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EXHIBIT 4.14
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of June 22, 2001
by and among
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL, INC.,
THE GUARANTORS
named herein
and
THE INITIAL PURCHASERS
named herein
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1. Definitions..........................................................................................1
2. Exchange Offer.......................................................................................5
3. Shelf Registration...................................................................................9
4. Additional Interest.................................................................................11
5. Registration Procedures.............................................................................13
6. Registration Expenses...............................................................................25
7. Indemnification.....................................................................................27
8. Rules 144 and 144A..................................................................................31
9. Underwritten Registrations..........................................................................31
10. Miscellaneous.......................................................................................32
(a) Remedies...................................................................................32
(b) Enforcement................................................................................32
(c) No Inconsistent Agreements.................................................................32
(d) Adjustments Affecting Registrable Notes....................................................33
(e) Amendments and Waivers.....................................................................33
(f) Notices....................................................................................33
(g) Successors and Assigns.....................................................................34
(h) Counterparts...............................................................................34
(i) Headings...................................................................................34
(J) GOVERNING LAW..............................................................................34
(k) Severability...............................................................................34
(l) Entire Agreement...........................................................................35
(m) Joint and Several Obligations..............................................................35
(n) Notes Held by the Company or their Affiliates..............................................35
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") dated as of
June 22, 2001, by and among ▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), the Guarantors as listed on the signature pages
hereto (the "Guarantors"), and CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION and CIBC
WORLD MARKETS CORP., as initial purchasers (the "Initial Purchasers").
This Agreement is entered into in connection with the Purchase
Agreement, dated as of June 15, 2001 among the Company, the Guarantors and the
Initial Purchasers (the "Purchase Agreement") relating to the sale by the
Company to the Initial Purchasers of $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
the Company's 11 7/8% Senior Notes due 2006 (the "Notes") and the guarantee of
the Notes by the Guarantors (the "Guarantees"). In order to induce the Initial
Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company and the Guarantors
have agreed to provide the registration rights set forth in this Agreement to
the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees and assigns.
The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the Initial
Purchasers' obligation to purchase the Notes under the Purchase Agreement.
The parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
Additional Interest: See Section 4(a).
Advice: See Section 5.
Applicable Period: See Section 2(b).
Closing: See the Purchase Agreement.
Company: See the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
Effectiveness Date: The 150th day after the Issue Date.
Effectiveness Period: See Section 3(a).
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Event Date: See Section 4(c).
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
Exchange Notes: See Section 2(a).
Exchange Offer: See Section 2(a).
Exchange Registration Statement: See Section 2(a).
Filing Date: The 60th day after the Issue Date.
Guarantees: See the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
Holder: Any holder of a Registrable Note or Registrable Notes.
Indemnified Person: See Section 7(c).
Indemnifying Person: See Section 7(c).
Indenture: The Indenture, dated as of June 15, 2001, among the
Company, the Guarantors and BNY Midwest Trust, as trustee, pursuant to which the
Notes are being issued, as amended or supplemented from time to time in
accordance with the terms thereof.
Initial Purchasers: See the introductory paragraph to this
Agreement.
Initial Shelf Registration: See Section 3(a).
Inspectors: See Section 5(o).
Issue Date: The date on which the original Notes are sold to
the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
NASD: See Section 5(t).
Notes: See the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
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Participant: See Section 7(a).
Participating Broker-Dealer: See Section 2(b).
Person: An individual, corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust,
unincorporated organization or government (including any agency or political
subdivision thereof).
Private Exchange: See Section 2(b).
Private Exchange Notes: See Section 2(b).
Prospectus: The prospectus included in any Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, any prospectus subject to completion
and a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a
prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon
Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by
any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any
portion of the Registrable Notes covered by such Registration Statement, and all
other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective
amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
Purchase Agreement: See the introductory paragraphs to this
Agreement.
Records: See Section 5(o).
Registrable Notes: The Notes upon original issuance of the
Notes and at all times subsequent thereto and, if issued, the Private Exchange
Notes, until in the case of any such Notes or any such Private Exchange Notes,
as the case may be, (i) a Registration Statement covering such Notes or such
Private Exchange Notes has been declared effective by the SEC and such Notes or
such Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, have been exchanged and/or
disposed of in accordance with such effective Registration Statement, (ii) such
Notes or such Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, are sold in compliance
with Rule 144, (iii) in the case of any Note, such Note has been exchanged for
an Exchange Note or Exchange Notes pursuant to an Exchange Offer or (iv) such
Notes or such
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Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, cease to be outstanding.
Registration Default: See Section 4(a).
Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the
Company or the Guarantors, including, but not limited to, the Exchange
Registration Statement, which covers any of the Registrable Notes pursuant to
the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus, amendments and
supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments,
all exhibits, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
Rule 144: Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, as
such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule (other than Rule
144A) or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC providing for offers and sales
of securities made in compliance therewith resulting in offers and sales by
subsequent holders that are not affiliates of an issuer of such securities being
free of the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act.
Rule 144A: Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act, as
such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule (other than Rule
144) or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC providing for offers and sales
of securities made in compliance therewith resulting in offers and sales by
subsequent holders that are not affiliates of an issuer of such securities being
free of the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act.
Rule 415: Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act, as
such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation
hereafter adopted by the SEC.
SEC: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
Shelf Notice: See Section 2(c).
Shelf Registration: See Section 3(b).
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Subsequent Shelf Registration: See Section 3(b).
TIA: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
Trustee: The trustee under the Indenture and, if existent, the
trustee under any indenture governing the Exchange Notes and Private Exchange
Notes (if any).
Underwritten registration or underwritten offering: A
registration under the Securities Act in which securities of the Company are
sold to an underwriter(s) for reoffering to the public.
2. Exchange Offer
(a) Each of the Company and the Guarantors jointly and
severally agrees to use its best efforts to file with the SEC as soon as
practicable after the Closing, but in no event later than the Filing Date,
documents pertaining to an offer to exchange (the "Exchange Offer") any and all
of the Registrable Notes for a like aggregate principal amount of debt
securities of the Company, guaranteed by the Guarantors, which are identical in
all material respects to the Notes (the "Exchange Notes") (and which are
entitled to the benefits of the Indenture or a trust indenture which is
substantially identical to the Indenture (other than such changes to the
Indenture or any such identical trust indenture as are necessary to comply with
any requirements of the SEC to effect or maintain the qualification thereof
under the TIA) and which, in either case, has been qualified under the TIA),
except that the Exchange Notes shall have been registered pursuant to an
effective registration statement under the Securities Act and will not contain
terms with respect to transfer restrictions. The documents pertaining to the
Exchange Offer will be filed under the Securities Act on the appropriate form
(the "Exchange Registration Statement") and the Exchange Offer will comply with
all applicable tender offer rules and regulations under the Exchange Act. Each
of the Company and the Guarantors jointly and severally agrees to use its best
efforts to (x) cause the Exchange Registration Statement to become effective
under the Securities Act on or before the Effectiveness Date; (y) keep the
Exchange Offer open for at least 30 days (or longer if required by applicable
law) after the date that notice of the Exchange Offer is mailed to Holders; and
(z) consummate the Exchange Offer on or prior to the 180th day (or, in the event
of any extension of the Exchange Offer required by
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applicable law, the earliest day following any such extension) following the
Issue Date. Each Holder who participates in the Exchange Offer will be required
to represent that any Exchange Notes received by it will be acquired in the
ordinary course of its business, that at the time of the consummation of the
Exchange Offer such Holder will have no arrangement or understanding with any
Person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange Notes in violation of
the provisions of the Securities Act, that such Holder is not an affiliate of
any of the Company or the Guarantors within the meaning of Rule 405 promulgated
under the Securities Act or if it is such an affiliate, that it will comply with
the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, to
the extent applicable and that is not acting on behalf of any Person who could
not truthfully make the foregoing representations. Upon consummation of the
Exchange Offer in accordance with this Section 2, the provisions of this
Agreement shall continue to apply, mutatis mutandis, solely with respect to
Registrable Notes that are Private Exchange Notes and Exchange Notes held by
Participating Broker-Dealers, and the Company and the Guarantors shall have no
further obligation to register Registrable Notes (other than Private Exchange
Notes and Exchange Notes held by Participating Broker-Dealers) pursuant to
Section 3 of this Agreement.
(b) The Company and the Guarantors shall include within the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Registration Statement a section entitled
"Plan of Distribution," reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchasers, which
shall contain a summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by the
staff of the SEC with respect to the potential "underwriter" status of any
broker-dealer that is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated
under the Exchange Act) of Exchange Notes received by such broker-dealer in the
Exchange Offer (a "Participating Broker-Dealer"), whether such positions or
policies have been publicly disseminated by the staff of the SEC or such
positions or policies, in the reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers,
represent the prevailing views of the staff of the SEC. Such "Plan of
Distribution" section shall also allow the use of the Prospectus by all Persons
subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, including
all Participating Broker-Dealers, and include a statement describing the means
by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Notes.
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Each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its best
efforts to keep the Exchange Registration Statement effective and to amend and
supplement the Prospectus contained therein in order to permit such Prospectus
to be lawfully delivered by all Persons subject to the prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act for such period of time as such Persons must
comply with such requirements in order to resell the Exchange Notes; provided
that such period shall not exceed 180 days (or such longer period if extended
pursuant to the last paragraph of Section 5) (the "Applicable Period").
If, prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer, the Initial
Purchasers hold any Notes acquired by them and having, or which are reasonably
likely to be determined to have, the status as an unsold allotment in the
initial distribution, the Company and the Guarantors upon the request of such
Initial Purchasers shall, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Notes
in the Exchange Offer, issue and deliver to such Initial Purchasers, in exchange
(the "Private Exchange") for the Notes held by such Initial Purchasers, a like
principal amount of debt securities of the Company guaranteed by the Guarantors,
that are identical in all material respects to the Exchange Notes (the "Private
Exchange Notes") (and which are issued pursuant to the same indenture as the
Exchange Notes) except for the placement of a restrictive legend on the Private
Exchange Notes. If possible, the Private Exchange Notes shall bear the same
CUSIP number as the Exchange Notes. Interest on the Exchange Notes and Private
Exchange Notes will accrue from (A) the later of (i) the last interest payment
date on which interest was paid on the Notes surrendered in exchange therefor or
(ii) if the Notes are surrendered for exchange on a date in a period which
includes the record date for an interest payment date to occur on or after the
date of such exchange and as to which interest will be paid, the date of such
interest payment date or (B) if no interest has been paid on the Notes, from the
Issue Date.
In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Company and the
Guarantors shall:
(i) mail to each Holder a copy of the Prospectus forming part
of the Exchange Registration Statement, together with an appropriate
letter of transmittal and related documents;
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(ii) utilize the services of a depositary for the Exchange
Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New
York; and
(iii) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Notes at any time
prior to the close of business, New York City time, on the last
business day on which the Exchange Offer shall remain open.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Exchange Offer
or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company and the Guarantors
shall:
(i) accept for exchange all Notes tendered and not validly
withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer or the Private Exchange;
(ii) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all Notes so
accepted for exchange; and
(iii) cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly
to each Holder of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes, as
the case may be, equal in principal amount to the Notes of such Holder
so accepted for exchange.
The Exchange Notes and the Private Exchange Notes may be
issued under (i) the Indenture or (ii) an indenture substantially identical to
the Indenture, which in either event will provide that (1) the Exchange Notes
will not be subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture and
(2) the Private Exchange Notes will be subject to the transfer restrictions set
forth in the Indenture. The Indenture or such indenture shall provide that the
Exchange Notes, the Private Exchange Notes and the Notes will have the right to
vote and give consents together on all matters presented to such holders for
votes or consents as one class and that neither the Exchange Notes, the Private
Exchange Notes nor the Notes will have the right to vote or consent as a
separate class on any matter.
(c) If (1) prior to the consummation of the Exchange Offer,
the Company and the Guarantors or Holders of at least a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Registrable Notes reasonably determine in good faith
that (i) the Exchange Notes would not, upon receipt, be freely transferable by
such Holders
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which are not affiliates (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the
Company or the Guarantors without restriction under the Securities Act and
without restrictions under applicable state securities laws, (ii) the interests
of the Holders under this Agreement would be adversely affected by the
consummation of the Exchange Offer or (iii) after conferring with counsel, the
SEC is unlikely to permit the commencement of the Exchange Offer prior to the
Effectiveness Date, (2) subsequent to the consummation of the Private Exchange,
any holder of the Private Exchange Notes so requests or (3) the Exchange Offer
is commenced and not consummated within 180 days of the Issue Date, then the
Company and the Guarantors shall promptly deliver to the Holders and the Trustee
written notice thereof (the "Shelf Notice") and shall file an Initial Shelf
Registration pursuant to Section 3. Following the delivery of a Shelf Notice to
the Holders of Registrable Notes (in the circumstances contemplated by clauses
(1) and (3) of the preceding sentence), the Company and the Guarantors shall not
have any further obligation to conduct the Exchange Offer or the Private
Exchange under this Section 2.
3. Shelf Registration
If a Shelf Notice is required to be delivered as contemplated
by Section 2(c), then:
(a) Initial Shelf Registration. The Company and the Guarantors
shall prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement for an offering to
be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 covering all of the then
existing Registrable Notes (the "Initial Shelf Registration"). If the Company
and the Guarantors shall have not yet filed an Exchange Registration Statement,
each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its best efforts to file with
the SEC the Initial Shelf Registration on or prior to the Filing Date. In any
other instance, each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its best
efforts to file with the SEC the Initial Shelf Registration as promptly as
practicable following delivery of the Shelf Notice. The Initial Shelf
Registration shall be on Form S-3 or another appropriate form permitting
registration of such Registrable Notes for resale by such Holders in the manner
or manners designated by them (including, without limitation, one or more
underwritten offerings). The Company and the Guarantors shall not permit any
securities other than the Registrable Notes to be included in the Initial Shelf
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Registration or any Subsequent Shelf Registration. Each of the Company and the
Guarantors shall use its best efforts to cause the Initial Shelf Registration to
be declared effective under the Securities Act, if an Exchange Registration
Statement has not yet been declared effective, on or prior to the Effectiveness
Date, or, in any other instance, as soon as practicable after the filing thereof
and in no event later than 90 days following delivery of the Shelf Notice, and
to keep the Initial Shelf Registration continuously effective under the
Securities Act until the date which is 24 months from the date on which such
Initial Shelf Registration is declared effective (subject to extension pursuant
to the last paragraph of Section 5 hereof), or such shorter period ending when
all Registrable Notes covered by the Initial Shelf Registration have been sold
in the manner set forth and as contemplated in the Initial Shelf Registration
(the "Effectiveness Period").
(b) Subsequent Shelf Registrations. If the Initial Shelf
Registration or any Subsequent Shelf Registration ceases to be effective for any
reason at any time prior to the termination of the Effectiveness Period, each of
the Company and the Guarantors shall use its best efforts to promptly restore
the effectiveness thereof, and in any event shall, within 45 days of such
cessation of effectiveness, amend the Shelf Registration in a manner reasonably
expected to restore the effectiveness thereof, or file an additional "shelf"
Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 415 covering all of the then existing
Registrable Notes (a "Subsequent Shelf Registration"). If a Subsequent Shelf
Registration is filed, each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its best
efforts to cause the Subsequent Shelf Registration to be declared effective as
soon as practicable after such filing and to keep such Registration Statement
continuously effective during the Effectiveness Period. As used herein the term
"Shelf Registration" means the Initial Shelf Registration and any Subsequent
Shelf Registration.
(c) Supplements and Amendments. The Company and the Guarantors
shall promptly supplement and amend the Shelf Registration if required by the
rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used for
such Shelf Registration or if required by the Securities Act. The Company and
the Guarantors shall promptly supplement and amend the Shelf Registration if any
such supplement or amendment is reasonably requested by the Holders of a
majority in aggregate
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principal amount of the Registrable Notes covered by such Registration Statement
or by any underwriter(s) of such Registrable Notes.
4. Additional Interest
(a) The Company and the Initial Purchasers agree that the
Holders of Registrable Notes will suffer damages if the Company fails to fulfill
its obligations under Section 2 or Section 3 hereof and that it would not be
feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages with precision. Accordingly,
the Company agrees to pay additional interest on the Notes ("Additional
Interest") under the circumstances and to the extent set forth below:
(i) if neither the Exchange Registration Statement nor the
Initial Shelf Registration has been filed on or prior to the Filing
Date;
(ii) if neither the Exchange Registration Statement nor the
Initial Shelf Registration has been declared effective on or prior to
the Effectiveness Date;
(iii) if an Initial Shelf Registration required by Section
2(c)(2) has not been filed on or prior to the date 60 days after
delivery of the Shelf Notice;
(iv) if an Initial Shelf Registration required by Section
2(c)(2) has not been declared effective on or prior to the date 90 days
after the delivery of the Shelf Notice; and/or
(v) if (A) the Company has not exchanged the Exchange Notes
for all Notes validly tendered in accordance with the terms of the
Exchange Offer on or prior to the date 180 days after the Issue Date or
(B) the Exchange Registration Statement ceases to be effective at any
time prior to the time that the Exchange Offer is consummated or (C) if
applicable, the Shelf Registration has been declared effective and such
Shelf Registration ceases to be effective at any time prior to the
termination of the Effectiveness Period;
(each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above is a "Registration
Default"). The sole remedy available to Holders of the Notes for a Registration
Default will be the
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accrual of Additional Interest as follows: the per annum interest rate on the
Notes will increase by .50% during the first 90-day period following the
occurrence of a Registration Default and until it is waived or cured; and the
per annum interest rate will increase by an additional .25% for each subsequent
90-day period during which the Registration Default remains uncured, up to a
maximum additional interest rate of 2.0%; provided, however, that only Holders
of Private Exchange Notes shall be entitled to receive Additional Interest as a
result of a Registration Default pursuant to clause (iii) or (iv); provided,
further, that (1) upon the filing of the Exchange Registration Statement or the
Initial Shelf Registration (in the case of (i) above), (2) upon the
effectiveness of the Exchange Registration Statement or a Shelf Registration (in
the case of (ii) above), (3) upon the filing of the Shelf Registration (in the
case of (iii) above), (4) upon the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration (in
the case of (iv) above), or (5) upon the exchange of Exchange Notes for all
Notes tendered or the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration (in the case of
(v)(A) above), or upon the subsequent effectiveness of the Exchange Registration
Statement which had ceased to remain effective or the effectiveness of a Shelf
Registration (in the case of (v)(B) above), or upon the subsequent effectiveness
of the Shelf Registration which had ceased to remain effective (in the case of
(v)(C) above), Additional Interest on the Notes as a result of such clause (i),
(ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) (or the relevant subclause thereof), as the case may
be, shall cease to accrue and the interest rate on the Notes will revert to the
interest rate originally borne by the Notes.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Additional Interest will
be payable with respect to a Registration Default described in clause (v)(C)
above, if pending a material corporate transaction, the Company issues a notice
that the Registration Statement, or the prospectus contained therein, is
unusable, or such notice is required under applicable securities laws to be
issued by the Company, and the aggregate number of days in any consecutive
twelve month period for which the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus
contained therein, is unusable pursuant to all such notices has not exceeded 75
days in the aggregate.
(c) The Company and the Guarantors shall notify the Trustee
within one business day after each and every date on
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which an event occurs in respect of which Additional Interest is required to be
paid (an "Event Date"). Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to
(a)(i), (a)(ii) or (a)(iii) of this Section 4 will be payable in cash
semi-annually on each June 15 and December 15 (to the Holders of record on the
June 1 and December 1 immediately preceding such dates), commencing with the
first such date occurring after any such Additional Interest commences to accrue
and until such Registration Default is cured, by depositing with the Trustee, in
trust for the benefit of such Holders, immediately available funds in sums
sufficient to pay such Additional Interest. The amount of Additional Interest
will be determined by multiplying the applicable Additional Interest rate by the
principal amount of the Registrable Notes, multiplied by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of days such Additional Interest rate was
applicable during such period (determined on the basis of a 360-day year
comprised of twelve 30-day months and, in the case of a partial month, the
actual number of days elapsed), and the denominator of which is 360.
5. Registration Procedures
In connection with the filing of any Registration Statement
pursuant to Section 2 or 3 hereof, the Company and the Guarantors shall effect
such registrations to permit the sale of the securities covered thereby in
accordance with the intended method or methods of disposition thereof, and
pursuant thereto the Company and the Guarantors shall:
(a) Prepare and file with the SEC, as provided herein, a
Registration Statement or Registration Statements as prescribed by
Section 2 or 3, and use their respective best efforts to cause each
such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective as
provided herein; provided that, if (1) such filing is pursuant to
Section 3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Registration
Statement filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under
the Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell
Exchange Notes during the Applicable Period, before filing any
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendments or supplements
thereto, the Company and the Guarantors shall, if requested, furnish to
and afford the Holders of the Registrable Notes covered by such
Registration Statement and each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as
the case may
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be, their counsel and the managing underwriter(s), if any, a reasonable
opportunity to review copies of all such documents (including copies of
any documents to be incorporated by reference therein and all exhibits
thereto) proposed to be filed (to the extent practicable, at least 5
business days prior to such filing). The Company and the Guarantors
shall not file any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any
amendments or supplements thereto in respect of which the Holders must
be afforded an opportunity to review prior to the filing of such
document, if the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the Registrable Notes covered by such Registration Statement, or such
Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, their counsel, or the
managing underwriter(s), if any, reasonably object to information
concerning the Holders or such Participating Broker-Dealer contained
therein.
(b) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
post-effective amendments to each Shelf Registration or Exchange
Registration Statement, as the case may be, as may be necessary to keep
such Registration Statement continuously effective for the
Effectiveness Period or the Applicable Period, as the case may be;
cause the related Prospectus to be supplemented by any prospectus
supplement required by applicable law, and as so supplemented to be
filed pursuant to Rule 424 (or any similar provisions then in force)
under the Securities Act; and comply with the provisions of the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act applicable to them with respect to
the disposition of all securities covered by such Registration
Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented and
with respect to the subsequent resale of any securities being sold by a
Participating Broker-Dealer covered by any such Prospectus; the Company
and the Guarantors shall be deemed not to have used their best efforts
to keep a Registration Statement effective during the Applicable Period
if any of them voluntarily takes any action that would result in
selling Holders of the Registrable Notes covered thereby or
Participating Broker-Dealers seeking to sell Exchange Notes not being
able to sell such Registrable Notes or such Exchange Notes during that
period unless such action is required by applicable law or unless the
Company and the Guarantors comply with this Agreement, including
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without limitation, the provisions of clauses 5(c)(v) and (vi) below.
(c) If (1) a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section
3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Registration Statement
filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell
Exchange Notes during the Applicable Period, notify the selling Holders
of Registrable Notes, or each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the
case may be, their counsel and the managing underwriter(s), if any,
promptly (but in any event within two business days), and confirm such
notice in writing, (i) when a Prospectus or any prospectus supplement
or post-effective amendment thereto has been filed, and, with respect
to a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto,
when the same has become effective under the Securities Act (including
in such notice a written statement that any Holder may, upon request,
obtain, without charge, one conformed copy of such Registration
Statement or post-effective amendment thereto including financial
statements and schedules, documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference and exhibits), (ii) of the issuance by the
SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration
Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
preliminary Prospectus or the initiation of any proceedings for that
purpose, (iii) if at any time when a Prospectus is required by the
Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the
Registrable Notes or resales of Exchange Notes by Participating
Broker-Dealers the representations and warranties of the Company
contained in any agreement (including any underwriting agreement)
contemplated by Section 5(n) below cease to be true and correct, (iv)
of the receipt by any of the Company or the Guarantors of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or
exemption from qualification of a Registration Statement or any of the
Registrable Notes or the Exchange Notes to be sold by any Participating
Broker-Dealer for offer or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation
or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose, (v) of the happening
of any event or any information becoming known that makes any statement
made in such Registration Statement or related Prospectus or
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any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of
any changes in, or amendments or supplements to, such Registration
Statement, Prospectus or documents so that, in the case of the
Registration Statement, it will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and
that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, and (vi) of the Company's or any Guarantor's reasonable
determination that a post-effective amendment to a Registration
Statement would be necessary or appropriate.
(d) If (1) a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section
3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Registration Statement
filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell
Exchange Notes during the Applicable Period, use their best efforts to
prevent the issuance of any order suspending the effectiveness of a
Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use
of a Prospectus or suspending the qualification (or exemption from
qualification) of any of the Registrable Notes or the Exchange Notes to
be sold by any Participating Broker-Dealer, for sale in any
jurisdiction, and, if any such order is issued, to use their best
efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any such order as promptly as
practicable.
(e) If a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section 3 and
if requested by the managing underwriter(s), if any, or the Holders of
a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Notes being
sold in connection with an underwritten offering, (i) promptly
incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such
information as the managing underwriter(s), if any, or such Holders
reasonably request to be included therein and (ii) make all required
filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment
as soon as practicable after the Company has received
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notification of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment.
(f) If (1) a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section
3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Registration Statement
filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell
Exchange Notes during the Applicable Period, furnish to each selling
Holder of Registrable Notes who so requests and to each such
Participating Broker-Dealer who so requests and to counsel and the
managing underwriter(s), if any, without charge, one conformed copy of
the Registration Statement or Registration Statements and each
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and
schedules, and, if requested, all documents incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits.
(g) If (1) a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section
3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Registration Statement
filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell
Exchange Notes during the Applicable Period, deliver to each selling
Holder of Registrable Notes, or each such Participating Broker-Dealer,
as the case may be, their counsel, and the managing underwriter or
underwriters, if any, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus
or Prospectuses (including each form of preliminary Prospectus) and
each amendment or supplement thereto and any documents incorporated by
reference therein as such Persons may reasonably request; and, subject
to the last paragraph of this Section 5, each of the Company and the
Guarantors hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each
amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of
Registrable Notes or each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case
may be, and the managing underwriter or underwriters or agents, if any,
and dealers (if any), in connection with the offering and sale of the
Registrable Notes covered by, or the sale by Participating
Broker-Dealers of the Exchange Notes pursuant to, such Prospectus and
any amendment or supplement thereto.
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(h) Prior to any public offering of Registrable Notes or any
delivery of a Prospectus contained in the Exchange Registration
Statement by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange
Notes during the Applicable Period, to use their best efforts to
register or qualify, and to cooperate with the selling Holders of
Registrable Notes or each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case
may be, the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, and their
respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification
of (or exemption from such registration or qualification), such
Registrable Notes for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky
laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any selling
Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer, or the managing underwriter or
underwriters, if any, reasonably request in writing; provided that
where Exchange Notes held by Participating Broker-Dealers or
Registrable Notes are offered other than through an underwritten
offering, the Company and the Guarantors agree to cause their counsel
to perform Blue Sky investigations and file registrations and
qualifications required to be filed pursuant to this Section 5(h); keep
each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom)
effective during the period such Registration Statement is required to
be kept effective and do any and all other acts or things reasonably
necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions
of the Exchange Notes held by Participating Broker-Dealers or the
Registrable Notes covered by the applicable Registration Statement;
provided that none of the Company or the Guarantors shall be required
to (A) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is
not then so qualified, (B) take any action that would subject it to
general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not
then so subject or (C) subject itself to taxation in any such
jurisdiction where it is not otherwise so subject.
(i) If a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section 3,
cooperate with the selling Holders of Registrable Notes and the
managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Notes
to be sold, which certificates shall not bear any restrictive legends
and shall be in a form eligible for deposit with The
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Depository Trust Company; and enable such Registrable Notes to be in
such denominations and registered in such names as the managing
underwriter or underwriters, if any, or Holders may reasonably request.
(j) Use their best efforts to cause the Registrable Notes
covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved
by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary
to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the managing underwriter or
underwriters, if any, to consummate the disposition of such Registrable
Notes, except as may be required solely as a consequence of the nature
of such selling Holder's business, in which case each of the Company
and the Guarantors will cooperate in all reasonable respects with the
filing of such Registration Statement and the granting of such
approvals.
(k) If (1) a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section
3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Registration Statement
filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell
Exchange Notes during the Applicable Period, upon the occurrence of any
event contemplated by paragraph 5(c)(v) or 5(c)(vi), as promptly as
reasonably practicable prepare and (subject to Section 5(a)) file with
the SEC, at the joint and several expense of each of the Company and
the Guarantors, a supplement or post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any
document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference, or file any other required document so that, as thereafter
delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Notes being sold
thereunder or to the purchasers of the Exchange Notes to whom such
Prospectus will be delivered by a Participating Broker-Dealer, any such
Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(l) Use their best efforts to cause the Registrable Notes
covered by a Registration Statement or the Exchange Notes, as the case
may be, to be rated with the
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appropriate rating agencies, if so requested by the Holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of Registrable Notes covered by
such Registration Statement or the Exchange Notes, as the case may be,
or the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any.
(m) Prior to the effective date of the first Registration
Statement relating to the Registrable Notes, (i) provide the Trustee
with certificates for the Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes, as the
case may be, in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust
Company and (ii) provide a CUSIP number for the Registrable Notes or
Exchange Notes, as the case may be.
(n) In connection with an underwritten offering of Registrable
Notes pursuant to a Shelf Registration, enter into an underwriting
agreement as is customary in underwritten offerings of debt securities
similar to the Notes and take all such other actions as are reasonably
requested by the managing underwriter(s), if any, in order to expedite
or facilitate the registration or the disposition of such Registrable
Notes, and in such connection, (i) make such representations and
warranties to the managing underwriter or underwriters on behalf of any
underwriters, with respect to the business of the Company and its
subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents,
if any, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein,
in each case, as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in
underwritten offerings of debt securities similar to the Notes, and
confirm the same if and when requested; (ii) obtain opinions of counsel
to the Company and the Guarantors and updates thereof in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the managing underwriter or
underwriters, addressed to the managing underwriter or underwriters
covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in
underwritten offerings of debt securities similar to the Notes and such
other matters as may be reasonably requested by the managing
underwriter(s); provided that no such opinion of outside counsel to the
Company or any Guarantor which shall have rendered an opinion in
connection with the sale of the Notes to the Initial Purchasers (the
"Original Opinion") need cover any matter other than matters covered in
the Original Opinion and such other matters concerning the Registration
Statement and the
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application of the Securities Act to the offer and sale of the
Registration Notes as may be reasonably requested by the managing
underwriter or underwriters; (iii) obtain "cold comfort" letters and
updates thereof in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
managing underwriter or underwriters from the independent certified
public accountants of the Company and the Guarantors (and, if
necessary, any other independent certified public accountants of any
subsidiary of any of the Company or of any business acquired by any of
the Company or the Guarantors for which financial statements and
financial data are, or are required to be, included in the Registration
Statement), addressed to the managing underwriter or underwriters on
behalf of any underwriters, such letters to be in customary form and
covering matters of the type customarily covered in "cold comfort"
letters in connection with underwritten offerings of debt securities
similar to the Notes and such other matters as may be reasonably
requested by the managing underwriter or underwriters; and (iv) if an
underwriting agreement is entered into, the same shall contain
indemnification provisions and procedures no less favorable than those
set forth in Section 7 hereof (or such other provisions and procedures
acceptable to Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
Registrable Notes covered by such Registration Statement and the
managing underwriter or underwriters or agents) with respect to all
parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section. The above shall be
done at each closing under such underwriting agreement, or as and to
the extent required thereunder.
(o) If (1) a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section
3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Registration Statement
filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell
Exchange Notes during the Applicable Period, make available for
inspection by any selling Holder of such Registrable Notes being sold,
or each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, the
managing underwriter or underwriters participating in any such
disposition of Registrable Notes, if any, and any attorney, accountant
or other agent retained by any such selling Holder or each such
Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be
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(collectively, the "Inspectors"), at the offices where normally kept,
during reasonable business hours, all financial and other records,
pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and the
Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries (collectively, the
"Records") as shall be reasonably necessary to enable them to exercise
any applicable due diligence responsibilities, and cause the officers,
directors and employees of the Company and the Guarantors and their
respective subsidiaries to supply all information in each case
reasonably requested by any such Inspector in connection with such
Registration Statement. Records which the Company and the Guarantors
determine, in good faith, to be confidential and any Records which they
notify the Inspectors are confidential shall not be disclosed by the
Inspectors unless (i) the disclosure of such Records is necessary to
avoid or correct a material misstatement or material omission in such
Registration Statement, (ii) the release of such Records is ordered
pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court of competent
jurisdiction or (iii) the information in such Records has been made
generally available to the public. Each selling Holder of such
Registrable Notes and each such Participating Broker-Dealer or
underwriter will be required to agree that information obtained by it
as a result of such inspections shall be deemed confidential and shall
not be used by it as the basis for any market transactions in the
securities of the Company or for any purpose other than in connection
with such Registration Statement unless and until such is made
generally available to the public. Each selling Holder of such
Registrable Notes and each such Participating Broker-Dealer will be
required to further agree that it will, upon learning that disclosure
of such Records is sought in a court of competent jurisdiction, give
prompt notice to the Company and allow the Company to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of the Records deemed
confidential at their expense.
(p) Provide an indenture trustee for the Registrable Notes or
the Exchange Notes, as the case may be, and cause the Indenture or the
trust indenture provided for in Section 2(a), as the case may be, to be
qualified under the TIA not later than the effective date of the
Exchange Registration Statement or the first Registration Statement
relating to the Registrable Notes; and in connection
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therewith, cooperate with the trustee under any such indenture and the
Holders of the Registrable Notes, to effect such changes to such
indenture as may be required for such indenture to be so qualified in
accordance with the terms of the TIA; and execute, and use its best
efforts to cause such trustee to execute, all documents as may be
required to effect such changes, and all other forms and documents
required to be filed with the SEC to enable such indenture to be so
qualified in a timely manner.
(q) Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
SEC and make generally available to its securityholders earnings
statements satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any similar rule promulgated under the
Securities Act) no later than 45 days after the end of any 12-month
period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month period if such period
is a fiscal year) (i) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in
which Registrable Notes are sold to underwriters in a firm commitment
or best efforts underwritten offering and (ii) if not sold to
underwriters in such an offering, commencing on the first day of the
first fiscal quarter of the Company after the effective date of a
Registration Statement, which statements shall cover said 12-month
periods.
(r) Upon consummation of an Exchange Offer or a Private
Exchange, obtain an opinion of counsel to the Company and the
Guarantors, in a form customary for underwritten offerings of debt
securities similar to the Notes, addressed to the Trustee for the
benefit of all Holders of Registrable Notes participating in the
Exchange Offer or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, and which
includes an opinion that (i) each of the Company and the Guarantors has
duly authorized, executed and delivered the Exchange Notes and Private
Exchange Notes and the related indenture and (ii) each of the Exchange
Notes or the Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, and related
indenture constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of each of
the Company and the Guarantors, enforceable against each of the Company
and the Guarantors in accordance with its respective terms (with
customary exceptions).
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(s) If an Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to be
consummated, upon delivery of the Registrable Notes by Holders to the
Company and the Guarantors (or to such other Person as directed by the
Company and the Guarantors) in exchange for the Exchange Notes or the
Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, the Company and the
Guarantors shall ▇▇▇▇, or cause to be marked, on such Registrable Notes
that such Registrable Notes are being canceled in exchange for the
Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be; and,
in no event shall such Registrable Notes be marked as paid or otherwise
satisfied.
(t) Cooperate with each seller of Registrable Notes covered by
any Registration Statement and the managing underwriter(s), if any,
participating in the disposition of such Registrable Notes and their
respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made
with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD").
(u) Use their respective best efforts to take all other
reasonable steps necessary to effect the registration of the
Registrable Notes covered by a Registration Statement contemplated
hereby.
The Company and the Guarantors may require each seller of
Registrable Notes or Participating Broker-Dealer as to which any registration is
being effected to furnish to the Company and the Guarantors such information
regarding such seller or Participating Broker-Dealer and the distribution of
such Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes to be sold by such Participating
Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, as the Company and the Guarantors may, from
time to time, reasonably request. The Company may exclude from such registration
the Registrable Notes of any seller or Participating Broker-Dealer who fails to
furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such request.
Each seller as to which any Shelf Registration is being effected agrees to
furnish promptly to the Company all information required to be disclosed in
order to make the information previously furnished to the Company by such seller
not materially misleading.
Each Holder of Registrable Notes and each Participating
Broker-Dealer agrees by acquisition of such
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Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes to be sold by such Participating
Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, that, upon receipt of any notice from the
Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 5(c)(ii),
5(c)(iv), 5(c)(v) or 5(c)(vi) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue
disposition of such Registrable Notes covered by such Registration Statement or
Prospectus or Exchange Notes to be sold by such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, until such Holder's or Participating
Broker-Dealer's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus
contemplated by Section 5(k), or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice")
by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and has
received copies of any amendments or supplements thereto. In the event the
Company shall give any such notice, each of the Effectiveness Period and the
Applicable Period shall be extended by the number of days during such periods
from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the
date when each seller of Registrable Notes covered by such Registration
Statement or Exchange Notes to be sold by such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, shall have received (x) the copies of the
supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 5(k) or (y) the
Advice.
6. Registration Expenses
(a) All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or
compliance with this Agreement by the Company and the Guarantors shall be borne
by the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, whether or not the
Exchange Offer or a Shelf Registration is filed or becomes effective, including,
without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without
limitation, (A) fees with respect to filings required to be made with the NASD
in connection with an underwritten offering and (B) fees and expenses of
compliance with state securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without
limitation, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with Blue
Sky qualifications of the Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes and determination
of the eligibility of the Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes for investment
under the laws of such jurisdictions in the United States (x) where the Holders
of Registrable Notes are located, in the case of the Exchange Notes, or (y) as
provided in Section 5(h), in the case of Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes to
be sold by a Participating Broker-Dealer during the Applicable Period)),
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(ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing
certificates for Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes in a form eligible for
deposit with The Depository Trust Company and of printing Prospectuses if the
printing of Prospectuses is reasonably requested by the managing underwriter or
underwriters, if any, or, in respect of Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes to
be sold by any Participating Broker-Dealer during the Applicable Period, if
reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the Registrable Notes included in any Registration Statement or of such
Exchange Notes, as the case may be), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery
expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and fees and
disbursements of special counsel for the sellers of Registrable Notes (subject
to the provisions of Section 6(b)), (v) fees and disbursements of all
independent certified public accountants referred to in Section 5(n)(iii)
(including, without limitation, the expenses of any special audit and "cold
comfort" letters required by or incident to such performance), (vi) rating
agency fees, (vii) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company and/or the
Guarantors desire such insurance, (viii) fees and expenses of the Trustee, (ix)
fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company and/or the
Guarantors, (x) internal expenses of the Company and the Guarantors (including,
without limitation, all salaries and expenses of officers and employees of the
Company and the Guarantors performing legal or accounting duties), (xi) the
expense of any annual audit, (xii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection
with any listing of the securities to be registered on any securities exchange
and (xiii) the expenses relating to printing, word processing and distributing
all Registration Statements, underwriting agreements, securities sales
agreements, indentures and any other documents necessary in order to comply with
this Agreement.
(b) In connection with any Shelf Registration hereunder, the
Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall reimburse the Holders
of the Registrable Notes being registered in such registration for the
reasonable fees and disbursements of not more than one counsel (in addition to
appropriate local counsel) chosen by the Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Registrable Notes to be included in such Registration
Statement and other reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses of the
Holders of Registrable Notes incurred in connection with the registration of the
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Registrable Notes. The Company and the Guarantors shall not have any obligation
to pay any underwriting fees, discounts or commissions attributable to the sale
of Registrable Securities.
7. Indemnification
(a) Each of the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and
severally, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder of Registrable
Notes and each Participating Broker-Dealer selling Exchange Notes during the
Applicable Period, the officers and directors of each such Person, and each
Person, if any, who controls any such Person within the meaning of either
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, a
"Participant"), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and
liabilities (including, without limitation, the reasonable and documented legal
fees and other expenses actually incurred in connection with any suit, action or
proceeding or any claim asserted) caused by, arising out of or based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Registration Statement or Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company
shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any preliminary
Prospectus, or caused by, arising out of or based upon any omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any untrue statement or omission or
alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information relating to any Participant furnished to the Company in writing
by such Participant expressly for use therein; provided that the foregoing
indemnity with respect to any preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the
benefit of any Participant (or to the benefit of an officer or director of such
Participant or any Person controlling such Participant) from whom the Person
asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased Registrable
Notes or Exchange Notes if such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission made in such preliminary Prospectus is eliminated or
remedied in the related Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company
shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) and a copy of the
related Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) shall have been furnished to
30
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such Participant at or prior to the sale of such Registrable or Exchange Notes,
as the case may be, to such Person.
(b) Each Participant will be required to agree, severally and
not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Guarantors,
their respective directors and officers and each Person who controls any of the
Company or the Guarantors within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity
from the Company and the Guarantors to each Participant and shall have the
rights and duties given to the Company and the Guarantors in paragraph (c) of
this Section 7 (except that if the Company and the Guarantors shall have assumed
the defense thereof, such Participant shall not be required to do so, but may
employ separate counsel therein and participate in the defense thereof but the
fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Participant),
but only with reference to information relating to such Participant furnished to
the Company and the Guarantors in writing by such Participant expressly for use
in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, any amendment or supplement
thereto, or any preliminary Prospectus. The liability of any Participant under
this paragraph (b) shall in no event exceed the proceeds received by such
Participant from sales of Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes giving rise to
such obligations.
(c) If any suit, action, proceeding (including any
governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or
asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant
to either paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 7, such Person (the "Indemnified
Person") shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnity may be
sought (the "Indemnifying Person") in writing, and the Indemnifying Person, upon
request of the Indemnified Person, shall retain one counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and
any others the Indemnifying Person may reasonably designate in such proceeding
and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses incurred by such counsel related
to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have
the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel
shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying
Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed in writing to the
contrary, (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed to retain counsel reasonably
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satisfactory to the Indemnified Person or (iii) the named parties in any such
proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying
Person and the Indemnified Person and such Indemnified Person shall have been
advised by counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it
which are different from or additional to those available to any such
Indemnifying Person. It is understood that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in
connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction,
be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate law firm (in
addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such
fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate
firm for the Participants and such control Persons of Participants shall be
designated in writing by Participants who sold a majority in interest of
Registrable Notes and Exchange Notes sold by all such Participants and any such
separate firm for the Company and the Guarantors, their directors, their
officers and such control Persons of the Company and the Guarantors shall be
designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its prior written
consent, but if settled with such consent or if there is a final judgment for
the plaintiff for which the Indemnified Person is entitled to indemnification
pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify any
Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time
an Indemnified Person shall have requested an Indemnifying Person to reimburse
the Indemnified Person for reasonable fees and expenses incurred by counsel as
contemplated by the third sentence of this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected
without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60
days after receipt by such Indemnifying Person of the aforesaid request and (ii)
such Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in
accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement; provided,
however, that the Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement
effected without its consent pursuant to this sentence if the Indemnifying Party
is contesting, in good faith, the request for reimbursement. No Indemnifying
Person shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Person,
effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of
which any Indemnified
32
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Person is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought
hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release (or any other release reasonably acceptable to the
Indemnified Person) of such Indemnified Person from all liability on claims that
are the subject matter of such proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and
(b) of this Section 7 is unavailable to an Indemnified Person in respect of any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein (other than as a
result of the proviso set forth in Section 7(a)), then each Indemnifying Person
under such paragraphs, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person
thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified
Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company and
the Guarantors on the one hand and the Participants on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The
relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the
Participants on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company and the Guarantors or by the Participants and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) The parties agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Participants were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The
amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses,
claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding
paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth
above, any reasonable legal or other expenses actually incurred by such
Indemnified Person in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall a
Participant be required to
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contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which proceeds received by such
Participant from sales of Registrable Notes or Exchange Notes exceeds the amount
of any damages that such Participant has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(f) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in
this Section 7 will be in addition to any liability which the Indemnifying
Persons may otherwise have to the Indemnified Persons referred to above.
8. Rules 144 and 144A
Each of the Company and the Guarantors covenants that it will
file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the SEC thereunder in a
timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not required to file such
reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder of Registrable Notes, make
publicly available other information of a like nature so long as necessary to
permit sales pursuant to Rule 144 or Rule 144A. Each of the Company and the
Guarantors further covenants that so long as any Registrable Notes remain
outstanding to make available to any Holder of Registrable Notes in connection
with any sale thereof, the information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the
Securities Act in order to permit resales of such Registrable Notes pursuant to
(a) such Rule 144A, or (b) any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by
the SEC.
9. Underwritten Registrations
If any of the Registrable Notes covered by any Shelf
Registration are to be sold in an underwritten offering, the investment banking
firm or firms that will underwrite the offering and the manager or managers that
will manage the offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of such Registrable Notes included in such offering
and shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company and the Guarantors.
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No Holder of Registrable Notes may participate in any
underwritten offering hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such
Holder's Registrable Notes on the basis provided in any underwriting
arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such
arrangements and (b) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of
attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably
required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
10. Miscellaneous
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or any Guarantor of any of
its obligations under this Agreement, other than the occurrence of an event
which requires payment of Additional Interest, each Holder of Registrable Notes,
in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein, in the
Indenture or, in the case of the Initial Purchasers, in the Purchase Agreement
or granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific
performance of its rights under this Agreement. Each of the Company and the
Guarantors, jointly and severally, agree that monetary damages would not be
adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of any
of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees, jointly and
severally, that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect
of such breach, it shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be
adequate.
(b) Enforcement. The Trustee shall be authorized to enforce
the provisions of this Agreement for the ratable benefit of the Holders.
(c) No Inconsistent Agreements. None of the Company or the
Guarantors has entered, as of the date hereof, and the Company and the
Guarantors shall not enter, after the date of this Agreement, into any agreement
with respect to any of their securities that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the Holders of Registrable Notes in this Agreement or otherwise
conflicts with the provisions hereof. None of the Company or the Guarantors has
entered or will enter into any agreement with respect to any of its securities
which will grant to any Person piggy-back rights with respect to a Registration
Statement required to be filed under this Agreement.
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(d) Adjustments Affecting Registrable Notes. Neither the
Company nor the Guarantors shall, directly or indirectly, take any action with
respect to the Registrable Notes as a class that would adversely affect the
ability of the Holders of Registrable Notes to include such Registrable Notes in
a registration undertaken pursuant to this Agreement.
(e) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given, unless the Company and the Guarantors have obtained the
written consent of Holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding
aggregate principal amount of Registrable Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a
matter that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders of Registrable Notes
whose securities are being sold pursuant to a Registration Statement and that
does not directly or indirectly affect, impair, limit or compromise the rights
of other Holders of Registrable Notes may be given by Holders of at least a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Notes being sold by
such Holders pursuant to such Registration Statement; provided that the
provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified or supplemented except
in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.
(f) Notices. All notices and other communications (including
without limitation any notices or other communications to the Trustee) provided
for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered
first-class mail, next-day courier or telecopier:
(i) if to a Holder of Registrable Notes or any Participating
Broker-Dealer, at the most current address given by the Trustee to the
Company; and
(ii) if to the Company or the Guarantors, to ▇▇▇▇▇ Lemmerz
International, Inc., ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: General Counsel and with a copy to Skadden, Arps,
Slate, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have
been duly given: (i) when delivered by hand, if
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personally delivered; (ii) five business days after being deposited in the mail,
postage prepaid, if mailed; (iii) one business day after being timely delivered
to a next-day courier; and (iv) when receipt is acknowledged by the addressee,
if telecopied.
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications
shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee
under the Indenture at the address specified in such Indenture.
(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the
parties, including without limitation and without the need for an express
assignment, subsequent Holders of Registrable Notes.
(h) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of
which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(i) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
(J) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AS APPLIED TO
CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO
PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES TO SUBMIT TO
THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN ANY ACTION OR
PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.
(k) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto shall use their best efforts to find and employ an alternative means to
achieve the
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same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term,
provision, covenant or restriction.
(l) Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the
Purchase Agreement and the Indenture, is intended by the parties as a final
expression of their agreement, and is intended to be a complete and exclusive
statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of
the subject matter contained herein and therein.
(m) Joint and Several Obligations. Unless otherwise stated
herein, each of the obligations of the Company and the Guarantors under this
Agreement shall be joint and several obligations of each of them.
(n) Notes Held by the Company or their Affiliates. Whenever
the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable
Notes is required hereunder, Registrable Notes held by the Company or their
affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) shall
not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the
Holders of such required percentage.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement
as of the date first written above.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -
OHIO, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -CALIFORNIA, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -HUNTINGTON, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -▇▇▇▇▇▇, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -GEORGIA, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -MEXICO, INC.
HLI (EUROPE), LTD.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -
▇▇▇▇▇, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -
TEXAS, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -KENTUCKY, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -
CMI, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -CADILLAC, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -MONTAGUE, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -PETERSBURG, INC.
HLI-SUMMERFIELD REALTY CORP.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -BRISTOL, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -
PCA, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -SOUTHFIELD, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -TECHNICAL CENTER, INC.
HLI REALTY, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -
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LAREDO, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -TRANSPORTATION, INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL -
WABASH, INC.
By: ___________________________________________
Name:
Title:
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- 38 -
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first
above written.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
By: ______________________________
Name:
Title:
CIBC WORLD MARKETS CORP.
By: ____________________________
Name:
Title: