company and the Warrant Agent may also modify or amend the Universal
Warrant Agreement and the terms of the Universal Warrants, with the consent of
the owners of not less than a majority in number of the then outstanding
unexercised Universal Warrants affected, provided that no such modification or
amendment that changes the exercise price of the Universal Warrants, reduces the
amount receivable upon exercise, cancellation or expiration, shortens the period
of time during which the Universal Warrants may be exercised or otherwise
materially and adversely affects the rights of the owners of the Universal
Warrants or reduces the percentage of outstanding Universal Warrants, the
consent of whose owners is required for modification or amendment of the
Universal Warrant Agreement or the terms of the Universal Warrants, may be made
without the consent of the owners affected thereby.
Merger, Consolidation, Sale or Other Disposition. If at any time there
shall be a merger or consolidation of the Company or a transfer of substantially
all of its assets, as permitted under the applicable Indentures, the successor
corporation thereunder shall succeed to and assume all obligations of the
Company under the Universal Warrant Agreement and the Universal Warrant
Certificates. The Company shall thereupon be relieved of any further obligation
under the Universal Warrant Agreement and the Universal Warrants. The Company
shall notify the Warrantholders of the occurrence of any such event. See
"Description of Debt Securities -- Certain Covenants" in the Prospectus.
Enforceability of Rights of Warrantholders; Governing Law. The Warrant
Agent will act solely as an agent of the Company in connection with the
Universal Warrant Certificates and will not assume any obligation or
relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of Universal Warrant
Certificates or beneficial owners of Universal Warrants. Any holder of Universal
Warrant Certificates and any beneficial owner of Universal Warrants may, without
the consent of the Warrant Agent, any other holder or beneficial owner, enforce
by appropriate legal action, on its own behalf, its right to exercise the
Universal Warrants evidenced by such Universal Warrant Certificates, in the
manner provided therein and in the Universal Warrant Agreement. No holder of any
Universal Warrant Certificate or beneficial owner of any Universal Warrants
shall be entitled to any of the rights of a holder of the Warrant Property
purchasable upon exercise of such Universal Warrants. The Universal Warrants and
the Universal Warrant Agreement will be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of New York.
Unsecured Obligations of the Company. The Universal Warrants are unsecured
contractual obligations of the Company and will rank pari passu with the
Company's other unsecured contractual obligations and with the Company's
unsecured and unsubordinated debt. Most of the assets of the Company are owned
by its subsidiaries. Therefore, the Company's rights and the rights of its
creditors, including Warrantholders, to participate in the distribution of
assets of any subsidiary upon such subsidiary's liquidation or recapitalization
will be subject to the prior claims of such subsidiary's creditors, except to
the extent that the Company may itself be a creditor with recognized claims
against the subsidiary. In addition, dividends, loans and advances from certain
subsidiaries to the Company are restricted by legal requirements, including (in
the case of MS & Co. and DWR) net capital requirements under the Exchange Act
and under rules of certain exchanges and other regulatory bodies and (in the
case of Greenwood Trust Company and other bank subsidiaries) by banking
regulations.
FOREIGN CURRENCY RISKS
Exchange Rates and Exchange Controls
An investment in Notes, Units or any of the securities constituting such
Units that are denominated in, or the payment of which is related to the value
of, a Specified Currency other than U.S. dollars entails significant risks that
are not associated with a similar investment in a security denominated in U.S.
dollars. Such risks include, without limitation, the possibility of significant
changes in rates of exchange between the U.S. dollar and the various foreign
currencies (or composite currencies) and the possibility of the imposition or
modification of exchange controls by either the U.S. or foreign governments.
Such risks generally depend on economic and political events over which the
Company has no control. In recent years, rates of exchange between U.S. dollars
and certain foreign currencies have been highly volatile and such volatility may
be expected to continue in the future. Fluctuations in any particular exchange
rate that have occurred in the past are not necessarily indicative, however, of
fluctuations in such rate that may occur during the term of any Note, Unit or
security included in such Unit. Depreciation against the U.S. dollar of the
currency in which a Note, Unit or security included in such Unit is payable
would result in a decrease in the effective yield of such Note below its coupon
rate or in the payout of such Unit (or security included therein) and, in
certain circumstances, could result in a loss to the investor on a U.S. dollar
basis. In addition, depending on the specific terms of a Currency Linked Note,
changes in exchange rates relating to any of the currencies involved may result
in a decrease in its effective yield and, in certain circumstances, could result
in a loss of all or a substantial portion of the principal of a Note to the
investor.
Fluctuations in the rates of exchange between U.S. dollars and any other
currency (i) in which payment of the exercise price of a Universal Warrant is to
be made, (ii) in which the Warrant Property is denominated or (iii) that is to
be purchased or sold by exercise of such Universal Warrant (or between any of
the currencies noted in clauses (i) through (iii) above) may change the value of
such Universal Warrant or of the Unit comprising such Universal Warrant and
could result in a loss to the investor even if the spot price of the Warrant
Property were such that the Universal Warrant appeared to be "in the money."
Similarly, currency fluctuations between U.S. dollars, the currency in which the
purchase price is denominated, the currency in which the Purchase Contract
Property is denominated or, if applicable, the currency to be purchased or sold
pursuant to such Purchase Contract could adversely affect the value of any
Purchase Contract or of the Unit comprising such Purchase Contract and could
result in a loss to the investor.
EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN FINANCIAL AND LEGAL
ADVISORS AS TO ANY SPECIFIC RISKS ENTAILED BY AN INVESTMENT BY SUCH INVESTOR IN
NOTES, UNITS OR ANY OF THE SECURITIES CONSTITUTING SUCH UNITS THAT ARE
DENOMINATED IN, OR THE PAYMENT OF WHICH IS RELATED TO THE VALUE OF, FOREIGN
CURRENCY. SUCH NOTES, UNITS OR OTHER SECURITIES INCLUDED IN SUCH UNITS ARE NOT
AN APPROPRIATE INVESTMENT FOR INVESTORS WHO ARE UNSOPHISTICATED WITH RESPECT TO
FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.
The information set forth in this Prospectus Supplement is directed to
prospective purchasers who are United States residents, and the Company
disclaims any responsibility to advise prospective purchasers who are residents
of countries other than the United States with respect to any matters that may
affect the purchase, holding or receipt of payments of principal of, premium, if
any, and interest on, the Notes (or of any payment due with respect to a Unit).
Such persons should consult their own counsel with regard to such matters.
Foreign exchange rates can either float or be fixed by sovereign
governments. Exchange rates of most economically developed nations are permitted
to fluctuate in value relative to the U.S. dollar. National governments,
however, rarely voluntarily allow their currencies to float freely in response
to economic forces. From time to time governments use a variety of techniques,
such as intervention by a country's central bank or imposition of regulatory
controls or taxes, to affect the exchange rate of their currencies. Governments
may also issue a new currency to replace an existing currency or alter the
exchange rate or relative exchange characteristics by devaluation or revaluation
of a currency. Thus, a special risk in purchasing non-U.S. dollar denominated
Notes or Currency Linked Notes (or Universal Warrants or Purchase Contracts
where the exercise or purchase price and the underlying property is denominated
in currencies differing from one another or from U.S. dollars) is that their
U.S. dollar-equivalent yields or payouts could be affected by governmental
actions, which could change or interfere with theretofore freely determined
currency valuation, fluctuations in response to other market forces, and the
movement of currencies across borders. There will be no adjustment or change in
the terms of such Notes, Units or any securities constituting such Units in the
event that exchange rates should become fixed, or in the event of any
devaluation or revaluation or imposition of exchange or other regulatory
controls or taxes, or in the event of other developments affecting the U.S.
dollar or any applicable Specified Currency.
Governments have imposed from time to time, and may in the future impose,
exchange controls that could affect exchange rates as well as the availability
of a specified foreign currency (or of securities denominated in such currency)
at the time of payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, a Note
(or of any payment due with respect to a Unit or any security constituting a
Unit). Even if there are no actual exchange controls, it is possible that the
Specified Currency for any particular Note not denominated in U.S. dollars (or
the applicable currency for any payment with respect to a Unit (or any of the
securities constituting such Unit) would not be available when payments on such
Note are due, including as a result of the replacement of such Specified
Currency by a single European currency (expected to be named the euro). In that
event, the Company would make required payments in U.S. dollars on the basis of
the Market Exchange Rate on the date of such payment, or if such rate of
exchange is not then available, on the basis of the Market Exchange Rate as of
the most recent practicable date; provided, however, that, if the Specified
Currency for any Note (or the applicable currency for any payment with respect
to a Unit (or any of the securities constituting such Unit)) is not available
because the euro has been substituted for such Specified Currency, the Company
would make such payments in euro in conformity with legally applicable measures
taken pursuant to, or by virtue of, the Treaty. See "Description of Notes --
Payment Currency."
With respect to any Note, Unit or security included in such Unit
denominated in a foreign currency or currency unit, or the payment of, or in
respect to, any Note, Unit or security included in such Unit which is related to
the value of, a foreign currency or currency unit, the applicable Pricing
Supplement will include information with respect to applicable current exchange
controls, if any, and historic exchange rate information on such currency or
currency unit. The information contained therein shall constitute a part of this
Prospectus Supplement and is furnished as a matter of information only and
should not be regarded as indicative of the range of or trends in fluctuations
in currency exchange rates that may occur in the future.
Governing Law and Judgments
The Notes, Units, Universal Warrants and Purchase Contracts will be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
If a court in the United States were to grant a judgment in an action based on
Notes denominated in a Specified Currency other than U.S. dollars or on any
Units, Universal Warrants and Purchase Contracts denominated in any such
currency, it is likely that such court would grant judgment only in U.S.
dollars. If the court were a New York court, however, such court would grant a
judgment in the Specified Currency or currency in respect of which any payment
on a Unit, Universal Warrant, or Purchase Contract was due. Such judgment would
then be converted into U.S. dollars at the rate of exchange prevailing on the
date of entry of the judgment.
UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAXATION
In the opinion of Brown & Wood LLP, counsel to the Company, the following
summary accurately describes the principal United States federal income tax
consequences of ownership and disposition of the Notes and of Units consisting
of Notes and certain Universal Warrants or Purchase Contracts. This summary is
based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and
existing and proposed Treasury regulations, revenue rulings, administrative
interpretations and judicial decisions (all as currently in effect and all of
which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect). Except as
specifically set forth herein this summary deals only with Notes and Units
purchased by a United States Holder (as defined below) on original issuance and
held as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code. It does
not discuss all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to holders in light
of their particular circumstances or to holders subject to special rules, such
as persons other than United States Holders, insurance companies, dealers in
securities or foreign currencies, persons holding the Notes or Units as part of
a hedging transaction, "straddle," conversion transaction, or other integrated
transaction, or United States Holders whose functional currency (as defined in
Section 985 of the Code) is not the U.S. dollar. Persons considering the
purchase of the Notes or Units should consult with their own tax advisors with
regard to the application of the United States federal income tax laws to their
particular situations as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of
any state, local or foreign jurisdiction.
As used herein, the term "United States Holder" means a beneficial owner of
a Note or Unit who or that is for United States federal income tax purposes (i)
a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation, partnership or
other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or
of any political subdivision thereof, (iii) an estate the income of which is
subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source, or
(iv) a trust if both: (A) a United States court is able to exercise primary
supervision over the administration of the trust, and (B) one or more United
States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the
trust.
Notes
Payments of Interest on the Notes
Interest paid on a Note (whether in U.S. dollars or in other than U.S.
dollars), that is not a Discount Note or an Exchangeable Note, will generally be
taxable to a United States Holder as ordinary interest income at the time it
accrues or is received, in accordance with the United States Holder's method of
accounting for federal income tax purposes.
Special rules governing the treatment of interest paid with respect to
Discount Notes, including certain Notes that pay interest annually that are
issued less than 15 calendar days before an Interest Payment Date, Notes that
mature one year or less from their date of issuance and Notes issued for an
amount less than their stated redemption price at maturity, are described under
"Discount Notes" below. Special rules governing the treatment of interest paid
with respect to Exchangeable Notes are described under "Optionally Exchangeable
Notes" and "Mandatorily Exchangeable Notes" below.
Discount Notes
The following discussion is a summary of the principal United States
federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of Discount
Notes (as defined below) by United States Holders. Additional rules applicable
to Discount Notes that are denominated in a Specified Currency other than the
U.S. dollar, or have payments of interest or principal determined by reference
to the value of one or more currencies or currency units other than the U.S.
dollar, are described under "Foreign Currency Notes" below.
A Note that has an "issue price" that is less than its "stated redemption
price at maturity" will generally be considered to have been issued bearing
original issue discount ("OID") for United States federal income tax purposes (a
"Discount Note"), unless such difference is less than a specified de minimis
amount. The issue price of each Note in an issue of Notes issued for cash
generally will equal the first price at which a substantial amount of such Notes
is sold to the public (ignoring sales to bond houses, brokers, or similar
persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement
agents or wholesalers). Such issue price does not change even if part of the
issue is subsequently sold at a different price. The stated redemption price at
maturity of a Note is the total of all payments required to be made under the
Note other than "qualified stated interest" payments. The term "qualified stated
interest" is defined as stated interest that is unconditionally payable at least
annually at a single fixed rate of interest. In addition, qualified stated
interest generally includes stated interest with respect to a variable rate debt
instrument that is unconditionally payable at least annually at a single
qualified floating rate or a rate that is determined using a single fixed
formula that is based on objective financial or economic information. A rate is
a qualified floating rate if variations in the rate can reasonably be expected
to measure contemporaneous fluctuations in the cost of newly borrowed funds in
the currency in which the Note is denominated.
No payment of interest on a Note that matures one year or less from its
date of issuance will be considered qualified stated interest and accordingly
such a Note will be treated as a Discount Note.
A United States Holder of a Discount Note is required to include qualified
stated interest with respect to the Note in income at the time it is received or
accrued, in accordance with such holder's method of accounting.
In addition, United States Holders of Discount Notes that mature more than
one year from the date of issuance will be required to include OID in income for
United States federal income tax purposes as it accrues, in accordance with a
constant yield method based on a compounding of interest, before the receipt of
cash payments attributable to such income, but such holders will not be required
to include separately in income cash payments received on such Notes, even if
denominated as interest, to the extent they do not constitute qualified stated
interest. The amount of OID includible in income for a taxable year by a United
States Holder of a Discount Note will generally equal the sum of the "daily
portions" of the total OID on the Discount Note for each day during the taxable
year in which such holder held the Discount Note ("accrued OID"). Generally, the
daily portion of OID is determined by allocating to each day in any "accrual
period" a ratable portion of the OID allocable to such accrual period. The term
"accrual period" means an interval of time of one year or less; provided that
each scheduled payment of principal or interest either occurs on the final day
of an accrual period or the first day of an accrual period. The amount of OID
allocable to an accrual period will be the excess of (a) the product of the
"adjusted issue price" of the Discount Note at the beginning of such accrual
period and its "yield to maturity" (adjusted to reflect the length of the
accrual period) over (b) the amount of any qualified stated interest allocable
to the accrual period. The "adjusted issue price" of a Discount Note at the
beginning of an accrual period will equal the issue price thereof plus the
amount of OID previously includible in the gross income of any United States
Holder (without reduction for any premium or amortized acquisition premium, as
described below), less any payments made on such Discount Note (other than
qualified stated interest) on or before the first day of the accrual period. The
"yield to maturity" of the Discount Note will be computed on the basis of a
constant annual interest rate compounded at the end of each accrual period.
Under the foregoing rules, United States Holders of Discount Notes will
generally be required to include in income increasingly greater amounts of OID
in successive accrual periods. Special rules will apply for calculating OID for
initial short or final accrual periods.
Notes that pay interest annually that are issued less than 15 calendar days
before an Interest Payment Date may be treated as Discount Notes. United States
Holders intending to purchase such Notes should refer to the applicable Pricing
Supplement.
Certain of the Discount Notes may be redeemable prior to maturity at the
option of the Company (a "call option") and/or repayable prior to maturity at
the option of the holder (a "put option"). Discount Notes containing either or
both of such features may be subject to rules that differ from the general rules
discussed above. Holders intending to purchase Discount Notes with either or
both of such features should carefully examine the applicable Pricing Supplement
and should consult with their own tax advisors with respect to either or both of
such features since the tax consequences with respect to OID will depend, in
part, on the particular terms and the particular features of the purchased Note.
In general, a United States Holder who uses the cash method of tax
accounting and who holds a Discount Note that matures one year or less from the
date of its issuance (a "short-term Discount Note") is not required to accrue
OID for United States federal income tax purposes unless such holder elects to
do so. United States Holders who report income for United States federal income
tax purposes on the accrual method and certain other holders, including banks
and dealers in securities, are required to include OID (or alternatively
acquisition discount) on such short-term Discount Notes on a straight-line
basis, unless an election is made to accrue the OID according to a constant
yield method based on daily compounding. In the case of a United States Holder
who is not required, and does not elect, to include OID in income currently, any
gain realized on the sale, exchange or retirement of a short-term Discount Note
will be ordinary interest income to the extent of the OID accrued on a
straight-line basis (or, if elected by such holder, under the constant yield
method) through the date of sale, exchange or retirement. In addition, such
non-electing United States Holders who are not subject to the current inclusion
requirement described in the second sentence of this paragraph may be required
to defer the deduction of all or a portion of any interest paid on indebtedness
incurred to purchase short-term Discount Notes until such OID is included in
such holder's income.
If the amount of OID with respect to a Note is less than the specified de
minimis amount (generally, 0.0025 multiplied by the product of the stated
redemption price at maturity and the number of complete years to maturity), the
amount of OID is treated as zero and all stated interest is treated as qualified
stated interest. A United States Holder will be required to treat any stated
principal payment on a Note as capital gain to the extent of the product of the
total amount of de minimis OID and a fraction, the numerator of which is the
amount of the principal payment made and the denominator of which is the stated
principal amount of the Note.
United States Holders are permitted to elect to include all interest on a
Note using the constant yield method. For this purpose, interest includes stated
interest, acquisition discount, OID, de minimis OID, market discount, de minimis
market discount, and unstated interest, as adjusted by any amortizable bond
premium or acquisition premium. Special rules apply to elections made with
respect to Notes with amortizable bond premium or market discount and United
States Holders considering such an election should consult their own tax
advisors. The election cannot be revoked without the approval of the Internal
Revenue Service.
Market Discount and Premium
If a United States Holder purchases a Note (other than a Discount Note or
an Exchangeable Note) for an amount that is less than its issue price (or, with
respect to a subsequent purchaser, its stated redemption price at maturity or,
in the case of a Discount Note, its adjusted issue price), the amount of the
difference will be treated as "market discount" for United States federal income
tax purposes, unless such difference is less than a specified de minimis amount.
Under the market discount rules of the Code, a United States Holder will be
required to treat any partial principal payment (or, in the case of a Discount
Note, any payment that does not constitute qualified stated interest) on, or any
gain realized on the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition of, a Note
as ordinary income to the extent of the lesser of (i) the amount of such payment
or realized gain or (ii) the market discount that has not previously been
included in income and is treated as having accrued on such Note at the time of
such payment or disposition. If such Note is disposed of in a nontaxable
transaction (other than a nonrecognition transaction described in Code Section
1276(c)), the amount of gain realized on such disposition for purposes of the
market discount rules shall be determined as if such holder had sold the Note at
its then fair market value. Market discount will be considered to accrue ratably
during the period from the date of acquisition to the maturity date of the Note,
unless the United States Holder elects to accrue on the basis of a constant
interest rate.
A United States Holder may be required to defer the deduction of all or a
portion of the interest paid or accrued on any indebtedness incurred or
maintained to purchase or carry such Note until the maturity of the Note or its
earlier disposition (except for certain nonrecognition transactions). A United
States Holder may elect to include market discount in income currently as it
accrues (on either a ratable or a constant interest rate basis), in which case
the rules described above regarding the treatment as ordinary income of gain
upon the disposition of the Note and upon the receipt of certain cash payments
and regarding the deferral of interest deductions will not apply. Generally,
such currently included market discount is treated as ordinary interest. Such an
election will apply to all debt instruments acquired by the United States Holder
on or after the first day of the first taxable year to which such election
applies and may be revoked only with the consent of the Internal Revenue
Service.
A United States Holder who purchases a Discount Note for an amount that is
greater than its adjusted issue price, but less than or equal to the sum of all
amounts payable on the Note after the purchase date (other than qualified stated
interest), will be considered to have purchased such Note at an "acquisition
premium" within the meaning of the Code. Under the acquisition premium rules of
the Code, the amount of OID which such holder must include in its gross income
with respect to such Note for any taxable year will be reduced by a fraction the
numerator of which is the excess of the cost of the Note over its adjusted issue
price and the denominator of which is the excess of the sum of all amounts
payable on the Note after the purchase date (other than qualified stated
interest) over the adjusted issue price.
A United States Holder who purchases a Discount Note for an amount that is
greater than the sum of all amounts payable on the Note after the purchase date
(other than qualified stated interest) will be considered to have purchased such
Note at a "premium" within the meaning of the OID Regulations. In such case, the
holder is not required to include any OID in gross income.
If a United States Holder purchases a Note (other than an Exchangeable
Note) for an amount that is greater than the amount payable at maturity (or on
the earlier call date, in the case of a Note that is redeemable at the option of
the Company), such holder will be considered to have purchased such Note with
"amortizable bond premium" equal in amount to such excess, and may elect (in
accordance with applicable Code provisions) to amortize such premium, using a
constant yield method over the remaining term of the Note and to offset interest
otherwise required to be included in income in respect of such Note during any
taxable year by the amortized amount of such excess for such taxable year.
However, if such Note may be optionally redeemed after the United States Holder
acquires it at a price in excess of its stated redemption price at maturity,
special rules would apply which could result in a deferral of the amortization
of some bond premium until later in the term of such Note. Any election to
amortize bond premium applies to all debt instruments acquired by the United
States Holder on or after the first day of the first taxable year to which such
election applies and may be revoked only with the consent of the Internal
Revenue Service.
Sale, Exchange or Retirement of the Notes
Upon the sale, exchange or retirement of a Note, a United States Holder
will generally recognize taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between
the amount realized on the sale, exchange or retirement and such holder's
adjusted tax basis in the Note. For these purposes, the amount realized on the
sale, exchange or retirement of a Note (other than an Exchangeable Note) does
not include any amount attributable to accrued interest (or, in the case of a
Discount Note, accrued qualified stated interest), which will be taxable as such
unless previously taken into account. A United States Holder's adjusted tax
basis in a Note (other than an Exchangeable Note) generally will equal the cost
of the Note to such holder, increased by the amounts of any market discount, OID
and de minimis OID previously included in income by the holder with respect to
such Note and reduced by any amortized bond premium and any principal payments
received by the United States Holder and, in the case of a Discount Note, by the
amounts of any other payments that do not constitute qualified stated interest.
Subject to the discussion under "Foreign Currency Notes" and "Optionally
Exchangeable Notes" below, gain or loss recognized on the sale, exchange or
retirement of a Note will be capital gain or loss (except to the extent of any
accrued market discount or, in the case of a short-term Discount Note, any
accrued OID which the United States Holder has not previously included in
income), and will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if at the time of
sale, exchange or retirement the Note has been held for more than one year.
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (the "Tax Act") revised the maximum rate of
tax on net capital gains for individuals on sales of certain assets (including
stocks and securities). The holding period for which an asset must be held for
the gain from its sale to be eligible for the lowest rate was increased from 12
months to 18 months, with a further rate reduction scheduled to take effect
after the year 2000 for the sale of certain assets that have been held at least
5 years.
A United States Holder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the
election (or revocation of such election) or failure to elect to terminate the
automatic extension of maturity of a Renewable Note.
Foreign Currency Notes
The following discussion summarizes the principal United States federal
income tax consequences to a United States Holder of the ownership and
disposition of Notes (other than the Currency Linked Notes described above) that
are denominated in a Specified Currency other than the U.S. dollar or the
payments of interest or principal on which are payable in one or more currencies
or currency units other than the U.S. dollar (a "Foreign Currency Note").
The rules discussed below will generally not apply to a United States
Holder that enters into a "qualified hedging transaction." A qualified hedging
transaction is an integrated economic transaction consisting of a qualifying
debt instrument, such as a Foreign Currency Note, and a "section 1.988-5(a)
hedge," as defined in section 1.988-5(a)(4) of the Treasury regulations.
Generally, such an integrated economic transaction, if identified as such by
either the United States Holder or the Internal Revenue Service, is treated as a
single transaction for United States federal income tax purposes, the effect of
which is to treat such a holder as owning a synthetic debt instrument that is
subject to rules applicable to Discount Notes. The rules with respect to a
qualified hedging transaction are extremely complex and special rules may apply
in certain circumstances, and persons that are considering hedging the currency
risk are urged to consult with their own tax advisors with respect to the
application of these rules.
A United States Holder who uses the cash method of accounting and who
receives a payment of interest with respect to a Foreign Currency Note (other
than a Discount Note (except to the extent any qualified stated interest is
received) in which OID is accrued on a current basis) will be required to
include in income the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency payment
(determined on the date such payment is received) regardless of whether the
payment is in fact converted to U.S. dollars at that time, and such U.S. dollar
value will be the United States Holder's tax basis in the foreign currency.
A United States Holder (to the extent the above paragraph is not
applicable) will be required to include in income the U.S. dollar value of the
amount of interest income (including OID or market discount and reduced by
premium, acquisition premium and amortizable bond premium to the extent
applicable) that has accrued and is otherwise required to be taken into account
with respect to a Foreign Currency Note during an accrual period. The U.S.
dollar value of such accrued income will be determined by translating such
income at the average rate of exchange for the accrual period or, with respect
to an accrual period that spans two taxable years, at the average rate for the
partial period within the taxable year. The average rate of exchange for the
accrual period (or partial period) is the simple average of the exchange rates
for each business day of such period (or other method if such method is
reasonably derived and consistently applied). A United States Holder may elect
to determine the U.S. dollar value of such accrued income by translating such
income at the spot rate on the last day of the interest accrual period (or, in
the case of a partial accrual period, the spot rate on the last day of the
taxable year) or, if the date of receipt is within five business days of the
last day of the interest accrual period, the spot rate on the date of receipt.
Such United States Holder will recognize ordinary gain or loss with respect to
accrued interest income on the date such income is received. The amount of
ordinary gain or loss recognized will equal the difference between the U.S.
dollar value of the foreign currency payments received (determined on the date
such payment is received) in respect of such accrual period and the U.S. dollar
value of interest income that has accrued during such accrual period (as
determined above).
A United States Holder will have a tax basis in any foreign currency
received on the sale, exchange or retirement of a Foreign Currency Note equal to
the U.S. dollar value of such foreign currency, determined at the time of such
sale, exchange or retirement. Any gain or loss realized by a United States
Holder on a sale or other disposition of foreign currency (including its
exchange for U.S. dollars or its use to purchase Foreign Currency Notes) will be
ordinary income or loss.
A United States Holder's tax basis in a Foreign Currency Note, and the
amount of any subsequent adjustment to such holder's tax basis, will be the U.S.
dollar value of the foreign currency amount paid for such Foreign Currency Note,
or of the foreign currency amount of the adjustment, determined on the date of
such purchase or adjustment. A United States Holder who converts U.S. dollars to
a foreign currency and immediately uses that currency to purchase a Foreign
Currency Note denominated in the same currency ordinarily will not recognize
gain or loss in connection with such conversion and purchase. However, a United
States Holder who purchases a Foreign Currency Note with previously owned
foreign currency will recognize ordinary income or loss in an amount equal to
the difference, if any, between such holder's tax basis in the foreign currency
and the U.S. dollar fair market value of the Foreign Currency Note on the date
of purchase. For purposes of determining the amount of any gain or loss
recognized by a United States Holder on the sale, exchange or retirement of a
Foreign Currency Note, the amount realized upon such sale, exchange or
retirement will be the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency received,
determined on the date of sale, exchange or retirement.
Gain or loss realized upon the sale, exchange or retirement of a Foreign
Currency Note will be ordinary income or loss to the extent it is attributable
to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Gain or loss attributable to
fluctuations in exchange rates will equal the difference between the U.S. dollar
value of the foreign currency principal amount of such Note, determined on the
date such payment is received or such Note is disposed of, including any payment
with respect to accrued interest, and the U.S. dollar value of the foreign
currency principal amount of such Note, determined on the date such United
States Holder acquired such Note, and the U.S. dollar value of accrued interest
received (determined by translating such interest at the average exchange rate
for the accrual period). The foreign currency principal amount of a Foreign
Currency Note generally equals the United States Holder's purchase price in
units of foreign currency. Such foreign currency gain or loss will be recognized
only to the extent of the total gain or loss recognized by a United States
Holder on the sale, exchange or retirement of the Foreign Currency Note.
The source of exchange gain or loss will be determined by reference to the
residence of the holder or the "qualified business unit" of the holder on whose
books the Note is properly reflected. Any gain or loss recognized by such a
United States Holder in excess of such foreign currency gain or loss will be
capital gain or loss (except to the extent of any accrued market discount or, in
the case of a short-term Discount Note, any accrued OID), and generally will be
long-term capital gain or loss if the holding period of the Foreign Currency
Note exceeds one year.
Any gain or loss that is treated as ordinary income or loss, as described
above, generally will not be treated as interest income or expense except to the
extent provided by administrative pronouncements of the Internal Revenue
Service.
OID, market discount, premium, acquisition premium and amortizable bond
premium of a Foreign Currency Note are to be determined in the relevant foreign
currency. The amount of such discount or premium that is taken into account
currently under general rules applicable to Notes other than Foreign Currency
Notes is to be determined for any accrual period in the relevant foreign
currency and then translated into the United States Holder's functional currency
on the basis of the average exchange rate in effect during such accrual period.
The amount of accrued market discount (other than market discount that is
included in income on a current basis) taken into account upon the receipt of
any partial principal payment or upon the sale, exchange, retirement or other
disposition of a Foreign Currency Note will be the U.S. dollar value of such
accrued market discount (determined on the date of receipt of such partial
principal payment or upon the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition).
Any loss realized on the sale, exchange or retirement of a Foreign Currency
Note with amortizable bond premium by a United States Holder who has not elected
to amortize such premium will be a capital loss to the extent of such bond
premium. If such an election is made, amortizable bond premium taken into
account on a current basis shall reduce interest income in units of the relevant
foreign currency. Exchange gain or loss is realized on such amortized bond
premium with respect to any period by treating the bond premium amortized in
such period as a return of principal.
The Code and the applicable regulations do not discuss the tax consequences
of an issuance of a Foreign Currency Note that is denominated in, or has
payments of interest or principal determined by reference to, a so-called
hyperinflationary currency or more than one currency. On March 17, 1992,
Treasury regulations were proposed with regard to debt instruments denominated
in a hyperinflationary currency and certain debt instruments denominated in more
than one currency. These proposed regulations are proposed to be effective for
transactions entered into on or after the date such regulations are finalized.
A Foreign Currency Note will be considered to be a debt instrument
denominated in a hyperinflationary currency if it is denominated in a Specified
Currency of a country in which there is cumulative inflation of at least 100%
during the 36 calendar month period ending on the last day of the preceding
calendar year. Under the proposed regulations, a United States Holder that
acquires a Foreign Currency Note that is denominated in a hyperinflationary
currency will recognize gain or loss for its taxable year determined by
reference to the change in exchange rates between the first day of the taxable
year (or the date the Note was acquired, if later) and the last day of the
taxable year (or the date the Note was disposed of, if earlier). Such gain or
loss will reduce or increase the amount of interest income otherwise required to
be taken into account. Special rules apply to the extent such loss exceeds the
amount of interest income otherwise taken into account.
Under the proposed regulations, a Foreign Currency Note will be considered
to be a "dual currency debt instrument" if (i) the qualified stated interest is
denominated in or determined by reference to a single currency, (ii) the stated
redemption price at maturity is denominated in or determined by reference to a
different currency, and (iii) the amount of all payments in each currency is
fixed on the issue date. A Foreign Currency Note (other than a dual currency
debt instrument) will be considered to be a "multicurrency debt instrument" if
payments are to be made in more than one currency and the amount of all payments
in each currency is fixed on the issue date. A dual currency debt instrument
will be treated as two hypothetical debt instruments, a zero coupon bond
denominated in the currency of the stated redemption price at maturity and an
installment obligation denominated in the currency of the qualified stated
interest. A multicurrency debt instrument will be treated similarly and
separated into component hypothetical debt instruments in each currency. The OID
and foreign currency rules discussed above will apply to each hypothetical debt
instrument. The proposed regulations do not apply to any Foreign Currency Note
that is denominated in, or has payments of interest or principal determined by
reference to, more than one currency except to the extent the Note meets the
definition of a dual currency debt instrument or multicurrency debt instrument.
Optionally Exchangeable Notes
The following discussion summarizes the principal United States federal
income tax consequences to a United States Holder of the ownership and
disposition of Optionally Exchangeable Notes.
Unless otherwise noted in the applicable Pricing Supplement, Optionally
Exchangeable Notes will be treated as "contingent payment debt instruments" for
United States federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Optionally
Exchangeable Notes will generally be subject to the OID provisions of the Code
and the Treasury regulations issued thereunder and a United States Holder will
be required to accrue interest income on the Optionally Exchangeable Notes as
set forth below.
At the time the Optionally Exchangeable Notes are issued, the Company will
be required to determine a "comparable yield" for the Optionally Exchangeable
Notes that takes into account the yield at which the Company could issue a fixed
rate debt instrument with terms similar to those of the Optionally Exchangeable
Notes (including the level of subordination, term, timing of payments and
general market conditions, but excluding any adjustments for liquidity or the
riskiness of the contingencies with respect to the Optionally Exchangeable
Notes). The comparable yield may be greater than or less than the stated
interest rate, if any, with respect to the Optionally Exchangeable Notes.
Solely for purposes of determining the amount of interest income that a
United States Holder will be required to accrue, the Company will be required to
construct a "projected payment schedule" in respect of the Optionally
Exchangeable Notes representing a series of payments the amount and timing of
which would produce a yield to maturity on the Optionally Exchangeable Notes
equal to the comparable yield. NEITHER THE COMPARABLE YIELD NOR THE PROJECTED
PAYMENT SCHEDULE CONSTITUTES A REPRESENTATION BY THE COMPANY REGARDING THE
ACTUAL AMOUNT THAT THE OPTIONALLY EXCHANGEABLE NOTES WILL PAY. For United States
federal income tax purposes, a United States Holder is required to use the
comparable yield and the projected payment schedule established by the Company
in determining interest accruals and adjustments in respect of an Optionally
Exchangeable Note, unless such United States Holder timely discloses and
justifies the use of other estimates to the Internal Revenue Service.
Based on the comparable yield and the issue price of the Optionally
Exchangeable Notes, a United States Holder of an Optionally Exchangeable Note
(regardless of accounting method) will be required to accrue as OID the sum of
the daily portions of interest on the Optionally Exchangeable Note for each day
in the taxable year on which the holder held the Optionally Exchangeable Note,
adjusted upward or downward to reflect the difference, if any, between the
actual and the projected amount of any contingent payments on the Optionally
Exchangeable Note (as set forth below). The daily portions of interest in
respect of an Optionally Exchangeable Note are determined by allocating to each
day in an accrual period the ratable portion of interest on the Optionally
Exchangeable Note that accrues in the accrual period. The amount of interest on
an Optionally Exchangeable Note that accrues in an accrual period is the product
of the comparable yield on the Optionally Exchangeable Note (adjusted to reflect
the length of the accrual period) and the adjusted issue price of the Optionally
Exchangeable Note. The adjusted issue price of an Optionally Exchangeable Note
at the beginning of the first accrual period will equal its issue price and for
any accrual period thereafter will be (x) the sum of the issue price of such
Optionally Exchangeable Note and any interest previously accrued thereon by a
holder (disregarding any positive or negative adjustments) minus (y) the amount
of any projected payments on the Optionally Exchangeable Note for previous
accrual periods.
A United States Holder will be required to recognize interest income equal
to the amount of any positive adjustment (i.e., the excess of actual payments
over projected payments) in respect of an Optionally Exchangeable Note for a
taxable year. A negative adjustment (i.e., the excess of projected payments over
actual payments) in respect of an Optionally Exchangeable Note for a taxable
year (i) will first reduce the amount of interest in respect of the Optionally
Exchangeable Note that a United States Holder would otherwise be required to
include in income in the taxable year and (ii) to the extent of any excess, will
give rise to an ordinary loss equal to that portion of such excess as does not
exceed the excess of (A) the amount of all previous interest inclusions under
the Optionally Exchangeable Note over (B) the total amount of the United States
Holder's net negative adjustments treated as ordinary loss on the Exchangeable
Note in prior taxable years. A net negative adjustment is not subject to the two
percent floor limitation imposed on miscellaneous deductions under Section 67 of
the Code. Any negative adjustment in excess of the amounts described above in
(i) and (ii) will be carried forward to offset future interest income in respect
of the Optionally Exchangeable Note or to reduce the amount realized on a sale,
exchange or retirement of the Optionally Exchangeable Note. Where a United
States Holder purchases an Optionally Exchangeable Note at a price other than
the issue price thereof, the difference between the purchase price and the issue
price will generally be treated as a positive or negative adjustment, as the
case may be, and allocated to the daily portions of interest or projected
payments with respect to the Optionally Exchangeable Note over its remaining
term.
Upon a sale, exchange or retirement of an Optionally Exchangeable Note, a
United States Holder will generally recognize taxable gain or loss equal to the
difference between the amount realized on the sale, exchange or retirement and
such holder's tax basis in the Optionally Exchangeable Note. If the Company
delivers property (other than cash) to a holder in retirement of an Optionally
Exchangeable Note, the amount realized will equal the fair market value of the
property, determined at the time of such retirement, plus the amount of cash, if
any, received in lieu of property. A United States Holder's tax basis in an
Optionally Exchangeable Note will equal the cost thereof, increased by the
amount of interest income previously accrued by the holder in respect of the
Optionally Exchangeable Note (disregarding any positive or negative adjustments)
and decreased by the amount of all prior projected payments in respect of the
Optionally Exchangeable Note. A United States Holder generally will treat any
gain as interest income, and any loss as ordinary loss to the extent of the
excess of previous interest inclusions over the total negative adjustments
previously taken into account as ordinary losses, and the balance as capital
loss.
A United States Holder will have a tax basis in any property (other than
cash) received upon the retirement of an Optionally Exchangeable Note equal to
the fair market value of such property, determined at the time of such
retirement. Any gain or loss realized by a United States Holder on a sale or
exchange of such property will generally be capital gain or loss and will
generally be long-term capital gain or loss if the sale or exchange occurs more
than one year after the retirement of the Exchangeable Note.
Mandatorily Exchangeable Notes
Under current United States federal income tax law, it is unclear how a
Mandatorily Exchangeable Note will be treated. Prospective purchasers of
Mandatorily Exchangeable Notes are urged to review the applicable Pricing
Supplement and consult with their tax advisors.
PERLS, Reverse PERLS and Multicurrency PERLS
The following discussion relates to PERLS, Reverse PERLS and Multicurrency
PERLS that bear current coupons consistent with or greater than comparable
dollar denominated debt obligations. In other cases, holders should refer to the
discussion relating to taxation in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Although no authority exists that addresses instruments having
characteristics similar to such instruments and the conclusions herein are
therefore not entirely free from doubt, Brown & Wood LLP advises that such
PERLS, Reverse PERLS and Multicurrency PERLS should constitute debt obligations
for United States federal income tax purposes and that no portion of the issue
price should be allocated to the foreign currency feature. The Company intends
to treat PERLS, Reverse PERLS and Multicurrency PERLS as indebtedness of the
Company and such characterization is binding on all United States Holders,
except for holders who disclose a different position on their United States
federal income tax return. In any case, the Company's treatment is not binding
upon the Internal Revenue Service or the courts, and there can be no assurance
that it will be accepted.
The Treasury regulations under the OID provisions of the Code state that a
debt instrument will not be treated as a contingent debt instrument merely
because some or all of the payments are denominated in or determined by
reference to the value of one or more foreign currencies. It should be noted,
however, that the foreign currency regulations do not yet address the treatment
of instruments like PERLS, Reverse PERLS or Multicurrency PERLS and the proposed
regulations do not address the treatment of such instruments except insofar as
they meet the definitions of dual currency debt instruments and multicurrency
debt instruments. It is possible that such regulations (or other authority),
when issued, could result in tax consequences that differ from those described
herein, and that such authority could apply with retroactive effect. See
discussion under "Foreign Currency Notes" for a summary of other federal income
tax principles that may apply to United States Holders of PERLS, Reverse PERLS
and Multicurrency PERLS.
Notes Linked to Commodity Prices, Single Securities, Baskets of Securities
or Indices
The United States federal income tax consequences to a United States Holder
of the ownership and disposition of Notes that have principal or interest
determined by reference to commodity prices, securities of entities unaffiliated
with the Company, baskets of such securities or indices will vary depending upon
the exact terms of the Notes and related factors. Unless otherwise noted in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, such Notes will be subject to the same United
States federal income tax treatment as Optionally Exchangeable Notes.
Units
The following discussion addresses the treatment of a Unit consisting of
(i) a Note and one or more Universal Warrants entitling the holder thereof to
purchase securities of an entity unaffiliated with the Company, a basket of such
securities, an index or indices of such securities or any combination of the
above or commodities (each, a "Warrant Unit"), or (ii) a Note and one or more
Purchase Contracts requiring the holder thereof to purchase securities of an
entity unaffiliated with the Company, a basket of such securities, an index or
indices of such securities or any combination of the above or commodities (each,
a "Purchase Unit"). Other Units and certain Warrant Units and Purchase Units
with special terms and conditions may be subject to United States federal income
tax consequences that differ from those described below. United States Holders
intending to purchase such Units should refer to the discussion relating to
United States federal income taxation in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Warrant Units
While not free from doubt, based on certain representations made by the
Company it is the opinion of Brown & Wood LLP that, in the case of a Warrant
Unit, the Note and the Universal Warrants comprising the Warrant Unit should be
treated as separate instruments and, pursuant to the terms of the Unit
Agreement, the Company and each United States Holder will be obligated (in the
absence of an applicable administrative ruling or judicial determination to the
contrary) to follow this treatment. Except as otherwise stated, the following
discussion assumes that the Notes and Universal Warrants comprising Warrant
Units will be respected as separate instruments. Under this treatment, the issue
price of the Warrant Unit (determined in a similar manner as the issue price of
a Note) will be allocated between the Note and the Universal Warrants based on
their relative fair market values. This allocation will be set forth in the
applicable Pricing Supplement and will be based on the Company's judgment as to
the relative value of the Note and the Universal Warrants at the time of
original issue. No assurance can be given, however, that the Internal Revenue
Service will not challenge the Company's allocation. Unless otherwise noted in
the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Note component of a Warrant Unit will be
treated as having been issued with OID.
The determination by the Company of the issue price of a Note and one or
more Universal Warrants comprising a Warrant Unit will be binding on a holder
thereof, unless such holder discloses the use of a different allocation on a
statement attached to such holder's Federal income tax return for the taxable
year that includes the acquisition date of the Warrant Unit. If a holder
acquires a Warrant Unit at a price different from that on which the Company's
allocation is based, such holder may be treated as having acquired the Note
component thereof for an amount greater or less than the amount allocated to the
Note by the Company as set forth above, thereby potentially resulting in
"acquisition premium" or "market discount."
Upon the exercise of a Universal Warrant, a United States Holder will not
recognize gain or loss (except with respect to cash, if any, received on such
exercise) and will have a tax basis in the property acquired pursuant to such
exercise equal to such holder's tax basis in the Universal Warrant (as described
above) plus the exercise price of the Universal Warrant. The holding period for
any property so acquired will commence on the day after the date of exercise of
the Universal Warrant. If any cash is received in lieu of the right to receive a
fractional interest in property pursuant to a Universal Warrant, a United States
Holder will recognize gain or loss the amount and character of which will be
determined as if such holder had received such property and then immediately
sold it for cash. If cash is received in full settlement of the right to receive
property pursuant to a Universal Warrant, a United States Holder will recognize
gain or loss in the same manner as on a sale or exchange of a Universal Warrant
(see discussion below). On the sale of property received upon exercise of a
Universal Warrant, a United States Holder will recognize gain or loss equal to
the difference between the amount realized upon the sale and such holder's tax
basis in the property (which will generally equal the exercise price of the
Universal Warrant plus the portion of the issue price of the Warrant Unit that
was allocated to the Universal Warrant). Such gain or loss will generally be
capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if, at the time
of sale or exchange, the property was held for more than one year.
A United States Holder of a Universal Warrant will recognize gain or loss
on the sale or exchange of the Universal Warrant (including if the Universal
Warrant expires unexercised or is settled entirely in cash) in an amount equal
to the difference between the amount realized and such holder's tax basis in the
Universal Warrant (as described above). Such gain or loss will generally be
capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if, at the time
of sale or exchange, the Universal Warrant was held for more than one year. On a
sale or exchange of a Warrant Unit, the amount realized on the sale or exchange
will be allocated between the Note and the Universal Warrants comprising the
Warrant Unit based on the relative fair market value of the Note and the
Universal Warrants.
The Tax Act revised the maximum rate of tax on net capital gains for
individuals on sales of certain assets (including stocks and securities). The
holding period for which an asset must be held for the gain from its sale to be
eligible for the lowest rate was increased from 12 months to 18 months, with a
further rate reduction scheduled to take effect after the year 2000 for the sale
of certain assets that have been held at least 5 years.
Unless otherwise noted in the applicable Pricing Supplement, a Note issued
as part of a Warrant Unit will be taxable in the same manner as if it had been
issued separately. See discussion under "Notes" above.
It is also possible that a Warrant Unit could be characterized as a single
debt instrument. Under that characterization, the Warrant Unit would constitute
a contingent payment debt instrument and would be subject to the OID provisions
of the Code and the Treasury regulations issued thereunder. For a description of
the treatment of contingent payment debt instruments, see discussion under
"Optionally Exchangeable Notes" above.
Purchase Unit
Under current United States federal income tax law, it is unclear whether a
Purchase Unit will be treated, in whole or in part, as a forward contract, as
indebtedness of the Company, as one or more options or other derivative
instruments, or as a combination thereof. No statutory, judicial or
administrative authority definitively addresses the characterization for United
States federal income tax purposes of a Purchase Unit or instruments similar to
a Purchase Unit. As a result, significant aspects of the United States federal
income tax treatment of an investment in a Purchase Unit are uncertain. No
ruling has been or will be requested from the Internal Revenue Service with
respect to the Purchase Units and no assurance can be given that the Internal
Revenue Service or a court will agree with the analysis set forth herein.
ACCORDINGLY, PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS IN A PURCHASE UNIT SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN
TAX ADVISORS IN DETERMINING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF INVESTMENTS IN THE PURCHASE
UNIT IN LIGHT OF THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
Unless otherwise noted in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Company
and each United States Holder, pursuant to the terms of the Unit Agreement, will
be obligated (in the absence of an applicable administrative ruling or judicial
determination to the contrary) to treat a Note and one or more Purchase
Contracts comprising the Purchase Unit as separate instruments. Under this
characterization, the issue price of the Purchase Unit (determined in a similar
manner as the issue price of a Note) will be allocated between the Note and the
Purchase Contracts based on their relative fair market values. This allocation
will be based on the Company's judgment as to the relative value of the Note and
the Purchase Contracts at the time of original issue. Unless otherwise noted in
the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Company will not allocate any of the
issue price of a Purchase Unit to the Purchase Contracts. No assurance can be
given, however, that the Internal Revenue Service will not challenge the
Company's allocation. In the event that a portion of the issue price of a
Purchase Unit is allocated to the Purchase Contracts, the applicable Note may be
treated as having been issued with OID.
The determination by the Company of the issue price of a Note and one or
more Purchase Contracts comprising a Purchase Unit will be binding on a holder
thereof, unless such holder discloses the use of a different allocation on a
statement attached to such holder's Federal income tax return for the taxable
year that includes the acquisition date of the Purchase Unit. If a holder
acquires a Purchase Unit at a price different from that on which the Company's
allocation is based, such holder may be treated as having acquired the Note
component thereof for an amount greater or less than the amount allocated to the
Note by the Company as set forth above, thereby potentially resulting in
"acquisition premium" or "market discount."
In addition, under this characterization of a Purchase Unit, a United
States Holder would recognize no gain or loss upon the performance of a Purchase
Contract, other than short-term capital gain or loss with respect to any cash
received in lieu of the right to receive a fractional interest in property, in
an amount equal to the difference between the cash received in lieu of the
property being purchased and the portion of the purchase price paid for such
property pursuant to the Purchase Contract. A United States Holder will
generally have a tax basis in the property received pursuant to a Purchase
Contract equal to the amount paid therefor. If cash is received in full
settlement of the right to receive property pursuant to a Purchase Contract, a
United States Holder will recognize gain or loss to the extent that the purchase
price under the Purchase Contract differs from the amount of cash received. For
these purposes, the purchase price under a Purchase Contract generally consists
of the portion, if any, of the United States Holder's original purchase price
for the Purchase Unit allocated to such Purchase Contract plus the amount of the
additional payment to be made upon performance. The Company believes that the
character of such gain or loss will be determined in the same manner as on a
sale or exchange of a Purchase Contract.
If a United States Holder sells or otherwise disposes of a Purchase
Contract prior to maturity, such holder generally would, under the
characterization described above, recognize gain or loss equal to the difference
between the amount realized on the sale or other disposition and the United
States Holder's tax basis in the Purchase Contract (which generally would be
zero, as described above). Such gain or loss generally would be capital gain or
loss and would be long-term capital gain or loss if the United States Holder has
held the Purchase Contract for more than one year at the time of disposition. On
a sale or exchange of a Purchase Unit, the amount realized on the sale or
exchange will be allocated between the Note and the Purchase Contracts
comprising the Purchase Unit based on the relative fair market value of the Note
and the Purchase Contracts.
Under the above characterization, a Note issued as part of a Purchase Unit
would be taxable in the same manner as if it had been issued separately. See
discussion under "Notes" above.
Although counsel does not believe that it is more likely, it is possible
that a Purchase Unit would be treated as a single debt instrument, the principal
amount of which is wholly dependent upon the future value of the property
subject to the Purchase Contract. In such case, the Purchase Unit would
constitute a contingent payment debt instrument and would be subject to the OID
provisions of the Code and the Treasury regulations issued thereunder. For a
description of the treatment of contingent payment debt instruments, see
discussion under "Optionally Exchangeable Notes" above.
It is also possible that a Purchase Unit could be characterized in a manner
that results in tax consequences different from those described above. Under
such alternative characterizations, it is possible, for example, that (i) a
United States Holder could be taxable upon the receipt pursuant to the Purchase
Contract of property with a value in excess of the principal amount of the Note,
rather than upon the sale of such property, (ii) gain could be treated as
ordinary income, instead of capital gain, (iii) a portion of the issue price of
the Purchase Unit could be allocated to the forward Purchase Contract and a
United States Holder could be required to accrue OID equal to that amount, or
(iv) payments of stated interest could be viewed in part as an option premium or
other fee income.
Backup Withholding
Certain "backup" withholding and information reporting requirements may
apply to payments on, and to proceeds of the sale before maturity of, the Notes
and Units. The Company, its agent, a broker, the relevant Trustee or any paying
agent, as the case may be, will generally withhold tax at a rate of 31% from any
such payments to a United States Holder who fails to furnish his taxpayer
identification number (social security number or employer identification
number), to certify that such holder is not subject to backup withholding, or to
otherwise comply with the applicable requirements of the backup withholding
rules. Certain holders (including, among others, corporations) are generally not
subject to the backup withholding and information reporting requirements.
Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a
United States Holder would be allowed as a refund or a credit against such
holder's United States federal income tax provided that the required information
is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.
On October 6, 1997, the Treasury Department issued new regulations (the
"New Regulations") which make certain modifications to the withholding, backup
withholding and information reporting rules described above. The New Regulations
attempt to unify certification requirements and modify reliance standards. The
New Regulations will generally be effective for payments made after December 31,
1998, subject to certain transition rules. Prospective investors are urged to
consult their own tax advisors regarding the New Regulations.
THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX DISCUSSION SET FORTH ABOVE IS INCLUDED FOR GENERAL
INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE DEPENDING UPON A HOLDER'S PARTICULAR
SITUATION. HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE TAX
CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES, INCLUDING
THE TAX CONSEQUENCES UNDER STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX LAWS AND THE
POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF CHANGES IN FEDERAL OR OTHER TAX LAWS.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
The Program Securities are being offered on a continuing basis by the
Company exclusively through the Agents, who have agreed to use reasonable
efforts to solicit offers to purchase such Program Securities. The Company will
have the sole right to accept offers to purchase Program Securities and may
reject any such offer in whole or in part. The Agents will have the right to
reject any offer to purchase Program Securities solicited by it in whole or in
part. Payment of the purchase price of the Program Securities will be required
to be made in immediately available funds. Unless otherwise specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, the Company will pay an Agent, in connection with
sales of Program Securities resulting from a solicitation made or an offer to
purchase received by such Agent, a commission ranging from . 125% to .750% of
the initial offering price of the Program Securities to be sold, depending upon
the maturity of the Program Securities; provided, however, that commissions with
respect to Program Securities having a maturity of 30 years or greater will be
negotiated.
The Company may also sell Program Securities to an Agent as principal for
its own account at discounts to be agreed upon at the time of sale. Such Program
Securities may be resold to investors and other purchasers at a fixed offering
price or at prevailing market prices, or prices related thereto at the time of
such resale or otherwise, as determined by such Agent and specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement. An Agent may offer the Program Securities it has
purchased as principal to other dealers. Such Agent may sell the Program
Securities to any dealer at a discount and, unless otherwise specified in the
applicable Pricing Supplement, such discount allowed to any dealer will not be
in excess of the discount to be received by such Agent from the Company. After
the initial public offering of Program Securities that are to be resold by an
Agent to investors and other purchasers on a fixed public offering price basis,
the public offering price, concession and discount may be changed.
Each of the Agents may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning
of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"). The Company and the Agents
have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments made in
respect thereof. The Company has also agreed to reimburse the Agents for certain
expenses.
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Company
does not intend to apply for the listing of the Program Securities on a national
securities exchange, but has been advised by the Agents that they intend to make
a market in the Program Securities (or, if separable, any other securities
comprised by Units), as permitted by applicable laws and regulations. The Agents
are not obligated to do so, however, and the Agents may discontinue making a
market at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity
of any trading market for the Program Securities (or, if separable, any other
securities comprised by any Units).
MS & Co. and DWR are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. Each
offering of Program Securities will be conducted in compliance with the
requirements of Rule 2720 of the NASD regarding an NASD member firm's
distributing the securities of an affiliate. Following the initial distribution
of any Program Securities, each of the Agents may offer and sell such Program
Securities (or, if separable, any other securities comprised by any Units) in
the course of its business as a broker-dealer. An Agent may act as principal or
agent in such transactions. This Prospectus Supplement may be used by the Agents
in connection with any such transactions. Such sales, if any, will be made at
varying prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of sale or
otherwise. The Agents are not obligated to make a market in any Program
Securities (or any other securities comprised by Units) and may discontinue any
market-making activities at any time without notice.
Neither of the Agents nor any dealer utilized in the initial offering of
Program Securities will confirm sales to accounts over which it exercises
discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of its
customer.
In order to facilitate the offering of the Program Securities, the Agents
may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the
price of the Program Securities or any other securities the prices of which may
be used to determine payments on such Program Securities. Specifically, the
Agents may overallot in connection with any offering of Program Securities,
creating a short position in the Program Securities for their own accounts. In
addition, to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the Program
Securities or of any such other securities, the Agents may bid for, and
purchase, the Program Securities or any such other securities in the open
market. Finally, in any offering of the Program Securities through a syndicate
of underwriters, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions
allowed to an underwriter or a dealer for distributing the Program Securities in
the offering if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed Program
Securities in transactions to cover syndicate short positions, in stabilization
transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the
market price of the Program Securities above independent market levels. The
Agents are not required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these
activities at any time.
Concurrently with the offering of Program Securities through the Agents as
described herein, the Company may issue other Debt Securities pursuant to the
Indentures referred to herein or Units similar to those described herein. Such
Debt Securities may include medium-term notes ("Global Medium-Term Notes, Series
D," and "Global Medium-Term Notes, Series E," collectively referred to as "Euro
Medium-Term Notes") and units ("Global Units, Series D" and "Global Units,
Series E") that may have terms substantially similar to the terms of the Program
Securities offered hereby and that may be offered concurrently with the offering
of the Program Securities, on a continuing basis outside the United States by
the Company pursuant to a distribution agreement (the "Euro Distribution
Agreement") with Morgan Stanley & Co. International Limited and certain other
affiliates of the Company, as agents for the Company, the terms of which are
substantially similar to the terms of the distribution agreement (the "U.S.
Distribution Agreement") with the Agents, except for certain selling
restrictions specified in the Euro Distribution Agreement. Any Euro Medium-Term
Notes, Series D or Series E, Global Units, Series D or Series E, sold pursuant
to such Euro Distribution Agreement, and any Debt Securities, Debt Warrants or
pre-paid purchase contracts issued by the Company pursuant to the Indentures or
any preferred stock, warrants or purchase contracts issued by the Company, will
reduce the aggregate offering price of Program Securities that may be offered by
this Prospectus Supplement, any Pricing Supplement and the Prospectus.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the Notes, Units, Universal Warrants and Purchase Contracts
will be passed upon for the Company by Brown & Wood LLP or other counsel who is
satisfactory to the Agents and who may be an officer of the Company. Certain
legal matters relating to the Notes, Units, Universal Warrants and Purchase
Contracts will be passed upon for the Agents by Davis Polk & Wardwell. Davis
Polk & Wardwell has in the past represented the Company and continues to
represent the Company on a regular basis and in a variety of matters, including
in connection with its merchant banking and leveraged capital activities.
