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EXHIBIT 4(t)
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CMS ENERGY CORPORATION
AND
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
as Unit Agent
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MASTER UNIT AGREEMENT
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Dated as of July , 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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RECITALS ...........................................................................................1
WITNESSETH..........................................................................................1
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS
OF GENERAL APPLICATION.................................................................1
SECTION 1.01 Definitions....................................................................1
SECTION 1.02 Compliance Certificates and Opinions..........................................10
SECTION 1.03 Form of Documents Delivered to Unit Agent.....................................11
SECTION 1.04 Acts of Holders; Record Dates.................................................11
SECTION 1.05 Notices, etc. to Unit Agent and the Company...................................13
SECTION 1.06 Notice to Holders; Waiver.....................................................14
SECTION 1.07 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents......................................14
SECTION 1.08 Successors and Assigns........................................................14
SECTION 1.09 Separability Clause...........................................................14
SECTION 1.10 Benefits of Agreement.........................................................15
SECTION 1.11 Governing Law.................................................................15
SECTION 1.12 Legal Holidays................................................................15
SECTION 1.13 Counterparts..................................................................16
SECTION 1.14 Inspection of Agreement.......................................................16
ARTICLE II UNIT CERTIFICATE FORMS................................................................16
SECTION 2.01 Forms of Unit Certificates Generally..........................................16
SECTION 2.02 Form of Unit Agent's Certificate of
Authentication................................................................17
ARTICLE III THE UNITS.............................................................................17
SECTION 3.01 Title and Terms; Denominations................................................17
SECTION 3.02 Rights and Obligations Evidenced by the Unit
Certificates..................................................................18
SECTION 3.03 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating................................18
SECTION 3.04 Temporary Unit Certificates...................................................19
SECTION 3.05 Registration; Registration of Transfer and
Exchange......................................................................20
SECTION 3.06 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Unit
Certificates..................................................................22
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SECTION 3.07 Persons Deemed Owners.........................................................23
SECTION 3.08 Cancellation..................................................................24
SECTION 3.09 Substitution of Pledged Securities and Creation of
Stripped Units; Units Not Otherwise Separable................................25
SECTION 3.10 Payments on the Units.........................................................27
ARTICLE IV THE PLEDGED SECURITIES................................................................28
SECTION 4.01 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK......................................................28
SECTION 4.02 Transfer of Pledged Securities Upon Occurrence
of Termination Event..........................................................28
ARTICLE V THE PURCHASE CONTRACTS................................................................29
SECTION 5.01 Purchase of Shares of Common Stock............................................29
SECTION 5.02 Contract Payments.............................................................31
SECTION 5.03 Deferral of Payment Dates For Contract Payment................................31
SECTION 5.04 Payment of Purchase Price.....................................................33
SECTION 5.05 Issuance of Shares of Common Stock............................................35
SECTION 5.06 Adjustment of Settlement Rate.................................................36
SECTION 5.07 Notice of Adjustments and Certain Other Events................................42
SECTION 5.08 No Fractional Shares..........................................................43
SECTION 5.09 Charges and Taxes.............................................................43
SECTION 5.10 Termination Event; Notice.....................................................44
ARTICLE VI REMEDIES..............................................................................44
SECTION 6.01 Unconditional Rights of Holders...............................................44
SECTION 6.02 Restoration of Rights and Remedies............................................45
SECTION 6.03 Rights and Remedies Cumulative................................................45
SECTION 6.04 Delay or Omission Not Waiver..................................................45
SECTION 6.05 Undertaking for Costs.........................................................45
SECTION 6.06 Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws..............................................46
ARTICLE VII THE UNIT AGENT........................................................................46
SECTION 7.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities...........................................46
SECTION 7.02 Notice of Default.............................................................47
SECTION 7.03 Certain Rights of Unit Agent..................................................47
SECTION 7.04 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Units.............................49
SECTION 7.05 May Hold Units................................................................49
SECTION 7.06 Money Held in Trust...........................................................49
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SECTION 7.07 Compensation and Reimbursement................................................49
SECTION 7.08 Corporate Unit Agent Required; Eligibility....................................50
SECTION 7.09 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of
Successor.....................................................................50
SECTION 7.10 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor........................................52
SECTION 7.11 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession
to Business...................................................................52
SECTION 7.12 Preservation of Information; Communications to
Holders.......................................................................53
SECTION 7.13 No Obligations of Unit Agent..................................................53
SECTION 7.14 Tax Compliance................................................................54
ARTICLE VIII SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS...............................................................54
SECTION 8.01 Supplemental Agreements Without Consent of
Holders.......................................................................54
SECTION 8.02 Supplemental Agreements with Consent of
Holders.......................................................................55
SECTION 8.03 Execution of Supplemental Agreements..........................................57
SECTION 8.04 Effect of Supplemental Agreements.............................................57
SECTION 8.05 Reference to Supplemental Agreements..........................................57
ARTICLE IX CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR
CONVEYANCE............................................................................58
SECTION 9.01 Covenant Not to Merge, Consolidate, Sell or
Convey Property Except Under Certain
Conditions....................................................................58
SECTION 9.02 Rights and Duties of Successor Corporation....................................58
SECTION 9.03 Opinion of Counsel to Unit Agent..............................................59
ARTICLE X COVENANTS.............................................................................59
SECTION 10.01 Performance Under Purchase Contracts..........................................59
SECTION 10.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency...............................................59
SECTION 10.03 Company to Reserve Common Stock...............................................60
SECTION 10.04 Covenants as to Common Stock..................................................60
SECTION 10.05 Statements of Officers of the Company as to
Default.......................................................................60
EXHIBIT A FORM OF NORMAL UNIT CERTIFICATE......................................................A-1
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SETTLEMENT INSTRUCTIONS...........................................................................A-6
FORM OF TRUST PREFERRED SECURITIES CERTIFICATE - FORM
OF FACE OF SECURITY ....................................................................AA-1
REQUEST TO CREATE STRIPPED UNITS..................................................................A-7
EXHIBIT B FORM OF STRIPPED UNIT CERTIFICATE....................................................B-1
SETTLEMENT INSTRUCTIONS...........................................................................B-6
PROPERTY TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION.................................................AA-4
FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY......................................................................AA-5
ASSIGNMENT.......................................................................................AA-7
NOTICE TO REQUIRE EXERCISE OF JUNIOR SUBORDINATED
DEBENTURE PUT OPTION....................................................................AA-8
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MASTER UNIT AGREEMENT, dated as of July , 1999, between CMS Energy
Corporation, a Michigan corporation (the "Company"), and The Bank of New York,
acting as unit agent for the Holders of Units from time to time (the "Unit
Agent").
RECITALS
The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the Unit Certificates evidencing the Units.
All things necessary to make the Company's obligations under the Units,
when the Unit Certificates are executed by the Company and authenticated,
executed on behalf of the Holders and delivered by the Unit Agent, as in this
Agreement provided, the valid obligations of the Company, and to constitute
these presents a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms,
have been done.
WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Units
by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS
OF GENERAL APPLICATION
SECTION 1.01 Definitions.
For all purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly
provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to
them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular; and
(b) the words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" and other words of
similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
Article, Section or other subdivision.
"Act" has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.
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"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "con trolled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Agreement" means this instrument as originally executed or as it may
from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more agreements
supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof.
"Aggregate Consideration Deliverable on Exercise of the Call Options"
has the meaning set forth in the Call Option Agreement.
"Applicable Market Value" has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.
"Board of Directors" means the board of directors of the Company or a
duly authorized committee of that board.
"Board Resolution" means one or more resolutions of the Board of
Directors, a copy of which has been certified by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and
to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification and delivered
to the Unit Agent.
"Business Day" means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or a day on
which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to be closed.
"Call Option" means an option entitling the Call Option Holder to
acquire the Trust Preferred Securities or Junior Subordinated Debentures
underlying the related Normal Unit on the terms and subject to the conditions
set forth in the Call Option Agreement.
"Call Option Agreement" means the Call Option Agreement, dated as of
the date hereof, between the Call Option Holder named therein and the Unit
Agent, in its capacity as Unit Agent and as attorney-in-fact for the Holders
from time to time of the Normal Units, the form of which is attached hereto as
Exhibit C, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the
terms hereof and thereof.
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"Call Option Expiration Date" means , 2002 (or, if such date is
not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day).
"Call Option Holder" means the Person named as the Call Option Holder
in the Call Option Agreement.
"Call Settlement Date" means the date on which the Call Options are
settled pursuant to the Call Option Agreement.
"Closing Price" has the meaning specified in Section 501.
"Collateral Agent" means Chase Manhattan Bank, as Collateral Agent
under the Pledge Agreement, until a successor Collateral Agent shall have become
such pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Pledge Agreement, and
thereafter "Collateral Agent" shall mean the Person who is then the Collateral
Agent thereunder.
"Common Stock" means the Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, of
the Company.
"Company" means the Person designated as the "Company" in the first
paragraph of this instrument until a successor shall have become such, and
thereafter "Company" shall mean such successor.
"Contract Payment" means, with respect to each Purchase Contract, a fee
payable by the Company to the Holder of the related Unit, accruing on the Stated
Amount of such Unit from and including the date of first issuance of any Units
to but excluding the Stock Purchase Date and payable quarterly in arrears on
each Quarterly Payment Date to and including the Stock Purchase Date at a rate
per annum equal to the Contract Payment Rate (and computed on the basis of a
360-day year of twelve 30-day months), plus any additional fees accrued thereon
pursuant to Section 503.
"Contract Payment Rate" means ______%.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the principal office of the Unit Agent
in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, at which at any particular
time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the
date hereof is located at _________ ____________, New York, New York ______.
"Current Market Price" has the meaning specified in Section 506(a)(8).
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"Declaration" means the Declaration of Trust, dated as of ___________
and amended and restated as of the date hereof, executed by the Administrators,
the Sponsor and the Trustees of the Trust, as the same may be amended or
supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
"Deferral Rate" means ____% per annum and, for the period after the
Call Option Expiration Date, the Reset Rate.
"Depositary" means a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act
that is designated to act as Depositary for Global Units as contemplated by
Section 3.05.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any statute
successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
"Expiration Date" has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.
"Floor Price" has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.
"Global Unit Certificate" means a Unit Certificate that evidences all
or part of the Normal Units or a Unit Certificate that evidences all or a part
of the Stripped Units and is registered in the name of the Depositary or a
nominee thereof.
"Holder" means a Person in whose name a Unit Certificate is registered
in the Unit Register; "Holder", when used with respect to any particular Unit
Certificate (or Unit), means a Person in whose name such Unit Certificate (or
the Unit Certificate evidencing such Unit) is registered in the relevant Unit
Register.
"Indenture" means the Indenture, dated as of the date hereof, between
the Company and The Bank of New York, as Trustee, as the same may be amended or
supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
"Issuer Order" or "Issuer Request" means a written order or request
signed in the name of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, any Vice
Chairman, its President or a Vice President and by its Treasurer, an Assistant
Treasurer, its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, and delivered to the Unit
Agent.
"Junior Subordinated Debenture Put Option" has the meaning specified
for the term "Put Option" in the Indenture.
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"Junior Subordinated Debentures" means the _____% Junior Subordinated
Deferrable Interest Debentures due , 2004 of the Company issued under the
Indenture.
"Normal Unit" means the rights to purchase Common Stock under a
Purchase Contract, together with ownership of the Trust Preferred Securities or
other Pledged Securities pledged to secure the obligations referred to in (a)
and (b) below, subject to (a) the obligations owed to the Company under such
Purchase Contract, (b) for so long as any Call Options remain exercisable, the
obligations owed to the Call Option Holder under a Call Option and (c) the
pledge arrangements securing the foregoing obligations; provided, however, that
the term "Normal Unit" will not include any Stripped Unit.
"NYSE" has the meaning specified in Section 501.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman of
the Board, any Vice Chairman, the President or any Vice President and by the
Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of
the Company and delivered to the Unit Agent.
"Opinion of Counsel" means an opinion in writing signed by legal
counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.
"Outstanding Unit Certificates" means, as of the date of determination,
all Unit Certificates theretofore authenticated, executed and delivered pursuant
to this Agreement, except:
(a) Unit Certificates theretofore canceled by the Unit Agent or
delivered to the Unit Agent for cancellation; and
(b) Unit Certificates in exchange for or in lieu of which other Unit
Certificates have been authenticated, executed on behalf of the Holder and
delivered pursuant to this Agreement, other than any such Unit Certificate in
respect of which there shall have been presented to the Unit Agent proof
satisfactory to it that such Unit Certificate is held by a bona fide purchaser
in whose hands the Units evidenced by such Unit Certificate are valid
obligations of the Company.
"Outstanding Units" means, as of the date of determination, all Units
evidenced by then Outstanding Unit Certificates, except, on or after the
Termination Date or Stock Purchase Date, Units for which the underlying Pledged
Securities or
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the Common Stock purchasable upon settlement of the underlying Purchase
Contracts, as the case may be, have been theretofore deposited with the Unit
Agent in trust for the Holders of such Units; provided, however, that in
determining whether the Holders of the requisite number of Units have given any
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder,
Units owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall be disregarded
and deemed not to be outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Unit
Agent shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Units which the Unit
Agent actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Units so owned
which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding Units if
the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Unit Agent the pledgee's
right so to act with respect to such Units and that the pledgee is not the
Company or any Affiliate of the Company.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust,
unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision
thereof.
"Pledge" means the pledge of the Pledged Securities under the Pledge
Agreement.
"Pledge Agreement" means the Pledge Agreement, dated as of the date
hereof, among the Company, the Call Option Holder, the Collateral Agent and the
Unit Agent, in its capacity as Unit Agent and as attorney-in-fact for the
Holders from time to time of the Units, the form of which is attached hereto as
Exhibit D, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the
terms hereof and thereof.
"Pledged Securities" means the securities pledged to the Collateral
Agent pursuant to the Pledge and constituting a part of the Units.
"Predecessor Unit Certificate" of any particular Unit Certificate means
every previous Unit Certificate evidencing all or a portion of the rights and
obligations of the Holder under the Units evidenced thereby; and, for the
purposes of this definition, any Unit Certificate authenticated and delivered
under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or
stolen Unit Certificate shall be deemed to evidence the same rights and
obligations of the Holder as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Unit
Certificate.
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"Present Value" shall have the meaning set forth in the Pledge
Agreement.
"Principal Agreements" means this Agreement, the Pledge Agreement and
the Call Option Agreement.
"Purchase Contract" means a contract obligating the Company to sell and
the Holder of the related Unit to purchase Common Stock on the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth in Article Five hereof.
"Purchase Contract Settlement Fund" has the meaning specified in
Section
5.05.
"Purchased Shares" has the meaning specified in Section 5.06(a)(6).
"Quarterly Payment Date" means each _________, _________, ________ and
__________, commencing _________.
"Record Date", when used with respect to any payment date, means the
Business Day next preceding such payment date; provided, however, that if any
Units are no longer evidenced by a Global Unit Certificate, "Record Date", when
used with respect to any payment date for such Units, means the [first day of]
[fifteenth day of] [fifteenth day of the month preceding] the month in which
such payment date falls; and provided further, that if payments are in respect
of Trust Preferred Securities or Junior Subordinated Debentures underlying
Normal Units, "Record Date", when used with respect to such payments, means the
record date for such payments determined as provided under the Declaration or
the Indenture, as the case may be.
"Reorganization Event" has the meaning specified in Section 5.06(b).
"Responsible Officer", when used with respect to the Unit Agent, means
any vice president, any assistant vice president, any assistant secretary, any
assistant treasurer, any trust officer or assistant trust officer, or any other
officer or assistant officer of the Unit Agent customarily performing functions
similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also
means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to
whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with
the particular subject.
"Settlement Rate" has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.
"Stated Amount" means $_____ per ▇▇▇▇.
▇
▇▇
"▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Date" means ___________.
"Stripped Unit" means the rights to purchase Common Stock under a
Purchase Contract, together with ownership of the Treasury Securities pledged to
secure the obligations referred to in (a) below, subject to (a) the obligations
owed to the Company under such Purchase Contract and (b) the pledge arrangements
securing the foregoing obligations; provided, however, that the term "Stripped
Unit" will only include Units issued as a result of a Stripped Unit Creation as
contemplated by Section 309.
"Stripped Unit Creation" has the meaning specified in Section 309(a).
"Termination Date" means the date, if any, on which a Termination Event
occurs.
"Termination Event" means the occurrence of any of the following events
at any time on or prior to the Stock Purchase Date: (a) a decree or order of a
court having jurisdiction in the premises shall have been entered adjudging the
Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition
seeking reorganization of the Company under the United States Bankruptcy Code or
any other similar applicable Federal or State law, and, unless such decree or
order shall have been entered within 60 days prior to the Stock Purchase Date,
such decree or order shall have continued undischarged and unstayed for a period
of 60 days, or (b) a decree or order of a court having jurisdiction in the
premises for the appointment of a receiver or liquidator or trustee or assignee
in bankruptcy or insolvency of the Company or of its property, or for the
winding up or liquidation of its affairs, shall have been entered, and, unless
such decree or order shall have been entered within 60 days prior to the Stock
Purchase Date, such decree or order shall have continued undischarged and
unstayed for a period of 60 days, or (c) the Company shall institute proceedings
to be adjudicated a bankrupt, or shall consent to the filing of a bankruptcy
proceeding against it, or shall file a petition or answer or consent seeking
reorganization under the United States Bankruptcy Code or any other similar
applicable Federal or State law, or shall consent to the filing of any such
petition, or shall consent to the appointment of a receiver or liquidator or
trustee or assignee in bankruptcy or insolvency of it or of its property, or
shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or shall admit in writing
its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due.
"Threshold Appreciation Price" has the meaning specified in Section
5.01.
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"TIA" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 or any statute successor
thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
"Trading Day" has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.
"Treasury Securities" means United States Treasury Securities.
"Trust" means AmerUs Capital II, a statutory business trust created
under the laws of the State of Delaware.
"Trust Preferred Securities"(sm) means _____% Trust Preferred
Securities of the Trust issued under the Declaration, which term may refer to a
single security or more than one security as the context may require.
"Underwriting Agreement" means the Underwriting Agreement dated
__________ among the Company, the Trust and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc. and
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Lufkin & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corporation, as the Underwriters named
therein.
"Unit Agent" means the Person named as the "Unit Agent" in the first
paragraph of this Agreement until a successor Unit Agent shall have become such
pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Agreement, and thereafter "Unit
Agent" shall mean the Person who is then the Unit Agent hereunder.
"Unit Certificate" means a certificate evidencing the rights and
obligations of a Holder in respect of the number of Normal Units or Stripped
Units, as the case may be, specified on such certificate.
"Unit Register" and "Unit Registrar" have the respective meanings
specified in Section 305.
"Units" means the Normal Units and, if any are issued, the Stripped
Units. The Purchase Contracts, Call Options and/or Pledged Securities
constituting a part of any Units are sometimes referred to herein as
"underlying" such Units and are sometimes herein said to "underlie" such Units.
"Vice President" means any vice president, whether or not designated by
a number or a word or words added before or after the title "vice president".
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SECTION 1.02 Compliance Certificates and Opinions.
Except as otherwise expressly provided by this Agreement, upon any
application or request by the Company to the Unit Agent to take any action under
any provision of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish to the Unit Agent at
the Unit Agent's request (i) an Officers' Certificate stating that all
conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Agreement relating to the
proposed action have been complied with and/or (ii) an Opinion of Counsel
stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent, if
any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or
request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by
any provision of this Agreement relating to such particular application or
request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.
Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant provided for in this Agreement shall include:
(a) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or
opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating
thereto;
(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such
certificate or opinion are based;
(c) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has
made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express
an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been
complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual,
such condition or covenant has been complied with.
SECTION 1.03 Form of Documents Delivered to Unit Agent.
In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or
covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all
such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such
Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one
such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one
or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify
or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
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Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based,
insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of
reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations
with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are
erroneous. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as
it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the
information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the
Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should
know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such
matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more
applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other
instruments under this Agreement, they may, but need not, be consolidated and
form one instrument.
SECTION 1.04 Acts of Holders; Record Dates.
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action provided by this Agreement to be given or taken by
Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of
substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agent duly
appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such
action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered
to the Unit Agent and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company.
Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced
thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of the Holders signing
such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of
a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this
Agreement and (subject to Section 7.01) conclusive in favor of the Unit Agent
and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such
instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such
execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by
law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing
such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such
execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual
capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof
of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or
writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved
in any other manner which the Unit Agent deems sufficient.
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(c) The ownership of Units shall be proved by the Unit Register.
(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Unit shall bind every future Holder of
the same Unit and the Holder of every Unit Certificate evidencing such Unit
issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in
lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the
Unit Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such
action is made upon such Unit Certificate.
(e) The Company may set any day as a record date for the purpose of
determining the Holders of Outstanding Units entitled to give, make or take any
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action provided or permitted by this Agreement to be given, made or taken by
Holders of Units. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the
Holders of Outstanding Units on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be
entitled to take the relevant action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders
after such record date; provided that no such action shall be effective
hereunder unless taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders
of the requisite number of Outstanding Units on such record date. Nothing in
this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Company from setting a new
record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set
pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall
automatically and with no action by any Person be canceled and of no effect),
and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any
action taken by Holders of the requisite number of Outstanding Units on the date
such action is taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this
paragraph, the Company, at its own expense, shall cause notice of such record
date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be
given to the Unit Agent in writing and to each Holder of Units in the manner set
forth in Section 1.06.
With respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section, the
Company may designate any date as the "Expiration Date" and from time to time
may change the Expiration Date to any earlier or later day; provided that no
such change shall be effective unless notice of the proposed new Expiration Date
is given to the Unit Agent in writing, and to each Holder of Units in the manner
set forth in Section 1.06, on or prior to the existing Expiration Date. If an
Expiration Date is not designated with respect to any record date set pursuant
to this Section, the Company shall be deemed to have initially designated the
180th day after such record date as the Expiration Date with respect thereto,
subject to its right to change the Expiration
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Date as provided in this paragraph. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Expiration
Date shall be later than the 180th day after the applicable record date.
SECTION 1.05 Notices, etc. to Unit Agent and the Company.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver
or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this
Agreement to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,
(a) the Unit Agent by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient
for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if
made, given, furnished or filed in writing and personally delivered or mailed,
first-class postage prepaid, to the Unit Agent at ______________, Attention:
______________ or at any other address previously furnished in writing by the
Unit Agent to the Holders and the Company, or
(b) the Company by the Unit Agent or by any Holder shall be sufficient
for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if
made, given, furnished or filed in writing and personally delivered or mailed,
first-class postage prepaid, to the Company at Fairlane Plaza South, Suite 1100,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention, General Counsel, or
at any other address previously furnished in writing by the Company to the Unit
Agent and the Holders.
SECTION 1.06 Notice to Holders; Waiver.
Where this Agreement provides for notice to Holders of any event, such
notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided)
if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected
by such event, at his address as it appears in the Unit Register, not later than
the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the
giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail,
neither the failure to mail such notice nor any defect in any notice so mailed
to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with
respect to other Holders. Where this Agreement provides for notice in any
manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive
such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the
equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the
Unit Agent, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity
of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.
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In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by
reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail,
then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Unit Agent
shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.
SECTION 1.07 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.
The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are
for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 1.08 Successors and Assigns.
All covenants and agreements in this Agreement by the Company shall
bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
SECTION 1.09 Separability Clause.
In case any provision in this Agreement or in the Units shall be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of
the remaining provisions hereof and thereof shall not in any way be affected or
impaired thereby.
SECTION 1.10 Benefits of Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement or in the Unit Certificates, express or
implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their
successors hereunder and the Holders, any benefits or any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement. The Holders from time to time shall
be beneficiaries of this Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and
conditions hereof and of the Units evidenced by their Unit Certificates by their
acceptance of delivery thereof.
SECTION 1.11 Governing Law.
THIS AGREEMENT AND THE UNITS SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS
OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
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SECTION 1.12 Legal Holidays.
In any case where any Quarterly Payment Date or the Stock Purchase Date
shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement or of the Units) payment in respect of distributions or interest on or
principal of Pledged Securities or Contract Payments shall not be made, Purchase
Contracts shall not be performed and other actions described herein shall not
occur, but such payments shall be made, the Purchase Contracts shall be
performed and such other actions shall occur, as applicable, on the next
succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such
Quarterly Payment Date or Stock Purchase Date, as the case may be; provided,
that to the extent such payment is made on the next succeeding Business Day, no
distributions or interest shall accrue or be payable by the Company or any
Holder for the period from and after any such Quarterly Payment Date or Stock
Purchase Date, as the case may be, to the date of payment or performance; except
that if such next succeeding Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar
year, such payment shall be made, the Purchase Contracts shall be performed or
such other action shall occur on the immediately preceding Business Day with the
same force and effect as if made on such Quarterly Payment Date or the Stock
Purchase Date.
SECTION 1.13 Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which, when so executed, shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
SECTION 1.14 Inspection of Agreement.
A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at
the Corporate Trust Office for inspection by any Holder.
ARTICLE II
UNIT CERTIFICATE FORMS
SECTION 2.01 Forms of Unit Certificates Generally.
Unit Certificates evidencing Normal Units shall be in substantially the
form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and Unit Certificates evidencing the Stripped
Units shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto, in each case with
such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or designation and such
legends or endorsements
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printed, lithographed or engraved thereon as may be required by the
rules of any securities exchange on which the Units are listed or Depositary
therefor, or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers of the
Company executing such Unit Certificates, as evidenced by their execution of the
Unit Certificates.
The definitive Unit Certificates shall be printed, lithographed or
engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all
as determined by the officers of the Company executing the Unit Certificates,
consistent with the provisions of this Agreement, as evidenced by their
execution thereof.
Every Global Unit Certificate authenticated, executed and delivered
hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
THIS UNIT CERTIFICATE IS A GLOBAL UNIT CERTIFICATE WITHIN THE MEANING
OF THE MASTER UNIT AGREEMENT HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED
IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS UNIT CERTIFICATE
MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A UNIT CERTIFICATE
REGISTERED, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS UNIT CERTIFICATE IN WHOLE OR IN
PART MAY BE REGISTERED, IN THE NAME OF ANY PERSON OTHER THAN SUCH
DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES
DESCRIBED IN THE MASTER UNIT AGREEMENT.
SECTION 2.02 Form of Unit Agent's Certificate of Authentication.
The form of the Unit Agent's certificate of authentication of the Units
shall be in substantially the form set forth on the form of the Unit
Certificates.
ARTICLE III
THE UNITS
SECTION 3.01 Title and Terms; Denominations.
The aggregate number of Units evidenced by Unit Certificates
authenticated, executed on behalf of the Holders and delivered hereunder is
limited to __________ [(subject to increase up to a maximum of ___________ to
the extent the over-allotment option of the underwriters under the Underwriting
Agreement is exercised)],
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except for Unit Certificates authenticated, executed and delivered upon
registration of transfer of, in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Unit
Certificates pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.05, 3.06 or 8.05.
All of the Unit Certificates authenticated, executed and delivered
hereunder shall be Normal Units except for any Unit Certificates evidencing
Stripped Units issued in connection with a Stripped Unit Creation pursuant to
Section 3.09 and Unit Certificates authenticated, executed and delivered upon
registration of transfer of, in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Unit
Certificates evidencing Stripped Units pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.05, 3.06 or
8.05.
Unit Certificates shall be issuable only in registered form and only in
denominations of a single Unit and any integral multiple thereof.
SECTION 3.02 Rights and Obligations Evidenced by the Unit Certificates.
Each Unit Certificate shall evidence the number of Units specified
therein. Prior to the purchase, if any, of shares of Common Stock under the
Purchase Contracts, the Units shall not entitle the Holders to any of the rights
or privileges of a holder of shares of Common Stock by virtue of holding such
Units, including, without limitation, the right to vote or receive any dividends
or other distributions or to consent or to receive notice as stockholders in
respect of the meetings of stockholders or for the election of directors of the
Company or for any other matter.
SECTION 3.03 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.
Subject to the provisions of Section 3.09 hereof, upon the execution
and delivery of this Agreement, and at any time and from time to time
thereafter, the Company may deliver Unit Certificates executed by the Company to
the Unit Agent for authentication, execution on behalf of the Holders and
delivery, together with its Issuer Order for authentication of such Unit
Certificates, and the Unit Agent in accordance with such Issuer Order shall
authenticate, execute on behalf of the Holders and make such Unit Certificates
available for delivery.
The Unit Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its
Chairman of the Board, its Vice Chairman of the Board, its President or one of
its Vice Presidents, under its corporate seal reproduced thereon attested by its
Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these
officers on the Unit Certificates may be manual or facsimile.
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Unit Certificates bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of
individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind
the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to
hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Unit
Certificates or did not hold such offices at the date of such Unit Certificates.
Each Unit Certificate shall be dated the date of its authentication.
No Purchase Contract or Call Option underlying a Unit evidenced by a
Unit Certificate shall be valid until such Unit Certificate has been executed on
behalf of the Holder by the manual signature of an authorized signatory of the
Unit Agent, as such Holder's attorney-in-fact. Such signature by an authorized
signatory of the Unit Agent shall be conclusive evidence that the Holder of such
Unit Certificate has entered into the Purchase Contracts and Call Options
underlying the Units evidenced by such Unit Certificate.
No Unit Certificate shall be entitled to any benefit under this
Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such
Unit Certificate a certificate of authentication substantially in the form
provided for herein executed by an authorized signatory of the Unit Agent by
manual signature, and such certificate upon any Unit Certificate shall be
conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Unit Certificate has been
duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.
SECTION 3.04 Temporary Unit Certificates.
Pending the preparation of definitive Unit Certificates, the Company
shall execute and deliver (together with an Issuer Order) to the Unit Agent, and
the Unit Agent shall authenticate, execute on behalf of the Holders, and
deliver, in lieu of such definitive Unit Certificates, temporary Unit
Certificates which are in substantially the form set forth in Exhibit A or
Exhibit B hereto, with such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or
designation and such legends or endorsements printed, lithographed or engraved
thereon as may be required by the rules of any securities exchange on which the
Units are listed or Depositary therefor, or as may, consistently herewith, be
determined by the officers of the Company executing such Unit Certificates, as
evidenced by their execution of the Unit Certificates.
If temporary Unit Certificates are issued, the Company will cause
definitive Unit Certificates to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After
the preparation of definitive Unit Certificates, the temporary Unit Certificates
shall be exchangeable for definitive Unit Certificates upon surrender of the
temporary Unit Certificates at the
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Corporate Trust Office, at the expense of the Company and without charge to the
Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Unit
Certificates, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Unit Agent, and the
Unit Agent shall authenticate, execute on behalf of the Holder, and deliver in
exchange therefor, one or more definitive Unit Certificates of authorized
denominations and evidencing a like number of Normal Units or Stripped Units, as
the case may be, as the temporary Unit Certificate or Unit Certificates so
surrendered. Until so exchanged, the temporary Unit Certificates shall in all
respects evidence the same benefits and the same obligations with respect to the
Units evidenced thereby as definitive Unit Certificates.
SECTION 3.05 Registration; Registration of Transfer and Exchange.
The Unit Agent shall keep at the Corporate Trust Office registers (the
registers maintained in such office being herein referred to as the "Unit
Registers") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may
prescribe, the Unit Agent shall provide for the registration of Unit
Certificates evidencing the Normal Units and the Stripped Units and of transfers
of Unit Certificates evidencing the Normal Units and the Stripped Units (the
Unit Agent, in such capacity, the "Unit Registrar"). Upon request from any
Trustee or Administrator of the Trust, the Unit Agent shall furnish to such
requesting party a copy of the Unit Register for the Unit Certificates
evidencing the Normal Units as promptly as practicable.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Unit Certificate at
the Corporate Trust Office, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Unit
Agent, and the Unit Agent shall authenticate, execute on behalf of the
designated transferee or transferees, and deliver, in the name of the designated
transferee or transferees, one or more new Unit Certificates evidencing a like
number of Normal Units or Stripped Units, as the case may be.
At the option of the Holder, Unit Certificates may be exchanged for
other Unit Certificates evidencing a like number of Normal Units or Stripped
Units, as the case may be, upon surrender of the Unit Certificates to be
exchanged at the Corporate Trust Office.
Whenever any Unit Certificates are so surrendered for exchange, the
Company shall execute and deliver to the Unit Agent, and the Unit Agent shall
authenticate, execute on behalf of the Holder, and deliver the Unit Certificates
which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
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All Unit Certificates issued upon any registration of transfer or
exchange of a Unit Certificate shall evidence the ownership of the same number
of Normal Units or Stripped Units, as the case may be, and be entitled to the
same benefits and subject to the same obligations, under the Principal
Agreements as the Normal Units or Stripped Units, as the case may be, evidenced
by the Unit Certificate surrendered upon such registration of transfer or
exchange.
Every Unit Certificate presented or surrendered for registration of
transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Unit Agent) be duly
endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company and the Unit Agent duly executed, by the Holder
thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or
exchange of a Unit Certificate, but the Company and the Unit Agent may require
payment from the Holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of
transfer or exchange of Unit Certificates (which, for these purposes, includes a
Stripped Unit Creation or a transfer of Pledged Securities as contemplated by
Section 5.04(a)), other than any exchanges pursuant to Sections 3.04, 3.06 and
8.05 not involving any transfer.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to
execute and deliver to the Unit Agent, and the Unit Agent shall not be obligated
to authenticate, execute on behalf of the Holder and deliver any Unit
Certificate in respect of a Unit Certificate presented or surrendered for
registration of transfer or for exchange on or after the Stock Purchase Date or
the Termination Date. In lieu of delivery of a new Unit Certificate, upon
satisfaction of the applicable conditions specified above in this Section and
receipt of appropriate registration or transfer instructions from such Holder,
the Unit Agent shall (a) if the Stock Purchase Date has occurred, deliver the
shares of Common Stock issuable in respect of the Purchase Contracts forming a
part of the Units evidenced by such Unit Certificate, or (b) if a Termination
Event shall have occurred on or prior to the Stock Purchase Date, transfer the
liquidation or principal amount of the Pledged Securities evidenced thereby, in
each case subject to the applicable conditions and in accordance with the
applicable provisions of Article Five hereof.
The provisions of Clauses (a), (b), (c) and (d) below shall apply only
to Global Unit Certificates:
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(a) Each Global Unit Certificate authenticated and executed on behalf
of the Holders under this Agreement shall be registered in the name of the
Depositary designated for such Global Unit Certificate or a nominee thereof and
delivered to such Depositary or a nominee thereof or custodian therefor, and
each such Global Unit Certificate shall constitute a single Unit Certificate for
all purposes of this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, no Global
Unit Certificate may be exchanged in whole or in part for Unit Certificates
registered, and no transfer of a Global Unit Certificate in whole or in part may
be registered, in the name of any Person other than the Depositary for such
Global Unit Certificate or a nominee thereof unless (i) such Depositary (x) has
notified the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary
for such Global Unit Certificate or (y) has ceased to be a clearing agency
registered under the Exchange Act or (ii) there shall have occurred and be
continuing a default by the Company in respect of its obligations under one or
more Principal Agreements.
(c) Subject to Clause (b) above, any exchange of a Global Unit
Certificate for other Unit Certificates may be made in whole or in part, and all
Unit Certificates issued in exchange for a Global Unit Certificate or any
portion thereof shall be registered in such names as the Depositary for such
Global Unit Certificate shall direct.
(d) Every Unit Certificate authenticated and delivered upon
registration of transfer of, in exchange for or in lieu of a Global Unit
Certificate or any portion thereof, whether pursuant to this Section, Section
304, 306 or 805 or otherwise, shall be authenticated, executed on behalf of the
Holders and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Unit Certificate,
unless such Unit Certificate is registered in the name of a Person other than
the Depositary for such Global Unit Certificate or a nominee thereof.
SECTION 3.06 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Unit Certificates.
If any mutilated Unit Certificate is surrendered to the Unit Agent, the
Company shall execute and deliver to the Unit Agent, and the Unit Agent shall
authenticate, execute on behalf of the Holder, and deliver in exchange therefor,
a new Unit Certificate, evidencing the same number of Normal Units or Stripped
Units, as the case may be, and bearing a number not contemporaneously
outstanding.
If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Unit Agent (a)
evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Unit
Certificate, and (b) such
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security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any
agent of any of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or
the Unit Agent that such Unit Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide
purchaser, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Unit Agent, and the Unit
Agent shall authenticate, execute on behalf of the Holder, and deliver to the
Holder, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Unit Certificate, a new
Unit Certificate, evidencing the same number of Normal Units or Stripped Units,
as the case may be, and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to
execute and deliver to the Unit Agent, and the Unit Agent shall not be obligated
to authenticate, execute on behalf of the Holder, and deliver to the Holder, on
or after the Stock Purchase Date or the Termination Date, a Unit Certificate in
respect of any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Unit Certificate. In lieu of
delivery of a new Unit Certificate, upon satisfaction of the applicable
conditions specified above in this Section and receipt of appropriate
registration or transfer instructions from such Holder, the Unit Agent shall (a)
if the Stock Purchase Date has occurred, deliver the shares of Common Stock
issuable in respect of the Purchase Contracts forming a part of the Units
evidenced by such Unit Certificate, or (b) if a Termination Event shall have
occurred on or prior to the Stock Purchase Date, transfer the liquidation or
principal amount of the Pledged Securities evidenced thereby, in each case
subject to the applicable conditions and in accordance with the applicable
provisions of Article Five hereof.
Upon the issuance of any new Unit Certificate under this Section, the
Company and the Unit Agent may require the payment by the Holder of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the
Unit Agent) connected therewith.
Every new Unit Certificate issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of
any destroyed, lost or stolen Unit Certificate shall constitute an original
additional contractual obligation of the Company and of the Holder, whether or
not the destroyed, lost or stolen Unit Certificate shall be at any time
enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits and be subject
to all the obligations of the Principal Agreements equally and proportionately
with any and all other Unit Certificates delivered hereunder.
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the
extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or
settlement of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Unit Certificates.
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SECTION 3.07 Persons Deemed Owners.
Prior to due presentment of a Unit Certificate for registration of
transfer, the Company and the Unit Agent, and any agent of the Company or the
Unit Agent, may treat the Person in whose name such Unit Certificate is
registered as the owner of the Units evidenced thereby, for the purpose of
receiving payments of distributions or interest on the Pledged Securities,
receiving or making payments of Contract Payments and performance of the
underlying Purchase Contracts and Call Options and for all other purposes
whatsoever, whether or not the payment of distributions or interest on the
Pledged Securities or any Contract Payment payable in respect of the Purchase
Contracts constituting a part of the Units evidenced thereby shall be overdue
and notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, and neither the Company nor the
Unit Agent, nor any agent of the Company or the Unit Agent, shall be affected by
notice to the contrary.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Global Unit
Certificate, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Unit Agent or any
agent of the Company or the Unit Agent, from giving effect to any written
certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by any Depositary (or its
nominee), as a Holder, with respect to such Global Unit Certificate or impair,
as between such Depositary and owners of beneficial interests in such Global
Unit Certificate, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of
rights of such Depositary (or its nominee) as Holder of such Global Unit
Certificate.
SECTION 3.08 Cancellation.
All Unit Certificates surrendered for delivery of shares of Common
Stock on or after the Stock Purchase Date, transfer of Pledged Securities after
the occurrence of a Termination Event or registration of transfer or exchange
shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Unit Agent, be delivered to
the Unit Agent and, if not already canceled, shall be promptly canceled by it.
The Company may at any time deliver to the Unit Agent for cancellation any Unit
Certificates previously authenticated, executed and delivered hereunder which
the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Unit
Certificates so delivered shall, upon Issuer Order, be promptly canceled by the
Unit Agent. No Unit Certificates shall be authenticated, executed on behalf of
the Holder and delivered upon transfer of, in exchange for or in lieu of any
Unit Certificates canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly
permitted by this Agreement. All canceled Unit Certificates held by the Unit
Agent shall be disposed of as directed by Issuer Order.
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If the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall acquire any Unit
Certificate, such acquisition shall not operate as a cancellation of such Unit
Certificate unless and until such Unit Certificate is delivered to the Unit
Agent canceled or for cancellation.
SECTION 3.09 Substitution of Pledged Securities and Creation of Stripped
Units; Units Not Otherwise Separable.
(a) A Holder of Normal Units may obtain the release from the Pledge of
such Holder's Pledged Securities underlying such Normal Units, free and clear of
the Company's and the Call Option Holder's security interests therein, and
convert such Normal Units into Stripped Units (collectively, a "Stripped Unit
Creation") at any time after the original issuance of such Normal Units and on
or prior to the second Business Day immediately preceding the Stock Purchase
Date by:
(i) delivering to the Collateral Agent: (w) Treasury
Securities that through their scheduled payments will generate not
later than the Stock Purchase Date an amount of cash that is at least
equal to the aggregate Stated Amount of such Normal Units, (x) if the
Call Options underlying such Normal Units remain exercisable on the
date on which the requirements contained in this Section 3.09(a) for
such Stripped Unit Creation are satisfied, an instrument from the Call
Option Holder releasing its security interest in the Pledged Securities
securing such Call Options and agreeing that such Call Options no
longer underlie such Normal Units (or the Stripped Units they become);
and
(ii) surrendering the Unit Certificate evidencing such Normal
Units, with the form of Request to Create Stripped Units thereon duly
completed and executed, to the Unit Agent, whereupon the Unit Agent
shall promptly request the Collateral Agent to release the Pledged
Securities underlying such Normal Units; provided, however, that if
Treasury Securities are the Pledged Securities underlying such Normal
Units, a Stripped Unit Creation may only be effected with respect to a
number of Normal Units that will result in the release from the Pledge
of Treasury Securities in denominations of $1,000 and integral
multiples thereof.
(b) Upon receipt of the items described in subclause (w) of clause (i)
of Section 3.09(a) above and the request from the Unit Agent described in clause
(ii) of Section 3.09(a) above, the Collateral Agent will, in accordance with the
terms of the
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Pledge Agreement, release to the Unit Agent, on behalf of the Holder, from the
Pledge, free and clear of the Company's and the Call Option Holders's security
interests therein, the securities that theretofore had been the Pledged
Securities underlying such Normal Units, and upon receipt thereof the Unit Agent
shall promptly:
(i) cancel the Unit Certificate for such Normal Units;
(ii) transfer such released Pledged Securities to the Holder
or, subject to Section 305, the Holder's designee;
(iii) authenticate, execute on behalf of such Holder and
deliver to the Holder or, subject to Section 3.05, the Holder's
designee a Unit Certificate executed by the Company in accordance with
Section 3.03 evidencing a number of Stripped Units equal to the number
of such Normal Units.
Concurrently with the release of the securities that theretofore had been the
Pledged Securities underlying such Normal Units as contemplated by the preceding
sentence, the Treasury Securities delivered to the Collateral Agent as
contemplated by clause (i) of Section 3.09(a) above shall thereupon be
substituted for such securities as Pledged Securities underlying the Stripped
Units created from such Normal Units.
(c) Except for a Stripped Unit Creation effected in compliance with
this Section 3.09, for so long as the Purchase Contract underlying a Normal Unit
remains in effect such Normal Unit shall not be separable into its constituent
parts, and the rights and obligations of the Holder of such Normal Unit in
respect of the Pledged Securities, Purchase Contract and Call Option underlying
such Normal Unit may be acquired, and may be transferred and exchanged, only as
an integrated Normal Unit. For so long as the Purchase Contract underlying a
Stripped Unit remains in effect such Stripped Unit shall not be separable into
its constituent parts, and the rights and obligations of the Holder of such
Stripped Unit in respect of the Pledged Securities and Purchase Contract
underlying such Stripped Unit may be acquired, and may be transferred and
exchanged, only as an integrated Stripped Unit. Other than a Unit Certificate,
no Holder of a Unit, nor any transferee thereof, shall be entitled to receive a
certificate evidencing the ownership of Pledged Securities or any other rights
or obligations underlying such Unit for so long as the Purchase Contract
underlying such Unit remains in effect.
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(d) Upon receipt of the amounts described in subclause (x) of clause
(i) of 3.09(a), The Collateral Agent will, in accordance with the terms of the
Pledge Agreement, promptly transfer such amounts to the Call Option Holder.
SECTION 3.10 Payments on the Units.
Contract Payments (if any) payable by the Company to the Holders, and
all amounts payable to Holders as required by Section 4.01 or 5.04(b), will be
payable at the office of the Unit Agent in The City of New York maintained for
that purpose or, at the option of the Company, by check mailed to the address of
the Person entitled thereto at such address as it appears on the relevant Unit
Register on the Record Date; provided, however, that for so long as any Units
are evidenced by Global Certificates, the Unit Agent will pay each such amount
payable in respect of such Units by wire transfer in same-day funds, no later
than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day such amount is received
by the Unit Agent from the Collateral Agent or the Company (or, if such amount
is received by the Unit Agent after 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on a Business
Day or on a day that is not a Business Day, no later than 10:00 a.m., New York
City time, on the next succeeding Business Day), to the Depositary, to the
account or accounts designated by it for such purpose.
ARTICLE IV
THE PLEDGED SECURITIES
SECTION 4.01 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.
SECTION 4.02 Transfer of Pledged Securities Upon Occurrence of
Termination Event.
Upon the occurrence of a Termination Event and the transfer of the
Pledged Securities underlying each Holder's Units to the Unit Agent pursuant to
the terms of the Pledge Agreement, the Unit Agent shall request transfer
instructions with respect to such Pledged Securities from such Holder by written
request mailed to such Holder at his address as it appears in the relevant Unit
Register. Thereafter, upon surrender to the Unit Agent of a Unit Certificate
evidencing a Holder's Units, with transfer instructions in proper form for
transfer of the underlying Pledged Securities, the Unit Agent shall transfer the
Pledged Securities evidenced by such Unit Certificate to such
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Holder in accordance with such instructions; provided, however, that if the
Pledged Securities are to be transferred to a Person other than the Person in
whose name such Unit Certificate is registered, no such transfer shall be made
unless the Person requesting the transfer has paid any transfer and other taxes
required by reason of such transfer to a Person other than the registered Holder
of such Unit Certificate or has established to the satisfaction of the Company
that such tax either has been paid or is not payable. Until the foregoing
conditions to transfer any of the Pledged Securities underlying any Units has
been met, the Unit Agent shall hold such Pledged Securities as custodian for the
Holder of such Units.
If upon a Termination Event any Holder of Units would, after satisfying
the foregoing conditions, otherwise be entitled to receive (or have transferred
to such Holder's designee) Treasury Securities of any series having a principal
amount that is not an integral multiple of $1,000, such Holder shall instead be
entitled to receive (or have transferred to such Holder's designee) Treasury
Securities of such series in a principal amount equal to the next lower integral
multiple of $1,000 plus a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of Treasury
Securities of such series contemplated by the succeeding sentence representing
such Holder's interest therein. As soon as practicable after transfer to the
Unit Agent of the Pledged Securities as provided in the Pledge Agreement, the
Unit Agent shall, on behalf of all Holders who, by virtue of the preceding
sentence, will not be entitled to a portion of the Treasury Securities of any
series to which they would otherwise be entitled, aggregate and sell the
Treasury Securities of such series representing such portion to or through one
or more U.S. government securities dealers at then prevailing prices, deduct
from the proceeds of such sales all commissions and other out-of-pocket
transaction costs incurred in connection with such sales and, until the net
proceeds therefrom have been distributed to the Holders entitled thereto or
their designees, hold such proceeds in trust for such Holders.
ARTICLE V
THE PURCHASE CONTRACTS
SECTION 5.01 Purchase of Shares of Common Stock.
Each Purchase Contract underlying a Unit shall obligate the Holder of
such Unit to purchase, and the Company to sell, on the Stock Purchase Date, at a
price equal to the Stated Amount, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to
the Settlement Rate, unless, on or prior to the Stock Purchase Date, there shall
have
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occurred a Termination Event. The "Settlement Rate" is equal to (a) if the
Applicable Market Value (as defined below) is greater than or equal to $_____
(the "Threshold Appreciation Price"), ________ of a share of Common Stock per
Purchase Contract, (b) if the Applicable Market Value is less than the Threshold
Appreciation Price but is greater than $ (the "Floor Price"), a fractional share
of Common Stock per Purchase Contract equal to the Stated Amount divided by the
Applicable Market Value (rounded upward or downward to the nearest 1/10,000th of
a share or, if there is not a nearest 1/10,000th of a share, to the next lower
1/10,000th of a share) and (c) if the Applicable Market Value is less than or
equal to the Floor Price, Shares of Common Stock per Purchase Contract, in each
case subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5.06. As provided in Section
5.09, no fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued upon settlement of
Purchase Contracts.
The "Applicable Market Value" means the average of the Closing Prices
per share of Common Stock on each of the twenty consecutive Trading Days ending
on the last Trading Day immediately preceding the Stock Purchase Date. The
"Closing Price" of the Common Stock on any date of determination means the
closing sale price (or, if no closing price is reported, the last reported sale
price) of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") on such
date or, if the Common Stock is not listed for trading on the NYSE on any such
date, as reported in the composite transactions for the principal United States
securities exchange on which the Common Stock is so listed, or if the Common
Stock is not so listed on a United States national or regional securities
exchange, as reported by The NASDAQ Stock Market, or, if the Common Stock is not
so reported, the last quoted bid price for the Common Stock in the
over-the-counter market as reported by the National Quotation Bureau or similar
organization, or, if such bid price is not available, the market value of the
Common Stock on such date as determined by a nationally recognized investment
banking firm retained for this purpose by the Company. A "Trading Day" means a
day on which the Common Stock (A) is not suspended from trading on any national
or regional securities exchange or association or over-the-counter market at the
close of business and (B) has traded at least once on the national or regional
securities exchange or association or over-the-counter market that is the
primary market for the trading of the Common Stock.
Each Holder of a Unit Certificate evidencing Normal Units, by his
acceptance thereof, irrevocably authorizes the Unit Agent to enter into and
perform the underlying Purchase Contracts and Call Options on his behalf as his
attorney-in-fact, agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof,
covenants and agrees to perform his obligations under such Purchase Contracts
and Call Options, consents to the provisions of the Principal Agreements,
irrevocably authorizes the Unit Agent to enter into and perform the Call Option
Agreement and the Pledge Agreement on his behalf as his attorney-in-fact, and
consents to and agrees to be bound by the Pledge of the Pledged Securities
underlying such Normal Units pursuant to the Pledge Agreement. Each Holder of a
Unit Certificate evidencing Stripped Units, by his acceptance thereof,
irrevocably authorizes the Unit Agent to enter into
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and perform the underlying Purchase Contracts on his behalf as his
attorney-in-fact, agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof,
covenants and agrees to perform his obligations under such Purchase Contracts,
consents to the provisions of the Principal Agreements, irrevocably authorizes
the Unit Agent to perform the Pledge Agreement on his behalf as his
attorney-in-fact, and consents to and agrees to be bound by the Pledge of the
Pledged Securities underlying such Stripped Units pursuant to the Pledge
Agreement. Each Holder of Units, by his acceptance thereof, further irrevocably
covenants and agrees that, unless such Holder satisfies its obligations to the
Company under the Purchase Contracts underlying such Units as provided in
Section 5.04(a), then to the extent and in the manner provided in Section
5.04(b) and the Pledge Agreement, but subject to the terms thereof, payments in
respect of all or a portion of the principal of or proceeds from the Pledged
Securities on the Stock Purchase Date shall be paid by the Collateral Agent to
the Company in satisfaction of such Holder's obligations under such Purchase
Contract and such Holder shall acquire no right, title or interest in such
payments.
Upon registration of transfer of a Unit Certificate, the transferee
shall be bound (without the necessity of any other action on the part of such
transferee) by the terms of the Purchase Contracts and any Call Options
evidenced thereby and by the Pledge Agreement and the transferor shall be
released from all such obligations evidenced by the Unit Certificate so
transferred. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of a Unit
Certificate, by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, to be
bound by the provisions of this paragraph.
SECTION 5.02 Contract Payments.
Subject to Section 5.03, if any Contract Payments are or will be
payable by the Company to the Holders, the Company shall pay, prior to 1:00
p.m., New York City time, on each Quarterly Payment Date to and including the
Stock Purchase Date, the Contract Payments payable in respect of each Purchase
Contract to the Person in whose name the Unit Certificate (or one or more
Predecessor Unit Certificates) evidencing such Purchase Contract is registered
at the close of business on the Record Date next preceding such Quarterly
Payment Date. [The Company's obligations with respect to such Contract Payments
[subordination language from indenture to be inserted].]
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Each Unit Certificate delivered under this Agreement upon registration
of transfer of, in exchange for or in lieu of any other Unit Certificate shall
carry the rights to receive and obligations to pay Contract Payments accrued and
unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by the Purchase Contracts evidenced by
such other Unit Certificate.
SECTION 5.03 Deferral of Payment Dates For Contract Payment.
So long as no default in the Company's obligations under the Principal
Agreements has occurred and is continuing, the Company shall have the right, at
any time prior to the Stock Purchase Date, to defer the payment of any or all of
the Contract Payments, if any, otherwise payable by the Company on any Quarterly
Payment Date, but only if the Company shall give the Holders and the Unit Agent
written notice of its election to defer such payment (specifying the amount to
be deferred) at least five Business Days prior to the earlier of (a) the next
succeeding Quarterly Payment Date or (b) the date the Company is required to
give notice of the Record Date or Quarterly Payment Date with respect to payment
of such Contract Payment to the NYSE or other applicable self-regulatory
organization or to Holders, or (c) the Record Date for such Quarterly Payment
Date. Any Contract Payments so deferred shall bear additional Contract Payments
thereon at a rate per annum equal to the Deferral Rate (computed on the basis of
a 360-day year of twelve 30- day months), compounding on each succeeding
Quarterly Payment Date, until paid in full. Deferred Contract Payments (and
additional Contract Payments accrued thereon) shall be due on the next
succeeding Quarterly Payment Date except to the extent that payment is deferred
pursuant to this Section. No Contract Payments may be deferred to a date that is
after the Stock Purchase Date.
In the event the Company exercises its option to defer the payment of
Contract Payments (if any) payable by it, then, until all deferred Contract
Payments (including additional Contract Payments accrued thereon) have been paid
in full, the Company shall not (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions
on, or redeem, purchase, acquire, or make a liquidation payment with respect to,
any of the Company's capital stock, (b) make any payment of principal, interest
or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities of the
Company that rank pari passu with or junior in right of payment to the Contract
Payments or (c) make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the
Company of any securities of any subsidiary of the Company if such guarantee
ranks pari passu or junior in right of payment to the Contract Payments (other
than, in the case of clauses (a), (b) and (c), (i) dividends or distributions in
shares of, or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase shares
of, common stock of the Company, (ii) any declaration
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of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder's rights
plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the
redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) payments
under the Company's guarantee of the Trust Preferred Securities, (iv) as a
result of a reclassification of the Company's capital stock solely into shares
of one or more classes or series of the Company's capital stock or the exchange
or conversion of one class or series of the Company's capital stock for another
class or series of the Company's capital stock, (v) the purchase of fractional
interests in shares of the Company's capital stock pursuant to the conversion or
exchange provisions of such capital stock or the securities being converted or
exchanged and (vi) purchases of common stock in connection with the satisfaction
by the Company of its obligations under any of the Company's benefit plans for
its and its subsidiaries' directors, officers or employees or any of the
company's dividend reinvestment plans).
If any Contract Payments are payable by a Holder to the Company and
payments made in respect of Pledged Securities underlying such Holder's Units
are insufficient to cover such Holder's obligation to pay such Contract
Payments, such obligation shall be deferred until the earlier of the date
sufficient cash is available and the Stock Purchase Date. Any such Contract
Payments so deferred shall bear additional Contract Payments thereon at a rate
per annum equal to the Deferral Rate (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of
twelve 30-day months), compounding on each succeeding Quarterly Payment Date,
until paid in full.
SECTION 5.04 Payment of Purchase Price.
(a) A Holder of Units shall, by no later than 10:00 a.m., New York City
time, on the Stock Purchase Date, deliver to the Unit Agent payment of the
purchase price for the shares of Common Stock to be purchased pursuant to the
Purchase Contracts underlying such Units, which payment shall be made in lawful
money of the United States by certified or cashier's check payable to the order
of the Company in immediately available funds in an amount equal to the
aggregate Stated Amount of such Holder's Units.
By 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Stock Purchase Date, the Unit
Agent shall (i) transfer to the Company all of the payments the Company is
entitled to receive as contemplated by the preceding sentence, (ii) notify the
Collateral Agent and the Company as to the number of Normal Units and the number
of Stripped Units, respectively, with respect to which payment has been received
as aforesaid (such Units being collectively referred to as "Paid Units") and the
number of Normal Units and the number of Stripped Units, respectively, with
respect to which payment has
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not been received as aforesaid (such Units being collectively referred to as
"Unpaid Units"), and (iii) request the Collateral Agent (with notice of such
request to the Company) to release the Pledged Securities underlying the Paid
Units (or, in the case of Treasury Securities, the cash payments received
thereon) from the Pledge and transfer such released Pledged Securities (or such
cash) to the Unit Agent for delivery to the Holders of such Units entitled
thereto, free and clear of the Company's security interest therein.
By 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Stock Purchase Date, the
Collateral Agent shall, as provided by the terms of the Pledge Agreement, comply
with the request referred to in clause (iii) of the preceding sentence (subject
to the Company's right under the Pledge Agreement to prevent the Collateral
Agent from doing so to the extent the aggregate amount the Company has received
as contemplated by clause (i) of the preceding sentence is less than the
aggregate amount payable with respect to the Units referred to in such request).
The Unit Agent shall thereupon, subject to its receipt from the Collateral Agent
of the Pledged Securities (or cash) referred to in such request and subject to
Section 3.05, transfer such released Pledged Securities (or cash) to the
respective Holders entitled thereto in accordance with the settlement
instructions specified in the form of Settlement Instructions appearing on the
Unit Certificates evidencing the Paid Units; provided, however, that if any such
Unit Certificate is not surrendered to the Unit Agent with the form of
Settlement Instructions thereon duly completed and executed, the Unit Agent
shall hold such Pledged Securities (or cash), and any distributions or interest
received on such Pledged Securities, as custodian for the Holder entitled
thereto, to be delivered to such Holder (without any interest thereon and
subject to Section 3.05) upon surrender of such Unit Certificate to the Unit
Agent (with the form of Settlement Instructions thereon duly completed and
executed).
(b) With respect to each Holder's Unpaid Units, pursuant to the terms
of the Pledge Agreement,
(i) (x) if Trust Preferred Securities underlie such Unpaid
Units, the Collateral Agent, on behalf of such Holder, shall exercise
such Holder's right under the Declaration to require the Trust to
distribute Junior Subordinated Debentures having an aggregate principal
amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of such Trust
Preferred Securities, in exchange for such Trust Preferred Securities,
and, upon receiving such Junior Subordinated Debentures, shall
thereupon, as Put Agent, exercise the Junior Subordinated Debenture Put
Option with respect thereto and (y) if Junior Subordinated Debentures
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underlie such Unpaid Units, the Collateral Agent, on behalf of such
Holder, shall, as Put Agent, exercise the Junior Subordinated Debenture
Put Option with respect thereto;
(ii) the Collateral Agent shall deliver to the Company, out of
the proceeds from the exercise of such Junior Subordinated Debenture
Put Option or, if Treasury Securities underlie such Unpaid Units, the
proceeds from the payment of such Treasury Securities at maturity, an
amount equal to the aggregate Stated Amount of such Unpaid Units plus
the unpaid Contract Payments, if any, payable by such Holder to the
Company in respect of such Unpaid Units to satisfy in full such
Holder's obligations under such Unpaid Units; and
(iii) the Collateral Agent shall remit to the Unit Agent, on
behalf of such Holder, the remainder of the proceeds, if any, from the
Pledged Securities underlying such Unpaid Units for distribution to
such Holder.
The amount referred to in clause (iii) above shall, subject to receipt thereof
by the Unit Agent from the Collateral Agent, be paid to the Person in whose name
the Unit Certificate (or one or more Predecessor Unit Certificates) evidencing
such Unpaid Units is registered at the close of Business on the Record Date next
preceding the Stock Purchase Date.
(c) Each Holder will be entitled to apply any unpaid amounts owing by
the Company to such Holder as a set-off to reduce, dollar-for-dollar, any
amounts then owing by such Holder to the Company in respect of such Holder's
Units, and such set-off amounts will be treated for all purposes as having been
paid in full by such Holder as required hereby.
(d) The Company shall not be obligated to issue any shares of Common
Stock in respect of a Purchase Contract or deliver any certificates therefor to
the Holder of the related Unit unless the Company shall have received payment in
full of the aggregate purchase price for the shares of Common Stock to be
purchased thereunder in the manner herein set forth (either directly or by
operation of set-off as contemplated by the preceding sentence).
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SECTION 5.05 Issuance of Shares of Common Stock.
As promptly as practicable on or after the Stock Purchase Date, upon
receipt by the Company of payment in full of the aggregate purchase price for
the shares of Common Stock purchased by the Holders pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this Article, and subject to Section 5.06(b), the Company shall
deposit with the Unit Agent, for the benefit of the Holders of the Units, one or
more certificates representing the shares of Common Stock registered in the name
of the Unit Agent (or its nominee) as custodian for the Holders (such
certificates for shares of Common Stock, together with any dividends or
distributions with respect thereto, being hereinafter referred to as the
"Purchase Contract Settlement Fund") to which the Holders are entitled
hereunder. Subject to the foregoing, upon surrender of a Unit Certificate to the
Unit Agent on or after the Stock Purchase Date, with the form of Settlement
Instructions thereon duly completed and executed, the Holder of such Unit
Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor a certificate
representing that number of whole shares of Common Stock which such Holder is
entitled to receive pursuant to the provisions of this Article Five (after
taking into account all Units then held by such Holder) together with cash in
lieu of fractional shares as provided in Section 5.09 and any dividends or
distributions with respect to such shares constituting part of the Purchase
Contract Settlement Fund, but without any interest thereon, and the Unit
Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be cancelled. Such shares shall be
registered in the name of the Holder or the Holder's designee as specified in
the form of Settlement Instructions appearing on the surrendered Unit
Certificate.
If any shares of Common Stock issued in respect of a Purchase Contract
are to be registered to a Person other than the Person in whose name the Unit
Certificate evidencing such Purchase Contract is registered, no such
registration shall be made unless the Person requesting such registration has
paid any transfer and other taxes required by reason of such registration in a
name other than that of the registered Holder of the Unit Certificate evidencing
such Purchase Contract or has established to the satisfaction of the Company
that such tax either has been paid or is not payable.
SECTION 5.06 Adjustment of Settlement Rate.
(a) Adjustments for Dividends, Distributions, Stock Splits, Etc.
(1) In case the Company shall pay or make a dividend or other
distribution on any class of Common Stock of the Company in Common Stock, the
Settlement Rate in effect at the opening of business on the day following the
date fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such
dividend or other distribution shall be increased by dividing such Settlement
Rate by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding at the close of
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business on the date fixed for such determination and the denominator shall be
the sum of such number of shares and the total number of shares constituting
such dividend or other distribution, such increase to become effective
immediately after the opening of business on the day following the date fixed
for such determination. For the purposes of this paragraph (1), the number of
shares of Common Stock at any time outstanding shall not include shares held in
the treasury of the Company but shall include shares issuable in respect of
scrip certificates issued in lieu of fractions of shares of Common Stock. The
Company will not pay any dividend or make any distribution on shares of Common
Stock held in the treasury of the Company.
(2) In case the Company shall issue rights, options or warrants to all
holders of its Common Stock (not being available on an equivalent basis to
Holders of the Units upon settlement of the Purchase Contracts underlying such
Units) entitling them, for a period expiring within 45 days after the record
date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such rights,
options or warrants, to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock at a
price per share less than the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock
on the date fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such
rights, options or warrants (other than pursuant to a dividend reinvestment
plan), the Settlement Rate in effect at the opening of business on the day
following the date fixed for such determination shall be increased by dividing
such Settlement Rate by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding at the close of business on the date fixed
for such determination plus the number of shares of Common Stock which the
aggregate of the offering price of the total number of shares of Common Stock so
offered for subscription or purchase would purchase at such Current Market Price
and the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at
the close of business on the date fixed for such determination plus the number
of shares of Common Stock so offered for subscription or purchase, such increase
to become effective immediately after the opening of business on the day
following the date fixed for such determination. For the purposes of this
paragraph (2), the number of shares of Common Stock at any time outstanding
shall not include shares held in the treasury of the Company but shall include
shares issuable in respect of scrip certificates issued in lieu of fractions of
shares of Common Stock. The Company shall not issue any such rights, options or
warrants in respect of shares of Common Stock held in the treasury of the
Company.
(3) In case outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be subdivided into
a greater number of shares of Common Stock, the Settlement Rate in effect at the
opening of business on the day following the day upon which such subdivision
becomes effective shall be proportionately increased, and, conversely, in case
outstanding
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shares of Common Stock shall each be combined into a smaller number of shares of
Common Stock, the Settlement Rate in effect at the opening of business on the
day following the day upon which such combination becomes effective shall be
proportionately reduced, such increase or reduction, as the case may be, to
become effective immediately after the opening of business on the day following
the day upon which such subdivision or combination becomes effective.
(4) In case the Company shall, by dividend or otherwise, distribute to
all holders of its Common Stock evidences of its indebtedness or assets
(including securities, but excluding any rights or warrants referred to in
paragraph (2) of this Section, any dividend or distribution paid exclusively in
cash and any dividend or distribution referred to in paragraph (1) of this
Section), the Settlement Rate shall be increased so that the same shall equal
the rate determined by dividing the Settlement Rate in effect immediately prior
to the close of business on the date fixed for the determination of stockholders
entitled to receive such distribution by a fraction of which the numerator shall
be the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock on the date fixed for
such determination less the then fair market value (as determined by the Board
of Directors, whose determination shall be conclusive and described in a Board
Resolution filed with the Unit Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences
of indebtedness so distributed applicable to one share of Common Stock and the
denominator shall all be such Current Market Price per share of the Common
Stock, such adjustment to become effective immediately prior to the opening of
business on the day following the date fixed for the determination of
stockholders entitled to receive such distribution. In any case in which this
paragraph (4) is applicable, paragraph (2) of this Section shall not be
applicable.
(5) In case the Company shall, by dividend or otherwise, distribute to
all holders of its Common Stock cash (excluding any cash that is distributed in
a Reorganization Event to which Section 5.06(b) applies or as part of a
distribution referred to in paragraph (4) of this Section) in an aggregate
amount that, when combined with (I) the aggregate amount of any other
distributions to all holders of its Common Stock made exclusively in cash within
the 12 months preceding the date of payment of such distribution to the extent
such amount has not already been applied in a prior adjustment pursuant to this
paragraph (5) and (II) the aggregate of the cash plus the fair market value (as
determined by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be conclusive
and described in a Board Resolution), as of the date of expiration of such
tender or exchange offer, of the consideration paid in respect of any tender or
exchange offer by the Company or any of its subsidiaries for all or any portion
of the Common Stock expiring within the 12 months preceding the date of payment
of such distribution and in respect of which no adjustment pursuant to paragraph
(6) of this
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Section has been made, exceeds 15% of the product of the Current Market Price
per share of the Common Stock on the date fixed for the determination of
stockholders entitled to receive such distribution times the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding on such date (such excess portion of such distribution
being herein referred to as the "Excess Amount"), the Settlement Rate shall be
increased so that the same shall equal the rate determined by dividing the
Settlement Rate in effect immediately prior to the close of business on the date
fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such
distribution by a fraction of which (i) the numerator shall be the Current
Market Price per share of the Common Stock on the date fixed for such
determination less an amount equal to (x) such Excess Amount divided by (y) the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at the close of business on the
date fixed for such determination and (ii) the denominator shall be the Current
Market Price per share of the Common Stock on the date fixed for such
determination, such adjustment to become effective immediately prior to the
opening of business on the day following the date fixed for the determination of
stockholders entitled to receive such distribution.
(6) In case the Company or any subsidiary of the Company shall
consummate a tender or exchange offer for all or any portion of the Common Stock
and pay an aggregate consideration in respect thereof having a fair market value
(as determined by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be
conclusive and described in a Board Resolution) that, when combined with (I) the
aggregate of the cash plus the fair market value (as determined by the Board of
Directors, whose determination shall be conclusive and described in a Board
Resolution), as of the date of expiration of such tender or exchange offer, of
the consideration paid in respect of any other tender or exchange offer by the
Company or any of its subsidiaries for all or any portion of the Common Stock
expiring within the 12 months preceding the date of expiration of such tender or
exchange offer and in respect of which no adjustment pursuant to this paragraph
(6) has been made and (II) the aggregate amount of any distributions to all
holders of the Company's Common Stock made exclusively in cash within 12 months
preceding the date of expiration of such tender or exchange offer to the extent
such amount has not already been applied in a prior adjustment pursuant to
paragraph (5) of this Section, exceeds 15% of the product of the Current Market
Price per share of the Common Stock on the date of expiration of such tender or
exchange offer times the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding (including
any tendered shares) at the close of business on the date of such expiration,
the Settlement Rate shall be increased so that the same shall equal the rate
determined by dividing the Settlement Rate in effect immediately prior to the
close of business on the date of such expiration by a fraction of which (i) the
numerator shall be (A) the product of (I) the Current Market Price per share of
the Common Stock on the date
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of such expiration and (II) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
(including any tendered shares) at the close of business on the date of such
expiration less (B) the amount of cash plus the fair market value (determined as
aforesaid) of the aggregate consideration paid in respect of such tender or
exchange offer and (ii) the denominator shall be the product of (A) the Current
Market Price per share of the Common Stock on the date of such expiration and
(B) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding (including any tendered
shares) at the close of business on the date of such expiration less the number
of shares acquired pursuant to such tender or exchange, such adjustment to
become effective immediately prior to the opening of business on the day
following the date of such expiration.
(7) The reclassification of Common Stock into securities including
securities other than Common Stock (other than any reclassification upon a
Reorganization Event to which Section 5.06(b) applies) shall be deemed to
involve (i) a distribution of such securities other than Common Stock to all
holders of Common Stock (and the effective date of such reclassification shall
be deemed to be "the date fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled
to receive such distribution" and the "date fixed for such determination" within
the meaning of paragraph (4) of this Section), and (ii) a subdivision or
combination, as the case may be, of the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to such reclassification into the number of shares
of Common Stock outstanding immediately thereafter (and the effective date of
such reclassification shall be deemed to be "the day upon which such subdivision
becomes effective" or "the day upon which such combination becomes effective",
as the case may be, and "the day upon which such subdivision or combination
becomes effective" within the meaning of paragraph (3) of this Section).
(8) The "Current Market Price" per share of Common Stock on any day
means the average of the daily Closing Prices for the 5 consecutive Trading Days
selected by the Company commencing not more than 20 Trading Days before, and
ending not later than, the earlier of the day in question and the day before the
"ex" date with respect to the issuance or distribution requiring such
computation. For purposes of this paragraph, the term " 'ex' date", when used
with respect to any issuance or distribution, shall mean the first date on which
the Common Stock trades regular way on such exchange or in such market without
the right to receive such issuance or distribution.
(9) All adjustments to the Settlement Rate shall be calculated to the
nearest 1/10,000th of a share of Common Stock (or, if there is not a nearest
1/10,000th of a share, to the next lower 1/10,000th of a share). No adjustment
in the Settlement Rate shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or
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decrease of at least one percent therein; provided, however, that any
adjustments which by reason of this subparagraph are not required to be made
shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. If
an adjustment is made to the Settlement Rate pursuant to paragraph (1), (2),
(3), (4), (5), (6), (7) or (10) of this Section 506(a), an adjustment shall also
be made to the Applicable Market Value solely to determine which of clauses (a),
(b) or (c) of the definition of Settlement Rate in Section 501 will apply on the
Stock Purchase Date. Such adjustment shall be made by multiplying the Applicable
Market Value by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the Settlement Rate
immediately after such adjustment pursuant to paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5),
(6), (7) or (10) of this Section 506(a) and the denominator shall be the
Settlement Rate immediately before such adjustment.
(10) The Company may make such increases in the Settlement Rate, in
addition to those required by this Section, as it considers to be advisable in
order to avoid or diminish any income tax to any holders of shares of Common
Stock resulting from any dividend or distribution of stock or issuance of rights
or warrants to purchase or subscribe for stock or from any event treated as such
for income tax purposes or for any other reasons.
(b) Adjustment for Consolidation, Merger or Other Reorganization Event.
In the event of (i) any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into
another Person (other than a merger or consolidation in which the Company is the
continuing corporation and in which the Common Stock outstanding immediately
prior to the merger or consolidation is not exchanged for cash, securities or
other property of the Company or another corporation), (ii) any sale, transfer,
lease or conveyance to another Person of the property of the Company as an
entirety or substantially as an entirety, (iii) any statutory exchange of
securities of the Company with another Person (other than in connection with a
merger or acquisition) or (iv) any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Company (any such event, a "Reorganization Event"), the Settlement Rate will be
adjusted to provide that each Holder of Units will receive on the Stock Purchase
Date with respect to each Pur chase Contract forming a part thereof, the kind
and amount of securities, cash and other property receivable upon such
Reorganization Event by a Holder of the number of shares of Common Stock
issuable on account of each Purchase Contract if the Stock Purchase Date had
occurred immediately prior to such Reorganization Event, assuming such Holder of
Common Stock is not a Person with which the Company consolidated or into which
the Company merged or which merged into the Company or to which such sale or
transfer was made, as the case may be ("constituent Person"), or an Affiliate of
a constituent Person, and failed to exercise his rights of election, if any, as
to the kind or amount of securities, cash and other property receivable upon
such Reorganization
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Event (provided that if the kind or amount of securities, cash and other
property receivable upon such Reorganization Event is not the same for each
share of Common Stock held immediately prior to such Reorganization Event by
other than a constituent Person or an Affiliate thereof and in respect of which
such rights of election shall not have been exercised ("non-electing share"),
then for the purpose of this Section the kind and amount of securities, cash and
other property receivable upon such Reorganization Event by each non-electing
share shall be deemed to be the kind and amount so receivable per share by a
plurality of the non-electing shares). In the event of such a Reorganization
Event, the Person formed by such consolidation, merger or exchange or the Person
which acquires the assets of the Company or, in the event of a liquidation or
dissolution of the Company, the Company or a liquidating trust created in
connection therewith, shall execute and deliver to the Unit Agent an agreement
supplemental hereto providing that the Holders of each Outstanding Unit shall
have the rights provided by this Section 5.06. Such supplemental agreement shall
provide for adjustments which, for events subsequent to the effective date of
such supplemental agreement, shall be as nearly equivalent as may be practicable
to the adjustments provided for in this Section. The above provisions of this
Section shall similarly apply to successive Reorganization Events.
SECTION 5.07 Notice of Adjustments and Certain Other Events.
(a) Whenever the Settlement Rate is adjusted as herein provided, the
Company shall:
(i) forthwith compute the adjusted Settlement Rate in
accordance with Section 506 and prepare and transmit to the Unit
Agent an Officers' Certificate setting forth the Settlement Rate, the
method of calculation thereof in reasonable detail, and the facts
requiring such adjustment and upon which such adjustment is based; and
(ii) within 10 Business Days following the occurrence of an
event that permits or requires an adjustment to the Settlement Rate
pursuant to Section 5.06 (or if the Company is not aware of such
occurrence, as soon as practicable after becoming so aware), provide a
written notice to the Holders of the Units of the occurrence of such
event and a statement in reasonable detail setting forth the method by
which the adjustment to the Settlement Rate was determined and setting
forth the adjusted Settlement Rate.
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(b) The Unit Agent shall not at any time be under any duty or
responsibility to any holder of Units to determine whether any facts exist which
may require any adjustment of the Settlement Rate, or with respect to the nature
or extent or calculation of any such adjustment when made, or with respect to
the method employed in making the same. The Unit Agent shall not be accountable
with respect to the validity or value (or the kind or amount) of any shares of
Common Stock, or of any securities or property, which may at the time be issued
or delivered with respect to any Purchase Contract; and the Unit Agent makes no
representation with respect thereto. The Unit Agent shall not be responsible for
any failure of the Company to issue, transfer or deliver any shares of Common
Stock pursuant to a Purchase Contract or to comply with any of the duties,
responsibilities or covenants of the Company contained in this Article.
SECTION 5.08 No Fractional Shares.
No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares of Common
Stock shall be issued or delivered upon settlement on the Stock Purchase Date.
If Unit Certificates evidencing more than one Purchase Contract shall be
surrendered for settlement at one time by the same Holder, the number of full
shares of Common Stock which shall be delivered upon settlement shall be
computed on the basis of the aggregate number of Purchase Contracts evidenced by
the Unit Certificates so surrendered. Instead of any fractional share of Common
Stock which would otherwise be deliverable upon settlement of any Purchase
Contracts on the Stock Purchase Date, the Company, through the Unit Agent, shall
make a cash payment in respect of such fractional interest in an amount equal to
such fraction times the Applicable Market Value. The Company shall provide the
Unit Agent from time to time with sufficient funds to permit the Unit Agent to
make all cash payments required by this Section 5.08 in a timely manner.
SECTION 5.09 Charges and Taxes.
The Company will pay all stock transfer and similar taxes attributable
to the initial issuance and delivery of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to
the Purchase Contracts; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
required to pay any such tax or taxes which may be payable in respect of any
exchange of or substitution for a Unit Certificate evidencing a Purchase
Contract or any issuance of a share of Common Stock in a name other than that of
the registered Holder of a Unit Certificate surrendered in respect of the
Purchase Contracts evidenced thereby, other than in the name of the Unit Agent,
as custodian for such Holder, and the Company shall not be required to issue or
deliver such share certificates or Unit Certificates unless or until
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the Person or Persons requesting the transfer or issuance thereof shall have
paid to the Company the amount of such tax or shall have established to the
satisfaction of the Company that such tax has been paid.
SECTION 5.10 Termination Event; Notice.
The Purchase Contracts and the obligations and rights of the Company
and the Holders thereunder, including, without limitation, all obligations and
rights to pay or receive any accrued or deferred Contract Payments or to settle
such Purchase Contracts pursuant to this Article Five, shall immediately and
automatically terminate, without the necessity of any notice or action by any
Holder, the Unit Agent or the Company, if, on or prior to the Stock Purchase
Date, a Termination Event shall have occurred. Upon the occurrence of a
Termination Event, the Company shall give written notice to the Unit Agent, the
Collateral Agent and the Holders, at their addresses as they appear in the Unit
Registers. Upon and after the occurrence of a Termination Event, the provisions
of this Article Five (other than this Section 5.10) shall automatically
terminate and be of no further force or effect, and the Unit Certificates shall
thereafter represent only the right to receive the Pledged Securities forming a
part of the Units theretofore evidenced thereby in accordance with the
provisions of Section 4.02 and the Pledge Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
REMEDIES
SECTION 6.01 Unconditional Rights of Holders.
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, the Holder of
any Unit shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional but which is
subject to Section 5.10, to purchase Common Stock pursuant to the Purchase
Contract underlying such Unit and to receive payment of Contract Payments, if
any, payable by the Company to such Holder with respect to such Purchase
Contract and, in each such case, to institute suit for the enforcement of any
such right, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such
Holder.
SECTION 6.02 Restoration of Rights and Remedies.
If any Holder of Units has instituted any proceeding to enforce any
right or remedy under this Agreement and such proceeding has been discontinued
or abandoned
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for any reason, or has been determined adversely to such Holder, then and in
every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company
and such Holder shall be restored severally and respectively to their former
positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of such Holder shall
continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
SECTION 6.03 Rights and Remedies Cumulative.
Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement of
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Unit Certificates in the last paragraph of
Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the
Holders of Units is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and
every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and
in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter
existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any
right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent
assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
SECTION 6.04 Delay or Omission Not Waiver.
No delay or omission of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy
shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such right.
Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Holders may be
exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by such
Holders.
SECTION 6.05 Undertaking for Costs.
All parties to this Agreement agree, and each Holder of any Unit by his
acceptance of the Unit Certificate evidencing such Unit shall be deemed to have
agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the
enforcement of any right or remedy under this Agreement, or in any suit against
the Unit Agent for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Unit Agent,
the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs
of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs,
including reasonable attorneys' fees, against any party litigant in such suit,
having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by
such party litigant; provided that the provisions of this Section shall not
apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Unit
Agent, to any suit instituted by any Holder of Units, or group of Holders,
holding in the aggregate more than 10% of the number of Outstanding Units, or to
any suit instituted by any Holder of Units for the enforcement of payments
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due in respect of Pledged Securities or Contract Payments on Purchase Contracts
underlying such Units on or after the respective due dates therefor, or for
enforcement of the right to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Purchase
Contracts constituting a part of such Units.
SECTION 6.06 Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws.
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that
it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim
or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted,
now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the
performance of this Agreement; and the Company (to the extent that it may
lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law
and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any
power herein granted to the Unit Agent or the Holders, but will suffer and
permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
ARTICLE VII
THE UNIT AGENT
SECTION 7.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities.
(a) The Unit Agent undertakes to perform, with respect to the Units,
such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this
Agreement, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this
Agreement against the Unit Agent; and
(i) in the absence of bad faith or negligence on its part, the
Unit Agent may, with respect to the Units, conclusively rely, as to the
truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed
therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Unit Agent and
conforming to the requirements of this Agreement, but in the case of
any certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are
specifically required to be furnished to the Unit Agent, the Unit Agent
shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not
they conform to the requirements of this Agreement.
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(b) No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to relieve the
Unit Agent from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent
failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that
(i) this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect
of Subsection (a) of this Section;
(ii) the Unit Agent shall not be liable for any error of
judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall
be proved that the Unit Agent was negligent in ascertaining the
pertinent facts; and
(iii) no provision of this Agreement shall require the Unit
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the
exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable
grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to
it.
(c) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of
this Agreement relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or
affording protection to the Unit Agent shall be subject to the provisions of
this Section.
SECTION 7.02 Notice of Default.
Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default by the Company
hereunder, of which a Responsible Officer of the Unit Agent has actual
knowledge, the Unit Agent shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Units, as
their names and addresses appear in the Unit Registers, notice of such default
hereunder, unless such default shall have been cured or waived.
SECTION 7.03 Certain Rights of Unit Agent.
Subject to the provisions of Section 7.01:
(a) the Unit Agent may rely and shall be protected in acting or
refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture,
note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it
to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or
parties;
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(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be
sufficiently evidenced by an Officers' Certificate, Issuer Order or Issuer
Request, and any resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company may be
sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;
(c) whenever in the administration of this Agreement the Unit Agent
shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking,
suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Unit Agent (unless other
evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on
its part, rely upon an Officers' Certificate of the Company;
(d) the Unit Agent may consult with counsel and the advice of such
counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and
protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder
in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(e) the Unit Agent shall not be bound to make any investigation into
the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond,
debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but
the Unit Agent, in its discretion, may make reasonable further inquiry or
investigation into such facts or matters related to the issuance of the Units
and the execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Contracts as it may
see fit, and, if the Unit Agent shall determine to make such further inquiry or
investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and promises
of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney; and
(f) the Unit Agent may execute any of its powers hereunder or perform
any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and
the Unit Agent shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the
part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
SECTION 7.04 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Units.
The recitals contained herein and in the Unit Certificates shall be
taken as the statements of the Company and the Unit Agent assumes no
responsibility for their correctness. The Unit Agent makes no representations as
to the validity or sufficiency of this Agreement or of the Units. The Unit Agent
shall not be accountable for the
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use or application by the Company of the proceeds in respect of the Trust
Preferred Securities or Purchase Contracts.
SECTION 7.05 May Hold Units.
Any Unit Registrar or any other agent of the Company, or the Unit
Agent, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee
of Units and may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would
have if it were not Unit Registrar or such other agent, or the Unit Agent.
SECTION 7.06 Money Held in Trust.
Money held by the Unit Agent in trust hereunder need not be segregated
from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Unit Agent shall be
under no obligation to invest or pay interest on any money received by it
hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.
SECTION 7.07 Compensation and Reimbursement.
The Company agrees:
(a) to pay to the Unit Agent from time to time reasonable compensation
for all services rendered by it hereunder as the Company and the Unit Agent
shall from time to time agree in writing;
(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the
Unit Agent upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and
advances incurred or made by the Unit Agent in accordance with any provision of
this Agreement (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and
disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement
or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith; and
(c) to indemnify the Unit Agent and any predecessor Unit Agent and
their agents for, and to hold each of them harmless against, any and all loss,
damage, claim, liability or expense, including taxes (other than taxes based
upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Unit Agent), incurred
without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection
with the acceptance or administration of its duties hereunder, including the
costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in
connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties
hereunder.
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SECTION 7.08 Corporate Unit Agent Required; Eligibility.
There shall at all times be an Unit Agent hereunder which shall be a
corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of
America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such
laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus
of at least $50,000,000, subject to supervision or examination by Federal or
State authority and having its Corporate Trust Office in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, if there be such a corporation in the Borough
of Manhattan, The City of New York qualified and eligible under this Article and
willing to act on reasonable terms. If such corporation publishes reports of
condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said
supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the
combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its
combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition
so published. If at any time the Unit Agent shall cease to be eligible in
accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in
the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.
SECTION 7.09 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.
(a) No resignation or removal of the Unit Agent and no appointment of a
successor Unit Agent pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the
acceptance of appointment by the successor Unit Agent in accordance with the
applicable requirements of Section 7.10.
(b) The Unit Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice
thereof to the Company 60 days prior to the effective date of such resignation.
If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Unit Agent required by Section
7.10 shall not have been delivered to the Unit Agent within 30 days after the
giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Unit Agent may petition any
court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Unit Agent.
(c) The Unit Agent may be removed at any time by Act of the Holders of
a majority in number of the Outstanding Units delivered to the Unit Agent and
the Company.
(d) If at any time
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(i) the Unit Agent fails to comply with Section 310(b) of the
TIA, as if the Unit Agent were an indenture trustee under an indenture
qualified under the TIA, after written request therefor by the Company
or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Unit for at least
six months, or
(ii) the Unit Agent shall cease to be eligible under Section
708 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the
Company or by any such Holder, or
(iii) the Unit Agent shall become incapable of acting or shall
be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Unit Agent or
of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take
charge or control of the Unit Agent or of its property or affairs for
the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then, in
any such case, (x) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the
Unit Agent, or (y) any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Unit
for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others
similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for
the removal of the Unit Agent and the appointment of a successor Unit
Agent.
(e) If the Unit Agent shall resign, be removed or become incapable of
acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Unit Agent for any cause,
the Company, by a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Unit
Agent and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 7.10. If no
successor Unit Agent shall have been so appointed by the Company and accepted
appointment in the manner required by Section 7.10, any Holder who has been a
bona fide Holder of a Unit for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and
all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for
the appointment of a successor Unit Agent.
(f) The Company shall give, or shall cause such successor Unit Agent to
give, notice of each resignation and each removal of the Unit Agent and each
appointment of a successor Unit Agent by mailing written notice of such event by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Units as their names and
addresses appear in the Unit Registers. Each notice shall include the name of
the successor Unit Agent and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.
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SECTION 7.10 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.
(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Unit Agent,
every such successor Unit Agent so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and
deliver to the Company and to the retiring Unit Agent an instrument accepting
such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Unit
Agent shall become effective and such successor Unit Agent, without any further
act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers,
agencies and duties of the retiring Unit Agent; but, on the request of the
Company or the successor Unit Agent, such retiring Unit Agent shall, upon
payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such
successor Unit Agent all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Unit
Agent and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Unit Agent
all property and money held by such retiring Unit Agent hereunder.
(b) Upon request of any such successor Unit Agent, the Company shall
execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and
confirming to such successor Unit Agent all such rights, powers and agencies
referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section.
(c) No successor Unit Agent shall accept its appointment unless at the
time of such acceptance such successor Unit Agent shall be qualified and
eligible under this Article.
SECTION 7.11 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.
Any corporation into which the Unit Agent may be merged or converted or
with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which the Unit Agent shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business
of the Unit Agent, shall be the successor of the Unit Agent hereunder, provided
such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article,
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto. In case any Unit Certificates shall have been
authenticated and executed on behalf of the Holders, but not delivered, by the
Unit Agent then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation
to such Unit Agent may adopt such authentication and execution and deliver the
Unit Certificates so authenticated and executed with the same effect as if such
successor Unit Agent had itself authenticated and executed such Units.
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SECTION 7.12 Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.
(a) The Unit Agent shall preserve, in as current a form as is
reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders received by the Unit
Agent in its capacity as Unit Registrar.
(b) If three or more Holders (herein referred to as "applicants") apply
in writing to the Unit Agent, and furnish to the Unit Agent reasonable proof
that each such applicant has owned a Unit for a period of at least six months
preceding the date of such application, and such application states that the
applicants desire to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights
under this Agreement or under the Units and is accompanied by a copy of the form
of proxy or other communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then
the Unit Agent shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such
application, afford such applicants access to the information preserved at the
time by the Unit Agent in accordance with Section 7.12(a).
(c) Every Holder of Units, by receiving and holding the Unit
Certificates evidencing the same, agrees with the Company and the Unit Agent
that none of the Company, the Unit Agent nor any agent of any of them shall be
held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the
names and addresses of the Holders in accordance with Section 7.12(b),
regardless of the source from which such information was derived.
SECTION 7.13 No Obligations of Unit Agent.
Except to the extent otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Unit
Agent assumes no obligations and shall not be subject to any liability under
this Agreement or any Purchase Contract or Call Option in respect of the
obligations of the Holder of any Unit thereunder. The Company agrees, and each
Holder of a Unit Certificate, by his acceptance thereof, shall be deemed to have
agreed, that the Unit Agent's execution of the Unit Certificates on behalf of
the Holders shall be solely as agent and attorney-in-fact for the Holders, and
that the Unit Agent shall have no obligation to perform such Purchase Contracts
or Call Options on behalf of the Holders, except to the extent expressly
provided in Article Five hereof.
SECTION 7.14 Tax Compliance.
(a) The Unit Agent, on its own behalf and on behalf of the Company,
will comply with all applicable certification, information reporting and
withholding (including "backup" withholding) requirements imposed by applicable
tax laws, regulations or administrative practice with respect to (i) any
payments made with
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respect to the Units or (ii) the issuance, delivery, holding, transfer,
redemption or exercise of rights under the Units. Such compliance shall include,
without limitation, the preparation and timely filing of required returns and
the timely payment of all amounts required to be withheld to the appropriate
taxing authority or its designated agent.
(b) The Unit Agent shall comply with any direction received from the
Company with respect to the application of such requirements to particular
payments or Holders or in other particular circumstances, and may for purposes
of this Agreement rely on any such direction in accordance with the provisions
of Section 7.01(a)(ii) hereof.
(c) The Unit Agent shall maintain all appropriate records documenting
compliance with such requirements, and shall make such records available, on
written request, to the Company or to its authorized representative within a
reasonable period of time after receipt of such request.
ARTICLE VIII
SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS
SECTION 8.01 Supplemental Agreements Without Consent of Holders.
Without the consent of any Holders, the parties to any Principal
Agreement, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more
agreements supplemental hereto or thereto, in form satisfactory to such parties,
for any of the following purposes:
(1) to evidence the succession of another Person to any such party, and
the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of such party herein or
therein and under the Units; or
(2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the
Holders, or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company;
or
(3) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder
by a successor Unit Agent; or
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(4) to evidence the succession of another Person to the rights of the
Call Option Holder under the Call Options, in connection with a transfer of such
rights by the Call Option Holder to such Person; or
(5) to make provision with respect to the rights of Holders pursuant to
the requirements of Section 5.06(b); or
(6) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provisions
herein or therein which may be inconsistent with any other provisions herein or
therein, or to make any other provisions with respect to such matters or
questions arising under such Principal Agreement, provided such action shall not
adversely affect the interests of the Holders.
SECTION 8.02 Supplemental Agreements with Consent of Holders.
With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority of the
Outstanding Units (or, with respect to modifications that adversely affect only
the Holders of Normal Units or only the Holders of Stripped Units, with the
consent of the Holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Units that
comprise Normal Units or Stripped Units, as the case may be), by Act of said
Holders delivered to the parties to any Principal Agreement, such parties (when
authorized, in the case of the Company, by a Board Resolution) may enter into an
agreement or agreements supplemental to such Principal Agreement for the purpose
of modifying in any manner the terms of the Units, or the provisions of such
Principal Agreement or the rights of the Holders in respect of the Units;
provided, however, that no such supplemental agreement shall, without the
consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Unit affected thereby,
(1) change any payment date;
(2) change the amount or type of Pledged Securities underlying a Unit,
impair the right of the Holder of any Unit to receive distributions or interest
payments on the underlying Pledged Securities or otherwise adversely affect the
Holder's rights in or to such Pledged Securities (including the rights of
Holders of Normal Units to effect a Stripped Unit Creation);
(3) reduce the Contract Payments, if any, or other amounts receivable
by Holders in respect of Units or change any place where, or the coin or
currency in which, any Contract Payments or other amounts payable in respect of
Units are payable;
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(4) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any
Purchase Contract;
(5) reduce the number of shares of Common Stock to be purchased
pursuant to any Purchase Contract, increase the price to purchase shares of
Common Stock upon settlement of any Purchase Contract, change the Stock Purchase
Date or otherwise adversely affect the Holder's rights under any Purchase
Contract; or
(6) reduce the amount payable on exercise of any Call Option, extend
the Call Option Expiration Date (as defined in the Call Option Agreement) or
otherwise adversely affect any Holder's rights under any Call Option; or
(7) reduce the percentage of the Outstanding Units the consent of whose
Holders is required for any such supplemental agreement.
It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to
approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental agreement, but it shall
be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.
The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for
the purpose of determining the Persons entitled to consent to any supplemental
agreement to any Principal Agreement. If a record date is fixed, the Holders on
such record date, or their duly designated proxies, and only such Persons, shall
be entitled to consent to such supplemental agreement, whether or not such
Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, that unless such
consent shall have become effective by virtue of the requisite percentage having
been obtained prior to the date which is 90 days after such record date, any
such consent previously given shall automatically and without further action by
any Holder be cancelled and of no further effect.
SECTION 8.03 Execution of Supplemental Agreements.
In executing, or accepting the additional agencies created by, any
supplemental agreement permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of
the agencies created by the Principal Agreements, the Unit Agent shall be
entitled to receive and (subject to Section 701) shall be fully protected in
relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such
supplemental agreement is authorized or permitted by this Agreement. The Unit
Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental
agreement which affects the Unit Agent's own rights, duties or immunities under
this Agreement or otherwise.
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SECTION 8.04 Effect of Supplemental Agreements.
Upon the execution of any supplemental agreement under this Article,
the relevant Principal Agreement shall be modified in accordance therewith, and
such supplemental agreement shall form a part of such Principal Agreement for
all purposes; and every Holder of Unit Certificates theretofore or thereafter
authenticated, executed on behalf of the Holder and delivered hereunder shall be
bound thereby.
SECTION 8.05 Reference to Supplemental Agreements.
Unit Certificates authenticated, executed on behalf of the Holders and
delivered after the execution of any supplemental agreement pursuant to this
Article may, and shall if required by the Unit Agent, bear a notation in form
approved by the Unit Agent as to any matter provided for in such supplemental
agreement. If the Company shall so determine, new Unit Certificates so modified
as to conform, in the opinion of the Unit Agent and the Company, to any such
supplemental agreement may be prepared and executed by the Company and
authenticated, executed on behalf of the Holders and delivered by the Unit Agent
in exchange for Outstanding Unit Certificates evidencing the same number of
Normal Units or Stripped Units, as the case may be.
ARTICLE IX
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE
SECTION 9.01 Covenant Not to Merge, Consolidate, Sell or Convey Property
Except Under Certain Conditions.
The Company covenants that it will not merge or consolidate with any
other Person or sell or convey all or substantially all of its assets to any
Person, except that the Company may merge or consolidate with, or sell or convey
all or substantially all of its assets to, any other Person, provided that (a)
the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the successor (if other than
the Company) shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the
United States of America or a State thereof and such corporation shall assume
the obligations of the Company under the Purchase Contracts and the Pledge
Agreement by one or more supplemental agreements in form satisfactory to the
Unit Agent and, in the case of the Pledge Agreement, the Collateral Agent,
executed and delivered to the Unit Agent, and, in the case of the Pledge
Agreement, the Collateral Agent by such corporation, and (b) the
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Company or such successor corporation, as the case may be, shall not,
immediately after such merger or consolidation, or such sale or conveyance, be
in default in the performance of any covenant or condition under any Principal
Agreement or under any of the Units.
SECTION 9.02 Rights and Duties of Successor Corporation.
In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance and upon
any such assumption by the successor corporation, such successor corporation
shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company with the same effect as if
it had been named in the Principal Agreements as the Company. Such successor
corporation thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own
name or in the name of CMS Energy Corporation, any or all of the Unit
Certificates evidencing Units issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not
have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Unit Agent; and, upon the
order of such successor corporation, instead of the Company, and subject to all
the terms, conditions and limitations in this Agreement prescribed, the Unit
Agent shall authenticate and execute on behalf of the Holders and deliver any
Unit Certificates which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the
officers of the Company to the Unit Agent for authentication and execution, and
any Unit Certificate evidencing Units which such successor corporation
thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Unit Agent for that
purpose. All the Unit Certificates so issued shall in all respects have the same
legal rank and benefit under this Agreement as the Unit Certificates theretofore
or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Agreement as though
all of such Unit Certificates had been issued at the date of the execution
hereof.
In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance such
change in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Unit
Certificates evidencing Units thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.
SECTION 9.03 Opinion of Counsel to Unit Agent.
The Unit Agent, subject to Sections 7.01 and 7.03, may receive an
Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger,
sale or conveyance, and any such assumption, complies with the provisions of
this Article.
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ARTICLE X
COVENANTS
SECTION 10.01 Performance Under Purchase Contracts.
The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders from
time to time of the Units that it will duly and punctually perform its
obligations under the Purchase Contracts in accordance with the terms of the
Purchase Contracts and this Agreement.
SECTION 10.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency.
The Company will maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New
York an office or agency where Unit Certificates may be presented or surrendered
for acquisition of shares of Common Stock upon settlement and for transfer of
Pledged Securities upon occurrence of a Termination Event, where Unit
Certificates may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for
effecting Stripped Unit Creations, where payment of Contract Payments, if any,
payable by the Company to the Holders may be made and where notices and demands
to or upon the Company in respect of the Units and this Agreement may be served.
The Company will give prompt written notice to the Unit Agent of the location,
and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the
Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail
to furnish the Unit Agent with the address thereof, such presentations,
surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust
Office, and the Company hereby appoints the Unit Agent as its agent to receive
all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other
offices or agencies where Unit Certificates may be presented or surrendered for
any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations;
provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner
relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the
Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purposes. The Company will
give prompt written notice to the Unit Agent of any such designation or
rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.
The Company hereby designates as the place of payment for the Units the
Corporate Trust Office and appoints the Unit Agent at its Corporate Trust Office
as paying agent in such city.
SECTION 10.03 Company to Reserve Common Stock.
The Company shall at all times prior to the Stock Purchase Date reserve
and keep available, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized but
unissued
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Common Stock the full number of shares of Common Stock issuable against tender
of payment in respect of all Purchase Contracts underlying the Units.
SECTION 10.04 Covenants as to Common Stock.
The Company covenants that all shares of Common Stock which may be
issued against tender of payment in respect of the Purchase Contracts underlying
the Units will, upon issuance, be newly issued (i.e., not issued out of treasury
shares) and be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
SECTION 10.05 Statements of Officers of the Company as to Default.
The Company will deliver to the Unit Agent, within 120 days after the
end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an
Officers' Certificate, stating whether or not to the best knowledge of the
signers thereof the Company is in default in the performance and observance of
any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof, and if the Company shall be
in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of
which they may have knowledge.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
CMS ENERGY CORPORATION
By:
-------------------------------
THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Unit Agent
By:
-------------------------------
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF NORMAL UNIT CERTIFICATE
CMS ENERGY CORPORATION
_____% ADJUSTABLE CONVERTIBLE TRUST SECURITY UNITS
(STATED AMOUNT $____ PER NORMAL UNIT)
CUSIP No. ______
No. _____ _____ Normal Units
This Unit Certificate certifies that ____________ is the registered
Holder of the number of Normal Units set forth above. Each Normal Unit
represents the right to purchase Common Stock under a Purchase Contract with CMS
Energy Corporation, a Michigan corporation (the "Company"), together with
ownership of the Trust Preferred Securities or other Pledged Securities pledged
to secure the obligations referred to in (a) and (b) below, subject to (a) the
obligations owed to the Company under such Purchase Contract, (b) for so long as
any Call Options remain exercisable, the obligations owed to the Call Option
Holder under a Call Option and (c) the pledge arrangements securing the
foregoing obligations.
Each Purchase Contract evidenced hereby is governed by a Master Unit
Agreement, dated as of __________ (the "Master Unit Agreement"), between the
Company and The Bank of New York, as unit agent (herein called the "Unit
Agent"). All terms used herein which are defined in the Master Unit Agreement
have the meanings set forth therein. Each Call Option evidenced hereby is
governed by the Call Option Agreement. The Pledge of the Pledged Securities
evidenced hereby is governed by the Pledge Agreement. Reference is hereby made
to the Master Unit Agreement, the Call Option Agreement and the Pledge
Agreement, and any supplemental agreements thereto, for a description of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities
thereunder of the Unit Agent, the Company, the Call Option Holder, the
Collateral Agent and the Holders. The summary contained herein is qualified in
its entirety by the provisions of the Principal Agreements, and the Principal
Agreements shall govern the rights of the parties to the extent that there is
any conflict between such summary and such provisions.
▇-▇
▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Contract evidenced hereby obligates the Holder of this
Unit Certificate to purchase, and the Company to sell, on ___________ (the
"Stock Purchase Date"), at a price equal to $ (the "Stated Amount"), a number of
shares of Common Stock, par value per share ("Common Stock"), of the Company
equal to the Settlement Rate, unless on or prior to the Stock Purchase Date
there shall have occurred a Termination Event. The "Settlement Rate" is equal to
(a) if the Applicable Market Value (as defined in the Master Unit Agreement) is
greater than or equal to $ (the "Threshold Appreciation Price"), _________ of a
share of Common Stock per Purchase Contract, (b) if the Applicable Market Value
is less than the Threshold Appreciation Price but is greater than $ (the "Floor
Price"), a fractional share of Common Stock per Purchase Contract equal to the
Stated Amount divided by the Applicable Market Value (rounded to the nearest
1/10,000th of a share or, if there is no nearest 1/10,000th of a share, rounded
downward to the nearest 1/10,000th of a share) and (c) if the Applicable Market
Amount is less than or equal to the Floor Price, shares of Common Stock per
Purchase Contract, in each case subject to adjustment as provided in the Master
Unit Agreement. No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued upon
settlement of Purchase Contracts, but instead of issuing any fractional interest
the Company shall make a cash payment as provided in the Master Unit Agreement.
The purchase price for the shares of Common Stock to be purchased pursuant to
each Purchase Contract evidenced hereby, if not paid by 10:00 a.m., New York
City time, on the Stock Purchase Date, shall be paid by application of payments
received by the Company on the Stock Purchase Date from the Collateral Agent
pursuant to the Pledge Agreement in respect of the Pledged Securities pledged to
secure such Holder's obligations under such Purchase Contract.
The Purchase Contracts and the obligations and rights of the Company
and the Holders thereunder, including, without limitation, the rights and
obligations to receive and pay accrued or deferred Contract Payments, shall
immediately and automatically terminate, without the necessity of any notice or
action by any Holder, the Unit Agent or the Company, if, on or prior to the
Stock Purchase Date, a Termination Event shall have occurred. Upon and after the
occurrence of a Termination Event, the Collateral Agent shall release the
Pledged Securities from the Pledge. The Normal Units shall thereafter represent
the right to receive the Pledged Securities forming a part of such Normal Units
in accordance with the provisions of the Master Unit Agreement and the Pledge
Agreement.
The Call Options evidenced hereby entitle the Call Option Holder to
acquire the Trust Preferred Securities (or Junior Subordinated Debentures
substituted therefor) evidenced hereby on or before ______________, unless prior
to the exercise thereof there shall have occurred a Termination Event. The Call
Option Holder may
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exercise such Call Options only in whole together with the Call Options
underlying the other Normal Units, by delivering to the Unit Agent a notice of
exercise and delivering to the Collateral Agent the Aggregate Consideration
Deliverable Upon Exercise of Call Options, whereupon the Trust Preferred
Securities or Junior Subordinated Debentures underlying the Normal Units will be
released from the Pledge and the Treasury Securities constituting all or part of
the Aggregate Consideration Deliverable Upon Exercise of Call Options delivered
to the Collateral Agent will be substituted as the Pledged Securities underlying
the Normal Units.
The Company shall pay, on each ________, ________, __________ and
___________, commencing ___________ (each, a "Quarterly Payment Date"), in
respect of each Purchase Contract evidenced hereby, a payment (the "Contract
Payment") accruing on the Stated Amount of such Unit from and including the date
of first issuance of any Units at a rate per annum equal to _____% (the
"Contract Payment Rate") (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve
30-day months and subject to deferral as described in the Master Unit
Agreement), plus any additional fees accrued thereon pursuant to Section 503 of
the Master Unit Agreement. The Company's obligations with respect to Contract
Payments shall be, to the extent provided in the Master Unit Agreement,
subordinate and subject in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness.
Payments due to the Holder in respect of the Normal Units evidenced
hereby will be payable to the Person in whose name this Unit Certificate (or a
Predecessor Unit Certificate) is registered at the close of business on the
Record Date next preceding the relevant payment date.
The transfer of any Unit Certificate will be registered and Unit
Certificates may be exchanged as provided in the Master Unit Agreement. The Unit
Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate
endorsements and transfer documents permitted by the Master Unit Agreement. No
service charge shall be required for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Company and the Unit Agent may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection
therewith. Except as provided in the Master Unit Agreement in connection with a
Stripped Unit Creation, for so long as the Purchase Contract underlying a Normal
Unit remains in effect, such Normal Unit shall not be separable into its
constituent parts, and the rights and obligations of the Holder of such Normal
Unit in respect of the Pledged Securities and Purchase Contract constituting
such Normal Unit may be transferred and exchanged only as an integrated Normal
Unit.
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Upon registration of transfer of this Unit Certificate, the transferee
shall be bound (without the necessity of any other action on the part of such
transferee) by the terms of the Purchase Contracts and Call Options evidenced
hereby and by the Pledge Agreement, and the transferor shall be released from
such obligations. The Company covenants and agrees, and the Holder, by his
acceptance hereof, likewise covenants and agrees, to be bound by the provisions
of this paragraph.
The Holder of this Unit Certificate, by his acceptance hereof,
irrevocably authorizes the Unit Agent to enter into and perform the related
Purchase Contracts and Call Options evidenced hereby on his behalf as his
attorney-in-fact, agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof,
covenants and agrees to perform his obligations under such Purchase Contracts
and Call Options, consents to the provisions of the Principal Agreements,
irrevocably authorizes the Unit Agent to enter into and perform the Call Option
Agreement and the Pledge Agreement on his behalf as his attorney-in-fact, and
consents to and agrees to be bound by the Pledge of the Pledged Securities
evidenced hereby pursuant to the Pledge Agreement.
Subject to certain exceptions, the provisions of the Principal
Agreements may be amended with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority
of the Outstanding Units or, if the amendment affects only the Holders of the
Normal Units or only the Holders of the Stripped Units, at least a majority of
the Outstanding Units comprising Normal Units or Stripped Units, as the case may
be.
THE PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND CALL OPTIONS SHALL FOR ALL PURPOSES BE
GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
The Company, the Unit Agent and any agent of the Company or the Unit
Agent may treat the Person in whose name this Unit Certificate is registered as
the owner of the Normal Units evidenced hereby for the purpose of receiving
payments of distributions or interest on the Pledged Securities, receiving the
rights and performing the obligations under the Purchase Contracts and for all
other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payments in respect thereof be
overdue and notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, and neither the Company,
the Unit Agent nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
The Purchase Contracts shall not, prior to the settlement thereof,
entitle the Holder to any of the rights of a holder of shares of Common Stock.
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Copies of the Principal Agreements are available for inspection at the
offices of the Unit Agent.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Unit Agent by manual signature, this Unit Certificate shall not be entitled
to any benefit under the Principal Agreements or be valid or obligatory for any
purpose.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Holder hereby agree to their
respective obligations under the Purchase Contracts evidenced by this
instrument, and the Holder hereby acknowledges that the Pledged Securities
evidenced by this instrument are subject to the Pledge under the Pledge
Agreement.
CMS ENERGY CORPORATION
By:
-------------------------------
Attest:
------------------
HOLDER SPECIFIED ABOVE
By: The Bank of New York,
as Attorney-in-Fact of such Holder
By:
-------------------------------
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Holder hereby agrees, for the benefit of the
Call Option Holder, to its obligations under any Call Options evidenced by this
instrument, and the Holder hereby acknowledges, for the benefit of the Call
Option Holder, that the Pledged Securities evidenced by this instrument are
subject to the Pledge under the Pledge Agreement.
HOLDER SPECIFIED ABOVE
By: The Bank of New York,
as Attorney-in-Fact of such Holder
By:
-------------------------------
Dated:
Unit Agent's Certificate of Authentication
This is one of the Unit Certificates referred to in the within
mentioned Master Unit Agreement.
The Bank of New York,
as Unit Agent
By:
-----------------------
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SETTLEMENT INSTRUCTIONS
The undersigned Holder directs that a certificate for shares of Common
Stock deliverable upon settlement on or after the Stock Purchase Date of the
Purchase Contracts underlying the number of Normal Units evidenced by this Unit
Certificate be registered in the name of, and delivered, together with a check
in payment for any fractional share, to the undersigned at the address indicated
below unless a different name and address have been indicated below. If shares
are to be registered in the name of a Person other than the undersigned, the
undersigned will pay any transfer tax payable incident thereto.
Dated:
--------------------------- ----------------------------------
Signature*
If shares are to be registered in
the REGISTERED HOLDER name of and
delivered to a Person other than
the Holder, please print Person's Please print name and address of
name and address: such Registered Holder:
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Name Name
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Address Address
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Social Security or other Taxpayer
Identification Number, if any
----------------------------------
* Signature must be guaranteed by an eligible Guarantor Institution (banks,
stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions) with membership
in an approved signature medallion program pursuant to Securities and Exchange
Commission Rule 17Ad-15 if Common Stock is to be delivered other than to, and in
the name of, the registered Holder.
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REQUEST TO CREATE STRIPPED UNITS
The undersigned Holder directs that (a) the Pledged Securities
underlying the number of Normal Units indicated below (which number does not
exceed the number of Normal Units evidenced by this Unit Certificate) be
released from the Pledge and registered in the name of, and delivered to, the
undersigned at the address indicated below unless a different name and address
have been indicated below and (b) a corresponding number of Stripped Units be
registered in the name of, and delivered to, the undersigned at the address
indicated below unless a different name and address have been indicated below.
If the released Pledged Securities or the Stripped Units are to be registered in
the name of a Person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay any
transfer tax payable incident thereto.
The undersigned confirms that the requisite Treasury Securities, any
required cash and the instrument from the Call Option Holder have been delivered
to the Collateral Agent.
Dated:
--------------------------- ----------------------------------
Signature*
If shares are to be registered in
the REGISTERED HOLDER name of and
delivered to a Person other than
the Holder, please print Person's Please print name and address of
name and address: such Registered Holder:
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Name Name
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Address Address
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Social Security or other Taxpayer
Identification Number, if any
----------------------------------
If Stripped Units are to be registered in the name of and delivered to a Person
other than the Holder, please print such Person's name and address: 67
* Signature must be guaranteed by an eligible Guarantor Institution (banks,
stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions) with membership
in an approved signature medallion program pursuant to Securities and Exchange
Commission Rule 17Ad-15 if Pledged Securities or Stripped Units are to be
delivered other than to, and in the name of, the registered Holder.
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF STRIPPED UNIT CERTIFICATE
CMS ENERGY CORPORATION
_____% ADJUSTABLE CONVERTIBLE SECURITY UNITS
(STATED AMOUNT $____ PER UNIT)
CUSIP No. _______
No. _____ _____ Stripped Units
This Unit Certificate certifies that ____________ is the registered
Holder of the number of Stripped Units set forth above. Each Stripped Unit
represents the right to purchase Common Stock under a Purchase Contract with CMS
Energy Corporation, a Michigan corporation (the "Company"), together with
ownership of the Treasury Securities pledged to secure the obligations referred
to in (a) below, subject to (a) the obligations owed to the Company under such
Purchase Contract and (b) the pledge arrangements securing the foregoing
obligations.
Each Purchase Contract evidenced hereby is governed by a Master Unit
Agreement, dated as of __________ (the "Master Unit Agreement"), between the
Company and The Bank of New York, as unit agent (herein called the "Unit
Agent"). All terms used herein which are defined in the Master Unit Agreement
have the meanings set forth therein. The Pledge of the Pledged Securities
evidenced hereby is governed by the Pledge Agreement. Reference is hereby made
to the Master Unit Agreement and the Pledge Agreement, and any supplemental
agreements thereto, for a description of the respective rights, limitations of
rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Unit Agent, the
Company, the Collateral Agent and the Holders. The summary contained herein is
qualified in its entirety by the provisions of the Principal Agreements, and the
Principal Agreements shall govern the rights of the parties to the extent that
there is any conflict between such summary and such provisions.
Each Purchase Contract evidenced hereby obligates the Holder of this
Unit Certificate to purchase, and the Company to sell, on __________ (the "Stock
Purchase Date"), at a price equal to $_____ (the "Stated Amount"), a number of
shares of Common Stock, par value per share ("Common Stock"), of the Company
equal to the Settlement Rate, unless on or prior to the Stock Purchase Date
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there shall have occurred a Termination Event. The "Settlement Rate" is equal to
(a) if the Applicable Market Value (as defined in the Master Unit Agreement) is
greater than or equal to $______ (the "Threshold Appreciation Price"),
___________ of a share of Common Stock per Purchase Contract, (b) if the
Applicable Market Value is less than the Threshold Appreciation Price but is
greater than $ (the "Floor Price"), a fractional share of Common Stock per
Purchase Contract equal to the Stated Amount divided by the Applicable Market
Value (rounded to the nearest 1/10,000th of a share or, if there is no nearest
1/10,000th of a share, rounded downward to the nearest 1/10,000th of a share)
and (c) if the Applicable Market Amount is less than or equal to the floor
Price, shares of Common Stock per Purchase Contract, in each case subject to
adjustment as provided in the Master Unit Agreement. No fractional shares of
Common Stock will be issued upon settlement of Purchase Contracts, but instead
of any fractional interest the Company shall make a cash payment as provided in
the Master Unit Agreement. The purchase price for the shares of Common Stock to
be purchased pursuant to each Purchase Contract evidenced hereby, if not paid by
10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Stock Purchase Date, shall be paid by
application of payments received by the Company on the Stock Purchase Date from
the Collateral Agent pursuant to the Pledge Agreement in respect of the Pledged
Securities pledged to secure such Holder's obligations under such Purchase
Contract.
The Purchase Contracts and the obligations and rights of the Company
and the Holders thereunder, including, without limitation, the rights and
obligations to receive and pay accrued or deferred Contract Payments, shall
immediately and automatically terminate, without the necessity of any notice or
action by any Holder, the Unit Agent or the Company, if, on or prior to the
Stock Purchase Date, a Termination Event shall have occurred. Upon and after the
occurrence of a Termination Event, the Collateral Agent shall release the
Pledged Securities from the Pledge. The Stripped Units shall thereafter
represent the right to receive the Pledged Securities forming a part of such
Stripped Units in accordance with the provisions of the Master Unit Agreement
and the Pledge Agreement.
The Company shall pay, on each ________, ________, _______ and
__________, commencing ______________ (each, a "Quarterly Payment Date"), in
respect of each Purchase Contract evidenced hereby, a fee (the "Contract
Payment") accruing on the Stated Amount of such Unit from and including the date
of first issuance of any Units at a rate per annum equal to _____% (the
"Contract Payment Rate") (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve
30-day months and subject to deferral as described in the Master Unit
Agreement), plus any additional fees accrued thereon pursuant to Section 503 of
the Master Unit Agreement. [The
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Company's obligations with respect to Contract Payments shall be, to the extent
provided in the Master Unit Agreement, subordinated and subject in right of
payment to all Senior Indebtedness.
Payments due to the Holder in respect of the Stripped Units evidenced
hereby will be payable to the Person in whose name this Unit Certificate (or a
Predecessor Unit Certificate) is registered at the close of business on the
Record Date next preceding the relevant payment date.
The transfer of any Unit Certificate will be registered and Unit
Certificates may be exchanged as provided in the Master Unit Agreement. The Unit
Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate
endorsements and transfer documents permitted by the Master Unit Agreement. No
service charge shall be required for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Company and the Unit Agent may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection
therewith. For so long as the Purchase Contract underlying a Stripped Unit
remains in effect, such Stripped Unit shall not be separable into its
constituent parts, and the rights and obligations of the Holder of such Stripped
Unit in respect of the Pledged Securities and Purchase Contract constituting
such Stripped Unit may be transferred and exchanged only as an integrated
Stripped Unit.
Upon registration of transfer of this Unit Certificate, the transferee
shall be bound (without the necessity of any other action on the part of such
transferee) by the terms of the Purchase Contracts evidenced hereby and by the
Pledge Agreement, and the transferor shall be released from such obligations.
The Company covenants and agrees, and the Holder, by his acceptance hereof,
likewise covenants and agrees, to be bound by the provisions of this paragraph.
The Holder of this Unit Certificate, by his acceptance hereof,
irrevocably authorizes the Unit Agent to enter into and perform the related
Purchase Contracts evidenced hereby on his behalf as his attorney-in-fact,
agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof, covenants and agrees to
perform his obligations under such Purchase Contracts, consents to the
provisions of the Principal Agreements, irrevocably authorizes the Unit Agent to
enter into and perform the Pledge Agreement on his behalf as his
attorney-in-fact, and consents to and agrees to be bound by the Pledge of the
Pledged Securities evidenced hereby pursuant to the Pledge Agreement.
Subject to certain exceptions, the provisions of the Principal
Agreements may be amended with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority
of the Outstanding
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Units or, if the amendment affects only the Holders of the Normal Units or only
the Holders of the Stripped Units, at least a majority of the Outstanding Units
comprising Normal Units or Stripped Units, as the case may be.
THE PURCHASE CONTRACTS SHALL FOR ALL PURPOSES BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD
TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
The Company, the Unit Agent and any agent of the Company or the Unit
Agent may treat the Person in whose name this Unit Certificate is registered as
the owner of the Stripped Units evidenced hereby for the purpose of receiving
payments of distributions or interest on the Pledged Securities, receiving the
rights and performing the obligations under the Purchase Contracts and for all
other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payments in respect thereof be
overdue and notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, and neither the Company,
the Unit Agent nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
THE PURCHASE CONTRACTS SHALL NOT, PRIOR TO THE SETTLEMENT THEREOF,
ENTITLE THE HOLDER TO ANY OF THE RIGHTS OF A HOLDER OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK,
WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
Copies of the Principal Agreements are available for inspection at the
offices of the Unit Agent.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Unit Agent by manual signature, this Unit Certificate shall not be entitled
to any benefit under the Principal Agreements or be valid or obligatory for any
purpose.
B-4
77
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Holder hereby agree to their
respective obligations under the Purchase Contracts evidenced by this
instrument, and the Holder hereby acknowledges that the Pledged Securities
evidenced by this instrument are subject to the Pledge under the Pledge
Agreement.
CMS ENERGY CORPORATION
By:
--------------------------------
Attest:
------------------------
HOLDER SPECIFIED ABOVE
By: The Bank of New York,
as Attorney-in-Fact of such Holder
By:
--------------------------------
Dated:
Unit Agent's Certificate of Authentication
This is one of the Unit Certificates referred to in the within
mentioned Master Unit Agreement.
The Bank of New York,
as Unit Agent
By:
----------------------------
B-5
78
SETTLEMENT INSTRUCTIONS
The undersigned Holder directs that a certificate for shares of Common
Stock deliverable upon settlement on or after the Stock Purchase Date of the
Purchase Contracts underlying the number of Stripped Units evidenced by this
Unit Certificate be registered in the name of, and delivered, together with a
check in payment for any fractional share, to the undersigned at the address
indicated below unless a different name and address have been indicated below.
If shares are to be registered in the name of a Person other than the
undersigned, the undersigned will pay any transfer tax payable incident thereto.
Dated:
--------------------------- ----------------------------------
Signature*
If shares are to be registered in
the REGISTERED HOLDER name of and
delivered to a Person other than
the Holder, please print Person's Please print name and address of
name and address: such Registered Holder:
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Name Name
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Address Address
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Social Security or other Taxpayer
Identification Number, if any
----------------------------------
* Signature must be guaranteed by an eligible Guarantor Institution (banks,
stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions) with membership
in an approved signature medallion program pursuant to Securities and Exchange
Commission Rule 17Ad-15 if Common Stock is to be delivered other than to, and in
the name of, the registered Holder.
The Sponsor will provide a copy of the Declaration, the Indenture, the
Trust Preferred Securities Guarantee or the Common Trust Securities Guarantee
(as may be appropriate) and the Indenture (including any supplemental indenture)
to a Holder without charge on written request to the Sponsor at its principal
place of business.
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79
EXHIBIT A-1
FORM OF TRUST PREFERRED SECURITIES
FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY
[IF THIS TRUST PREFERRED SECURITY ("TRUST PREFERRED SECURITY") IS A
GLOBAL SECURITY, INSERT: THIS QUARTERLY INCOME PREFERRED SECURITY IS A GLOBAL
SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE DECLARATION HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS
REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (THE "CLEARING AGENCY")
OR A NOMINEE OF THE CLEARING AGENCY. THIS TRUST PREFERRED SECURITY IS
EXCHANGEABLE FOR TRUST PREFERRED SECURITY REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON
OTHER THAN THE CLEARING AGENCY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES
DESCRIBED IN THE DECLARATION AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS TRUST PREFERRED SECURITY
(OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS TRUST PREFERRED SECURITY AS A WHOLE BY THE
CLEARING AGENCY TO A NOMINEE OF THE CLEARING AGENCY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE
CLEARING AGENCY TO THE CLEARING AGENCY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE CLEARING
AGENCY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.]
[UNLESS THIS TRUST PREFERRED SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW
YORK), A NEW YORK CORPORATION, TO THE TRUST OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF
TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY TRUST PREFERRED SECURITY ISSUED IS
REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (AND ANY PAYMENT
HEREON IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE
OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE
THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]
Certificate Number Number of Trust Preferred Securities
CUSIP NO.
AA-1
80
Certificate Evidencing Trust Preferred Securities
of
CMS Energy Trust II
__% Trust Preferred Securities (liquidation amount $1,000 per Trust Preferred
Security)
CMS Energy Trust II, a statutory business trust created under the laws of the
State of Delaware (the "Trust"), hereby certifies that __________ (the "Holder")
is the registered owner of _____ securities of the Trust representing preferred
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust designated the ___%
Trust Preferred Securities (liquidation amount $1,000 per Trust Preferred
Security (the "Trust Preferred Securities"). Subject to the terms of the
Declaration (as defined below), the Trust Preferred Securities are transferable
on the books and records of the Trust, in person or by a duly authorized
attorney, upon surrender of this certificate duly endorsed and in proper form
for transfer. The designation, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences and
other terms and provisions of the Trust Preferred Securities represented hereby
are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the provisions of the Amended
and Restated Declaration of Trust of the Trust dated as of July , 1999, as the
same may be amended from time to time (the "Declaration"), including the
designation of the terms of the Trust Preferred Securities as set forth in Annex
I to the Declaration. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have
the meaning given them in the Declaration. The Sponsor will provide a copy of
the Declaration, the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantee and the Indenture to a
Holder without charge upon written request to the Trust at its principal place
of business.
Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the
Declaration and is entitled to the benefits thereunder and to the benefits of
the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantee to the extent provided therein.
By acceptance, the Holder agrees to treat, for United States Federal
income tax purposes, the Trust as a grantor trust, the Debentures as
indebtedness and the Trust Preferred Securities as evidence of indirect
beneficial ownership in the Debentures.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has executed this certificate this _____
day of July, 1999.
CMS ENERGY TRUST II
By:
-----------------------------
Name:
Title: Administrator
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81
PROPERTY TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Trust Preferred Securities referred to in the
within-mentioned Declaration.
Dated:
---------------
THE BANK OF NEW YORK, not in its
individual capacity, but solely as
Property Trustee
By:
-------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
AA-3
82
FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY
Distributions payable on each Trust Preferred Security will be fixed at
a rate per annum of ___% until the Call Option Expiration Date, and at the Reset
Rate thereafter (the "Coupon Rate") of the liquidation amount of $1,000 per
Trust Preferred Security, such rate being the rate of interest payable on the
Debentures to be held by the Property Trustee. Distributions in arrears for more
than one quarterly period will bear interest thereon compounded quarterly at the
Coupon Rate (to the extent permitted by applicable law). The term
"Distributions", as used herein, includes such cash distributions and any such
interest unless otherwise stated. A Distribution is payable only to the extent
that payments are made in respect of the Debentures held by the Property Trustee
and to the extent the Property Trustee has funds on hand legally available
therefor.
Distributions on the Trust Preferred Securities will be cumulative,
will accumulate from the most recent date to which Distributions have been paid
or, if no Distributions have been paid, from July , 1999 and will be payable
quarterly in arrears, on , , , and of each year, commencing on
, 1999, except as otherwise described below. Distributions will be
computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. As
long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing under the Indenture,
the Debenture Issuer has the right under the Indenture to elect to defer
payments of interest by extending the interest payment period at any time and
from time to time on the Debentures (each an "Extension Period"), provided that
no Extension Period shall end on a date other than an Interest Payment Date for
the Debentures or extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Debentures. As a
consequence of such deferral, Distributions will also be deferred. Despite such
deferral, quarterly Distributions will continue to accumulate with interest
thereon (to the extent permitted by applicable law, but not at a rate exceeding
the rate of interest then accruing on the Debentures) at the Coupon Rate
compounded quarterly during any such Extension Period. Prior to the termination
of any such Extension Period, the Debenture Issuer may further defer payments of
interest by further extending such Extension Period; provided that such
Extension Period may not extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Debentures.
Payments of accumulated Distributions will be payable to Holders as they appear
on the books and records of the Trust on the first record date after the end of
the Extension Period. Upon the termination of any Extension Period and the
payment of all amounts then due, the Debenture Issuer may commence a new
Extension Period, subject to the above requirements.
Subject to the conditions set forth in the Declaration and the
Indenture, the Property Trustee may, at the direction of the Sponsor, at any
time dissolve the Trust
AA-4
83
and, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the Trust as required by
applicable law, cause the Debentures to be distributed to the holders of the
Securities in liquidation of the Trust.
The Trust Preferred Securities will be subject to mandatory redemption
on the Maturity Date of the Debentures as provided in the Declaration.
The Trust Preferred Securities and the rights of the Holders shall be
governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware
and all rights and remedies shall be governed by such laws without regard to
principles of conflict of laws.
AA-5
84
ASSIGNMENT
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned assigns and transfers this Security to:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Insert assignee's social security or tax identification number)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Insert address and zip code of assignee)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
and irrevocably appoints agent to transfer this Security on the books of the
Trust.
The agent may substitute another to act for him or her.
Date:
--------------------
Signature:
------------------------------
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Security)
Signature Guarantee(1):
--------------------------------
---------------------
(1) Signature must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution"
that is a bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit
union meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements
include membership or participation in the Securities Transfer Agents
Medallion Program ("STAMP") or such other "signature guarantee program"
as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in
substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
AA-6
85
NOTICE TO REQUIRE EXERCISE OF JUNIOR SUBORDINATED
DEBENTURE PUT OPTION
The undersigned holder of this Security hereby irrevocably exercises
the right to require the Trust to distribute to the Put Agent Debentures having
an aggregate principal amount equal to the Liquidation Amount of the number of
Trust Preferred Securities listed below (which number does not exceed the number
evidenced hereby) in exchange for such number of Trust Preferred Securities, on
the Put Date indicated below in connection with the concurrent exercise by the
Put Agent on behalf of the holder of this Security of the Debenture Put Option
related hereto on such date. Pursuant to the aforementioned exercise of the
right to require the Trust to distribute to the Put Agent Debentures in exchange
for such number of Trust Preferred Securities, the undersigned hereby directs
the Property Trustee to take any actions necessary to effect the exchange of
such number of Trust Preferred Securities for such principal amount of
Debentures.
Date:
-------------------
Put Date (check one)
Stock Purchase Date
-----
Final Put Date
-----
Number of Trust Preferred Securities (not to exceed number of Trust Preferred
Securities evidenced hereby)
Signature:
-----------------------------
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Security)
Please Print or Type Name and Address,
Including Zip Code, and Social Security
or Other Identifying Number
--------------------------
--------------------------
--------------------------
Signature Guarantee(1):
--------------------------------
------------------
(1) Signature must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution"
that is a bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit
union meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements
include membership or participation in the Securities Transfer Agents
Medallion Program ("STAMP") or such other "signature guarantee program"
as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in
substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
AA-7