EXECUTION COPY
EXHIBIT 1.1
================================================================================
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
ADVANSTAR, INC.
as Issuer
$ 171,792,000
15% SENIOR DISCOUNT DEBENTURES DUE 2011
Dated as of February 21, 2001
-------------------
DLJ INVESTMENT PARTNERS II, L.P.
DLJ INVESTMENT PARTNERS, L.P.
DLJ INVESTMENT FUNDING II
DLJ ESC, L.P.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and entered
into as of February 21, 2001, by and among Advanstar, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation (the
"Initial Purchaser"), and DLJ Investment Partners II, L.P., DLJ Investment
Partners, L.P., DLJ Investment Funding II and DLJ ESC II, L.P. (collectively
referred to as "DLJIP") to purchase the Company's 15% Series A Senior Discount
Debentures due 2011 (the "Series A Notes") pursuant to the Purchase Agreement
(as defined below) and the DLJIP Exchange Agreement (as defined below).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated February
14, 2001 (the "Purchase Agreement"), by and among the Company, Advanstar
Holdings Corp. ("Holdings") and the Initial Purchaser. This Agreement is also
made pursuant to the Agreement, dated February 21, 2001 (the "Exchange
Agreement"), by and among the Company, Holdings and DLJIP. In order to induce
the Initial Purchaser and DLJIP to purchase or exchange the Series A Notes, as
the case may be, 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 Purchaser and DLJIP set forth in
Section 3 of the Purchase Agreement and Section 5.1 of the Exchange Agreement,
respectively. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have
the meaning assigned to them in the Indenture, dated February 21, 2001, between
the Company and ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A., as Trustee (the "Trustee"),
relating to the Series A Notes and the Series B Notes (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.
Affiliated Market Maker: A Broker-Dealer or one of its Affiliates who is
deemed to be an Affiliate of the Company.
Broker-Dealer: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.
Certificated Securities: Definitive 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 Series B
Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (b) 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 Series B Notes in the same aggregate principal amount as the aggregate
principal amount of Series A Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by Holders
thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
Consummation Date: The date on which the Exchange Offer is Consummated.
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 Offer: The exchange and issuance by the Company of a principal
amount of Series B Notes (which shall be registered pursuant to the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement) equal to the aggregate principal amount of Series
A Notes that are validly tendered and not withdrawn in connection with such
exchange and issuance.
Exchange Offer Registration Statement: The Registration Statement relating
to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.
Filing Deadline: As defined in Sections 3(a) and 4(a) hereof.
Holders: As defined in Section 2 hereof.
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.
Registration Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Company relating
to (a) an offering of Series B Notes pursuant to an 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
and all exhibits thereto.
Regulation S: Regulation S promulgated under the Act.
Rule 144: Rule 144 promulgated under the Act.
Series B Notes: The Company's 15% Senior Discount Debentures due 2011 to
be issued pursuant to the Indenture (i) in the Exchange Offer or (ii) as
contemplated by Section 6(b) hereof.
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.
2
Transfer Restricted Securities: Each (a) Series A Note, until the earliest
to occur of (i) the date on which such Series A Note is exchanged in the
Exchange Offer for a Series B Note, (ii) the date on which such Series A Note
has been disposed of in accordance with a Shelf Registration Statement (and the
purchasers thereof have been issued Series B Notes), and (iii) the date on which
such Series A Note is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Act and (b) Series B Note issued to a Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer until
the date on which such Series B Note is disposed of by such 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 is the holder of record of 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) hereof have been complied
with), the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to (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 90 days after the
Closing Date (such 90th day, the "Filing Deadline"), (ii) cause such Exchange
Offer Registration Statement to become effective at the earliest possible time,
but in no event later than 180 days after the Closing Date (such 180th day, 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, and (B) subject to the
proviso in Section 6(c)(xii) hereof, cause all necessary filings, if any, in
connection with the registration and qualification of the Series B 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, within the time periods
contemplated by Section 3(b) hereof, Consummate the Exchange Offer. The Exchange
Offer shall be on the appropriate form permitting (i) registration of the Series
B Notes to be offered in exchange for the Series A Notes that are Transfer
Restricted Securities and (ii) resales of Series B Notes by Broker-Dealers that
tendered into the Exchange Offer Series A Notes that such Broker-Dealer acquired
for its own account as a result of its market-making activities or other trading
activities (other than Series A Notes acquired directly from the Company or any
of its Affiliates) as contemplated by Section 3(c) hereof.
(b) The Company shall use its reasonable 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 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. No securities other than the
Series B Notes shall be included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement.
The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Exchange Offer to
be Consummated within 30 Business Days after the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement has become effective, but in no event later than 40 Business Days
thereafter (such 40th day, the "Consummation Deadline").
3
(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 Series A Notes acquired
directly from the Company or any of its Affiliates), may exchange such Transfer
Restricted Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer. 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.
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 Series B
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
for a period of 90 days following the Consummation Date. To the extent necessary
to ensure that the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement is available for sales of Series B Notes by Broker-Dealers, the
Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented, amended and current
as required by and subject to the provisions of Sections 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 90 days from the Consummation Date or such shorter period as will
terminate when no Transfer Restricted Securities are outstanding. The Company
shall provide sufficient copies of the latest version of such Prospectus to such
Broker-Dealers, promptly upon 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) hereof) or (ii) if any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
shall notify the Company in writing within 20 Business Days following the
Consummation Deadline that (A) based on an opinion of counsel (it being
understood for these purposes that DLJIP is so prohibited and therefore need not
obtain any such opinion), such Holder was prohibited by law or Commission policy
from participating in the Exchange Offer or (B) such Holder is a Broker-Dealer
and holds Series A Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its
Affiliates, then the Company shall:
(x) cause to be filed, on or prior to 90 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 Section 4(a)(i)
hereof and (ii) the date on which the Company receives the notice
specified in Section 4(a)(ii) hereof (90 days after such earlier date, the
"Filing Deadline")(it being understood that DLJIP need not provide such
notice and that the Company acknowledges that it shall be required to file
a shelf registration on Form S-1 on behalf of DLJIP), a shelf registration
statement (the "Shelf Registration Statement") pursuant to Rule 415 under
the Act (which may be an amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement) relating to (1) all Transfer Restricted Securities in the case
of clause (a)(i) above or (2) the Transfer Restricted Securities specified
in any notice in the case of clause (a)(ii) above; and
4
(y) shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Shelf
Registration Statement to become effective on or prior to 90 days after
the Filing Deadline for the Shelf Registration Statement (such 90th day,
the "Effectiveness Deadline").
If, after the Company has filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement
that satisfies the requirements of Section 3(a) hereof, 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., Section
4(a)(i) hereof), 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).
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 reasonable 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, until the later of (a) the date on which the Initial Purchaser is not
deemed to be an Affiliate of the Company, (b) the date on which DLJIP either (i)
is not deemed to be an Affiliate of the Company or (ii) does not own any
Transfer Restricted Securities and (c) the earlier of the second anniversary of
the Closing Date (as such date may be extended pursuant to Section 6(d) hereof)
and such earlier date when no Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such
Shelf Registration Statement remain outstanding.
(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 20 days after receipt of a request therefor, the
information specified in Item 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K, as applicable, of
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 agrees to promptly furnish additional
information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously
furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading.
(c) Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities that do not give the written
notice within the 20 Business Day period set forth in Section 4(a)(ii) hereof,
if required to be given, will no longer have any registration rights pursuant to
this Section 4 and will not be entitled to any liquidated damages pursuant to
Section 5 hereof in respect of the Company's obligations with respect to the
Shelf Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Affiliate of the
Company shall be required to give such written notice or deliver an opinion in
order to maintain its registration rights pursuant to this Section 4.
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 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
5
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 within ten Business Days by a post-effective amendment
to such Registration Statement that cures such failure and that is itself
declared effective within ten Business Days of filing such post-effective
amendment to such Registration Statement (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 $.05 per week per $1,000 in principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities held by such Holder for each week 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 $.05 per week per $1,000
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 $.25 per week per $1,000 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 (i) above, (2)
upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (and/or, if
applicable, the Shelf Registration Statement), in the case of (ii) above, (3)
upon Consummation of the Exchange Offer, in the case of (iii) above, (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 (iv) above, or (5) if sooner,
upon the first date on which no Transfer Restricted Securities remain
outstanding, in the case of clauses (i) through (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 securities that accrued 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.
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) hereof, (y) use its reasonable best efforts to effect such exchange and to
permit the resale of Series B Notes by Broker-Dealers that tendered in the
Exchange Offer Series A Notes that such Broker-Dealer acquired for its own
account as a result of its market-making activities or other trading activities
(other than Series A 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 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
6
Transfer Restricted Securities. The Company hereby agrees to use its
reasonable best efforts in pursuing the issuance of such a decision to the
Commission staff level.
(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, at the time of Consummation of the Exchange Offer, (A)
any Series B Notes received by such Holder will be acquired in the
ordinary course of its business, (B) such Holder will have no arrangement
or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the
Series A Notes or the Series B Notes within the meaning of the Act, (C) if
the Holder is not a Broker-Dealer or is a Broker-Dealer but will not
receive Series B Notes for its own account in exchange for Series A Notes,
neither the Holder nor any such other Person is engaged in or intends to
participate in a distribution of the Series B Notes, and (D) that such
Holder is not an Affiliate of the Company. If the Holder is a
Broker-Dealer that will receive Series B Notes for its own account in
exchange for Series A Notes, it will represent that the Notes to be
exchanged for the Series B Notes were acquired by it as a result of its
market-making activities or other trading activities, and will acknowledge
that it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Act in
connection with any resale of such Series B Notes. It is understood that,
by acknowledging that it will deliver, and by delivering, a prospectus
meeting the requirements of the Act in connection with any resale of such
Series B Notes, the Holder is not admitting that it is an "underwriter"
within the meaning of the Act.
(iii) Prior to 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 ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ 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 Series B Notes to be
received in the Exchange Offer and that, to the best of the Company's
information and belief, each Holder participating in the Exchange Offer is
acquiring the Series B Notes in its ordinary course of business and has no
arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the
distribution of the Series B Notes received in the Exchange Offer and (C)
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) comply with all the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof and use
its reasonable 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
7
(ii) issue, upon the request of any Holder or purchaser of Series A
Notes covered by any Shelf Registration Statement contemplated by this
Agreement, Series B Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to
the aggregate principal amount of Series A Notes sold pursuant to the
Shelf Registration Statement and surrendered to the Company for
cancellation; the Company shall register Series B Notes on the Shelf
Registration Statement for this purpose and issue the Series B 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, during the
periods specified in Sections 3 and 4 hereof, as applicable:
(i) use its reasonable 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, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, 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 Statement or a supplement to
the Prospectus, as applicable, curing such defect, and, in the case of an
amendment, use its reasonable 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 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 whose Transfer Restricted Securities have
been included in a Shelf Registration Statement (in the case of the Shelf
Registration Statement) and Affiliated Market Maker promptly and, if
requested by such 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, and (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
8
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, the Company
shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting
of such order at the earliest possible time;
(iv) subject to Section 6(d), if any fact or event contemplated by
Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof 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 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 whose Transfer Restricted Securities have
been included in a Shelf Registration Statement (in the case of the Shelf
Registration Statement) and each Affiliated Market Maker in connection
with such 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 Persons, 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 Persons shall reasonably object
within five Business Days after the receipt thereof. Such Persons 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, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or
fails to comply with the applicable requirements of the Act;
(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 whose Transfer Restricted
Securities have been included in a Shelf Registration Statement (in the
case of the Shelf Registration Statement) and each Affiliated Market Maker
in connection with such sale or exchange, if any, make the Company's
representatives available 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 Persons may reasonably
request;
(vii) make available, at reasonable times, for inspection by each
Holder whose Transfer Restricted Securities have been included in a Shelf
Registration Statement (in the case of the Shelf Registration Statement)
and each Affiliated Market Maker and any attorney or accountant retained
by such Persons, 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
Persons, attorney or accountant in connection with such Registration
9
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto subsequent to the filing
thereof and prior to its effectiveness;
(viii) if requested by any Holders whose Transfer Restricted
Securities have been included in a Shelf Registration Statement (in the
case of the Shelf Registration Statement) 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 Persons 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; 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 whose Transfer Restricted Securities
have been included in a Shelf Registration Statement (in the case of the
Shelf Registration Statement) 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 whose Transfer Restricted Securities have
been included in a Shelf Registration Statement 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 consent to the use (in
accordance with law and subject to Section 6(d) hereof) of the Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto by each selling Person 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 whose Transfer Restricted
Securities have been included in a Shelf Registration Statement (in the
case of the Shelf Registration Statement) or the Initial Purchaser, enter
into such agreements (including underwriting agreements) and make such
representations and warranties 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
such Person 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 such Person, furnish (or in the case of
paragraphs (2) and (3), use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be
furnished) to each Holder (in the case of the Shelf Registration
Statement) and the Initial Purchaser, upon Consummation of the Exchange
Offer or upon the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, 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
10
Sections 9(a) and 9(b) of the Purchase Agreement and such other
similar matters as such Person may reasonably request;
(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 Sections 9(e), (f) and (g) of
the Purchase Agreement and such other matters as such Person 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 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 responsibility for, and has not
independently verified, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of
the financial statements, notes and schedules and other financial
and statistical 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(i)
of the Purchase Agreement; and
(B) deliver such other documents and certificates as may be
reasonably requested by such Persons to evidence compliance with the
matters covered in clause (A) above and with any customary conditions
contained in any agreement entered into by the Company pursuant to this
clause (xi);
11
(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 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 reasonable 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 number 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;
(xvi) otherwise use its reasonable best efforts to comply with all
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally
available to their security holders with regard to any applicable
Registration Statement, as soon as practicable, a consolidated earnings
statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 under the Act (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
Rule 158(c) under the Act);
(xvii) 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 reasonable best efforts to cause the Trustee
to execute, all documents that may 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; and
(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.
12
(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) 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 Person will
forthwith discontinue disposition of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to
the applicable Registration Statement until (i) such Person has received copies
of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(iv)
hereof, or (ii) such 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 Person receiving a Suspension Notice
hereby agrees that it will either (i) destroy any Prospectuses, other than
permanent file copies, then in such 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 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 Series B 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; (v)
all application and filing fees in connection with listing the Series B Notes on
a national securities exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the
requirements hereof; and (vi) 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 Purchaser and the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities who are
tendering Series A Notes in the Exchange Offer and/or selling or reselling
Series A Notes or Series B 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 chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities for whose benefit such Registration
Statement is being prepared.
13
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, 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 Series B Notes or registered Series A 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 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.
(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agrees, severally and
not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, 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 Section 8(a) hereof,
but only with reference to information relating to such Holder furnished in
writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration
Statement. 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.
(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) (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), 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
14
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), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 8(b). 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 twenty 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 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 8(d)(i) is not permitted
by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause 8(d)(i) hereof 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
information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or by the Holder, on the
other hand, 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 an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or 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 indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any matter, including any
action that could have given rise to such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or judgments.
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.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Holder, its directors, its
officers or any Person, if any, who controls such
15
Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess
of the amount by which the total 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. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Holders' obligations to contribute pursuant to this
Section 8(d) 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 the Affiliated Market Makers to the same extent
and 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 (unless
exempt therefrom pursuant to Rule 12h-5), 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 (or exempt therefrom pursuant
to Rule 12h-5), 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 the
Company to comply with their respective obligations under Sections 3 and 4
hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchaser 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 Purchaser 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. The Company has not previously
entered into any agreement that will remain in effect after the issuance of the
Notes granting any registration rights with respect to its securities to any
Person. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict
with and are not inconsistent 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
16
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 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 Purchaser and DLJIP, 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 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), 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:
Advanstar, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Telecopier No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
With a copy to:
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Telecopier No.: ▇▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
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.
17
Upon the date of filing of the Exchange Offer or a Shelf Registration
Statement, as the case may be, notice shall be delivered to Credit Suisse First
Boston Corporation (in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A) and shall be
addressed to: Attention: Compliance Department, Eleven ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ and to Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, DLJ Investment Partners II,
L.P., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇.
(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, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Transfer Restricted
Securities shall be held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, 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, including the restrictions on resale set
forth in this Agreement and, if applicable, the Purchase Agreement, 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 LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE
CONFLICT 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.
(l) Compliance with Form S-3. The Company agrees for the benefit of any
Affiliated Market Makers that for so long as any of the Transfer Restricted
Securities remain outstanding, if at any time sales by the Affiliated Market
Makers of the Transfer Restricted Securities will satisfy clauses 1 or 3 of the
"Transaction Requirements" specified in Form S-3 (or any comparable provision of
any successor form to Form S-3), the Company will use its reasonable best
efforts to comply with, and maintain its
18
compliance with, the "Registrant Requirements" of Form S-3 (or any comparable
provision of any successor form to Form S-3).
(m) Supercedes Prior Agreement. This agreement supercedes the Debt
Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of October 11, 2000 among Advanstar,
Inc. and the purchasers party thereto.
19
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the
date first written above.
ADVANSTAR, INC.
By: ______________________________________
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President--Finance, Chief
Financial Officer and Secretary
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
By: _____________________________________
Name:
Title:
DLJ INVESTMENT PARTNERS II, L.P.
BY: DLJ INVESTMENT PARTNERS II, INC.,
as managing general partner
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
DLJ INVESTMENT PARTNERS, L.P.
BY: DLJ INVESTMENT PARTNERS, INC.,
as managing general partner
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
DLJ INVESTMENT FUNDING II, INC.
By:_______________________________________
Name:
Title:
DLJ ESC II, L.P.
BY: DLJ LBO PLANS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION,
as general partner
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF FILING OF
A/B EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT
To: Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Eleven Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10010
Attention: Compliance Department
Fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
DLJ Investment Partners II, L.P.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
From: Advanstar, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
15% Senior Discount Debentures due 2011
Date: ___________, 2001
For your information only (NO ACTION REQUIRED):
Today, ____________, 2001, we filed [an A/B Exchange Registration
Statement/a Shelf Registration Statement] with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
A-1
