Form S-3ASR
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 2, 2014

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

BROWN & BROWN, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Florida   59-0864469

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

 

220 South Ridgewood Avenue

Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

(386) 252-9601

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Robert W. Lloyd, Esq.

Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Brown & Brown, Inc.

220 South Ridgewood Avenue

Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

(386) 252-9601

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies of all communications to:

Chester E. Bacheller, Esq.

Holland & Knight LLP

100 North Tampa Street, Suite 4100

Tampa, Florida 33602

Phone: (813) 227-8500

Fax: (813) 229-0134

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this registration statement becomes effective.

 

 

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ¨

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  x

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  x

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer   x    Accelerated filer   ¨
Non-accelerated filer   ¨    Smaller reporting company   ¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each class of

securities to be registered

 

Amount

to be

Registered (1)

 

Proposed

maximum

offering price

per unit (1)

 

Proposed

maximum

aggregate

offering price (1)

 

Amount of

registration fee (2)

Debt Securities

               

Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share

               

Warrants Units consisting of two or more of the above

               

 

 

(1) An indeterminate principal amount of debt securities and an indeterminate number of shares of common stock and warrants and units consisting of two or more of the above, as may from time to time be issued at indeterminate prices, is being registered hereby. The securities being registered hereunder also include any securities that may be issued upon conversion, exchange, redemption, exercise or settlement of any securities registered hereunder. Separate consideration may or may not be received for any debt securities or any shares of common stock so issued upon conversion, exchange or redemption. Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or together as units with other securities registered hereunder.
(2) In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the registrant is deferring payment of the entire registration fee.

 

 

 


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PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

Brown & Brown, Inc.

Debt Securities,

Common Stock

and

Warrants

 

 

We may offer and sell, from time to time, the following:

 

    debt securities;

 

    common stock; and

 

    warrants.

We may sell any combination of these securities in one or more offerings in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined at the time of the applicable offering and in units consisting of two or more of such classes of securities.

This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities. We will provide specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves risk. See “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and in any documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement before investing in our securities.

Our common stock is traded on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “BRO.”

Our securities may be offered directly, through agents designated from time to time by us, or to or through underwriters or dealers. If any agents or underwriters are involved in the sale of any of our securities, their names, and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangement between or among them, will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials.

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is September 2, 2014.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1   

DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     1   

BROWN & BROWN, INC.

     3   

RISK FACTORS

     4   

USE OF PROCEEDS

     4   

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     4   

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     5   

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     7   

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     9   

LEGAL MATTERS

     10   

EXPERTS

     10   

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     10   

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

     10   

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, or documents to which we otherwise refer you. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of the applicable document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date. We are not making an offer to sell the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or in which the person making such offer or sale is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make that offer or solicitation.

The information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement may not contain all of the information that may be important to you. You should read the entire prospectus and any prospectus supplement, as well as the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus and any prospectus supplement, before making an investment decision.

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 that we as a “well-known seasoned issuer” filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of these securities that we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of the offered securities and the offering, including a detailed description of the securities to be offered, the specific amount or amounts of securities to be offered, the prices of such securities, the name of any agent, underwriter or dealer through which we will sell the securities and a description of any arrangement with such agent, underwriter or dealer, and information about any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the securities will be listed. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the applicable prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement together with the additional information described below under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation by Reference.”

As allowed by SEC rules, this prospectus does not contain all the information you can find in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information, we refer you to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, including its exhibits and schedules. Statements contained in this prospectus about the provisions or contents of any contract, agreement or other document are not necessarily complete. For each of these contracts, agreements or documents filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, we refer you to the actual exhibit for a more complete description of the matters involved.

When used in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires, the terms “Brown & Brown,” “we,” “our,” “us” and the “Company” refer to Brown & Brown, Inc. and its subsidiaries. The following summary contains basic information about us. It likely does not contain all the information that is important to you. We encourage you to read this entire prospectus and the documents we have referred you to.

DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

We make “forward-looking statements” within the “safe harbor” provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, throughout this prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus. You can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “estimate,” “plan” and “continue” or similar words. We have based these statements on our current expectations about future events. Although we believe the expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this prospectus and those reports, statements, information and announcements incorporated by reference into this prospectus are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of our knowledge of our business, a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements, whether oral or written, made by us or on our behalf. Many of these factors have previously been identified in filings or statements made by us or on our behalf. Important factors which could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this prospectus include the following items:

 

    projections of revenues, income, losses, cash flows and capital expenditures;

 

    future prospects;

 

    plans for future operations;

 

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    expectations of the economic environment;

 

    material adverse changes in economic conditions in the markets we serve and in the general economy;

 

    future regulatory actions and conditions in the states in which we conduct our business;

 

    competition from others in the insurance agency, wholesale brokerage, insurance programs and service business;

 

    the occurrence of adverse economic conditions, an adverse regulatory climate, or a disaster in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington, because a significant portion of business written by us is for customers located in these states;

 

    the integration of our operations with those of businesses or assets we have acquired, including our May 2014 acquisition of The Wright Insurance Group, LLC, or may acquire in the future, and the failure to realize the expected benefits of such acquisitions and integration;

 

    exposure units, and premium rates set by insurance companies which have traditionally varied and are difficult to predict;

 

    our ability to forecast liquidity needs;

 

    our ability to renew or replace expiring leases;

 

    outcomes of legal proceedings and governmental investigations;

 

    policy cancellations, which can be unpredictable;

 

    potential changes to the tax rate that would affect the value of deferred tax assets and liabilities;

 

    the inherent uncertainty in making estimates, judgments, and assumptions in the preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America;

 

    the performance of acquired businesses and its effect on estimated acquisition earn-out payable; and

 

    other risks and uncertainties as may be detailed from time to time in our public announcements and SEC filings.

For a further list and description of various risks, relevant factors and uncertainties that could cause future results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements, see the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections contained in any applicable prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement.

Forward-looking statements that we make or that are made by others on our behalf are based on a knowledge of our business and the environment in which we operate, but because of the factors listed above, among others, actual results may differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Consequently, these cautionary statements qualify all of the forward-looking statements we make herein. We cannot assure you that the results or developments anticipated by us will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that those results or developments will result in the expected consequences for us or affect us, our business or our operations in the way we expect. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. We assume no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements.

 

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BROWN & BROWN, INC.

Our Business

We are a diversified insurance agency, wholesale brokerage, insurance programs and services organization headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, that markets and sells to our customers insurance products and services, primarily in the property and casualty area.

As an insurance intermediary, our principal sources of revenue are commissions paid by insurance companies and, to a lesser extent, fees paid directly by customers. Commission revenues generally represent a percentage of the premium paid by an insured and are materially affected by fluctuations in both premium rate levels charged by insurance companies and the insureds’ underlying “insurable exposure units,” which are units that insurance companies use to measure or express insurance exposed to risk (such as property values, or sales and payroll levels) to determine what premium to charge the insured. Insurance companies establish these premium rates based upon many factors, including reinsurance rates paid by such insurance companies, none of which we control.

The volume of business from new and existing customers, fluctuations in insurable exposure units and changes in general economic and competitive conditions all affect our revenues. For example, level rates of inflation or a general decline in economic activity could limit increases in the values of insurable exposure units. Conversely, the increasing costs of litigation settlements and awards have caused some customers to seek higher levels of insurance coverage. Historically, our revenues have typically grown as a result of, among other things, our focus on net new business growth and acquisitions.

Our business is divided into four reportable segments:

 

    our Retail Division, which provides a broad range of insurance products and services to commercial, public and quasi-public entity, professional and individual customers;

 

    our National Programs Division, acting as a managing general agent, which provides professional liability and related package products for certain professionals, flood coverage, targeted products and services designated for specific industries, trade groups, governmental entities and market niches all of which are delivered through nationwide networks of independent agents, and markets;

 

    our Wholesale Brokerage Division, which markets and sells excess and surplus commercial insurance and reinsurance, primarily through independent agents and brokers; and

 

    our Services Division, which provides insurance-related services, including third-party claims administration and comprehensive medical utilization management services in both the workers’ compensation and all-lines liability arenas, as well as Medicare set-aside services, Social Security disability and Medicare benefits advocacy services, and catastrophe claims adjusting services.

In addition, as the result of our acquisition of Wright in May 2014, we own a flood insurance carrier that is a Wright subsidiary. This carrier’s business consists of policies written pursuant to the National Flood Insurance Program, the program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and several excess flood insurance policies, all of which are fully reinsured.

The address of our principal executive offices is 220 South Ridgewood Avenue, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114, and our telephone number at such address is (386) 252-9601.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the specific risks set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our filings with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. See “Incorporation by Reference” below.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered by this prospectus will be used for general corporate purposes. General corporate purposes may include, without limitation:

 

    working capital;

 

    acquisitions of or investments in other businesses;

 

    capital expenditures;

 

    repayment and refinancing of outstanding debt;

 

    repurchases of shares of our common stock; and

 

    advances to or investments in our subsidiaries.

Pending any specific application described in the applicable prospectus supplement, net proceeds may be initially invested in short-term interest-bearing accounts, securities or similar investments or applied to reduce short-term indebtedness.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated.

 

Six Months Ended June 30,

 

Year Ended December 31,

2014

 

2013

 

2013

 

2012

 

2011

 

2010

 

2009

18.0

  24.3   22.8   19.9   20.1   19.4   18.5

For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings is the amount resulting from (1) adding (a) pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees, (b) fixed charges, (c) amortization of capitalized interest, (d) distributed income of equity investees and (e) our share of pre-tax losses of equity investees for which charges arising from guarantees are included in fixed charges and (2) subtracting (i) interest capitalized, (ii) preference security dividend requirements of consolidated subsidiaries and (iii) the noncontrolling interest in pre-tax income of subsidiaries that have not incurred fixed charges. Fixed charges is the sum of (w) interest expensed and capitalized, (x) amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness, (y) an estimate of the interest within rental expense and (z) preference security dividend requirements of consolidated subsidiaries.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description sets forth general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement. We will provide additional or different terms of the debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Any debt securities that we issue will be issued under an indenture and applicable supplemental indenture, if any, with respect to any series of debt securities, to be entered into between us and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. A form of indenture is attached as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The following description of the terms of the debt securities sets forth certain general terms and provisions. The particular terms of the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement and the extent, if any, to which such general provisions may apply to the debt securities will be described in the related prospectus supplement.

This prospectus summarizes what we believe to be the material provisions of the form of indenture and the debt securities that we may issue under such form of indenture. This summary is not complete and may not describe all of the provisions of the indenture or of the debt securities that may be important to you. For additional information, you should carefully read the form of indenture that is attached as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and that is incorporated herein by reference.

In addition, when we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of those debt securities and the applicable indenture in a supplement to this prospectus. The terms of such a particular series of debt securities may differ from the terms described in this prospectus. As a result, the particular terms of the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement and the extent, if any, to which these general provisions may apply to the debt securities, will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Accordingly, for a description of the terms of a particular issue of debt securities, reference must be made to both the applicable prospectus supplement and to the following description.

General

The debt securities may be issued in one or more series as may be authorized from time to time. Reference is made to the applicable prospectus supplement for the following terms of the debt securities (if applicable):

 

    title and aggregate principal amount;

 

    whether the securities will be senior or subordinated;

 

    whether the securities will be secured or unsecured, and if secured, what the collateral will consist of;

 

    applicable subordination provisions, if any;

 

    conversion or exchange into other securities;

 

    percentage or percentages of principal amount at which such securities will be issued;

 

    stated maturity date(s);

 

    interest rate(s) or the method for determining the interest rate(s);

 

    dates on which interest will accrue or the method for determining dates on which interest will accrue and dates on which interest will be payable;

 

    redemption (including upon a “change of control”) or early repayment provisions;

 

    authorized denominations;

 

    form;

 

    amount of discount or premium, if any, with which such securities will be issued;

 

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    whether such securities will be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities;

 

    identity of the depositary for global securities;

 

    whether a temporary security is to be issued with respect to such series and whether any interest payable prior to the issuance of definitive securities of the series will be credited to the account of the persons entitled thereto;

 

    the terms upon which beneficial interests in a temporary global security may be exchanged in whole or in part for beneficial interests in a definitive global security or for individual definitive securities;

 

    any covenants applicable to the particular debt securities being issued;

 

    any defaults and events of default applicable to the particular debt securities being issued;

 

    currency, currencies or currency units in which the purchase price for, the principal of and any premium and any interest on, such securities will be payable;

 

    time period within which, the manner in which and the terms and conditions upon which the purchaser of the securities can select the payment currency;

 

    securities exchange(s) on which the securities will be listed, if any;

 

    whether any underwriter(s) will act as market maker(s) for the securities;

 

    extent to which a secondary market for the securities is expected to develop;

 

    our obligation or right to redeem, purchase or repay securities under a sinking fund, amortization or analogous provision;

 

    provisions relating to covenant defeasance and legal defeasance;

 

    provisions relating to satisfaction and discharge of the indenture;

 

    provisions relating to the modification of the indenture both with and without the consent of holders of debt securities issued under the indenture; and

 

    additional terms not inconsistent with the provisions of the indenture.

One or more series of debt securities may be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates. One or more series of debt securities may be variable rate debt securities that may be exchanged for fixed rate debt securities.

United States federal income tax consequences and special considerations, if any, applicable to any such series will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Debt securities may be issued where the amount of principal and/or interest payable is determined by reference to one or more currency exchange rates, commodity prices, equity indices or other factors. Holders of such securities may receive a principal amount or a payment of interest that is greater than or less than the amount of principal or interest otherwise payable on such dates, depending upon the value of the applicable currencies, commodities, equity indices or other factors. Information as to the methods for determining the amount of principal or interest, if any, payable on any date, the currencies, commodities, equity indices or other factors to which the amount payable on such date is linked and certain additional United States federal income tax considerations will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The term “debt securities” includes debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars or, if specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, in any other freely transferable currency or units based on or relating to foreign currencies.

We expect most debt securities to be issued in fully registered form without coupons and in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiples thereof. Subject to the limitations provided in the indenture and in the

 

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prospectus supplement, debt securities that are issued in registered form may be transferred or exchanged at the corporate office of the trustee or the principal corporate trust office of the trustee, without the payment of any service charge, other than any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Global Securities

The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a depositary identified in the prospectus supplement. Global securities will be issued in registered form and in either temporary or definitive form. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual debt securities, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depositary for such global security to a nominee of such depositary or by a nominee of such depositary to such depositary or another nominee of such depositary or by such depositary or any such nominee to a successor of such depositary or a nominee of such successor. The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any debt securities of a series and the rights of and limitations upon owners of beneficial interests in a global security will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Governing Law

Unless otherwise specified in any prospectus supplement, the indenture and the debt securities shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York.

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

We are authorized to issue 280,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.10 par value per share. We are not authorized to issue preferred stock under our articles of incorporation.

As of June 30, 2014, there were 144,544,117 shares of common stock outstanding.

Voting Rights

Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote for each share held. Shareholders do not have the right to cumulate their votes in elections of directors. Accordingly, directors are elected by a majority of the votes cast by the shares entitled to vote in uncontested elections.

Dividend Rights

Holders of our common stock will be entitled to dividends on a pro rata basis upon declaration of dividends by our board of directors. Dividends will be payable only out of unreserved and unrestricted surplus that is legally available for the payment of dividends. Dividends that may be declared on our common stock will be paid in an equal amount to the holder of each share. Any determination to declare or pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our results of operations, financial condition, contractual or legal restrictions and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors.

Liquidation Rights

Upon our liquidation, holders of our common stock will be entitled to a pro rata distribution of our assets, after payment of all amounts owed to our creditors.

No Redemption, Conversion or Preemptive Rights

No pre-emptive rights are conferred upon the holders of such stock and there are no liquidation or conversion rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions and there is no liability to further calls or to assessments by us.

 

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Fully Paid and Nonassessable

When we issue shares of our common stock, the shares will be fully paid and nonassessable, which means that the full purchase price of the shares will have been paid and holders of the shares will not be assessed any additional monies for the shares.

No Restrictions on Transfer

Neither our articles of incorporation nor our bylaws contains any restrictions on the transfer of our common stock. In the case of any transfer of shares of our common stock, there may be restrictions imposed by applicable securities laws.

Anti-Takeover Provisions of Florida Law

We are subject to certain anti-takeover provisions that apply to public corporations under Florida law. Pursuant to Section 607.0901 of the Florida Business Corporation Act (the “FBCA”), a publicly-held Florida corporation may not engage in a broad range of business combinations or other extraordinary corporate transactions with an “interested shareholder” without the approval of the holders of two-thirds of the voting shares of such corporation (excluding shares held by the interested shareholder), unless:

 

    the transaction is approved by a majority of disinterested directors;

 

    the interested shareholder has owned (together with affiliates and associates) at least 80% of the corporation’s outstanding voting shares for at least five years preceding the announcement date of any such business combination;

 

    the interested shareholder is the beneficial owner (together with affiliates and associates) of at least 90% of the outstanding voting shares of the corporation, exclusive of shares acquired directly from the corporation in a transaction not approved by a majority of the disinterested directors; or

 

    the consideration paid to the holders of the corporation’s voting stock is at least equal to certain fair price criteria.

An “interested shareholder” is defined as a person who together with affiliates and associates beneficially owns more than 10% of a corporation’s outstanding voting shares. We have not made an election in our articles of incorporation to opt out of Section 607.0901.

In addition, we are subject to Section 607.0902 of the FBCA which prohibits the voting of shares in a publicly-held Florida corporation that are acquired in a “control share acquisition” unless (1) our board of directors approved such acquisition prior to its consummation or (2) after such acquisition, in lieu of prior approval by our board of directors, the holders of a majority of the corporation’s voting shares, exclusive of shares owned by officers of the corporation, employee directors or the acquiring party, approve the granting of voting rights as to the shares acquired in the control share acquisition. A “control share acquisition” is defined as an acquisition that immediately thereafter entitles the acquiring party to 20% or more of the total voting power in an election of directors.

These statutory provisions may prevent takeover attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for shares of our common stock.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “BRO.”

Transfer Agent

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

As of September 2, 2014, Brown & Brown has no warrants outstanding (other than options issued under its employee stock option plans). We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities or common stock. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any other securities offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between Brown & Brown and a warrant agent specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as an agent of Brown & Brown in connection with the warrants of such series and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of the warrants. Further terms of the warrants and the applicable warrant agreements will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we issue warrants, at that time copies of the form of warrant agreement and warrant will be filed as exhibits to or incorporated by reference in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and the following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibits.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the warrants, including, where applicable, the following:

 

    the title of the warrants;

 

    the aggregate number of warrants;

 

    the price or prices at which warrants will be issued;

 

    the designation, terms and number of securities purchasable upon exercise of warrants;

 

    the designation and terms of the securities, if any, with which warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each security;

 

    the date, if any, on and after which warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;

 

    the price at which each security purchasable upon exercise of warrants may be purchased;

 

    provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price;

 

    the date on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and the date on which that right shall expire;

 

    the minimum and/or maximum amount of warrants which may be exercised at any one time;

 

    the amount of warrants or rights outstanding at the time of issuance;

 

    information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; and

 

    any other terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Holland & Knight LLP, Tampa, Florida will pass upon the validity of any securities offered under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement for Brown & Brown. Certain legal matters with respect to the validity of the securities offered under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement will be passed upon for any underwriters, dealers or agents by counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and the effectiveness of Brown & Brown, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. This prospectus, which forms part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information contained in the registration statement or the exhibits to the registration statement. You should note that where we summarize in this prospectus the material terms of any contract, agreement or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, the summary information provided in this prospectus is less complete than the actual contract, agreement or document. You should refer to the exhibits filed with the registration statement for copies of the actual contract, agreement or document.

For further information about our company and the securities offered in this prospectus, you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits. Our SEC filings are available to the public from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may also read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room in Washington D.C. located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may also obtain copies of any document we file at prescribed rates by writing to the Public Reference Section of the SEC at that address. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and any later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. The documents and other information incorporated by reference are:

 

    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 (including information specifically incorporated by reference into our Form 10-K from our definitive proxy statement relating to our 2014 annual meeting of shareholders, filed on March 28, 2014).

 

    Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for each of the quarters ended March 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014;

 

    Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 16, 2014 (other than Item 7.01), February 21, 2014, April 22, 2014 (other than Item 2.02), May 19, 2014 and May 27, 2014 (other than Item 7.01);

 

    The description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on November 17, 1997, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description, which description is amended by the description contained in this prospectus; and

 

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    All documents filed under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus and before the termination of the offering of the securities described in this prospectus (other than any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K, unless we specifically state in such Current Report that such information is to be considered “filed” under the Exchange Act, or we incorporate it by reference into a filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

Any statement contained in this prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, we are not incorporating any document or information that we deemed within a Current Report on Form 8-K or Form 8-K/A to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules. You can obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the SEC through the SEC’s web site at the address described above. Documents incorporated by reference are also available from us without charge excluding any exhibits to those documents. You can request those documents by calling (386) 252-9601 or by making a written request to our General Counsel at:

Brown & Brown, Inc.

Attention: Robert W. Lloyd, Esq., Executive Vice President and General Counsel

220 South Ridgewood Avenue

Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

Please note that information contained in our website, whether currently posted or posted in the future, is not a part of this prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

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Part II

Information Not Required In Prospectus

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

All expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered will be paid by Brown & Brown, Inc. (“Brown & Brown”). The following is an itemized statement of these expenses:

 

SEC Registration Fee

   $              (1)(2) 

Legal Fees and Expenses

   $              (2) 

Accounting Fees and Expenses

   $              (2) 

Indenture Trustees’ Fees and Expenses

   $              (2) 

Printing, Engraving and Mailing Expenses

   $              (2) 

Rating Agency Fees

   $              (2) 

Miscellaneous

   $              (2) 
  

 

 

 

Total

   $              (2) 
  

 

 

 

 

(1) Under Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act, the registration fee will be paid at the time of any particular offering of securities under this Registration Statement.
(2) The amount of these fees and expenses is not currently determinable. Estimates of the fees and expenses in connection with the sale and distribution of the securities being offered will be included in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Brown & Brown is a Florida corporation. Reference is made to Section 607.0850 of the Florida Business Corporation Act, which permits, and in some cases requires, indemnification of directors, officers, employees, and agents of Brown & Brown, under certain circumstances and subject to certain limitations.

Under Article VII of Brown & Brown’s Bylaws, Brown & Brown is required to indemnify its officers and directors, and officers and directors of certain other corporations serving as such at the request of Brown & Brown, against all costs and liabilities incurred by such persons by reason of their having been an officer or director of Brown & Brown or such other corporation, provided that such indemnification shall not apply with respect to any matter as to which such officer or director shall be finally adjudged to have been individually guilty of gross negligence or willful malfeasance in the performance of his or her duties as a director or officer, and provided further that the indemnification shall, with respect to any settlement of any suit, proceeding, or claim, include reimbursement of any amounts paid and expenses reasonably incurred in settling any such suit, proceeding, or claim when, in the judgment of the board of directors, such settlement and reimbursement appeared to be in the best interests of Brown & Brown.

Brown & Brown has purchased insurance with respect to, among other things, liabilities that may arise under the statutory and bylaw provisions referred to above.

The general effect of the foregoing provisions may be to reduce the circumstances in which an officer or director may be required to bear the economic burden of the foregoing liabilities and expense.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

(a) Exhibits:

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement.*
  4.1    Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (adopted April 24, 2003) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3a to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003), and Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3a to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1999).
  4.2    Bylaws as amended effective as of February 28, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Form 8-K filed on March 2, 2012).
  4.3    Form of Certificate for Shares of Brown & Brown’s Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed by the Registrant on March 4, 2009 (File No. 333-157695)).
  4.4    Form of Indenture between Brown & Brown, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association.
  4.5    Form of Debt Security.*
  4.6    Form of Warrant.*
  4.7    Form of Warrant Agreement.*
  4.8    Form of Unit Agreement.*
  5.1    Opinion of Holland & Knight LLP.
12.1    Statement Regarding Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent certified public accountants.
23.2    Consent of Holland & Knight LLP (included in opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1).
24.1    Power of Attorney of certain directors of Brown & Brown.
25.1    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

 

* To be filed with a Current Report on Form 8-K or a Post-Effective Amendment to this registration statement.

Item 17. Undertakings

(A) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

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(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided, however, that clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act, to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

 

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(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

(B) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(C) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

(D) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Daytona Beach, State of Florida, on September 2, 2014.

 

BROWN & BROWN, INC.
By:  

        /s/ J. Powell Brown

  J. Powell Brown
  Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on September 2, 2014.

 

Signature

  

Title

/s/ J. Powell Brown

J. Powell Brown

  

Director; Chief Executive Officer and President

(Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ R. Andrew Watts

R. Andrew Watts

  

Executive Vice President, Treasurer and

Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

            *

J. Hyatt Brown

   Chairman of the Board

            *

Samuel P. Bell, III

   Director

            *

Hugh M. Brown

   Director

            *

Bradley Currey, Jr.

   Director

            *

Theodore J. Hoepner

   Director

            *

James S. Hunt

   Director

            *

Toni Jennings

   Director

            *

Timothy R. M. Main

   Director

 

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Signature

  

Title

            *

H. Palmer Proctor, Jr.

   Director

            *

Wendell S. Reilly

   Director

            *

Chilton D. Varner

   Director

 

*By:  

    /s/ Laurel. L Grammig

  Laurel L. Grammig
  Attorney-In-Fact

 

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Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement.*
  4.1    Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (adopted April 24, 2003) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3a to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003), and Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3a to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1999).
  4.2    Bylaws as amended effective as of February 28, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Form 8-K filed on March 2, 2012).
  4.3    Form of Certificate for Shares of Brown & Brown’s Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed by the Registrant on March 4, 2009 (File No. 333-157695)).
  4.4    Form of Indenture between Brown & Brown, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association.
  4.5    Form of Debt Security.*
  4.6    Form of Warrant.*
  4.7    Form of Warrant Agreement.*
  4.8    Form of Unit Agreement.*
  5.1    Opinion of Holland & Knight LLP.
12.1    Statement Regarding Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent certified public accountants.
23.2    Consent of Holland & Knight LLP (included in opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1).
24.1    Power of Attorney of certain directors of Brown & Brown.
25.1    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

 

* To be filed with a Current Report on Form 8-K or a Post-Effective Amendment to this registration statement.

 

II-7

Form of Indenture

Exhibit 4.4

 

 

 

Brown & Brown, Inc.,

Issuer

to

U.S. Bank National Association,

Trustee

 

 

FORM OF INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of [                    ]

Debt Securities

 

 

 


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

§310(a)(1)

   607

(a)(2)

   607

(b)

   608

§312(a)

   701

(b)

   702

(c)

   702

§313(a)

   703

(b)(2)

   703

(c)

   703

(d)

   703

§314(a)

   704

(c)(1)

   102

(c)(2)

   102

(e)

   102

(f)

   102

§316(a) (last sentence)

   101

(a)(1)(A)

   502, 512

(a)(1)(B)

   513

(b)

   508

§317(a)(1)

   503

(a)(2)

   504

(b)

   1003

§318(a)

   108

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.

 

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          Page  
ARTICLE ONE   
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION   

Section 101.

   Definitions      2   

Section 102.

   Compliance Certificates and Opinions      10   

Section 103.

   Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee      10   

Section 104.

   Acts of Holders      11   

Section 105.

   Notices, etc. to Trustee and Company      12   

Section 106.

   Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver      12   

Section 107.

   Language of Notices      13   

Section 108.

   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act      13   

Section 109.

   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents      13   

Section 110.

   Successors and Assigns      13   

Section 111.

   Separability Clause      13   

Section 112.

   Benefits of Indenture      13   

Section 113.

   Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial      14   

Section 114.

   Legal Holidays      14   

Section 115.

   Counterparts      14   

Section 116.

   Judgment Currency      14   

Section 117.

   Extension of Payment Dates      15   

Section 118.

   Immunity of Stockholders, Directors, Officers and Agents of the Company      15   

Section 119.

   Force Majeure      15   

Section 120.

   USA Patriot Act      15   
ARTICLE TWO   
SECURITIES FORMS   

Section 201.

   Forms Generally      15   

Section 202.

   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication      16   

Section 203.

   Securities in Global Form      16   
ARTICLE THREE   
THE SECURITIES   

Section 301.

   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series      17   

Section 302.

   Currency; Denominations      20   

Section 303.

   Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating      21   

Section 304.

   Temporary Securities      22   

Section 305.

   Registration, Transfer and Exchange      23   

Section 306.

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities      25   

Section 307.

   Payment of Interest; Rights to Interest Preserved      26   

Section 308.

   Persons Deemed Owners      27   

 

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(Continued)

 

          Page  

Section 309.

   Cancellation      28   

Section 310.

   Computation of Interest      28   
ARTICLE FOUR   
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE   

Section 401.

   Satisfaction and Discharge      28   

Section 402.

   Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance      30   

Section 403.

   Application of Trust Money      34   

Section 404.

   Reinstatement      34   
ARTICLE FIVE   
REMEDIES   

Section 501.

   Events of Default      34   

Section 502.

   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment      36   

Section 503.

   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee      37   

Section 504.

   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim      38   

Section 505.

   Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities      39   

Section 506.

   Application of Money Collected      39   

Section 507.

   Limitations on Suits      39   

Section 508.

   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest      40   

Section 509.

   Restoration of Rights and Remedies      40   

Section 510.

   Rights and Remedies Cumulative      40   

Section 511.

   Delay or Omission Not Waiver      41   

Section 512.

   Control by Holders of Securities      41   

Section 513.

   Waiver of Past Defaults      41   

Section 514.

   Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws      42   

Section 515.

   Undertaking for Costs      42   
ARTICLE SIX   
THE TRUSTEE   

Section 601.

   Certain Rights of Trustee      42   

Section 602.

   Notice of Defaults      43   

Section 603.

   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities      44   

Section 604.

   May Hold Securities      44   

Section 605.

   Money Held in Trust      44   

Section 606.

   Compensation and Reimbursement      44   

Section 607.

   Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility      45   

 

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(Continued)

 

          Page  

Section 608.

   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor      45   

Section 609.

   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor      47   

Section 610.

   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business      48   

Section 611.

   Appointment of Authenticating Agent      48   
ARTICLE SEVEN   
HOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY   

Section 701.

   Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders      50   

Section 702.

   Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders      50   

Section 703.

   Reports by Trustee      51   

Section 704.

   Reports by Company      51   
ARTICLE EIGHT   
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS   

Section 801.

   Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms      52   

Section 802.

   Successor Person Substituted for Company      53   
ARTICLE NINE   
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES   

Section 901.

   Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders      53   

Section 902.

   Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders      55   

Section 903.

   Execution of Supplemental Indentures      56   

Section 904.

   Effect of Supplemental Indentures      56   

Section 905.

   Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures      56   

Section 906.

   Conformity with Trust Indenture Act      57   
ARTICLE TEN   
COVENANTS   

Section 1001.

   Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest      57   

Section 1002.

   Maintenance of Office or Agency      57   

Section 1003.

   Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust      58   

Section 1004.

   Corporate Existence      59   

Section 1005.

   Maintenance of Properties      59   

Section 1006.

   Payment of Taxes and Other Claims      60   

Section 1007.

   Limitation on Liens on Stock of our Significant Subsidiaries      60   

Section 1008.

   Waiver of Certain Covenants      60   

Section 1009.

   Company Statement as to Compliance      61   

Section 1010.

   Calculation of Original Issue      61   

 

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(Continued)

 

          Page  
ARTICLE ELEVEN   
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES   

Section 1101.

   Applicability of Article      61   

Section 1102.

   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee      61   

Section 1103.

   Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed      61   

Section 1104.

   Notice of Redemption      62   

Section 1105.

   Deposit of Redemption Price      63   

Section 1106.

   Securities Payable on Redemption Date      64   

Section 1107.

   Securities Redeemed in Part      64   
ARTICLE TWELVE   
SINKING FUNDS   

Section 1201.

   Applicability of Article      65   

Section 1202.

   Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities      65   

Section 1203.

   Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund      65   
ARTICLE THIRTEEN   
REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS   

Section 1301.

   Applicability of Article      66   
ARTICLE FOURTEEN   
SECURITIES IN FOREIGN CURRENCIES   

Section 1401.

   Applicability of Article      67   
ARTICLE FIFTEEN   
MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES   

Section 1501.

   Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called      67   

Section 1502.

   Call, Notice and Place of Meetings      67   

Section 1503.

   Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings      68   

Section 1504.

   Quorum; Action      68   

Section 1505.

   Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings      69   

Section 1506.

   Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings      70   

 

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(Continued)

 

          Page  
ARTICLE SIXTEEN   
IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS   

Section 1601.

   Indenture and Securities Solely Corporate Obligations      70   

*        *        *         *        *

 

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INDENTURE, dated as of [                    ] (the “Indenture”), between Brown & Brown, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Florida (hereinafter called the “Company”), having its principal executive office located at 220 South Ridgewood Avenue, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114, and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States (hereinafter called the “Trustee”).

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its senior unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “Securities”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof as follows:


ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

 

  Section 101. Definitions.

Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with GAAP;

(4) the words “herein”, “hereof”, “hereto” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision;

(5) the word “or” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “A or B” means “A or B or both”, not “either A or B but not both”);

(6) provisions apply to successive events and transactions;

(7) the term “merger” includes a statutory share exchange and the terms “merge” and “merged” have correlative meanings;

(8) the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter; and

(9) references to agreements and other instruments include subsequent amendments and supplements thereto.

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

“Act”, when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 104.

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control”, when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Authenticating Agent” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 611 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

 

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“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same place meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder. The term “board of directors” means the board of directors of the Company and does not include committees of the board of directors.

“Board Resolution” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

“Business Day” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to the Securities of any series pursuant to Section 301, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

“Capital Stock” means with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) in the equity of such Person (including, without limitation, (i) with respect to a corporation, common stock, preferred stock and any other capital stock, (ii) with respect to a partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited), and (iii) with respect to a limited liability company, limited liability company interests).

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

“Common Stock” includes any stock of any class of the Company which has no preference in respect of dividends or of amounts payable in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company and which is not subject to redemption by the Company.

“Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person and any other obligor upon the Securities.

“Company Request” and “Company Order” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

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“Conversion Event” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

“Corporate Trust Office” means either (A) the designated office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of this Indenture is located at 225 E. Robinson Street, Suite 250, Mail Code EX-FL-UORT, Orlando, FL 32801, Attention: Global Corporate Trust Services or (B) for purposes of Section 1002, “Corporate Trust Office” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered in The City of New York, which office at the date of this Indenture is located at 100 Wall Street, Suite 1600, New York, NY 10005, Attention: Administrator for Brown & Brown, Inc.

“Corporation” includes corporations, partnerships, associations, limited liability companies and other companies, and business trusts. The term “corporation” means a corporation and does not include partnerships, associations, limited liability companies or other companies or business trusts.

“Currency”, with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

“CUSIP number” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by CUSIP Global Services.

“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.

“Depository” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture, and, unless otherwise provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the depository which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

“Dollars” or “$” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 501.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

“Foreign Currency” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such government.

 

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“GAAP” and “generally accepted accounting principles” mean, unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America as in effect on [                    ].

“Government Obligations” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments in the confederation which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on the relevant Security shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

“Holder” means the Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security established pursuant to Section 301 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof); provided, however, that, if at any time more than one Person is acting as Trustee under this instrument, “Indenture” shall mean, with respect to any one or more series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee, this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of those particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established pursuant to Section 301, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms which relate solely to other series of Securities for which such Person is not Trustee, regardless of when such terms or provisions were adopted.

“Indebtedness” means the principal of and any premium and interest due on indebtedness of a Person, whether outstanding on the original date of issuance of the respective Securities of any such series or thereafter created, incurred or assumed, which is (a) indebtedness for money borrowed, and (b) any amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any such indebtedness. For the purposes of this definition, “indebtedness for money borrowed” means (1) any obligation of, or any obligation guaranteed by, such Person for the repayment of borrowed money, whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other written

 

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instruments, (2) any obligation of, or any obligation guaranteed by, such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar written instruments, including obligations assumed or incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses (provided, however, that the deferred purchase price of any business or property or assets shall not be considered Indebtedness if the purchase price thereof is payable in full within 90 days from the date on which such indebtedness was created), and (3) any obligations of such Person as lessee under leases required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of the lessee under generally accepted accounting principles and leases of property or assets made as part of any sale and lease-back transaction to which such Person is a party. For purposes of Section 1007, Indebtedness also includes any obligation of, or any obligation guaranteed by, any Person for the payment of amounts due under a swap agreement or similar instrument or agreement, or under a foreign currency hedge or similar instrument or agreement.

“Indexed Security” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

“interest”, with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.

“Interest Payment Date”, with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

“Judgment Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 116.

“Maturity”, with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, upon redemption at the option of the Company, upon repurchase or repayment at the option of the Holder or otherwise, and includes a Redemption Date for such Security and a date fixed for the repurchase or repayment of such Security at the option of the Holder.

“New York Banking Day” has the meaning specified in Section 116.

“Office” or “Agency”, with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated in a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 1002 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 1002 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 1002 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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“Original Issue Discount Security” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture which provides for an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration pursuant to Section 502.

“Outstanding”, when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

 

  (a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

 

  (b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount (or, to the extent that such Security is payable at such Maturity in shares of Common Stock or other securities or property, Common Stock or such other securities or property in the necessary amount, together with, if applicable, cash in lieu of fractional shares or securities) has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 402) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities; provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

 

  (c) any such Security with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance or covenant defeasance pursuant to Section 402, except to the extent provided in Section 402;

 

  (d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

 

  (e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock or other securities or property, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 301;

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that may be counted in making

 

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such determination and that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the amount of the principal thereof that pursuant to the terms of such Original Issue Discount Security would be declared (or shall have been declared to be) due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 502 at the time of such determination, and (ii) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the principal face amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, and (iii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the amount determined as provided in (i) above) of such Security, and (iv) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or an Affiliate (other than a Trust) of the Company or such other obligor.

“Paying Agent” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on any Security on behalf of the Company.

“Person” and “person” mean any individual, Corporation, joint venture, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Place of Payment”, with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security.

“Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security.

“Redemption Date”, with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security.

“Redemption Price”, with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security.

 

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“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security as the record date for the payment of such interest.

“Required Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 116.

“Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer or employee of the Trustee to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

“Security” or “Securities” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided, however, that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities”, with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

“Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.

“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company which is a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission (as such rule is in effect on the date of this Indenture).

“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Security means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 307.

“Stated Maturity”, with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.

“Subsidiary” means (1) any corporation at least a majority of the total voting power of whose outstanding Voting Stock is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination by the Company and/or one or more other Subsidiaries, and (2) any other Person in which the Company and/or one or more other Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, (x) own at least a majority of the outstanding ownership interests or (y) have the power to elect or direct the election of, or to appoint or approve the appointment of, at least a majority of the directors, trustees or managing members of, or other persons holding similar positions with, such Person.

“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

 

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“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided, however, that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

“United States”, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction; and the term “United States of America” means the United States of America.

“Vice President”, when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President”.

“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any class or series of Capital Stock of such Person the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of, or to appoint or to approve the appointment of, the directors, trustees or managing members of, or other persons holding similar positions with, such Person.

 

  Section 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions.

Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Trustee may require the Company to furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

 

  Section 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.

In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, unless such officer knows that the opinion with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or

 

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opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company, a governmental official or officers or any other Person or Persons, stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company unless such counsel knows that the certificate, opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

 

  Section 104. Acts of Holders.

(1) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company and any agent of the Trustee or the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 1506.

Without limiting the generality of this Section 104, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, a Holder, including a Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies, duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(2) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved in any reasonable manner which the Trustee deems sufficient and in accordance with such reasonable rules as the Trustee may determine; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

(3) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(4) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the

 

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determination of Holders of Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

(5) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

 

  Section 105. Notices, etc. to Trustee and Company.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(1) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(2) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

  Section 106. Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver.

Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of

 

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regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

The defect in any notice so published, shall not affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders as provided above.

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

 

  Section 107. Language of Notices.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

 

  Section 108. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

 

  Section 109. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.

The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

  Section 110. Successors and Assigns.

All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

  Section 111. Separability Clause.

In case any provision in this Indenture, or any Security shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

  Section 112. Benefits of Indenture.

Nothing in this Indenture or any Security, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

 

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  Section 113. Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial.

This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said State. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES, ANY COUPONS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

  Section 114. Legal Holidays.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Securities, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of, or any other day on which a payment is due with respect to, any Security shall be a day which is not a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security other than a provision in any Security or in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture establishing the terms of any Security that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but such payment may be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on any such other payment date, as the case may be, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or other payment date, as the case may be, to the next succeeding Business Day.

 

  Section 115. Counterparts.

This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture and signature pages for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

 

  Section 116. Judgment Currency.

The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding that on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of

 

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New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed. The provisions of this Section 116 shall not be applicable with respect to any payment due on a Security which is payable in Dollars.

 

  Section 117. Extension of Payment Dates.

In the event that (i) the terms of any Security established in or pursuant to this Indenture permit the Company or any Holder thereof to extend the date on which any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on, if any, with respect to such Security is due and payable and (ii) the due date for any such payment shall have been so extended, then all references herein to the Stated Maturity of such payment (and all references of like import) shall be deemed to refer to the date as so extended.

 

  Section 118. Immunity of Stockholders, Directors, Officers and Agents of the Company.

No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture, or in any Security, or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, shall be had against any past, present or future stockholder, incorporator, employee, officer, or director, as such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor, either directly or through the Company or any predecessor or successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities by the Holders and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

 

  Section 119. Force Majeure.

In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

  Section 120. USA Patriot Act.

The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.

ARTICLE TWO

SECURITIES FORMS

 

  Section 201. Forms Generally.

Each Security, including temporary or permanent global Security, issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officer of the Company executing such Security as evidenced by the execution of such Security.

The Securities shall be issuable in registered form without coupons.

Definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officer of the Company executing such Securities, as evidenced by the execution of such Securities.

 

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  Section 202. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.

Subject to Section 611, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

 

  Section 203. Securities in Global Form.

If Securities of a series shall be issuable in temporary or permanent global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon or reflected on the books and records of the Trustee and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or pursuant to Section 301 with respect to such Security or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 303 or 304 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 303 and, if applicable, Section 304, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Security in global form in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or pursuant to Section 301 with respect to such Security or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 303 or 304 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing but need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, in the event a global Security is exchangeable for definitive Securities as provided in Section 305, then, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver such global Security to the extent necessary to effect such exchanges, shall endorse such global Security to reflect any decrease in the principal amount thereto resulting from such exchanges and shall take such other actions, all as contemplated by Section 305.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 307, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Securities, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on any Security in temporary or permanent global form, shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 308 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company and the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 301.

ARTICLE THREE

THE SECURITIES

 

  Section 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series.

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of any Securities of a series,

(1) the title and aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series;

(2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 905 or 1107, upon repayment in part of any Security of such series pursuant to Article Thirteen or upon surrender in part of any Security for conversion or exchange into Common Stock or other securities or property pursuant to its terms), and if such series may not be reopened from time to time for the issuance of additional Securities of such series;

(3) if any such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 305, (iii) the name of the Depository with respect to any such global Security and (iv) if applicable and in addition to the Persons specified in Section 305, the Person or Persons who shall be entitled to make any endorsements on any such global Security and to give the instructions and take the other actions with respect to such global Security contemplated by the first paragraph of Section 203;

 

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(4) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal and premium, if any, of such Securities is payable;

(5) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Securities on any Interest Payment Date, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(6) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served;

(7) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(8) if the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(9) the denominations in which any of such Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

(10) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for Common Stock or other securities or property, and if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(11) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

 

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(12) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, or any premium or interest on, such Securities shall be payable;

(13) if the principal of, any premium or interest on such Securities is to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(14) if the amount of payments of principal of, or any premium or interest on, such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(15) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities (whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein), and if Section 1008 shall be applicable with respect to any such additional covenants;

(16) if any one or more of Section 401 relating to satisfaction and discharge, Section 402(2) relating to defeasance or Section 402(3) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, and any covenants in addition to or other than those specified in Section 402(3) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and, if the Securities of such series are subject to repurchase or repayment at the option of the Holders thereof pursuant to Article Thirteen, if the Company’s obligation to repurchase or repay such Securities will be subject to satisfaction and discharge pursuant to Section 401 or to defeasance or covenant defeasance pursuant to Section 402, and, if the Holders of such Securities have the right to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock or other securities or property, if the right to effect such conversion or exchange will be subject to satisfaction and discharge pursuant to Section 401 or to defeasance or covenant defeasance pursuant to Section 402, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article Four (including any modification which would permit satisfaction and discharge, defeasance or covenant defeasance to be effected with respect to less than all of the outstanding Securities of such series) in respect of the Securities of such series;

(17) if any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

 

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(18) if any of such Securities are issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(19) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities;

(20) the Person to whom any interest on any Security of such series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name the Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, and the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary global Security will be paid if other than in the manner provided in this Indenture;

(21) any other terms of such Securities and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon telephonic or written order of persons designated in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture, as the case may be, pertaining to such series of Securities (telephonic instructions to be promptly confirmed in writing by such person) and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided by the Company as contemplated by this Section 301, a series may be reopened from time to time without the consent of any Holders for issuances of additional Securities of such series.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

 

  Section 302. Currency; Denominations.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, the principal of, and any premium and interest on the Securities, shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture.

 

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  Section 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.

Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman, its President or one of its Vice Presidents and by its Treasurer, one of its Assistant Treasurers, its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile or other electronic means.

Securities bearing the manual signatures or facsimile or other electronic signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 301 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel to the following effect, which Opinion of Counsel may contain such assumptions, qualifications and limitations as such counsel shall deem appropriate:

(a) the form or forms and terms of such Securities, if any, have been established in conformity with Sections 201 and 301 of this Indenture;

(b) all conditions precedent set forth in Sections 201, 301 and 303 of this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been complied with and that such Securities, when completed by appropriate insertions (if applicable), executed by duly authorized officers of the Company, delivered by duly authorized officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication pursuant to this Indenture, and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be subject to or limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, arrangement, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 

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If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion, with such modifications as counsel shall deem appropriate, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate request by the Company that the Trustee authenticate Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken.

Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 202 or 611 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.

 

  Section 304. Temporary Securities.

Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 303, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Indenture or the provisions established pursuant to Section 301, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, after the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions. Unless

 

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otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

 

  Section 305. Registration, Transfer and Exchange.

With respect to the Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “Security Register”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Securities of such series and of transfers of the Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “Security Registrar” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities, the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities shall be as specified in the last paragraph of Section 1002. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, at the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, the global Securities of any series shall be exchangeable for definitive certificated Securities of such series only if (i) the Depository for such global Securities notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a Depository for such global Securities or at any time the Depository for such global Securities ceases to be a clearing agency registered as

 

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such under the Exchange Act, if so required by applicable law or regulation, and no successor Depository for such Securities shall have been appointed within 90 days of such notification or of the Company becoming aware of the Depository’s ceasing to be so registered, as the case may be, (ii) the Company, in its sole discretion, determines that the Securities of such series shall no longer be represented by one or more global Securities and executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Securities shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to such Securities.

If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding paragraph, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the Depository (or its custodian) as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto (which the Company agrees to deliver), and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the Depository (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which shall be in such denominations and registered in such names, as shall be specified by the Depository; provided, however, that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of any Securities of the same series and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository (or its custodian) or such other Depository (or its custodian) referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above, and the Trustee shall endorse such global Security to reflect the decrease in the principal amount thereof resulting from such exchange. If a Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

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All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, or any redemption or repayment of Securities, or any conversion or exchange of Securities for other types of securities or property, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 905 or 1107, upon repayment or repurchase in part of any Security pursuant to Article Thirteen, or upon surrender in part of any Security for conversion or exchange into Common Stock or other securities or property pursuant to its terms, in each case not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of any Securities of like tenor and terms and of the same series under Section 1104 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, (ii) to register the transfer or exchange of any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any such Securities being redeemed in part, or (iii) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder pursuant to Article Thirteen and not withdrawn, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

 

  Section 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 306, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 306, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

Every new Security shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall (to the extent lawful) be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

 

  Section 307. Payment of Interest; Rights to Interest Preserved.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, any interest on any Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, any interest on any Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Security (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:

(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. Thereupon, the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed

 

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payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. The Trustee may, in its discretion, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (2).

(2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of any particular series, at the option of the Company, interest on Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States of America.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 305, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

 

  Section 308. Persons Deemed Owners.

Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) interest on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security shall be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or

 

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liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the applicable Depository, as a Holder, with respect to a global Security or impair, as between such Depository and the owners of beneficial interests in such global Security, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of such Depository (or its nominee) as the Holder of such global Security.

 

  Section 309. Cancellation.

All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities, as well as Securities surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture. All cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in accordance with its customary procedures with respect to similar securities, unless by a Company Order the Company directs their return to it.

 

  Section 310. Computation of Interest.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or in the Securities of any series, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

ARTICLE FOUR

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE

 

  Section 401. Satisfaction and Discharge.

Unless, pursuant to Section 301, the provisions of this Section 401 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of any series, upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(1) either

(a) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Securities of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which

 

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have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306, and (ii) Securities of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(b) all Securities of such series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(i) have become due and payable, or

(ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(iii) if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable or securities of agencies backed by the full faith and credit of that government, which will provide an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on;

(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series; and

(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series Outstanding hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 606 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (b) of clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 305, 306, 403, 404, 1002, 1003 and, if applicable to the Securities of such series, clause (i) of Section 1004 any rights of Holders of the Securities of such series (unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series) to require the Company to repurchase or repay, and the obligations of the Company to repurchase or repay, such Securities at the option of the Holders pursuant to Article Thirteen hereof, and any rights of Holders of the Securities of such series (unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series) to convert or exchange, and the obligations of the Company to convert or exchange, such Securities into Common Stock or other securities or property, shall survive.

 

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  Section 402. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.

(1) Unless, pursuant to Section 301, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (2) of this Section 402 or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (3) of this Section 402 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 402 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to the Securities of or within such series, elect to have Section 402(2) or Section 402(3) be applied to such Outstanding Securities upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 402. Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, defeasance under clause (2) of this Section 402 and covenant defeasance under clause (3) of this Section 402 may be effected only with respect to all, and not less than all, of the Outstanding Securities of any series. To the extent that the terms of any Security established in or pursuant to this Indenture permit the Company or any Holder thereof to extend the date on which any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Security is due and payable, then unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301, the right to extend such date shall terminate upon defeasance or covenant defeasance, as the case may be.

(2) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 402(2) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities on the date the conditions set forth in clause (4) of this Section 402 are satisfied (hereinafter, “defeasance”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of clause (5) of this Section 402 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of this paragraph, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as such Securities are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities to receive, solely (except as provided in clause (ii) below) from the trust fund described in clause (4)(a) of this Section 402 and as more fully set forth in this Section 402 and 403, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities when such payments are due, (ii) the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 305, 306, 1002, 1003 and, if applicable to the Securities of such series, clause (i) of Section 1004 any rights of Holders of such Securities (unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series) to require the Company to repurchase or repay, and the obligations of the Company to repurchase or repay, such Securities at the option of the Holders pursuant to Article Thirteen hereof, and any rights of Holders of such Securities (unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series) to convert or exchange, and the obligations of the Company to convert or exchange, such Securities into Common Stock or other securities or property, (iii) the rights,

 

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powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (iv) this Section 402 and Sections 403 and 404. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 402(2) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 402(3) with respect to such Securities.

(3) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 402(3) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be released from its obligations under clause (ii) of Section 1004 and under Sections 1005, 1006 and 1007 and, to the extent specified pursuant to Section 301, any other covenant applicable to such Securities with respect to such Securities on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (4) of this Section 402 are satisfied (hereinafter, “covenant defeasance”), and such Securities shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that with respect to such Outstanding Securities, the Company may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or any such other covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 501(3) or 501(7) or otherwise, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected thereby.

(4) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (2) or (3) of this Section 402 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series:

(a) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 607 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 402 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, (1) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity or, if such defeasance or covenant defeasance is to be effected in compliance with subsection (f) below, on the relevant Redemption Date, as the case may be, or (2) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity or, if such defeasance or covenant defeasance is to be effected in compliance with subsection (f) below, on the relevant Redemption Date, as the case may be) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities, money in an amount, or (3) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal

 

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of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and, (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities.

(b) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which it is bound.

(c) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit, and, solely in the case of defeasance under Section 402(2), no Event of Default with respect to such Securities under clause (4) or (5) of Section 501 or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities under clause (4) or (5) of Section 501 shall have occurred and be continuing at any time during the period ending on and including the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition to defeasance under Section 402(2) shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(d) In the case of defeasance pursuant to Section 402(2), the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of independent counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee stating that (x) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (y) since the date of this Indenture there has been a change in applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of independent counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred; or, in the case of covenant defeasance pursuant to Section 402(3), the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of independent counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(e) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance, as the case may be, under this Indenture have been complied with.

(f) If the monies or Government Obligations or combination thereof, as the case may be, deposited under clause (a) above are sufficient to pay the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on and, to the extent provided in such clause (a), the Company shall have given the Trustee irrevocable instructions to redeem such Securities on such date and to provide notice of such redemption to Holders as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 402(4), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith pursuant to Section 301.

 

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(5) Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 301) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee—collectively for purposes of this Section 402(5) and Section 403, the “Trustee”) pursuant to clause (4)(a) of Section 402 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (other than the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Securities, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 402(4)(a) has been made, (a) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 301 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 402(4)(a) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 402(4)(a) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (a) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event.

The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 402 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities.

Anything in this Section 402 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (4)(a) of this Section 402 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 402.

 

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  Section 403. Application of Trust Money.

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 or 402 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal, premium or interest for whose payment such money has or Government Obligations have been deposited with or received by the Trustee; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

  Section 404. Reinstatement.

If the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee appointed pursuant to Section 402(4)(a)) or any Paying Agent is unable to apply any moneys or Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 401(1) or 402(4)(a) to pay any principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of any series by reason of any legal proceeding or any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be revived and reinstated as though no such deposit had occurred, until such time as the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such moneys and Government Obligations to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on, if any, of the Securities of such series as contemplated by Sections 401 or 402 as the case may be, and Section 403; provided, however, that if the Company makes any payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest if any, on the Securities of such series following the reinstatement of its obligations as aforesaid, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the funds held by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE FIVE

REMEDIES

 

  Section 501. Events of Default.

“Event of Default”, wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body) unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the supplemental indenture or Board Resolution and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate establishing the terms of such series pursuant to this Indenture:

(1) default in the payment of any interest on any of the Securities of such series when such interest becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days, unless the time for payment has been properly extended or deferred in accordance with the terms of the Securities; or

 

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(2) default in the payment of the principal of, or premium on, if any, any of the Securities of such series when due (whether at Maturity or otherwise and whether payable in cash or in shares of Common Stock or other securities or property), unless the maturity has been properly extended in accordance with the terms of the Securities; or

(3) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture or any Security of such series (other than a covenant or warranty for which the consequences of breach or nonperformance are addressed elsewhere in this Section 501 or a covenant or warranty which has expressly been included in this Indenture, whether or not by means of a supplemental indenture, solely for the benefit of Securities of a series other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach (without such default or breach having been waived in accordance of the provisions of this Indenture) for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(4) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (B) a decree or order adjudging the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, conservator, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

(5) the commencement by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company, or the filing by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, conservator, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or similar

 

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official of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company, or the making by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company in furtherance of any such action; or

(6) default in the delivery of any shares of Common Stock, together with cash in lieu of fractional shares, or any other securities or property (including cash) when required to be delivered upon conversion of any convertible Security of such series or upon the exchange of any Security of such series which is exchangeable for other securities or property, and continuance of such default for a period of 10 days; or

(7) any other Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture with respect to Securities of such series.

 

  Section 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (4) or (5) of Section 501) with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, then either the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of such series, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal or such lesser amount, as the case may be, and such accrued and unpaid interest shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in clause (4) or (5) of Section 501 with respect to the Securities of any series occurs, then the principal of all of the Securities of such series, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of such series, and accrued unpaid interest, if any, thereon shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of the Securities of such series.

At any time after Securities of any series have been accelerated (whether by declaration of the Trustee or the Holders or automatically) and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay (or, to the extent that the terms of the Securities of such series established pursuant to Section 301 expressly provide for payment to be made in shares of Common Stock or other securities or property, shares of Common Stock or other securities or property, together with cash in lieu of fractional shares or securities, sufficient to pay)

 

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(a) all overdue installments of any interest on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration,

(b) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, interest thereon at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, provided for in or with respect to such Securities, or, if no such rate or rates are so provided, at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, of interest borne by such Securities,

(c) to the extent permitted by applicable law, interest upon installments of any interest, if any, which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, provided for in or with respect to such Securities, or, if no such rate or rates are so provided, at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, of interest borne by such Securities, and

(d) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 606; and

(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 513.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

  Section 503. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

The Company covenants that if:

(1) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(2) default is made in the payment of any principal of or premium, if any, on any Security at its Maturity, or

(3) default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when due,

the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon any overdue installments of interest provided for with respect to such Securities or, if no such rate or rates are so provided, at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, of interest borne by such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of

 

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money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 606.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

 

  Section 504. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of any overdue principal, premium or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(1) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of such series, of the principal and any premium and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(2) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 606.

 

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Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security in any such proceeding.

 

  Section 505. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities.

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of a Security in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

  Section 506. Application of Money Collected.

Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article with respect to the Securities of any series shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium or interest, upon presentation of such Securities, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 606;

SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities for principal and any premium and interest in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and any premium and interest;

THIRD: The balance, if any, to the Person or Persons entitled thereto.

 

  Section 507. Limitations on Suits.

No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(1) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(2) the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

 

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(3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(4) the Trustee does not institute a proceeding, and does not receive conflicting directions from Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series within 60 days of receiving the written notice of an Event of Default.

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not any such actions or forbearances on the part of any Holder or Holders are unduly prejudicial to any other Holders) or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

 

  Section 508. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium, if any, and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) interest, if any, on such Security on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment pursuant to Article Thirteen hereof at the option of such Holder if provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, on the date such repayment is due) and, in the case of any Security which is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property, to convert or exchange, as the case may be, such Security in accordance with its terms, and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and any such right to convert or exchange, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

  Section 509. Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

  Section 510. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

To the extent permitted by applicable law and except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity

 

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or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

  Section 511. Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

 

  Section 512. Control by Holders of Securities.

The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that

(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of any series, and

(2) unless otherwise provided under the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability.

 

  Section 513. Waiver of Past Defaults.

The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series may waive any default or Event of Default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except

(1) a continuing default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on any Security of such series, or

(2) in the case of any Securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock or other securities or property, a default in any such conversion or exchange, or

(3) a default in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article Nine cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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  Section 514. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws.

The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law or any usury law or any other law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities as contemplated herein and therein or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee or the Holders, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

  Section 515. Undertaking for Costs.

All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 515 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder pursuant to Article Thirteen hereof, on or after the date for repayment) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE SIX

THE TRUSTEE

 

  Section 601. Certain Rights of Trustee.

Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(1) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(2) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other

 

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than delivery of any Security to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 303 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(3) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(4) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(5) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(6) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(7) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(8) the Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder;

(9) in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action;

(10) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;

(11) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(12) the Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture.

 

  Section 602. Notice of Defaults.

Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 703(3), notice of such default hereunder known to the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or any sinking fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as it in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities; and provided, further, that in the case of any default of the character

 

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specified in Section 501(3) or 501(7) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

 

  Section 603. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.

The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Indenture, authenticate the Securities and perform its obligations hereunder and that the statements made by it in a Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 supplied to the Company are true and accurate, subject to the qualifications set forth therein. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

 

  Section 604. May Hold Securities.

The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

 

  Section 605. Money Held in Trust.

Except as provided in Section 403 and Section 1003, money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Company.

 

  Section 606. Compensation and Reimbursement.

The Company agrees:

(1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation as shall be agreed to by the Company and the Trustee in writing from time to time for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(2) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to the Trustee’s negligence or bad faith; and

 

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(3) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or reasonable expense (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Trustee’s agents, legal counsel, accountants and experts) incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, liability or expense was due to the Trustee’s negligence or bad faith.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, or premium or interest on Securities.

Any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee after a default specified by Section 501(4) or (5) is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “Trustee” for purposes of this Section 606 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 606. The provisions of this Section 606 shall, to the extent permitted by law, survive any termination of this Indenture (including, without limitation, termination pursuant to any Bankruptcy Laws) and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

 

  Section 607. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.

There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation, organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000 subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

  Section 608. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

(1) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 609.

(2) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 609 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may, at the reasonable expense of the Company, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

 

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(3) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 609 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such Act of the Holders, the Trustee subject to removal may, at the reasonable expense of the Company, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(4) If at any time:

(a) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

(b) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 607 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(c) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(5) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 609. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 609, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 609, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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(6) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Securities of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

 

  Section 609. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

(1) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 1003, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 606.

(2) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the

 

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Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor relates and subject to Section 1003 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 606.

(3) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (1) or (2) of this Section, as the case may be.

(4) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

 

  Section 610. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.

Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder (provided that such Corporation shall otherwise be qualified and eligible under this Article), without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any such successor to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities. In case any Securities shall not have been authenticated by such predecessor Trustee, any such successor Trustee may authenticate and deliver such Securities in either its own name or that of its predecessor Trustee.

 

  Section 611. Appointment of Authenticating Agent.

The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption, partial repayment, partial conversion or exchange for Common Stock or other securities or property, or pursuant to Section 306, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

 

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Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Sections 308, 603 and 604 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

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U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
As Trustee
By:  

 

  As Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate of the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE SEVEN

HOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

 

  Section 701. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders.

In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(1) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than [] and [] of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

(2) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided, however, that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

 

  Section 702. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.

The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

  Section 703. Reports by Trustee.

(1) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 301, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Sections 313(a) and 313(b)(2) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(2) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(3) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).

 

  Section 704. Reports by Company.

The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(1) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(2) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(3) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such

 

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summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

ARTICLE EIGHT

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS

 

  Section 801. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.

The Company shall not, in any transaction or series of related transactions, consolidate with or merge or convert into any Person, or convey, transfer or lease the Company’s properties or assets substantially as an entirety to, another Person, unless:

(1) either (A) the Company shall be the continuing Person (in the case of a merger), or (B) the successor Person (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or converted or which acquires by conveyance, transfer or lease the Company’s properties or assets substantially as an entirety shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by such successor corporation and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on all the Outstanding Securities and the due and punctual performance and observance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed, and which supplemental indenture shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(3) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, transfer, lease or other conveyance and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

For purposes of the foregoing, any sale, assignment, transfer, lease or other conveyance of all or any of the properties and assets of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company (other than to the Company or another Subsidiary), which, if such properties and assets were owned by the Company, would constitute all or substantially all of the Company’s properties and assets, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company.

 

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  Section 802. Successor Person Substituted for Company.

Upon any consolidation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any sale, assignment, transfer, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company to any Person in accordance with Section 801, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease or other conveyance is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor or transferor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

ARTICLE NINE

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

  Section 901. Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders.

Without the consent of any Holders of Securities, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

(1) to effect the succession of another Person to the Company, and the assumption by any such successor of the obligations under the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company with respect to all or any series of Securities issued under this Indenture (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures); or

(3) to provide for the issuance of additional Securities in accordance with the limitations of the Indenture, including to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 201 and 301, including, without limitation, any conversion or exchange provisions applicable to Securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property, and any deletions from or additions or changes to this Indenture in connection therewith (provided that any such deletions, additions and changes shall not be applicable to any other series of Securities then Outstanding); or

(4) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 609; or

 

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(5) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding; or

(6) to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

(7) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(8) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance, covenant defeasance and/or satisfaction and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article Four, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of a Security of such series or any other Security in any material respect; or

(9) to secure the Securities pursuant to Section 1007 or otherwise or to add guarantees for the benefit of the Securities; or

(10) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(11) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture or in any Securities (which amendment or supplement may apply to one or more series of Securities or to one or more Securities within any series as specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures), provided that such amendment or supplement does not apply to any Outstanding Security issued prior to the date of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefits of such provision; or

(12) to conform the terms of the Indenture or the Securities of a series to the description thereof contained in any prospectus or other offering document or memorandum relating to the offer and sale of such Securities; or

(13) in the case of any series of Securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock or other securities or property, to safeguard or provide for the conversion or exchange rights, as the case may be, of such Securities in the event of any reclassification or change of outstanding shares of Common Stock or any merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or combination of the Company with or into another Person or any sale, lease, assignment, transfer, disposition or other conveyance of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company to any other Person or other similar transactions, if expressly required by the terms of such series of Securities established pursuant to Section 301.

 

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  Section 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders.

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of the Securities of such series or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided, that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or premium, if any, or any installment of interest, if any, on, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the premium, if any, thereon or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon, or reduce the amount payable upon redemption thereof at the option of the Company or repayment thereof at the option of the Holder, or reduce the amount of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 504, or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article Thirteen, or change the Place of Payment where or the Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment pursuant to Article Thirteen at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment) in each case as such Stated Maturity, Redemption Date or date for repayment may, if applicable, be extended in accordance with the terms of such Security, or in the case of any Security which is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property, impair the right to institute suit to enforce the right to convert or exchange such Security in accordance with its terms, or

(2) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in Section 513 of this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 1504 for quorum or voting, or

(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 513, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(4) make any change that adversely affects the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security for Common Stock or other securities or property in accordance with its terms.

 

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A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, if more than one series of Securities is Outstanding, the Company shall be entitled to enter into a supplemental indenture under this Section 902 with respect to any one or more series of Outstanding Securities without entering into a supplemental indenture with respect to any other series of Outstanding Securities.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

 

  Section 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures.

As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall receive, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that such supplemental indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid, binding and enforceable obligation of, the Company, subject to customary exceptions. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

  Section 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures.

Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.

 

  Section 905. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures.

Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

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  Section 906. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.

Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

ARTICLE TEN

COVENANTS

 

  Section 1001. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest.

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on the Securities of such series, whether payable in cash, shares of Common Stock or other securities or property, in accordance with the terms thereof, and this Indenture.

 

  Section 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency.

The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, the Company hereby designates the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York as a Place of Payment for each series of Securities, initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York as the Company’s Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose and initially appoints the Trustee as the Security Registrar for each series of Securities and, if the Securities of any series are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock or other securities or property, initially appoints the Trustee as conversion or exchange agent, as the case may be, for the Securities of such series. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York and, as provided in Section 305, may remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar.

 

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  Section 1003. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust.

If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on, any of the Securities of such series segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the Currency or Currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable sufficient to pay the principal, any premium and interest, as the case may be, so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to each due date of the principal of, or any premium or interest on any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the Currency or Currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal, premium and interest, as the case may be, so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(1) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture;

(2) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal, any premium or interest on the Securities of such series; and

(3) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

To the extent that the terms of any Securities established pursuant to Section 301 provide that any principal of, or premium or interest, if any, with respect to any such Securities is or may be payable in Common Stock or other securities or property, then the provisions of this Section 1003 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to such Common Stock or other securities or property.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

 

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Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or such premium or interest shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may, not later than 30 days after the Company’s request for such repayment, at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be earlier than two years after such principal and any premium or interest shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

 

  Section 1004. Corporate Existence.

Subject to Article Eight, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect (i) the corporate existence of the Company and (ii) the existence (corporate or other) of each Significant Subsidiary of the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve the existence (corporate or other) of any of its Significant Subsidiaries if the Board of Directors of the Company determines that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and that the loss thereof will not be disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.

 

  Section 1005. Maintenance of Properties.

The Company will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, cause all its properties material in the conduct of its business to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order (normal wear and tear excepted) and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof, all as in the judgment of the Company may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the Company or any Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and maintenance of any of their respective properties if such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company or of any Subsidiary, as the case may be, desirable in the conduct of its business.

 

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  Section 1006. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims.

The Company will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon it or upon its income, profits or property; provided, however, that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such material tax, assessment or charge whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings.

 

  Section 1007. Limitation on Liens on Stock of our Significant Subsidiaries.

The Company will not, and it will not permit any Subsidiary of the Company to, at any time directly or indirectly create, assume, incur or permit to exist any Indebtedness secured by any a pledge, lien or other encumbrance (any pledge, lien or other encumbrance being hereinafter in this Section referred to as a “lien”) on the Voting Stock or voting equity interest of any Significant Subsidiary without making effective provision whereby the Securities then Outstanding (and, if the Company so elects, any other Indebtedness of the Company that is not subordinate to the Securities and with respect to which the governing instruments require, or pursuant to which the Company is otherwise obligated or required, to provide such security) shall be equally and ratably secured with such secured Indebtedness so long as such other Indebtedness shall be so secured.

If the Company shall hereafter be required to secure the Securities equally and ratably with any other Indebtedness pursuant to this Section, (i) the Company will promptly deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the foregoing covenant has been complied with, and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel the foregoing covenant has been complied with and (ii) the Trustee is hereby authorized to enter into an indenture or agreement supplemental hereto and to take such action, if any, as it may deem advisable to enable it to enforce the rights of the holders of the Securities so secured.

 

  Section 1008. Waiver of Certain Covenants.

The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Sections 1002 to 1007, inclusive, with respect to the Securities of any series and, if expressly provided pursuant to Section 301(15), any additional covenants applicable to the Securities of such series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

 

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  Section 1009. Company Statement as to Compliance.

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, stating whether or not, to the best of his or her knowledge, the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to notice requirements or periods of grace) and if the Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which he or she may have knowledge.

 

  Section 1010. Calculation of Original Issue Discount.

So long as any Original Issue Discount Security remains outstanding, the Company shall provide to the Trustee on a timely basis such information as the Trustee requires to enable the Trustee to prepare and file any form required to be submitted by the Trustee on behalf of the Company with the Internal Revenue Service and the Holders of the Notes relating to original issue discount, including, without limitation, Form 1099-OID or any successor form.

ARTICLE ELEVEN

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

  Section 1101. Applicability of Article.

Redemption of Securities of any series at the option of the Company as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

 

  Section 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.

The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed and, in the event that the Company shall determine that the Securities of any series to be redeemed shall be selected from Securities of such series having the same issue date, interest rate or interest rate formula, Stated Maturity and other terms (the “Equivalent Terms”), the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of such Equivalent Terms.

In the case of any redemption of Securities (A) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture or (B) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

 

  Section 1103. Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed.

If less than all of the Securities of any series are to be redeemed or if less than all of the Securities of any series with Equivalent Terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series or from the Outstanding Securities of such series with Equivalent Terms, as the case may be, not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Securities of such series; provided,

 

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however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted or exchanged for Common Stock or other securities or property in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted or exchanged portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

 

  Section 1104. Notice of Redemption.

Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106, at least 30 but no more than 60 days before the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portions thereof.

Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(1) the amount of Securities to be redeemed,

(2) the Redemption Date,

(3) the manner in which Redemption Price will be calculated,

(4) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

 

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(5) that, in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(6) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, together (if applicable) with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon (subject, if applicable, to the provisos to the first paragraph of Section 1106), and, if applicable, that interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(7) the place or places where payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of the Securities to be redeemed,

(8) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(9) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities or property, the then current conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate, as applicable, and the place or places where and the Persons to whom such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange,

(10) the CUSIP or ISIN reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities), and

(11) if the Redemption Price or any portion thereof shall be payable, at the option of the Company or any Holders, in cash or in Common Stock or other securities or property (or a combination thereof), a statement as to whether the Company has elected to pay the Redemption Price in cash or Common Stock or other securities or property or a combination thereof and, if applicable, the portion of the Redemption Price that is to be paid in cash, Common Stock or other securities or property.

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 106 need not identify particular Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

 

  Section 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price.

On or prior to noon (local time in New York City) on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption pursuant to Section 1104, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to

 

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Section 301 for or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date, except that, if the Securities of such series are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities or property, no such deposit shall be required with respect to any such Securities (or portions thereof) which have been converted or exchanged prior to such Redemption Date.

 

  Section 1106. Securities Payable on Redemption Date.

Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed (except, in the case of Securities which are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities or property, any such Securities which shall have been so converted or exchanged prior to the applicable Redemption Date) shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, together with (unless otherwise provided with respect to the Securities of such series pursuant to Section 301) accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to but excluding the Redemption Date; provided, however, that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of such series, installments of interest on Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security or, if no rate is prescribed therefor in the Security, at the rate of interest, if any, borne by such Security.

 

  Section 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part.

Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

 

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ARTICLE TWELVE

SINKING FUNDS

 

  Section 1201. Applicability of Article.

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Security of such series issued pursuant to this Indenture.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment”, and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment”. If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 1202. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

 

  Section 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), and (2) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 1202, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

 

  Section 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the

 

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next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 1202, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1106 and 1107.

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS

 

  Section 1301. Applicability of Article.

Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 309, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 1301, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the applicable repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

Unless otherwise expressly stated in this Indenture or pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series or unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this Indenture to the repayment of Securities at the option of the Holders thereof (and all references of like import) shall be deemed to include a reference to the repurchase of Securities at the option of the Holders thereof.

 

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ARTICLE FOURTEEN

SECURITIES IN FOREIGN CURRENCIES

 

  Section 1401. Applicability of Article.

Whenever this Indenture provides for (i) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency or (ii) any distribution to Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of such series, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action, determination or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee or, in the absence of such written notice, as the Trustee may determine.

ARTICLE FIFTEEN

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

  Section 1501. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called.

A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

 

  Section 1502. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.

(1) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 1501, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(2) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 1501, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 106) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.

 

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  Section 1503. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.

To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (1) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (2) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

  Section 1504. Quorum; Action.

The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for a meeting or duly reconvened meeting of Holders of Securities of such series; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at such meeting with respect to a consent or waiver which this Indenture expressly provides may be given by the Holders of at least 66-2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series, the Persons entitled to vote 66-2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such adjourned meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 1502(1), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided, however, that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of at least 66-2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly convened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of at least 66-2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; and provided, further, that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in

 

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principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

 

  Section 1505. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or other proof.

(2) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 1502(2), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(3) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. If the Securities of such series are issuable in minimum denominations of less than $1,000, then a Holder of such a Security in a principal amount of less than $1,000 shall be entitled to a fraction of one vote which is equal to the fraction that the principal amount of such Security bears to $1,000. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(4) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 1502 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

 

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  Section 1506. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings.

The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in triplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record, at least in triplicate, of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1502 and, if applicable, Section 1504. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE SIXTEEN

IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

 

  Section 1601. Indenture and Securities Solely Corporate Obligations.

No recourse under or upon any obligations covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture, or in any covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture, or in any Security, or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, shall be had against any past, present or future incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, of the Company or any successor Person, either directly or through the Company or any successor Person, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities by the Holders thereof and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

*    *    *    *    *

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.

 

    BROWN & BROWN, INC.
    By:  

 

      Name:
      Title:
     
     
     
     
    U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
    as Trustee
    By:  

 

      Name:
      Title:
     
     
     
     

 

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<![CDATA[Opinion of Holland & Knight]]>

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

LOGO

100 North Tampa Street, Suite 4100 | Tampa, FL 33602 | T 813.227.8500 | F 813.229.0134

Holland & Knight LLP | www.hklaw.com

September 2, 2014

Brown & Brown, Inc.

220 South Ridgewood Avenue

Daytona Beach, FL 32114

 

  RE: Brown & Brown, Inc. - Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) filed or to be filed by Brown & Brown, Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Company”), on or about the date hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) in connection with the registration pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) of the offer and sale by the Company from time to time, pursuant to Rules 415 and 462(e) under the Act, of an unspecified amount of securities of the Company, consisting of the Company’s debt securities (the “Debt Securities”), shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.10 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), warrants for the purchase of Debt Securities or Common Stock (the “Warrants”) and units consisting of two or more of any of the Common Stock, Debt Securities, and/or Warrants (the “Units”). The Debt Securities, the Common Stock, the Warrants and the Units are collectively referred to herein as the “Offered Securities” and each an “Offered Security.”

The Offered Securities may be offered and sold by the Company from time to time as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein (the “Prospectus”) and the supplements to the Prospectus (the “Prospectus Supplements”).

In connection with this opinion letter, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of: (a) the Registration Statement; (b) the Prospectus; (c) the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended and amended and restated to date; (d) the bylaws of the Company as amended and currently in effect; (e) an indenture (the “Indenture”) to be entered into between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), and which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and (f) certain resolutions adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) relating to the registration of the Offered Securities and related matters. We have also examined certain records of the Company, certificates of public officials and representatives of the Company, and other documents as we deemed necessary to deliver the opinions expressed below.

In such examination, we have assumed, without inquiry or other investigation, (a) the legal capacity of each natural person executing the agreements described herein, (b) the authenticity of original documents and the genuineness of all signatures, (c) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, (d) the truth, accuracy and completeness of the information, representations and warranties contained in the records, documents, instruments and certificates we have reviewed, (e) that there has been no undisclosed waiver of any right, remedy or provision contained in any such documents and (f) that each transaction complies with all tests of good faith, fairness and conscionability required by law. In making our examination of executed documents or documents to be executed, we have assumed that the parties thereto, other than the Company, had or will have the power, corporate, trust or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action,


corporate, trust or other, and execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and that such documents constitute valid and binding obligations of such parties. We have also assumed that the Indenture and any supplemental indenture thereto have been or will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and in substantially the form reviewed by us, and that any Debt Securities that may be issued will be manually authenticated, signed or countersigned, as the case may be, by duly authorized officers of the Trustee, and that each will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

We have also assumed that: (a) prior to the delivery of any Offered Security, the Board shall have duly established the terms of such Offered Security and duly authorized the issuance and sale of such Offered Security and such authorization shall not have been modified or rescinded; (b) the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments), will have become effective and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or rescinded; (c) a Prospectus Supplement will have been prepared and filed with the Commission describing the Offered Securities offered thereby; (d) all Offered Securities will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the appropriate Prospectus Supplement; (e) a definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement with respect to any Offered Securities will have been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (f) there shall be no change in law affecting the validity of any of the Offered Securities (between the date hereof and the date of issuance and sale of such Offered Securities); and (g) all parties to agreements involving the issuance or sale of the Offered Securities will perform their obligations thereunder in compliance with the terms of such documents.

Based on such examination and subject to the foregoing exceptions, qualifications, and limitations, we express the following opinions:

1. With respect to the Debt Securities, when (a) the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, (b) the Board (or a duly constituted and acting committee thereof) has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Debt Securities, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, and (c) the Debt Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, registered, issued and delivered in accordance with the Indenture and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Company, and upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, then the Debt Securities will constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be subject to or limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, arrangement, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law).

2. With respect to the Common Stock, when (a) the Board (or a duly constituted and acting committee thereof) has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and sale of the Common Stock, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, (b) such shares of Common Stock have been duly issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of any applicable convertible or exchangeable security, definitive purchase, underwriting or other agreement binding on the Company and the terms approved by the Board (or a duly constituted and acting committee thereof), and (c) the Company has received payment of the cash or other lawful consideration provided to be paid for the Common Stock, then the shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

3. With respect to the Warrants, when (a) the Board (or a duly constituted and acting committee thereof) has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and establish the terms of the Warrants, the terms of the offering of such Warrants and related matters, (b) one or more agreements incorporating the terms and other provisions of the Warrants has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the applicable warrant agent appointed by the Company (each, a “Warrant Agreement”), and (c) the Warrants or certificates representing the Warrants have been duly executed, authenticated or countersigned, registered, issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the applicable Warrant Agreement (assuming the Offered Securities issuable upon exercise of the Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action), and upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, then the Warrants will constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be subject to or limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, arrangement, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 


4. With respect to the Units, when (a) the Board (or a duly constituted and acting committee thereof) has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and establish the terms of the Units, the terms of the offering of such Units and related matters, (b) one or more agreements incorporating the terms and other provisions of the Units has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the applicable unit agent appointed by the Company (each, a “Unit Agreement”), and (c) the Units or certificates representing the Units have been duly executed, authenticated or countersigned, registered, issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the applicable Unit Agreement (assuming the Offered Securities issuable upon exercise of the Offered Securities comprising the Units have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action), and upon payment of the consideration therefor provided for therein, then the Units will constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be subject to or limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, arrangement, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law).

In rendering the opinions set forth above, we have assumed that:

 

  a. the consideration paid for any shares of Common Stock will comply with Section 607.0621, Florida Statutes or any successor provision; and

 

  b. after the issuance of the shares of Common Stock, the total number of issued shares of Common Stock, together with the total number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance upon the exercise, exchange or conversion, as the case may be, of any exercisable, exchangeable or convertible security, as the case may be, then outstanding, will not exceed the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation.

The laws covered by the opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the United States and the States of New York and Florida.

The Offered Securities may be issued from time to time on a delayed or continuous basis, and this opinion letter is limited to the laws, including the rules and regulations, as in effect on the date hereof, which laws are subject to change with possible retroactive effect. Our opinions are limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is to be implied or inferred beyond the matters stated herein.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the above-referenced Registration Statement and further consent to the reference to our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving such consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Holland & Knight LLP

HOLLAND & KNIGHT LLP
Statement Regarding Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

Exhibit 12.1

STATEMENT REGARDING RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

Brown & Brown’s ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the periods indicated is as follows:

 

     FOR THE SIX
MONTHS ENDED
JUNE 30,
     FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,  
     2014      2013      2013      2012      2011      2010      2009  

Fixed Charges:

                    

Interest expensed and capitalized

   $ 11,076       $ 7,981       $ 16,440       $ 16,097       $ 14,132       $ 14,471       $ 14,599   

Amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —     

Estimate of interest within rental expense

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —     

Preferenced security dividend requirements of consolidated subsidiaries

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —     
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Fixed Charges

   $ 11,076       $ 7,981       $ 16,440       $ 16,097       $ 14,132       $ 14,471       $ 14,599   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Earnings

                    

Pretax income

   $ 188,618       $ 185,712       $ 357,609       $ 304,811       $ 270,521       $ 266,098       $ 254,754   

Addback

                    

Fixed charges

     11,076         7,981         16,440         16,097         14,132         14,471         14,599   

Amortization of capitalized interest

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —     

Distributed income of equity investees

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —     

Losses of equity investees

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —     

Less

                    

Interest capitalized

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —     

Preference security dividend requirement of consolidated subsidiaries

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —     

Minority interest in pre-tax income

     —           —           —           —           —           —           —     
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Earnings

   $ 199,964       $ 193,693       $ 374,049       $ 320,908       $ 284,653       $ 280,569       $ 269,353   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

     18.0         24.3         22.8         19.9         20.1         19.4         18.5   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
<![CDATA[Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP]]>

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our reports dated February 28, 2014, relating to the financial statements of Brown & Brown, Inc., (the “Company”) and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2013, and to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.

 

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Jacksonville, Florida
September 2, 2014
<![CDATA[Power of Attorney of certain directors and officers of Brown & Brown]]>

Exhibit 24.1

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 22, 2014    

/s/ J. Hyatt Brown

    J. Hyatt Brown


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 22, 2014    

/s/ Sam P. Bell, III

    Samuel P. Bell, III


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 22, 2014    

/s/ Hugh M. Brown

    Hugh M. Brown


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 29, 2014    

/s/ Bradley Currey, Jr.

    Bradley Currey, Jr.


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 28, 2014    

/s/ Theodore J. Hoepner

    Theodore J. Hoepner


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 22, 2014    

/s/ James S. Hunt

    James S. Hunt


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for her and in her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as she might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 22, 2014    

/s/ Toni Jennings

    Toni Jennings


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 27, 2014    

/s/ Timothy R.M. Main

    Timothy R.M. Main


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 22, 2014    

/s/ H. Palmer Proctor, Jr.

    H. Palmer Proctor, Jr.


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 29, 2014    

/s/ Wendell S. Reilly

    Wendell S. Reilly


POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned constitutes and appoints Laurel L. Grammig and R. Andrew Watts, or any of them, as her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for her and in her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file a registration statement on Form S-3 for purposes of registering debt and equity securities of Brown & Brown, Inc. utilizing a “shelf” registration process and any amendments thereto (including any post-effective amendments thereto) and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing as fully to all intents and purposes as she might or could in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Dated: August 21, 2014    

/s/ Chilton D. Varner

    Chilton D. Varner
Form T-1

Exhibit 25.1

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM T-1

 

 

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939

OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

 

¨ Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2)

 

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

(Exact name of Trustee as specified in its charter)

 

 

31-0841368

I.R.S. Employer Identification No.

 

800 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota

  55402
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Brian K. Justice

U.S. Bank National Association

225 E Robinson Street

Suite 250

Orlando, FL 32801

(407) 835-3813

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

 

 

Brown & Brown, Inc.

(Issuer with respect to the Securities)

 

 

 

Florida   59-0864469

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

220 South Ridgewood Avenue

Daytona Beach, Florida

  32114
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

 

Debt Securities

(Title of the Indenture Securities)

 

 

 


FORM T-1

 

Item 1. GENERAL INFORMATION. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee.

 

  a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

Comptroller of the Currency

Washington, D.C.

 

  b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes

 

Item 2. AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR. If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None

 

Items 3-15 Items 3-15 are not applicable because to the best of the Trustee’s knowledge, the obligor is not in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee.

 

Item 16. LIST OF EXHIBITS: List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility and qualification.

 

  1. A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee.*

 

  2. A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to commence business, attached as Exhibit 2.

 

  3. A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers, attached as Exhibit 3.

 

  4. A copy of the existing bylaws of the Trustee.**

 

  5. A copy of each Indenture referred to in Item 4. Not applicable.

 

  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached as Exhibit 6.

 

  7. Report of Condition of the Trustee as of June 30, 2014 published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached as Exhibit 7.

 

* Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 25.1 to Amendment No. 2 to registration statement on S-4, Registration Number 333-128217 filed on November 15, 2005.
** Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 25.1 to registration statement on S-4, Registration Number 333-166527 filed on May 5, 2010.

 

2


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Trustee, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Orlando, State of Florida on the 2nd of September, 2014.

 

By:  

/s/ Brian K. Justice

  Brian K. Justice
  Vice President

 

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Exhibit 2

 

LOGO  

 

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

  Washington, DC 20219

CERTIFICATE OF CORPORATE EXISTENCE

I, Thomas J. Curry, Comptroller of the Currency, do hereby certify that:

1. The Comptroller of the Currency, pursuant to Revised Statutes 324, et seq, as amended, and 12 USC 1, et seq, as amended, has possession, custody, and control of all records pertaining to the chartering, regulation, and supervision of all national banking associations.

2. “U.S. Bank National Association,” Cincinnati, Ohio (Charter No. 24), is a national banking association formed under the laws of the United States and is authorized thereunder to transact the business of banking on the date of this certificate.

 

LOGO    

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, today, May 1, 2014, I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused my seal of office to be affixed to these presents at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in the City of Washington, District of Columbia.

 

    LOGO
   

 

Comptroller of the Currency

 

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Exhibit 3

 

LOGO  

 

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

  Washington, DC 20219

CERTIFICATION OF FIDUCIARY POWERS

I, Thomas J. Curry, Comptroller of the Currency, do hereby certify that:

1. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, pursuant to Revised Statutes 324, et seq, as amended, and 12 USC 1, et seq, as amended, has possession, custody, and control of all records pertaining to the chartering, regulation, and supervision of all national banking associations.

2. “U.S. Bank National Association,” Cincinnati, Ohio (Charter No. 24), was granted, under the hand and seal of the Comptroller, the right to act in all fiduciary capacities authorized under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved September 28, 1962, 76 Stat. 668, 12 USC 92a, and that the authority so granted remains in full force and effect on the date of this certificate.

 

LOGO    

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, today, May 1, 2014, I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused my seal of office to be affixed to these presents at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in the City of Washington, District of Columbia.

 

    LOGO
   

 

Comptroller of the Currency

 

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Exhibit 6

CONSENT

In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the undersigned, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.

Dated: September 2, 2014

 

By:  

/s/ Brian K. Justice

  Brian K. Justice
  Vice President

 

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Exhibit 7

U.S. Bank National Association

Statement of Financial Condition

As of 6/30/2014

($000’s)

 

     6/30/2014  

Assets

  

Cash and Balances Due From Depository Institutions

   $ 12,591,901   

Securities

     89,882,232   

Federal Funds

     109,925   

Loans & Lease Financing Receivables

     241,450,255   

Fixed Assets

     4,561,715   

Intangible Assets

     13,335,806   

Other Assets

     22,261,774   
  

 

 

 

Total Assets

   $ 384,193,608   

Liabilities

  

Deposits

   $ 286,193,358   

Fed Funds

     1,264,138   

Treasury Demand Notes

     0   

Trading Liabilities

     382,290   

Other Borrowed Money

     37,760,161   

Acceptances

     0   

Subordinated Notes and Debentures

     5,023,000   

Other Liabilities

     12,274,098   
  

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

   $ 342,897,045   

Equity

  

Common and Preferred Stock

     18,200   

Surplus

     14,266,407   

Undivided Profits

     26,159,120   

Minority Interest in Subsidiaries

   $ 852,836   
  

 

 

 

Total Equity Capital

   $ 41,296,563   

Total Liabilities and Equity Capital

   $ 384,193,608   

 

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