EXHIBIT 4.1










 


COMPASS MINERALS INTERNATIONAL, INC.


 


 


 




  


4.875% Senior Notes due 2024


 


 


 


 








 


 


 


 


INDENTURE


 


 


 







Dated as of June 23, 2014


 


 


 













 


 


 


 


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION


 


 


 







Trustee


 















Table of Contents


 


	
 

	
Page


	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 1


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
Definitions and Incorporation by Reference


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 1.01.

	
Definitions

	
1


	
SECTION 1.02.

	
Other Definitions

	
16


	
SECTION 1.03.

	
Rules of Construction

	
17


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 2


	
 

	
 


	
The Notes


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 2.01.

	
Form and Dating

	
18


	
SECTION 2.02.

	
Execution and Authentication

	
18


	
SECTION 2.03.

	
Registrar and Paying Agent

	
19


	
SECTION 2.04.

	
Paying Agent To Hold Money in Trust

	
20


	
SECTION 2.05.

	
Noteholder Lists

	
20


	
SECTION 2.06.

	
Transfer and Exchange

	
20


	
SECTION 2.07.

	
Replacement Notes

	
21


	
SECTION 2.08.

	
Outstanding Notes

	
21


	
SECTION 2.09.

	
Temporary Notes

	
22


	
SECTION 2.10.

	
Cancellation

	
22


	
SECTION 2.11.

	
Defaulted Interest

	
22


	
SECTION 2.12.

	
CUSIP Numbers, ISINs, etc

	
22


	
SECTION 2.13.

	
Issuance of Additional Notes

	
22


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 3


	
 

	
 


	
Redemption


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 3.01.

	
Notice to the Trustee

	
23


	
SECTION 3.02.

	
Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed

	
23


	
SECTION 3.03.

	
Notice of Redemption

	
24


	
SECTION 3.04.

	
Effect of Notice of Redemption

	
25


	
SECTION 3.05.

	
Deposit of Redemption Price

	
25


	
SECTION 3.06.

	
Notes Redeemed in Part

	
25


	
SECTION 3.07.

	
Optional Redemption

	
25


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 4


	
 

	
 


	
Covenants


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 4.01.

	
Payment of Notes

	
27


	
SECTION 4.02.

	
SEC Reports

	
27











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SECTION 4.03.

	
Change of Control

	
28


	
SECTION 4.04.

	
Limitation on Liens

	
30


	
SECTION 4.05.

	
Limitation on Sale/Leaseback Transactions

	
30


	
SECTION 4.06.

	
Additional Subsidiary Guarantees

	
31


	
SECTION 4.07.

	
Compliance Certificate

	
31


	
SECTION 4.08.

	
Further Instruments and Acts

	
31


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 5


	
 

	
 


	
Successor Company


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 5.01.

	
When Company May Merge or Transfer Assets

	
31


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 6


	
 

	
 


	
Defaults and Remedies


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 6.01.

	
Events of Default

	
32


	
SECTION 6.02.

	
Acceleration

	
34


	
SECTION 6.03.

	
Other Remedies

	
35


	
SECTION 6.04.

	
Waiver of Past Defaults

	
35


	
SECTION 6.05.

	
Control by Majority

	
35


	
SECTION 6.06.

	
Limitation on Suits

	
36


	
SECTION 6.07.

	
Rights of Holders to Receive Payment

	
36


	
SECTION 6.08.

	
Collection Suit by Trustee

	
36


	
SECTION 6.09.

	
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

	
36


	
SECTION 6.10.

	
Priorities

	
37


	
SECTION 6.11.

	
Undertaking for Costs

	
37


	
SECTION 6.12.

	
Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws

	
37


	
SECTION 6.13.

	
Sole Remedy for Failure to Report

	
37


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 7


	
 

	
 


	
Trustee


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 7.01.

	
Duties of Trustee

	
38


	
SECTION 7.02.

	
Rights of Trustee

	
39


	
SECTION 7.03.

	
Individual Rights of Trustee

	
41


	
SECTION 7.04.

	
Trustee’s Disclaimer

	
41


	
SECTION 7.05.

	
Notice of Defaults

	
41


	
SECTION 7.06.

	
[Reserved]

	
41


	
SECTION 7.07.

	
Compensation and Indemnity

	
41


	
SECTION 7.08.

	
Replacement of Trustee

	
43


	
SECTION 7.09.

	
Successor Trustee by Merger

	
43


	
SECTION 7.10.

	
Eligibility; Disqualification

	
44


	
SECTION 7.11.

	
Trustee’s Application for Instructions from the Company

	
44


	
SECTION 7.12.

	
Trustee in Other Capacities; Registrar and Paying Agent

	
44











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ARTICLE 8


	
 

	
 


	
Discharge of Indenture; Defeasance


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 8.01.

	
Discharge of Liability on Notes; Defeasance

	
44


	
SECTION 8.02.

	
Conditions to Defeasance

	
45


	
SECTION 8.03.

	
Application of Trust Money

	
46


	
SECTION 8.04.

	
Repayment to Company

	
47


	
SECTION 8.05.

	
Indemnity for Government Obligations

	
47


	
SECTION 8.06.

	
Reinstatement

	
47


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 9


	
 

	
 


	
Amendments


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 9.01.

	
Without Consent of Holders

	
47


	
SECTION 9.02.

	
With Consent of Holders

	
48


	
SECTION 9.03.

	
Revocation and Effect of Consents and Waivers

	
49


	
SECTION 9.04.

	
Notation on or Exchange of Notes

	
49


	
SECTION 9.05.

	
Trustee To Sign Amendments

	
50


	
SECTION 9.06.

	
Payment for Consent

	
50


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 10


	
 

	
 


	
Guarantee


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 10.01.

	
Guarantee

	
50


	
SECTION 10.02.

	
Limitation on Guarantor Liability

	
51


	
SECTION 10.03.

	
Delivery of Note Guarantee

	
51


	
SECTION 10.04.

	
Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms

	
52


	
SECTION 10.05.

	
Releases

	
52


	
SECTION 10.06.

	
Addition of Guarantors.

	
53


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
ARTICLE 11


	
 

	
 


	
Miscellaneous


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
SECTION 11.01.

	
Notices

	
53


	
SECTION 11.02.

	
Communication by Holders with Other Holders

	
54


	
SECTION 11.03.

	
Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent

	
54


	
SECTION 11.04.

	
Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion

	
54


	
SECTION 11.05.

	
When Notes Disregarded

	
55


	
SECTION 11.06.

	
Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar

	
55


	
SECTION 11.07.

	
Legal Holidays

	
55


	
SECTION 11.08.

	
Governing Law, Submission to Jurisdiction

	
55


	
SECTION 11.09.

	
No Recourse Against Others

	
56


	
SECTION 11.10.

	
Successors

	
56











iii







	
SECTION 11.11.

	
Multiple Originals

	
56


	
SECTION 11.12.

	
Table of Contents; Headings

	
56


	
SECTION 11.13.

	
Waiver of Jury Trial

	
56


	
SECTION 11.14.

	
Force Majeure

	
56










Rule 144A/Regulation S/IAI Appendix


 


Exhibit 1 to Appendix – Form of Note


 


Exhibit 2 to Appendix – Form of Transferee Letter of Representation


 


Exhibit 1 – Form of Supplemental Indenture (to be delivered by subsequent Guarantors)



iv









INDENTURE dated as of June 23, 2014 among Compass Minerals International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Guarantors (as defined) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).


 


Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of 4.875% Senior Notes due 2024 (the “Notes”):


 


ARTICLE 1







Definitions and Incorporation by Reference


 


SECTION 1.01.  Definitions.


 


“Additional Notes” means Notes under this Indenture after the Issue Date and in compliance with Section 2.13, it being understood that any Notes issued in exchange for or replacement of any Note issued on the Issue Date shall not be an Additional Note.


 


“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 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 “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.


 


“Attributable Debt” in respect of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction means, as at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at the interest rate borne by the Notes, compounded annually) of the total obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale/Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended); provided, however, that if such Sale/Leaseback Transaction results in a Capital Lease Obligation, the amount of Indebtedness represented thereby will be determined in accordance with the definition of “Capital Lease Obligation.”


 


“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such Board.


 


“Business Day” means each day which is not a Legal Holiday.  Any notice or payment due on any day that is not a Business Day need not be made on such day, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such day.


 


“Capital Lease Obligation” means an obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as a capital lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with GAAP; and the Stated Maturity thereof shall be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date upon which such lease may be terminated by the lessee without payment of a penalty. For purposes of Section 4.04, a Capital Lease Obligation will be deemed to be secured by a Lien on the property being leased.








 


“Capital Stock” of any Person means any and all shares, interests (including partnership interests), rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.


 


“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:


 





(1)                any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that for purposes of this clause (1) such person shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all shares that any such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company, other than by the imposition of one or more holding companies, the beneficial owners of whose Voting Stock would not have caused a Change of Control if such beneficial owners had directly held the Voting Stock of the Company held by such holding company or companies;


 


(2)               the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company;


 


(3)                the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than the Company or a Subsidiary; or


 


(4)                the Company consolidates with or merges with or into any Person, or sells, assigns, conveys, transfers, leases or otherwise disposes of all or substantially all of its assets to any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the Voting Stock of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction is converted into or exchanged for Voting Stock of the surviving or transferee Person constituting a majority of the outstanding shares of such Voting Stock of such surviving or transferee Person (immediately after giving effect to such issuance).


 


“Change of Control Triggering Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Ratings Event.


 


“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.


 


“Company” means the party named as such in this Indenture until a successor replaces it and, thereafter, means the successor.


 


“Consolidated Income Tax Expense” means, with respect to the Company for any period, the provision for federal, state, local and foreign taxes based on income or profits (including



2







franchise taxes) payable by the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.







“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the total interest expense of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued and whether or not capitalized (including amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount), non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment Obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations and Attributable Debt, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges Incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings, and net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations.


 


“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries; provided, however, that there shall not be included in such Consolidated Net Income:


 


(1)                any net income of any Person (other than the Company) if such Person is not a Subsidiary, except that:


 


(A)               subject to the exclusion contained in clauses (3), (4) and (5) below, the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period shall be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period to the Company or a Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution paid to a Subsidiary, to the limitations contained in clause (2) below); and


 


(B)                the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Person for such period shall be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income to the extent such loss has been funded with cash from the Company or a Subsidiary;





 


(2)                any net income of any Subsidiary if such Subsidiary is subject to restrictions, directly or indirectly, on the payment of dividends or the making of distributions by such Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to the Company, except that:


 


(A)               subject to the exclusion contained in clauses (3), (4) and (5) below, the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Subsidiary for such period shall be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash that could have been distributed by such Subsidiary during such period to the Company or another Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution paid to another Subsidiary, to the limitation contained in this clause); and


 


(B)                the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Subsidiary for such period shall be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income;


 


(3)                any gain (or loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any assets of the Company or its consolidated Subsidiaries (including pursuant to any



3







Sale/Leaseback Transaction) which is not sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business and any gain (or loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any Capital Stock of any Person;


 


(4)                extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring gains or losses;


 





(5)                net charges associated with or related to any restructurings;


 


(6)                 all financial advisory fees, accounting fees, legal fees and similar advisory and consulting fees and related costs and expenses of the Company and its Subsidiaries incurred as a result of asset acquisitions, investments, asset sales and the issuance of Capital Stock or Indebtedness, all determined in accordance with GAAP and in each case eliminating any increase or decrease in income resulting from non-cash accounting adjustments made in connection with the related asset acquisition, investment or asset sale;


 


(7)                 losses and expenses with respect to liability or casualty events shall be excluded to the extent covered by insurance or indemnification and actually reimbursed or so long as the Company has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed by the insurer or indemnifying party and only to the extent such amount is (a) not denied by the applicable carrier or indemnifying party in writing within 180 days and (b) in fact reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such evidence (with a deduction for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within 365 days); and


 


(8)               the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles, in each case, for such period.


 


“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means the total amount of the Company’s assets (less applicable reserves and other properly deductible items) after deducting (i) all current liabilities (excluding liabilities that are extendable or renewable at the option of the obligor to a date more than 12 months after the date as of which the amount is being determined, and excluding short term debt and the current portion of long term debt) and (ii) all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangible assets, all as set forth on the Company’s most recent consolidated balance sheet and determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of calculating Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, consolidations and disposed operations (as determined in accordance with GAAP that have been made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries subsequent to the date of the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Company and on or prior to or simultaneously with the applicable date of calculation shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, consolidations and disposed operations had occurred on the date of such most recent consolidated balance sheet.


 


“Consolidated Operating Cash Flow” means, with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, for any period, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period increased (without duplication) by the sum of:



4







(1)               Consolidated Income Tax Expense accrued for such period to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period;


 


(2)               Consolidated Interest Expense for such period to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period; and


 


(3)                depreciation, amortization and any other noncash items for such period to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period (other than any noncash item which requires the accrual of, or a reserve for, cash charges for any future period) of the Company and the Subsidiaries (including amortization of capitalized debt issuance costs for such period, any noncash compensation expense realized for grants of stock options or other rights to officers, directors, consultants and employees and noncash charges related to equity granted to third parties), all of the foregoing determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, and decreased by noncash items to the extent they increase Consolidated Net Income (including the partial or entire reversal of reserves taken in prior periods, but excluding reversals of accruals or reserves for cash charges taken in prior periods) for such period.


 


“Consolidated Secured Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person as of any date, (a) the total amount of Indebtedness of such Person and its Subsidiaries outstanding as of the date of the most recently available consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries that is secured by a Lien on the assets or property of such specified Person or upon shares of Capital Stock or Indebtedness of any of its Subsidiaries, as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) the total amount of Capital Lease Obligations of such Person and its Subsidiaries as of the most recently available consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries, as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, plus (c) the total amount of Attributable Debt in respect of Sale/ Leaseback Transactions of such Person and its Subsidiaries as of such date.


 


“Consolidated Secured Leverage Ratio” means, with respect to any specified Person as of any date, the ratio of (a) the Consolidated Secured Indebtedness of such Person as of such date to (b) the Consolidated Operating Cash Flow of such Person for the four most recent full fiscal quarters ending immediately prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available. In the event that the specified Person or any of its Subsidiaries incurs, assumes, guarantees, repays, repurchases, redeems, defeases or otherwise discharges any Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien on the assets or property of such specified Person or upon shares of Capital Stock or Indebtedness of any of its Subsidiaries (other than ordinary working capital borrowings) on or after the date of the most recent available balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries and on or prior to the date on which the event for which the calculation of the Consolidated Secured Leverage Ratio is made (the “Calculation Date”), then the Consolidated Secured Leverage Ratio will be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence, assumption, Guarantee, repayment, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other discharge of Indebtedness, and the use of the proceeds therefrom.


 


In addition, for purposes of calculating the Consolidated Secured Leverage Ratio:



5







(1)                acquisitions and dispositions that have been made by the specified Person or any of its Subsidiaries, including through mergers or consolidations, or any Person or any of its Subsidiaries acquired by the specified Person or any of its Subsidiaries, and including any related financing transactions and giving effect to the application of proceeds from any dispositions, during the Reference Period or subsequent to such Reference Period and on or prior to the Calculation Date shall be deemed to have occurred on the first day of the Reference Period; and


 


(2)               the Consolidated Operating Cash Flow attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will be excluded,


 


provided that to the extent that clause (1) or (2) of this definition requires that pro forma effect be given to an acquisition, disposition or discontinued operations, as applicable, such pro forma calculation shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company (and may include, for the avoidance of doubt and without duplication, cost savings, synergies and operating expense resulting from such acquisition whether or not such cost savings, synergies or operating expense reductions would be allowed under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC or any other regulation or policy of the SEC).


 


“Corporate Trust Office” means the principal office of the Trustee at which at any time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date hereof is located at One U.S. Bank Plaza, St. Louis, MO  63101, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).


 


“Debt Facility” means one or more debt facilities or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit or issuances of debt securities evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or similar instruments, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced (including by means of sales of debt securities) in whole or in part from time to time (and whether or not with the original administrative agent, lenders or trustee or another administrative agent or agents, other lenders or trustee and whether provided under any credit or other agreement or indenture).


 


“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.


 


“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company that was formed under the laws of the United States or any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.


 


“Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.


 


“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time, including those set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of



6







 


the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession; provided that leases will be accounted for using the accounting principles in effect on the Issue Date and any change in the accounting for leases after the Issue Date will be disregarded. All ratios and computations based on GAAP contained in this Indenture will be computed in conformity with GAAP. For the avoidance of doubt, all calculations, ratios and computations with respect to leases contained in this Indenture will be computed in conformity with GAAP as in effect as of the Issue Date, provided, further, that at any time after the Issue Date, the Company may elect, for all purposes of this Indenture, to apply IFRS accounting principles in lieu of GAAP and, upon any such election, references herein to GAAP shall thereafter be construed to mean IFRS as in effect on the date of such election; provided, further, that (1) any such election, once made, shall be irrevocable (and shall only be made once), (2) all financial statements and reports required to be provided after such election pursuant to this Indenture shall be prepared on the basis of IFRS, (3) from and after such election, all ratios, computations and other determinations based on GAAP contained in this Indenture shall be computed in conformity with IFRS with retroactive effect being given thereto assuming that such election had been made on the Issue Date, (4) such election shall not have the effect of rendering invalid any Incurrence of a Lien incurred prior to the date of such election pursuant to Section 4.04 (or any other action conditioned on the Company’s meeting a Consolidated Secured Leverage Ratio) if such Incurrence or other action was valid under this Indenture on the date made, incurred or taken, as the case may be, (5) all accounting terms and references in this Indenture to accounting standards shall be deemed to be references to the most comparable terms or standards under IFRS and (6) in no event, regardless of the principles of IFRS in effect on the date of such election, shall any liabilities attributable to an operating lease be treated as Indebtedness nor shall any expenses attributable to payments made under an operating lease be treated, in whole or in part, as interest expense; provided that such payments under an operating lease shall be treated as an operating expense in computing Consolidated Net Income.  The Company shall give notice of any such election made in accordance with this definition to the Trustee and the Holders of Notes promptly after having made such election (and in any event, within 15 days thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, solely making an election (without any other action) referred to in this definition will not be treated as an Incurrence of a Lien.


 


“Guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:


 


(1)               to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or


 


(2)                entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part);



7







provided, however, that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.


 


“Guarantor” means each Subsidiary Guarantor.


 


“Hedging Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person under:


 


(1)                currency exchange or interest rate swap agreements, currency exchange or interest rate cap agreements or currency exchange or interest rate collar agreements; or


 


(2)                other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency exchange or interest rate prices.


 


“Holder” or “Noteholder” means the Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Registrar’s books.


 


“Incur” means issue, assume, Guarantee, incur or otherwise become liable for; provided, however, that any Indebtedness of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) shall be deemed to be Incurred by such Person at the time it becomes a Subsidiary. The term “Incurrence” when used as a noun shall have a correlative meaning. Solely for purposes of determining compliance with Section 4.04:


 


(1)                amortization of debt discount or the accretion of principal with respect to a non-interest bearing or other discount security;


 


(2)               the payment of regularly scheduled interest in the form of additional Indebtedness of the same instrument or the payment of regularly scheduled dividends on Capital Stock in the form of additional Capital Stock of the same class and with the same terms; and


 


(3)                the obligation to pay a premium in respect of Indebtedness arising in connection with the issuance of a notice of redemption or making of a mandatory offer to purchase such Indebtedness,


 


will not be deemed to be the Incurrence of Indebtedness or a Lien.


 


“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, the principal in respect of (A) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (B) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable, including, in each case, any premium on such indebtedness to the extent such premium has become due and payable.


 





Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with the purchase by the Company or any Subsidiary of any business, the term “Indebtedness” will exclude post-closing payment adjustments to which the seller may become entitled to the extent such payment is determined by a final closing balance sheet or such payment depends on the performance of such business after



8







the closing; provided, however, that, at the time of closing, the amount of any such payment is not determinable and, to the extent such payment thereafter becomes fixed and determined, the amount is paid within 30 days thereafter.


 


The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date shall be the outstanding balance at such date of all obligations as described above; provided, however, that in the case of Indebtedness sold at a discount, the amount of such Indebtedness at any time will be the accreted value thereof at such time.


 


“Indenture” means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.


 


“interest” means any interest payable on the Notes including Reporting Additional Interest.


 


“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than (i) in the case of Moody’s, Baa3 (or the equivalent), (ii) in the case of Standard & Poor’s, BBB- (or the equivalent) and (iii) in the case of any other Rating Agency, the equivalent rating by such Rating Agency to the ratings described in clauses (i) and (ii).


 


“Issue Date” means June 23, 2014.


 


“Legal Holiday” means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions or trust institutions are not required to be open in the State of New York.


 


“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien or charge of any kind (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or lease in the nature thereof).


 


“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor to its rating agency business.


 


 “Note Guarantees” means the Guarantees of the Subsidiary Guarantors pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, and “Note Guarantee” means any of them.


 


“Obligations” means, with respect to any Indebtedness, all obligations for principal, premium, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements and other amounts payable pursuant to the documentation governing such Indebtedness.


 


“Offering Memorandum” means the offering memorandum of the Company dated June 12, 2014 pursuant to which the Notes were offered to the Holders.


 


“Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Controller, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company.


 


“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by one Officer.


 


“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.



9







“Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person:


 


(1)                pledges or deposits by such Person under worker’s compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person or deposits of cash or United States government bonds to secure surety or appeal bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import duties or for the payment of rent, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;


 


(2)                Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or other Liens arising out of judgments or awards against such Person with respect to which such Person shall then be proceeding with an appeal or other proceedings for review and Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution; provided, however, that (A) such deposit account is not a dedicated cash collateral account and is not subject to restrictions against access by the Company in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board and (B) such deposit account is not intended by the Company or any Subsidiary to provide collateral to the depository institution;


 


(3)                Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges not yet subject to penalties for non-payment or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;


 


(4)                Liens in favor of issuers of surety bonds or letters of credit issued pursuant to the request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary course of its business; provided, however, that such letters of credit do not constitute Indebtedness;


 


(5)                survey exceptions, encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties which were not Incurred in connection with Indebtedness and which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;


 


(6)                Liens securing Indebtedness Incurred to finance the construction, purchase or lease of, or repairs, improvements or additions to, property, plant or equipment of such Person; provided, however, that the Lien may not extend to any other property owned by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries at the time the Lien is Incurred (other than assets and property affixed or appurtenant thereto), and the Indebtedness (other than any interest thereon) secured by the Lien may not be Incurred more than 270 days after the later of



10







the acquisition, completion of construction, repair, improvement, addition or commencement of full operation of the property subject to the Lien;


 


(7)                Liens on property of the Company or its Subsidiaries existing on the Issue Date;


 


(8)                Liens on property or shares of Capital Stock of another Person at the time such other Person becomes a Subsidiary of such Person; provided, however, that the Liens may not extend to any other property owned by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries (other than assets and property affixed or appurtenant thereto);


 


(9)                Liens on property at the time such Person or any of its Subsidiaries acquires the property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person; provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger or consolidation; provided, however, that the Liens may not extend to any other property owned by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries (other than assets and property affixed or appurtenant thereto);


 


(10)             Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations of a Subsidiary of such Person owing to such Person or a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of such Person;


 


(11)             Liens securing Hedging Obligations so long as such Hedging Obligations are permitted to be Incurred under this Indenture;


 


(12)             leases, licenses, subleases and sublicenses of assets (including, without limitation, real property and intellectual property rights) which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;


 


(13)             Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filing regarding operating leases entered into by the Company and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;


 


(14)             Liens in connection with advances, deposits, escrows and similar arrangements in the ordinary course of business;


 


(15)             Liens to secure any Refinancing (or successive Refinancings) as a whole, or in part, of any Indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in clauses (6), (7), (8), (9), (17) and (18); provided, however, that in the case of Liens to secure any Refinancing (or successive Refinancings) as a whole, or in part, of any Indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in clauses (6), (7), (8), (9), (17) and (18):


 


(A)               such new Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same property and assets that secured or, under the written agreements pursuant to which the original Lien arose, could secure the original Lien (plus improvements and accessions to, such property or proceeds or distributions thereof); and


 


(B)                the Indebtedness secured by such Lien at such time is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (i) the outstanding principal amount or, if



11







greater, committed amount of the Indebtedness described under clause (6), (7), (8) or (9) and (18) at the time the original Lien became a Permitted Lien and (ii) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums, related to such refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement;


 


(16)             any interest or title of a lessor under any Capital Lease Obligation;


 


(17)             Liens to secure Purchase Money Indebtedness, Attributable Debt and Capital Lease Obligations and Refinancing Indebtedness thereof, so long as (A) the principal amount thereof does not exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness being Refinanced plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon together with any reasonable fees, premiums (including tender premiums) and expenses relating to such Refinancing and (B) such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred by the same Person(s) as the Indebtedness being Refinanced; and


 


(18)             any other Lien not excepted by clauses (1) through (17) above, so long as, after giving effect thereto, the amount of Consolidated Secured Indebtedness does not exceed the greater of (a) $550.0 million and (b) an amount equal to the sum of (i) the amount that would cause the Consolidated Secured Leverage Ratio to exceed 2.75 to 1.00 for the relevant Reference Period at any one time outstanding, in each case, measured as of the date of Incurrence of such other Lien and (ii) $125.0 million.


 


For purposes of this definition, the term “Indebtedness” shall be deemed to include interest on such Indebtedness.


 


Further, for purposes of this definition, (i) in determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the securing of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based upon the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred; provided, however, that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to Refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such Refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such Refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the amount necessary to Refinance the principal amount of such Indebtedness being Refinanced and (ii) the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Company or any Subsidiary may secure shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies.


 


“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.


 


“Preferred Stock”, as applied to the Capital Stock of any Person, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends or distributions, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.



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“principal” of a Note means the principal of the Note plus the premium, if any, payable on the Note which is due or overdue or is to become due at the relevant time.


 


“Principal Property” means as of any date, any building structure or other facility together with the underlying land and its fixtures, used primarily for manufacturing, processing, extraction, warehousing, distribution or production and owned or leased or to be owned or leased by the Company or any Subsidiary, and in each case the net book value of which as of such date exceeds 2.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, measured as of the end of the most recent quarter for which financial statements are available, other than any such land, building, structure or other facility or portion thereof which, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, is not of material importance to the business conducted by the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise.


 


“Purchase Money Indebtedness” means Indebtedness:


 


(1)                consisting of the deferred purchase price of an asset, conditional sale obligations, obligations under any title retention agreement and other purchase money obligations, in each case where the maturity of such Indebtedness does not exceed the anticipated useful life of the asset being financed, and


 


(2)                Incurred to finance the acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary of such asset, including additions and improvements;


 


provided, however, that such Indebtedness is Incurred within 180 days after the acquisition by the Company or such Subsidiary of such asset.


 


“Rating Agency” means (1) each of Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s; and (2) if any of Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside the control of the Company, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as that term is used in Section 15E under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company as a replacement agency for Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s or any one or more of the foregoing, as the case may be.


 


“Ratings Decline Period” means the period that (i) begins on the earlier of (a) the date of the first public announcement of the occurrence of a Change of Control and (b) the occurrence of a Change of Control and (ii) ends 60 days following consummation of such Change of Control; provided that such period shall be extended for so long as the rating of the Notes, as noted by the applicable Rating Agency, is under publicly announced consideration for downgrade by the applicable Rating Agency.


 


“Ratings Event” means (i) a downgrade by one or more gradations (including gradations within ratings categories as well as between rating categories) or withdrawal of the rating of the Notes within the Ratings Decline Period by one or more Rating Agencies (unless the applicable Rating Agency shall have put forth a written statement to the effect that such downgrade or withdrawal is not attributable in whole or in part to the applicable Change of Control) and (ii) the Notes do not have an Investment Grade Rating from any Rating Agency.



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“Reference Period” as of any date of determination means the most recent four consecutive fiscal quarters ending prior to such date of determination for which financial  information is available.


 


“Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, purchase, redeem, defease or retire, or to issue other Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for, such Indebtedness. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.


 


“Responsible Officer” means, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.


 


“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Domestic Subsidiary (other than any receivables securitization entity).


 


“Sale/Leaseback Transaction” means an arrangement relating to Principal Property owned by the Company or a Subsidiary on the Issue Date or thereafter acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary whereby the Company or a Subsidiary transfers such Principal Property to a Person and the Company or a Subsidiary leases it from such Person.


 


“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.


 


“Secured Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary secured by a Lien.


 


“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


 


“Senior Indebtedness” means with respect to any Person:


 





(1)                Indebtedness of such Person, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred; and


 


(2)                all other Obligations of such Person (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to such Person whether or not post-filing interest is allowed in such proceeding) in respect of Indebtedness described in clause (1) above;


 


unless, in the case of clauses (1) and (2), in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, it is provided that such Indebtedness or other obligations are subordinate in right of payment to the Notes; provided, however, that Senior Indebtedness shall not include:


 



	 	
(a)

	
any obligation of such Person to the Company or any Subsidiary;








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(b)

	
any liability for Federal, state, local or other taxes owed or owing by such Person;







 



	 	
(c)

	
any accounts payable or other liability to trade creditors arising in the ordinary course of business;







 



	 	
(d)

	
any Indebtedness or other Obligation of such Person which is subordinate or junior in any respect to any other Indebtedness or other Obligation of such Person;







 



	 	
(e)

	
that portion of any Indebtedness which at the time of Incurrence is Incurred in violation of this Indenture; or







 



	 	
(f)

	
any Capital Stock.







 


“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “Significant Subsidiary” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC.


 


“Standard & Poor’s” means Standard & Poor’s, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business, and any successor to its rating agency business.


 


“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the final payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision (but excluding any provision providing for the repurchase of such security at the option of the holder thereof upon the happening of any contingency unless such contingency has occurred).


 


“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association, partnership or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Voting Stock is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by:





 


(1)                such Person;


 





(2)                such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; or


 


(3)                one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.


 


“Subsidiary Guarantee” means, individually, any Guarantee of payment of the Notes by a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to the terms of this Indenture and any supplemental indenture thereto, and, collectively, all such Guarantees. Each such Subsidiary Guarantee will be in the form prescribed by this Indenture.


 


“Subsidiary Guarantor” means the Subsidiaries of the Company who are party to this Indenture on the Issue Date and any other Subsidiary of the Company that later becomes a Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with this Indenture.



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“Trustee” means U.S. Bank National Association until a successor replaces it and, thereafter, means the successor.


 


“Uniform Commercial Code” means the New York Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time.


 


“U.S. Government Obligations” means direct obligations (or certificates representing an ownership interest in such obligations) of the United States of America (including any agency or instrumentality thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged and which are not callable at the issuer’s option.


 


“Voting Stock” of a Person means all classes of Capital Stock of such Person then outstanding and normally entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof.


 


“Wholly Owned Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary all the Capital Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) is owned by the Company or one or more other Wholly Owned Subsidiaries.





 


SECTION 1.02.  Other Definitions.


 


	
Term

	
Defined In Section


	 	
	
“Appendix”

	
2.01


	
“Authenticating Agent”

	
2.02


	
“Bankruptcy Code”

	
6.01


	
“Change of Control Offer”

	
4.03(b)


	
“Comparable Treasury Issue”

	
3.06(b)


	
“Comparable Treasury Price”

	
3.06(b)


	
“covenant defeasance option”

	
8.01(b)


	
“Custodian”

	
6.01


	
“Definitive Note”

	
Appendix


	
“DTC”

	
2.06(c)


	
“Event of Default”

	
6.01


	
“Excluded Subsidiary”

	
4.06


	
“Global Note”

	
Appendix











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“Indemnified Party”

	
7.07


	
“Independent Investment Banker”

	
3.06(b)


	
“Initial Lien”

	
4.04


	
“legal defeasance option”

	
8.01(b)


	
“Make Whole Redemption Price”

	
3.06(b)


	
“Notice of Default”

	
6.01


	
“Paying Agent”

	
2.03(a)


	
“Primary Treasury Dealer”

	
3.06(b)


	
“Protected Purchaser”

	
2.07


	
“Reference Treasury Dealer”

	
3.06(b)


	
“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations”

	
3.06(b)


	
“Registrar”

	
2.03(a)


	
“Reporting Additional Interest”

	
6.13


	
“Successor Company”

	
5.01(1)


	
“Treasury Rate”

	
3.06(b)










SECTION 1.03.  Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires:


 


(1)                a term has the meaning assigned to it;


 


(2)                an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;


 


(3)                “or” is not exclusive;


 


(4)                “including” means including without limitation;


 


(5)                words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular;


 


(6)                unsecured Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be subordinate or junior to secured Indebtedness merely by virtue of its nature as unsecured Indebtedness;



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(7)            Secured Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be subordinate or junior to any other Secured Indebtedness merely because it has a junior priority with respect to the same collateral;


 


(8)            the principal amount of any noninterest bearing or other discount security at any date shall be the principal amount thereof that would be shown on a balance sheet of the issuer dated such date prepared in accordance with GAAP;


 


(9)            the principal amount of any Preferred Stock shall be (A) the liquidation preference of such Preferred Stock or (B) the maximum mandatory redemption or mandatory repurchase price (not including any redemption or repurchase premium) with respect to such Preferred Stock, whichever is greater;


 


(10)            all references to the date the Notes were originally issued shall refer to the Issue Date; and


 


(11)            all use of the term “days” shall refer to calendar days unless otherwise specified.


 


ARTICLE 2







The Notes


 


SECTION 2.01.  Form and Dating. Provisions relating to the Notes are set forth in the Rule 144A/Regulation S/IAI Appendix attached hereto (the “Appendix”) which is hereby incorporated in, and expressly made part of, this Indenture. The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 1 to the Appendix which is hereby incorporated in, and expressly made a part of, this Indenture. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule, agreements to which the Company is subject, if any, or usage (provided that any such notation, legend or endorsement is in a form acceptable to the Company). Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The terms of the Notes set forth in the Appendix are part of the terms of this Indenture.


 


SECTION 2.02.  Execution and Authentication. One Officer shall sign the Notes for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.


 


If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note, the Note shall be valid nevertheless.


 


A Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Note. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.


 


On the Issue Date, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes and, at any time and from time to time thereafter, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Notes for original issue in an aggregate principal amount specified in such order, in each case upon a written order of the Company signed by one Officer



18







of the Company. Such order shall specify the amount of the Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the original issue of Notes is to be authenticated.


 


The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent (the “Authenticating Agent”) reasonably acceptable to the Company to authenticate the Notes. Any such appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument signed by a Responsible Officer, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Company. Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, the Authenticating Agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. The Authenticating Agent has the same rights as any Registrar, Paying Agent or agent for service of notices and demands.


 


The Trustee and the Authenticating Agent shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Notes under this Section 2.02 if the Trustee in good faith determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or if the Trustee in good faith determines that such action would expose the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent to personal liability, unless indemnity or security satisfactory to the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent, as applicable, against such liability is provided to the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent, as applicable.





 


SECTION 2.03.  Registrar and Paying Agent.


 


(a)          The Company shall maintain an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (the “Registrar”) and an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (the “Paying Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Company may have one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrars. The term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent.


 


(b)          The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Registrar, Paying Agent or co-registrar not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture that relate to such agent. The Company shall notify the Trustee of the name and address of any such agent. If the Company fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation therefor pursuant to Section 7.07. The Company or any Wholly Owned Subsidiary incorporated or organized within the United States of America may act as Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar or transfer agent.


 


(c)         The Company may remove any Registrar or Paying Agent upon written notice to such Registrar or Paying Agent and to the Trustee; provided, however, that no such removal shall become effective until (i) if applicable, acceptance of an appointment by a successor as evidenced by an appropriate agreement entered into by the Company and such successor Registrar or Paying Agent, as the case may be, and delivered to the Trustee or (ii) notification to the Trustee that the Trustee shall serve as Registrar or Paying Agent until the appointment of a successor in accordance with Section 2.03(c)(i). The Registrar or Paying Agent may resign at any time upon written notice to the Company and the Trustee; provided, however, that the Trustee may resign as Paying Agent or Registrar only if the Trustee also resigns as Trustee in accordance with Section 7.08.



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(d)         The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying Agent in connection with the Notes.


 


SECTION 2.04.  Paying Agent To Hold Money in Trust. Prior to each due date of the principal and interest on any Note, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal and interest when so becoming due. The Company shall require each Paying Agent (other than the Trustee) to agree in writing that the Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of Noteholders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes and shall notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. If the Company or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate the money held by it as Paying Agent and hold it as a separate trust fund. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed by the Paying Agent. Upon complying with this Section, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability for the money delivered to the Trustee.





 


SECTION 2.05.  Noteholder Lists. The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Noteholders. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish, or cause the Registrar to furnish, to the Trustee, in writing at least five Business Days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Noteholders.


 


SECTION 2.06.  Transfer and Exchange. (a) The Notes shall be issued in registered form and shall be transferable only upon the surrender of a Note for registration of transfer. When a Note is presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer, the Registrar shall register the transfer as requested if the requirements of this Indenture and Section 8-401(1) of the Uniform Commercial Code are met. When Notes are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Notes of other denominations, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if the same requirements are met. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to pay all taxes, assessments and other governmental charges in connection with any transfer or exchange pursuant to this Section. The Company shall not be required to make, and the Registrar need not register, transfers or exchanges of Notes selected for redemption (except, in the case of Notes to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed) or of any Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.


 


Prior to the due presentation of transfer of any Note, the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Registrar may deem and treat the person in whose name a Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for all purposes of receiving payment of principal of and interest, if any, on such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such security is overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee, a Paying Agent or the Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.


 


All securities issued upon any transfer or exchange pursuant to the terms of this Indenture shall evidence the same debt and shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Notes surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.



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(b)        Any Registrar appointed pursuant to Section 2.03 shall provide the Trustee such information as the Trustee may reasonably require in connection with the delivery by such Registrar of Notes upon transfer or exchange of Notes.


 


(c)        The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note between or among any member of, or participant in, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (or any other securities clearing agency that is registered as such under the Exchange Act and is designated by the Company to act as a depository for such Notes) or other beneficial owners of interests in any Global Note other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements thereof.


 


SECTION 2.07.  Replacement Notes. If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Registrar or if the Holder of a Note claims that the Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall, upon written order of the Company, authenticate a replacement Note if the requirements of Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code are met and the Holder (a) satisfies the Company or the Trustee within a reasonable time after such Holder has notice of such loss, destruction or wrongful taking and the Registrar does not register a transfer prior to receiving such notification, (b) makes such request to the Company or the Trustee prior to the Note being acquired by a protected purchaser as defined in Section 8-303 of the Uniform Commercial Code (a “Protected Purchaser”) and (c) satisfies any other reasonable requirements of the Trustee. If required by the Trustee or the Company, such Holder shall furnish an indemnity bond sufficient in the judgment of the Company and the Trustee to protect the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent, the Registrar and any co-registrar from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company and the Trustee may charge the Holder for their expenses in replacing a Note (including, attorneys’ fees and disbursements in replacing such security). In the event any such mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken Note has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may pay such Note instead of issuing a new Note in replacement thereof.


 


Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company.


 


SECTION 2.08.  Outstanding Notes. Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section as not outstanding. Subject to Section 11.05, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Note.


 


If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee and the Company receive proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Note is held by a Protected Purchaser.



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If the Paying Agent segregates and holds in trust, in accordance with this Indenture, on a redemption date or maturity date money sufficient to pay all principal and interest payable on that date with respect to the Notes (or portions thereof) to be redeemed or maturing, as the case may be, then on and after that date such Notes (or portions thereof) cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.





 


SECTION 2.09.  Temporary Notes. Until Definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and, upon written order of the Company, the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of Definitive Notes but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Notes. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate Definitive Notes and deliver them in exchange for temporary Notes at the office or agency of the Company.


 


SECTION 2.10.  Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee and no one else shall cancel and dispose of (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act) all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation in accordance with its customary procedures for the disposition of cancelled securities and deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company unless the Company directs the Trustee to deliver canceled Notes to the Company. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has redeemed, paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.


 


SECTION 2.11.  Defaulted Interest. If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes, the Company shall pay defaulted interest (plus interest on such defaulted interest to the extent lawful) in any lawful manner. The Company may pay the defaulted interest to the persons who are Noteholders on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix or cause to be fixed any such special record date and payment date to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee and shall promptly mail to each Noteholder a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest to be paid.


 


SECTION 2.12.  CUSIP Numbers, ISINs, etc. The Company in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” numbers, ISINs and “Common Code” numbers (in each case if then generally in use) and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers, ISINs and “Common Code” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided, however, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly advise the Trustee in writing of any change in any “CUSIP” numbers, ISINs or “Common Code” numbers applicable to the Notes.


 


SECTION 2.13.  Issuance of Additional Notes. After the Issue Date, the Company shall be entitled to issue Additional Notes under this Indenture, which Notes shall have identical terms as the Notes issued on the Issue Date, other than with respect to the date of issuance and



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issue price. All the Notes issued under this Indenture shall be treated as a single class for all purposes of this Indenture including waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase.


 


With respect to any Additional Notes, the Company shall set forth in a resolution of the Board of Directors and an Officer’s Certificate, a copy of each which shall be delivered to the Trustee, the following information:


 


(1)                the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Notes to be authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture that the Company is relying on to issue such Additional Notes; and


 


(2)                the issue price, the issue date and the “CUSIP” number of such Additional Notes.


 


ARTICLE 3







Redemption


 


SECTION 3.01.  Notice to the Trustee.  (a) If the Issuer elects or is required to redeem Notes pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, it must furnish to the Trustee, at least 30 days but not more than 75 days before a redemption date, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth:


 


(1)                the clause of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur;


 


(2)                the redemption date;


 


(3)                the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed; and


 


(4)                the redemption price.


 


(b)                Any optional redemption referenced in such Officer’s Certificate may be cancelled by the Issuer at any time prior to notice of redemption being sent to any Holder and thereafter shall be null and void.


 


SECTION 3.02.  Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed.  If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed pursuant to Sections 3.06, the Trustee shall select the Notes for redemption in compliance with the requirements of the principal securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed, as certified to the Trustee by the Issuer, and in compliance with the requirements of DTC, or if the Notes are not so listed or such exchange prescribes no method of selection and the Notes are not held through DTC, or DTC prescribes no method of selection, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by using any other method that it deems fair and appropriate. The Trustee shall make the selection from outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Notes that have denominations larger than $2,000. Notes and portions of them the Trustee selects shall be in principal amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of the Notes or portions of Notes to be redeemed



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SECTION 3.03.  Notice of Redemption. At least 15 days but not more than 60 days before a date for redemption of Notes, the Company shall mail or cause to be mailed a notice of redemption by first-class mail or to be delivered in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC to each Holder of Notes (with a copy of such notice to the Trustee) to be redeemed at such Holder’s registered address.


 


The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and shall state:


 


(1)                the redemption date;


 


(2)                the redemption price;


 


(3)                the name and address of the Paying Agent;


 


(4)                that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price, plus accrued interest;


 


(5)                if fewer than all the outstanding Notes are to be redeemed, the certificate numbers and principal amounts of the particular Notes to be redeemed;


 


(6)                that, unless the Company defaults in making such redemption payment, interest on Notes (or portion thereof) called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;





 


(7)                the “CUSIP” number, ISIN or “Common Code” number, if any, printed on the Notes being redeemed; and


 


(8)                that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the “CUSIP” number, ISIN, or “Common Code” number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.


 


At the Company’s request, delivered at least 15 days before the date such notice is to be given to the Holder (unless a shorter period shall be acceptable to the Trustee), the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at the Company’s expense. In such event, the Company shall provide the Trustee with the information required by this Section, which the Trustee shall be entitled to rely upon.


 


Notice of any redemption may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of an equity offering, debt offering or other financing or Change of Control. In addition, if such redemption is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice of redemption shall describe each such condition, and if applicable, shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied (or waived by us in our sole discretion), or that such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied (or waived by us in our sole discretion) by the redemption date as stated in such notice, or by the redemption



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date as so delayed. The Company may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of our obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person.


 


SECTION 3.04.  Effect of Notice of Redemption. Once notice of redemption is mailed or delivered in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC, Notes called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price stated in the notice. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Notes shall be paid at the redemption price stated in the notice, plus accrued interest to the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the related interest payment date), and such Notes shall be canceled by the Trustee. Failure to give notice or any defect in the notice to any Holder shall not affect the validity of the notice to any other Holder.


 


SECTION 3.05.  Deposit of Redemption Price. Prior to the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent (or, if the Company or a Wholly Owned Subsidiary is the Paying Agent, shall segregate and hold in trust) money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest on all Notes to be redeemed on that date other than Notes or portions of Notes called for redemption which have been delivered by the Company to the Trustee for cancellation.


 


SECTION 3.06.  Notes Redeemed in Part. Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed in part, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder (at the Company’s expense) a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered.


 


SECTION 3.07.  Optional Redemption.


 


(a)         The Company, at its option, may redeem all, or from time to time, any part of the Notes on not less than 15 days nor more than 60 days’ notice as provided in paragraph 6 of the Notes (except that, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.02 of this Indenture, any notice of redemption for the Notes given pursuant to this Section need not set forth the redemption price but only the manner of calculation thereof) at a redemption price (“Make Whole Redemption Price”) equal to the greater of the following amounts:





 


(1)                100% of the principal amount of the Notes then outstanding to be so redeemed; and


 


(2)                the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes to be redeemed on that redemption date (not including any portion of payments of interest accrued to the redemption date), discounted to the applicable redemption date on a semi-annual basis at a rate equal to the sum of the Treasury Rate plus 0.50%,


 


plus, in each of the above clauses (b)(1) and (b)(2), accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the principal amount being redeemed to, but excluding, the applicable redemption date.


 


The Make Whole Redemption Price for the Notes will be calculated by the Independent Investment Banker assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.  For purposes



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of calculating the Make Whole Redemption Price pursuant to the foregoing optional redemption provisions, the following terms will have the meanings set forth below:


 


“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security or securities selected by the Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes (as measured from the date of redemption) that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes.


 


“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date:


 


(1)               the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for that redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations;


 


(2)                if the Company obtains fewer than four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations so received; or


 


(3)                if only one Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation is received, such quotation.


 


“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers selected by the Company.


 


“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of four primary U.S. Government securities dealers in New York City (each a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), consisting of (i) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (or its affiliate), and (ii) three other nationally recognized investment banking firms (or their affiliates) that the Company selects in connection with the particular redemption, and their respective successors, provided that if any of them ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will substitute another nationally recognized investment banking firm (or its affiliate) that is a Primary Treasury Dealer.


 


“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding that redemption date.


 


“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated on the third Business Day preceding the applicable redemption date, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for that redemption date.


 


(b)         In addition, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part from time to time, at its option, on or after May 15, 2024 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the



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aggregate principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.


 


(c)         Any redemption pursuant to this Section 3.06 shall be made in a manner consistent with the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.05 hereof to the extent applicable.


 


Unless the Company defaults in the payment of the applicable redemption price, on and after the applicable redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions of the Notes called for redemption.


 


If the optional redemption date is after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, the accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will be paid to the Person in whose name the Note is registered at the close of business, on such record date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders whose Notes are subject to redemption by the Company.


 


ARTICLE 4







Covenants


 


SECTION 4.01.  Payment of Notes. The Company shall promptly pay the principal of and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and in this Indenture. Principal and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee or the Paying Agent holds in accordance with this Indenture money sufficient to pay all principal and interest then due.


 


SECTION 4.02.  SEC Reports.


 


(a)          So long as any Notes are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Trustee:


 


(1)                within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, annual reports of the Company containing substantially all of the information that would have been required to be contained in an Annual Report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act if the Company had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act (but only to the extent similar information was included in the Offering Memorandum), including (A) “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and (B) audited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, or to the extent the Company is a reporting Company, the Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed under the Exchange Act;


 


(2)                within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, quarterly reports of the Company containing substantially all of the information that would have been required to be contained in a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act if the Company had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act (but only to the extent similar information was provided in the Offering Memorandum), including (A) “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and (B) unaudited quarterly financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and reviewed pursuant to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100 (or any successor provision), or to the extent the Company is a



27







reporting Company, the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as filed under the Exchange Act; and


 


(3)                within five Business Days after the occurrence of each event that would have been required to be reported in a Current Report on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act if the Company had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act, current reports containing substantially all of the information that would have been required to be contained in a Current Report on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act if the Company had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that no such current report will be required to be furnished if the Company determines in its good faith judgment that such event is not material to Holders or the business, assets, operations, financial positions or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;


 


provided, however, that such reports (A) will not be required to comply with Section 302 or Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or related Items 307 and 308 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC, or Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K (with respect to any non-GAAP financial measures contained therein) and (B) will not be required to contain the separate financial information for Guarantors contemplated by Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC. The availability of the foregoing materials on the SEC’s EDGAR service shall be deemed to satisfy the delivery obligation of the Company.


 


(b)         So long as any Notes are outstanding, the Company will also maintain a public website to which all of the reports required by Section 4.02(a) are posted.


 


In addition, the Company shall furnish to Holders, prospective investors approved by the Company, broker-dealers approved by the Company and securities analysts, upon their request, any information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act so long as the Notes are not freely transferable under the Securities Act. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).





 


SECTION 4.03.  Change of Control.


 


(a)          Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, each Holder shall have the right to require that the Company repurchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the date of purchase plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest, if any, due on the relevant interest payment date), in accordance with the terms contemplated in Section 4.03(b).


 


(b)          Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company shall mail or otherwise deliver in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC a notice to each Holder with a copy to the Trustee (the “Change of Control Offer”) stating:



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(1)                that a Change of Control Triggering Event has occurred and that such Holder has the right to require the Company to purchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the date of purchase, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest on the relevant interest payment date);


 


(2)                the circumstances and relevant facts regarding such Change of Control Triggering Event (including information with respect to pro forma historical income, cash flow and capitalization, in each case after giving effect to such Change of Control);


 


(3)                the purchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed); and


 


(4)                the instructions, as determined by the Company, consistent with this Indenture and this Section 4.03, that a Holder must follow in order to have its Notes repurchased.





 


(c)          Holders electing to have a Note repurchased under this Section 4.03 will be required to surrender the Note, with an appropriate form duly completed, to the Company at the address specified in the notice at least three Business Days prior to the purchase date. Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Trustee or the Company receives not later than one Business Day prior to the purchase date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note which was delivered for purchase by the Holder and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased.


 


(d)         On the purchase date, all Notes purchased by the Company under this Section 4.03 shall be delivered by the Company to the Trustee for cancellation, and in accordance with Section 4.03(a), the Company shall pay the purchase price plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the Holders entitled thereto.


 


(e)          Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.03, the Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control Triggering Event if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Section 4.03 applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.


 


(f)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control Triggering Event, conditional upon such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the  Change of Control at the time of making of the Change of Control Offer.


 


(g)         The Company shall comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the



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provisions of this Section 4.03, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.03 by virtue of its compliance with such securities laws or regulations.


 


SECTION 4.04.  Limitation on Liens. The Company shall not, not shall it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, Incur any Lien (the “Initial Lien”) of any nature whatsoever on any Principal Property or on the capital stock of any Subsidiary, whether owned at the Issue Date or thereafter acquired, securing any Indebtedness, other than Permitted Liens, without effectively providing that the Notes shall be secured equally and ratably with (or prior to) the obligations so secured for so long as such obligations are so secured. Any Lien created for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes pursuant to the preceding sentence shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the Initial Lien.


 


SECTION 4.05.  Limitation on Sale/Leaseback Transactions.


 


(a)         The Company shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement with any other Person pursuant to which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries leases any Principal Property that has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary to such other Person (a “Sale/Leaseback Transaction”), except that a Sale/Leaseback Transaction is permitted if the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would be entitled to incur Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the Principal Property to be leased, without equally and ratably securing the Notes, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Attributable Debt with respect to such Sale/Leaseback Transaction.


 


(b)        The following Sale/Leaseback Transactions are not subject to the limitation above and the provisions described in Section 4.05(a) above:


 


(1)                temporary leases for a term, including renewals at the option of the lessee, of not more than three years;


 


(2)                leases between only the Company and a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or only between Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company;


 


(3)                leases where the proceeds from the sale of the subject property are at least equal to the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Company) of the subject property and the Company applies an amount equal to the net proceeds of the sale to the retirement of long term Indebtedness or the purchase, construction, development, expansion or improvement of other property or equipment used or useful in its business whether through the direct purchase of assets or the Capital Stock of any Person owning such assets, within 270 days of the effective date of such sale; provided that in lieu of applying such amount to the retirement of long-term Indebtedness, the Company may deliver notes or other debt securities to the trustee for cancellation; and


 


(4)                leases of property executed by the time of, or within 270 days after the latest of, the acquisition, the completion of construction, development, expansion or improvement, or the commencement of commercial operation, of the subject property.



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SECTION 4.06.  Additional Subsidiary Guarantees   .   If the Company or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors acquires or creates another Domestic Subsidiary after the Issue Date (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) and such newly acquired or created Domestic Subsidiary guarantees (or is a guarantor of) any other Indebtedness of the Company, then that newly acquired or created Domestic Subsidiary will become a Subsidiary Guarantor and execute a supplemental indenture within 20 Business Days of the date on which it was acquired or created or such later date on which it guarantees (or is a guarantor of) such other Indebtedness of the Company. “Excluded Subsidiary” shall mean Wolf Trax USA Inc. and Wolf Trax Holdings Inc. for so long as they hold no material assets and incur no Indebtedness (other than the existing guarantee of the Credit Agreement dated as of November 28, 2001, as amended and restated from time to time, among the Company, Sifto Canada Corp., Salt Union Limited, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent.


 


SECTION 4.07.  Compliance Certificate. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company an Officer’s Certificate stating that in the course of the performance by the signers of their duties as Officer of the Company they would normally have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default and whether or not the signer knows of any Default or Event of Default that occurred during such period. If they do, the certificate shall describe the Default or Event of Default, its status and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.


 


The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, as soon as possible and in any event within thirty days after the Company becomes aware of the occurrence of any Event of Default or an event which, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the details of such Event of Default or default and the action which the Company proposes to take with respect thereto.





 


SECTION 4.08.  Further Instruments and Acts. Upon request of the Trustee, or as otherwise necessary, the Company shall execute and deliver such further instruments and do such further acts as may be reasonably necessary or proper to carry out more effectively the purpose of this Indenture.





 


ARTICLE 5







Successor Company


 


SECTION 5.01.  When Company May Merge or Transfer Assets. The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer, lease, assign or otherwise dispose of, in one transaction or a series of transactions, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all its assets to, any Person, unless:


 


(1)                the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Company”) shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia and the Successor Company (if not the Company) shall expressly assume, by agreements, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture;



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(2)                immediately after giving pro forma effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Successor Company or any Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by such Successor Company or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and


 


(3)                the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Indenture.


 


In addition, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, lease all or substantially all of the properties and assets of it and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to any other Person.


 


This Section 5.01 will not apply to a merger, consolidation, sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of assets between or among the Company and its Subsidiaries.


 


For purposes of this Section 5.01, the sale, lease, conveyance, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company, which properties and assets, if held by the Company instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company.


 


The Successor Company shall be the successor to the Company and shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture, and the predecessor Company, except in the case of a lease, shall be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes.


 


ARTICLE 6







Defaults and Remedies


 


SECTION 6.01.  Events of Default. Each of the following is an “Event of Default”:


 





(1)                a default in any payment of interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, and such default continues for a period of 30 days;


 


(2)                (A) a default in the payment of the principal of any Note when the same becomes due and payable at its Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise, or (B) the failure by the Company to purchase Notes when required pursuant to this Indenture or the Notes;


 


(3)                the failure by the Company to comply with Section 5.01;



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(4)                the failure by the Company to comply with Section 4.02, 4.03 or 4.04 (other than a failure to purchase Notes when required under Section 4.03) and such failure continues for 30 days after the notice specified in the second to last paragraph of this Section 6.01 below;


 


(5)                the failure by the Company to comply with any of its agreements contained in the Notes or this Indenture (other than those referred to in clause (1), (2), (3) or (4) above (or a failure to give notice described in clause (4) above)) and such failure continues for 90 days after the notice specified in the second to last paragraph of this Section 6.01 below;


 


(6)                Indebtedness of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary (other than with respect to the Notes) is not paid within any applicable grace period after final maturity or is accelerated by the holders thereof because of a default and the total amount of such Indebtedness unpaid or accelerated exceeds $40.0 million, or its foreign currency equivalent at the time;


 


(7)                the Company or any Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Code:


 


(A)               commences a voluntary case;


 


(B)                consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case;


 


(C)                consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for any substantial part of its property; or


 


(D)                makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;


 


or takes any comparable action under any foreign laws relating to insolvency;


 


(8)                a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Code that:


 


(A)               is for relief against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case;


 


(B)                appoints a Custodian of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or for any substantial part of its property; or


 


(C)                orders the winding up or liquidation of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary;


 


or any similar relief is granted under any foreign laws and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days;



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(9)                any final, nonappealable judgment or decree for the payment of money which, when taken together with all other final, nonappealable judgments or decrees for the payment of money, causes the aggregate amount of such judgments or decrees entered against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary to exceed $40.0 million (net of any amounts with respect to which an insurance company has acknowledged liability in writing), remains outstanding for a period of 60 consecutive days following such judgment and is not discharged, waived or stayed; or


 


(10)             any Subsidiary Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary or the Guarantee of a group of Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of this Indenture) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, denies or disaffirms its obligations under this Indenture or its Subsidiary Guarantee.


 


The foregoing will constitute Events of Default whatever the reason for any such Event of Default and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body.


 


The term “Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11, United States Code, or any similar Federal or state law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, custodian or similar official under any Bankruptcy Code.


 


A Default under clauses (4) or (5) is not an Event of Default until the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes notify the Company of the Default and the Company does not cure such Default within the time specified after receipt of such notice. Such notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that such notice is a “Notice of Default”.


 


The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days after the occurrence thereof, written notice in the form of an Officer’s Certificate of any Event of Default under clause (6) and any event which with the giving of notice or the lapse of time would become an Event of Default under clause (4), (5) or (9), its status and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.


 


SECTION 6.02.  Acceleration. If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(7) or (8) with respect to the Company) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by written notice to the Company, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may declare the principal of and accrued but unpaid interest on all the Notes to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such principal and interest shall be due and payable immediately. In the event of a declaration of acceleration of the Notes because an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(6) with respect to other Indebtedness has occurred and is



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continuing, the declaration of acceleration of the Notes shall be automatically annulled if the Event of Default or payment default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(6) shall be remedied or cured by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company or waived by the holders of the relevant Indebtedness within 20 days after the declaration of acceleration with respect thereto and if (1) the annulment of the acceleration of the Notes would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction, and (2) all existing Defaults or Events of Default, except nonpayment of principal, premium or interest on the Notes that became due solely because of the acceleration of the Notes, have been cured or waived. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(7) or (8) with respect to the Company occurs, the principal of and interest on all the Notes shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Noteholders. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes by written notice to the Trustee may rescind an acceleration and its consequences if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree and if all existing Events of Default have been cured or waived except nonpayment of principal or interest that has become due solely because of acceleration. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereto.


 


SECTION 6.03.  Other Remedies. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture.


 


The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Noteholder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy. All available remedies are cumulative.


 


SECTION 6.04.  Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes by written notice to the Trustee may waive an existing Default and its consequences except (a) a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on a Note, (b) a Default arising from the failure to redeem or purchase any Note when required pursuant to this Indenture or (c) a Default in respect of a provision that under Section 9.02 cannot be amended without the consent of each Noteholder affected. When a Default is waived, it is deemed cured, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any consequent right.


 


SECTION 6.05.  Control by Majority. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture or, subject to Section 7.01, that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Noteholders or would involve the Trustee in personal liability; provided, however, that the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction. Prior to taking any action hereunder, the Trustee shall be entitled to indemnification satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against all losses and expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.



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SECTION 6.06.  Limitation on Suits. Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium (if any) or interest when due, no Noteholder may pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:


 


(1)                the Holder delivers to the Trustee written notice stating that an Event of Default is continuing;


 


(2)                the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;


 


(3)                such Holder or Holders offer to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense;


 


(4)                the Trustee does not comply with the request within 60 days after receipt of the request and the Trustee has received an offer of security or indemnity; and


 


(5)                the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the request thereof during such 60-day period.


 


A Noteholder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Noteholder or to obtain a preference or priority over another Noteholder (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are unduly prejudicial to such Noteholders). In the event that the Definitive Notes are not issued to any beneficial owner promptly after the Registrar has received a request from the Holder of a Global Note to issue such Definitive Notes to such beneficial owner of its nominee, the Company expressly agrees and acknowledges, with respect to the right of any Holder to pursue a remedy pursuant to this Indenture, the right of such beneficial holder of Notes to pursue such remedy with respect to the portion of the Global Note that represents such beneficial holder’s Notes as if such Definitive Notes had been issued.


 


SECTION 6.07.  Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of and interest on the Notes held by such Holder, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Notes, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.


 


SECTION 6.08.  Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(1) or (2) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company for the whole amount then due and owing (together with interest on any unpaid interest to the extent lawful) and the amounts provided for in Section 7.07.


 


SECTION 6.09.  Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee and the Noteholders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company, its creditors or its property and, unless prohibited by law or applicable regulations, may vote on behalf of the Holders in any election of a trustee in bankruptcy or other Person performing similar functions, and any Custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby



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authorized by each Holder to make payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent in writing to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and its counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07.


 


SECTION 6.10.  Priorities. If the Trustee collects any money or property pursuant to this Article 6, it shall pay out the money or property in the following order:


 


FIRST: to the Trustee for amounts due under Section 7.07;


 


SECOND: to Noteholders for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal and interest, respectively; and


 


THIRD: to the Company.


 


The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Noteholders pursuant to this Section. At least 15 days before such record date, the Company shall mail to each Noteholder and the Trustee a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid.


 


SECTION 6.11.  Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant (other than the Trustee) in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.07 or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes.


 


SECTION 6.12.  Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws. The Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) shall 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 Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and shall not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.


 


SECTION 6.13.  Sole Remedy for Failure to Report. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the sole remedy for an Event of Default relating to the failure of the Company to comply with its agreements under Section 4.02(a) of this Indenture will for the 180 calendar days after the occurrence of such an Event of Default consist exclusively of the right to receive additional interest (“Reporting Additional Interest”) on the principal amount of the Notes at a rate equal to 0.50% per annum. This Reporting Additional Interest will be payable in the same manner and on the same interest payment dates and subject to the same terms as other



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interest payable under this Indenture. Reporting Additional Interest will accrue on all outstanding Notes from and including the date on which such Event of Default relating to a failure to comply with Section 4.02(a) first occurs to but not including the 180th calendar day thereafter (or such earlier date on which the Event of Default relating to a failure to comply with Section 4.02(a) shall have been cured or waived). On such 180th calendar day (or such earlier date on which the Event of Default relating to a failure to comply with Section 4.02(a) shall have been cured or waived), such Reporting Additional Interest will cease to accrue and on such 180th calendar day the Notes will be subject to acceleration and other remedies as provided in this Article 6 if the Event of Default is continuing. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Section 6.13 will not affect the rights of Holders in the event of the occurrence of any other Event of Default. For the further avoidance of doubt, the Reporting Additional Interest shall not begin accruing until the Company fails to comply with Section 4.02(a) for a period of 60 calendar days after written notice of such failure is given to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes.







ARTICLE 7







Trustee


 


SECTION 7.01.  Duties of Trustee.


 


(a)          If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise of those rights and powers as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such Person’s own affairs.


 


(b)          Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:


 


(1)                the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and


 


(2)                in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture. However, the Trustee shall examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).


 


(c)          The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:


 


(1)               this paragraph (c) does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section;



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(2)               the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and


 


(3)                the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05.


 


(d)         Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.


 


(e)          The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company.


 


(f)           Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.


 


(g)         The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power or extend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability unless it receives indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense which might be incurred by it.


 


(h)          Every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section, and the provisions of this Article 7 shall apply to the Trustee in its role as Registrar, Paying Agent and Custodian.


 


SECTION 7.02.  Rights of Trustee.


 


(a)          The Trustee may conclusively rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.


 


(b)          Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on the Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.


 


(c)         The Trustee may act directly or indirectly through agents or attorneys and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent or attorney appointed with due care.


 


(d)         The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers; provided, however, that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct or negligence.



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(e)         The Trustee may consult with counsel, and the advice or opinion of counsel with respect to legal matters relating to this Indenture and the Notes shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.


 


(f)           Any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution.


 


(g)          The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.


 


(h)          The Trustee 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 Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.


 


(i)            In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.


 


(j)            The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture.


 


(k)          The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;


 


(l)           The Trustee shall not be required to give a note, bond or surety in respect of the trusts and powers under this Indenture.


 


(m)        The permissive rights of the Trustee to do things enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty unless so specified herein.



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(n)         The Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture; and


 


(o)         Neither the Trustee in its individual capacity, nor any of its owners, beneficiaries, agents, officers, directors, employees, affiliates, successors or assigns will, in the absence of an express agreement to the contrary, be personally liable for the payment of any amounts required to be paid under the Notes or for the agreements of the Company contained herein.


 


SECTION 7.03.  Individual Rights of Trustee. The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar or co-paying agent may do the same with like rights. However, the Trustee must comply with Section 7.10.


 


SECTION 7.04.  Trustee’s Disclaimer. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use or application of the proceeds from the Notes, and it shall not be responsible for any statement of the Company in this Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the sale of the Notes or in the Notes other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication or the determination as to which beneficial owners are entitled to receive any notices hereunder.


 


SECTION 7.05.  Notice of Defaults. If a Default occurs, is continuing and is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Noteholder notice of the Default within 90 days after it is known to the Trustee, unless such Default has been cured or waived before the giving of such notice. Except in the case of a Default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Note (including payments pursuant to the mandatory redemption provisions of such Note, if any), the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is not opposed to the interest of the Noteholder.


 


SECTION 7.06.  [Reserved].


 


SECTION 7.07.  Compensation and Indemnity. The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by it, including costs of collection, in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee’s agents, counsel, accountants and experts.



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The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Trustee, the respective affiliates of the Trustee, any predecessor Trustee, and the respective officers, directors, employees, agents (including, without limitation each of their counsel), and controlling persons of the Trustee, and each such affiliate (each, an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all claims, actions and suits whether groundless or otherwise, and from and against any and all liabilities, losses, damages and costs and expenses (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel and with respect to the Trustee, reasonably allocated costs and expenses of in-house counsel and legal staff) of every nature and character arising out of or in connection with any actual or threatened claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby (other than any such actions or expenses resulting, as determined by a final order of a court of competent jurisdiction, from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Indemnified Party seeking indemnification hereunder), in each case including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel and allocated costs of in-house counsel and legal staff incurred in connection with any such claim investigation, litigation or other proceeding whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto, and the Company agrees to reimburse each Indemnified Party, upon demand, for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel and with respect to the Trustee, reasonably allocated costs and expenses of in-house counsel and legal staff) incurred in connection with any of the foregoing.  In litigation, or the preparation therefor, the Indemnified Parties shall each be entitled to select their own counsel and, in addition to the foregoing indemnity, the Company agrees to pay promptly the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel.  If, and to the extent that the obligations of the Company under this Section 7.07 are unenforceable for any reason, the Company hereby agrees to make the maximum contribution to the payment in satisfaction of such obligations which is permissible under applicable law.


 


The Company shall not make any claim against any Indemnified Party for any special, indirect or consequential damages in respect of any breach or wrongful conduct (whether the claim therefor is based in contract, tort or duty imposed by law) in connection herewith, arising out of or in any way related to the transactions contemplated hereby, or any act, omission or event occurring in connection herewith, and hereby waives, releases and agrees not to sue upon any such claim for any such damages, whether or not accrued and whether or not known or suspected to exist in the Company's favor.


 


The covenants contained in this Section 7.07 shall survive payment or satisfaction in full of all other of the Obligations under this Indenture.


 


To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee other than money or property held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Notes.


 


The Company’s payment obligations pursuant to this Section shall survive the discharge of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee. When the Trustee incurs expenses after the occurrence of a Default specified in Section 6.01(7) or (8) with respect to the Company, the expenses, including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel, are intended to constitute expenses of administration under the Bankruptcy Code.



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SECTION 7.08.  Replacement of Trustee. The Trustee may resign at any time by so notifying the Company, the Paying Agent (if other than the Trustee) and the Holders. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Trustee and the Company in writing and may appoint a successor Trustee. The Company shall remove the Trustee if:


 


(1)                the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;


 


(2)                the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent;


 


(3)                a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or


 


(4)                the Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.


 


No resignation or removal of the Trustee shall be effective until a successor Trustee has been appointed. The Company may appoint a temporary trustee until the appointment of such successor Trustee. If the Trustee resigns, is removed by the Company or by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes and such Holders do not reasonably promptly appoint a successor Trustee, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason (the Trustee in such event being referred to herein as the retiring Trustee), the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.


 


A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Noteholders. The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee upon the repayment of all the retiring Trustee’s fees and expenses then due and payable and, subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.07.


 


If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, at the Company’s expense, or the Holders of 10% in principal amount of the Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.


 


If the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10, any Noteholder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.


 


Notwithstanding the replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.


 


SECTION 7.09.  Successor Trustee by Merger. If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all its corporate trust business or assets to, another corporation or banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.



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In case at the time such successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor to the Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have.


 


SECTION 7.10.  Eligibility; Disqualification. The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.


 


SECTION 7.11.  Trustee’s Application for Instructions from the Company. Any application by the Trustee for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Trustee, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Trustee under this Indenture and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Trustee in accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than three Business Days after the date any officer of the Company actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to any earlier date) unless prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Trustee shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.


 


SECTION 7.12.  Trustee in Other Capacities; Registrar and Paying Agent.  References to the Trustee in Sections 7.01, 7.02, 7.03, 7.04, 7.05, 7.06, 7.07, 7.08 and 7.10 shall be understood to include the Trustee when acting in its other capacities under this Indenture, including as Paying Agent, Registrar and Custodian.  The privileges, rights, indemnities, immunities and exculpatory provisions contained in this Indenture shall apply to the Trustee, whether it is acting under this Indenture or the other documents executed in connection herewith.


 


ARTICLE 8







Discharge of Indenture; Defeasance


 


SECTION 8.01.  Discharge of Liability on Notes; Defeasance.


 


(a)         When (1) the Company delivers to the Trustee all outstanding Notes (other than Notes replaced pursuant to Section 2.07) for cancellation or (2) all outstanding Notes have become due and payable, or will become due and payable within one year, in either case, whether at maturity or on a redemption date as a result of the mailing or delivery in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC of a notice of redemption pursuant to Article 3 hereof or otherwise and the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor irrevocably deposits with the Trustee funds or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption all outstanding Notes, including interest thereon to maturity or such redemption date (other than



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Notes replaced pursuant to Section 2.07), and if in either case the Company pays all other sums payable hereunder by the Company, then this Indenture shall, subject to Section 8.01(c), cease to be of further effect with respect to all the outstanding Notes. The Trustee shall join in the execution of a document prepared by the Company acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture on demand of the Company accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel and at the cost and expense of the Company.


 


(b)         Subject to Sections 8.01(c) and 8.02, the Company at any time may terminate (1) all its obligations under the Notes and this Indenture (“legal defeasance option”) or (2) its obligations under Sections 4.02, 4.03, 4.04 and 4.05 and the operation of Sections 6.01(4), 6.01(5), 6.01(6), 6.01(7), 6.01(8), 6.01(9) and 6.01(10) (but, in the case of Sections 6.01(7) and (8), with respect only to Significant Subsidiaries) (“covenant defeasance option”). The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option notwithstanding its prior exercise of its covenant defeasance option.


 


If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option, (i) payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default with respect thereto and (ii) the Note Guarantees in effect at such time of exercise will terminate.  If the Company exercises its covenant defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in Sections 6.01(4), 6.01(5), 6.01(6), 6.01(7), 6.01(8), 6.01(9) and 6.01(10) (but, in the case of Sections 6.01(7) and (8), with respect only to Significant Subsidiaries).


 


Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth herein and upon request of the Company, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of those obligations that the Company terminates.


 


(c)          Notwithstanding clauses (a) and (b) above, the Company’s obligations in Sections 2.03, 2.04, 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 2.08, 7.07 and 7.08 and in this Article 8 shall survive until the Notes have been paid in full. Thereafter, the Company’s obligations in Sections 7.07 and 8.05 shall survive.


 


SECTION 8.02.  Conditions to Defeasance. The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option only if:


 


(1)               the Company or a Guarantor irrevocably deposits in trust with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be;


 


(2)               the Company delivers to the Trustee a certificate from a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants expressing their opinion that the payments of principal and interest, when due and without reinvestment, on the deposited U.S. Government Obligations, plus any deposited money without investment, will provide cash at such times and in such amounts as will be sufficient to pay principal and interest when due on all the Notes to maturity or redemption, as the case may be;


 


(3)               123 days pass after the deposit is made and during the 123-day period no Default specified in Sections 6.01(7) or (8) with respect to the Company occurs which is continuing at the end of the period;



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(4)                the deposit does not constitute a default under any other agreement binding on the Company;


 


(5)                the Company delivers to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the trust resulting from the deposit does not constitute, or is qualified as, a regulated investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;


 


(6)                in the case of the legal defeasance option, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (B) since the date of this Indenture there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel of recognized standing that is independent of the Company shall confirm that the Noteholders and beneficial owners will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred;


 


(7)                 in the case of the covenant defeasance option, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel of recognized standing that is independent of the Company to the effect that the Noteholders and beneficial owners will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred;


 


(8)                the Company delivers to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel of recognized standing that is independent of the Company in the jurisdiction or organization of the Company (if other than the United States) to the effect that Holders and beneficial owners will not recognize income, gain or loss income tax purposes of such jurisdiction as a result of such deposit and defeasance, and will be subject to income tax of such jurisdiction on the same amounts, and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance, had not occurred; and


 


(9)                the Company delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance and discharge of the Notes as contemplated by this Article 8 have been complied with.


 


Before or after a deposit, the Company may make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of Notes at a future date in accordance with Article 3.


 


SECTION 8.03.  Application of Trust Money. Subject to Section 8.04, the Trustee shall hold in trust money or U.S. Government Obligations (including proceeds thereof) deposited with it pursuant to this Article 8. It shall apply the deposited money and the money from U.S. Government Obligations through the Paying Agent and in accordance with this Indenture to the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes.



46







SECTION 8.04.  Repayment to Company. Each of the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon written request any excess money, U.S. Government Obligations or securities held by them at any time.


 


Subject to any applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon written request any money held by them for the payment of principal or interest with respect to the Notes that remains unclaimed for two years, and, thereafter, Noteholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors, unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person and the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall have no further liability to the Holders with respect to such money for that period commencing after the return thereof.


 


SECTION 8.05.  Indemnity for Government Obligations. The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against deposited U.S. Government Obligations or the principal and interest received on such U.S. Government Obligations.


 


SECTION 8.06.  Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article 8 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture, and the Notes so discharged or defeased shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article 8 until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article 8; provided, however, that, if the Company has made any payment of interest on or principal of any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.


 


ARTICLE 9







Amendments


 


SECTION 9.01.  Without Consent of Holders. The Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees without notice to or consent of any Noteholder:


 


(1)                to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;


 


(2)                to comply with Article 5;


 


(3)               to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; provided, that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code;


 


(4)                to add Guarantees with respect to the Notes, including any Subsidiary Guarantees, or to secure the Notes;



47







(5)                to add to the covenants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for the benefit of the Holders or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;


 


(6)                to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Noteholder;


 


(7)                to release a Guarantor from its obligations under its Guarantee or this Indenture in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture;


 


(8)                to conform the text of this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees to any provision in the Offering Memorandum under the heading “Description of notes”; or


 


(9)               to make any amendment to the provisions of this Indenture relating to the transfer and legending of Notes; provided, however, that (a) compliance with this Indenture as so amended would not result in Notes being transferred in violation of the Securities Act or any other applicable securities law and (b) such amendment does not materially and adversely affect the rights of Holders to transfer Notes.


 


After an amendment under this Section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to Noteholders a notice briefly describing such amendment. The failure to give such notice to all Noteholders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment under this Section.


 


SECTION 9.02.  With Consent of Holders. The Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes) and any past default or compliance with any provisions may also be waived with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes). However, without the consent of each Noteholder affected thereby, an amendment or waiver may not, among other things:


 


(1)                 reduce the amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment;


 


(2)                reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any Note;


 


(3)                reduce the principal of or change the Stated Maturity of any Note;


 


(4)                reduce the amount payable upon the redemption of any Note or change the time at which any Note may be redeemed as described in Article 3 hereto or paragraph 6 of the Notes; provided, that any amendment to the notice requirements may be made with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of then outstanding Notes prior to giving of any notice;


 


(5)                make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Note;



48







(6)                make any changes in the ranking or priority of any Note that would adversely affect the Noteholders;


 


(7)                make any change in Section 6.04 or 6.07 or this second sentence of this Section 9.02;


 


(8)                impair the right of any holder of the Notes to receive payment of principal of and interest on such holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such holder’s Notes; or


 


(9)                 release any Guarantor from its Guarantee under this Indenture except in accordance with this Indenture.


 


It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.


 


After an amendment under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Company shall mail to Noteholders a notice briefly describing such amendment. The failure to give such notice to all Noteholders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment under this Section 9.02.







SECTION 9.03.  Revocation and Effect of Consents and Waivers. A consent to an amendment or a waiver by a Holder of a Note shall bind the Holder and every subsequent Holder of that Note or portion of the Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent or waiver is not made on the Note. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent or waiver as to such Holder’s Note or portion of the Note if the Trustee receives the written notice of revocation before the date the amendment or waiver becomes effective. After an amendment or waiver becomes effective, it shall bind every Noteholder. An amendment or waiver becomes effective upon (i) receipt by the Company or the Trustee of consents by the Holders of the requisite principal amount of securities, (ii) satisfaction of conditions to effectiveness as set forth in this Indenture and any indenture supplemental hereto containing such amendment or waiver and (iii) the execution of such amendment or waiver by the Trustee.


 


The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Noteholders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Noteholders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to revoke any consent previously given or to take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 120 days after such record date.


 


SECTION 9.04.  Notation on or Exchange of Notes. If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee or the Company may require the Holder of the Note to deliver it to the Trustee. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation on



49







the Note regarding the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively, if the Company or the Trustee so determines, the Company in exchange for the Note shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a new Note that reflects the changed terms. Failure to make the appropriate notation or to issue a new Note shall not affect the validity of such amendment.


 


SECTION 9.05.  Trustee To Sign Amendments. The Trustee shall sign any amendment, supplement or waiver to this Indenture authorized pursuant to this Article 9 if the amendment does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. If it does, the Trustee may but need not sign it. In signing such amendment the Trustee shall be entitled to receive indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it and to receive, and (subject to Section 7.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such amendment, supplement or waiver is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.


 


SECTION 9.06.  Payment for Consent. Neither the Company nor any Affiliate of the Company shall, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fee or otherwise, to any Holder for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to all Holders and is paid to all Holders that so consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or agreement.


 


ARTICLE 10







Guarantee


 


SECTION 10.01.  Guarantee.


 


(a)          Subject to this Article 10, each of the Guarantors shall, jointly and severally, unconditionally guarantee to each Holder of a Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Company hereunder or thereunder, that:


 


(1)                the principal of, premium and interest on the Notes will be promptly paid in full when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and all other obligations of the Company to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and


 


(2)                 in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration or otherwise. 


 


Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed or any performance so guaranteed for whatever reason, the Guarantors will be jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately. Each Guarantor agrees that this is a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection.



50







(b)         The Guarantors hereby agree that their obligations hereunder are unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Company, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor. Each Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenant that this Note Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes and this Indenture.


 


(c)         If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Company, the Guarantors or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Company or the Guarantors, any amount paid by either to the Trustee or such Holder, this Note Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, will be reinstated in full force and effect.


 


(d)         Each Guarantor agrees that it will not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby. Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (1) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 6 hereof for the purposes of this Note Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (2) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article 6 hereof, such obligations (whether or not due and payable) will forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for the purpose of this Note Guarantee. The Guarantors will have the right to seek contribution from any non-paying Guarantor so long as the exercise of such right does not impair the rights of the Holders under this Note Guarantee.


 


SECTION 10.02.  Limitation on Guarantor Liability. Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that this Note Guarantee of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Code, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any Note Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the Obligations of such Guarantor will be limited to the maximum amount that will, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor that are relevant under such laws, and after giving effect to any collections from, rights to receive contribution from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the Obligations of such other Guarantor under this Article 10, result in the Obligations of such Guarantor under its Note Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance.


 


SECTION 10.03.  Delivery of Note Guarantee.



51







The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, will constitute due delivery of the Note Guarantee set forth in this Indenture or any supplemental indenture on behalf of the Guarantors. Neither the Company nor any Guarantor shall be required to make a notation on the Notes to reflect any Note Guarantee or any such release, termination or discharge thereof.


 


SECTION 10.04.  Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms.


 


Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.05 hereof, no Person that becomes a Guarantor may at any time on or after the date hereof sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to, or consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving Person) another Person, other than the Company or another Guarantor, unless immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists.


 





Except as set forth in Articles 4 and 5 hereof, and notwithstanding this Section 10.04, nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Notes will prevent any consolidation or merger of a Guarantor with or into the Company or another Guarantor, or will prevent any sale or conveyance of the property of a Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company or another Guarantor.


 


The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 11.03 hereof, will receive an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance, and any such assumption of Obligations, comply with the provisions of this Section 10.04 hereof. Such certificate and opinion will comply with the provisions of Section 11.04.


 


SECTION 10.05.  Releases


 


(a)         In the event of any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of any Guarantor, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, or  a sale or other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of any Guarantor, in each case to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transactions) the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, then such Guarantor (in the event of a sale or other disposition, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, of all of the Capital Stock of such Guarantor) or the corporation acquiring the property (in the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor) will be released and relieved of any obligations under its Note Guarantee. Upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such sale or other disposition was made by the Company in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee will execute any documents reasonably required in order to evidence the release of any Guarantor from its obligations under its Note Guarantee.


 


(b)          In the event of the release or discharge of a guarantee by a Guarantor of Indebtedness or such other guarantee that resulted in the creation of such Guarantee, except a discharge or release by or as a result of payment under such guarantee, such Guarantor will be released and relieved of any obligations under its Note Guarantee.



52







(c)          If the legal defeasance option is exercised or this Indenture is otherwise discharged in accordance with Article 8 hereof, each Guarantor will be released and relieved of any obligations under its Note Guarantee.


 


Any Guarantor not released from its obligations under its Note Guarantee as provided in this Section 10.05 will remain liable for the full amount of principal of and interest and premium, if any, on the Notes and for the other obligations of any Guarantor under this Indenture as provided in this Article 10.


 


SECTION 10.06.  Addition of Guarantors.


 


If the Company is required to cause a Subsidiary to become a Guarantor pursuant to Section 4.06 or 10.03, the Company will cause such Subsidiary to (1) reasonably promptly execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture substantially in the form of Exhibit 1 hereto pursuant to which such Subsidiary will unconditionally Guarantee all of the Company’s Obligations under the Notes on the terms set forth in this Indenture and (2) deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee that such supplemental indenture has been duly executed and delivered by such Subsidiary.


 





ARTICLE 11







Miscellaneous


 


SECTION 11.01.  Notices. Unless otherwise specified herein, any notice or communication given pursuant to this Indenture shall be in writing and shall be given or made (and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made upon receipt) in person or mailed by first-class mail by a courier guaranteeing overnight delivery, sent to a party and its legal counsel at the address set forth below for such party and its legal counsel hereto, with a copy of such communication being sent via email to the email addresses set forth below for such party and its legal counsel.


 


If to the Company:


 


Compass Minerals International, Inc.


9900 West 109th Street


Suite 100


Overland Park, KS 66210


Attention: Chief Financial Officer







with a copy to:







Latham & Watkins LLP


885 Third Avenue


New York, NY 10022


Attention: Ian Schuman, Esq.


Email: ian.schuman@lw.com



53







if to the Trustee:


 


Global Corporate Trust Services


U.S. Bank National Association


One U.S. Bank Plaza


St. Louis, MO  63101


Attention: Rebekah A. Foltz


Email: rebekah.foltz@usbank.com







with a copy to:







Stinson Leonard Street LLP


150 South Fifth Street, Suite 2300


Minneapolis, MN 55402


Attention: William P. Laramy


Email: william.laramy@stinsonleonard.com







The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.


 


Any notice or communication mailed to a Noteholder shall be mailed to the Noteholder at the Noteholder’s address as it appears on the registration books of the Registrar and shall be sufficiently given if so mailed within the time prescribed.


 


Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Noteholder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Noteholders.


 


SECTION 11.02.  Communication by Holders with Other Holders. Noteholders may communicate with other Noteholders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes.


 


SECTION 11.03.  Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take or refrain from taking any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee, if requested by the Trustee:


 


(1)                an Officer’s Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and


 


(2)                an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with.


 


SECTION 11.04.  Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a covenant or condition provided for in this Indenture shall include:



54







(1)                a statement that the individual making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;


 


(2)                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;


 


(3)                a statement that, in the opinion of 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


 


(4)                a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such individual, such covenant or condition has been complied with; provided, however, that with respect to matters of fact, an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officer’s Certificate or certificates of public officials.


 


SECTION 11.05.  When Notes Disregarded. In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Company or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company shall be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, except that, for the purpose of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Also, subject to the foregoing, only Notes outstanding at the time shall be considered in any such determination.


 


SECTION 11.06.  Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Noteholders. The Registrar and the Paying Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.


 


SECTION 11.07.  Legal Holidays. If a payment date or redemption date is a Legal Holiday, payment shall be made on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue on any amount that would have been otherwise payable on such payment date or redemption date if it were not a legal holiday for the intervening period. If a regular record date is a Legal Holiday, the record date shall not be affected.





 


SECTION 11.08.  Governing Law, Submission to Jurisdiction. This Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.


 


The Company submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the courts of the United States of America, in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan, New York, New York over any suit, action or proceeding arising under or in connection with this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby or the Notes or the Note Guarantees. The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection that it may have to the venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising under or in connection with this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby or the Notes or the Note Guarantees in the courts of the State of New York or the courts of the United States of America, in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan, New York, New York, or that such suit,



55







action or proceeding brought in the courts of the State of New York or the courts of the United States of America, in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan, New York, New York, was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same.


 


SECTION 11.09.  No Recourse Against Others. No director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any Guarantor under the Notes or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Noteholder shall waive and release all such liability. The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.


 


SECTION 11.10.  Successors. All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.


 


SECTION 11.11.  Multiple Originals. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. One signed copy is enough to prove this Indenture.


 


SECTION 11.12.  Table of Contents; Headings. The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.


 


SECTION 11.13.  Waiver of Jury Trial.  EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.


 


SECTION 11.14.  Force Majeure.  In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.



56







IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.


 


		
COMPASS MINERALS INTERNATIONAL, INC.


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer


	 		
		
CAREY SALT COMPANY


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer


	 		
		
GREAT SALT LAKE HOLDINGS LLC


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer


	 		
		
GREAT SALT LAKE MINERALS CORPORATION


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer


	 		
		
GSL CORPORATION


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer










[Compass Minerals International, Inc. Indenture]








		
NAMSCO INC.


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer


	 		
		
NORTH AMERICAN SALT COMPANY


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer


	 		
		
CLYMAN BAY RESOURCES, INC.


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer


	 		
		
COMPASS MINERALS USA INC.


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer


	 		
		
DOVE CREEK GRAZING, LLC


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ Keith Espelien


	
 

	
Name:

	
Keith Espelien


	
 

	
Title:

	
Manager










[Compass Minerals International, Inc. Indenture]








 


	
 

	
SOLAR RESOURCES, INC.


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
/s/ James D. Standen


	
 

	
Name:

	
James D. Standen


	
 

	
Title:

	
Treasurer










[Compass Minerals International, Inc. Indenture]













IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.


 


	
 

	
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	/s/ Rebekah A. Foltz
	
 

	
Name:

	
Rebekah A. Foltz


	
 

	
Title:

	
Vice President










[Compass Minerals International, Inc. Indenture]








RULE 144A/REGULATION S/IAI APPENDIX


 


PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE NOTES







1.   Definitions.


 


1.1.   Definitions.


 


For the purposes of this Appendix the following terms shall have the meanings indicated below:


 


“Definitive Note” means a certificated Note bearing, if required, the appropriate restricted securities legend set forth in Section 2.3(d).


 


“Depository” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors.


 


“Distribution Compliance Period”, with respect to any Notes, means the period of 40 consecutive days beginning on and including the later of (i) the day on which such Notes are first offered to Persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) in reliance on Regulation S and (ii) the issue date with respect to such Notes.


 


“IAI” means an institutional “accredited investor”, as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) and (7) of Regulation D under the Securities Act.


 


“Initial Purchasers” means (1) with respect to the Notes issued on the Issue Date, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., Lloyds Securities and PNC Capital Markets LLC and (2) with respect to each issuance of Additional Notes, the Persons purchasing such Additional Notes under the related Purchase Agreement.


 


“Notes” means the 4.875% Senior Notes due 2024.


 


“Notes Custodian” means the custodian with respect to a Global Note (as appointed by the Depository), or any successor Person thereto and shall initially be the Trustee.


 


“Purchase Agreement” means (1) with respect to the Notes issued on the Issue Date, the Purchase Agreement dated June 12, 2014, among the Company and the Initial Purchasers, and (2) with respect to each issuance of Additional Notes, the purchase agreement or underwriting agreement among the Company and the Person(s) purchasing such Additional Notes.


 


“QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.





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“Rule 144A Notes” means all Notes offered and sold to QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A.


 


“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


 


 “Transfer Restricted Notes” means Notes that bear or are required to bear the legend relating to restrictions on transfer relating to the Securities Act set forth in Section 2.3(d) hereto.


 


1.2.   Other Definitions


 


	
Term

	
Defined In Section:


	 	
	
“Agent Members”

	
2.1(b)


	
“Global Notes”

	
2.1(a)


	
“IAI Global Note”

	
2.1(a)


	
“Regulation S”

	
2.1(a)


	
“Regulation S Global Note”

	
2.1(a)


	
“Rule 144A”

	
2.1(a)


	
“Rule 144A Global Note”

	
2.1(a)










2.   The Notes.


 


2.1.   (a)  Form and Dating. The Notes will be offered and sold by the Company pursuant to a Purchase Agreement. The Notes will be resold initially only to (i) Persons that the Initial Purchasers reasonably believe to be QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Rule 144A”) and (ii) Persons other than U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S) in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act (“Regulation S”). The Notes may thereafter be transferred to, among others, QIBs, IAIs and purchasers in reliance on Regulation S, subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth herein. The (A) Notes initially resold pursuant to Rule 144A shall be issued initially in the form of one or more permanent global Notes in registered, global form (collectively, the “Rule 144A Global Note”); (B) Notes initially resold to IAIs shall be issued initially in the form of one or more permanent global Notes in registered, global form (collectively, the “IAI Global Note”); and (C) Notes initially resold pursuant to Regulation S shall be issued initially in the form of one or more permanent global Notes in global, fully registered form (collectively, the “Regulation S Global Note”); and in each of cases (A), (B) and (C) without interest coupons and with the global securities legend and the applicable restricted securities legends set forth in Exhibit 1 hereto, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the Notes Custodian and registered in the name of the Depository or a nominee of the Depository, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as provided in this Indenture.


 


Beneficial interests in Regulation S Global Notes (after the Distribution Compliance Period) or IAI Global Notes may be exchanged for interests in Rule 144A Global Notes if (1) such exchange occurs in connection with a transfer of Notes in compliance with Rule 144A and (2) the transferor of the beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note or the IAI Global Note, as applicable, first delivers to the Trustee a written certificate (in a form satisfactory to the Trustee) to the effect that the beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global





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Note or the IAI Global Note, as applicable, is being transferred to a Person (a) who the transferor reasonably believes to be a QIB, (b) purchasing for its own account or the account of a QIB in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A, and (c) in accordance with all applicable securities laws of the States of the United States and other jurisdictions.


 


Beneficial interests in Regulation S Global Notes (after the Distribution Compliance Period) and Rule 144A Global Notes may be exchanged for an interest in IAI Global Notes if (1) such exchange occurs in connection with a transfer of the securities in compliance with an exemption under the Securities Act and (2) the transferor of the Regulation S Global Note or Rule 144A Global Note, as applicable, first delivers to the Trustee a written certificate (substantially in the form of Exhibit 2 hereto) to the effect that (A) the Regulation S Global Note or Rule 144A Global Note, as applicable, is being transferred (a) to an “accredited investor” within the meaning of 501(a)(1), (2), (3) and (7) under the Securities Act that is an institutional investor acquiring the securities for its own account or for the account of such an institutional accredited investor, in each case in a minimum principal amount of the securities of $250,000, for investment purposes and not with a view to or for offer or sale in connection with any distribution in violation of the Securities Act and (B) in accordance with all applicable securities laws of the States of the United States and other jurisdictions.


 


Beneficial interests in a Rule 144A Global Note or an IAI Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in a Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, only if the transferor first delivers to the Trustee a written certificate (in the form provided in this Indenture) to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Rule 903 or 904 of Regulation S or Rule 144 (as applicable) and that, if such transfer occurs prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, the interest transferred will be held immediately thereafter through Euroclear or Clearstream.


 


The Rule 144A Global Note, the IAI Global Note and the Regulation S Global Note are collectively referred to herein as “Global Notes”. The aggregate principal amount of the Global Notes may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee and the Depository or its nominee as hereinafter provided.


 


(b)   Book-Entry Provisions. This Section 2.1(b) shall apply only to a Global Note deposited with or on behalf of the Depository.


 


The Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section 2.1(b) and Section 2.2, authenticate and deliver initially one or more Global Notes that (a) shall be registered in the name of the Depository for such Global Note or Global Notes or the nominee of such Depository and (b) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depository or pursuant to such Depository’s instructions or held by the Trustee as custodian for the Depository.


 


Members of, or participants in, the Depository (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depository or by the Trustee as the custodian of the Depository or under such Global Note, and the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be entitled to treat the Depository as the absolute owner of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever.





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Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depository or impair, as between the Depository and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices of such Depository governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Note.


 





(c)   Definitive Notes.  Except as provided in this Section 2.1 or Section 2.3 or 2.4, owners of beneficial interests in Global Notes shall not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Definitive Notes.


 


2.2.   Authentication.  The Trustee shall authenticate and deliver: (1) on the Issue Date, 4.875% Senior Notes due 2024 with an aggregate principal amount of $250,000,000 and (2) any Additional Notes for an original issue in an aggregate principal amount specified in the written order of the Company pursuant to Section 2.02 of this Indenture, in each case upon a written order of the Company signed by one Officer. Such order shall specify the amount of the Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the original issue of Notes is to be authenticated.


 


2.3.   Transfer and Exchange.  (b)  Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes. When Definitive Notes are presented to the Registrar with a request:


 


(i)   to register the transfer of such Definitive Notes; or


 


(ii)   to exchange such Definitive Notes for an equal principal amount of Definitive Notes of other authorized denominations,


 


the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if its reasonable requirements for such transaction are met; provided, however, that the Definitive Notes surrendered for transfer or exchange:


 


(1)   shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or its attorney duly authorized in writing; and


 


(2)   if such Definitive Notes are required to bear a restricted securities legend, they are being transferred or exchanged pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, pursuant to Section 2.3(b) or pursuant to clause (A), (B) or (C) below, and are accompanied by the following additional information and documents, as applicable:


 


(A)   if such Definitive Notes are being delivered to the Registrar by a Holder for registration in the name of such Holder, without transfer, a written certification from such Holder to that effect; or


 


(B)   if such Definitive Notes are being transferred to the Company, a written certification to that effect; or


 


(C)   if such Definitive Notes are being transferred (x) pursuant to an exemption from registration in accordance with Rule 144A, Regulation





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S or Rule 144 under the Securities Act; or (y) in reliance upon another exemption from the requirements of the Securities Act: (i) a written certification to that effect (in the form set forth on the reverse of the Note) and (ii) if the Company so requests, an opinion of counsel or other evidence reasonably satisfactory to it as to the compliance with the restrictions set forth in the legend set forth in Section 2.3(d)(i).


 


(b)   Restrictions on Transfer of a Definitive Note for a Beneficial Interest in a Global Note. A Definitive Note may not be exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note, an IAI Global Note or a Regulation S Global Note except upon satisfaction of the requirements set forth below. Upon receipt by the Trustee of a Definitive Note, duly endorsed or accompanied by appropriate instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, together with:


 


(i)   certification, in the form set forth on the reverse of the Note, that such Definitive Note is either (A) being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, (B) being transferred to an IAI or (C) being transferred after expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period by a Person who initially purchased such Note in reliance on Regulation S to a buyer who elects to hold its interest in such Note in the form of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note; and


 


(ii)   written instructions directing the Trustee to make, or to direct the Notes Custodian to make, an adjustment on its books and records with respect to such Rule 144A Global Note (in the case of a transfer pursuant to clause (b)(i)(A)), IAI Global Note (in the case of a transfer pursuant to clause (b)(1)(B)) or Regulation S Global Note (in the case of a transfer pursuant to clause (b)(i)(C)) to reflect an increase in the aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented by the Rule 144A Global Note, IAI Global Note or Regulation S Global Note, as applicable, such instructions to contain information regarding the Depository account to be credited with such increase,


 


then the Trustee shall cancel such Definitive Note and cause, or direct the Notes Custodian to cause, in accordance with the standing instructions and procedures existing between the Depository and the Notes Custodian, the aggregate principal amount of Notes represented by the Rule 144A Global Note, IAI Global Note or Regulation S Global Note, as applicable, to be increased by the aggregate principal amount of the Definitive Note to be exchanged and shall credit or cause to be credited to the account of the Person specified in such instructions a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Global Note, IAI Global Note or Regulation S Global Note, as applicable, equal to the principal amount of the Definitive Note so canceled. If no Rule 144A Global Notes, IAI Global Notes or Regulation S Global Notes, as applicable, are then outstanding, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon written order of the Company in the form of an Officer’s Certificate of the Company, a new Rule 144A Global Note, IAI Global Note or Regulation S Global Note, as applicable, in the appropriate principal amount.


 


(c)   Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. (i)  The transfer and exchange of Global Notes or beneficial interests therein shall be effected through the Depository, in





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accordance with this Indenture (including applicable restrictions on transfer set forth herein, if any) and the procedures of the Depository therefor.  A transferor of a beneficial interest in a Global Note shall deliver to the Registrar a written order given in accordance with the Depository’s procedures containing information regarding the participant account of the Depository to be credited with a beneficial interest in the Global Note. The Registrar shall, in accordance with such instructions instruct the Depository to credit to the account of the Person specified in such instructions a beneficial interest in the Global Note and to debit the account of the Person making the transfer the beneficial interest in the Global Note being transferred.


 


(ii)   If the proposed transfer is a transfer of a beneficial interest in one Global Note to a beneficial interest in another Global Note, the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the Global Note to which such interest is being transferred in an amount equal to the principal amount of the interest to be so transferred, and the Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and a corresponding decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note from which such interest is being transferred.


 


(iii)   Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Appendix (other than the provisions set forth in Section 2.4), a Global Note may not be transferred as a whole except by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such successor Depository.


 


(iv)   In the event that a Global Note is exchanged for Definitive Notes pursuant to Section 2.4 of this Appendix, such Notes may be exchanged only in accordance with such procedures as are substantially consistent with the provisions of this Section 2.3 (including the certification requirements set forth on the reverse of the Notes intended to ensure that such transfers comply with Rule 144A, Regulation S or another applicable exemption under the Securities Act, as the case may be) and such other procedures as may from time to time be adopted by the Company.


 


(d)   Legend. (ii)  Except as permitted by the following paragraph (ii), each Note certificate evidencing the Global Notes (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof) shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:


 


UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC) ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL





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INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.


 


TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.


 


Each Transfer Restricted Note shall also bear the following additional legend:


 


THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED,  TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ANY INVESTOR ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT HAS PURCHASED  SECURITIES, TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) THAT IS [IN THE CASE OF RULE 144A NOTES: ONE YEAR AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF, THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE OF THE ISSUANCE OF ANY ADDITIONAL NOTES AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE ISSUER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY  PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY),] [IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES: 40 DAYS AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF, THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE OF THE ISSUANCE OF ANY ADDITIONAL NOTES AND THE DATE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY) WAS FIRST OFFERED TO PERSONS OTHER THAN DISTRIBUTORS (AS DEFINED IN RULE 902 OF REGULATION S) IN RELIANCE ON REGULATION S], ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“RULE 144A”), TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO NON-U.S. PERSONS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) TO AN INSTITUTIONAL “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 501(a)(1), (2), (3)





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OR (7) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT IS NOT A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER AND THAT IS PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF ANOTHER INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR, IN EACH CASE IN A MINIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF SECURITIES OR (F) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D), (E) OR (F) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/ OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE. [IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES:


 


BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER HEREOF REPRESENTS THAT IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON NOR IS IT PURCHASING FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.]


 


BY ITS ACQUISITION OF THIS SECURITY, THE HOLDER THEREOF WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND WARRANTED THAT EITHER (1) NO PORTION OF THE ASSETS USED BY SUCH HOLDER TO ACQUIRE OR HOLD THIS SECURITY CONSTITUTES THE ASSETS OF ANY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN THAT IS SUBJECT TO TITLE I OF THE U.S. EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED (“ERISA”), OR PLAN, INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT OR OTHER ARRANGEMENT THAT IS SUBJECT TO SECTION 4975 OF THE U.S. INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE “CODE”) OR PROVISIONS UNDER ANY FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. OR OTHER LAWS OR REGULATIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO SUCH PROVISIONS OF ERISA OR THE CODE (“SIMILAR LAWS”), OR AN ENTITY WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS ARE CONSIDERED TO INCLUDE “PLAN ASSETS” OF ANY SUCH PLAN, ACCOUNT OR ARRANGEMENT, OR (2) THE ACQUISITION AND HOLDING OF THIS SECURITY BY SUCH HOLDER WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A NON-EXEMPT PROHIBITED TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE OR SIMILAR VIOLATION UNDER ANY APPLICABLE SIMILAR LAWS.







Each Definitive Note shall also bear the following additional legend:


 


IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER WILL DELIVER TO THE REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS SUCH TRANSFER AGENT MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.





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(ii)   Upon any sale or transfer of a Transfer Restricted Note (including any Transfer Restricted Note represented by a Global Note) pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, the Registrar shall permit the transferee thereof to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a certificated Note that does not bear the legend set forth above and rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Transfer Restricted Note, if the transferor thereof certifies in writing to the Registrar that such sale or transfer was made in reliance on Rule 144 (such certification to be in the form set forth on the reverse of the Note).


 


(e)   Cancellation or Adjustment of Global Note. At such time as all beneficial interests in a Global Note have either been exchanged for Definitive Notes, redeemed, purchased or canceled, such Global Note shall be returned to the Depository for cancellation or retained and canceled by the Trustee. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for certificated Notes, redeemed, purchased or canceled, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced and an adjustment shall be made on the books and records of the Trustee (if it is then the Notes Custodian for such Global Note) with respect to such Global Note, by the Trustee or the Notes Custodian, to reflect such reduction.


 


(f)   No Obligation of the Trustee.


 


(i)   The Trustee shall have no responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of a Global Note, a member of, or a participant in the Depository or other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the Depository or its nominee or of any participant or member thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Notes or with respect to the delivery to any participant, member, beneficial owner or other Person (other than the Depository) of any notice (including any notice of redemption) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such Notes. All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders under the Notes shall be given or made only to or upon the order of the registered Holders (which shall be the Depository or its nominee in the case of a Global Note). The rights of beneficial owners in any Global Note shall be exercised only through the Depository subject to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depository. The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in relying upon information furnished by the Depository with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.


 


(ii)   The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among Depository participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms of this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.





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2.4.   Definitive Notes.


 


(a)   A Global Note deposited with the Depository or with the Trustee as Notes Custodian for the Depository pursuant to Section 2.1 shall be transferred to the beneficial owners thereof in the form of Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Global Note, in exchange for such Global Note, only if such transfer complies with Section 2.3 hereof and (i) the Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such Global Note and the Depository fails to appoint a successor depository or if at any time such Depository ceases to be a “clearing agency” registered under the Exchange Act, in either case, and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice, or (ii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (iii) the Company, in its sole discretion, notifies the Trustee in writing that it elects to cause the issuance of Definitive Notes under this Indenture.


 


(b)   Any Global Note that is transferable to the beneficial owners thereof pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be surrendered by the Depository to the Trustee located at its principal corporate trust office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, to be so transferred, in whole or from time to time in part, without charge, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, upon such transfer of each portion of such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount of Definitive Notes of authorized denominations. Any portion of a Global Note transferred pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be executed, authenticated and delivered only in denominations of $2,000 principal amount and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000 and registered in such names as the Depository shall direct. Any Definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in the Transfer Restricted Note shall, except as otherwise provided by Section 2.3(e) hereof, bear the applicable restricted securities legend and definitive securities legend set forth in Exhibit 1 hereto.


 


(c)   Subject to the provisions of Section 2.4(b) hereof, the registered Holder of a Global Note shall be entitled to grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Agent Members and Persons that may hold interests through Agent Members, to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes.


 


(d)   In the event of the occurrence of one of the events specified in Section 2.4(a) hereof, the Company shall promptly make available to the Trustee a reasonable supply of Definitive Notes in definitive, fully registered form without interest coupons. In the event that such Definitive Notes are not issued, the Company expressly acknowledges, with respect to the right of any Holder to pursue a remedy pursuant to Section 6.06 of this Indenture, the right of any beneficial owner of Notes to pursue such remedy with respect to the portion of the Global Note that represents such beneficial owner’s Notes as if such Definitive Notes had been issued.








EXHIBIT 1


to


RULE 144A/REGULATION S/IAI APPENDIX





 


[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]


 


[Global Notes Legend]


 


UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC) ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.


 


TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.





 


[Restricted Notes Legend]


 


THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED,  TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ANY INVESTOR ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT HAS PURCHASED  SECURITIES, TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) THAT IS [IN THE CASE OF RULE 144A NOTES: ONE YEAR AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF, THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE OF THE ISSUANCE OF ANY ADDITIONAL NOTES AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE ISSUER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY  PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY),] [IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES: 40 DAYS AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF, THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE OF THE ISSUANCE OF ANY ADDITIONAL NOTES AND THE DATE ON





2




 


WHICH THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY) WAS FIRST OFFERED TO PERSONS OTHER THAN DISTRIBUTORS (AS DEFINED IN RULE 902 OF REGULATION S) IN RELIANCE ON REGULATION S], ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“RULE 144A”), TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO NON-U.S. PERSONS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) TO AN INSTITUTIONAL “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 501(a)(1), (2), (3) OR (7) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT IS NOT A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER AND THAT IS PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF ANOTHER INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR, IN EACH CASE IN A MINIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF SECURITIES OR (F) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D), (E) OR (F) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/ OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE. [IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES: BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF, THE HOLDER HEREOF REPRESENTS THAT IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON NOR IS IT PURCHASING FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.]







BY ITS ACQUISITION OF THIS SECURITY, THE HOLDER THEREOF WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND WARRANTED THAT EITHER (1) NO PORTION OF THE ASSETS USED BY SUCH HOLDER TO ACQUIRE OR HOLD THIS SECURITY CONSTITUTES THE ASSETS OF ANY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN THAT IS SUBJECT TO TITLE I OF THE U.S. EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED (“ERISA”), OR PLAN, INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT OR OTHER ARRANGEMENT THAT IS SUBJECT TO SECTION 4975 OF THE U.S. INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE “CODE”) OR PROVISIONS UNDER ANY FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. OR OTHER LAWS OR REGULATIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO SUCH PROVISIONS OF ERISA OR THE CODE (“SIMILAR LAWS”), OR AN ENTITY WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS ARE CONSIDERED TO INCLUDE “PLAN ASSETS” OF ANY SUCH PLAN, ACCOUNT OR ARRANGEMENT, OR (2) THE ACQUISITION AND HOLDING OF THIS SECURITY BY SUCH HOLDER WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A NON-EXEMPT PROHIBITED





3




 


TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE OR SIMILAR VIOLATION UNDER ANY APPLICABLE SIMILAR LAWS.







[Definitive Notes Legend]


 


IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER WILL DELIVER TO THE REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS SUCH TRANSFER AGENT MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.










4




CUSIP No. (144A) 20451N AE1;  (Reg S) U2036Y AC0; (IAI) 20451N AF8


ISIN No. (144A) US20451NAE13; (Reg S) USU2036YAC04; (IAI) US20451NAF87


 



	
No.______

	
$_____________,







as revised by the Schedule of Exchanges of


Interests in the Global Note attached hereto







4.875% Senior Notes due 2024


 


Compass Minerals International, Inc., a Delaware corporation, promises to pay to ________, or registered assigns, the principal sum [set forth on the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note attached hereto]* [of _____________ Dollars]** on July 15, 2024.


 


Interest Payment Dates: January 15 and July 15.


 


Record Dates:  [January 1 and July 1]* [the last Business Day prior to the applicable interest payment date]**.


 


Additional provisions of this Note are set forth on the other side of this Note.


 




*  Include for Global Notes.


**  Include for Definitive Notes.





5




IN WITNESS HEREOF, the Issuer has caused this instrument to be duly executed.







	
Dated: _____________, 20___

	
 

	
 

	
	
 

	
 

	
 

	
	
 

	
COMPASS MINERALS INTERNATIONAL INC.

	
	
 

	
 

	
 

	
	
 

	
By

	
 

	
	
 

	
 

	
Name:

	
	
 

	
 

	
Title:

	








TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF


AUTHENTICATION


 


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION


 


as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the


Notes referred to in the Indenture


 


Dated:







	
By

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
Authorized Signatory

	
 








6




[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]


4.875% Senior Note due 2024


 





1.              Interest


 


Compass Minerals International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (such corporation and its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “Company”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate per annum shown above. The Company will pay interest semiannually on January 15 and July 15 of each year, commencing January 15, 2015. Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from June 23, 2014. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.


 


2.              Maturity


 


The Notes will mature on July 15, 2024.


 


3.              Method of Payment


 


The Company will pay interest on the Notes (except defaulted interest) to the Persons who are registered holders of Notes at the close of business on the January 1 and July 1 next preceding the interest payment date even if Notes are canceled after the record date and on or before the interest payment date. Holders must surrender Notes to a Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Company will pay principal and interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. Payments in respect of the Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium and interest) will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by The Depository Trust Company. The Company will make all payments in respect of a certificated Note (including principal, premium and interest) at the office of the Paying Agent, except that, at the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by mailing a check to the registered address of each Holder thereof; provided, however, that payments on a certificated Note will be made by wire transfer to a U.S. dollar account maintained by the payee with a bank in the United States if such Holder elects payment by wire transfer by giving written notice to the Trustee or the Paying Agent to such effect designating such account no later than 30 days immediately preceding the relevant due date for payment (or such other date as the Trustee may accept in its discretion).


 


4.              Paying Agent and Registrar


 


Initially, U.S. Bank National Association (the “Trustee”), will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company may appoint and change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without notice. The Company or any of its domestically incorporated Wholly Owned Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar.


 


5.              Indenture





7




The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of June 23, 2014 (the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture. Terms defined in the Indenture and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Noteholders are referred to the Indenture for a statement of those terms.


 


The Notes are general unsecured senior obligations of the Company. The Company shall be entitled to issue Additional Notes pursuant to Section 2.13 of the Indenture. The Notes issued on the Issue Date and any Additional Notes will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the Indenture. The Indenture contains covenants that limit the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to create liens on assets; consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of its assets and the assets of its subsidiaries; and engage in sale/leaseback transactions. The Indenture also contains a covenant that restricts the ability of the Company’s non-guarantor subsidiaries to incur or guarantee additional indebtedness without such non-guarantor subsidiary guaranteeing the Notes on a pari passu basis. These covenants are subject to important exceptions and qualifications.


 


6.              Optional Redemption


 


The Company, at its option, may redeem all, or from time to time, any part of the Notes on not less than 15 days nor more than 60 days’ notice as provided in the Indenture (except that, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.02 of the Indenture, any notice of redemption for the Notes given pursuant to said Section need not set forth the redemption price but only the manner of calculation thereof) at a Make Whole Redemption Price equal to the greater of the following amounts:


 


(i)                 100% of the principal amount of the Notes then outstanding to be so redeemed; and


 


(ii)                the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes to be redeemed on that redemption date (not including any portion of payments of interest accrued to the redemption date), discounted to the applicable redemption date on a semi-annual basis at a rate equal to the sum of the Treasury Rate plus 0.50%,


 


plus, in either of the above cases, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the principal amount being redeemed to, but excluding, the applicable redemption date.


 


Notice of any redemption may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of an equity offering, debt offering or other financing or Change of Control. In addition, if such redemption is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice of redemption shall describe each such condition, and if applicable, shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied (or waived by us in our sole discretion), or that such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied (or waived by us in our sole discretion) by the redemption date as stated in such notice, or by the redemption





8




 


date as so delayed. The Company may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of our obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person.


 


The Make Whole Redemption Price for the Notes will be calculated by the Independent Investment Banker assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.


 


For purposes of calculating the Make Whole Redemption Price pursuant to the foregoing optional redemption provisions, the following terms will have the meanings set forth below.


 


“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security or securities selected by the Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes (as measured from the date of redemption) that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes,


 


“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date:


 


(i)                 the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for that redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations;


 


(ii)                 if the Company obtains fewer than four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations so received; or


 


(iii)               if only one Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation is received, such quotation.


 


“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers selected by the Company.


 


“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of four primary U.S. Government securities dealers in New York City (each a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), consisting of (i) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (or its affiliate), and (ii) three other nationally recognized investment banking firms (or their affiliates) that the Company selects in connection with the particular redemption, and their respective successors, provided that if any of them ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will substitute another nationally recognized investment banking firm (or its affiliate) that is a Primary Treasury Dealer.


 


“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding that redemption date.


 


“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated on the third Business Day preceding the applicable redemption date, assuming a price for the





9




Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for that redemption date.


 


In addition, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part from time to time, at its option, on or after May 15, 2024 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.


 


Unless the Company defaults in the payment of the applicable redemption price, on or after the applicable redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions of the Notes called for redemption.


 


If the optional redemption date is after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, the accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will be paid to the person in whose name the Note is registered at the close of business, on such record date.


 


7.              Notice of Redemption


 


Notice of redemption will be mailed by first-class mail or delivered in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at his registered address. Notes in denominations larger than $2,000 principal amount may be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. If money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest on all Notes (or portions thereof) to be redeemed on the redemption date is deposited with the Paying Agent on or before the redemption date and certain other conditions are satisfied, on and after such date interest ceases to accrue on such Notes (or such portions thereof) called for redemption.


 


8.              Put Provisions


 


Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, any Holder of Notes will have the right to cause the Company to repurchase all or any part of the Notes of such Holder at a repurchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased plus accrued and unpaid, if any, interest to the date of repurchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the related interest payment date) as provided in, and subject to the terms of, the Indenture.  A “Change of Control Triggering Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Ratings Event.


 


9.               Denominations; Transfer; Exchange


 


The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 principal amount and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. A Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements or transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer of or exchange any Notes selected for redemption (except, in the case of a





10




Note to be redeemed in part, the portion of the Note not to be redeemed) or any Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or 15 days before an interest payment date.


 


10.            Persons Deemed Owners


 


The registered Holder of this Note may be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.


 


11.            Unclaimed Money


 


If money for the payment of principal or interest remains unclaimed for two years, the Trustee or Paying Agent shall pay the money back to the Company at its request unless an abandoned property law designates another Person. After any such payment, Holders entitled to the money must look only to the Company and not to the Trustee for payment.


 


12.            Discharge and Defeasance


 


Subject to certain conditions, the Company at any time shall be entitled to terminate some or all of its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture if the Company deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be.


 


13.            Amendment; Waiver


 


Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, (a) the Indenture and the Notes may be amended with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount outstanding of the Notes (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes) and (b) any past default or noncompliance with any provision may be waived with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount outstanding of the Notes (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes). Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, without the consent of any Noteholder, the Company, and the Trustee shall be entitled to amend the Indenture or the Notes to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency, or to comply with Article 5 of the Indenture, or to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes, or to add guarantees with respect to the Notes or to secure the Notes, or to add covenants or surrender rights and powers conferred on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Noteholder, or to release a Guarantor from its obligations under its Guarantee or the Indenture, or to conform the text of the Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees to any provision in the Offering Memorandum under the heading “Description of notes,” or to make amendments to provisions of the Indenture relating to the transfer and legending of the Notes.


 


14.            Defaults and Remedies


 


Under the Indenture, Events of Default include (a) default for 30 days in payment of interest on the Notes; (b) default in payment of principal on the Notes at maturity, upon





11




redemption pursuant to paragraph 5 of the Notes, upon acceleration or otherwise, or failure by the Company to redeem or purchase Notes when required; (c) failure by the Company to comply with other agreements in the Indenture or the Notes, in certain cases subject to notice and lapse of time; (d) certain accelerations (including failure to pay within any grace period after final maturity) of other Indebtedness of the Company if the amount accelerated (or so unpaid) exceeds $40.0 million; (e) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries; and (f) certain judgments or decrees for the payment of money in excess of $40.0 million.  If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency are Events of Default which will result in the Notes being due and payable immediately upon the occurrence of such Events of Default.


 


Noteholders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may refuse to enforce the Indenture or the Notes unless it receives indemnity or security satisfactory to it. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Noteholders notice of any continuing Default (except a Default in payment of principal or interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in the interest of the Holders.


 


15.            Trustee Dealings with the Company


 


Subject to certain limitations imposed by the Act, the Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with and collect obligations owed to it by the Company or its Affiliates and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.


 


16.            No Recourse Against Others


 


A director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder, as such, of the Company , any of its Subsidiaries or the Trustee shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Noteholder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.


 


17.            Authentication


 


This Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.


 


18.            Abbreviations





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Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Noteholder or an assignee, such as TEN COM (=tenants in common), TEN ENT (=tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (=joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (=custodian), and U/G/M/A (=Uniform Gift to Minors Act).


 


19.            CUSIP Numbers


 


Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Note Identification Procedures the Company has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes and has directed the Trustee to use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Noteholders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.





 


20.            Governing Law


 


THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.


 


The Company will furnish to any Noteholder upon written request and without charge to the Note holder a copy of the Indenture which has in it the text of this Note in larger type. Requests may be made to:


 


Compass Minerals International, Inc.


9900 West 109th Street


Suite 100


Overland Park, KS 66210


Attention: Chief Financial Officer





13








ASSIGNMENT FORM


 


To assign this Note, fill in the form below:


 


I or we assign and transfer this Note to:


 








 


(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)


 





(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)


 


(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. No.)


 


and irrevocably appoint                           agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him.


 










 



	
 

	
 

	
Your

	
 


	
Date:

	
 

	
Signature:

	
 







 








Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.


 


OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE


 


If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to 4.03 (Change of Control) of the Indenture, check the box:





Change of Control  o


 


If you want to elect to have only part of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.03 of the Indenture, state the amount in principal amount: $_______________________


 




	
 

	
 

	
Your

	
 


	
Date:

	
 

	
Signature:

	
 


	 			
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.)







 





	
Signature Guarantee:      

	
 


	
 

	
(Signature must be guaranteed)







 


Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Note Transfer Agent 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 Notes Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.





14




SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE*


 


The initial outstanding principal amount of this Global Note is $______. The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note [or for a Definitive]** Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global [or Definitive]** Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:







	
Date of Exchange

		
Amount of Decrease in 


Principal Amount of 


this Global Note

		
Amount of Increase in 


Principal Amount of 


this Global Note

		
Principal Amount of 


this Global Note 


Following Such 


Decrease (or Increase)

		
Signature of 


Authorized Officer of 


Trustee or Notes 


Custodian


	
 

		
 

		
 

		
 

		
 


	
 

		
 

		
 

		
 

		
 


	
 

		
 

		
 

		
 

		
 


	
 

		
 

		
 

		
 

		
 


	
 

		
 

		
 

		
 

		
 





 








*This schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.








EXHIBIT 2 to Rule 144A/REGULATION S/IAI APPENDIX


 


Form of


Transferee Letter of Representation


 


Compass Minerals International, Inc.


9900 West 109th Street


Suite 100


Overland Park, KS 66210


Attention: Chief Financial Officer







In care of







Global Corporate Trust Services


U.S. Bank National Association


One U.S. Bank Plaza


St. Louis, MO  63101


Attention: Rebekah A. Foltz


Email: rebekah.foltz@usbank.com


 


Ladies and Gentlemen:


 


This certificate is delivered to request a transfer of $[   ] principal amount of the   4.875% Senior Notes due 2024 (the “Notes”) of Compass Minerals International, Inc. (the “Company”).


 


Upon transfer, the Notes would be registered in the name of the new beneficial owner as follows:


 


	
Name:

	 	
	
Address:

	 	
	
Taxpayer ID Number:

	 	








The undersigned represents and warrants to you that:


 


1.  We are an institutional “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)), purchasing for our own account or for the account of such an institutional “accredited investor” at least $250,000 principal amount of the Notes, and we are acquiring the Notes not with a view to, or for offer or sale in connection with, any distribution in violation of the Securities Act. We have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of our investment in the Notes, and we invest in or purchase securities similar to the Notes in the normal course of our business. We, and any accounts for which we are acting, are each able to bear the economic risk of our or its investment.


 


2.  We understand that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and, unless so registered, may not be sold except as permitted in the following sentence. We agree on our own behalf and on behalf of any investor account for which we are purchasing Notes to offer, sell or otherwise transfer such Notes prior to the date that is one year after the 








later of the date of original issue and the last date on which the Company or any affiliate of the Company was the owner of such Notes (or any predecessor thereto) (the “Resale Restriction Termination Date”) only (i) to the Company, (ii) in the United States to a person whom the seller reasonably believes is a qualified institutional buyer in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A, (iii) to an institutional “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act that is an institutional accredited investor purchasing for its own account or for the account of an institutional accredited investor, in each case in a minimum principal amount of the Notes of $250,000, (iv) outside the United States in a transaction complying with the provisions of Rule 904 under the Securities Act, (v) pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act provided by Rule 144 (if available) or (vi) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, in each of cases (i) through (vi) subject to any requirement of law that the disposition of our property or the property of such investor account or accounts be at all times within our or their control and in compliance with any applicable state securities laws. The foregoing restrictions on resale will not apply subsequent to the Resale Restriction Termination Date. If any resale or other transfer of the Notes is proposed to be made pursuant to clause (iii) above prior to the Resale Restriction Termination Date, the transferor shall deliver a letter from the transferee substantially in the form of this letter to the Company and the Trustee, which shall provide, among other things, that the transferee is an institutional “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act and that it is acquiring such Notes for investment purposes and not for distribution in violation of the Securities Act. Each purchaser acknowledges that the Company and the Trustee reserve the right prior to the offer, sale or other transfer prior to the Resale Restriction Termination Date of the Notes pursuant to clause (iii), (iv) or (v) above to require the delivery of an opinion of counsel, certifications or other information satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee.


 


	
 

	
TRANSFEREE

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
 
















EXHIBIT 1


 


FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE


TO BE DELIVERED BY SUBSEQUENT GUARANTORS


 


SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of                     , 20_  , among                                               (the “Guarantor”), [a subsidiary of] Compass Minerals International, Inc. (or its permitted successor), a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee under the Indenture referred to below (the “Trustee”).


 





W I T N E S S E T H


 


WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of June 23, 2014 providing for the issuance of 4.875% Senior Notes due 2024 (the “Notes”);


 


WHEREAS, the Indenture provides that under certain circumstances the Guarantor will execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which the Guarantor will unconditionally guarantee all of the Company’s Obligations under the Notes and the Indenture on the terms and conditions set forth herein (the “Note Guarantee”); and


 


WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.01 of the Indenture, the Trustee is authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture.


 


NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Guarantor and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders as follows:


 


1.  CAPITALIZED TERMS. Capitalized terms used herein without definition will have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.


 


2.  AGREEMENT TO GUARANTEE.  The Guarantor hereby agrees to provide an unconditional Guarantee on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Note Guarantee and in the Indenture including but not limited to Article 10 thereof.


 


4.  NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS.  No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder or agent of the Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor under the Notes, any Note Guarantees, the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation.  Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability.  The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.


 


5.  GOVERNING LAW.  This Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.


 


6.  COUNTERPARTS.  The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture.  Each signed copy will be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.








7.  EFFECT OF HEADINGS.  The Section headings herein are for convenience only and will not affect the construction hereof.





 


8.  THE TRUSTEE.  The Trustee will not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which recitals are made solely by the Guarantor.


 


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed all as of the date first above written.


 


Dated:                     , 20    .







	
 

	
[GUARANTOR]


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
 


	
 

	
Name:

	
 


	
 

	
Title:

	
 


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,


	
 

	
as Trustee


	
 

	
 

	
 


	
 

	
By:

	
 


	
 

	
Name:

	
 


	
 

	
Title: