EXHIBIT 4.3
$550,000,000
AK Steel Corporation
7 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2012
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
June 11, 2002
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
c/o Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Eleven ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
AK Steel Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Issuer"), proposes
to issue and sell to Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs &
Co. (collectively, the "Initial Purchasers"), upon the terms set forth in a
purchase agreement of even date herewith (the "Purchase Agreement"),
$550,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 7 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2012 (the
"Notes") to be unconditionally guaranteed on a senior basis (the "Guarantee") by
AK Steel Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Guarantor" and,
together with the Issuer, the "Company"), and any Guarantor Subsidiary (as
defined in the Indenture described herein). The Notes will be issued pursuant to
an Indenture, dated as of June 11, 2002 (the "Indenture"), among the Issuer, the
Guarantor, each Guarantor Subsidiary, if any, and Fifth Third Bank, as trustee
(the "Trustee"). As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the
Purchase Agreement, the Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers, for the
benefit of the holders of the Notes (including, without limitation, the Initial
Purchasers), the Exchange Notes (as defined below) and the Private Exchange
Notes (as defined below) (collectively the "Holders"), as follows:
1. Registered Exchange Offer. The Company shall, at its cost,
prepare and, not later than 90 days after (or if the 90th day is not a Business
Day (as defined in the Indenture), the first Business Day thereafter) the date
of original issue of the Notes (the "Issue Date"), file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration
statement (the "Exchange Offer Registration Statement") on an appropriate form
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with
respect to a proposed offer (the "Registered Exchange Offer") to the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Notes (as defined in Section 6 hereof), who are not
prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in the
Registered Exchange Offer, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange for
the Notes, a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities (the "Exchange
Notes") of the Company issued under the Indenture and identical in all material
respects to the Notes (except for the transfer restrictions relating to the
Notes and the provisions relating to the matters described in Section 6 hereof)
that would be registered under the Securities Act. The Company shall use its
best efforts to cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become
effective under the Securities Act within 180 days (or if the 180th day is not a
Business Day, the first Business Day thereafter) after the Issue Date of the
Notes and shall keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective for not
less than 20 Business Days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the
date notice of the Registered Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders (such
period being called the "Exchange Offer Registration Period").
If the Company effects the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company will
be entitled to close the Registered Exchange Offer 20 Business Days after the
commencement thereof provided that the Company has accepted all the Notes
theretofore validly tendered in accordance with the terms of the Registered
Exchange Offer.
Following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered
Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to
enable each Holder of Transfer Restricted Notes electing to exchange the Notes
for Exchange Notes (assuming that such Holder is not an affiliate of the Company
within the meaning of the Securities Act, acquires the Exchange Notes in the
ordinary course of such Holder's business and has no arrangements with any
person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange Notes and is not
prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in the
Registered Exchange Offer) to trade such Exchange Notes from and after their
receipt without any limitations or restrictions under the Securities Act and
without material restrictions under the securities laws of the several states of
the United States.
The Company acknowledges that, pursuant to current interpretations by
the Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, in the absence of an
applicable exemption therefrom, (i) each Holder that is a broker-dealer electing
to exchange Notes, acquired for its own account as a result of market making
activities or other trading activities, for Exchange Notes (an "Exchanging
Dealer"), is required to deliver a prospectus containing the information set
forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer
Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section, and in
Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of such prospectus in
connection with a sale of any such Exchange Notes received by such Exchanging
Dealer pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and (ii) an Initial Purchaser
that elects to sell Private Exchange Notes (as defined below) acquired in
exchange for Notes constituting any portion of an unsold allotment is required
to deliver a prospectus
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containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K
promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act, as applicable, in
connection with such sale.
The Company shall use its best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer
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, however, that (i) in the case
where such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must be delivered
by an Exchanging Dealer or an Initial Purchaser, such period shall be the lesser
of 180 days after the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer and the date
on which all Exchanging Dealers and the Initial Purchasers have sold all
Exchange Notes held by them (unless such period is extended pursuant to Section
3(j) below) and (ii) the Company shall make such prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any
resale of any Exchange Notes for a period not less than 180 days after the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer.
If, upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, any Initial
Purchaser holds Notes acquired by it as part of its initial distribution, the
Company, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Notes pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer, shall issue and deliver to such Initial Purchaser
upon the written request of such Initial Purchaser, in exchange (the "Private
Exchange") for the Notes held by such Initial Purchaser, a like principal amount
of debt securities of the Company issued under the Indenture and identical in
all material respects (including the existence of restrictions on transfer under
the Securities Act and the securities laws of the several states of the United
States, but excluding provisions relating to the matters described in Section 6
hereof) to the Notes (the "Private Exchange Notes"). The Notes, the Exchange
Notes and the Private Exchange Notes are herein collectively called the
"Securities."
In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:
(a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter of
transmittal and related documents;
(b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than 20
Business Days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date notice
thereof is mailed to the Holders;
(c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered Exchange
Offer which may be the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee;
(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Notes at any time prior to
the close of business, New York time, on the last Business Day on which the
Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and
(e) otherwise comply in all material respects with all applicable
laws.
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As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange
Offer or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:
(i) accept for exchange all the Notes validly tendered and not
withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private
Exchange, as the case may be;
(ii) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all the Notes so
accepted for exchange; and
(iii) cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly to
each Holder of the 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 Indenture will provide that the Exchange Notes will not be subject
to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture or the provisions with
respect to additional interest and that all the Securities will vote and consent
together on all matters as one class and that none of the Securities will have
the right to vote or consent as a class separate from one another on any matter.
Interest on each Exchange Note and Private Exchange Note issued
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange,
respectively, will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest
was paid on the Notes surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has
been paid on the Notes, from the date of original issue of the Notes.
Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be
required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Notes received by such Holder will be
acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) such Holder will have no
arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution
of the Exchange Notes within the meaning of the Securities Act, (iii) such
Holder is not an "affiliate," as defined in Rule 405 promulgated by the
Commission under the Securities Act, of the Company or, if it is an affiliate,
such Holder will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable, (iv) if such Holder
is not a broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage
in, the distribution of the Exchange Notes and (v) if such Holder is a
broker-dealer, that it will receive Exchange Notes for its own account in
exchange for Notes that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or
other trading activities and that it will be required to acknowledge that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure
that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies as to
form in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated
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therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any
prospectus forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any
supplement to such prospectus, does not include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit 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.
2. Shelf Registration. If, (i) because of any change in law or in
applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission, the Company
is not permitted to effect a Registered Exchange Offer, as contemplated by
Section 1 hereof, (ii) the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated on or
before January 8, 2003, (iii) any Initial Purchaser or affiliate thereof so
requests with respect to the Notes (or the Private Exchange Notes) held by it
following consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer as part of an unsold
allotment from the original offering of the Notes or (iv) any Holder (other than
an Exchanging Dealer) is not eligible by reason of any law or any rules,
policies or pronouncements of the Commission or other governmental authority
(including any self-regulatory organization) to participate in the Registered
Exchange Offer or, in the case of any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer)
that participates in the Registered Exchange Offer, such Holder does not receive
freely tradable Exchange Notes by reason of any law or any rules, policies or
pronouncements of the Commission or other governmental authority (including any
self-regulatory organization) on the date of the exchange, the Company shall
take the following actions:
(a) The Company shall, at its cost, as promptly as practicable (but
in no event more than 30 days after so required or requested pursuant to this
Section 2) file with the Commission and thereafter shall use its best efforts to
cause to be declared effective a registration statement (the "Shelf Registration
Statement" and, together with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a
"Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the Securities Act
relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Notes by the Holders
thereof from time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution set
forth in the Shelf Registration Statement and Rule 415 promulgated by the
Commission under the Securities Act (hereinafter, the "Shelf Registration");
provided, however, that no Holder (other than an Initial Purchaser) shall be
entitled to have the Securities held by it covered by such Shelf Registration
Statement unless such Holder agrees in writing to be bound by all the provisions
of this Agreement applicable to such Holder.
(b) The Company shall use its best efforts to keep the Shelf
Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the prospectus
included therein to be lawfully delivered by the Holders of the relevant
Securities for a period of two years (or for such longer period if extended
pursuant to Section 3(j) below) from the date of its effectiveness or such
shorter period that will terminate when all the Securities covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement have been sold pursuant thereto or until the Securities
covered by the Shelf Registration statement can be sold pursuant to Rule 144
under the Securities Act without any limitations under clauses (c), (e), (f) and
(h) thereof. The Company shall be deemed not to have used its best efforts to
keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite period if
it voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of Securities
covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Securities during that
period, unless (i) such action is required by applicable law or (ii) such action
was taken in good faith and for valid business reasons (not
5
including avoidance of the Issuers' obligations hereunder), including without
limitation the acquisition or divestiture of assets, so long as the Issuers
promptly thereafter comply with the requirements of Section 3(j) hereof, if
applicable.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement and the
related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto as of the effective
date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or supplement, (i) to comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the
Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii)
with respect to the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, not
to 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
not misleading, and (iii) with respect to the related prospectus and any
supplement thereto, not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit 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.
3. Registration Procedures. In connection with any Shelf
Registration contemplated by Section 2 hereof and, to the extent applicable, any
Registered Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following
provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser, prior to
the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Registration Statement and
each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any, to the prospectus included
therein and, in the event that an Initial Purchaser (with respect to any portion
of an unsold allotment from the original offering) is participating in the
Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration, shall use its best efforts
to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the Commission, such
comments as such Initial Purchaser reasonably may propose; (ii) include the
information set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the
"Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer"
section and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the
prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and
include the information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal
delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; (iii) if requested by an
Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507 or 508 of
Regulation S-K promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act, as
applicable, in the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement; (iv) include within the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer
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 Commission with respect
to the potential "underwriter" status of any broker-dealer that is the
beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) of Exchange Notes received by such
broker-dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (a "Participating
Broker-Dealer"), whether such positions or policies have been publicly
disseminated by the staff of the Commission or such positions or policies, in
the reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers based upon advice of counsel
(which may be in-house counsel), represent the prevailing views of the staff of
the Commission; and (v) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, include
the names of the
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Holders who propose to sell Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement, as selling securityholders.
(b) The Company shall give written notice to the Initial
Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any Participating Broker-Dealer
from whom the Company has received prior written notice that it will be a
Participating Broker-Dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (which notice
pursuant to clauses (ii)-(v) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to
suspend the use of the prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):
(i) when the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto
has been filed with the Commission and when the Registration Statement or
any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or
supplements to the Registration Statement or the prospectus included
therein or for additional information;
(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
initiation of any proceedings for that purpose;
(iv) of the receipt by the Company or its legal counsel of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of
any proceeding for such purpose; and
(v) of the happening of any event that requires the Company
to make changes in the Registration Statement or the prospectus in order
that (x) the Registration Statement does not contain an untrue statement of
a material fact nor omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (y)
the prospectus does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit 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.
(c) The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain the
withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
(d) The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Securities included
within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, at least one copy
of the Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto,
including financial statements and schedules, and, if the Holder so requests in
writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by
reference).
(e) The Company shall deliver to each Exchanging Dealer and each
Initial Purchaser, and to any other Holder who so requests, without charge, at
least one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, including
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financial statements and schedules, and, if any Exchanging Dealer, Initial
Purchaser or any such Holder requests, all exhibits thereto (including those
incorporated by reference).
(f) The Company shall, until the Securities covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement have been sold, deliver to each Holder of Securities
included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, as many
copies of the prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in the
Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such
person may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the provisions
of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto by each of the selling Holders of the Securities in connection with the
offering and sale of the Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment
or supplement thereto, included in the Shelf Registration Statement.
(g) The Company shall deliver to each Initial Purchaser, any
Exchanging Dealer, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other persons
required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange Offer,
without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus included in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such
persons may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the provisions
of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto by any Initial Purchaser, if necessary, any Participating Broker-Dealer
and such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered
Exchange Offer in connection with the offering and sale of the Exchange Notes
covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in
such Exchange Offer Registration Statement.
(h) Prior to any public offering of the Securities, pursuant to any
Registration Statement, the Company shall register or qualify or cooperate with
the Holders of the Securities included therein and their respective counsel in
connection with the registration or qualification of the Securities for offer
and sale under the securities or "blue sky" laws of such states of the United
States as any Holder of the Securities reasonably requests in writing and shall
do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer
and sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities covered by such Registration
Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i)
qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so
qualified or (ii) take any action which would subject it to general service of
process or to taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(i) The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the Securities to
facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing the
Securities to be sold pursuant to any Registration Statement free of any
restrictive legends and in such denominations and registered in such names as
the Holders may request a reasonable period of time prior to sales of the
Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by paragraphs (ii)
through (v) of Section 3(b) above during the period for which the Company is
required to maintain an effective Registration Statement, the Company shall
promptly prepare and file a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus (including by way of any
document permitted to be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
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therein pursuant to the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission) and
any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to Holders of the
Notes or purchasers of Securities, the prospectus will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Initial Purchasers, the
Holders of the Securities and any known Participating Broker-Dealer in
accordance with paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above to suspend the
use of the prospectus until the requisite changes to the prospectus have been
made, then the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any such
Participating Broker-Dealers shall suspend use of such prospectus, and the
period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement provided for in
Section 2(b) above and the Exchange Offer Registration Statement provided for in
Section 1 above shall each be extended by the number of days from and including
the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Initial
Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known Participating
Broker-Dealer shall have received such amended or supplemented prospectus
pursuant to this Section 3(j).
(k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration
Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the Exchange Notes or the
Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, and provide the applicable trustee
with printed certificates for the Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes,
as the case may be, in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust
Company.
(l) The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of the
Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the Registered
Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration and will make generally available to
its security holders (or otherwise provide in accordance with Section 11(a) of
the Securities Act) an earning statement satisfying the provisions of Section
11(a) of the Securities Act, no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month
period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first
month of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date
of the Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such 12-month period.
(m) The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act"), in a timely
manner and containing such changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such
qualification. In the event that such qualification would require the
appointment of a new trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall appoint a
new trustee thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture.
(n) The Company may require each Holder of Securities to be sold
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the Company such
information regarding the Holder and the distribution of the Securities as the
Company may from time to time reasonably require for inclusion in the Shelf
Registration Statement, and the Company may exclude from such registration the
Securities of any Holder that fails to furnish such information within a
reasonable time after receiving such request.
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(o) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements (including
if requested an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all such
other action, if any, as any Holder of the Securities shall reasonably request
in order to facilitate the disposition of the Securities pursuant to any Shelf
Registration.
(p) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company shall (i) make
reasonably available for inspection by the Holders of the Securities, any
underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by the Holders of
the Securities or any such underwriter all relevant financial and other records,
pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and (ii) cause the
Company's officers, directors, employees, accountants and auditors to supply all
relevant information reasonably requested by the Holders of the Securities or
any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the Shelf
Registration Statement, in each case, as shall be reasonably necessary to enable
such persons, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of
Section 11 of the Securities Act; provided, however, that the foregoing
inspection and information gathering shall be coordinated on behalf of the
Initial Purchasers by you and on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel
designated by and on behalf of such other parties as described in Section 4
hereof.
(q) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company, if requested
by any Holder of Securities covered thereby, shall cause (i) its counsel to
deliver an opinion and updates thereof relating to the Securities in customary
form addressed to such Holders and the managing underwriters, if any, thereof
and dated, in the case of the initial opinion, the effective date of such Shelf
Registration Statement (it being agreed that the matters to be covered by such
opinion shall be subject to customary qualifications and exceptions and shall
include, without limitation, the due incorporation and good standing of the
Company and its subsidiaries; the qualification of the Company and its
subsidiaries to transact business as foreign corporations; the due
authorization, execution and delivery of the relevant agreement of the type
referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the due authorization, execution,
authentication and issuance, and the validity and enforceability, of the
applicable Securities; the absence of material legal or governmental proceedings
involving the Company and its subsidiaries; the absence of governmental
approvals required to be obtained in connection with the Shelf Registration
Statement, the offering and sale of the applicable Securities, or any agreement
of the type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the compliance as to form of
such Shelf Registration Statement and any documents incorporated by reference
therein and of the Indenture with the requirements of the Securities Act and the
Trust Indenture Act, respectively; and, as of the date of the opinion and as of
the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most recent
post-effective amendment thereto, as the case may be, the absence from such
Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein, as then
amended or supplemented, and from any documents incorporated by reference
therein (x) with respect to such Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto, of an untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading and (y) with respect to such prospectus and
such documents incorporated by reference, of any untrue statement of a material
fact or the omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; (ii) its officers to execute and deliver all customary
documents and certificates and updates thereof
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requested by any underwriters of the applicable Securities and (iii) its
independent public accountants to provide to the selling Holders of the
applicable Securities and any underwriter therefor a comfort letter in customary
form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in comfort letters in
connection with primary underwritten offerings, subject to receipt of
appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by Statement
of Auditing Standards No. 72.
(r) In the case of the Registered Exchange Offer, if requested by any
Initial Purchaser or any known Participating Broker-Dealer, the Company shall
cause (i) its counsel to deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such Participating
Broker-Dealer signed opinions in the forms set forth in Section 6(c) of the
Purchase Agreement with such changes as are customary in connection with the
preparation of a Registration Statement and (ii) its independent public
accountants to deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such Participating
Broker-Dealer a comfort letter, in customary form, meeting the requirements as
to the substance thereof as set forth in Section 6(a) of the Purchase Agreement,
with appropriate date changes.
(s) If a Registered Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to be
consummated, upon delivery of the Notes by Holders to the Company (or to such
other person as directed by the Company) in exchange for the Exchange Notes or
the Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, the Company shall ▇▇▇▇, or
caused to be marked, on the Notes so exchanged that such Notes are being
canceled in exchange for the Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes, as
the case may be; in no event shall the Notes be marked as paid or otherwise
satisfied.
(t) The Company will use its best efforts to (i) if the Notes have
been rated prior to the initial sale of such Notes, confirm such ratings will
apply to the Securities covered by a Registration Statement, or (ii) if the
Notes were not previously rated, cause the Securities covered by a Registration
Statement to be rated with the appropriate rating agencies, if so requested by
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities covered by
such Registration Statement, or by the managing underwriters, if any.
(u) In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the Exchange
Act shall underwrite any Securities or participate as a member of an
underwriting syndicate or selling group or "assist in the distribution" (within
the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the "Rules") of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD")) thereof, whether as a Holder of such
Securities or as an underwriter, a placement or sales agent or a broker or
dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, the Company shall assist such
broker-dealer in complying with the requirements of such Rules, including,
without limitation, by (i) if such Rules, including Rule 2720, shall so require,
engaging a "qualified independent underwriter" (as defined in Rule 2720) to
participate in the preparation of the Registration Statement relating to such
Securities, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in respect thereto and,
if any portion of the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement is an
underwritten offering or is made through a placement or sales agent, to
recommend the yield of such Securities, (ii) indemnifying any such qualified
independent underwriter to the extent of the indemnification of underwriters
provided in Section 5 hereof and (iii) providing such information to such
broker-dealer as may be required in order for such broker-dealer to comply with
the requirements of the Rules.
11
(v) The Company shall use its best efforts to take all other steps
necessary to effect the registration of the Securities covered by a Registration
Statement contemplated hereby.
4. Registration Expenses. The Company shall bear all fees and
expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations under
Sections 1 through 3 hereof including (a) all Commission, stock exchange or NASD
registration and filing fees, (b) all fees and expenses incurred in connection
with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws and compliance with the
rules of the NASD (including reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel
for Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of the Exchange Notes),
(c) all expenses of preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any
Registration Statement, any prospectus and any amendments or supplements
thereto, (d) all rating agency fees, (e) the fees and disbursements for counsel
for the Company and of the independent public accountants of the Company,
including the expenses of any "cold comfort" letters required by or incident to
such performance and compliance, but excluding underwriting discounts and
commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of
Securities of a Holder, (f) the reasonable fees and expenses of the Trustee and
any escrow agents or custodians, (g) the reasonable fees and expenses, if any,
of Pillsbury Winthrop LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, incurred in
connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, (h) any reasonable fees and
disbursements of the underwriters customarily required to be paid by issuers and
sellers of securities and the reasonable fees and expenses of any special
experts retained by the Company in connection with any Registration Statement,
but excluding any underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if
any, and (i) in the event of a Shelf Registration, the reasonable fees and
disbursements of one firm of counsel designated by the Holders of a majority in
principal amount of the Securities covered thereby to act as counsel for the
Holders of the Securities in connection therewith, in each case, whether or not
the Registered Exchange Offer or a Shelf Registration is filed or becomes
effective.
5. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Holder of the Securities (other than a Holder that acquires
Exchange Notes pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer that are freely
transferable without compliance with the prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act), any Participating Broker-Dealer, any partner, director and
officer of such Holder and Participating Broker-Dealer and each person, if any,
who controls such Holder or such Participating Broker-Dealer within the meaning
of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each Holder, any Participating
Broker-Dealer, such partner, director and officer and such controlling persons
are referred to collectively as the "Indemnified Parties") from and against any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, or any actions in
respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or actions relating to purchases and sales of the Securities) to
which each Indemnified Party may become subject under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus
or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus
relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out of, or are based upon, the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and
shall reimburse, as incurred, the Indemnified Parties for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or
defending any such
12
loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof; provided, however,
that (i) the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement
thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to such
Holder and furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically
for inclusion therein and (ii) with respect to any untrue statement or omission
or alleged untrue statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus
relating to a Shelf Registration Statement, the indemnity agreement contained in
this subsection (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder or
Participating Broker-Dealer from whom the person asserting any such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Securities concerned, to the extent
that a prospectus relating to such Securities was required to be delivered by
such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer under the Securities Act in
connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of
such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer results from the fact that there was
not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the
sale of such Securities to such person, a copy of the final prospectus if the
Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer and such final prospectus corrected such untrue statement or
omission; provided further, however, that this indemnity agreement will be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to such
Indemnified Party. The Company shall also indemnify underwriters, their officers
and directors and each person who controls such underwriters within the meaning
of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to the same extent as provided above
with respect to the indemnification of the Holders of the Securities if
requested by such Holders.
(b) Each Holder of the Securities, severally and not jointly, will
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its partners, directors and officers
and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act from and against any losses, claims, damages
or liabilities or any actions in respect thereof, to which the Company or any
such controlling person may become subject under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus
or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus
relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out of, or are based upon, the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that
the untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission was
made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to
such Holder and furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder
specifically for inclusion therein; and, subject to the limitation set forth
immediately preceding this clause, shall reimburse, as incurred, the Company for
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such
controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any loss,
claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof. This indemnity agreement
will be in addition to any liability which such Holder may otherwise have to the
Company, its partners, directors and officers or any of its controlling persons.
The Company shall be entitled to receive indemnities from underwriters, selling
brokers, dealer managers and similar securities industry professionals
participating in the
13
distribution, to the same extent as provided above with respect to information
so furnished in writing by such persons specifically for inclusion in any
prospectus or registration statement or any amendment or supplement thereto or
any preliminary prospectus.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section
5 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including a
governmental investigation), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 5,
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the omission so
to notify the indemnifying party will not, in any event, relieve the
indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the
indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. Subject to
the next sentence, in case any such action is brought against any indemnified
party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the
indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent
that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified,
to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such
indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof the
indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this
Section 5 for any legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of
investigation. Notwithstanding the prior sentence, any indemnified party shall
have the right to retain its own 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 such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel,
(ii) the indemnifying party fails to assume the defense and retain counsel
within a reasonable period of time or (iii) the named parties to any such
proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party
and the indemnified party and the indemnified party shall have been advised by
such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it that
are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party.
No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in
respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and
indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such
settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from
all liability on any claims that are 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 any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsections (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to in
subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one
hand and the indemnified party on the other from the exchange or sale of the
Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, or (ii) if the allocation
provided by the foregoing 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 indemnifying party or
parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) as well as any other
14
relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the parties 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 on the one hand
or such Holder or such other indemnified person, as the case may be, on the
other, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid by
an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities
referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is
the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section 5(d), the Holders of the Securities shall not be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by such
Holders from the exchange or sale of the Securities pursuant to a Registration
Statement exceeds the amount of damages which such Holders have 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. For purposes of this Section 5(d), each person, if any, who
controls such indemnified party within the meaning of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such indemnified
party and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of
the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company.
(e) The agreements contained in this Section 5 shall survive the sale
of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement and shall remain in full
force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this
Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
6. Additional Interest Under Certain Circumstances. (a) Additional
interest (the "Additional Interest") with respect to the Securities shall be
assessed as follows if any of the following events occur (each such event in
clauses (i) through (iii) below a "Registration Default"):
(i) If by September 9, 2002, neither the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement nor a Shelf Registration Statement has been filed
with the Commission;
(ii) If by January 8, 2003, neither the Registered Exchange
Offer is consummated nor, if required in lieu thereof, the Shelf
Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission; or
(iii) If after either the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
or the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective (A) such
Registration Statement thereafter ceases to be effective; or (B) such
Registration Statement or the related prospectus ceases to be usable
(except as permitted in paragraph (b) hereof) in connection with resales of
Transfer Restricted Notes during the periods specified herein because
either (1) any event occurs as a result of which the related prospectus
forming part of
15
such Registration Statement would include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit 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, or (2) it shall be necessary to amend such
Registration Statement or supplement the related prospectus to comply with
the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules and
regulations thereunder.
Additional Interest shall accrue on the Notes over and above the interest set
forth in the title of the Notes from and including the date on which any such
Registration Default shall occur to but excluding the date on which all such
Registration Defaults have been cured at a rate of 0.50% per annum.
(b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 6(a)(iii)(B) shall
be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Shelf
Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration
Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective
amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited
financial information with respect to the Company where such post-effective
amendment is not yet effective and needs to be declared effective to permit
Holders to use the related prospectus or (y) other material events, with respect
to the Company that would need to be described in such Shelf Registration
Statement or the related prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the
Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement such
Shelf Registration Statement and related prospectus to describe such events;
provided, however, that in any case if such Registration Default occurs for a
continuous period in excess of 45 days, Additional Interest shall be payable in
accordance with the above paragraph from the day following such 45 day period
until the date on which such Registration Default is cured.
(c) Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to clause (a)(i),
(a)(ii) or (a)(iii) of Section 6 above will be payable in cash on the regular
interest payment dates with respect to the Notes. The amount of Additional
Interest will be determined by multiplying the applicable Additional Interest
rate by the principal amount of the 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 the denominator of which is 360.
(d) "Transfer Restricted Notes" means each Security until (i) the
date on which such Transfer Restricted Note has been exchanged by a person other
than a broker-dealer for a freely transferrable Exchange Note in the Registered
Exchange Offer, (ii) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the Registered
Exchange Offer of a Transfer Restricted Note for an Exchange Note, the date on
which such Exchange Note is sold to a purchaser who receives from such
broker-dealer on or prior to the date of such sale a copy of the prospectus
contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (iii) the date on which
such Transfer Restricted Note has been effectively registered under the
Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration
Statement or (iv) the date on which such Transfer Restricted Note is distributed
to the public pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission under the
Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) promulgated by the
Commission under the Securities Act.
16
7. Rules 144 and 144A. The Company shall use its best efforts to
file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act 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 Transfer
Restricted Notes, make publicly available other information so long as necessary
to permit sales of their securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A promulgated
by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company covenants that it will
take such further action as any Holder of Transfer Restricted Notes may
reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such
Holder to sell Transfer Restricted Notes without registration under the
Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and
144A promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act (including the
requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4) promulgated by the Commission under the
Securities Act). The Company will provide a copy of this Agreement to
prospective purchasers of Notes identified to the Company by the Initial
Purchasers upon request. Upon the request of any Holder of Transfer Restricted
Notes, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written statement as to
whether it has complied with such requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
nothing in this Section 7 shall be deemed to require the Company to register any
of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.
8. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer Restricted
Notes covered by any Shelf Registration are to be sold in an underwritten
offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers
that will administer the offering ("Managing Underwriters") will be selected by
the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer
Restricted Notes to be included in such offering.
No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder
unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer Restricted Notes on
the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the
persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and
executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting
agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such
underwriting arrangements.
9. Miscellaneous.
(a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not
be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company and the written
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities
affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consents.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail,
facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:
(i) if to a Holder of the Securities, at the most current address
given by such Holder to the Company in accordance with the provisions of
this Section 9(b), which
17
address initially is, with respect to each Holder, the address of such
Holder to which confirmation of the sale of the Notes to such Holder was
first sent by the Initial Purchasers, with a copy in like manner to you as
follows:
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Eleven ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Fax No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: Transactions Advisory Group
with a copy to:
Pillsbury Winthrop LLP
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Fax No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
(ii) if to the Initial Purchasers, at the addresses specified in
Section 9(b)(1);
(iii) if to the Company, at its address as follows:
AK Steel Corporation
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Fax No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
with a copy to:
Weil, Gotshal & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Fax No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three Business
Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt
is acknowledged by recipient's facsimile machine operator, if sent by facsimile
transmission; and on the day delivered, if sent by overnight air courier
guaranteeing next day delivery.
(c) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not, as of the date
hereof, entered into, nor shall it, on or after the date hereof, enter into, any
agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the Holders herein or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.
18
(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns.
(e) 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.
(f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(g) Governing Law. The rights and duties of the Issuer, the Guarantor
and the Initial Purchasers under this Agreement shall, pursuant to New York
General Obligations Law Section 5-1401, be governed by the laws of the State of
New York.
(h) Severability. If 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.
(i) Securities Held by the Company. Whenever the consent or approval
of Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is
required hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (other than
subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be
affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities) shall not be
counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders
of such required percentage.
(j) Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company hereby submits to the
nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of
Manhattan in the City of New York in any suit or proceeding between the parties
arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby.
19
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Issuer a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
among the several Initial Purchasers, the Issuer and the Guarantor in accordance
with its terms.
Very truly yours,
AK Steel Corporation
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
AK Steel Holding Corporation
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
The foregoing Registration
Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed
and accepted as of the date first
above written.
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
By: Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President
ANNEX A
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes. The Letter of
Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection
with resales of Exchange Notes received in exchange for Notes where such Notes
were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or
other trading activities. The Company has agreed that, for a period of 180 days
after the Expiration Date (as defined herein), it will make this Prospectus
available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale. See
"Plan of Distribution."
ANNEX B
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account in
exchange for Notes, where such Notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge
that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange
Notes. See "Plan of Distribution."
ANNEX C
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes. This
Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used
by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Notes received in
exchange for Existing Notes where such Existing Notes were acquired as a result
of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed
that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date, it will make this
Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use
in connection with any such resale.
The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange
Notes by broker-dealers. Exchange Notes received by broker-dealers for their own
account pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be sold from time to time in one or
more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions,
through the writing of options on the Exchange Notes or a combination of such
methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices
related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated prices. Any such resale
may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may
receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such
broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange Notes. Any broker-dealer
that resells Exchange Notes that were received by it for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a
distribution of such Exchange Notes may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within
the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit on any such resale of Exchange
Notes and any commission or concessions received by any such persons may be
deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. The Letter of
Transmittal states that, by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering
a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.
For a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date the Company will
promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the
Holders of the Notes) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers or
dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including any
broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.
ANNEX D
[_] CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL
COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS
THERETO.
Name: ___________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange
Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities that were
acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it
acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a
prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.