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Exhibit-4.1
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THE KROGER CO.
TO
Firstar Bank, National Association
Trustee
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INDENTURE
Dated as of June 25, 1999
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SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
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THE KROGER CO.
Certain Sections of this Indenture relating to
Sections 310 through 318, inclusive, of the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939:
Trust Indenture
Act Section Indenture Section
' 310(a)(1) ............................................... 609
(a)(2) ............................................... 609
(a)(3) ............................................... Not Applicable
(a)(4) ............................................... Not Applicable
(b) ............................................... 608
610
' 311(a) ............................................... 613
(b) ............................................... 613
' 312(a) ............................................... 701
702(a)
(b) ............................................... 702(b)
(c) ............................................... 702(c)
' 313(a) ............................................... 703(a)
(b) ............................................... 703(a)
(c) ............................................... 703(a)
(d) ............................................... 703(b)
' 314(a) ............................................... 704
(a)(4) ............................................... 101
1004
(b) ............................................... Not Applicable
(c)(1) ............................................... 102
(c)(2) ............................................... 102
(c)(3) ............................................... Not Applicable
(d) ............................................... Not Applicable
(e) ............................................... 102
' 315(a) ............................................... 601
(b) ............................................... 602
(c) ............................................... 601
(d) ............................................... 601
(e) ............................................... 514
' 316(a) ............................................... 101
(a)(1)(A) ............................................... 502
512
(a)(1)(B) ............................................... 513
(a)(2) ............................................... Not Applicable
(b) ............................................... 508
(c) ............................................... 104(c)
' 317(a)(1) ............................................... 503
(a)(2) ............................................... 504
(b) ............................................... 1003
' 318(a) ............................................... 107
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NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to
be a part of the Indenture.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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PARTIES............................................................................................ 1
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY............................................................................ 1
ARTICLE ONE
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DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
Section 101. Definitions............................................................. 1
Act..................................................................... 2
Administrative Agents................................................... 2
Affiliate; control...................................................... 2
Authenticating Agent.................................................... 3
Bank Agreement.......................................................... 3
Board of Directors...................................................... 3
Board Resolution........................................................ 3
Business Day............................................................ 3
Capital Stock........................................................... 3
Commission.............................................................. 3
Company................................................................. 4
Company Request; Company Order.......................................... 4
Corporate Trust Office.................................................. 4
corporation............................................................. 4
Defaulted Interest...................................................... 4
Depositary.............................................................. 4
Event of Default........................................................ 4
Exchange Act............................................................ 4
Global Security......................................................... 4
Holder.................................................................. 5
Indebtedness............................................................ 5
Indenture............................................................... 5
interest................................................................ 6
Interest Payment Date................................................... 6
Lien.................................................................... 6
Maturity................................................................ 6
Officers' Certificate................................................... 6
Opinion of Counsel...................................................... 7
Original Issue Discount Security........................................ 7
Outstanding............................................................. 7
Paying Agent............................................................ 8
Person.................................................................. 8
Place of Payment........................................................ 8
Predecessor Security.................................................... 9
Redemption Date......................................................... 9
Redemption Price........................................................ 9
Regular Record Date..................................................... 9
Securities.............................................................. 9
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Security Register and Security
Registrar.............................................................. 9
Special Record Date..................................................... 9
Stated Maturity......................................................... 9
Subsidiary.............................................................. 9
Trustee................................................................. 10
Trust Indenture Act..................................................... 10
Vice President.......................................................... 10
Wholly-owned Subsidiary................................................. 10
Section 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions.................................... 10
Section 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.................................. 11
Section 104. Acts of Holders; Record Dates........................................... 12
Section 105. Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company................................... 14
Section 106. Notice to Holders; Waiver............................................... 15
Section 107. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act....................................... 15
Section 108. Effect of Headings and
Table of Contents...................................................... 16
Section 109. Successors and Assigns.................................................. 16
Section 110. Separability Clause..................................................... 16
Section 111. Benefits of Indenture................................................... 16
Section 112. Governing Law........................................................... 16
Section 113. Legal Holidays.......................................................... 16
ARTICLE TWO
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SECURITY FORMS
Section 201. Forms Generally......................................................... 17
Section 202. Form of Face of Security................................................ 20
Section 203. Form of Reverse of Security............................................. 20
Section 204. Form of Legend for Global Securities.................................... 25
Section 205. Form of Trustee's Certificate of
Authentication......................................................... 26
ARTICLE THREE
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THE SECURITIES
Section 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.................................... 26
Section 302. Denominations........................................................... 30
Section 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery
and Dating............................................................. 31
Section 304. Temporary Securities.................................................... 33
Section 305. Registration, Registration of Transfer
and Exchange........................................................... 34
Section 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen
Securities............................................................. 36
Section 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights
Preserved.............................................................. 37
Section 308. Persons Deemed Owners................................................... 39
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Section 309. Cancellation............................................................ 39
Section 310. Computation of Interest................................................. 40
ARTICLE FOUR
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SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 401. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture................................. 40
Section 402. Application of Trust Money.............................................. 42
ARTICLE FIVE
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REMEDIES
Section 501. Events of Default....................................................... 42
Section 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission
and Annulment.......................................................... 45
Section 503. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits
for Enforcement by Trustee............................................. 47
Section 504. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim........................................ 48
Section 505. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without
Possession of Securities............................................... 48
Section 506. Application of Money Collected.......................................... 49
Section 507. Limitation on Suits..................................................... 49
Section 508. Unconditional Right of Holders to
Receive Principal, Premium and
Interest............................................................... 50
Section 509. Restoration of Rights and Remedies...................................... 51
Section 510. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.......................................... 51
Section 511. Delay or Omission Not Waiver............................................ 51
Section 512. Control by Holders...................................................... 52
Section 513. Waiver of Past Defaults................................................. 52
Section 514. Undertaking for Costs................................................... 53
Section 515. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws................................. 53
ARTICLE SIX
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THE TRUSTEE
Section 601. Certain Duties and Responsibilities..................................... 53
Section 602. Notice of Defaults...................................................... 54
Section 603. Certain Rights of Trustee............................................... 54
Section 604. Not Responsible for Recitals or
Issuance of Securities................................................. 56
Section 605. May Hold Securities..................................................... 56
Section 606. Money Held in Trust..................................................... 56
Section 607. Compensation and Reimbursement.......................................... 57
Section 608. Disqualification; Conflicting
Interests.............................................................. 57
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Section 609. Corporate Trustee Required;
Eligibility............................................................ 58
Section 610. Separate Trustee; Resignation and Removal;
Appointment of Successor............................................... 58
Section 611. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.................................. 60
Section 612. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or
Succession to Business................................................. 62
Section 613. Preferential Collection of Claims
Against Company........................................................ 62
Section 614. Appointment of Authenticating Agent..................................... 63
ARTICLE SEVEN
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HOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
Section 701. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and
Addresses of Holders................................................... 65
Section 702. Preservation of Information;
Communications to Holders.............................................. 66
Section 703. Reports by Trustee...................................................... 66
Section 704. Reports by Company...................................................... 67
ARTICLE EIGHT
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CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE
Section 801. Company and Subsidiaries May
Consolidate, Etc., Only on
Certain Terms........................................................... 67
Section 802. Successor Substituted................................................... 68
ARTICLE NINE
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SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
Section 901. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent
of Holders............................................................. 68
Section 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of
Holders................................................................ 70
Section 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures.................................... 72
Section 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures....................................... 72
Section 905. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act..................................... 72
Section 906. Reference in Securities to Supplemental
Indentures............................................................. 72
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ARTICLE TEN
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COVENANTS
Section 1001. Payment of Principal, Premium and
Interest............................................................... 73
Section 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency......................................... 73
Section 1003. Money for Securities Payments to Be
Held in Trust.......................................................... 74
Section 1004. Statement by Officers as to Default..................................... 75
Section 1005. Existence............................................................... 76
Section 1006. Maintenance of Properties............................................... 76
Section 1007. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims....................................... 76
Section 1008. Waiver of Certain Covenants............................................... 77
ARTICLE ELEVEN
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REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
Section 1101. Applicability of Article................................................ 77
Section 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee................................... 77
Section 1103. Selection by Trustee of Securities to
Be Redeemed............................................................ 78
Section 1104. Notice of Redemption.................................................... 79
Section 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price............................................. 79
Section 1106. Securities Payable on Redemption Date................................... 80
Section 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part............................................. 80
ARTICLE TWELVE
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SINKING FUNDS
Section 1201. Applicability of Article................................................ 81
Section 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments
with Securities........................................................ 81
Section 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking
Fund................................................................... 82
TESTIMONIUM........................................................................................ 83
SIGNATURES AND SEALS............................................................................... 83
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................... 84
INDENTURE, dated as of ........, 19.., 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 ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, and .............................., a
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........................... duly organized and existing under the laws of
........, as Trustee (herein called the "Trustee").
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of
this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured
debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the
"Securities"), to be issued in one or more series as in this Indenture provided.
All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement
of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
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 or of series thereof, as
follows:
ARTICLE ONE
Definitions and Other Provisions
of General Application
Section
101. DEFINITIONS.
For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise
expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(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;
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(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the
meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, and, except as otherwise herein expressly
provided, the term "generally accepted accounting principles" with
respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean
such accounting principles as are generally accepted and applied by the
Company on March 22, 1997; and
(4) the words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" and other
words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to
any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.
"Act", when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning
specified in Section 104.
"Administrative Agents" means Citibank, N.A. and The Chase
Manhattan Bank, as Administrative Agents under the Bank Agreement, and, upon
notice to the Company and the Trustee, any successors thereto under the Bank
Agreement.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person
directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect
common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Authenticating Agent" means any Person authorized by the
Trustee pursuant to Section 614 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate
Securities of one or more series.
"Bank Agreement" means the 364-Day Credit Agreement and the
Five-Year Credit Agreement, both dated as of May 28, 1997, among the Company,
the Lenders named therein, the Administrative Agents, and the Syndication Agent
and Documentation Agent named therein, as such Agreement (including, without
limitation, any "Loan Documents" (as defined in the Bank Agreement)) has been or
may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time, and includes any
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agreement extending the maturity of, refinancing or otherwise restructuring
(including, but not limited to, the inclusion of additional borrowers thereunder
that are Subsidiaries of the Company) all or any portion of the Obligations
under such Agreement or any successor agreement.
"Board of Directors" means either the board of directors of
the Company or any duly authorized committee of that board.
"Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted
by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification, and delivered to the Trustee.
"Business Day", when used with respect to any Place of
Payment, means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not
a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
"Capital Stock" means any and all shares, interests,
participations, warrants, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of
corporate stock.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as
from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument 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.
"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.
"Company Request" or "Company Order" means a written request
or order signed in the name of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its
Vice Chairman of the Board, its President or a Vice President, and by its
Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, and
delivered to the Trustee.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the principal office of the
Trustee in .................................
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.............................. at which at any particular time its corporate
trust business shall be administered.
"corporation" means a corporation, association, company,
joint-stock company or business trust.
"Defaulted Interest" has the meaning specified in Section 307.
"Depositary" means, with respect to the Securities of any
series issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global
Securities, the clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act specified for
that purpose as contemplated by Section 301.
"Event of Default" has the meaning specified in Section 501.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as it
may be amended and any successor act thereto.
"Global Security" means a Security bearing the legend
specified in Section 204 evidencing all or part of a series of Securities,
authenticated and delivered to the Depositary for such series or its nominee,
and registered in the name of such Depositary or nominee.
"Holder" means a Person in whose name a Security is registered
in the Security Register.
"Indebtedness" means (without duplication), with respect to
any Person, (i) every obligation of such Person for money borrowed, (ii) every
obligation of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar
instruments, (iii) every obligation of such Person issued or assumed as the
deferred purchase price of property, every conditional sale obligation and every
obligation under any title retention agreement, in each case if on terms
permitting any portion of the purchase price to be paid beyond one year from the
date of purchase (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary
course of business which are not overdue by more than 90 days or which are being
contested in good faith), (iv) every obligation of such Person issued or
contracted for as payment in consideration of the purchase by such Person or an
Affiliate of such Person of the Capital Stock or substantially all of the assets
of another Person or a merger or consolidation to which such Person or an
Affiliate of such Person was a party, (v) every obligation of the type referred
to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends
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of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is
responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, as obligor, guarantor or
otherwise, and (vi) every obligation of the type referred to in clauses (i)
through (v) of other Persons secured by any Lien on any property or asset of
such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the
amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such
property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured. "Indebtedness,"
however, does not include any obligation of any Person under any interest rate
swap, cap, collar or similar arrangement.
"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,
including, for all purposes of this instrument, and any such supplemental
indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a
part of and govern this instrument and any such supplemental indenture,
respectively. The term "Indenture" shall also include the terms of particular
series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 301.
"interest", when used with respect to an Original Issue
Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means
interest payable after Maturity.
"Interest Payment Date", when used with respect to any
Security, means the Stated Maturity of an instalment of interest on such
Security.
"Lien" means, with respect to any property or asset, any
mortgage or deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit
arrangement, security interest, lien, charge, easement (other than any easement
not materially impairing usefulness or marketability), encumbrance, preference,
priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or
nature whatsoever on or with respect to such property or asset (including,
without limitation, any conditional sale or other title retention agreement
having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
"Maturity", when used with respect to any Security, means the
date on which the principal of such Security or an instalment of principal
becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated
Maturity
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or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the
Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, 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. One of the
officers signing an Officers' Certificate given pursuant to Section 1004 shall
be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Company.
"Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of counsel, who
may be an employee of the Company or counsel for the Company, and who shall be
acceptable to the Trustee.
"Original Issue Discount Security" means any Security which
provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and
payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to
Section 502.
"Outstanding", when used with respect to Securities, means, as
of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and
delivered under this Indenture, EXCEPT:
(i) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;
(ii) Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the
necessary amount has been theretofore deposited 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; and
(iii) Securities which have 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, other than any
such Securities in respect of which there shall have been pre-
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sented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are
held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid
obligations of the Company;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, (i) the principal
amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be
Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and
payable as of the date of such determination upon acceleration of the Maturity
thereof pursuant to Section 502, (ii) the principal amount of a Security
denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units shall be the
U.S. dollar equivalent, determined in the manner provided as contemplated by
Section 301 on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal
amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the U.S. dollar
equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the amount
determined as provided in (i) above) of such Security, and (iii) Securities
owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate
of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to
be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be
protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction,
notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which the Trustee knows to be so
owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in
good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the
satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee's right so to act with respect to such
Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the
Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor.
"Paying Agent" means any Person authorized by the Company to
pay the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities on behalf of
the Company.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or
political subdivision thereof.
"Place of Payment", when used with respect to the Securities
of any series, means the place or places where the principal of and any premium
and interest on the
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Securities of that series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section
301.
"Predecessor Security" of any particular Security means every
previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt 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 mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed to
evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.
"Redemption Date", when used with respect to any Security to
be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this
Indenture.
"Redemption Price", when used with respect to any Security to
be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this
Indenture.
"Regular Record Date" for the interest payable on any Interest
Payment Date on the Securities of any series means the date specified for that
purpose as contemplated by Section 301.
"Securities" has the meaning stated in the first recital of
this Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and
delivered under this Indenture.
"Security Register" and "Security Registrar" have the
respective meanings specified in Section 305.
"Special Record Date" for the payment of any Defaulted
Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 307.
"Stated Maturity", when used with respect to any Security or
any instalment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date
specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such
Security or such instalment of principal or interest is due and payable.
"Subsidiary" means a corporation more than 50% of the
outstanding voting stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Company or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more
other Subsidiaries. For the purposes of this definition, "voting stock" means
stock which ordinarily has voting power for the election of directors, whether
at all times or only so long
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as no senior class of stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency.
"Trustee" initially means the Person named as the "Trustee" in
the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have
become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and
thereafter "Trustee" shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee
hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, "Trustee" as
used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with
respect to Securities of that series.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as
in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such
date, "Trust Indenture Act" means, to the extent required by any such amendment,
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.
"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".
"Wholly-owned Subsidiary" means a Subsidiary, all of the
outstanding Capital Stock of which (other than directors' qualifying shares)
shall at the time be owned by the Company or by one or more Wholly-owned
Subsidiaries or by the Company and one or more Wholly-owned Subsidiaries.
Section 102. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATES AND OPINIONS.
Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee
to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall
furnish to the Trustee such certificates and opinions as may be required under
the Trust Indenture Act. Each such certificate or opinion shall be given in the
form of an Officers' Certificate, if to be given by an officer of the Company,
or an Opinion of Counsel, if to be given by counsel, and shall comply with the
requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and any other requirements set forth in
this Indenture.
Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include
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(1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate
or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions
herein relating thereto;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions
contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual,
he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable
him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant
or condition has been complied with; and
(4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 103. FORM OF DOCUMENTS DELIVERED TO TRUSTEE.
In any case where several matters are required to be certified
by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that
all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such
Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one
such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one
or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify
or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be
based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of,
or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of
reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations
with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are
erroneous. Any such certificate or opinion of counsel may be based, insofar as
it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the
information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the
Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should
know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such
matters are erroneous.
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Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or
more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or
other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated
and form one instrument.
Section 104. ACTS OF HOLDERS; RECORD DATES.
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice,
consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be 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 agent duly
appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such
action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered
to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such
instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced
thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of the Holders signing
such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of
a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this
Indenture and (subject to Section 601) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and
the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Holder,
including a Depositary 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 action provided in
this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a Depositary 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.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any
such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such
execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by
law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing
such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such
execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual
capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof
of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or
writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be
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proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.
(c) The Company may, in the circumstances permitted by the
Trust Indenture Act, and to the extent required by this Indenture shall, fix any
day as the record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Securities
of any series entitled to give or take any request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, or to vote on any action,
authorized or permitted to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such
series; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event may the Company set a record date
for the purpose of determining the Holders of the Securities entitled to give or
take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or
other action pursuant to Section 501, 502 (other than the second paragraph
thereof), 507 or 512. Except as otherwise provided herein, if not set by the
Company prior to the first solicitation of a Holder of Securities of such series
made by any Person in respect of any such action, or, in the case of any such
vote, prior to such vote, the record date for any such action or vote shall be
the 30th day (or, if later, the date of the most recent list of Holders required
to be provided pursuant to Section 701) prior to such first solicitation or
vote, as the case may be. With regard to any record date for action to be given
or taken or voted upon by the Holders of one or more series of Securities, only
the Holders of Securities of such series on such date (or their duly designated
proxies) shall be entitled to give or take, or vote on, the relevant action.
(d) The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the
Security Register.
(e) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice,
consent, waiver or other Act of 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, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or
the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made
upon such Security.
Section 105. NOTICES, ETC., TO TRUSTEE AND COMPANY.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice,
consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by
this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,
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(1) the Trustee by any Holder or by 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,
Attention: ................., or
(2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be
sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein
expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage
prepaid, to the Company addressed to it 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; WAIVER.
Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any
event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein
expressly provided) 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 (if any), and not earlier than the
earliest date (if any), 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 shall
affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders. 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 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.
In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or
by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by
mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee
shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.
Section 107. CONFLICT WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT.
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If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a
provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under such Act to be a
part of and govern this Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any
provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust
Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be
deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded.
Section 108. 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 109. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.
All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company
shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
Section 110. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE.
In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities
shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and
enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or
impaired thereby.
Section 111. BENEFITS OF INDENTURE.
Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, express or
implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their
successors hereunder and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.
Section 112. GOVERNING LAW.
This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Section 113. LEGAL HOLIDAYS.
In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date
or Stated Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of
Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the
Securities (other than a provision of the Securities of any
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series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this
Section)) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be
made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next
succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect
as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated
Maturity, PROVIDED that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after
such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity, as the case may
be.
ARTICLE TWO
Security Forms
Section 201. FORMS GENERALLY.
The Securities of each series shall be in substantially the
form set forth in this Article, or in such other form as shall be established by
or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental
hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions
and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may
have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or
endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any
securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the
officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the
Securities. If the form of Securities of any series is established by action
taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such
action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the
Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company
Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such
Securities.
The definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or
engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all
as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their
execution of such Securities.
Section 202. FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY.
[INSERT ANY LEGEND REQUIRED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE AND
THE REGULATIONS THEREUNDER.]
THE KROGER CO.
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............................................
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 ...................... ........................... [IF THE SECURITY
IS TO BEAR INTEREST PRIOR TO MATURITY, INSERT -- , and to pay interest thereon
from ............. or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which
interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on ............ and
............ in each year, commencing ........., at the rate of ....% per annum,
until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment [IF APPLICABLE,
INSERT -- , and at the rate of ....% per annum on any overdue principal and
premium and on any overdue instalment of interest]. 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 Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the ....... or
....... (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 of this series
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].
[IF THE SECURITY IS NOT TO BEAR INTEREST PRIOR TO MATURITY,
INSERT -- The principal of this Security shall not bear interest except in the
case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or
at Stated
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Maturity and in such case the overdue principal of this Security shall bear
interest at the rate of ....% per annum, which shall accrue from the date of
such default in payment to the date payment of such principal has been made or
duly provided for. Interest on any overdue principal shall be payable on demand.
Any such interest on any overdue principal that is not so paid on demand shall
bear interest at the rate of ......% per annum, which shall accrue from the date
of such demand for payment to the date payment of such interest has been made or
duly provided for, and such interest shall also be payable on demand.]
Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and [IF
APPLICABLE, INSERT -- any such] interest on this Security will be made at the
office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in ............, 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 [IF APPLICABLE, INSERT
-- ; 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].
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.
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:
...........................
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Section 203. FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY.
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities
of the Company (herein called the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one
or more series under an Indenture, dated as of ............., 1998 (herein
called the "Indenture"), between the Company and ..............., 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 Trustee and the
Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and
are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series
designated on the face hereof[, limited in aggregate principal amount to
$...........].
[IF APPLICABLE, INSERT -- The Securities of this series are
subject to redemption upon not less than 30 days' notice by mail, [IF
APPLICABLE, INSERT -- (1) on ........... in any year commencing with the year
...... and ending with the year ...... through operation of the sinking fund for
this series at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount, and
(2)] at any time [on or after .........., 19..], as a whole or in part, at the
election of the Company, at the following Redemption Prices (expressed as
percentages of the principal amount): If redeemed [on or before ...............,
__%, and if redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning ............. of the
years indicated,
Year Redemption Year Redemption
---- Price ---- Price
----- -----
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and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to .....% of the principal amount,
together in the case of any such redemption [IF APPLICABLE, INSERT -- (whether
through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise)] with accrued interest to
the Redemption Date, but interest instalments whose Stated Maturity is on or
prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities,
or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the
relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the
Indenture.]
[IF APPLICABLE, INSERT -- The Securities of this series are
subject to redemption upon not less than 30 days' notice by mail, (1) on
............ in any year commencing with the year .... and ending with the year
.... through operation of the sinking fund for this series at the Redemption
Prices for redemption through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as
percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below, and (2) at
any time [on or after ............], as a whole or in part, at the election of
the Company, at the Redemption Prices for redemption otherwise than through
operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount)
set forth in the table below: If redeemed during the 12-month period beginning
............ of the years indicated,
Year Redemption Price
---- For Redemption Redemption Price For
Through Operation Redemption Otherwise
of the Than Through Operation
Sinking Fund of the Sinking Fund
------------ -------------------
and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to .....% of the principal amount,
together in the case of any such redemption (whether through operation of the
sinking fund or otherwise) with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but
interest instalments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption
Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more
Predecessor Securities, of record
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at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face
hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]
[Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not, prior to
............., redeem any Securities of this series as contemplated by [Clause
(2) of] the preceding paragraph as a part of, or in anticipation of, any
refunding operation by the application, directly or indirectly, of moneys
borrowed having an interest cost to the Company (calculated in accordance with
generally accepted financial practice) of less than .....% per annum.]
[The sinking fund for this series provides for the redemption
on ............ in each year beginning with the year ....... and ending with the
year ...... of [not less than $.......... ("mandatory sinking fund") and not
more than] $......... aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series.
Securities of this series acquired or redeemed by the Company otherwise than
through [mandatory] sinking fund payments may be credited against subsequent
[mandatory] sinking fund payments otherwise required to be made [in the inverse
order in which they become due].]
[IF THE SECURITY IS SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, INSERT -- In the
event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities
of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be
issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.]
[IF THE SECURITY IS NOT AN ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT SECURITY,
INSERT -- If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall
occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture.]
[IF THE SECURITY IS AN ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT SECURITY,
INSERT -- If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall
occur and be continuing, an amount of principal of the Securities of this series
may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in
the Indenture. Such amount shall be equal to -- INSERT FORMULA FOR DETERMINING
THE AMOUNT. Upon payment (i) of the amount of principal so declared due and
payable and (ii) of interest on any overdue principal and overdue
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interest, all of the Company's obligations in respect of the payment of the
principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of this series shall
terminate.]
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 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 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 herefor 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 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.
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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
this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same
aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or
transferees.
The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered
form without coupons in denominations of $....... and any integral multiple
thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate
principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different
authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.
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.
Section 204. FORM OF LEGEND FOR GLOBAL SECURITIES.
Any Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder
shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
"This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the
Indenture hereinafter referred
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to and is registered in the name of a Depositary or a nominee of a
Depositary. 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."
Section 205. FORM OF TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF
AUTHENTICATION.
The Trustee's certificates 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.
..............................
As Trustee
By............................
Authorized Officer
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. There
shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution and, subject to
Section 303, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers'
Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior
to the issuance of Securities of any series,
(1) the title of the Securities of the series (which shall
distinguish the Securi-
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ties of the series from Securities of any other series);
(2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the
Securities of the 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 the series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1107
and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are
deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);
(3) the Person to whom any interest on a Security of the
series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that
Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the
close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest;
(4) the date or dates on which the principal of the
Securities of the series is payable;
(5) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series
shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest
shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest
shall be payable and the Regular Record Date for any interest payable
on any Interest Payment Date;
(6) the place or places where the principal of and any
premium and interest on Securities of the series shall be payable;
(7) the period or periods within which, the price or prices
at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the
series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the
Company;
(8) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or
purchase Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or
analogous provisions or at the option of a
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Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or
prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of
the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part,
pursuant to such obligation;
(9) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral
multiple thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series
shall be issuable;
(10) the currency, currencies or currency units in which
payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on any
Securities of the series shall be payable if other than the currency of
the United States of America and the manner of determining the
equivalent thereof in the currency of the United States of America for
purposes of the definition of "Outstanding" in Section 101;
(11) if the amount of payments of principal of or any premium
or interest on any Securities of the series may be determined with
reference to an index, the manner in which such amounts shall be
determined;
(12) if the principal of or any premium or interest on any
Securities of the series is to be payable, at the election of the
Company or a Holder thereof, in one or more currencies or currency
units other than that or those in which the Securities are stated to be
payable, the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of
the principal of and any premium and interest on Securities of such
series as to which such election is made shall be payable, and the
periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which such
election is to be made;
(13) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion
of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be
payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof
pursuant to Section 502;
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(14) whether the Securities of the Series shall be issued in
whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in
such case, the Depositary or Depositaries with respect to such Global
Security or Securities and the circumstances under which any such
Global Security may be registered for transfer or exchange, or
authenticated and delivered, in the name of a Person other than such
Depositary or its nominee, if other than as set forth in Section 305;
(15) any other event or events of default applicable with
respect to the Securities of the series in addition to those provided
in Section 501(1) through (7);
(16) any other covenant or warranty included for the benefit
of Securities of the series in addition to (and not inconsistent with)
those included in this Indenture for the benefit of Securities of all
series, or any other covenant or warranty included for the benefit of
Securities of the series in lieu of any covenant or warranty included
in this Indenture for the benefit of Securities of all series, or any
provision that any covenant or warranty included in this Indenture for
the benefit of Securities of all series shall not be for the benefit of
Securities of such series, or any combination of such covenants,
warranties or provisions;
(17) the terms pursuant to which (i) the Company may
consolidate with or merge into any other Person, (ii) any Subsidiary of
the Company may consolidate with or merge into another Person in a
transaction in which such Subsidiary remains a Subsidiary, (iii) any
other Person may consolidate with or merge into any Subsidiary in which
such Subsidiary remains a Subsidiary, or (iv) any other Person may,
directly or indirectly, sell, assign, convey, transfer or lease its
properties substantially as an entirety to the Company; and
(18) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be
inconsistent with
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the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section
901(5)).
All Securities of any one series shall be substantially
identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be
provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above and
(subject to Section 303) set forth, or determined in the manner
provided, in the Officers' Certificate referred to above or in any such
indenture supplemental hereto.
If any of the terms of the series are established by action
taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record
of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to
the delivery of the Officers' Certificate setting forth the terms of
the series.
Section 302. DENOMINATIONS.
The Securities of each series shall be issuable in registered
form without coupons in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated
by Section 301. In the absence of any such provisions with respect to the
Securities of any series, the Securities of such series shall be issuable in
denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.
Section 303. EXECUTION, AUTHENTICATION, DELIVERY AND
DATING.
The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
its Chairman of the Board, its Vice Chairman of the Board, its President or one
of its Vice Presidents, under its corporate seal reproduced thereon attested by
its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these
officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.
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Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of
individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind
the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to
hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such 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 of any Series
executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a
Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the
Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such
Securities. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been
established in or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions as permitted by
Sections 201 and 301, 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 Section 601) shall be
fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,
(a) if the form of such Securities has been established by or
pursuant to Board Resolution as permitted by Section 201, that
such form has been established in conformity with the provisions
of this Indenture;
(b) if the terms of such Securities have been established by
or pursuant to Board Resolution as permitted by Section 301, that
such terms have been established in conformity with the
provisions of this Indenture; and
(c) that such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by
the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject
to any conditions specified in such Opinion
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of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations
of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms,
subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to
general equity principles.
If such form or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not be
required to authenticate such 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.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the
preceding paragraph, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally
issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers'
Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or the Company Order and
Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to such preceding paragraph at or
prior to the time of authentication of each Security of such series if such
documents are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance
of the first Security of such series to be issued.
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
herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature, and such certificate upon
any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such
Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered
hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall
deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section
309, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to
have been authenticated and delivered
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hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.
Section 304. TEMPORARY SECURITIES.
Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any
series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities 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 and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and
other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as
evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company
will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without
unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such
series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for
definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities
of such series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for
that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of
any one or more temporary Securities of any series the Company shall execute and
the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor one or more
definitive Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of
a like aggregate principal amount and tenor. 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 and tenor.
Section 305. REGISTRATION, REGISTRATION OF
TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE.
The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust
Office of the Trustee a register (the register maintained in such office and in
any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein
sometimes collectively referred to as the "Security Register") in which, subject
to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide
for the registration of Securities and of transfers of Securities. The Trustee
is hereby
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appointed "Security Registrar" for the purpose of registering Securities and
transfers of Securities as herein provided.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of
any series at the office or agency in a Place of Payment for that 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, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate
principal amount and tenor.
At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be
exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any authorized
denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, upon surrender
of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. 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.
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 entitled 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 shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee) be
duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar 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, 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, 906 or 1107 not involving any transfer.
The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the
transfer of or exchange Securities of any series during a period beginning at
the opening
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of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of
Securities of that series selected for redemption under Section 1103 and ending
at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the
transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in
part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Global Security shall be
registered for transfer or exchange, or authenticated and delivered, whether
pursuant to this Section, Section 304, 306, 906 or 1107 or otherwise, in the
name of a Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or its
nominee until (i) the Depositary with respect to a Global Security notifies the
Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global
Security or the Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the
Exchange Act, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company
Order that such Global Security shall be so transferable and exchangeable or
(iii) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, or any
event which after notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of
Default, with respect to the Securities of such series. Upon the occurrence in
respect of any Global Security of any series of any one or more of the
conditions specified in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence or
such other conditions as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 for
such series, such Global Security may be registered for transfer or exchange for
Securities registered in the names of, or authenticated and delivered to, such
Persons as the Depositary with respect to such series shall direct.
Except as provided in the preceding paragraph, any Security
authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange
for, or in lieu of, any Global Security, whether pursuant to this Section,
Section 304, 306, 906 or 1107 or otherwise, shall also be a Global Security and
bear the legend specified in Section 204.
Section 306. MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST AND STOLEN
SECURITIES.
If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the
Company shall execute and the Trustee
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shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same
series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not
contemporaneously outstanding.
If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (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 the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security
of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number
not contemporaneously outstanding.
In case any such 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 of any series issued pursuant to this
Section in lieu of any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall
constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether
or not the mutilated, 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 that
series duly issued hereunder.
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall
preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to
the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
Section 307. PAYMENT OF INTEREST; INTEREST RIGHTS
PRESERVED.
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Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301
with respect to any series of Securities, interest on any Security which is
payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment
Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more
Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular
Record Date for such interest.
Any interest on any Security of any series which is payable,
but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date
(herein called "Defaulted Interest") shall forthwith cease to be payable to the
Holder on the 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 Persons in whose names the Securities of such
series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are
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 each Security of such series and the date of the proposed
payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the
Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed
to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make
arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior
to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to
be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such
Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. Thereupon the
Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such
Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not
less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and
not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the
notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify
the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at
the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed
payment of such
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Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be
mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Securities
of such series at his address as it appears in the Security
Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record
Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest
and the Special Record Date therefor having been so mailed, such
Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names
the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor
Securities) are 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 on
the Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not
inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on
which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may
be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the
Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this
Clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the
Trustee.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, 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
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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 as the owner of
such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and any
premium and (subject to Section 307) any interest on such Security and for all
other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither
the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be
affected by notice to the contrary.
Section 309. CANCELLATION.
All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption,
registration of transfer or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund
payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered
to the Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by it. 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 may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for
delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously
authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all
Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled 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 this
Indenture. All cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of as
directed by a Company Order.
Section 310. COMPUTATION OF INTEREST.
Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301
for Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be
computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
ARTICLE FOUR
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Satisfaction and Discharge
Section 401. SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF
INDENTURE.
This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of
further effect (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or
exchange of Securities herein expressly provided for), and the Trustee, at the
expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when
(1) either
(A) all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered
(other than (i) Securities which have been destroyed, lost or
stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in
Section 306 and (ii) Securities 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 such Securities 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) 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
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caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust
for the purpose an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the
entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered
to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium
and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of
Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated
Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;
(2 the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other
sums payable hereunder by the Company; 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 have been complied
with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this
Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 607, the
obligations of the Trustee to any Authenticating Agent under Section 614 and, if
money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of
Clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and
the last paragraph of Section 1003 shall survive.
Section 402. APPLICATION OF TRUST MONEY.
Subject to provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003,
all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 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 and any premium and
interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee.
ARTICLE FIVE
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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):
(1 default in the payment of any interest upon any Security of that
series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a
period of 30 days; or
(2 default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any,
on) any Security of that series at its Maturity; or
(3 default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as
due by the terms of a Security of that series; or
(4 default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or
warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a
default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section
specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture
solely for the benefit of series of Securities other than that series), and
continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has
been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to
the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount
of the Outstanding Securities of that 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
(5 a default under any Indebtedness by the Company (including a
default with respect
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to Securities of any series other than that series) or under any bond,
debenture, note, mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be
issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness by the
Company (including this Indenture) with a principal amount then outstanding in
excess of $50,000,000, whether such Indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter
be created, which default shall constitute a failure to pay the principal of
such Indebtedness at final maturity or shall have resulted in such Indebtedness
becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would
otherwise have become due and payable, without such Indebtedness having been
discharged, or such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled, within a
period of 10 days after there shall have 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
that series a written notice specifying such default and requiring the Company
to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged or cause such acceleration to be
rescinded or annulled and stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default"
hereunder; or
(6 the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a
decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or
proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other similar law or (B) a decree or order adjudging 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 under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a
custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other
similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or
ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of
any such decree or
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order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a
period of 90 consecutive days; or
(7 the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case or proceeding
under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or
other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a
bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree or order
for relief in respect of the Company in 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 it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent
seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or
the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or
taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee,
sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part
of its property, or the making by it of a general assignment for the benefit of
creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts
generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company
in furtherance of any such action; or
(8 any other Event of Default provided with respect to
Securities of that series.
Section 502. ACCELERATION OF MATURITY; RESCISSION
AND ANNULMENT.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any
series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every such case
the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal amount (or, if
any of the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities,
such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified in
the terms thereof) of all
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of the Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately, by
a notice in writing to the Company and the Administrative Agents (and
to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration
such principal amount (or specified amount) shall become due and
payable five Business Days after the receipt by the Company and the
Administrative Agents of such written notice, provided such Event of
Default is then continuing; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the preceding
proviso shall not restrict the availability of other rights or
remedies that the Trustee or the Holders may have.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect
to Securities of any series has been made 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
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that 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
sufficient to pay
(A) all overdue interest on all Securities of that series,
(B) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Securities of that series
which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of
acceleration and any interest thereon at the rate or rates
prescribed therefor in such Securities,
(C) interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in
such Securities, and
(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable
compensation, expenses, disbursements and
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advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel;
and
(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that
series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities
of that series which have become due solely by such declaration
of acceleration, 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 becomes due and payable and such
default continues for a period of 30 days, or
(2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or
premium, if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof,
the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the
Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such
Securities for principal and any premium and interest and interest on any
overdue principal and premium and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates
prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further
amount 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.
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
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Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the
Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights,
whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this
Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce
any other proper remedy.
Section 504. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM.
In case of any judicial proceeding relative to the Company (or
any other obligor upon the Securities), its property or its creditors, the
Trustee shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or
otherwise, to take any and all actions authorized under the Trust Indenture Act
in order to have claims of the Holders and the Trustee allowed in any such
proceeding. In particular, the Trustee shall be authorized to collect and
receive any moneys 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 to make such payments to the
Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such
payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due 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 607.
No provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to authorize
the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any
Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition
affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the
Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, the Trustees may vote on behalf of the Holders for the
election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and may be a member of a
creditors or other similar committee.
Section 505. TRUSTEE MAY ENFORCE CLAIMS WITHOUT
POSSESSION OF SECURITIES.
All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the
Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession
of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any
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proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee
shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any
recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable
compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents
and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities 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
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 the 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 under
Section 607; and
SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for
principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities in
respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been
collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind,
according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for
principal and any premium and interest, respectively.
Section 507. LIMITATION 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 that series;
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(2) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of
the Outstanding Securities of that 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;
(3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee
reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities
to be incurred in compliance with such request;
(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice,
request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such
proceeding; and
(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has
been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of that series;
it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have
any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision
of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of
such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any
other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in
the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such
Holders.
Section 508. UNCONDITIONAL RIGHT OF HOLDERS TO
RECEIVE PRINCIPAL, PREMIUM AND 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 and any premium and
(subject to Section 307) any interest on such Security on the Stated Maturity or
Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the
Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment,
and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
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Section 509. RESTORATION OF RIGHTS AND REMEDIES.
If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to
enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding 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, subject to any
determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall
be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and
thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue
as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 510. RIGHTS AND REMEDIES CUMULATIVE.
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 the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right
or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be
cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or
now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or
employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the
concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
Section 511. DELAY OR OMISSION NOT WAIVER.
No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any
Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default
shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event
of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this
Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to
time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders,
as the case may be.
Section 512. CONTROL BY HOLDERS.
The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time,
method and place of
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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, and
(2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the
Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.
Section 513. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS.
The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of
the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the
Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such
series and its consequences, except a default
(1) in the payment of the principal of or any premium or
interest on any Security of such series, or
(2) 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.
Section 514. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS.
In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under
this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken,
suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in
such suit to file an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and may assess
costs against any
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such party litigant, in the manner and to the extent provided in the Trust
Indenture Act; PROVIDED that neither this Section nor the Trust Indenture Act
shall be deemed to authorize any court to require such an undertaking or to make
such an assessment in any suit instituted by the Company.
Section 515. WAIVER OF USURY, STAY OR EXTENSION LAWS.
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do
so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner
whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or
extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may
affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to
the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or
advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede
the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and
permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
ARTICLE SIX
The Trustee
Section 601. CERTAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
The duties and responsibilities of the Trustee shall be as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, 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.
Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture
relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to
the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.
Section 602. NOTICE OF DEFAULTS.
If a default occurs hereunder with respect to Securities of
any series, the Trustee shall give the
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Holders of Securities of such series notice of such default as and to the extent
provided by the Trust Indenture Act; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the case of any
default of the character specified in Section 501(4) with respect to Securities
of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 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. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.
Subject to the provisions of Section 601:
(a the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or
refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture,
note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it
to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or
parties;
(b any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall
be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any
resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board
Resolution;
(c whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee
shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking,
suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence
be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part,
rely upon an Officers' Certificate;
(d the Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of
such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization
and protection in respect of any action taken,
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suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance
thereon;
(e the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise
any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the
request or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this Indenture,
unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable
security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which
might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;
(f the Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its
discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such
facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine
to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to
examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or
by agent or attorney; and
(g the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers
hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or
through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible
for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney
appointed with due care by it hereunder.
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Section 604. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR
ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES.
The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except
the Trustee's certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements
of the Company, and the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent assumes no
responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to
the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee
or any Authenticating Agent shall not be accountable for the use or application
by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.
Section 605. MAY HOLD SECURITIES.
The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any
Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any
other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to
Sections 608 and 613, 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 agent.
Section 606. MONEY HELD IN TRUST.
Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be
segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee
shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder
except as otherwise agreed with the Company.
Section 607. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.
The Company agrees
(1 to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which
compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to
the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);
(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
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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 its
negligence or bad faith; and
(3 to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless
against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or
bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the
acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder,
including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim
or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of
its powers or duties hereunder.
Section 608. DISQUALIFICATION; CONFLICTING
INTERESTS.
If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting
interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either
eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by,
and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture.
Section 609. CORPORATE TRUSTEE REQUIRED;
ELIGIBILITY.
There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which
shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as
such and has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 [and its
Corporate Trust Office in ...............................]. If such Person
publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the
requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes
of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed
to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of
condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in
accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in
the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.
Section 610. SEPARATE TRUSTEE;
RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL;
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APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR.
(a The Company may, but need not, appoint a separate Trustee
for any one or more series of Securities.
(b) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no
appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become
effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in
accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 611.
(c) 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 611 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after
the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with
respect to the Securities of such series.
(d) 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 to
the Company.
(e) If at any time:
(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 608 after
written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a
bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or
(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 609
and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company
or by any such Holder, or
(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be
adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its
property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or
control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of
rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
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then, in any such case, (i) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the
Trustee with respect to all securities, or (ii) subject to Section 514, any
Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security 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 and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.
(f) 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
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 611. 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
611, 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 and accepted appointment in the
manner required by Section 611, any Holder 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.
(g) 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
to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided in Section
106. 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.
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Section 611. ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT BY
SUCCESSOR.
(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor
Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so
appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the
retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the
resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such
successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become
vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee;
but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring
Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument
transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the
retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor
Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.
(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor
Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the
Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the
Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture
supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment
and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable
to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the
rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the
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 and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a
trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder
administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of
such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of
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the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and
each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall
become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring
Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the
appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or
any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and
deliver to such successor Trustee all 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.
(c) Upon request of any such 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 (a) and (b) of this Section, as the case may be.
(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless
at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and
eligible under this Article.
Section 612. MERGER, CONVERSION, CONSOLIDATION
OR SUCCESSION TO BUSINESS.
Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a
party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate
trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder,
provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this
Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been
authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor
by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt
such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same
effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.
Section 613. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS
AGAINST COMPANY.
If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the
Company (or any other obligor upon the
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Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or any
such other obligor).
Section 614. APPOINTMENT OF AUTHENTICATING AGENT.
The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with
respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on
behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon
original issue and upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption
thereof 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. Each Authenticating Agent shall be
acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and
doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof
or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating
Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and
subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such
Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant
to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then
for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such
Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as
set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an
Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately
in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.
Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be
merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation
resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such
Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the
corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall
continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be
otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any
paper
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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 to the Company. The Trustee may at any
time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice
thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a
notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such
Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating
Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company 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 will
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 Trustee agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent
from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section,
and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for such payments, subject to
the provisions of Section 607.
If an appointment with respect to one or more series is
made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed
thereon, in addition to the Trustee's certificate of authentication, an
alternative certificate of authentication in the following form:
This is one of the Securities of the series designated
therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
........................,
As Trustee
By......................,
As Authenticating Agent
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By......................
Authorized Officer
ARTICLE SEVEN
Holders' Lists and Reports by Trustee and Company
Section 701. COMPANY TO FURNISH TRUSTEE
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF HOLDERS.
The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the
Trustee
(a semi-annually, either (i) not later than
_______________ and ___________________ in each year in the case of
Original Issue Discount Securities of any series which by their terms
bear interest only after Maturity, or (ii) not more than 15 days after
each Regular Record Date in the case of Securities of any other series,
a list of each series of Securities, in such form as the Trustee may
reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of each
such series as of the preceding ______________ or ______________ or
Regular Record Date, as the case may be, and
(b 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;
EXCLUDING from any such list names and addresses received by the Trustee in its
capacity as Security Registrar.
Section 702. PRESERVATION OF INFORMATION;
COMMUNICATIONS TO HOLDERS.
(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as
is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the
most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 701 and the
names and addresses of Holders received by the Trustee in its capacity as
Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided
in Section 701 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
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(b) The rights of the Holders to communicate with other
Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the
Securities, and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be
as provided by the Trust Indenture Act.
(c Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding
the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor
the Trustee nor any agent of either of them shall be held accountable by reason
of any disclosure of information as to names and addresses of Holders made
pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 703. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE.
(a) The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports
concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required
pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided
pursuant thereto.
(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such
transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon
which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The
Company will notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock
exchange.
Section 704. REPORTS BY COMPANY.
The Company shall file with the Trustee and the
Commission, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other
reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust
Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant to such Act;
PROVIDED that any such information, documents or reports required to be filed
with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 shall be filed with the Trustee within 15 days after the same is so
required to be filed with the Commission.
ARTICLE EIGHT
Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease
Section 801. COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES MAY CONSOLIDATE,
ETC., ONLY ON CERTAIN TERMS.
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The Company (a) shall not consolidate with or merge into
any other Person or, directly or indirectly, transfer, convey, sell, lease or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties and assets as an
entirety to any Person; (b) shall not permit any Subsidiary to consolidate with
or merge into another Person (other than a Wholly-owned Subsidiary) in a
transaction in which such Subsidiary remains a Subsidiary; (c) shall not permit
(i) any other Person to consolidate with or merge into the Company or (ii) any
other Person (other than a Wholly-owned Subsidiary) to consolidate with or merge
into any Subsidiary in a transaction in which such Subsidiary remains a
Subsidiary; and (d) shall not permit any other Person to, directly or
indirectly, sell, assign, convey, transfer or lease its properties substantially
as an entirety to the Company except as provided pursuant to Section 301(17).
Section 802. SUCCESSOR SUBSTITUTED.
Upon any consolidation of the Company with, or merger of
the Company into, any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the
properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance
with Section 801, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into
which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is
made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and
power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such
successor Person had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in
the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all obligations
and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.
ARTICLE NINE
Supplemental Indentures
Section 901. SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES WITHOUT
CONSENT OF HOLDERS.
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 hereto, in form
satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:
(1 to evidence the succession of another
Person to the Company and the assump-
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tion by any such successor of the covenants of the Company 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 (and if such
covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of
Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included
solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or
power herein conferred upon the Company; or
(3 to add any additional Events of Default; or
(4 to add to or change any of the provisions of this
Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate
the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not
registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons, or
to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated
form; or
(5 to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions
of this Indenture in respect of one or more series of Securities,
PROVIDED that any such addition, change or elimination (i) shall
neither (A) apply to any Security of any series created prior to the
execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of
such provision nor (B) modify the rights of the Holder of any such
Security with respect to such provision or (ii) shall become effective
only when there is no such Security Outstanding; or
(6 to secure the Securities; or
(7 to establish the form or terms of Securities of any
series as permitted by Sections 201 and 301; or
(8 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
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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 611(b);
or
(9) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision herein 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, PROVIDED that such action
pursuant to this clause (9) shall not adversely affect the interests of
the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect.
Section 902. SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES WITH CONSENT
OF HOLDERS.
With the consent of the Holders of not less than 50% 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 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 modifying in any manner the rights of the
Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of
each Outstanding Security affected thereby,
(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or
any instalment of principal of or interest on, any Security, or reduce
the principal amount thereof or (unless otherwise specified as
contemplated by Section 301) the rate of interest thereon or any
premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of
the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due
and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof
pursuant to Section 502, or change any Place of Payment where, or the
coin or currency in which, any Security or any premium or interest
thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the
enforcement of any such payment on or after
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the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after
the Redemption Date), 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 this Indenture, or
(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section
513 or Section 1008, 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, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this
clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with
respect to changes in the references to "the Trustee" and concomitant
changes in this Section and Section 1008, or the deletion of this
proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 611(b) and
901(8).
A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other
provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the
benefit of one or more particular series of 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.
It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under
this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental
indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance
thereof.
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Section 903. EXECUTION OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created
by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications
thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled
to receive, and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying
upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental
indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. 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 Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered
hereunder shall be bound thereby.
Section 905. CONFORMITY WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT.
Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this
Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 906. 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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ARTICLE TEN
Covenants
Section 1001.PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL, PREMIUM AND INTEREST.
The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each
series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and
any premium and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the
terms of the Securities and this Indenture.
Section 1002. MAINTENANCE OF OFFICE OR AGENCY.
The Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for
any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may
be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that series may be
surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and
demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series 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 will 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.
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
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will, on or before each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest
on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the
benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal
and any premium and interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to
such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and will promptly
notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents
for any series of Securities, it will, prior to each due date of the principal
of or any premium or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit with a
Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such amount, such sum to be held as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act, and (unless such Paying Agent is the
Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure
so to act.
The Company will 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 will (i) comply with the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act applicable to it as a Paying Agent and
(ii) during the continuance of any default by the Company (or any other obligor
upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any payment in respect of
the Securities of that series, and upon the written request of the Trustee,
forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent for
payment in respect of the Securities of that series.
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 trusts 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 money.
Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent,
or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of or any
premium or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for
two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable
shall be paid to the Company on Company
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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 at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in a
newspaper published in the English language, customarily published on each
Business Day and of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
New York, 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, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid
to the Company.
Section 1004. STATEMENT BY OFFICERS AS TO DEFAULT.
The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days
after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof,
an Officers' Certificate, stating whether or not to the best knowledge of the
signers thereof the Company is in default in the performance and observance of
any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to
any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) and, if the
Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and
status thereof of which they may have knowledge.
Section 1005 EXISTENCE.
Subject to Article Eight, the Company will do or cause to
be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its
existence, rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or franchise
if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no
longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company.
Section 1006. MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTIES.
The Company will cause all properties used or useful in
the conduct of its business or the business of any material Subsidiary to be
maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order and supplied
with all necessary equipment and will cause to be made all necessary
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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 and advantageously conducted at all times;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the Company from
discontinuing the operation or maintenance of any of such properties if such
discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Company, desirable in the conduct of
its business or the business of any Subsidiary.
Section 1007. PAYMENT OF TAXES AND OTHER CLAIMS.
The Company will pay or discharge or cause to be paid or
discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, (1) all taxes, assessments
and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Company or any material
Subsidiary or upon the income, profits or property of the Company or any
material Subsidiary, and (2) all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies
which, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the property of the Company or
any material Subsidiary; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be
required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax,
assessment, charge or claim whose amount, applicability or validity is being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, if a reserve or other
appropriate provision shall have been made therefor in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles.
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 1006 to 1007,
inclusive, with respect to the Securities of any 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 shall, by Act of such Holders, either
waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive 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.
ARTICLE ELEVEN
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Redemption of Securities
Section 1101. APPLICABILITY OF ARTICLE.
Securities of any series which are redeemable before
their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and
(except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of
any series) in accordance with this Article.
Section 1102. ELECTION TO REDEEM; NOTICE TO TRUSTEE.
The election of the Company to redeem any Securities
shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the
election of the Company of less than all the Securities of any series, the
Company shall, at least 35 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the
Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify
the Trustee of such Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of
such series to be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities to
be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration
of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities
or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an
Officers' Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.
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Section 1103. SELECTION BY TRUSTEE OF SECURITIES
TO BE REDEEMED.
If less than all the Securities of any series are to be
redeemed (unless all of the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor
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 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 (equal to the minimum authorized
denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of
the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than
the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series. If less than
all of the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor 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 and specified tenor not previously called for
redemption in accordance with the preceding sentence.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the
Security Registrar 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 amount of such Securities which has been
or is to be redeemed.
Section 1104. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the
Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his address
appearing in the Security Register.
All notices of redemption shall state:
(1) the Redemption Date,
(2) the Redemption Price,
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(3) if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any
series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of
partial redemption of any Securities, the principal amounts) of the
particular Securities to be redeemed,
(4) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will
become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed and, if
applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after
said date,
(5) the place or places where such Securities are to be
surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price, and
(6) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is
the case.
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 and shall
be irrevocable.
Section 1105. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE.
Prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit
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 sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the
Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the
Securities which are to be redeemed on that date.
Section 1106. SECURITIES PAYABLE ON REDEMPTION DATE.
Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the
Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and
payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date
(unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and
accrued interest) 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,
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together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that,
unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, instalments of
interest 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 relevant Record
Dates 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 shall,
until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed
therefor in the Security.
Section 1107. SECURITIES REDEEMED IN PART.
Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall
be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the
Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in
form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder
thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), 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
and of like tenor, 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.
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
specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series.
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 any series is herein referred
to as an "optional sinking fund payment". If
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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.
Section 1202. SATISFACTION OF SINKING FUND PAYMENTS
WITH SECURITIES.
The Company (1) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a
series (other than any previously called for redemption) and (2) may apply as a
credit Securities of a series which have been redeemed either at the election of
the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application
of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such
Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund
payment with respect to the Securities of such series required to be made
pursuant to the terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such
series; 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.
Section 1203. REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES FOR SINKING FUND.
Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment
date for any series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an
Officers' Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing 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 Securities
of that series pursuant to Section 1202 and will also deliver to the Trustee any
Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 45 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.
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This instrument may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but
all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
-----------------------------
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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.
THE KROGER CO.
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Attest:
/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
FIRSTAR BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Attest:
........................
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Exhibit 4.1
STATE OF OHIO )
) ss.:
COUNTY OF ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ )
On the 24th day of June, 1999, before me personally came
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn,
did depose and say that he is Vice President and Treasurer of
The Kroger Co., 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.
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
Notary Public, State of Ohio
My Commission Expires June 20, 2003
........................
STATE OF OHIO )
) ss.:
COUNTY OF ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ )
On the 24th day of June, 1999, before me personally came
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did
depose and say that he is Trust Officer 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.
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Notary Public
In and for the State of Ohio
My Commission Expires August 29, 2001
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