EXHIBIT 10.107
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of July 23, 1999
by and among
PSINet Inc.
and
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ International
Bear ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ International Limited
and
Chase Manhattan International Limited
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and
entered into as of July 23, 1999, by and among PSINet Inc., a New York
corporation (the "Company"), and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ International,
Bear ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ International Limited and Chase Manhattan International Limited
(each an "Initial Purchaser" and, collectively, the "Initial Purchasers"), each
of whom (or their respective affiliates) has agreed to purchase the Company's
$1,050,000,000 11% Senior Notes due 2009 (the "Dollar Notes") and Euro
150,000,000 11% Senior Notes due 2009 (the "Euro Notes" and, together with the
Dollar Notes, the "Notes") pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as defined
below).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated July
16, 1999 (the "Purchase Agreement"), by and among the Company and the Initial
Purchasers. In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to purchase the Notes, the
Company has agreed to provide the registration rights set forth in this
Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the
obligations of the Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 3 of the Purchase
Agreement. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have
the meaning assigned to them in the Indenture, dated as of July 23, 1999 between
the Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee, relating to the Notes and
the Exchange Notes (as defined below) (the "Indenture").
The parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have
the following meanings:
Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Affiliate: As defined in Rule 144 of the Commission under the Act.
Affiliated Market Maker: A Broker-Dealer who is deemed to be an
Affiliate of the Company.
Broker-Dealer: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange
Act.
Business Day: A day other than Saturday, Sunday or a day on which
banking institutions located in ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ or in
the place in which the Company maintains its principal office are authorized or
obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.
Certificated Securities: Physical Notes, as defined in the Indenture.
Closing Date: The date hereof.
Commission: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
Consummate: An Exchange Offer shall be deemed "Consummated" for
purposes of this Agreement upon the occurrence of (a) the filing and
effectiveness under the Act of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
relating to the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (b) the
maintenance of the continuing effectiveness of such Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and the keeping of the Exchange Offer open for a period not less than
the period required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof and (c) the delivery by the
Company to the Registrar under the Indenture of Exchange Notes in the same
aggregate principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly
tendered by Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer. The term
"Consummation" shall have a correlative meaning.
Consummation Deadline: As defined in Section 3(b) hereof.
Effectiveness Deadline: As defined in Sections 3(a) and 4(a) hereof.
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Exchange Notes: The Company's 11% Senior Notes due 2009 to be issued
pursuant to the Indenture: (i) in the Exchange Offer or (ii) as contemplated by
Section 4 hereof.
Exchange Offer: The exchange and issuance by the Company of an
aggregate principal amount of Exchange Notes (which shall be registered pursuant
to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) equal to the outstanding aggregate
principal amount of Notes that are tendered by such Holders in connection with
such exchange and issuance.
Exchange Offer Registration Statement: The Registration Statement
relating to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.
Exempt Resales: The transactions in which the Initial Purchasers
propose to resell the Notes to certain "qualified institutional buyers," as such
term is defined in Rule 144A under the Act and pursuant to Regulation S under
the Act.
Filing Deadline: As defined in Sections 3(a) and 4(a) hereof.
Holders: As defined in Section 2 hereof.
Person: Any individual, corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust,
unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision
thereof.
Prospectus: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement at
the time such Registration Statement is declared effective, as amended or
supplemented by any prospectus supplement and by all other amendments thereto,
including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference
into such prospectus.
Recommencement Date: As defined in Section 6(d) hereof.
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Registration Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Company
relating to (a) an offering of Exchange Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer or
(b) the registration for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to
the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, (i) that is filed pursuant to
the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) including the Prospectus included
therein, all amendments and supplements thereto (including post-effective
amendments) and all exhibits and material incorporated by reference therein.
Regulation S: Regulation S promulgated under the Act.
Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 4 hereof.
Suspension Notice: As defined in Section 6(d) hereof.
TIA: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. Section 77aaa-77bbbb)
as in effect on the date of the Indenture.
Transfer Restricted Securities: Each Note, until the earliest to
occur of (a) the date on which such Note is exchanged in the Exchange Offer for
a Exchange Note which is entitled to be resold to the public by the Holder
thereof without complying with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Act,
(b) the date on which such Note has been disposed of in accordance with a Shelf
Registration Statement (and the purchasers thereof have been issued Exchange
Notes), or (c) the date on which such Note is entitled to be distributed to the
public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act (and purchasers thereof have been
issued Exchange Notes), and each Exchange Note until the date on which such
Exchange Note is disposed of by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the "Plan of
Distribution" contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
(including the delivery of the Prospectus contained therein).
SECTION 2. HOLDERS
A Person is deemed to be a holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
(each, a "Holder") whenever such Person owns Transfer Restricted Securities.
SECTION 3. REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER
(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permitted by applicable
federal law (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a)(i) below have been
complied with), the Company shall (i) cause the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement to be filed with the Commission as soon as practicable after the
Closing Date, but in no event later than 75 days after the Closing Date (such
75th day being the "Filing Deadline"), (ii) use its best efforts to cause such
Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective at the earliest
possible time (consistent with existing contractual obligations of the Company),
but
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in no event later than 150 days after the Closing Date (such 150th day being the
"Effectiveness Deadline"), (iii) in connection with the foregoing, (A) file all
pre-effective amendments to such Exchange Offer Registration Statement as may be
necessary in order to cause it to become effective, (B) file, if applicable, a
post-effective amendment to such Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant
to Rule 430A under the Act and (C) cause all necessary filings, if any, in
connection with the registration and qualification of the Exchange Notes to be
made under the Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as are necessary to permit
Consummation of the Exchange Offer, and (iv) upon the effectiveness of such
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, commence and Consummate the Exchange
Offer. The Exchange Offer shall be on the appropriate form permitting (i)
registration of the Exchange Notes to be offered in exchange for the Notes that
are Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) resales of Exchange Notes by
Broker-Dealers that tendered into the Exchange Offer the Notes that such
Broker-Dealer acquired for its own account as a result of market making
activities or other trading activities (other than Notes acquired directly from
the Company or any of its Affiliates) as contemplated by Section 3(c) below.
(b) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement to be effective continuously and shall keep the
Exchange Offer open for a period of not less than the minimum period required
under applicable federal and state securities laws to Consummate the Exchange
Offer; provided, however, that, in no event shall such period be less than 20
Business Days. The Company shall cause the Exchange Offer to comply with all
applicable federal and state securities laws, and, if applicable, the rules and
regulations of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. No securities other than the
Exchange Notes shall be included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement.
The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Exchange Offer to be
Consummated on the earliest practicable date after the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement has become effective, but in no event later than 30
Business Days thereafter (such 30th day being the "Consummation Deadline").
(c) The Company shall include a "Plan of Distribution" section in the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and indicate
therein that any Broker-Dealer who holds Transfer Restricted Securities that
were acquired for the account of such Broker-Dealer as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities (other than Notes acquired directly from
the Company or any Affiliate of the Company), may exchange such Transfer
Restricted Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer; however, such
Broker-Dealer may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Act
and must, therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Act in
connection with any resales of the Exchange Notes received by such Broker-Dealer
in the Exchange Offer, which prospectus delivery requirement may be satisfied by
the delivery by such Broker-Dealer of the Prospectus contained in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement. Such "Plan of Distribution" section shall also
contain all other information with respect to such sales by such Broker-Dealers
that the Commission may require in order to permit such sales pursuant thereto,
but such "Plan of Distribution" shall not name any such Broker-Dealer or
disclose the amount of Transfer Restricted Securities held by any such
Broker-Dealer, except to the extent required by the Commission as a result of a
change in policy, rules or regulations after the date of this Agreement. The
letter of transmittal or similar documentation to be executed by a Holder in
order to participate in the Exchange Offer will include, among other things, a
provision to the effect that, if the Holder is a Broker-Dealer holding Notes
acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other
trading activities, such Holder acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus
meeting the requirements of the Act in connection with any resale of Exchange
Notes received in respect of Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
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Because such Broker-Dealer may be deemed to be an "underwriter"
within the meaning of the Act and must, therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting
the requirements of the Act in connection with its initial sale of any Exchange
Notes received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer, the Company shall
permit the use of the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement by such Broker-Dealer to satisfy such prospectus delivery requirement.
To the extent necessary to ensure that the prospectus contained in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement is available for sales of Exchange Notes by
Broker-Dealers, the Company agree to use its best efforts to keep the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented, amended and
current as required by and subject to the provisions of Section 6(a) and (c)
hereof and in conformity with the requirements of this Agreement, the Act and
the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to
time, for a period of one year from the Consummation Deadline or such shorter
period as will terminate when all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such
Registration Statement have been sold pursuant thereto. The Company shall
provide sufficient copies of the latest version of such Prospectus to such
Broker-Dealers, promptly upon request, and in no event later than two Business
Days after such request, at any time during such period.
SECTION 4. SHELF REGISTRATION
(a) Shelf Registration. If (i) the Exchange Offer is not permitted by
applicable law (after the Company has complied with the procedures set forth in
Section 6(a)(i) below) or (ii) if any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
shall notify the Company within 20 Business Days following the Consummation
Deadline that (A) such Holder was prohibited by law or Commission policy from
participating in the Exchange Offer, (B) such Holder may not resell the Exchange
Notes acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to the public without delivering a
prospectus and the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement is not appropriate or available for such resales by such Holder or (C)
such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Notes acquired directly from the
Company or any of its Affiliates, then the Company shall:
(x) cause to be filed, on or prior to 30 days after the earlier
of (i) the date on which the Company determines that the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement cannot be filed as a result of clause (a)(i) above
or (ii) the date on which the Company receives the notice specified in
clause (a)(ii) above (such earlier date, the "Filing Deadline"), a shelf
registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act (which may be an
amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration statement (the "Shelf
Registration Statement")), relating to all Transfer Restricted Securities,
the Holders of which shall have provided the information required pursuant
to Section 4(b) hereof, and
(y) use its best efforts to cause such Shelf Registration
Statement to become effective on or prior to 60 days after the filing of
the Shelf Registration Statement (or such longer period, not to exceed 150
days after the filing of the Shelf Registration Statement as may be
necessary to avoid conflicts with existing contractual obligations of the
Company) (such 60th day or longer period the "Effectiveness Deadline").
If, after the Company has filed an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement that satisfies the requirements of Section 3(a) above, the Company is
required to file and make effective a Shelf Registration Statement solely
because the Exchange Offer is not permitted under applicable federal law (i.e.,
clause (a)(i)
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above), then the filing of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement shall be
deemed to satisfy the requirements of clause (x) above; provided, that, in such
event, the Company shall remain obligated to meet the Effectiveness Deadline set
forth in clause (y) above.
To the extent necessary to ensure that the Shelf Registration
Statement is available for sales of Transfer Restricted Securities by the
Holders thereof entitled to the benefit of this Section 4(a) and the other
securities required to be registered therein pursuant to Section 6(b)(ii)
hereof, the Company shall use its best efforts to keep any Shelf Registration
Statement required by this Section 4(a) continuously effective, supplemented,
amended and current as required by and subject to the provisions of Sections
6(b) and (c) hereof and in conformity with the requirements of this Agreement,
the Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced
from time to time, for a period of at least two years (as extended pursuant to
Section 6(c)(i)) following the Closing Date, or such shorter period as will
terminate when all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Shelf
Registration Statement have been sold pursuant thereto.
(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with
the Shelf Registration Statement. No Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
may include any of its Transfer Restricted Securities in any Shelf Registration
Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder furnishes to
the Company in writing, within 10 Business Days after receipt of a request
therefor, such information as the Company may reasonably request for use in
connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary
prospectus included therein, including, without limitation, the information
specified in Item 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K, as applicable, under the Act for
use in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or
preliminary prospectus included therein. No Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities shall be entitled to liquidated damages pursuant to Section 5 hereof
unless and until such Holder shall have provided all such information. Each
selling Holder as to which any Shelf Registration Statement is being effected
agrees to notify the Company as promptly as practicable of any inaccuracy or
change in information previously furnished by such Holder to the Company or the
happening of any event, in either case as a result of which the Shelf
Registration Statement contains any untrue statement of a material fact
regarding such Holder or the distribution of Transfer Restricted Securities or
omits to state any material fact regarding such Holder or the distribution of
such Transfer Restricted Securities required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statement therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
are made, not misleading or any Prospectus relating to such Shelf Registration
Statement contains any untrue statement of a material fact regarding such Holder
or the distribution of such Transfer Restricted Securities or omits to state any
material fact regarding such Holder or the distribution of such Transfer
Restricted Securities necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and to furnish
promptly to the Company any additional information (i) required to correct and
update any previously furnished information or (ii) required so that the Shelf
Registration Statement or any Prospectus shall not contain any such untrue
statement of a material fact or any such omission to state a material fact.
SECTION 5. LIQUIDATED DAMAGES
If (i) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not
filed with the Commission on or prior to the applicable Filing Deadline, (ii)
any such Registration Statement has not been declared
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effective by the Commission on or prior to the applicable Effectiveness
Deadline, (iii) the Exchange Offer has not been Consummated on or prior to the
Consummation Deadline, or (iv) any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement is filed and declared effective but shall thereafter cease to be
effective or fail to be usable for its intended purpose without being succeeded
immediately (subject to the terms of this Agreement) by a post-effective
amendment to such Registration Statement that cures such failure and that is
itself declared effective immediately (each such event referred to in clauses
(i) through (iv), a "Registration Default"), then the Company hereby agrees to
pay to each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities affected thereby liquidated
damages in an amount equal to 0.25% per annum per $1,000 or Euro 1000, as the
case may be, in principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities held by such
Holder for each year or portion thereof that the Registration Default continues
for the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of such
Registration Default. The amount of the liquidated damages shall increase by an
additional 0.25% per annum per $1,000 or Euro 1000, as the case may be, in
principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities with respect to each
subsequent 90-day period until all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to
a maximum amount of liquidated damages of 1.50% per annum per $1,000 or Euro
1000, as the case may be, in principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities;
provided, that, the Company shall in no event be required to pay liquidated
damages for more than one Registration Default at any given time.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, (1) upon filing of
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (and/or, if applicable, the Shelf
Registration Statement), in the case of clause (i) above, (2) upon the
effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (and/or, if
applicable, the Shelf Registration Statement), in the case of clause (ii) above,
(3) upon Consummation of the Exchange Offer, in the case of clause (iii) above,
or (4) upon the filing of a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or an additional Registration Statement that causes the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement (and/or, if applicable, the Shelf Registration Statement)
to again be declared effective or made usable in the case of clause (iv) above,
the liquidated damages payable with respect to the Transfer Restricted
Securities as a result of such clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), as applicable,
shall cease.
All accrued liquidated damages shall be paid to the Holders entitled
thereto, in the manner provided for the payment of interest in the Indenture, on
each Interest Payment Date, as more fully set forth in the Indenture and the
Notes. Notwithstanding the fact that any securities for which liquidated damages
are due cease to be Transfer Restricted Securities, all obligations of the
Company to pay liquidated damages with respect to such securities outstanding
prior to the time such securities ceased to be Transfer Restricted Securities
shall survive until such time as such obligations with respect to such
securities shall have been satisfied in full.
In the event any Notes or Exchange Notes are listed on the Luxembourg
Stock Exchange, the Company shall (i) notify the Luxembourg Stock Exchange of
the amount of any liquidated damages payable with respect to listed Notes in
accordance with this Section 5 and (ii) arrange to have a notice of the amount
of any such liquidated damages with respect to listed Notes published in a
newspaper having a general circulation in Luxembourg in accordance with the
rules and regulations of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, which initially shall be
the Luxembourger Wort.
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SECTION 6. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the
Exchange Offer, the Company shall (x) comply with all applicable provisions of
Section 6(c) below, (y) use its best efforts to effect such exchange and to
permit the resale of Exchange Notes by Broker-Dealers that tendered in the
Exchange Offer Notes that such Broker-Dealer acquired for its own account as a
result of its market making activities or other trading activities (other than
Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its Affiliates) being sold in
accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and (z)
comply with all of the following provisions:
(i) If, following the date hereof there has been announced a
change in Commission policy with respect to exchange offers such as the
Exchange Offer that in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Company
raises a substantial question as to whether the Exchange Offer is
permitted by applicable federal law, the Company hereby agrees to seek a
no-action letter or other favorable decision from the Commission allowing
the Company to Consummate an Exchange Offer for such Transfer Restricted
Securities. The Company hereby agrees to pursue the issuance of such a
decision to the Commission staff level. In connection with and subject to
the foregoing, the Company hereby agrees to take all such other actions as
may be reasonably requested by the Commission or otherwise required in
connection with the issuance of such decision, including, without
limitation, (A) participating in telephonic conferences with the
Commission, (B) delivering to the Commission staff an analysis prepared by
counsel to the Company setting forth the legal bases, if any, upon which
such counsel has concluded that such an Exchange Offer should be permitted
and (C) diligently pursuing a resolution (which need not be favorable) by
the Commission staff.
(ii) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer,
each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (including, without
limitation, any Holder who is a Broker-Dealer) shall furnish, upon the
request of the Company, prior to the Consummation of the Exchange Offer, a
written representation to the Company (which may be contained in the
letter of transmittal contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an Affiliate of the Company,
(B) it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and has no
arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in, a
distribution of the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer and
(C) it is acquiring the Exchange Notes in its ordinary course of business.
In addition, all such Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities shall
otherwise reasonably cooperate to the extent necessary in the Company's
preparations for the Exchange Offer. Each Holder using the Exchange Offer
to participate in a distribution of the Exchange Notes hereby acknowledges
and agrees that, if the resales are of Exchange Notes obtained by such
Holder in exchange for Notes acquired directly from the Company or an
Affiliate thereof, it (1) could not, under Commission policy as in effect
on the date of this Agreement, rely on the position of the Commission
enunciated in ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and
Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as
interpreted in the Commission's letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July
2, 1993, and similar no-action letters (including, if applicable, any
no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above), and (2) must
comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Act in connection with a secondary resale
8
transaction and that such a secondary resale transaction must be covered
by an effective registration statement containing the selling security
holder information required by Item 507 or 508, as applicable, of
Regulation S-K under the Act.
(iii) Prior to the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, the Company shall provide a supplemental letter to
the Commission (A) stating that the Company is registering the Exchange
Offer in reliance on the position of the Commission enunciated in Exxon
Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and
Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) as interpreted in the Commission's
letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and, if applicable, any
no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above, (B) including a
representation that the Company has not entered into any arrangement or
understanding with any Person to distribute the Exchange Notes to be
received in the Exchange Offer, and to the extent that the Company is
capable of so representing, to the best of the Company's information and
belief, each Holder participating in the Exchange Offer is acquiring the
Exchange Notes in its ordinary course of business and has no arrangement
or understanding with any Person to participate in the distribution of the
Exchange Notes received in the Exchange Offer and (C) including any other
undertaking or representation required by the Commission as set forth in
any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above, if applicable.
(b) Shelf Registration Statement. In connection with the Shelf
Registration Statement, the Company shall (i) (x) comply with all the provisions
of Section 6(c) below and (y) use its best efforts to effect such registration
to permit the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in
accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof (as
indicated in the information furnished to the Company pursuant to Section 4(b)
hereof), and pursuant thereto the Company will prepare and file with the
Commission a Registration Statement relating to the registration on any
appropriate form under the Act, which form shall be available for the sale of
the Transfer Restricted Securities in accordance with the intended method or
methods of distribution thereof within the time periods and otherwise in
accordance with the provisions hereof; and (ii) issue, upon the request of any
Holder or purchaser of Notes covered by any Shelf Registration Statement
contemplated by this Agreement, Exchange Notes having an aggregate principal
amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Notes sold pursuant to the
Shelf Registration Statement and surrendered to the Company for cancellation;
the Company shall register Exchange Notes on the Shelf Registration Statement
for this purpose and issue the Exchange Notes to the purchaser(s) of securities
subject to the Shelf Registration Statement in the names as such purchaser(s)
shall designate.
(c) General Provisions. In connection with any Registration Statement
and any related Prospectus required by this Agreement, the Company shall:
(i) use its best efforts to keep such Registration Statement
continuously effective and provide all requisite financial statements for
the period specified in Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement, as applicable.
Upon the occurrence of any event that would cause any such Registration
Statement or the Prospectus contained therein (A) to contain an untrue
statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading or (B) not to be effective and
usable for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities during the period
required by this Agreement, the Company shall file promptly an appropriate
amendment to such Registration
9
Statement curing such defect, and, if Commission review is required, use
its best efforts to cause such amendment to be declared effective as soon
as practicable;
(ii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and
post-effective amendments to the applicable Registration Statement as may
be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the
applicable period set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as the case may be;
cause the Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus
supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under
the Act, and to comply fully with the applicable provisions of Rules 424,
430A and 462, as applicable, under the Act in a timely manner; and comply
with the provisions of the Act with respect to the disposition of all
securities covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable
period in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution
by the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or
supplement to the Prospectus;
(iii) advise each Holder and each Initial Purchaser who is
required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales or market making
activities (as further defined in Section 1 hereof an "Affiliated Market
Maker") promptly and, if requested by such Holder or Person, confirm such
advice in writing, (A) when the Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to any
applicable Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto,
when the same has become effective, (B) of any request by the Commission
for amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements
to the Prospectus or for additional information relating thereto, (C) of
the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Act or of the
suspension by any state securities commission of the qualification of the
Transfer Restricted Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
or the initiation of any proceeding for any of the preceding purposes, (D)
of the existence of any fact or the happening of any event that makes any
statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto or any document
incorporated by reference therein untrue, or that requires the making of
any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement in order to make
the statements therein not misleading, or that requires the making of any
additions to or changes in the Prospectus in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any state
securities commission or other regulatory authority shall issue an order
suspending the qualification or exemption from qualification of the
Transfer Restricted Securities under state securities or Blue Sky laws or
if the Euro Notes are listed on the LSE and, at any time, the Luxembourg
Stock Exchange orders a suspension of trading of the Euro Notes, the
Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of
such order at the earliest practical time;
(iv) subject to Section 6(c)(i) above, if any fact or event
contemplated by Section 6(c)(iii)(D) above shall exist or have occurred,
prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by
reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter
delivered to the purchasers of Transfer Restricted Securities, the
Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact
10
or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading;
(v) furnish to each Holder and each Affiliated Market Maker in
connection with such exchange or sale, if any, before filing with the
Commission, copies of any Registration Statement or any Prospectus
included therein or any amendments or supplements to any such Registration
Statement or Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference
after the initial filing of such Registration Statement), which documents
will be subject to the review and comment of such Holders in connection
with such sale, if any, for a period of at least five Business Days, and
the Company will not file any such Registration Statement or Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement to any such Registration Statement or
Prospectus (including all such documents incorporated by reference) to
which such Holders shall reasonably object within five Business Days after
the receipt thereof. A Holder shall be deemed to have reasonably objected
to such filing if such Registration Statement, amendment, Prospectus or
supplement, as applicable, as proposed to be filed, contains an untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading or fails to comply with the
applicable requirements of the Act which has been specifically identified
by such Holder or Affiliated Market Maker;
(vi) promptly prior to the filing of any document that is to be
incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or Prospectus,
provide copies of such document to each Holder and each Affiliated Market
Maker in connection with such exchange or sale, if any, make the Company's
representatives available at reasonable times for discussion of such
document and other customary due diligence matters, and include such
information in such document prior to the filing thereof as such Holders
may reasonably request;
(vii) make available, at reasonable times, for inspection by
each Holder and each Affiliated Market Maker and any attorney or
accountant retained by such Holders all financial and other records,
pertinent corporate documents of the Company and cause the Company's
officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably
requested by any such Holder or attorney or accountant in connection with
such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto
subsequent to the filing thereof and prior to its effectiveness; provided,
however, that such Persons shall first agree in writing with the Company
that any information that is reasonably and in good faith designated by
the Company in writing as confidential at the time of delivery of such
information shall be kept confidential by such Persons, unless (i)
disclosure of such information is required by court or administrative
order or is necessary to respond to inquiries of regulatory authorities,
(ii) disclosure of such information is required by law (including any
disclosure requirements pursuant to federal securities laws in connection
with the filing of such Registration Statement or the use of any
Prospectus), (iii) such information becomes generally available to the
public other than as a result of a disclosure or failure to safeguard such
information by such Person or (iv) such information becomes available to
such Person from a source other than the Company and its subsidiaries and
such source is not known, after due inquiry, by such Person to be bound by
a confidentiality agreement; provided further, that the foregoing
investigation shall be coordinated on behalf of such Persons by one
representative designated by and on behalf of such Persons and any such
confidential information shall be available from such representative to
such Persons so long as any Person agrees to be bound by such
confidentiality agreement;
11
(viii) if requested by any Holders in connection with such
exchange or sale or any Affiliated Market Maker, promptly include in any
Registration Statement or Prospectus, pursuant to a supplement or
post-effective amendment if necessary, such information as such Holders
may reasonably request to have included therein, including, without
limitation, information relating to the "Plan of Distribution" of the
Transfer Restricted Securities and the use of the Registration Statement
or Prospectus for market making activities, except to the extent that the
Company, upon receipt of an opinion of counsel, reasonably believes that
the inclusion of such information could result in a violation of federal
or state securities laws; and make all required filings of such Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the
Company is notified of the matters to be included in such Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment;
(ix) furnish to each Holder in connection with such exchange or
sale and each Affiliated Market Maker, without charge, at least one copy
of the Registration Statement, as first filed with the Commission, and of
each amendment thereto, including all documents incorporated by reference
therein and all exhibits (including exhibits incorporated therein by
reference);
(x) deliver to each Holder and each Affiliated Market Maker,
without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus (including each
preliminary prospectus) and any amendment or supplement thereto as such
Persons reasonably may request; the Company hereby consents to the use (in
accordance with law) of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto by each selling Holder in connection with the offering and the
sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto and all market making activities of
such Affiliated Market Maker, as the case may be;
(xi) upon the request of any Holder, enter into such agreements
(including underwriting agreements) and make such representations and
warranties as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in primary
underwritten offerings and take all such other actions in connection
therewith in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the
Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to any applicable Registration
Statement contemplated by this Agreement as may be reasonably requested by
any Holder in connection with any sale or resale pursuant to any
applicable Registration Statement. In such connection, and also in
connection with market making activities by any Affiliated Market Maker,
the Company shall:
(A) upon request of any Holder furnish (or in the case of
paragraphs (2) and (3) below, use its best efforts to cause to be
furnished) to each Holder upon Consummation of the Exchange Offer or
upon the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, in such
substance and scope and as are customarily made by issuers to
underwriters in primary underwritten offerings, as the case may be:
(1) a certificate, dated such date, signed on behalf of
the Company by (x) the President or any Vice President and (y)
a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company,
confirming, as of the date thereof, the matters set forth in
Sections 6(y), 9(a) and 9(b) of the Purchase Agreement and such
other similar matters as such Holders may reasonably request;
12
(2) an opinion, dated the date of Consummation of the
Exchange Offer or the date of effectiveness of the Shelf
Registration Statement, as the case may be, of counsel for the
Company covering matters similar to those set forth in Section
9(e) of the Purchase Agreement and such other matters as such
Holder may reasonably request, and in any event including a
statement to the effect that such counsel has participated in
conferences with officers and other representatives of the
Company, representatives of the independent public accountants
for the Company, the underwriters' representatives and the
underwriters' counsel in connection with the preparation of
such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus, and
have considered the matters required to be stated therein and
the statements contained therein, although such counsel has not
independently verified the accuracy, completeness or fairness
of such statements; and that such counsel advises that, on the
basis of the foregoing (relying as to materiality to the extent
such counsel deems appropriate upon the statements of officers
and other representatives of the Company and without
independent check or verification), no facts came to such
counsel's attention that caused such counsel to believe that
the applicable Registration Statement, at the time such
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto
became effective and, in the case of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, as of the date of Consummation of the
Exchange Offer, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, or that the Prospectus contained in such
Registration Statement as of its date and, in the case of the
opinion dated the date of Consummation of the Exchange Offer,
as of the date of Consummation, contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. Without limiting the foregoing, such counsel may
state further that such counsel assumes no direct or indirect
responsibility, explicitly or implicitly, for, and has not
independently verified, the accuracy, completeness or fairness
of the financial statements (including, without limitation, pro
forma financial statements), notes and schedules and other
financial, numerical, statistical and accounting information
and data included in any Registration Statement contemplated by
this Agreement or the related Prospectus; and
(3) a customary comfort letter, dated the date of
Consummation of the Exchange Offer, or as of the date of
effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case
may be, from the Company's independent accountants, in the
customary form and covering matters of the type customarily
covered in comfort letters to underwriters in connection with
underwritten offerings, and affirming the matters set forth in
the comfort letters delivered pursuant to Section 9(g) of the
Purchase Agreement; and
(B) deliver such other documents and certificates as may be
reasonably requested by the selling Holders or such Persons to
evidence compliance with the matters covered in
13
clause (A) above and with any customary conditions contained in the
underwriting or other agreement entered into by the Company pursuant
to this clause (xi);
(xii) prior to any public offering of Transfer Restricted
Securities, cooperate with the selling Holders and their counsel in
connection with the registration and qualification of the Transfer
Restricted Securities under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such
jurisdictions as the selling Holders may request and do any and all other
acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such
jurisdictions of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the
applicable Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company
shall not be required to register or qualify as a foreign corporation
where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject
it to the service of process in suits or to taxation, other than as to
matters and transactions relating to the Registration Statement, in any
jurisdiction where it is not now so subject;
(xiii) in connection with any sale of Transfer Restricted
Securities that will result in such securities no longer being Transfer
Restricted Securities, cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Transfer Restricted
Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and to
register such Transfer Restricted Securities in such denominations and
such names as the selling Holders may request at least two Business Days
prior to such sale of Transfer Restricted Securities;
(xiv) use its best efforts to cause the disposition of the
Transfer Restricted Securities 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 to
consummate the disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities, subject
to the proviso contained in clause (xii) above;
(xv) provide (A) CUSIP numbers, ISIN numbers and common codes,
as applicable, for all Transfer Restricted Securities not later than the
effective date of a Registration Statement covering such Transfer
Restricted Securities and provide the Trustee under the Indenture with
printed certificates for the Transfer Restricted Securities which are in a
form eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company and, to the
extent necessary or appropriate, a common depositary for the Euroclear
System or Cedelbank, as the case may be;
(xvi) otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally
available to its security holders with regard to any applicable
Registration Statement, as soon as practicable, a consolidated earnings
statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 (which need not be audited)
covering a twelve-month period beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement (as such term is defined in paragraph (c) of Rule
158 under the Act);
(xvii) use its best efforts to cause the Indenture to be
qualified under the TIA not later than the effective date of the first
Registration Statement required by this Agreement and, in connection
therewith, cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such
changes to the 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 the Trustee to execute, all documents that may
14
be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents
required to be filed with the Commission to enable such Indenture to be so
qualified in a timely manner;
(xviii) provide promptly to each Holder and Affiliated Market
Maker, upon request, each document filed with the Commission pursuant to
the requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; and
(xix) in the event any Notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock
Exchange (A) make an application for an equal principal amount of Exchange
Notes to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and (B) use its
reasonable best efforts to make available for inspection all documents
prepared in connection with the Exchange Offer at the office of
Kredietbank S.A. Luxembourgeoise, as common depositary, in Luxembourg.
(d) Restrictions on Holders. Each Holder agrees by acquisition of a
Transfer Restricted Security and each Affiliated Market Maker agrees that, upon
receipt of the notice referred to in Section 6(c)(iii)(C) hereof or any notice
from the Company of the existence of any fact of the kind described in Section
6(c)(iii)(D) hereof (in each case, a "Suspension Notice"), such Holder or Person
will forthwith discontinue disposition of Transfer Restricted Securities
pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement until (i) such Holder or
Person has received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus
contemplated by Section 6(c)(iv) hereof, or (ii) such Holder or Person is
advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed,
and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (in each case, the "Recommencement
Date"). Each Holder or Person receiving a Suspension Notice hereby agrees that
it will either (i) destroy any Prospectuses, other than permanent file copies,
then in such Holder's or Person's possession which have been replaced by the
Company with more recently dated Prospectuses or (ii) deliver to the Company (at
the Company's expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies, then in
such Holder's Person's possession of the Prospectus covering such Transfer
Restricted Securities that was current at the time of receipt of the Suspension
Notice. The time period regarding the effectiveness of such Registration
Statement set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, shall be extended
by a number of days equal to the number of days in the period from and including
the date of delivery of the Suspension Notice to the date of delivery of the
Recommencement Date.
SECTION 7. REGISTRATION EXPENSES
(a) All expenses incident to the Company's performance of or
compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company, regardless of
whether a Registration Statement becomes effective, including without
limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees and expenses; (ii) all fees and
expenses of compliance with federal securities and state Blue Sky or securities
laws; (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing certificates for the
Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer and printing of Prospectuses
whether for exchanges, sales, market making or otherwise), messenger and
delivery services and telephone; (iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Company and one counsel for the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities as
provided in Section 7(b) below; (v) all application and filing fees in
connection with listing the Exchange Notes on a national securities exchange or
automated quotation system pursuant to the requirements hereof; (vi) all
application and filing fees in connection with listing any Exchange Notes on the
15
Luxembourg Stock Exchange; and (vii) all fees and disbursements of independent
certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any
special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such performance).
The Company will, in any event, bear its internal expenses
(including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and
employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual
audit and the fees and expenses of any Person, including special experts,
retained by the Company.
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement (including, without limitation, the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and the Shelf Registration Statement), the Company will reimburse the
Initial Purchasers and the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities who are
tendering Notes in the Exchange Offer and/or selling or reselling Notes or
Exchange Notes pursuant to the "Plan of Distribution" contained in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable,
for the reasonable fees and disbursements of not more than one counsel, who
shall be Paul, Hastings, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, unless another firm shall be
chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Transfer
Restricted Securities for whose benefit such Registration Statement is being
prepared.
SECTION 8. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder,
its directors, officers and each Person, if any, who controls such Holder
(within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act),
from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments
(including without limitation, any legal or other expenses incurred in
connection with investigating or defending any matter, including any action that
could give rise to any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments)
caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus or Prospectus
(or any amendment or supplement thereto) provided by the Company to any Holder
or any prospective purchaser of Exchange Notes or registered Notes, or caused by
any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments are
caused by (i) an untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or
omission that is based upon information relating to any of the Holders furnished
in writing to the Company by any of the Holders or (ii) an untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission in any preliminary
prospectus that was corrected by the Prospectus and such Holder failed to comply
with such Prospectus delivery requirements as are applicable to it and such
loss, claim, damage, liability or judgment would not have arisen if such
Prospectus had been so delivered.
(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted agrees, severally and not
jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and
officers, and each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section
15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) the Company, to the same extent
as the foregoing indemnity from the Company set forth in clause (a) above, but
only (i) with reference to information relating to such Holder furnished in
writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration
Statement or (ii) if an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged
16
omission in any preliminary prospectus was corrected by the Prospectus and such
Holder failed to comply with such Prospectus delivery requirements as are
applicable to it and such loss, claim, damage, liability or judgment would not
have arisen if such Prospectus had been so delivered. In no event shall any
Holder, its directors, officers or any Person who controls such Holder be liable
or responsible for any amount in excess of the amount by which the total amount
received by such Holder with respect to its sale of Transfer Restricted
Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement exceeds (i) the amount paid by
such Holder for such Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) the amount of any
damages that such Holder, its directors, officers or any Person who controls
such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission or failure to comply
with such Prospectus delivery requirements as are applicable to it.
(c) In case any action shall be commenced involving any Person in
respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b) hereof
(the "indemnified party"), the indemnified party shall promptly notify the
person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying person") in
writing and the indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such action,
including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party and the payment of all fees and expenses of such counsel, as incurred
(except that in the case of any action in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to both Sections 8(a) and 8(b) hereof, a Holder shall not be
required to assume the defense of such action pursuant to this Section 8(c), but
may employ separate counsel and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel, except as provided below, shall be at the expense
of the Holder). Any indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate
counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnified party
unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been specifically
authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying party
shall have failed to assume the defense of such action or employ counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the named parties to
any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified
party and the indemnifying party, and the indemnified party shall have been
advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available
to it which are different from or additional to those available to the
indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party shall not have the
right to assume the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party).
In any such case, the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one
action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be
liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in
addition to any local counsel) for all indemnified parties and all such fees and
expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated
in writing by a majority of the Holders, in the case of the parties indemnified
pursuant to Section 8(a) hereof, and by the Company in the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b) hereof. The indemnifying party shall
indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments by reason of any settlement
of any action (i) effected with its written consent or (ii) effected without its
written consent if the settlement is entered into more than 20 Business Days
after the indemnifying party shall have received a request from the indemnified
party for reimbursement for the fees and expenses of counsel (in any case where
such fees and expenses are at the expense of the indemnifying party) and, prior
to the date of such settlement, the indemnifying party shall have failed to
comply with such reimbursement request. No indemnifying party shall, without the
prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement or
compromise of, or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to, any pending
or threatened action in
17
respect of which the indemnified party is or could have been a party and
indemnity or contribution may be or could have been sought hereunder by the
indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes
an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability on claims
that are or could have been the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not
include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to
act, by or on behalf of the indemnified party.
(d) To the extent that the indemnification provided for in this
Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified party in respect of any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments (i) in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on
the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, from their sale of Transfer
Restricted Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative
fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Holder, on the other hand, in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand,
and of the Holder, on the other hand, 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 (A)
information supplied by the Company on the one hand, or by the Holder, on the
other hand, or (B) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission therein that was corrected by the Prospectus and any Holder
failed to comply with such Prospectus delivery requirements as are applicable to
it and such loss, claim, damage, liability or judgment would not have arisen if
such Prospectus had been so delivered, and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments referred to above shall be
deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in the second paragraph
of Section 8(a), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such
party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.
The Company and each Holder agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(d) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to in the immediately
preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set
forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any matter. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Section 8, no Holder, its directors, its officers or any
Person, if any, who controls such Holder shall be required to contribute, in the
aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the total amount received
by such Holder with respect to the sale of Transfer Restricted Securities
pursuant to a Registration Statement exceeds (i) the amount paid by such Holder
for such Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) the amount of any damages which
such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission or failure to comply
with such Prospectus delivery requirements as are applicable to it. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Act) shall be entitled to
18
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Holders' obligations to contribute pursuant to this
Section 8(c) are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities held by each Holder hereunder and not joint.
(e) The Company agrees that the indemnity and contribution provisions
of this Section 8 shall apply to Affiliated Market Makers to the same extent, on
the same conditions, as it applies to Holders.
SECTION 9. RULE 144A AND RULE 144
The Company agrees with each Holder, for so long as any Transfer
Restricted Securities remain outstanding and during any period in which the
Company (i) is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to make
available, upon request of any Holder, to such Holder or beneficial owner of
Transfer Restricted Securities in connection with any sale thereof and any
prospective purchaser of such Transfer Restricted Securities designated by such
Holder or beneficial owner, the information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under
the Act in order to permit resales of such Transfer Restricted Securities
pursuant to Rule 144A, and (ii) is subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act, to make all filings required thereby in a timely manner in order
to permit resales of such Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144.
SECTION 10. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) Remedies. The Company acknowledges and agrees that any failure by
it to comply with its obligations under Sections 3 and 4 hereof may result in
material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders or
Affiliated Market Makers for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it
will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in
the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder or
Affiliated Market Makers may obtain such relief as may be required to
specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Sections 3 and 4 hereof.
The Company further agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific
performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not, on or after the
date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities
that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or
otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. Except as set forth on Schedule
A attached hereto, there are no agreements between the Company and any Person
granting such Person any registration rights with respect to its securities.
Except as set forth on Schedule A attached hereto, the rights granted to the
Holders hereunder do not conflict with the rights granted to the holders of the
Company's securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not
be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures
from the provisions hereof may not be given unless (i) in the case of Section 5
hereof and this Section 10(c)(i), the Company has obtained the written consent
of Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) in the
case of all other provisions hereof, the Company has obtained the written
consent of Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer
Restricted Securities (excluding Transfer Restricted Securities held by the
Company or its Affiliates). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent
to departure from the provisions hereof
19
that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose Transfer Restricted
Securities are being tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer, and that does not
affect directly or indirectly the rights of other Holders whose Transfer
Restricted Securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange Offer,
may be given by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities subject to such Exchange Offer.
(d) Third Party Beneficiary. The Holders and Affiliated Market Makers
shall be third party beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the
Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and
shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent they may
deem such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights
of Holders and Affiliated Market Makers hereunder.
(e) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail
(registered or certified, return receipt requested), telex, telecopier, or air
courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:
(i) if to a Holder, at the address set forth on the records of
the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under the
Indenture; and
(ii) if to the Company:
PSINet Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Telecopier No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
With a copy to:
▇▇▇▇▇ Peabody LLP
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Telecopier No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been
duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five
Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed;
when receipt acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next business day, if
timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be
concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the
address specified in the Indenture.
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Upon the date of filing of the Exchange Offer or a Shelf
Registration Statement, as the case may be, notice shall be delivered to
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Lufkin & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ International on behalf of the Initial Purchasers
(in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A) and shall be addressed to: Attention:
(Compliance Department), ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, with a copy
to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lufkin & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corporation, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Syndicate Department.
(f) 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; provided, that nothing herein shall be deemed to
permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Transfer Restricted
Securities in violation of the terms hereof or of the Purchase Agreement or the
Indenture. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Transfer Restricted
Securities in any manner permitted by this Agreement, the Purchase Agreement and
the Indenture, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Transfer
Restricted Securities shall be held subject to all of the terms of this
Agreement, the Purchase Agreement and the Indenture, and by taking and holding
such Transfer Restricted Securities, such Person shall be conclusively deemed to
have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of
this Agreement, the Purchase Agreement and the Indenture, including the
restrictions on resale set forth in this Agreement, the Purchase Agreement and
the Indenture, and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof.
(g) 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.
(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(i) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO
THE CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES THEREOF.
(j) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the
provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is
held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and
enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining
provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(k) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a
final expression of their agreement and 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. There are no restrictions, promises,
warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein
with respect to the registration rights granted with respect to the Transfer
Restricted Securities. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of
the date first written above.
PSINET INC.
By:_________________________________
Name:
Title:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, LUFKIN & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
INTERNATIONAL
By: ____________________________
Name:
Title:
BEAR ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
By: ____________________________
Name:
Title:
CHASE MANHATTAN INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
By: ____________________________
Name:
Title:
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EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF FILING OF
EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT
To: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ International
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: 011-44-171-655-7903
From: PSINet Inc.
11% Senior Notes due 2009
Date: ___, 199_
For your information only (NO ACTION REQUIRED):
Today, ______, 199__, we filed [an Exchange Registration Statement/a
Shelf Registration Statement] with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We
currently expect this registration statement to be declared effective within ___
business days of the date hereof.
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