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Exhibit 4.3.1
FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of September 22, 1999,
between The Kroger Co., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws
of the State of Ohio (herein called the "Company"), having its principal office
at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, the Guarantors listed on the
signature pages and Schedule I hereto (each, a "Guarantor") and Firstar Bank,
National Association, a banking corporation duly organized and existing under
the laws of the State of Ohio, as Trustee (herein called the "Trustee").
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
The Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the
Trustee an Indenture dated as of June 25, 1999 (the "Indenture"), between the
Company, the Guarantors and Firstar Bank, National Association, as Trustee, as
supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated June 25, 1999, the Second
Supplemental Indenture dated June 25, 1999 and the Third Supplemental Indenture
dated June 25, 1999, providing for the issuance from time to time of the
Company's unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein
and therein called the "Securities"), to be issued in one or more series as in
the Indenture provided.
Section 201 of the Indenture permits the form of the
Securities of any series to be established pursuant to an indenture supplemental
to the Indenture.
Section 301 of the Indenture permits the terms of the
Securities of any series to be established in an indenture supplemental to the
Indenture.
Section 901(7) of the Indenture provides that, without the
consent of any Holders, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and
the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more
indentures supplemental to the Indenture for the purpose of establishing the
form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 201 and 301
of the Indenture.
Each of the Guarantors has duly authorized the issuance of a
guarantee of the Securities, as set forth herein, and to provide therefor, each
of the Guarantors has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Fourth
Supplemental Indenture.
The Company and the Guarantors, pursuant to the foregoing
authority, propose in and by this Fourth Supplemental Indenture to establish the
terms and form of the Securities of a new series and to amend and supplement the
Indenture in certain respects with respect to the Securities of such series.
All things necessary to make this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture a valid agreement of the Company and the Guarantors, and a valid
amendment of and supplement to the Indenture, have been done.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
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For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of
the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and
proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities of the series to be
created hereby, as follows:
ARTICLE ONE
DEFINITIONS
Section 101. DEFINITIONS.
(a) For all purposes of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture:
(1) Capitalized terms used herein without definition
shall have the meanings specified in the Indenture;
(2) All references herein to Articles and Sections,
unless otherwise specified, refer to the corresponding
Articles and Sections of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture
and, where so specified, to the Articles and Sections of the
Indenture as supplemented by this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture; and
(3) The terms "hereof", "herein", "hereby", "hereto",
"hereunder" and "herewith" refer to this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture.
(b) For all purposes of the Indenture and this Fourth
Supplemental Indenture, with respect to the Securities of the series created
hereby, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise
requires:
"Adjusted Treasury Rate" means, with respect to any
Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual
equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue,
assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed
as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the
Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date.
"Attributable Debt" means, in connection with a Sale
and Lease-Back Transaction, as of any particular time, the
aggregate of present values (discounted at a rate per annum
equal to the interest rate borne by the Securities of the
series created by this Fourth Supplemental Indenture) of the
obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary for
net rental payments during the remaining primary term of the
applicable lease, calculated in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles. The term "net rental payments"
under any lease for any period shall mean the sum of
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the rental and other payments required to be paid in such
period by the lessee thereunder, not including, however, any
amounts required to be paid by such lessee (whether or not
designated as rental or additional rental) on account of
maintenance and repairs, reconstruction, insurance, taxes,
assessments, water rates, operating and labor costs or similar
charges required to be paid by such lessee thereunder or any
amounts required to be paid by such lessee thereunder
contingent upon the amount of sales, maintenance and repairs,
reconstruction, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates or
similar charges.
"Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday or
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York City
or Cincinnati, Ohio are authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
"Capital Lease" means any lease of property which, in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,
should be capitalized on the lessee's balance sheet or for
which the amount of the asset and liability thereunder as if
so capitalized should be disclosed in a note to such balance
sheet; and "Capitalized Lease Obligation" means the amount of
the liability which should be so capitalized or disclosed.
"Comparable Treasury Issue" means the United States
Treasury security selected by a Quotation Agent as having a
maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Securities to
be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection
and in accordance with customary financial practice, in
pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable
maturity to the remaining term of such Securities.
"Comparable Treasury Price" means, with respect to
any Redemption Date, (i) the average of the Reference Treasury
Dealer Quotations, after excluding the highest and lowest such
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date,
or (ii) if the Trustee obtains fewer than three such Reference
Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such
Quotations.
"Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" means, for the
Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis
determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, the aggregate amounts of assets (less depreciation
and valuation reserves and other reserves and items deductible
from gross book
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value of specific asset accounts under generally accepted
accounting principles) which under generally accepted
accounting principles would be included on a balance sheet
after deducting therefrom (a) all liability items except
deferred income taxes, commercial paper, short-term bank
Indebtedness, Funded Indebtedness, other long-term liabilities
and shareholders' equity and (b) all goodwill, trade names,
trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and
other like intangibles, which in each case would be so
included on such balance sheet.
"Credit Facility" means any credit agreement, loan
agreement or credit facility, whether syndicated or not,
involving the extension of credit by banks or other credit
institutions, entered into by the Company or ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc.
and outstanding on the date of this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture, and any refinancing or other restructuring of such
agreement or facility.
"Funded Indebtedness" means any Indebtedness maturing
by its terms more than one year from the date of the
determination thereof, including (i) any Indebtedness having a
maturity of 12 months or less but by its terms renewable or
extendible at the option of the obligor to a date later than
12 months from the date of the determination thereof and (ii)
rental obligations payable more than 12 months from the date
of determination thereof under Capital Leases (such rental
obligations to be included as Funded Indebtedness at the
amount so capitalized at the date of such computation and to
be included for the purposes of the definition of Consolidated
Net Tangible Assets both as an asset and as Funded
Indebtedness at the amount so capitalized).
"Non-Restricted Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary that
the Company's Board of Directors has in good faith declared
pursuant to a written resolution not to be of material
importance, either singly or together with all other
Non-Restricted Subsidiaries, to the business of the Company
and its consolidated Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
"Operating Assets" means all merchandise inventories,
furniture, fixtures and equipment (including all
transportation and warehousing equipment but excluding office
equipment and data processing equipment) owned or leased
pursuant to Capital Leases by the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary.
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"Operating Property" means all real property and
improvements thereon owned or leased pursuant to Capital
Leases by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and
constituting, without limitation, any store, warehouse,
service center or distribution center wherever located,
provided that such term shall not include any store,
warehouse, service center or distribution center which the
Company's Board of Directors declares by written resolution
not to be of material importance to the business of the
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
"Quotation Agent" means the Reference Treasury
Dealer appointed by the Company.
"Reference Treasury Dealer" means (i) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs
& Co. and its successors; provided, however, that if the
foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government
securities dealer in New York City (a "Primary Treasury
Dealer"), the Company shall substitute therefor another
Primary Treasury Dealer, and (ii) any other Primary Treasury
Dealer selected by the Company.
"Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations" means, with
respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption
Date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid
and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed
in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted
in writing to the Trustee by such Reference Treasury Dealer at
5:00 p.m. on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption
Date.
"Restricted Subsidiaries" means all Subsidiaries
other than Non-Restricted Subsidiaries.
"Sale and Lease-Back Transaction" has the meaning
specified in Section 1010.
"Subsidiary" means (i) any corporation or other
entity of which securities or other ownership interests having
ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of
directors or other persons performing similar functions are at
the time directly or indirectly owned by the Company and/or
one or more Subsidiaries or (ii) any partnership of which more
than 50% of the partnership interest is owned by the Company
or any Subsidiary.
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ARTICLE TWO
SECURITY FORMS
Section 201. FORM OF SECURITIES OF THIS SERIES.
The Securities of this series shall be in the form set forth
in this Article.
Section 202. FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY.
This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the
Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depositary
or a nominee of a Depository. This Security is not exchangeable for Securities
registered in the name of a Person other than the Depositary or its nominee
except in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and no transfer
of this Security (other than a transfer of this Security as a whole by the
Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary to
the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary) may be registered except in
the limited circumstances described in the Indenture.
Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized
representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation ("DTC"),
to The Kroger Co. or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange, or
payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or
in such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and
any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an
authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR
VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered
owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.
THE KROGER CO.
7.625% Senior Notes due 2006
No. ......... $ ........
The Kroger Co., a corporation duly organized and existing
under the laws of the State of Ohio (herein called the "Company", which term
includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for
value received, hereby promises to pay to .............................., or
registered assigns, the principal sum of .....................................
Dollars on September 15, 2006, and to pay interest thereon from September 22,
1999, or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been
paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on September 15 and March 15 in each
year, commencing March 15, 2000 at the rate of interest of 7.625% per annum
until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The interest
so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment
Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name
this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close
of business on the
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Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the September 1 or March 1
(whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such
Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided
for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date
and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more
Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special
Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the
Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities not less than 10
days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other
lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange
on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as
may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.
Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest
on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained
for that purpose in Cincinnati, Ohio, in such coin or currency of the United
States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of
public and private debts; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that at the option of the Company
payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person
entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register.
In the case where any Interest Payment Date or the maturity
date of this Security does not fall on a Business Day, payment of interest or
principal otherwise payable on such day need not be made on such day, but may be
made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same form and effect as if
made on such Interest Payment Date or the maturity date of this Security.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this
Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all
purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
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Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been
executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature,
this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be
valid or obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument
to be duly executed under its corporate seal.
Dated:
THE KROGER CO.
By.........................
Attest:
............................................
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein
referred to in the within mentioned Indenture.
FIRSTAR BANK, National Association,
as Trustee
By ___________________________________
Authorized Officer
Section 203. FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY.
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities
of the Company (including the related Guarantees, the "Securities") issued and
to be issued under an Indenture dated as of June 25, 1999, as supplemented by
the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 25, 1999, the Second
Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 25, 1999, the Third Supplemental
Indenture dated as of June 25, 1999, and the Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated
as of September 22, 1999 (as so supplemented, herein called the "Indenture"),
each between the Company and the Guarantors named therein, and Firstar Bank,
National Association, as Trustee (herein called the "Trustee", which term
includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all
indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of
the Company, the Guarantors named therein, the Trustee and the Holders of the
Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be,
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authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on
the face hereof, limited in aggregate principal amount to $250,000,000.
The Securities of this series will be redeemable, in whole or
in part, at the option of the Company at any time at a redemption price equal to
the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of such Securities or (ii) as
determined by a Quotation Agent, the sum of the present values of the remaining
scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (not including any portion
of such payments of interest accrued as of the date of redemption) discounted to
the date of redemption on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year
consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate plus 10 basis
points, plus, in each case, accrued interest thereon to the date of redemption.
Notice of any redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but
not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each holder of the
Securities to be redeemed. Unless the Company defaults in payment of the
redemption price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to
accrue on the Securities or portions thereof called for redemption.
The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time
of (i) the entire indebtedness of this Security or (ii) certain restrictive
covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon
compliance with certain conditions set forth therein.
If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the
principal of all Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in
the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein
provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and
obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of
each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and
the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of 50% in aggregate principal amount
of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The
Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified
percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time
Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series, to
waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and
certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such
consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding
upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any
Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange therefor
or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made
upon this Security.
As set forth in, and subject to, the provisions of the
Indenture, no Holder of any Security will have any right to institute any
proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless
such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a
continuing Event of Default, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal
amount of the Outstanding Securities shall have made written request, and
offered reasonable
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indemnity, to the Trustee to institute such proceeding as trustee, and the
Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Outstanding Securities a direction inconsistent with such request
and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by the Holder
hereof for the enforcement of payment of the principal of (and premium, if any)
or any interest on this Security on or after the respective due dates expressed
herein.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this
Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the
Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any
premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the
coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain
limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registerable in
the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of
transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal
of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by,
or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his
attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of
like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal
amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
The Securities are issuable only in registered form without
coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. As
provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth,
Securities are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities
of like tenor, of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the
Holder surrendering the same.
Except where otherwise specifically provided in the Indenture,
no service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
Prior to due presentment of this 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 this Security is registered as the owner
hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither
the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.
All terms used in this Security which are defined in the
Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
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Section 204. FORM OF GUARANTEE.
The form of Guarantee shall be set forth on the Securities
substantially as follows:
GUARANTEE
For value received, each of the undersigned hereby absolutely, fully
and unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees, jointly and severally with each
other Guarantor, to the holder of this Security the payment of principal of,
premium, if any, and interest on this Security upon which this Guarantee is
endorsed in the amounts and at the time when due and payable whether by
declaration thereof, or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal and
interest, if any, of this Security, if lawful, and the payment or performance of
all other obligations of the Company under the Indenture or the Securities, to
the holder of this Security and the Trustee, all in accordance with and subject
to the terms and limitations of this Security and Article Five of the Fourth
Supplemental Indenture to the Indenture. This Guarantee will not become
effective until the Trustee duly executes the certificate of authentication on
this Security. This Guarantee shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of law
principles thereof.
Dated:
Attest: Each of the Guarantors Listed on Schedule I
hereto, as Guarantor of the Securities
By:
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
Assistant Secretary/Secretary Name:
Title:
Attest: VINE COURT ASSURANCE INCORPORATED,
as Guarantor of the Securities
By:
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
Assistant Treasurer Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President
RICHIE'S INC., as Guarantor of the Securities
By: ---------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President and Secretary
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ROCKET NEWCO, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Securities
HENPIL, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Securities
WYDIV, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Securities
By: ---------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President and Secretary
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SCHEDULE I
Guarantors
Name of Guarantor State of Organization
----------------- ---------------------
Alpha Beta Company California
Bay Area Warehouse Stores, Inc. California
▇▇▇▇ Markets, Inc. California
Cala Co. Delaware
Cala Foods, Inc. California
CB&S Advertising Agency, Inc. Oregon
City Market, Inc. Colorado
Compare, Inc. Delaware
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Stores, Inc. California
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc. Kansas
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Real Estate Co., Inc. Kansas
Distribution Trucking Company Oregon
Drugs Distributors, Inc. Indiana
FM Holding Corporation Delaware
FM Retail Services, Inc. Washington
FM, Inc. Utah
Food 4 Less GM, Inc. California
Food 4 Less Holdings, Inc. Delaware
Food 4 Less Merchandising, Inc. California
Food 4 Less of California, Inc. California
Food 4 Less of Southern California, Inc. Delaware
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc. Delaware
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Jewelers, Inc. Delaware
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ of Alaska, Inc. Alaska
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ of California, Inc. California
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Stores, Inc. Delaware
Grand Central, Inc. Utah
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Markets, Inc. California
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Realty, Inc. California
Inter-American Foods, Inc. Ohio
Jackson Ice Cream Co., Inc. Kansas
JH Properties, Inc. Washington
Junior Food Stores of West Florida, Inc. Florida
J.V. Distributing, Inc. Michigan
KRGP Inc. Ohio
KRLP Inc. Ohio
Kroger Dedicated Logistics Co. Ohio
Kroger Limited Partnership I Ohio (limited partnership)
Kroger Limited Partnership II Ohio (limited partnership)
KU Acquisition Corporation Washington
Kwik Shop, Inc. Kansas
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Name of Guarantor State of Organization
----------------- ---------------------
Merksamer Jewelers, Inc. California
Mini Mart, Inc. Wyoming
Peyton's-Southeastern, Inc. Tennessee
QFC Sub, Inc. Washington
Quality Food Centers, Inc. Washington
Quality Food Holdings, Inc. Delaware
Quality Food, Inc. Delaware
Quik Stop Markets, Inc. California
Ralphs Grocery Company Delaware
Roundup Co. Washington
Saint ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Holding Company Delaware
Second Story, Inc. Washington
▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Beverage of Wyoming, Inc. Wyoming
▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Food & Drug Centers, Inc. Delaware
Smitty's Equipment Leasing, Inc. Delaware
Smitty's Super Valu, Inc. Delaware
Smitty's Supermarkets, Inc. Delaware
The Kroger Co. of Michigan Michigan
THGP Co., Inc. Pennsylvania
THLP Co., Inc. Pennsylvania
Topvalco, Inc. Ohio
Treasure Valley Land Company, L.C. Idaho
Turkey Hill, L.P. Pennsylvania (limited partnership)
▇▇▇▇▇ Aircraft, Inc. Kansas
Western Property Investment Group, Inc. California
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ARTICLE THREE
THE SERIES OF SECURITIES
Section 301. TITLE AND TERMS.
There shall be a series of Securities designated as the
"7.625% Senior Notes due 2006" of the Company. Their Stated Maturity shall be
September 15, 2006, and they shall bear interest at the rate of 7.625% per
annum.
Interest on the Securities of this series will be payable
semi-annually on September 15 and March 15 of each year, commencing March 15,
2000, until the principal thereof is made available for payment. The interest so
payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date
will be paid to the Person in whose name the Securities of this series (or one
or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the
Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the September 1 or March 1
(whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such
Interest Payment Date.
In the case where any Interest Payment Date or the maturity
date of the Securities of this series does not fall on a Business Day, payment
of interest or principal otherwise payable on such date need not be made on such
day, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and
effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date or the maturity date of the
Securities of this series.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series
which may be authenticated and delivered under this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture is limited to $250,000,000, except for Securities authenticated and
delivered upon registration or transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of,
other Securities of this series pursuant to Section 304, 305 and 306 of the
Indenture and except for any Securities of this series which, pursuant to
Section 303 of the Indenture, are deemed never to have been authenticated and
delivered under the Indenture.
The Securities of this series will be represented by two or
more Global Securities representing the entire $250,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of the Securities of this series, and the Depositary with respect to such
Global Security or Global Securities will be The Depository Trust Company.
The Place of Payment for the principal of (and premium, if
any) and interest on the Securities of this series shall be the office or agency
of the Company in the City of Cincinnati, State of Ohio, maintained for such
purpose, which shall be the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee and at any
other office or agency maintained by the Company for such purpose; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be
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made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such
address shall appear in the Security Register.
The Securities of this series are redeemable prior to maturity
at the option of the Company as provided in this Fourth Supplemental Indenture.
The Securities of this series are not subject to a sinking
fund and the provisions of Section 501(3) and Article Twelve of the Indenture
shall not be applicable to the Securities of this series.
The Securities of this series are subject to defeasance at the
option of the Company as provided in this Fourth Supplemental Indenture.
ARTICLE FOUR
MODIFICATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE INDENTURE
Section 401. MODIFICATIONS TO THE CONSOLIDATION, MERGER,
CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE PROVISIONS.
With respect to the Securities of this series, Section 801 of
the Indenture shall be deleted in its entirety and the following shall be
substituted therefor:
"Section 801. COVENANT NOT TO MERGE, CONSOLIDATE, SELL OR
CONVEY PROPERTY EXCEPT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
The Company covenants that it will not merge with or into or
consolidate with any corporation, partnership, or other entity or sell, lease or
convey all or substantially all of its assets to any other Person, unless (i)
either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the successor entity
or the Person which acquires by sale, lease or conveyance all or substantially
all the assets of the Company (if other than the Company) shall be a corporation
or partnership organized under the laws of the United States of America or any
State thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume all
obligations of the Company under this Indenture and the Securities of the series
created by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, including the due and punctual
payment of the principal of and interest on all the Securities of the series
created by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture according to their tenor, and the
due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and
conditions of the Indenture to be performed or observed by the Company, by
supplemental indenture in form satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and
delivered to the Trustee by such entity, and (ii) the Company, such person or
such successor entity, as the case may be, shall not, immediately after such
merger or consolidation, or such sale, lease or conveyance, be in default in the
performance of any such covenant or condition and, immediately after
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giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which,
after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall
have happened and be continuing.
Section 802. SUCCESSOR SUBSTITUTED
Upon any consolidation of the Company with, or merger of the Company into, any
other Person or any sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Company in accordance with Section 801, the successor Person
formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which
such sale, lease or 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 Person
shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the
Securities."
Section 402. OTHER MODIFICATIONS.
With respect to the Securities of this series, the Indenture
shall be modified as follows:
(a) he eighth paragraph of Section 305 of the Indenture shall
be modified by inserting ", and a successor Depositary is not appointed by the
Company within 90 days" at the end of clause (i) in such paragraph; and
(b) Section 401 of the Indenture shall be modified by adding
to the end of such Section the following paragraph:
"For the purpose of this Section 401, trust funds may consist
of (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations (as defined in
Section 1304) 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, money in an amount, or (C) a combination
thereof, sufficient, 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, the principal of, premium, if
any, and each installment of interest on the Securities of this series on the
Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of interest on the day on which
such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture
and of such Securities of this series."
Section 403. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS; DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE.
(a) With respect to the Securities of this series, the
following provisions shall be added as Sections 1009 and 1010 and as Article
Thirteen (Section references contained in these additional provisions are to the
Indenture as supplemented by this Fourth Supplemental Indenture):
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"Section 1009. LIMITATIONS ON LIENS.
After the date hereof and so long as any Securities of
the series created by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture are Outstanding, the
Company will not issue, assume or guarantee, and will not permit any Restricted
Subsidiary to issue, assume or guarantee, any Indebtedness which is secured by a
mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance of any kind (including
any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature
thereof, and any agreement to give any of the foregoing) (each being hereinafter
referred to as a "lien" or "liens") of or upon any Operating Property or
Operating Asset, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, of the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary without effectively providing that the Securities of the
series created by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture (together with, if the
Company shall so determine, any other Indebtedness of the Company ranking
equally with the Securities) shall be equally and ratably secured by a lien on
such assets ranking ratably with and equal to (or at the Company's option prior
to) such secured Indebtedness; provided that the foregoing restriction shall not
apply to:
(a) liens on any property or assets of any corporation
existing at the time such corporation becomes a Restricted Subsidiary provided
that such lien does not extend to any other property of the Company or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(b) liens on any property or assets (including stock)
existing at the time of acquisition of such property or assets by the Company or
a Restricted Subsidiary, or liens to secure the payment of all or any part of
the purchase price of such property or assets (including stock) upon the
acquisition of such property or assets by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary
or to secure any indebtedness incurred, assumed or guaranteed by the Company or
a Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of financing all or any part of the
purchase price of such property or, in the case of real property, construction
or improvements thereon or attaching to property substituted by the Company to
obtain the release of a lien on other property of the Company on which a lien
then exists, which indebtedness is incurred, assumed or guaranteed prior to, at
the time of, or within 18 months after such acquisition (or in the case of real
property, the completion of construction (including any improvements on an
existing asset) or commencement of full operation at such property, whichever is
later (which in the case of a retail store is the opening of the store for
business to the public)); provided that in the case of any such acquisition,
construction or improvement, the lien shall not apply to any other property or
assets theretofore owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(c) liens on any property or assets to secure Indebtedness of
a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary;
(d) liens on any property or assets of a
corporation existing at the time such corporation is merged into or consolidated
with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or at the time of a purchase, lease
or other acquisition of the assets of a corporation or firm as an entirety or
substantially as an entirety by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary provided
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that such lien does not extend to any other property of the Company or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(e) liens on any property or assets of the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary in favor of the United States of America or any State
thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision
of the United States of America or any State thereof, or in favor of any other
country, or any political subdivision thereof, to secure partial, progress,
advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure any
Indebtedness incurred or guaranteed for the purpose of financing all or any part
of the purchase price (or, in the case of real property, the cost of
construction) of the property or assets subject to such liens (including, but
not limited to, liens incurred in connection with pollution control, industrial
revenue or similar financings);
(f)liens existing on properties or assets of the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the date hereof; provided that such liens
secure only those obligations which they secure on the date hereof or any
extension, renewal or replacement thereof;
(g)any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive
extensions, renewals or replacements) in whole or in part, of any lien referred
to in the foregoing clauses (a) through (f), inclusive; provided that such
extension, renewal or replacement shall be limited to all or a part of the
property or assets which secured the lien so extended, renewed or replaced (plus
improvements and construction on real property);
(h)liens imposed by law, such as mechanics', workmen's,
repairmen's, materialmen's, carriers', warehouseman's, vendors', or other
similar liens arising in the ordinary course of business of the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary, or governmental (federal, state or municipal) liens
arising out of contracts for the sale of products or services by the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary, or deposits or pledges to obtain the release of any
of the foregoing liens;
(i) pledges, liens or deposits under worker's compensation
laws or similar legislation and liens or judgments thereunder which are not
currently dischargeable, or in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other
than for the payment of money) or leases to which the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary is a party, or to secure the public or statutory obligations of the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, or in connection with obtaining or
maintaining self-insurance or to obtain the benefits of any law, regulation or
arrangement pertaining to unemployment insurance, old age pensions, social
security or similar matters, or to secure surety, appeal or customs bonds to
which the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary is a party, or in litigation or
other proceedings such as, but not limited to, interpleader proceedings, and
other similar pledges, liens or deposits made or incurred in the ordinary course
of business;
(j) liens created by or resulting from any litigation or other
proceeding which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings,
including liens arising out
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of judgments or awards against the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with
respect to which the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is in good faith
prosecuting an appeal or proceedings for review or for which the time to make an
appeal has not yet expired; or final unappealable judgment liens which are
satisfied within 30 days of the date of judgment; or liens incurred by the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of obtaining a stay or
discharge in the course of any litigation or other proceeding to which the
Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is a party;
(k) liens for taxes or assessments or governmental charges or
levies not yet due or delinquent, or which can thereafter be paid without
penalty, or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;
landlord's liens on property held under lease; and any other liens or charges
incidental to the conduct of the business of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary or the ownership of the property or assets of any of them which were
not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of
advances or credit and which do not, in the opinion of the Company, materially
impair the use of such property or assets in the operation of the business of
the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or the value of such property or
assets for the purposes of such business; or
(l) liens not permitted by clauses (a) through (k) above if at
the time of, and after giving effect to, the creation or assumption of any such
lien, the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries secured by all such liens not so permitted by clauses (a) through
(k) above together with the Attributable Debt in respect of Sale and Lease-Back
Transactions permitted by paragraph (a) of Section 1010 does not exceed 10% of
Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.
Section 1010. LIMITATIONS ON SALE AND LEASE-BACK TRANSACTIONS.
After the date hereof and so long as any Securities of the
series created by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture are Outstanding, the Company
agrees that it will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter
into any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by the Company or
a Restricted Subsidiary of any Operating Property or Operating Asset (other than
any such arrangement involving a lease for a term, including renewal rights, for
not more than 3 years and leases between the Company and a Restricted Subsidiary
or between Restricted Subsidiaries), whereby such Operating Property or
Operating Asset has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary to such Person (herein referred to as a "Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction"), unless:
(a) the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would, at the
time of entering into a Sale and Lease-Back transaction, be entitled to incur
Indebtedness secured by a lien on the Operating Property or Operating Asset to
be leased in an amount at least equal to the Attributable Debt in respect of
such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction without equally and ratably securing the
Securities of the series created by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture pursuant
to Section 1009; or
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(b) the proceeds of the sale of the Operating Property or
Operating Asset to be leased are at least equal to the fair market value of such
Operating Property or Operating Asset (as determined by the chief financial
officer or chief accounting officer of the Company) and an amount in cash equal
to the net proceeds from the sale of the Operating Property or Operating Asset
so leased is applied, within 180 days of the effective date of any such Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction, to the purchase or acquisition (or, in the case of
Operating Property, the construction) of Operating Property or Operating Assets
or to the retirement, repurchase, redemption or repayment (other than at
maturity or pursuant to a mandatory sinking fund or redemption provision and
other than Indebtedness owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary) of
Securities of the series created by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture or of
Funded Indebtedness of the Company ranking on a parity with or senior to the
Securities of the series created by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, or in the
case of a Sale and Lease-Back Transaction by a Restricted Subsidiary, of Funded
Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary; provided that in connection with any
such retirement, any related loan commitment or the like shall be reduced in an
amount equal to the principal amount so retired.
The foregoing restriction shall not apply to, in the case of
any Operating Property or Operating Asset acquired or constructed subsequent to
the date eighteen months prior to the date of this Indenture, any Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction with respect to such Operating Asset or Operating
Property (including presently owned real property upon which such Operating
Property is to be constructed) if a binding commitment is entered into with
respect to such Sale and Lease-Back Transaction within 18 months after the later
of the acquisition of the Operating Property or Operating Asset or the
completion of improvements or construction thereon or commencement of full
operations at such Operating Property (which in the case of a retail store is
the opening of the store for business to the public).
ARTICLE THIRTEEN
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
Section 1301. COMPANY'S OPTION TO EFFECT DEFEASANCE OR
COVENANT DEFEASANCE.
The Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any
time, elect to have either Section 1302 or Section 1303 applied to the
Outstanding Securities of this series upon compliance with the
conditions set forth below in this Article Thirteen.
Section 1302. DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE.
Upon the Company's exercise of the option provided in Section
1301 applicable to this Section, the Company shall be deemed to have
been discharged from its obligations with respect to the Outstanding
Securities of the series created by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture
on the date the conditions set forth below 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 the
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\
Outstanding Securities of this series and to have satisfied
all its other obligations under such Securities of this series
and this Indenture insofar as such Securities of this series
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: (A) the rights of Holders
of Outstanding Securities of this series to receive, solely
from the trust fund described in Section 1304 and as more
fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the
principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on such
securities when such payments are due, (B) the Company's
obligations with respect to such Securities of this series
under Sections 304, 305, 306, 1002 and 1003, (C) the rights,
powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder
and (D) this Article Thirteen. Subject to compliance with this
Article Thirteen, the Company may exercise its option under
this Section 1302 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its
option under Section 1303.
Section 1303. COVENANT DEFEASANCE.
Upon the Company's exercise of the option provided in Section
1301 applicable to this Section, the Company shall be released from its
obligations under Section 501(4) (in respect of the covenants in
Sections 1008 through 1010), Section 801 and Sections 1008 through
1010, the Securities of this series and the Holders of Securities of
this series, on and after the date the conditions set forth below are
satisfied (hereinafter, "covenant Defeasance"). For this purpose, such
covenant Defeasance means that 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, whether directly or indirectly, by
reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or by
reason of any reference in any such Section to any other provision
herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture
and such Securities of this series shall be unaffected thereby.
Section 1304. CONDITIONS TO DEFEASANCE OR COVENANT
DEFEASANCE.
The following shall be the conditions to application of either
Section 1302 or Section 1303 to the Outstanding Securities of this
series:
(1) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or
caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee
satisfying the requirements of Section 609 who shall agree to
comply with the provisions of this Article Thirteen 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 of this series, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S.
Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of
principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with
their terms will provide, not later than
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one day before the due date of any payment, money in an
amount, or (C) a combination thereof, sufficient, 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, the principal of, premium, if any, and
each installment of interest on the Securities of this series
on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of
interest on the day on which such payments are due and
payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of
such Securities of this series. For this purpose, "U.S.
Government Obligations" means securities that are (x) direct
obligations of the United States of America for the payment
of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (y)
obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and
acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States
of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed
as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of
America, which, in either case, are not callable or
redeemable at the option of the Company thereof, and shall
also include a depository receipt issued by a bank (as
defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended) as custodian with respect to any such U.S.
Government Obligation or a specific payment of principal of
or interest on any such U.S. Government Obligation held by
such custodian for the account of the holder of such
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 depositary receipt
from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the
U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of
principal of or interest on the U.S. Government Obligation
evidenced by such depositary receipt.
(2) No Event of Default or event which with notice or
lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit
or, insofar as subsections 501(6) and (7) are concerned, at
any time during the period ending on the 121st day after the
date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition
shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such
period).
(3) Such Defeasance or covenant Defeasance shall not
cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest as defined in
Section 608 and for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act with
respect to any securities of the Company.
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(4) Such Defeasance or covenant Defeasance shall not
result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default
under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to
which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.
(5) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee
an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each
stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to
either the Defeasance under Section 1302 or the covenant
Defeasance under Section 1303 (as the case may be) have been
complied with.
(6) In the case of an election under Section 1302,
the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of
Counsel 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 Fourth Supplemental
Indenture there has been a change in the applicable Federal
income tax law, in either case to the effect that and based
thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the
Outstanding Securities of this series will not recognize
income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a
result of such Defeasance or 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 Defeasance or covenant Defeasance had not occurred."
Section 1305. DEPOSITED MONEY AND U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS
TO BE HELD IN TRUST; OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section
1003, all money and U.S. Government Obligations (including the proceeds
thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying
trustee--collectively, for purposes of this Section 1305, the
"Trustee") pursuant to Section 1304 in respect of the Securities of
this series shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in
accordance with the provisions of such Securities of this series 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 Holders of such Securities of this
series, of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of
principal (and premium, if any) and interest, but such money need not
be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any
tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S.
Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 1304 or the
principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such
tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders
of the Outstanding Securities of this series.
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Anything in this Article Thirteen to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from
time to time upon Company Request any money or U.S. Government
Obligations held by it as provided in Section 1304 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 an equivalent Defeasance or covenant
Defeasance.
Section 1306. REINSTATEMENT.
If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any
money in accordance with Section 1302 or 1303 by reason of any order or
judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining
or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Company's
obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of this series
shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred
pursuant to this Article Thirteen until such time as the Trustee or
Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with
Section 1302 or 1303; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Company makes any
payment of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any
Security of this series following the reinstatement of its obligations,
the Company shall be subjugated to the rights of the Holders of such
Securities of this series to receive such payment from the money held
by the Trustee or the Paying Agent.
Section 404. REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES.
With respect to Securities of this series, Section 1101 of the
Indenture shall be deleted in its entirety and the following shall be
substituted therefor:
"Section 1101. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.
The Securities will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at the
option of the Company at any time at a redemption price equal
to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of such
Securities or (ii) as determined by a Quotation Agent, the sum
of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of
principal and interest thereon (not including any portion of
such payments of interest accrued as of the date of
redemption) discounted to the date of redemption on a
semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of
twelve 30-day months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate plus 10
basis points plus, in each case, accrued interest thereon to
the date of redemption."
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ARTICLE FIVE
GUARANTEE
Section 501. GUARANTEE.
Each Guarantor hereby jointly and severally fully and
unconditionally guarantees (each a "Guarantee") to each Holder of a Security
authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors
and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of the Indenture or
the Securities or the obligations of the Company or any other Guarantor to the
Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder, that (a) the principal of,
premium, if any, and interest on the Securities will be duly and punctually paid
in full when due, whether at maturity, upon redemption, by acceleration or
otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal and (to the extent permitted by
law) interest, if any, on the Securities and all other obligations of the
Company or the Guarantor to the Holders of or the Trustee under the Indenture or
the Securities hereunder (including fees, expenses or others) (collectively, the
"Obligations") will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance
with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities; and (b) in case of any
extension of time of payment or renewal of any Obligations, the same will be
promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the
extension or renewal, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration or otherwise.
If the Company shall fail to pay when due, or to perform, any Obligations, for
whatever reason, each Guarantor shall be obligated to pay, or to perform or
cause the performance of, the same immediately. An Event of Default under the
Indenture or the Securities shall constitute an event of default under this
Guarantee, and shall entitle the Holders of Securities to accelerate the
Obligations of the Guarantor hereunder in the same manner and to the same extent
as the Obligations of the Company.
Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder
shall be unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or
enforceability of the Securities or the Indenture, the absence of any action to
enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Securities with
respect to any provisions of the Indenture or the Securities, any release of any
other Guarantor, the recovery of any judgment against the Company, any action to
enforce the same, whether or not a Guarantee is affixed to any particular
Security, or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or
equitable discharge or defense of a Guarantor.
Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between it, on the one
hand, and the Holders of Securities and the Trustee, on the other hand, (a) the
maturity of the Obligations may be accelerated as provided in Article Five of
the Indenture for the purposes of the Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay,
injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the
Obligations, and (b) in the event of any acceleration of such Obligations as
provided in Article Five of the Indenture, such Obligations (whether or not due
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and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantor for the
purposes of its Guarantee.
Section 502. WAIVER OF DEMAND.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the
Guarantors waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest of any of
the Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance of its Guarantee and
notice of protest for nonpayment.
Section 503. GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT.
Each of the Guarantors further agrees that its Guarantee
constitutes a guarantee of payment when due and not of collection, and waives
any right to require that any resort be had by the Trustee or any Holder of the
Securities to the security, if any, held for payment of the Obligations.
Section 504. NO DISCHARGE OR DIMINISHMENT OF GUARANTEE.
Subject to Section 510 of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture,
the obligations of each of the Guarantors hereunder shall not be subject to any
reduction, limitation, impairment or for any reason (other than the indefeasible
payment in full in cash of the Obligations), including any claim of waiver,
release, surrender, alteration or compromise of any of the Obligations, and
shall not be subject to any defense or setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or
termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability of the Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the obligations of each of the Guarantors hereunder
shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by the failure of the
Trustee or any Holder of the Securities to assert any claim or demand or to
enforce any remedy under the Indenture or the Securities, any other guarantee or
any other agreement, by any waiver or modification of any provision of any
thereof, by any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the
performance of the Obligations, or by any other act or omission that may or
might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or that
would otherwise operate as a discharge of any Guarantor as a matter of law or
equity (other than the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the
Obligations).
Section 505. DEFENSES OF COMPANY WAIVED.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, each of the
Guarantors waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of the
Company or any other Guarantor or the unenforceability of the Obligations or any
part thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of
the Company, other than final and indefeasible payment in full in cash of the
Obligations. Each of the Guarantors waives any defense arising out of any such
election even though such election operates to impair or to extinguish any right
of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of each of the
Guarantors against the Company or any security.
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Section 506. CONTINUED EFFECTIVENESS.
Subject to Section 510 of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture,
each of the Guarantors further agrees that its Guarantee hereunder shall
continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time
payment, or any part thereof, of principal of or interest on any Obligation is
rescinded or must otherwise be restored by the Trustee or any Holder of the
Securities upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company.
Section 507. SUBROGATION.
In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any
other right of each of the Guarantors by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the
Company to pay any Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether at
maturity, by acceleration, after notice of prepayment or otherwise, each of the
Guarantors hereby promises to and will, upon receipt of written demand by the
Trustee or any Holder of the Securities, forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to
the Holders in cash the amount of such unpaid Obligations, and thereupon the
Holders shall, assign (except to the extent that such assignment would render a
Guarantor a "creditor" of the Company within the meaning of Section 547 of Title
11 of the United States Code as now in effect or hereafter amended or any
comparable provision of any successor statute) the amount of the Obligations
owed to it and paid by such Guarantor pursuant to this Guarantee to such
Guarantor, such assignment to be PRO RATA to the extent the Obligations in
question were discharged by such Guarantor, or make such other disposition
thereof as such Guarantor shall direct (all without recourse to the Holders, and
without any representation or warranty by the Holders). If (a) a Guarantor shall
make payment to the Holders of all or any part of the Obligations and (b) all
the Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture shall be indefeasibly paid in full, the Trustee will, at such
Guarantor's request, execute and deliver to such Guarantor appropriate
documents, without recourse and without representation or warranty, necessary to
evidence the transfer by subrogation to such Guarantor of an interest in the
Obligations resulting from such payment by such Guarantor.
Section 508. INFORMATION.
Each of the Guarantors assumes all responsibility for being
and keeping itself informed of the Company's financial condition and assets, and
of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the
Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that each of the
Guarantors assumes and incurs hereunder, and agrees that the Trustee and the
Holders of the Securities will have no duty to advise the Guarantors of
information known to it or any of them regarding such circumstances or risks.
Section 509. SUBORDINATION.
Upon payment by any Guarantor of any sums to the Holders, as
provided above, all rights of such Guarantor against the Company, arising as a
result thereof by way of right of subrogation or otherwise, shall in all
respects be subordinated and junior in right of payment to
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the prior indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Obligations to the
Trustee; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any right of subrogation that such Guarantor
may have pursuant to this Fourth Supplemental Indenture is subject to Section
507 hereof.
Section 510. TERMINATION.
A Guarantor shall, upon the occurrence of either of the
following events, be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged
from all obligations under this Fourth Supplemental Indenture and its Guarantee
without any action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder if such
release and discharge will not result in any downgrade in the rating given to
the Securities by ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Investors Service and Standard and Poor's Rating
Services:
(a) upon any sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition (by
merger or otherwise) of all of the Capital Stock of a Guarantor or all, or
substantially all, of the assets of such Guarantor, which sale or other
disposition is otherwise in compliance with the terms of the Indenture;
provided, however, that such Guarantor shall not be released and discharged from
its obligations under this Fourth Supplemental Indenture and its Guarantee if,
upon consummation of such sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition (by
merger or otherwise), such Guarantor remains or becomes a Guarantor under any
Credit Facility; or
(b) at the request of the Company, at any time that none of
the Credit Facilities are guaranteed by any Subsidiary of the Company.
The Trustee shall deliver an appropriate instrument evidencing such release upon
receipt of a request of the Company accompanied by an Officers' Certificate
certifying as to the compliance with this Section. Any Guarantor not so released
will remain liable for the full amount of the principal of, premium, if any, and
interest on the Notes provided in this Fourth Supplemental Indenture and its
Guarantee.
Section 511. GUARANTEES OF OTHER INDEBTEDNESS.
As long as the Securities are guaranteed by the Guarantors,
the Company will cause each of its Subsidiaries that becomes a Guarantor in
respect of (i) any Indebtedness of the Company which is outstanding on the date
hereof and (ii) any Indebtedness incurred by the Company after the date hereof
(other than in respect of asset-backed securities), to include in any guarantee
given by any such Guarantor, provisions similar to those set forth in Section
510 hereof.
Section 512. ADDITIONAL GUARANTORS.
The Company will cause each of its Subsidiaries that becomes a
Guarantor in respect of any Indebtedness of the Company following the date
hereof to execute and deliver a
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supplemental indenture pursuant to which it will become a Guarantor under this
Fourth Supplemental Indenture, if it has not already done so or unless the
Guarantor is prohibited from doing so by applicable law or a provision of a
contract to which it is a party or by which it is bound.
Section 513. LIMITATION OF GUARANTOR'S LIABILITY.
Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance hereof each Holder,
hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee
by such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for
purposes of Title 11 of the United States Code, the Uniform Fraudulent
Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar Federal of
state law. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Holders and such Guarantor
hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of such Guarantor under this
Fourth Supplemental Indenture and its Guarantee shall be limited to the maximum
amount which, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities
of such Guarantor, and after giving effect to any collections from or payments
made by or on behalf of, any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of
such Guarantor under its Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations
under this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, will result in the obligations of such
Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting such fraudulent transfer or
conveyance.
Section 514. CONTRIBUTION FROM OTHER GUARANTORS.
Each Guarantor that makes a payment or distribution under its
Guarantee shall be entitled to a contribution from each other Guarantor in a pro
rata amount based on the net assets of each Guarantor, determined in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles in effect in the United States of
America as of the date hereof.
Section 515. NO OBLIGATION TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE COMPANY.
Neither the Trustee, any Holder nor any other Person shall
have any obligation to enforce or exhaust any rights or remedies or take any
other steps under any security for the Obligations or against the Company or any
other Person or any property of the Company or any other Person before the
Trustee, such Holder or such other Person is entitled to demand payment and
performance by any or all Guarantors of their liabilities and obligations under
their Guarantee.
Section 516. DEALING WITH THE COMPANY AND OTHERS.
The Holders, without releasing, discharging, limiting or
otherwise affecting in whole or in part the obligations and liabilities of any
Guarantor hereunder and without the consent of or notice to any Guarantor, may:
(a) grant time, renewals, extensions, compromises,
concessions, waivers, releases, discharges and other indulgences to the Company
or any other Person;
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(b) take or abstain from taking security or collateral from
the Company or from perfecting security or collateral from the Company;
(c) release, discharge, compromise, realize, enforce or
otherwise deal with or do any act or thing in respect of (with or without
consideration) any and all collateral, mortgages or other security given by the
Company or any third party with respect to the Obligations;
(d) accept compromises or arrangements from the Company;
(e) apply all monies at any time received from the Company or
from any security to such part of the Obligations as the Holders may see fit or
change any such application in whole or in part from time to time as the Holders
may see fit; and
(f) otherwise deal with, or waive or modify their right to
deal with, the Company and all other Persons and any security as the Holders or
the Trustee may see fit.
Section 517. EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THE GUARANTEE.
(a) To further evidence the Guarantee set forth in this
Article Five, each Guarantor hereby agrees that a notation of such Guarantee
shall be endorsed on each Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee
and executed by either manual or facsimile signature of an officer of each
Guarantor. The corporate seal of a Guarantor may be reproduced on the executed
Guarantee and the execution thereof may be attested to by any appropriate
officer of the Guarantor, but neither such reproduction nor such attestation is
or shall be required.
(b) Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that its Guarantee
set forth in this Article Five shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Security a notation of such
Guarantee.
(c) If an officer of a Guarantor whose signature is on this
Fourth Supplemental Indenture or a Guarantee no longer holds that office at the
time the Trustee authenticates such Guarantee or at any time thereafter, such
Guarantor's Guarantee of such Security shall be valid nevertheless.
(d) The delivery of any Security by the Trustee, after the
authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of any Guarantee
set forth in this Fourth Supplemental Indenture on behalf of each Guarantor.
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ARTICLE SIX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 601. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Indenture,
as supplemented by this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the
same upon the terms and conditions of the Indenture, as supplemented by this
Fourth Supplemental Indenture.
(b) The recitals contained herein shall be taken as statements
of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness.
The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this
Fourth Supplemental Indenture.
(c) All capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall
have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
(d) Each of the Company and the Trustee makes and reaffirms as
of the date of execution of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture all of its
respective representations, covenants and agreements set forth in the Indenture.
(e) All covenants and agreements in this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture by the Company or the Trustee and each Guarantor shall bind its
respective successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
(f) In case any provisions in this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and
enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or
impaired thereby.
(g) Nothing in this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, express or
implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their
successors under the Indenture and the Holders of the series of Securities
created hereby, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under the Indenture.
(h) If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts
with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as may be amended from time
to time, that is required under such Act to be a part of and govern this Fourth
Supplemental Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any provision
hereof modifies or excludes any provision of such Act that may be so modified or
excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Fourth
Supplemental Indenture as so modified or excluded, as the case may be.
(i) This Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
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(j) All amendments to the Indenture made hereby shall have
effect only with respect to the series of Securities created hereby.
(k) All provisions of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall
be deemed to be incorporated in, and made a part of, the Indenture; and the
Indenture, as supplemented by this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, shall be read,
taken and construed as one and the same instrument.
This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts,
each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be
hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
Attest: THE KROGER CO.
Each of the Guarantors Listed on Schedule I
hereto, as Guarantor of the Securities
By:
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
Assistant Secretary/Secretary Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President and Treasurer
Attest: VINE COURT ASSURANCE INCORPORATED,
as Guarantor of the Securities
By:
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
Assistant Treasurer Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President
RICHIE'S INC., as Guarantor of the Securities
By:
----------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President and Secretary
ROCKET NEWCO, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Securities
HENPIL, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Securities
WYDIV, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Securities
By:
--------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President and Secretary
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SCHEDULE I
Guarantors
Name of Guarantor State of Organization
----------------- ---------------------
Alpha Beta Company California
Bay Area Warehouse Stores, Inc. California
▇▇▇▇ Markets, Inc. California
Cala Co. Delaware
Cala Foods, Inc. California
CB&S Advertising Agency, Inc. Oregon
City Market, Inc. Colorado
Compare, Inc. Delaware
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Stores, Inc. California
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc. Kansas
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Real Estate Co., Inc. Kansas
Distribution Trucking Company Oregon
Drugs Distributors, Inc. Indiana
FM Holding Corporation Delaware
FM Retail Services, Inc. Washington
FM, Inc. Utah
Food 4 Less GM, Inc. California
Food 4 Less Holdings, Inc. Delaware
Food 4 Less Merchandising, Inc. California
Food 4 Less of California, Inc. California
Food 4 Less of Southern California, Inc. Delaware
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc. Delaware
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Jewelers, Inc. Delaware
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ of Alaska, Inc. Alaska
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ of California, Inc. California
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Stores, Inc. Delaware
Grand Central, Inc. Utah
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Markets, Inc. California
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Realty, Inc. California
Inter-American Foods, Inc. Ohio
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Ice Cream Co., Inc. Kansas
JH Properties, Inc. Washington
Junior Food Stores of West Florida, Inc. Florida
J.V. Distributing, Inc. Michigan
KRGP Inc. Ohio
KRLP Inc. Ohio
Kroger Dedicated Logistics Co. Ohio
Kroger Limited Partnership I Ohio (limited partnership)
Kroger Limited Partnership II Ohio (limited partnership)
KU Acquisition Corporation Washington
Kwik Shop, Inc. Kansas
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Name of Guarantor State of Organization
----------------- ---------------------
Merksamer Jewelers, Inc. California
Mini Mart, Inc. Wyoming
Peyton's-Southeastern, Inc. Tennessee
QFC Sub, Inc. Washington
Quality Food Centers, Inc. Washington
Quality Food Holdings, Inc. Delaware
Quality Food, Inc. Delaware
Quik Stop Markets, Inc. California
Ralphs Grocery Company Delaware
Roundup Co. Washington
Saint ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Holding Company Delaware
Second Story, Inc. Washington
▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Beverage of Wyoming, Inc. Wyoming
▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Food & Drug Centers, Inc. Delaware
Smitty's Equipment Leasing, Inc. Delaware
Smitty's Super Valu, Inc. Delaware
Smitty's Supermarkets, Inc. Delaware
The Kroger Co. of Michigan Michigan
THGP Co., Inc. Pennsylvania
THLP Co., Inc. Pennsylvania
Topvalco, Inc. Ohio
Treasure Valley Land Company, L.C. Idaho
Turkey Hill, L.P. Pennsylvania (limited partnership)
▇▇▇▇▇ Aircraft, Inc. Kansas
Western Property Investment Group, Inc. California
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STATE OF _________ )
) ss.:
COUNTY OF _______ )
On the day of September, 1999, before me personally came
_______________, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say
that he is __________________ of The Kroger Co., and ____________________ of
each of the Guarantors Listed on Schedule I hereto, corporations described in
and which executed the foregoing instrument; that he knows the seals of said
corporations; that the seals affixed to said instrument are such corporate
seals; that they were so affixed by authority of the Board of Directors of such
corporations, and that he signed his name thereto by like authority.
STATE OF _________ )
) ss.:
COUNTY OF _______ )
On the day of September, 1999, before me personally came
______________, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say
that he is ________________ of Rocket Newco, Inc., Henpil, Inc. and Wydiv,
Inc., corporations described in and which executed the foregoing instrument;
that he knows the seals of said corporations; that the seals affixed to said
instrument are such corporate seals; that they were so affixed by authority of
the Board of Directors of said corporations, and that he signed his name
thereto by like authority.
--------------------------
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STATE OF _________ )
) ss.:
COUNTY OF _______ )
On the day of September, 1999, before me personally came
_______________, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say
that he is _________________ of Vine Court Assurance Incorporated, one of the
corporations described in and which executed the foregoing instrument; that he
knows the seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to said instrument is
such corporate seal; that it was so affixed by authority of the Boards of
Directors of said corporation, and that he signed his name thereto by like
authority.
--------------------------
STATE OF _________ )
) ss.:
COUNTY OF _______ )
On the day of September, 1999, before me personally came
______________, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say
that he is ____________ of Richie's, Inc., one of the corporations described in
and which executed the foregoing instrument; that he knows the seal of said
corporation; that the seal affixed to said instrument is such corporate seal;
that it was so affixed by authority of the Boards of Directors of said
corporation, and that he signed his name thereto by like authority.
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STATE OF __________ )
) ss.:
COUNTY OF ________ )
On the day of September, 1999, before me personally came
_________________, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say
that he is a _____________ of Firstar Bank, National Association, one of the
corporations described in and which executed the foregoing instrument; that he
knows the seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to said instrument is
such corporate seal; that it was so affixed by authority of the Board of
Directors of said corporation, and that he signed his name thereto by like
authority.
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