# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001108426
**File Stem:** 0001108426-25-000120
**Filing Date:** 2025-12
**Character Count:** 265904
**Document Hash:** 628a75c56fafb61f0090b6d164669d89
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001108426-25-000120.hdr.sgml**: 20251210

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001108426-25-000120

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 14

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20251210

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20251210

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20251210

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** TXNM ENERGY INC
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001108426
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** ELECTRIC SERVICES [4911]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 01 Energy & Transportation
- **EIN:** 850019030
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** NM
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-32462
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251562208

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 414 SILVER AVE. SW
- **CITY:** ALBUQUERQUE
- **STATE:** NM
- **ZIP:** 87102-3289
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 5052412700

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 414 SILVER AVE. SW
- **STREET 2:** ATTN: MS 1045 - ROBERT BISCHOFF
- **CITY:** ALBUQUERQUE
- **STATE:** NM
- **ZIP:** 87102-3289

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** PNM RESOURCES INC
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20010618

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** MANZANO CORP
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20000303

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? pnm-20251210

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **UNITED STATES** | **UNITED STATES** |
| **SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION** | **SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION** |
| **Washington, D.C. 20549** | **Washington, D.C. 20549** |
| **FORM** | **8-K** |
| **CURRENT REPORT** | **CURRENT REPORT** |
| **Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934** | **Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934** |

---

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) December 10, 2025 <br> <u>(December 10, 2025)</u>

<u>Name of Registrant</u>, <u>State of Incorporation</u>, <u>Address Of Principal Executive Offices</u>, <u>Telephone Number</u>, <u>Commission File No.</u>, <u>IRS Employer Identification No.</u><br>

**TXNM Energy, Inc.**

(A New Mexico Corporation)

414 Silver Ave. SW

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102-3289

Telephone Number - (505) 241-2700

Commission File No. - 001-32462

IRS Employer Identification No. - 85-0468296

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 40.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4 (c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 40.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <u>Registrant</u> | <u>Title of each class</u> | <u>Trading Symbol(s)</u> | <u>Name of exchange on which registered</u> |
| TXNM Energy, Inc. | Common Stock, no par value | TXNM | New York Stock Exchange |

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

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**Item 1.01. Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement.**

On December 10, 2025, TXNM Energy, Inc. (the "Company") issued $350,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 7.000% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Convertible Notes due 2056 (the "Notes") pursuant to an Indenture (the "Indenture"), dated as of December 10, 2025, between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (the "Trustee"). The Notes were sold under a Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") dated December 8, 2025 among the Company and the initial purchasers party thereto.

The Notes are unsecured obligations of the Company and rank junior and subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of the Company's existing and future senior indebtedness. The Notes rank equally in right of payment to the Company's 5.75% Junior Subordinated Convertible Notes due 2054. The Notes will rank equally in right of payment with any future unsecured indebtedness that the Company may incur from time to time if the terms of such indebtedness provide that it ranks equally with the Notes in right of payment.

The Notes will bear interest (i) from and including December 10, 2025 to, but excluding, July 31, 2031 (the "First Reset Date") at an annual rate of 7.000% and (ii) from and including the First Reset Date during each Interest Reset Period (as defined in the Indenture) at an annual rate equal to the Five-Year Treasury Rate (as defined in the Indenture) as of the most recent Reset Interest Determination Date (as defined in the Indenture), plus 3.254%; provided, that the interest rate during any Interest Reset Period will not reset below 7.000% (which equals the initial interest rate on the Notes). Interest, subject to the Company's right to defer interest payments, will be payable semi-annually in arrears on January 31 and July 31 of each year, beginning on July 31, 2026. The Notes will mature on July 31, 2056, unless earlier redeemed.

So long as no event of default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing, the Company may, at its option, defer interest payments on the Notes on one or more occasions, from time to time, for up to 20 consecutive semi-annual interest payment periods. During any deferral period, interest on the Notes will continue to accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes. In addition, during any deferral period, interest on deferred interest will accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes, compounded semi-annually, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

The Company may redeem the Notes at it option before their maturity:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• in whole or in part, on one or more occasions, (i) on any day in the period commencing on the date falling 90 days prior to the First Reset Date and ending on and including the First Reset Date and (ii) after the First Reset Date, on any interest payment date, in each case at 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed, but excluding, the redemption date;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• in whole, but not in part, at 100% of their principal amount, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date thereon, if certain changes in tax laws, treaties or interpretations occur;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• in whole, but not in part, at 102% of their principal amount, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date thereon, if a rating agency makes certain changes in the equity credit criteria for securities such as the Notes.

The Notes are subject to customary events of default, as set forth in the Indenture.

The foregoing description of the Notes does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Indenture and the form of Note, which are filed as exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

**Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.**

The information set forth under Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

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**Item 9.01 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Financial Statements and Exhibits.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) Exhibits:

**Exhibit Number &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Description**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 4.1 | <u>[Indenture, dated as of December 10, 2025, between TXNM Energy, Inc. and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee.](txnm12102025ex41.htm)</u> |
| 4.2 | <u>[Form of Note, representing the 7.000% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2056 (included as Exhibit A to the Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.1).](txnm12102025ex41.htm)</u> |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |

---

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**<u>SIGNATURE</u>**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| | **TXNM ENERGY, INC.** |
| | (Registrant) |
| Date: December 10, 2025 | /s/ Gerald R. Bischoff |
| | Gerald R. Bischoff |
| | Vice President and Corporate Controller |
| | (Officer duly authorized to sign this report) |

---

## Exhibit 4.1

***Exhibit 4.1***

TXNM ENERGY, INC.<br>AND<br>U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,<br>as Trustee<br>INDENTURE<br>Dated as of December 10, 2025

7.000% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2056

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**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

<u>PAGE</u>

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| ARTICLE 1 | ARTICLE 1 | ARTICLE 1 |
| DEFINITIONS | DEFINITIONS | DEFINITIONS |
| Section 1.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Definitions* | 1 |
| Section 1.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*[Reserved.]* | 9 |
| ARTICLE 2 | ARTICLE 2 | ARTICLE 2 |
| ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES | ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES | ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES |
| Section 1.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Designation and Amount* | 10 |
| Section 2.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Form of Notes* | 10 |
| Section 2.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Issuance of Notes; Date and Denomination of Notes; Payments of Interest and Defaulted Amounts* | 11 |
| Section 2.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Deferral of Interest* | 12 |
| Section 2.05 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Execution, Authentication and Delivery of Notes* | 15 |
| Section 2.06 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Exchange and Registration of Transfer of Notes; Restrictions on Transfer; Depositary* | 15 |
| Section 2.07 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes* | 19 |
| Section 2.08 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Temporary Notes* | 20 |
| Section 2.09 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Cancellation of Notes Paid, Etc.* | 21 |
| Section 2.10 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*CUSIP Numbers* | 21 |
| Section 2.11 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Additional Notes; Repurchases* | 21 |
| ARTICLE 3 | ARTICLE 3 | ARTICLE 3 |
| SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE | SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE | SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE |
| Section 3.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Satisfaction and Discharge* | 22 |
| ARTICLE 4 | ARTICLE 4 | ARTICLE 4 |
| PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY | PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY | PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY |
| Section 4.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Payment of Principal and Interest* | 22 |
| Section 4.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Maintenance of Office or Agency* | 22 |
| Section 4.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee's Office* | 23 |
| Section 4.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Provisions as to Paying Agent* | 23 |
| Section 4.05 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Existence* | 24 |
| Section 4.06 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Rule 144A Information Requirement and Annual Reports* | 24 |
| Section 4.07 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Stay, Extension and Usury Laws* | 25 |
| Section 4.08 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Compliance Certificate; Statements as to Defaults* | 26 |
| Section 4.09 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Further Instruments and Acts* | 26 |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| ARTICLE 5 | ARTICLE 5 | ARTICLE 5 |
| LISTS OF HOLDERS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE | LISTS OF HOLDERS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE | LISTS OF HOLDERS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE |
| Section 5.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Lists of Holders* | 26 |
| Section 5.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Preservation and Disclosure of Lists* | 26 |
| ARTICLE 6 | ARTICLE 6 | ARTICLE 6 |
| DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES | DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES | DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES |
| Section 6.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Events of Default* | 27 |
| Section 6.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment* | 27 |
| Section 6.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*[Reserved.]* | 28 |
| Section 6.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Payments of Notes on Default; Suit Therefor* | 28 |
| Section 6.05 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Application of Monies Collected by Trustee* | 30 |
| Section 6.06 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Proceedings by Holders* | 30 |
| Section 6.07 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Proceedings by Trustee* | 31 |
| Section 6.08 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Remedies Cumulative and Continuing* | 32 |
| Section 6.09 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Holders* | 32 |
| Section 6.10 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Notice of Defaults* | 33 |
| Section 6.11 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Undertaking to Pay Costs* | 33 |
| ARTICLE 7 | ARTICLE 7 | ARTICLE 7 |
| CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE | CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE | CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE |
| Section 7.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee* | 33 |
| Section 7.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Reliance on Documents, Opinions, Etc.* | 35 |
| Section 7.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*No Responsibility for Recitals, Etc.* | 37 |
| Section 7.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Trustee, Paying Agents or Note Registrar May Own Notes* | 37 |
| Section 7.05 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Monies to Be Held in Trust* | 37 |
| Section 7.06 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Compensation and Expenses of Trustee* | 37 |
| Section 7.07 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Officer's Certificate as Evidence* | 38 |
| Section 7.08 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Eligibility of Trustee* | 38 |
| Section 7.09 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Resignation or Removal of Trustee* | 39 |
| Section 7.10 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Acceptance by Successor Trustee* | 40 |
| Section 7.11 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Succession by Merger, Etc.* | 40 |
| Section 7.12 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Trustee's Application for Instructions from the Company* | 41 |
| ARTICLE 8 | ARTICLE 8 | ARTICLE 8 |
| CONCERNING THE HOLDERS | CONCERNING THE HOLDERS | CONCERNING THE HOLDERS |
| Section 8.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Action by Holders* | 41 |
| Section 8.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Proof of Execution by Holders* | 42 |
| Section 8.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners* | 42 |
| Section 8.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Company-Owned Notes Disregarded* | 42 |
| Section 8.05 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Revocation of Consents; Future Holders Bound* | 43 |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Section 8.06 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Agreement to Certain Tax Treatment* | 43 |
| ARTICLE 9 | ARTICLE 9 | ARTICLE 9 |
| HOLDERS' MEETINGS | HOLDERS' MEETINGS | HOLDERS' MEETINGS |
| Section 9.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Purpose of Meetings* | 43 |
| Section 9.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Call of Meetings by Trustee* | 44 |
| Section 9.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Call of Meetings by Company or Holders* | 44 |
| Section 9.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Qualifications for Voting* | 44 |
| Section 9.05 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Regulations* | 44 |
| Section 9.06 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Voting* | 45 |
| Section 9.07 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*No Delay of Rights by Meeting* | 45 |
| ARTICLE 10 | ARTICLE 10 | ARTICLE 10 |
| SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES | SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES | SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES |
| Section 10.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders* | 45 |
| Section 10.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders* | 46 |
| Section 10.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Effect of Supplemental Indentures* | 47 |
| Section 10.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Notation on Notes* | 48 |
| Section 10.05 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to Be Furnished Trustee* | 48 |
| ARTICLE 11 | ARTICLE 11 | ARTICLE 11 |
| CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE | CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE | CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE |
| Section 11.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Company May Consolidate, Etc. on Certain Terms* | 48 |
| Section 11.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Successor Corporation to Be Substituted* | 49 |
| Section 11.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Officer's Certification and Opinion of Counsel to Be Given to Trustee* | 49 |
| ARTICLE 12 | ARTICLE 12 | ARTICLE 12 |
| IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS | IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS | IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS |
| Section 12.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Indenture and Notes Solely Corporate Obligations* | 50 |
| ARTICLE 13 | ARTICLE 13 | ARTICLE 13 |
| SUBORDINATION | SUBORDINATION | SUBORDINATION |
| Section 13.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Subordination* | 50 |
| Section 13.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Notice to Trustee of Facts Prohibiting Payments* | 51 |
| Section 13.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Application by Trustee of Moneys Deposited With It* | 51 |
| Section 13.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Subrogation* | 51 |
| Section 13.05 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Subordination Rights Not Impaired by Acts or Omissions of Company or Holders of Senior Indebtedness* | 52 |
| Section 13.06 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Right of Trustee to Hold Senior Indebtedness* | 52 |
| Section 13.07 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Not to Prevent Defaults (Including Events of Default)* | 52 |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Section 13.08 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Trustee's Rights to Compensation, Reimbursement of Expenses and Indemnification* | 52 |
| Section 13.09 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Article Applicable to Paying Agents* | 52 |
| Section 13.10 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness* | 53 |
| ARTICLE 14 | ARTICLE 14 | ARTICLE 14 |
| [RESERVED.] | [RESERVED.] | [RESERVED.] |
| ARTICLE 15 | ARTICLE 15 | ARTICLE 15 |
| [RESERVED.] | [RESERVED.] | [RESERVED.] |
| ARTICLE 16 | ARTICLE 16 | ARTICLE 16 |
| OPTIONAL REDEMPTION | OPTIONAL REDEMPTION | OPTIONAL REDEMPTION |
| Section 16.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Optional Redemption* | 53 |
| Section 16.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Notice of Redemption; Selection of Notes* | 54 |
| Section 16.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Payment of Notes Called for Redemption* | 55 |
| Section 16.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Restrictions on Redemption* | 56 |
| ARTICLE 17 | ARTICLE 17 | ARTICLE 17 |
| MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS | MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS | MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
| Section 17.01 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Provisions Binding on Company's Successors* | 56 |
| Section 17.02 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Official Acts by Successor Corporation* | 56 |
| Section 17.03 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Addresses for Notices, Etc.* | 56 |
| Section 17.04 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Governing Law; Jurisdiction* | 58 |
| Section 17.05 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent; Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to Trustee* | 58 |
| Section 17.06 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Legal Holidays* | 59 |
| Section 17.07 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*No Security Interest Created* | 59 |
| Section 17.08 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Benefits of Indenture* | 59 |
| Section 17.09 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.* | 59 |
| Section 17.10 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Authenticating Agent* | 60 |
| Section 17.11 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Execution in Counterparts* | 61 |
| Section 17.12 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Severability* | 61 |
| Section 17.13 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Waiver of Jury Trial* | 61 |
| Section 17.14 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Force Majeure* | 61 |
| Section 17.15 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Calculations* | 61 |
| Section 17.16 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*USA PATRIOT Act* | 62 |
| Section 17.17 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*Electronic Signatures* | 62 |
| Section 17.18 . | &nbsp;&nbsp;*FACTA* | 62 |
| **EXHIBIT** | **EXHIBIT** | **EXHIBIT** |
| Exhibit A | &nbsp;&nbsp;Form of Note | A-1 |

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iv

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INDENTURE dated as of December 10, 2025 between TXNM ENERGY, INC., a New Mexico corporation, as issuer (the "**Company**," as more fully set forth in Section 1.01) and U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as trustee (the "**Trustee**," as more fully set forth in Section 1.01).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Company has duly authorized the issuance of its 7.000% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2056 (the "**Notes**"), initially in an aggregate principal amount of $350,000,000, and in order to provide the terms and conditions upon which the Notes are to be authenticated, issued and delivered, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture; and

WHEREAS, the Form of Note, the certificate of authentication to be borne by each Note and the Form of Assignment and Transfer to be borne by the Notes are to be substantially in the forms hereinafter provided; and

WHEREAS, all acts and things necessary to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent, as provided in this Indenture, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and this Indenture a valid agreement according to its terms, have been done and performed, and the execution of this Indenture and the issuance hereunder of the Notes have in all respects been duly authorized.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

That in order to declare the terms and conditions upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated, issued and delivered, and in consideration of the premises and of the purchase and acceptance of the Notes by the Holders thereof, the Company covenants and agrees with the Trustee for the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective Holders from time to time of the Notes (except as otherwise provided below), as follows:

ARTICLE 1<br>DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01 *. Definitions.* The terms defined in this Section 1.01 (except as herein otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) for all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section 1.01. The words "herein," "hereof," "hereunder" and words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision. The terms defined in this Article include the plural as well as the singular.

"**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

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Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control," when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct or cause the direction of 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. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the determination of whether one Person is an "**Affiliate**" of another Person for purposes of this Indenture shall be made based on the facts at the time such determination is made or required to be made, as the case may be, hereunder.

"**Applicable FATCA Law**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 17.18.

"**Authorized Officers**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 17.03.

"**Board of Directors**" means the board of directors of the Company or a committee of such board duly authorized to act for it hereunder.

"**Business Day**" means, with respect to any Note, any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Corporate Trust Office is authorized or required by law or executive order to close or be closed.

"**Capital Stock**" means, except for purposes of Section 2.04, for any entity, any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) stock issued by that entity, but shall not include any debt securities convertible into or exchangeable for any securities otherwise constituting Capital Stock pursuant to this definition; *provided* that, for purposes of Section 2.04 only, "**Capital Stock**" means (i) in the case of a corporation or a company, corporate stock or shares; (ii) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock; (iii) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited); and (iv) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the proﬁts and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person.

"**Clearstream**" means Clearstream Banking S.A. or its successor.

"**Code**" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

"**Commission**" means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

"**Company**" shall have the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Indenture, and subject to the provisions of Article 11, shall include its successors and assigns.

"**Company Order**" means a written order of the Company signed by at least one Officer of the Company and delivered to the Trustee.

"**Compound Interest**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

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"**Corporate Trust Office**" means the designated office of the Trustee at which at any time its corporate trust business relating to this Indenture shall be administered, which office at the date hereof (until another address is filed by the Trustee with the Company) is located at 60 Livingston Ave., Saint Paul, Minnesota 55107, Attention: TXNM Energy Notes Administrator, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the designated 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).

"**Custodian**" means the Trustee, as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, with respect to the Global Notes, or any successor entity thereto.

"**Default**" means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time, or both, would be, an Event of Default.

"**Defaulted Amounts**" means any amounts on any Note (including, without limitation, the Redemption Price, principal and interest) that are payable but are not punctually paid or duly provided for.

"**Deferred Interest**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

"**Depositary**" means, with respect to each Global Note, the Person specified in Section 2.06(c) as the Depositary with respect to such Notes, until a successor shall have been appointed and become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter, "**Depositary**" shall mean or include such successor.

"**Distribution Compliance Period**" has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(c).

"**Electronic Means**" shall mean the following communications methods: e-mail or secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys issued by the Trustee, or another method or system specified by the Trustee by notice to the Holders and the Company as available for use in connection with its services hereunder.

"**Euroclear**" means Euroclear Bank SA/NV or its successor.

"**Event of Default**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.01.

"**Exchange Act**" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

"**First Reset Date**" means July 31, 2031.

"**Form of Assignment and Transfer**" means the "Form of Assignment and Transfer" attached as Attachment 1 to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

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"**Form of Note**" means the "Form of Note" attached hereto as Exhibit A.

The terms "**given**," "**mailed**," "**notify**" or "**sent**" with respect to any notice to be given to a Holder pursuant to this Indenture, shall mean notice (x) given to the Depositary (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from the Depositary or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices or procedures at the Depositary (in the case of a Global Note) or (y) mailed to such Holder by first class mail, postage prepaid, at its address as it appears on the Note Register (in the case of a Physical Note), in each case, in accordance with Section 17.03. Notice so "given" shall be deemed to include any notice to be "mailed" or "delivered," as applicable, under this Indenture.

"**Global Note**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b).

"**Holder**," as applied to any Note, or other similar terms (but excluding the term "beneficial holder"), means any Person in whose name at the time a particular Note is registered on the Note Register.

"**Indenture**" means this instrument as originally executed or, if amended or supplemented as herein provided, as so amended or supplemented.

"**Initial Purchasers**" means the initial purchasers named in Schedule 1 to the Purchase Agreement.

"**Instructions**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 17.03.

"**Interest Payment Date**" means each January 31 and July 31 of each year, beginning on July 31, 2026.

"**Interest Payment Period**" means the semi-annual period from, and including, an Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, except for the first Interest Payment Period, which shall be the period from, and including, December 10, 2025 to, but excluding, July 31, 2026.

"**Junior Subordinated Convertible Notes**" means the Company's 5.75% Junior Subordinated Convertible Notes due 2054, which were issued pursuant to that certain Indenture, dated as of June 10, 2024, between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee.

"**Maturity Date**" means July 31, 2056.

"**Note**" or "**Notes**" shall have the meaning specified in the second paragraph of the recitals of this Indenture.

"**Note Register**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.06(a).

"**Note Registrar**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.06(a).

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"**Notice**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 17.17.

"**Notice of Redemption**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.02(a).

"**Offering Memorandum**" means the preliminary offering memorandum dated December 2, 2025, as supplemented by the related pricing term sheet dated December 8, 2025, relating to the offering and sale of the Notes.

"**Officer**" means, with respect to the Company, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Controller, any Executive Vice President, any Senior Vice President or any Vice President (whether or not designated by a number or numbers or word or words added before or after the title "Vice President").

"**Officer's Certificate**," when used with respect to the Company, means a certificate that is delivered to the Trustee and that is signed by any Officer of the Company. Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 17.05 if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section. The Officer giving an Officer's Certificate pursuant to Section 4.08 shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Company or the President or the Treasurer of the Company.

"**Opinion of Counsel**" means an opinion in writing signed by legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, or other counsel acceptable to the Trustee, which opinion may contain customary exceptions and qualifications as to the matters set forth therein, that is delivered to the Trustee. Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 17.05 if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section 17.05.

"**Optional Deferral Period**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

"**Optional Redemption**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.01(b).

"**outstanding**," when used with reference to Notes, shall, subject to the provisions of Section 8.04, mean, as of any particular time, all Notes authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Indenture, except:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Notes theretofore canceled by the Trustee or accepted by the Trustee for cancellation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Notes, or portions thereof, that have become due and payable and in respect of which monies in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent (other than the Company) or shall have been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Notes that have been paid pursuant to the second paragraph of Section 2.07 or Notes in lieu of which, or in substitution for which, other Notes shall have been

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authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.07 unless proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that any such Notes are held by protected purchasers in due course; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Notes redeemed pursuant to Article 16.

"**Paying Agent**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.02.

"**Person**" means an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a partnership, a joint venture, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or a government or an agency or a political subdivision thereof.

"**Physical Notes**" means permanent certificated Notes in registered form issued in denominations of $2,000 principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

"**Predecessor Note**" of any particular Note means every previous Note evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Note; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Note authenticated and delivered under Section 2.07 in lieu of or in exchange for a mutilated, lost, destroyed or stolen Note shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, lost, destroyed or stolen Note that it replaces.

"**Purchase Agreement**" means that certain Purchase Agreement, dated December 8, 2025, relating to the offering and sale of the Notes, among the Company and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives of the Initial Purchasers.

"**Rating Agency**" means any nationally recognized statistical rating organization within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act (or any successor provision thereto) that then publishes a rating for the Company (together with any successor thereto).

"**Rating Agency Event**" means, as of any date, a change, clarification or amendment in the methodology in assigning equity credit to securities such as the Notes published by any Rating Agency, (a) as such methodology was in effect on the date of the original issuance of the Notes, in the case of any Rating Agency that published a rating for the Company as of the date of the original issuance of the Notes, or (b) as such methodology was in effect on the date such Rating Agency first published a rating for the Company, in the case of any Rating Agency that first publishes a rating for the Company after the date of the original issuance of the Notes (in the case of either clause (a) or (b), the "**current methodology**"), that results in (i) any shortening of the length of time for which a particular level of equity credit pertaining to the Notes by such Rating Agency would have been in effect had the current methodology not been changed, clarified or amended or (ii) a lower equity credit (including up to a lesser amount) being assigned by such Rating Agency to the Notes as of the date of such change, clarification or amendment than the equity credit that would have been assigned to the Notes by such Rating Agency had the current methodology not been changed, clarified or amended.

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"**Rating Agency Event Redemption**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.01(b).

"**Redemption Date**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.02(a).

"**Redemption Price**" when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to Section 16.01.

"**Regular Record Date**," with respect to any Interest Payment Date, means the January 15 or July 15 (whether or not such day is a Business Day) immediately preceding the applicable January 31 or July 31 Interest Payment Date, respectively.

"**Regulation S**" means Regulation S as promulgated under the Securities Act.

"**Regulation S Global Note**" has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b).

"**Regulation S Legend**" has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b).

"**Reset Date**" means July 31, 2031 and each date falling on the five-year anniversary of the preceding Reset Date

"**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 relating to this Indenture is referred because of such person's knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who, in each case, shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

"**Rule 144**" means Rule 144 as promulgated under the Securities Act.

"**Rule 144A**" means Rule 144A as promulgated under the Securities Act.

"**Rule 144A Global Note**" has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b).

"**Rule 144A Legend**" has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b).

"**Securities Act**" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

"**Senior Indebtedness**" means (i) the Company's indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or incurred, created or assumed after such date, (a) in respect of money borrowed by the Company (including any ﬁnancial derivative, hedging or futures contract or similar instrument, to the extent any such item is primarily a ﬁnancing transaction) and (b) evidenced by debentures, bonds, notes, credit or loan agreements or other similar instruments or

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agreements issued or entered into by the Company; (ii) all ﬁnance lease obligations of the Company; (iii) all of the Company's obligations issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all of the Company's conditional sale obligations and all of the Company's obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business and long-term purchase obligations); (iv) all of the Company's obligations for the reimbursement of any letter of credit, banker's acceptance, security purchase facility or similar credit transaction; and (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) above of other Persons for the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, except for any obligations, instruments or agreements of the type referred to in any of clauses (i) through (v) above that, by the terms of the instruments or agreements creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, are subordinated or equal in right of payment to the Notes.

"**Simple Redemption**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.01(c).

"**Special Event Redemption**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.01(b).

"**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 Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers, general partners or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person; (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

"**Successor Company**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 11.01(a).

"**Tax Event**" means that the Company has received a written opinion of a nationally recognized accounting firm or counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;any amendment to, clarification of, or change, including any announced prospective change, in the laws or treaties of the United States or any of its political subdivisions or taxing authorities, or any regulations under those laws or treaties;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;an administrative action, which means any judicial decision or any official administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure, notice or announcement, including any notice or announcement of intent to issue or adopt any administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;any amendment to, clarification of, or change in the official position or the interpretation of any administrative action or judicial decision or any interpretation or pronouncement that provides for a position with respect to an administrative action or judicial decision that differs from the previously generally accepted position, in each case by any

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legislative body, court, governmental authority or regulatory body, regardless of the time or manner in which that amendment, clarification or change is introduced or made known; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a threatened challenge asserted in writing in connection with a tax audit of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or a publicly-known threatened challenge asserted in writing against any other taxpayer that has raised capital through the issuance of securities that are substantially similar to the Notes,

which amendment, clarification or change is effective or the administrative action is taken or judicial decision, interpretation or pronouncement is issued or threatened challenge is asserted or becomes publicly-known after the date of original issuance of the Notes, there is more than an insubstantial risk that interest payable by the Company on the Notes is not deductible, or within 90 days would not be deductible, in whole or in part, by the Company for United States federal income tax purposes.

"**Tax Event Redemption**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.01(a).

"**transfer**" shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.06(c).

"**Trust Indenture Act**" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as it was in force at the date of execution of this Indenture; *provided*, *however*, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after the date hereof, the term "Trust Indenture Act" shall mean, to the extent required by such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as so amended.

"**Trustee**" means the Person named as the "**Trustee**" in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter "**Trustee**" shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder.

"**Underlying Junior Subordinated Notes**" means the Company's 5.75% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2054, that are issuable pursuant to that certain Indenture, dated as of June 10, 2024, between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as trustee, pursuant to certain conversions of the Junior Subordinated Convertible Notes.

"**Wholly Owned Subsidiary**" means, with respect to any Person, any Subsidiary of such Person, except that, solely for purposes of this definition, the reference to "more than 50%" in the definition of "Subsidiary" shall be deemed replaced by a reference to "100%," the calculation of which shall exclude nominal amounts of the voting power of shares of Capital Stock or other interests in the relevant Subsidiary not held by such Person to the extent required to satisfy local minority interest requirements outside of the United States.

Section 1.02 *. [Reserved.]* 

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ARTICLE 2<br>ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES

Section 2.01 *. Designation and Amount.* The Notes shall be designated as the "7.000% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2056." The aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is initially limited to $350,000,000, subject to Section 2.11 and except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration or transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of other Notes to the extent expressly permitted hereunder.

Section 2.02 *. Form of Notes*. The Notes and the Trustee's certificate of authentication to be borne by such Notes shall be substantially in the respective forms set forth in Exhibit A, the terms and provisions of which shall constitute, and are hereby expressly incorporated in and made a part of this Indenture. To the extent applicable, the Company and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby. In the case of any conflict between this Indenture and a Note, the provisions of this Indenture shall control and govern to the extent of such conflict.

Any Global Note may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or recitals or changes not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture as may be required by the Custodian or the Depositary, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or any regulation thereunder or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Notes may be listed or traded or designated for issuance or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Notes are subject.

Any of the Notes may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such notations, legends or endorsements as the Officer executing the same may approve (execution thereof to be conclusive evidence of such approval) and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may be listed or designated for issuance, or to conform to usage or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Notes are subject.

Each Global Note shall represent such principal amount of the outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect redemptions, repurchases, cancellations, transfers or exchanges permitted hereby. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in such manner and upon instructions given by the Holder of such Notes in accordance with this Indenture. Payment of principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, a Global Note shall be made to the Holder of

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such Note on the date of payment, unless a record date or other means of determining Holders eligible to receive payment is provided for herein.

Section 2.03 *. Issuance of Notes; Date and Denomination of Notes; Payments of Interest and Defaulted Amounts.* (a) The Notes shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication and shall bear interest from the date specified on the face of such Note. Accrued interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months and, for partial months, on the basis of the number of days actually elapsed in a 30-day month.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Person in whose name any Note (or its Predecessor Note) is registered on the Note Register at the close of business on any Regular Record Date with respect to any Interest Payment Date shall be entitled to receive the interest payable on such Interest Payment Date. The principal amount of any Note (x) in the case of any Physical Note, shall be payable at the office or agency of the Company maintained by the Company for such purposes in the contiguous United States, which shall initially be the Corporate Trust Office, or by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the U.S. Dollar account of the Holder and (y) in the case of any Global Note, shall be payable by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee. The Company shall pay, or cause the Paying Agent to pay, interest (i) on any Physical Notes (A) to Holders holding Physical Notes having an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or less, by check mailed to the Holders of these Notes at their address as it appears in the Note Register and (B) to Holders holding Physical Notes having an aggregate principal amount of more than $5,000,000, either by check mailed to each such Holder or, upon written application by such a Holder to the Note Registrar not later than the relevant Regular Record Date, by wire transfer in immediately available funds to that Holder's U.S. Dollar account within the United States if such Holder has provided the Company, the Trustee or the Paying Agent (if other than the Trustee) with the requisite information necessary to make such wire transfer, which application shall remain in effect until the Holder notifies, in writing, the Note Registrar to the contrary or (ii) on any Global Note by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any Defaulted Amounts shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant payment date but shall accrue interest per annum at the then-applicable interest rate borne by the Notes, subject to the enforceability thereof under applicable law, from, and including, such relevant payment date, and such Defaulted Amounts together with such interest thereon shall be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (i) or (ii) below:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Amounts to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective Predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Amounts, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of the Defaulted Amounts proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment (which shall be not less than 25 days

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after the receipt by the Trustee of such notice, unless the Trustee shall consent to an earlier date), and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Amounts or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Amounts as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Company shall fix a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Amounts which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment, and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment (unless the Trustee shall consent to an earlier date). The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of such special record date and the Trustee, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Amounts and the special record date therefor to be delivered to each Holder not less than 10 days prior to such special record date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Amounts and the special record date therefor having been so delivered, such Defaulted Amounts shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective Predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on such special record date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (ii) of this Section 2.03(c).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Amounts in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may be listed or designated for issuance, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange or automated quotation system, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Trustee shall not at any time be under any duty or responsibility to any Holder of Notes to determine the Defaulted Amounts, or with respect to the nature, extent, or calculation of the amount of Defaulted Amounts owed, or with respect to the method employed in such calculation of the Defaulted Amounts.

Section 2.04 *. Deferral of Interest*.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So long as no Event of Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing, the Company may, at its option, defer interest payments (such deferred interest, "**Deferred Interest**") on the Notes on one or more occasions, from time to time, for up to 20 consecutive semi-annual Interest Payment Periods (each such deferral period, which will commence on the Interest Payment Date on which the first such Deferred Interest payment otherwise would have been made, an "**Optional Deferral Period**"), except that no such Optional Deferral Period may extend beyond the Maturity Date or end on a day other than the day immediately preceding an Interest Payment Date. During any Optional Deferral Period, interest on the Notes will continue to accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes (as reset from time to time on any Reset Date occurring during such Optional Deferral Period in

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accordance with the terms of the Notes). In addition, during any Optional Deferral Period, interest on the Deferred Interest ("**Compound Interest**") will accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes (as reset from time to time on any Reset Date occurring during such Optional Deferral Period in accordance with the terms of the Notes), compounded semi-annually, to the extent permitted by applicable law. The Interest Payment Date falling immediately after the last day of an Optional Deferral Period shall not be deemed to fall on a day during such Optional Deferral Period.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No interest will be due and payable on the Notes until the end of the Optional Deferral Period except upon a redemption of the Notes during the Optional Deferral Period (in which case all accrued and unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any Compound Interest) on the Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, such Redemption Date will be due and payable on such Redemption Date) or unless the principal of and interest on the Notes shall have been declared due and payable as the result of an Event of Default (in which case all accrued and unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any Compound Interest) on the Notes will be due and payable). All references in the Notes and, insofar as it relates to the Notes, this Indenture, to "interest" on the Notes shall be deemed to include any such Deferred Interest and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any Compound Interest, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Before the end of any Optional Deferral Period that is shorter than 20 consecutive semi-annual Interest Payment Periods, the Company may elect, at its option, to extend such Optional Deferral Period, so long as the entire Optional Deferral Period does not exceed 20 consecutive semi-annual Interest Payment Periods or extend beyond the Maturity Date. The Company may also elect, at its option, to shorten the length of any Optional Deferral Period. No Optional Deferral Period (including as extended or shortened) may end on a day other than the day immediately preceding an Interest Payment Date. At the end of any Optional Deferral Period, if all amounts then due on the Notes, including all accrued and unpaid interest thereon (including, without limitation and to the extent permitted by applicable law, any Deferred Interest and any Compound Interest thereon), are paid, the Company may elect to begin a new Optional Deferral Period; *provided*, *however*, that, without limitation of the foregoing, the Company may not begin a new Optional Deferral Period unless the Company has paid all accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes (including, without limitation and to the extent permitted by applicable law, any Deferred Interest and any Compound Interest thereon) from any previous Optional Deferral Period, as calculated by the Company and provided to the Trustee no later than five Business Days prior to an Interest Payment Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;During any Optional Deferral Period, the Company (and its Subsidiaries, as applicable) shall not do any of the following (subject to the exceptions set forth under clause (e) of this Section 2.04):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;declare or pay any dividends or distributions on any of the Company's Capital Stock;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to any of the Company's Capital Stock;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;pay any principal, interest (to the extent such interest is deferrable) or premium on, or repay, repurchase or redeem, any of the Company's indebtedness that ranks equally with or junior to the Notes in right of payment; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;make any payments with respect to any guarantees by the Company of any indebtedness if such guarantees rank equally with or junior to the Notes in right of payment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;However, during an Optional Deferral Period, the Company may (i) reclassify its Capital Stock or exchange or convert one class or series of its Capital Stock for another class or series of its Capital Stock, (ii) purchase fractional interests in shares of its Capital Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such Capital Stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (iii) declare or make dividends, payments or distributions payable in shares of Capital Stock, (iv) redeem, purchase or acquire shares of Capital Stock in connection with any employment contract, incentive plan, benefit plan or other similar arrangement of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or in connection with a dividend reinvestment or stock purchase plan, (v) declare any dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder rights plan, or issue rights, stock or other property under such plan, or redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire any such rights pursuant thereto and (vi) settle conversions of convertible notes that rank equally with the Notes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company will give the Depositary, the Holders and the Trustee written notice of its election of, or any shortening or extension of, an Optional Deferral Period at least 15 Business Days prior to the earlier of (i) each next succeeding Interest Payment Date or (ii) the date upon which the Company is required to give notice to any applicable self-regulatory organization or to Holders of the next succeeding Interest Payment Date or the Regular Record Date therefor. The record date for the payment of Deferred Interest and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any Compound Interest payable on the Interest Payment Date immediately following the last day of an Optional Deferral Period will be the Regular Record Date with respect to such Interest Payment Date. Upon any election to extend an Optional Deferral Period, the Company will deliver to the Trustee, accompanying the notice described in this paragraph, the Company's calculations of all Deferred Interest and Compound Interest accrued to date during such Optional Deferral Period.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[*Intentionally Omitted*].

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For the avoidance of doubt, any Deferred Interest (including Compound Interest thereon) shall be calculated by the Company in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Depositary and the Trustee may conclusively rely on such calculation to be delivered to the Trustee with each notice described in Section 2.04(f).

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Section 2.05 *. Execution, Authentication and Delivery of Notes.* The Notes shall be signed in the name and on behalf of the Company by the manual, facsimile or electronic signature of its Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer or Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Notes executed manually, by facsimile or by electronic signature by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order (such Company Order to include the terms of the Notes) for the authentication and delivery of such Notes, and the Trustee in accordance with such Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Notes, without any further action by the Company hereunder; *provided* that, subject to Section 17.05, the Trustee shall receive an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel of the Company with respect to the issuance, authentication and delivery of such Notes.

Only such Notes as shall bear thereon a certificate of authentication substantially in the form set forth on the Form of Note attached as Exhibit A hereto, executed manually, by facsimile or electronically by an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee as provided by Section 17.10), shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose. Such certificate by the Trustee (or such an authenticating agent) upon any Note executed by the Company shall be conclusive evidence that the Note so authenticated has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the Holder is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

In case any Officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Notes shall cease to be such Officer before the Notes so signed shall have been authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, or disposed of by the Company, such Notes nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though the Person who signed such Notes had not ceased to be such Officer of the Company; and any Note may be signed on behalf of the Company by such persons as, at the actual date of the execution of such Note, shall be the Officers of the Company, although at the date of the execution of this Indenture any such Person was not such an Officer.

Section 2.06 *. Exchange and Registration of Transfer of Notes; Restrictions on Transfer; Depositary.* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office a register (the register maintained in such office or in any other office or agency of the Company designated pursuant to Section 4.02, the "**Note Register**") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Notes and of transfers of Notes. Such register shall be in written form or in any form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable period of time. The Trustee is hereby initially appointed the "**Note Registrar**" for the purpose of registering Notes and transfers of Notes as herein provided. The Company may appoint one or more co-Note Registrars in accordance with Section 4.02.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Note to the Note Registrar or any co-Note Registrar, and satisfaction of the requirements for such transfer set forth in this Section

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2.06, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Notes of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and bearing such restrictive legends as may be required by this Indenture.

Notes may be exchanged for other Notes of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Notes to be exchanged at any such office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 4.02. Whenever any Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Notes that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive, bearing registration numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.

All Notes presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or repurchase shall (if so required by the Company, the Trustee, the Note Registrar or any co-Note Registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and duly executed, by the Holder thereof or its attorney-in-fact duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be imposed by the Company, the Trustee, the Note Registrar, any co-Note Registrar or the Paying Agent for any exchange or registration of transfer of Notes, but the Company may require a Holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or other similar governmental charge required in connection therewith as a result of the name of the Holder of new Notes issued upon such exchange or registration of transfer being different from the name of the Holder of the old Notes surrendered for exchange or registration of transfer or otherwise required to be paid by the Holder under applicable law.

None of the Company, the Trustee, the Note Registrar or any co-Note Registrar shall be required to exchange for other Notes or register a transfer of any Notes selected for redemption in accordance with Article 16, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part pursuant to a Simple Redemption.

All Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes in accordance with this Indenture shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So long as the Notes are eligible for book-entry settlement with the Depositary, unless otherwise required by law, subject to the fourth paragraph from the end of Section 2.06(c) all Notes shall be represented by one or more Notes in global form (each, a "**Global Note**") registered in the name of the Depositary or the nominee of the Depositary. Beneficial interest in the Notes offered and sold to "qualified institutional buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A) in reliance upon Rule 144A shall be represented by one or more separate Global Notes (each, a "**Rule 144A Global Note**"). Each Rule 144A Global Note (and all securities issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the Rule 144A legend required on a Rule 144A Global

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Note set forth in Exhibit A hereto (the "**Rule 144A Legend**"). Beneficial interests in the Notes offered and sold to purchasers outside of the United States pursuant to Regulation S shall be represented by one or more separate Global Notes (each, a "**Regulation S Global Note**"). Each Regulation S Global Note (and all securities issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the Regulation S legend required on a Regulation S Global Note set forth in Exhibit A hereto (the "**Regulation S Legend**").The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in a Global Note that does not involve the issuance of a Physical Note shall be effected through the Depositary (but not the Trustee or the Custodian) in accordance with this Indenture (including the restrictions on transfer set forth herein) and the applicable procedures of the Depositary therefor.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A Rule 144A Global Note may not be transferred on the Note Register except in compliance with the restrictions on transfer contained in the Rule 144A Legend and upon receipt by the Note Registrar of a completed Form of Assignment and Transfer. Prior to the expiration of 40 days beginning on including the later of (i) the day on which the offering of the Notes commences and (ii) the date of original issuance of the Notes (the "**Distribution Compliance Period**"), a Regulation S Global Note may not be transferred on the Note Register except in compliance with the restrictions on transfer contained in the Regulation S Legend and upon receipt by the Note Registrar of a completed Form of Assignment and Transfer. As used in this Section 2.06(c), the term "**transfer**" encompasses any sale, pledge, transfer or other disposition whatsoever of any Restricted Security.

Until the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note to a transferee who takes delivery of such interest through a Rule 144A Global Note will be made only upon receipt by the Note Registrar of a completed and executed Form of Assignment and Transfer from the transferor of the beneficial interest to the effect that such transfer is being made to a person whom the transferor reasonably believes is a qualified institutional buyer (as defined in Rule 144A) in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and the requirements of applicable securities laws of any state of the United States or any other jurisdiction.

Transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Global Note to a transferee who takes delivery through the Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, will be made only upon receipt by the Note Registrar of a Form of Assignment and Transfer from the transferor to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Regulation S or Rule 144 under the Securities Act and that, if such transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, the interest transferred will be held immediately thereafter through Euroclear or Clearstream.

Any beneficial interest in one of the Global Note that is transferred to a person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in another Global Note will, upon transfer, cease to be an interest in the initial Global Note and will become an interest in the other Global Note and, accordingly, will thereafter be subject to all transfer restrictions, if any, and other procedures applicable to beneficial interests in such other Global Note for as long as it remains such an interest.

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Transfers of beneficial interests between a Rule 144A Global Note and a Regulation S Global Note, and other transfers relating to beneficial interests in the Global Notes, shall be reflected by endorsements of the Trustee, as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, on the schedules attached to such Rule 144A Global Note and Regulation S Global Note.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture (other than the provisions set forth in this Section 2.06(c)), a Global Note may not be transferred as a whole or in part except (i) by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary and (ii) for exchange of a Global Note or a portion thereof for one or more Physical Notes in accordance with the second immediately succeeding paragraph.

The Depositary shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act. The Company initially appoints The Depository Trust Company to act as Depositary with respect to each Global Note. Initially, each Global Note shall be issued to the Depositary, registered in the name of Cede & Co., as the nominee of the Depositary, and deposited with the Trustee as custodian for Cede & Co.

If (i) the Depositary notifies the Company at any time that the Depositary is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Global Notes and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days, (ii) the Depositary ceases to be registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days or (iii) an Event of Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing and, subject to the Depositary's applicable procedures, a beneficial owner of any Note requests that its beneficial interest therein be issued as a Physical Note, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Officer's Certificate, an Opinion of Counsel and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of Notes, shall authenticate and deliver (x) in the case of clause (iii), a Physical Note to such beneficial owner in a principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Note corresponding to such beneficial owner's beneficial interest and (y) in the case of clause (i) or (ii), Physical Notes to each beneficial owner of the related Global Notes (or a portion thereof) in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of such Global Notes in exchange for such Global Notes, and upon delivery of the Global Notes to the Trustee such Global Notes shall be canceled. In connection with any proposed transfer of a Physical Note, the transferor shall provide to the Trustee all information necessary to allow the Trustee to comply with any applicable tax reporting obligations, including without limitation any cost basis reporting obligations under Section 6045 of the Code. The Trustee may rely on the information provided to it and shall have no responsibility to verify or ensure the accuracy of such information.

Physical Notes issued in exchange for all or a part of the Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, or, in the case of clause (iii) of the immediately preceding paragraph, the relevant beneficial owner, shall

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instruct the Trustee in writing. Upon execution and authentication, the Trustee shall deliver such Physical Notes to the Persons in whose names such Physical Notes are so registered.

At such time as all interests in a Global Note have been canceled, redeemed or transferred, such Global Note shall be, upon receipt thereof, canceled by the Trustee in accordance with standing procedures and existing instructions between the Depositary and the Custodian. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any interest in a Global Note is exchanged for Physical Notes, canceled, redeemed or transferred to a transferee who receives Physical Notes therefor or any Physical Note is exchanged or transferred for part of such Global Note, the principal amount of such Global Note shall, in accordance with the standing procedures and instructions existing between the Depositary and the Custodian, be appropriately reduced or increased, as the case may be, and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note, by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, to reflect such reduction or increase.

None of the Company, the Trustee (including in its capacity as Paying Agent) or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall have any responsibility or liability for any act or omission of the Depositary or for the payment of amounts to owners of beneficial interest in a Global Note, for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of those interests by the Depositary, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of the Depositary relating to those interests. All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders in respect of the Notes shall be given or made only to, or upon the order of, the registered Holder(s) (which shall be the Depositary 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 Depositary subject to the applicable procedures of the Depositary. The Trustee may rely and shall be fully protected in relying upon information furnished by the Depositary with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;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 Depositary participants or 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 hereof.

Section 2.07 *. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes.* In case any Note shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company in its discretion may execute, and upon its written request the Trustee or an authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, a new Note, bearing a registration number not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated Note, or in lieu of and in substitution for the Note so destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substituted Note shall furnish to the Company, to the Trustee and, if applicable, to such authenticating agent such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless from any loss, claim, liability, cost or expense caused by or connected with such substitution, and, in every case of

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destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Company, to the Trustee and, if applicable, to such authenticating agent evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Note and of the ownership thereof.

The Trustee or such authenticating agent may authenticate any such substituted Note and deliver the same upon the receipt of such security or indemnity as the Trustee, the Company and, if applicable, such authenticating agent may require. No service charge shall be imposed by the Company, the Trustee, the Note Registrar, any co-Note Registrar or the Paying Agent upon the issuance of any substitute Note, but the Company may require a Holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or other similar governmental charge required in connection therewith as a result of the name of the Holder of the new substitute Note being different from the name of the Holder of the old Note that became mutilated or was destroyed, lost or stolen. In case any Note that has matured or is about to mature shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company may, in its sole discretion, instead of issuing a substitute Note, pay or authorize the payment of the same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Note) if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company, to the Trustee and, if applicable, to such authenticating agent such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless for any loss, claim, liability, cost or expense caused by or connected with such substitution, and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and, if applicable, any Paying Agent evidence of their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Note and of the ownership thereof.

Every substitute Note issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 2.07 by virtue of the fact that any Note is destroyed, lost or stolen shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be found at any time, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of (but shall be subject to all the limitations set forth in) this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Notes duly issued hereunder. To the extent permitted by law, all Notes shall be held and owned upon the express condition that the foregoing provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement, payment, redemption or repurchase of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and shall preclude any and all other rights or remedies notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the replacement, payment, redemption or repurchase of negotiable instruments or other securities without their surrender.

Section 2.08 *. Temporary Notes.* Pending the preparation of Physical Notes, the Company may execute and the Trustee or an authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee shall, upon written request of the Company, authenticate and deliver temporary Notes (printed or lithographed). Temporary Notes shall be issuable in any authorized denomination, and substantially in the form of the Physical Notes but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Notes, all as may be determined by the Company. Every such temporary Note shall be executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee or such authenticating agent upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with the same effect, as the Physical Notes. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Trustee or such authenticating agent Physical Notes (other than any Global

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Note) and thereupon any or all temporary Notes (other than any Global Note) may be surrendered in exchange therefor, at each office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 4.02 and the Trustee or such authenticating agent shall, upon the written request of the Company, authenticate and deliver in exchange for such temporary Notes an equal aggregate principal amount of Physical Notes. Such exchange shall be made by the Company at its own expense and without any charge therefor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits and subject to the same limitations under this Indenture as Physical Notes authenticated and delivered hereunder.

Section 2.09 *. Cancellation of Notes Paid, Etc.* Except for any Notes surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, or as otherwise expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture, no Notes shall be authenticated in exchange for any Notes surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation. The Trustee shall cancel Notes in accordance with its customary procedures and shall deliver evidence of such cancellation to the Company, at the Company's written request in a Company Order.

Section 2.10 *. CUSIP Numbers.* The Company in issuing the Notes may use "CUSIP" numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use "CUSIP" numbers in all notices issued to Holders as a convenience to such Holders; *provided* that the Trustee shall have no liability for any defect in the "CUSIP" numbers as they appear on any Note, notice or elsewhere, and, *provided, further,* 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 on such notice and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the "CUSIP" numbers.

Section 2.11 *. Additional Notes; Repurchases.* The Company may, from time to time, without notice to, or the consent of, the Holders and notwithstanding Section 2.01, create and issue additional Notes hereunder of the same series that are equal in rank to the Notes initially issued hereunder in all respects and have the same terms as the Notes initially issued hereunder in all respects as to status, redemption or otherwise (except for the issue date, the issue price, the payment of interest accruing prior to the issue date of such additional Notes and, if applicable, the first Interest Payment Date following issuance of such additional Notes). Any such additional Notes may be consolidated and form a single series with the Notes; *provided* that if any such additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes initially issued hereunder for U.S. federal income tax or securities law purposes, such additional Notes shall have one or more separate CUSIP numbers. Prior to the issuance of any such additional Notes, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee a Company Order, an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, such Officer's Certificate and Opinion of Counsel to cover such matters, in addition to those required by Section 17.05, as the Trustee shall reasonably request. In addition, the Company may, to the extent permitted by law, and directly or indirectly (regardless of whether such Notes are surrendered to the Company), repurchase Notes in the open market or otherwise, whether by the Company or its Subsidiaries or through a privately negotiated transaction or public tender or exchange offer or through counterparties to private agreements, in each case, without the consent of or notice to the Holders of the Notes. Any Notes that the Company may repurchase (other than upon redemption) shall be considered outstanding for all purposes under this Indenture

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(other than, at any time when such Notes are owned by the Company, by any Subsidiary thereof or by any Affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, as set forth in Section 8.04) unless and until such time as the Company surrenders them to the Trustee for cancellation and, upon receipt of a Company Order, the Trustee shall cancel all Notes so surrendered.

ARTICLE 3<br>SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 3.01 *. Satisfaction and Discharge.* (a) This Indenture and the Notes shall cease to be of further effect when (i) all Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (x) Notes which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.07 and (y) Notes for whose payment money has heretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 4.04(d)) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or (ii) the Company has irrevocably deposited with the Trustee or delivered to Holders, as applicable, after the Notes have become due and payable, whether on the Maturity Date, any Redemption Date or otherwise, cash sufficient, without consideration of reinvestment, to pay all of the outstanding Notes and all other sums due and payable under this Indenture or the Notes by the Company; and (b) the Trustee upon request of the Company contained in an Officer's Certificate and at the expense of the Company, shall execute such instruments reasonably requested by the Company acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture and the Notes, when the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture and the Notes have been complied with. Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.06 shall survive.

ARTICLE 4<br>PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

Section 4.01 *. Payment of Principal and Interest.* The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be paid the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, and, subject to the Company's right to defer the payment of interest on the Notes as provided in Section 2.04, accrued and unpaid interest on, each of the Notes at the places, at the respective times and in the manner provided herein and in the Notes.

Section 4.02 *. Maintenance of Office or Agency.* The Company will maintain in the contiguous United States an office or agency where the Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment or repurchase ("**Paying Agent**") and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company

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shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office or the office or agency of the Trustee in the contiguous United States.

The Company may also from time to time designate as co-Note Registrars one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; *provided* that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the contiguous United States for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency. The term "**Paying Agent**" includes any such additional or other office or agency.

The Company hereby initially designates the Trustee as the Paying Agent, Note Registrar and Custodian and the Corporate Trust Office as the office or agency in the contiguous United States where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment or repurchase and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served; *provided* that the Corporate Trust Office shall not be a place for service of legal process for the Company.

Section 4.03 *. Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee's Office.* The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 7.09, a Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.

Section 4.04 *. Provisions as to Paying Agent.* (a) If the Company shall appoint a Paying Agent other than the Trustee, the Company will cause such Paying Agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 4.04:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;that it will hold all sums held by it as such agent for the payment of the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes in trust for the benefit of the Holders;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;that it will give the Trustee prompt written notice of any failure by the Company to make any payment of the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes when the same shall be due and payable; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;that at any time during the continuance of an Event of Default, upon request of the Trustee, it will forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust.

The Company shall, on or before each due date of the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, or accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes, deposit with the Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal (including the Redemption Price, if

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applicable) or accrued and unpaid interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any failure to take such action; *provided* that if such deposit is made on the due date, such deposit must be received by the Paying Agent by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent, it will, on or before each due date of the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes a sum sufficient to pay such principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) and accrued and unpaid interest so becoming due and will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any failure to take such action and of any failure by the Company to make any payment of the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, or accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes when the same shall become due and payable.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anything in this Section 4.04 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may, at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, or for any other reason, pay or cause to be paid to the Trustee all sums or amounts held in trust by the Company or any Paying Agent hereunder as required by this Section 4.04, such sums or amounts to be held by the Trustee upon the trusts herein contained and upon such payment by the Company or any Paying Agent to the Trustee, the Company or such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability but only with respect to such sums or amounts.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subject to applicable escheatment laws, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of and accrued and unpaid interest on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on request of the Company contained in an Officer's Certificate, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon any Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(e) or Section 6.01(f), the Trustee shall automatically be designated as the Paying Agent for the Notes if the Trustee is not acting in such capacity at such time.

Section 4.05 *. Existence.* Subject to Article 11, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.

Section 4.06 *. Rule 144A Information Requirement and Annual Reports.* (a) At any time the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee and furnish to the Holders the following information (and the Company may furnish such information to the Holders by posting copies of such information on a pass-word protected or otherwise secure website maintained by the Company):

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;within 105 days after the end of each fiscal year (or if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), (x) all annual financial statements of the Company that would be required to be contained in a filing with the Commission on Form 10-K (or any successor or comparable form), if the Company was required to file such form, plus a "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" section; and (y) a report on the annual financial statements by the Company's independent registered public accounting firm;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;within 60 days after the end of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (or if any such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), all quarterly financial statements of the Company that would be required to be contained in a filing with the Commission on Form 10-Q (or any successor or comparable form), if the Company was required to file such form, plus a "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" section; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to the extent not satisfied by the reporting requirements described in clauses (i) and (ii) above, the Company shall, so long as any of the Notes shall, at such time, constitute "restricted securities" within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act, promptly provide to the Trustee and, upon written request, any Holder, beneficial owner or prospective purchaser of such Notes, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act to facilitate the resale of such Notes pursuant to Rule 144A.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At any time the Company is required to file periodic reports with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company shall file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the same are required to be filed with the Commission, copies of any annual or quarterly reports (on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q or any respective successor form) that the Company is required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any such information, documents or reports, or portions thereof, subject to confidential treatment and any correspondence with the Commission, and giving effect to any grace period provided by Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act (or any successor thereto)). Any such document or report that the Company files with the Commission via the Commission's EDGAR system (or any successor system) shall be deemed to be filed with the Trustee for purposes of this Section 4.06(b) at the time such documents are filed via the EDGAR system (or such successor), it being understood that the Trustee shall not be responsible for determining whether such filings have been made.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Delivery of the reports, information and documents described in subsection (b) above to the Trustee is for informational purposes only, and the information and the Trustee's receipt of such shall not constitute actual or constructive knowledge or 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 conclusively rely on an Officer's Certificate).

Section 4.07 *. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.* The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner

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whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law that would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on the Notes as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 4.08 *. Compliance Certificate; Statements as to Defaults.* The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company (beginning with the fiscal year ending on December 31, 2025) an Officer's Certificate stating whether the signers thereof have knowledge of any Event of Default that occurred during the previous year and, if so, specifying each such Event of Default and the nature thereof.

In addition, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days after the Company obtains knowledge of the occurrence of any Event of Default or Default, an Officer's Certificate setting forth the details of such Event of Default or Default, its status and the action that the Company is taking or proposing to take in respect thereof; *provided* that the Company is not required to deliver such notice if such Event of Default or Default has been cured.

Section 4.09 *. Further Instruments and Acts.* Upon request of the Trustee, the Company will execute and deliver such further instruments and do such further acts as may be reasonably necessary or proper to carry out more effectively the purposes of this Indenture.

ARTICLE 5<br>LISTS OF HOLDERS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE

Section 5.01 *. Lists of Holders.* The Company covenants and agrees that it will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee, semi-annually, not more than 15 days after each May 15 and November 15 in each year beginning with May 15, 2026, and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after receipt by the Company of any such request (or such lesser time as the Trustee may reasonably request in order to enable it to timely provide any notice to be provided by it hereunder), a list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders as of a date not more than 15 days (or such other date as the Trustee may reasonably request in order to so provide any such notices) prior to the time such information is furnished, except that no such list need be furnished so long as the Trustee is acting as Note Registrar.

Section 5.02 *. Preservation and Disclosure of Lists.* The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to it as provided in Section 5.01 or maintained by the Trustee in its capacity as Note Registrar, if so acting. The Trustee may dispose of any list furnished to it as provided in Section 5.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

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ARTICLE 6<br>DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Section 6.01 *. Events of Default.* An "**Event of Default**" occurs with respect to the Notes if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Company does not pay any interest on any Note when it becomes due and payable and such default continues for 30 days (regardless of whether such payment is prohibited by the subordination provisions under Article 13), except as a result of a deferral of interest payments in accordance with Section 2.04;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Company does not pay any principal of or premium, if any, on any Note when it becomes due and payable (regardless of whether such payment is prohibited by the subordination provisions under Article 13);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[*Intentionally Omitted*];

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[*Intentionally Omitted*];

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Company shall commence a voluntary case or other proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company or any substantial part of its property, or shall consent to any such relief or to the appointment of or taking possession by any such official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against it, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or shall fail generally to pay its debts as they become due; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Company seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company or any substantial part of its property, and such involuntary case or other proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period of 30 consecutive days.

Section 6.02. *Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment*. If one or more Events of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, then, and in each and every such case (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(e) or (f)), then either the Trustee or the registered Holders of at least 33% of the aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare the principal amount of all of the Notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall automatically be immediately due and payable, anything contained in this Indenture or in the Notes to the contrary notwithstanding. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(e) or (f) occurs, the principal amount of all the outstanding Notes, and any accrued interest thereon, will automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the

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Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable. The Company's failure to comply with the covenants contained in this Indenture shall not constitute an Event of Default under this Indenture, and neither the Trustee nor the registered Holders of the Notes shall be entitled to declare the principal of the Notes, or accrued or unpaid interest thereon, to be due or payable immediately; *provided* that the Trustee and the Holders may exercise any other rights and remedies available under this Indenture and under applicable law upon the occurrence thereof.

The immediately preceding paragraph, however, is subject to the conditions that if, at any time after the principal of the Notes shall have been so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the monies due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, and if (1) rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) any and all existing Events of Default under this Indenture, other than the nonpayment of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on Notes that shall have become due solely by such acceleration, shall have been cured or waived pursuant to Section 6.09, then and in every such case (except as provided in the immediately succeeding sentence) the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all Defaults or Events of Default with respect to the Notes and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences and such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent Default or Event of Default, or shall impair any right consequent thereon. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any Default or Event of Default resulting from the nonpayment of the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, or accrued and unpaid interest on, any Notes.

Section 6.03. *[Reserved.]* 

Section 6.04 *. Payments of Notes on Default; Suit Therefor.* If an Event of Default described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 6.01 shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, the whole amount then due and payable on the Notes for principal and interest, if any, with interest on any overdue principal and interest, if any, at the rate borne by the Notes at such time and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover any amounts due to the Trustee under Section 7.06. If the Company shall fail to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon the Notes and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon the Notes, wherever situated.

In the event there shall be pending proceedings for the bankruptcy or for the reorganization of the Company or any other obligor on the Notes under Title 11 of the United States Code, or any other applicable law, or in case a receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy

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or reorganization, liquidator, sequestrator or similar official shall have been appointed for or taken possession of the Company or such other obligor, the property of the Company or such other obligor, or in the event of any other judicial proceedings relative to the Company or such other obligor upon the Notes, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of the Notes shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section 6.04, shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise, to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, in respect of the Notes, and, in case of any judicial proceedings, to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents and to take such other actions as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceedings relative to the Company or any other obligor on the Notes, its or their creditors, or its or their property, and to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute the same after the deduction of any amounts due to the Trustee under Section 7.06; and any receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator, custodian or similar official is hereby authorized by each of the Holders to make such payments to the Trustee, as administrative expenses, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for reasonable compensation, expenses, advances and disbursements, including agents and counsel fees and expenses, and including any other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 7.06, incurred by it up to the date of such distribution. To the extent that such payment of reasonable compensation, expenses, advances and disbursements out of the estate in any such proceedings shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, monies, securities and other property that the Holders of the Notes may be entitled to receive in such proceedings, whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting such Holder or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the Notes, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Notes, or the production thereof at any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and any such suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes.

In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and in any proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the Trustee shall be a party) the Trustee

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shall be held to represent all the Holders of the Notes, and it shall not be necessary to make any Holders of the Notes parties to any such proceedings.

In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned because of any waiver pursuant to Section 6.09 or any rescission and annulment pursuant to Section 6.02 or for any other reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case the Company, the Holders and the Trustee shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored respectively to their several positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Company, the Holders and the Trustee shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 6.05 *. Application of Monies Collected by Trustee.* Any monies or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article 6 with respect to the Notes shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee for the distribution of such monies or property, upon presentation of the several Notes, and, with respect to any Physical Notes, stamping thereon the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof, if fully paid:

**First**, to the payment of all amounts due the Trustee in all of its capacities under this Indenture;

**Second**, in case the principal of the outstanding Notes shall not have become due and be unpaid, to the payment of interest on the Notes in default in the order of the date due of the payments of such interest with interest (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon such overdue payments at the rate of interest borne by the Notes at such time, such payments to be made ratably to the Persons entitled thereto;

**Third**, in case the principal of the outstanding Notes shall have become due, by declaration or otherwise, and be unpaid, to the payment of the whole amount (including, if applicable, the payment of the Redemption Price) then owing and unpaid upon the Notes for principal and interest, if any, with interest on the overdue principal and, to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee, upon overdue installments of interest at the rate of interest borne by the Notes at such time, and in case such monies shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amounts so due and unpaid upon the Notes, then to the payment of such principal (including, if applicable, the Redemption Price) and interest without preference or priority of principal over interest, or of interest over principal or of any installment of interest over any other installment of interest, or of any Note over any other Note, ratably to the aggregate of such principal (including, if applicable, the Redemption Price) and accrued and unpaid interest; and

**Fourth**, to the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company.

Section 6.06 *. Proceedings by Holders.* Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal (including, if applicable, the Redemption Price) or interest when due, no Holder of any Note shall have any right by virtue of or by availing of any provision of this Indenture or the Notes to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect

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to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver, trustee, liquidator, custodian or other similar official, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof, as herein provided;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Holders of at least 33% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;such Holders shall have offered and, if requested, provided to the Trustee such security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, claim, liability or expense (including reasonable attorney's fees and expenses) to be incurred therein or thereby;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of such security or indemnity, shall have neglected or refused to institute any such action, suit or proceeding; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;no direction that, in the opinion of the Trustee, is inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee by the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding within such 60-day period pursuant to Section 6.09,

it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by the taker and Holder of every Note with every other taker and Holder and the Trustee that no one or more Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Holder, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such Holder (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Holder or obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other Holder), or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all Holders (except as otherwise provided herein). For the protection and enforcement of this Section 6.06, each and every Holder and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture and any provision of any Note, and subject to the Company's right to defer the payment of interest on the Notes as provided in Section 2.04, each Holder shall have the right to receive payment of (x) the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, and (y) accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, such Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed or provided for in such Note or in this Indenture, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment.

Section 6.07 *. Proceedings by Trustee.* In case of an Event of Default, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this Indenture by such

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appropriate judicial proceedings as are necessary to protect and enforce any of such rights, either by suit in equity or by action at law or by proceeding in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture, or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by law.

Section 6.08 *. Remedies Cumulative and Continuing.* Except as provided in the last paragraph of Section 2.07, all powers and remedies given by this Article 6 to the Trustee or to the Holders shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of any thereof or of any other powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the Holders of the Notes, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture, and no delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any of the Notes to exercise any right or power accruing upon any Default or Event of Default shall impair any such right or power, or shall be construed to be a waiver of any such Default or Event of Default or any acquiescence therein; and, subject to the provisions of Section 6.06, every power and remedy given by this Article 6 or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders.

Section 6.09 *. Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Holders.* The Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04 shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Notes; *provided*, *however*, that (a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture, and (b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee and that is not inconsistent with such direction. The Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that it determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other Holder (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not any such direction is unduly prejudicial to the rights of another Holder) or that would involve the Trustee in personal liability. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04 may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any past Default or Event of Default hereunder and its consequences except any continuing defaults relating to (i) a default in the payment of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, or the principal (including any Redemption Price) of, the Notes when due that has not been cured pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.01, or (ii) a default in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 10 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected. Upon any such waiver the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. Whenever any Default or Event of Default hereunder shall have been waived as permitted by this Section 6.09, said Default or Event of Default shall for all purposes of the Notes and this Indenture be deemed to have been cured and to be not continuing; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

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Section 6.10 *. Notice of Defaults.* If a Default occurs and is continuing and a Responsible Officer of the Trustee either (i) receives written notice of such Default or (ii) solely with respect to an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), has actual knowledge of such Default, the Trustee shall deliver to each Holder notice of the Default within 90 days after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee receives such notice or obtains actual knowledge thereof, unless such Defaults shall have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice; *provided* that, except in the case of a Default in the payment of the principal of (including the Redemption Price, if applicable), or accrued and unpaid interest on, any of the Notes, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as it determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

Section 6.11 *. Undertaking to Pay Costs.* All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Note by its acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may, in its discretion, require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; *provided* that the provisions of this Section 6.11 (to the extent permitted by law) shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on any Note (including, but not limited to, the Redemption Price, if applicable) on or after the due date expressed or provided for in such Note.

ARTICLE 7<br>CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

Section 7.01 *. Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.* The Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture. In the event an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has written notice (as provided in Section 6.10), the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person's own affairs; *provided* that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered and provided to the Trustee indemnity and/or security satisfactory to it against any loss, claim, liability or expense (including reasonable attorney's fees and expenses) that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

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No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own grossly negligent action, its own grossly negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has received written notice or has actual knowledge (as provided in Section 6.10) and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, conclusively rely upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but, in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of any mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was grossly negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined as provided in Section 8.04 relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;whether or not therein provided, 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 7.01;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee shall not be liable in respect of any payment (as to the correctness of amount, entitlement to receive or any other matters relating to payment) or notice effected by the Company or any Paying Agent or any records maintained by any co-Note Registrar with respect to the Notes;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;if any party fails to deliver a notice relating to an event the fact of which, pursuant to this Indenture, requires notice to be sent to the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely on its failure to receive such notice as reason to act as if no such event occurred;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;in the absence of written investment direction from the Company, all cash received by the Trustee shall be placed in a non-interest bearing trust account, and in no event shall the Trustee be liable for the selection of investments or for investment losses incurred thereon or for losses, fees, taxes or other charges incurred as a result of the liquidation of any such investment prior to its maturity date or the failure of the party directing such investments prior to its maturity date or the failure of the party directing such investment to provide timely written investment direction, and the Trustee shall have no obligation to invest or reinvest any amounts held hereunder in the absence of such written investment direction from the Company; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;in the event that the Trustee is also acting as Custodian, Note Registrar, Paying Agent or transfer agent hereunder, the rights and protections afforded to the Trustee pursuant to this Article 7 shall also be afforded to such Custodian, Note Registrar, Paying Agent or transfer agent.

None of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers.

Section 7.02 *. Reliance on Documents, Opinions, Etc.* Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.01:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, judgment, order, bond, note, coupon or other paper or document (whether in its original or facsimile form) believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer's Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;whenever in the administration of this Indenture, the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, conclusively rely upon an Officer's Certificate;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and require an Opinion of Counsel and any advice of such counsel or Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or Opinion of Counsel;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;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 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 expense of the Company and shall incur no liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, custodians, nominees or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, custodian, nominee or attorney appointed by it with due care hereunder;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officer's Certificate setting forth the names of the individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such times to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officer's Certificate may be signed by any Person authorized to sign an Officer's Certificate, including any Person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;neither the Trustee nor any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, or affiliates shall be responsible for nor have any duty to monitor the performance or any action of the Company, or any of their respective directors, members, officers, agents, affiliates, or employees, nor shall it have any liability in connection with the malfeasance or nonfeasance by such party. The Trustee shall not be responsible for any inaccuracy in the information obtained from the Company or for any inaccuracy or omission in the records which may result from such information or any failure by the Trustee to perform its duties or set forth herein as a result of any inaccuracy or incompleteness; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

Under no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable for any special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action or in its individual capacity for the obligations evidenced by the Notes. The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes, unless either (1) a Responsible Officer shall have actual knowledge of such Default or

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Event of Default or (2) written notice of such Default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or by any Holder as provided in Section 6.10.

Section 7.03 *. No Responsibility for Recitals, Etc.* The recitals contained herein and in the Notes (except in the Trustee's certificate of authentication) shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Notes. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of any Notes or the proceeds of any Notes authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture.

Section 7.04 *. Trustee, Paying Agents or Note Registrar May Own Notes.* The Trustee, any Paying Agent or Note Registrar, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Paying Agent or Note Registrar.

Section 7.05 *. Monies to Be Held in Trust.* All monies received by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as may be agreed from time to time by the Company and the Trustee.

Section 7.06 *. Compensation and Expenses of Trustee.* The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee from time to time and the Trustee shall receive such compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder in any capacity (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) as mutually agreed to in writing between the Trustee and the Company, and the Company will pay or reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture in any capacity thereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel and of all Persons not regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by its gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final, non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction. The Company also covenants to indemnify, defend and protect the Trustee (in its individual capacity under this Indenture and in any capacity under this Indenture) or any predecessor Trustee in any capacity under this Indenture and any other document or transaction entered into in connection herewith and its agents and any authenticating agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any and all fees, loss, claim, charge, damage, liability or expense (including taxes (other than taxes based upon, or measured or determined by the income of the Trustee), attorneys' fees and expenses and court costs) incurred without gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, its officers, directors, agents or employees, or such agent or authenticating agent, as the case may be, as determined by a final, non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, and arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Indenture or in any other capacity hereunder and the

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enforcement of this Indenture (including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Company (including this Section 7.06) or defending itself against any claim whether asserted by any Holder, Company or any Person) or in any other capacity hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim of liability in the premises. The obligations of the Company under this Section 7.06 to compensate or indemnify the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall be secured by a senior lien to which the Notes are hereby made subordinate on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except, subject to the effect of Section 6.05, funds held in trust herewith for the benefit of the Holders of particular Notes. The Trustee's right to receive payment of any amounts due under this Section 7.06 shall not be subordinate to any other liability or indebtedness of the Company. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder. The obligation of the Company under this Section 7.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture and the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The indemnification provided in this Section 7.06 shall extend to the officers, directors, agents, attorneys and employees of the Trustee.

Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee and its agents and any authenticating agent incur expenses or render services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(e) or Section 6.01(f) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws.

Section 7.07 *. Officer's Certificate as Evidence.* Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.01, whenever in the administration of the provisions of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or omitting any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee as determined by a final, non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officer's Certificate delivered to the Trustee, and such Officer's Certificate, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee as determined by a final, non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.

Section 7.08 *. Eligibility of Trustee.* There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act (as if the Trust Indenture Act were applicable hereto) to act as such and has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of any supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section 7.08, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section

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7.08, it shall resign promptly in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 7.09 *. Resignation or Removal of Trustee.* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Trustee may at any time resign by giving written notice of such resignation to the Company and by delivering notice thereof to the Holders. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the resigning Trustee and one copy to the successor trustee. If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed and have accepted appointment within 45 days after the giving of such notice of resignation to the Holders, the resigning Trustee may, upon ten Business Days' notice to the Company and the Holders, petition any court of competent jurisdiction, at the expense of the Company, for the appointment of a successor trustee, or any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Note or Notes for at least six months (or since the date of this Indenture) may, subject to the provisions of Section 6.11, on behalf of himself or herself and all others similarly situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In case at any time any of the following shall occur:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.08 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Trustee shall become incapable of acting, or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed, or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in either case, the Company may remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee by providing an Officer's Certificate, setting forth the date of removal of the Trustee and identifying the successor trustee, in duplicate, one copy of such Officer's Certificate shall be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee, or, subject to the provisions of Section 6.11, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Note or Notes for at least six months (or since the date of this Indenture) may, on behalf of himself or herself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, as determined in accordance with Section 8.04, may at any time remove the Trustee and nominate a successor trustee that shall be deemed appointed as successor trustee unless within ten days after notice to the Company of such nomination the Company objects thereto, in

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which case the Trustee so removed or any Holder, upon the terms and conditions and otherwise as in Section 7.09(a) provided, may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for an appointment of a successor trustee.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor trustee pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section 7.09 shall become effective upon acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 7.10.

Section 7.10 *. Acceptance by Successor Trustee.* Any successor trustee appointed as provided in Section 7.09 shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to its predecessor trustee an instrument accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the predecessor trustee shall become effective and such successor trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as Trustee herein; but, nevertheless, on the written request of the Company or of the successor trustee, the trustee ceasing to act shall, upon payment of any amounts then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.06, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee all the rights and powers of the trustee so ceasing to act. Upon request of any such successor trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments in writing for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor trustee all such rights and powers. Any trustee ceasing to act shall, nevertheless, retain a senior claim to which the Notes are hereby made subordinate on all money or property held or collected by such trustee as such, except for funds held in trust for the benefit of Holders of particular Notes, to secure any amounts then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.06.

No successor trustee shall accept appointment as provided in this Section 7.10 unless at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall be eligible under the provisions of Section 7.08.

Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee as provided in this Section 7.10, each of the Company and the successor trustee, at the written direction and at the expense of the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered notice of the succession of such trustee hereunder to the Holders. If the Company fails to deliver such notice within ten days after acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall cause such notice to be delivered at the expense of the Company.

Section 7.11 *. Succession by Merger, Etc.* Any corporation or other entity into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation or other entity resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation or other entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee (including the administration of this Indenture), shall be the successor to the Trustee hereunder without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; *provided* that in the case of any corporation or other entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee such corporation or other entity shall be eligible under the provisions of Section 7.08.

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Section 7.12 *. Trustee's Application for Instructions from the Company.* Any application by the Trustee for written instructions from the Company (other than with regard to any action proposed to be taken or omitted to be taken by the Trustee that affects the rights of the Holders of the Notes under this Indenture) 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 to the Company 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 notice to the Company has been deemed to have been given pursuant to Section 17.03, 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 any omission), the Trustee shall have received written instructions in accordance with this Indenture in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

ARTICLE 8<br>CONCERNING THE HOLDERS

Section 8.01 *. Action by Holders.* Whenever in this Indenture it is provided that the Holders of a specified percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes may take any action (including the making of any demand or request, the giving of any notice, consent or waiver or the taking of any other action), the fact that at the time of taking any such action, the Holders of such specified percentage have joined therein may be evidenced (a) by any instrument or any number of instruments of similar tenor executed by Holders in person or by agent or proxy appointed in writing, or (b) by the record of the Holders voting in favor thereof at any meeting of Holders duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 9, or (c) by a combination of such instrument or instruments and any such record of such a meeting of Holders. Whenever the Company or the Trustee solicits the taking of any action by the Holders of the Notes, the Company or the Trustee may, but shall not be required to, fix in advance of such solicitation, a date as the record date for determining Holders entitled to take such action.

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The record date, if one is selected, shall be not more than fifteen days prior to the date of commencement of solicitation of such action.

Section 8.02 *. Proof of Execution by Holders.* Subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, Section 7.02 and Section 9.05, proof of the execution of any instrument or writing by a Holder or its agent or proxy shall be sufficient if made in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in such manner as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee. The holding of Notes shall be proved by the Note Register or by a certificate of the Note Registrar. The record of any Holders' meeting shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 9.06.

Section 8.03 *. Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners.* The Company, the Trustee, any authenticating agent, any Paying Agent and any Note Registrar may deem the Person in whose name a Note shall be registered upon the Note Register to be, and may treat it as, the absolute owner of such Note (whether or not such Note shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon made by any Person other than the Company or any Note Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal (including any Redemption Price) of and (subject to Section 2.03) accrued and unpaid interest on such Note and for all other purposes under this Indenture; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Paying Agent nor any Note Registrar shall be affected nor incur any liability by any notice to the contrary. The sole registered holder of a Global Note shall be the Depositary or its nominee. All such payments so made to any Holder for the time being, or upon its order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for monies payable upon any such Note. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Indenture or the Notes following an Event of Default, any holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note may directly enforce against the Company, without the consent, solicitation, proxy, authorization or any other action of the Depositary or any other Person, such holder's right to exchange such beneficial interest for a Note in certificated form in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

Section 8.04 *. Company-Owned Notes Disregarded.* In determining whether the Holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, consent, waiver or other action under this Indenture, Notes that are owned by the Company, by any Subsidiary thereof or by any Affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof shall be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding for the purpose of any such determination; *provided* that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, consent, waiver or other action only Notes of which a Responsible Officer has actual knowledge are so owned shall be so disregarded. Notes so owned that have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as outstanding for the purposes of this Section 8.04 if the pledgee shall establish to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee's right to so act with respect to such Notes and that the pledgee is not the Company, a Subsidiary thereof or an Affiliate of the Company or a Subsidiary thereof. In the case of a dispute as to such right, any decision by the Trustee taken upon the advice of counsel shall be full protection to the Trustee. Upon request of the Trustee, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officer's Certificate listing and identifying all Notes, if any, known by the Company to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above described Persons; and, subject to Section 7.01, the Trustee shall be

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entitled to accept such Officer's Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and of the fact that all Notes not listed therein are outstanding for the purpose of any such determination.

Section 8.05 *. Revocation of Consents; Future Holders Bound.* At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in Section 8.01, of the taking of any action by the Holders of the percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes specified in this Indenture in connection with such action, any Holder of a Note that is shown by the evidence to be included in the Notes the Holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office and upon proof of holding as provided in Section 8.02, revoke such action so far as concerns such Note. Except as aforesaid, any such action taken by the Holder of any Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of such Note and of any Notes issued in exchange or substitution therefor or upon registration of transfer thereof, irrespective of whether any notation in regard thereto is made upon such Note or any Note issued in exchange or substitution therefor or upon registration of transfer thereof.

Section 8.06. *Agreement to Certain Tax Treatment*. The Company agrees and each Holder and beneficial owner of the Notes, by accepting the Notes or a beneficial interest therein, will be deemed to have agreed that the Notes constitute debt and will treat the Notes as debt for United States federal, state and local tax purposes.

ARTICLE 9<br>HOLDERS' MEETINGS

Section 9.01 *. Purpose of Meetings.* A meeting of Holders may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to the provisions of this Article 9 for any of the following purposes:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to give any notice to the Company or to the Trustee or to give any directions to the Trustee permitted under this Indenture, or to consent to the waiving of any Default or Event of Default hereunder (in each case, as permitted under this Indenture) and its consequences, or to take any other action authorized to be taken by Holders pursuant to any of the provisions of Article 6;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to remove the Trustee and nominate a successor trustee pursuant to the provisions of Article 7;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to consent to the execution of an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.02; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to take any other action authorized to be taken by or on behalf of the Holders of any specified aggregate principal amount of the Notes under any other provision of this Indenture or under applicable law.

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Section 9.02 *. Call of Meetings by Trustee.* The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders to take any action specified in Section 9.01, to be held at such time and at such place as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of the Holders, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting and the establishment of any record date pursuant to Section 8.01, shall be delivered to Holders of such Notes. Such notice shall also be delivered to the Company. Such notices shall be delivered not less than 20 nor more than 90 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

Any meeting of Holders shall be valid without notice if the Holders of all Notes then outstanding are present in person or by proxy or if notice is waived before or after the meeting by the Holders of all Notes then outstanding, and if the Company and the Trustee are either present by duly authorized representatives or have, before or after the meeting, waived notice.

Section 9.03 *. Call of Meetings by Company or Holders.* In case at any time the Company or the Holders of at least 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of Holders, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have delivered the notice of such meeting within 20 days after receipt of such request, then the Company or such Holders may determine the time and the place for such meeting and may call such meeting to take any action authorized in Section 9.01, by delivering notice thereof as provided in Section 9.02.

Section 9.04 *. Qualifications for Voting.* To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders a Person shall (a) be a Holder of one or more Notes on the record date pertaining to such meeting or (b) be a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy by a Holder of one or more Notes on the record date pertaining to such meeting. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel and any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 9.05 *. Regulations.* Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders, in regard to proof of the holding of Notes and of the appointment of proxies, and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall think fit.

The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders as provided in Section 9.03, in which case the Company or the Holders calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes represented at the meeting and entitled to vote at the meeting.

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Subject to the provisions of Section 8.04, at any meeting of Holders each Holder or proxyholder shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes held or represented by him or her; *provided*, *however*, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Note challenged as not outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote other than by virtue of Notes held by it or instruments in writing as aforesaid duly designating it as the proxy to vote on behalf of other Holders. Any meeting of Holders duly called pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.02 or Section 9.03 may be adjourned from time to time by the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Notes represented at the meeting, whether or not constituting a quorum, and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 9.06 *. Voting.* The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders shall be by written ballot on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders or of their representatives by proxy and the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Notes held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in duplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record in duplicate of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more Persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was delivered as provided in Section 9.02. The record shall show the aggregate principal amount of the Notes voting in favor of or against any resolution. The record shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one of the duplicates shall be delivered to the Company and the other to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting.

Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

Section 9.07 *. No Delay of Rights by Meeting.* Nothing contained in this Article 9 shall be deemed or construed to authorize or permit, by reason of any call of a meeting of Holders or any rights expressly or impliedly conferred hereunder to make such call, any hindrance or delay in the exercise of any right or rights conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders under any of the provisions of this Indenture or of the Notes.

ARTICLE 10<br>SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 10.01 *. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.* Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at the Company's expense, may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for one or more of the following purposes:

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to provide for the assumption by a Successor Company of the obligations of the Company under this Indenture pursuant to Article 11;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to add guarantees with respect to the Notes;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to secure the Notes;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to add to the covenants or Events of Default of the Company for the benefit of the Holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder as determined by the Company in good faith;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to conform the provisions of this Indenture or the Notes to the "Description of Notes" section of the Offering Memorandum as evidenced in an Officer's Certificate;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to comply with the rules of any applicable Depositary, including The Depository Trust Company, so long as such amendment does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder in any material respect;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to appoint a successor trustee or calculation agent with respect to the Notes; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor Trustee, security registrar or Paying Agent to facilitate the administration of the trusts under this Indenture by more than one trustee.

Upon the written request of the Company, the Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture and to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to, but may in its discretion, enter into any supplemental indenture that affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section 10.01 may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of the Holders of any of the Notes at the time outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 10.02.

Section 10.02 *. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders.* With the consent (evidenced as provided in Article 8) of the Holders of at least a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (determined in accordance with Article 8 and including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a repurchase of, or tender or exchange offer for, the Notes), the Company and the Trustee, at the Company's expense, may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Notes or any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any

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manner the rights of the Holders; *provided*, *however*, that, without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected, no such supplemental indenture shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;reduce the rate of or extend the stated time for payment of interest on any Note beyond the maximum time period of any permitted deferral of interest pursuant to Section 2.04 or to increase the maximum time period for any such interest deferral or to increase the maximum number of times the Company may defer such interest payment;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;reduce the principal of or extend the Maturity Date of any Note;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;reduce the Redemption Price of any Note or amend or modify in any manner adverse to the Holders the Company's obligation to make such payments, whether through an amendment or waiver of provisions in the covenants, definitions or otherwise;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;make any Note payable in a currency, or at a place of payment, other than that stated in the Note;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;change the subordination provisions of the Notes set forth in Article 13 in a manner adverse to Holders; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;make any change in this Article 10 that requires each Holder's consent or in the waiver provisions in Section 6.02 or Section 6.09.

Upon the written request of the Company, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Holders as aforesaid and subject to Section 10.05, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture.

Holders do not need under this Section 10.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture. It shall be sufficient if such Holders approve the substance thereof. After any such supplemental indenture becomes effective, the Company shall deliver to the Holders a notice (with a copy to the Trustee) briefly describing such supplemental indenture. However, the failure to give such notice to all the Holders (with a copy to the Trustee), or any defect in the notice, will not impair or affect the validity of the supplemental indenture.

Section 10.03 *. Effect of Supplemental Indentures.* Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article 10, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties, indemnities, privileges and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company and the Holders shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments and all the

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terms and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.

Section 10.04 *. Notation on Notes.* Notes authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article 10 may, at the Company's expense, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company or the Trustee shall so determine, new Notes so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may, at the Company's expense, be prepared and executed by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee (or an authenticating agent duly appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 17.10) upon receipt of an Officer's Certificate, an Opinion of Counsel and a Company Order and delivered in exchange for the Notes then outstanding, upon surrender of such Notes then outstanding.

Section 10.05 *. Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to Be Furnished Trustee.* In addition to the documents required by Section 17.05, the Trustee shall receive an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant hereto complies with the requirements of this Article 10 and is permitted or authorized by this Indenture; *provided* that such Opinion of Counsel shall include a customary legal opinion stating that such supplemental indenture is the valid and binding obligation of the Company, subject to customary exceptions and qualifications. The Trustee shall have no responsibility for determining whether any amendment or supplemental indenture will or may have an adverse effect on any Holder.

ARTICLE 11<br>CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE

Section 11.01 *. Company May Consolidate, Etc. on Certain Terms.* Subject to the provisions of Section 11.03, the Company shall not consolidate with, merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of the consolidated properties and assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to another Person (other than any such sale, conveyance, transfer or lease to one or more of the Company's direct or indirect Wholly Owned Subsidiaries) unless:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the "**Successor Company**"), if not the Company, shall be a corporation 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 supplemental indenture all of the obligations of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing under this Indenture.

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For purposes of this Section 11.01, the sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company to another Person, which properties and assets, if held by the Company instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all of the consolidated properties and assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, shall be deemed to be the sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the consolidated properties and assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to another Person.

Section 11.02 *. Successor Corporation to Be Substituted.* In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease and upon the assumption by the Successor Company, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the due and punctual payment of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on all of the Notes and the due and punctual performance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Company, such Successor Company (if not the Company) shall succeed to and, except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of the consolidated properties and assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, shall be substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had been named herein as the party of the first part, and may thereafter exercise every right and power of the Company under this Indenture. Such Successor Company thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Company any or all of the Notes issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such Successor Company instead of the Company and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver, or cause to be authenticated and delivered, any Notes that previously shall have been signed and delivered by the Officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Notes that such Successor Company thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All the Notes so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Notes theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Notes had been issued at the date of the execution hereof. In the event of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or transfer (but not in the case of a lease), upon compliance with this Article 11 the Person named as the "Company" in the first paragraph of this Indenture (or any successor that shall thereafter have become such in the manner prescribed in this Article 11) may be dissolved, wound up and liquidated at any time thereafter and, except in the case of a lease, such Person shall be released from its liabilities as obligor and maker of the Notes and from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes. In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Notes thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

Section 11.03 *. Officer's Certificate and Opinion of Counsel to Be Given to Trustee.* No such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease shall be effective unless the Trustee shall receive an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating and as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease and any such assumption and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such

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transaction, such supplemental indenture, complies with the provisions of this Article 11.<br>

ARTICLE 12<br>IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Section 12.01 *. Indenture and Notes Solely Corporate Obligations.* No recourse for the payment of the principal of or accrued and unpaid interest on any Note, nor for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture or in any supplemental indenture or in any Note, nor because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, employee, agent, Officer or director or Subsidiary, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issue of the Notes.

ARTICLE 13<br>SUBORDINATION

Section 13.01. *Subordination*.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Notes will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness. Accordingly, upon:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;any payment by, or distribution of the assets of, the Company upon its dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other proceedings;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a failure to pay any interest, principal or other monetary amounts due on any Senior Indebtedness when due and continuance of that default beyond any applicable grace periods; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;acceleration of the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness as a result of a default;

holders of all Senior Indebtedness will be entitled to receive: (A) in the case of clause (i) above, payment of all amounts due or to become due on all Senior Indebtedness; or (B) in the case of clauses (ii) and clause (iii) above, payment of all amounts due on all Senior Indebtedness, before Holders of the Notes are entitled to receive any payment. So long as any events in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above has occurred and is continuing, any amounts payable or assets distributable on the Notes will instead be paid or distributed, as the case may be, directly to holders of Senior

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Indebtedness to the extent necessary to pay, in the case of clause (i) above, all amounts due or to become due upon all such Senior Indebtedness, or, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, all amounts due on all such Senior Indebtedness, and, if any such payment or distribution is received by the Trustee or Holders of any of the Notes before all Senior Indebtedness due and to become due or due, as applicable, is paid, such payment or distribution must be paid over to holders of the unpaid Senior Indebtedness.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Notes shall rank equally in right of payment to the Junior Subordinated Convertible Notes and the Underlying Junior Subordinated Notes.

Section 13.02. *Notice to Trustee of Facts Prohibiting Payments*. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Article 13 or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not at any time be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of funds to or by the Trustee unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee assigned to its corporate trust division shall have received at the Corporate Trust Office written notice thereof from the Company or from one or more holders of Senior Indebtedness or from any trustee therefor who shall have been certified by the Company or otherwise established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee to be such a holder or trustee; and, prior to the receipt of such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; *provided* that if prior to the fifth Business Day preceding the date upon which by the terms hereof any such funds may become payable, or if prior to the third Business Day preceding the date of the execution of instruments pursuant to Article 3 acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not have received with respect to such funds the notice provided for in this Section 13.02, then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such moneys and/or apply the same to the purpose for which they were received and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it on or after such date; *provided* that no such application shall affect the obligations under this Article 13 of the Persons receiving such moneys from the Trustee.

Section 13.03. *Application by Trustee of Moneys Deposited With It*. Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, any deposit of a sum by the Company with the Trustee or any agent (whether or not in trust) for any payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Notes shall, except as provided in Section 13.02, be subject to the provisions of Section 13.01.

Section 13.04. *Subrogation*. Subject to paying the Senior Indebtedness due and to become due in the case of clause (i) of Section 13.01(a) or Senior Indebtedness due in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) of Section 13.01(a), the Holders of the Notes shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of assets of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the Notes shall be paid in full, and none of the payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to which the Holders of the Notes or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 13 or of payments over, pursuant to the provisions of this Article 13, to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by the Holders of such Notes or the Trustee shall, as among the Company, its

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creditors other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of such Notes, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness; it being understood that the provisions of this Article 13 are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Notes, on one hand, and the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand.

Section 13.05. *Subordination Rights Not Impaired by Acts or Omissions of Company or Holders of Senior Indebtedness*. No right of any present or future holders of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof with which any such holder may have or be otherwise charged. The holders of Senior Indebtedness may, at any time or from time to time and in their absolute discretion, change the manner, place or terms of payment, change or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, any such Senior Indebtedness, or amend or supplement any instrument pursuant to which any such Senior Indebtedness is issued or by which it may be secured, or release any security therefor, or exercise or refrain from exercising any other of their rights under the Senior Indebtedness including, without limitation, the waiver of default thereunder, all without notice to or assent from the Holders or the Trustee and without affecting the obligations of the Company, the Trustee or the Holders under this Article 13.

Section 13.06. *Right of Trustee to Hold Senior Indebtedness*. The Trustee shall be entitled to all of the rights set forth in this Article 13 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness at any time held by it in its individual capacity to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture shall be construed to deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

Section 13.07. *Not to Prevent Defaults (Including Events of Default)*. The failure to make any payment pursuant to the terms of the Notes by reason of any provision in this Article 13 shall not be construed as preventing the occurrence of a Default (including an Event of Default, if any).

Section 13.08. *Trustee's Rights to Compensation, Reimbursement of Expenses and Indemnification*. The Trustee's rights to compensation, reimbursement of expenses and indemnification under Section 7.06 are not subordinated to the payment of Senior Indebtedness.

Section 13.09. *Article Applicable to Paying Agents*. The term "Trustee" as used in this Article 13 shall (unless the context shall otherwise require) be construed as extending to and including each Paying Agent, authenticating agent and Note Registrar appointed by the Company or the Trustee, as the case may be, and acting hereunder within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent or Note Registrar were named in this Article 13 in addition to the Trustee; *provided* that Section 13.02 and Section 13.06 shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if the Company or such Affiliate acts as Paying Agent or Note Registrar.

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Section 13.10. *Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness*. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness and shall not be liable to any such holders if the Trustee shall in good faith mistakenly pay over or distribute to Holders of Notes or to the Company or to any other person cash, property or securities to which any holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article or otherwise. With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants or obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee.

ARTICLE 14<br>[*RESERVED*.]

ARTICLE 15<br>*[RESERVED.]*

ARTICLE 16<br>OPTIONAL REDEMPTION

Section 16.01. *Optional Redemption*.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, following the occurrence and during the continuance of a Tax Event, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date; provided, that, in order to make such election, the Company must deliver a notice of redemption specifying the Redemption Date, which must be within 90 days after the occurrence of a Tax Event with respect to the Notes (any such redemption, a "**Tax Event Redemption**").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, following the occurrence and during the continuance of a Rating Agency Event, at a Redemption Price equal to 102% of the principal amount thereof, plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date; provided, that, in order to make such election, the Company must deliver a notice of redemption specifying the Redemption Date, which must be within 90 days after the occurrence of a Rating Agency Event with respect to the Notes (any such redemption, a "**Rating Agency Event Redemption**" and, together with any Tax Event Redemption, a "**Special Event Redemption**").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, (i) on any day in the period commencing on the date falling 90 days prior to the First Reset Date and ending on and including the First Reset Date and (ii) after the First Reset Date, on any Interest

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Payment Date, in each case, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date (any such redemption, a "**Simple Redemption**" and, together with any Special Event Redemption, an "**Optional Redemption**").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 16.01, installments of interest on the Notes that are due and payable on any Interest Payment Date falling on or prior to a Redemption Date for the Notes will be payable on that Interest Payment Date to the registered Holders thereof as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date according to the terms of the Notes and this Indenture, except that, if the Redemption Date for any Note falls on any day during an Optional Deferral Period, accrued and unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any Compound Interest) on such Note will be paid on such Redemption Date to the persons entitled to receive the Redemption Price of such Note. For the avoidance of doubt, the Interest Payment Date falling immediately after the last day of an Optional Deferral Period shall not be deemed to fall on a day during such Optional Deferral Period.

Section 16.02. *Notice of Redemption; Selection of Notes*.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In case the Company exercises its Optional Redemption right to redeem all or, in the case of a Simple Redemption, any part of the Notes pursuant to Section 16.01, it shall fix a date for redemption (each, a "**Redemption Date**") and it or, at its written request received by the Trustee not less than five Business Days prior to the date such Notice of Redemption is to be sent (or such shorter period of time as may be acceptable to the Trustee), the Trustee, in the name of and at the expense of the Company, shall deliver or cause to be delivered a notice of such Optional Redemption (such notice, a "**Notice of Redemption**") not less than 10 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date to each Holder of the Notes so to be redeemed as a whole or in part; *provided*, *however*, that, if the Company shall give such notice, it shall also give written notice of the Redemption Date to the Trustee and the Paying Agent (if other than the Trustee). The Redemption Date must be a Business Day.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Notice of Redemption, if delivered in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such Notice of Redemption or any defect in the Notice of Redemption to the Holder of any Note designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Note.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Each Notice of Redemption shall specify:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;whether the relevant Optional Redemption is a Special Event Redemption, in which case such notice shall specify the nature and type of the Special Event that has occurred, or a Simple Redemption;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Redemption Date;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Redemption Price;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;that on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each Note to be redeemed, and that interest thereon, if any, shall cease to accrue on and after the Redemption Date;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the place or places where such Notes are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vi)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the CUSIP, ISIN or other similar numbers, if any, assigned to such Notes;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;in case any Note is to be redeemed pursuant to a Simple Redemption in part only, the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Note, a new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof shall be issued; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(viii)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;whether the redemption is conditional as described in Section 16.03(a), and if so, the terms of the conditions, and that, if the conditions are not satisfied or waived by the Company, the Notes called for redemption will not be redeemed and such a failure to redeem will not constitute an Event of Default.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If fewer than all of the outstanding Notes are to be redeemed pursuant to a Simple Redemption and the Notes to be redeemed are Global Notes, the Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Depositary in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary. If fewer than all of the outstanding Notes are to be redeemed pursuant to a Simple Redemption and the Notes to be redeemed are not Global Notes, the Trustee shall select the Notes or portions thereof to be redeemed (in principal amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) by lot.

Section 16.03. *Payment of Notes Called for Redemption*.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Except in the case of a conditional redemption, as described in the next succeeding sentence, if any Notice of Redemption has been given in respect of the Notes in accordance with Section 16.02, the Notes called for redemption shall become due and payable on the Redemption Date at the place or places stated in the Notice of Redemption and at the applicable Redemption Price stated in the Notice of Redemption. A Notice of Redemption may provide that it is subject to the occurrence of any event before the date fixed for redemption as described in such Notice of Redemption, and such Notice of Redemption shall be of no effect unless all such conditions to the redemption have occurred on or before such date or have been waived by the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On presentation and surrender of the Notes at the place or places stated in the Notice of Redemption, the Notes shall be paid and redeemed by the Company at the applicable Redemption Price. Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions thereof called for redemption.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Prior to 11:00 a.m. New York City time on the Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent or, if the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company is acting as the Paying Agent, shall segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 7.05 an amount of cash (in immediately available funds if deposited on the Redemption Date), sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of all of the Notes to be redeemed on such Redemption Date. Subject to receipt of funds by the Paying Agent, payment for the Notes to be redeemed shall be made on the Redemption Date for such Notes. The Paying Agent shall, promptly after such payment and upon written demand by the Company, return to the Company any funds in excess of the Redemption Price.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Trustee shall have no duty to determine, or verify the calculation of, the Redemption Price.

Section 16.04. *Restrictions on Redemption*.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company may not redeem any Notes on any date if the principal amount of the Notes has been accelerated in accordance with the terms of this Indenture, and such acceleration has not been rescinded, on or prior to the Redemption Date (except in the case of an acceleration resulting from a Default by the Company in the payment of the Redemption Price with respect to such Notes).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[*Intentionally Omitted*].

ARTICLE 17<br>MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 17.01 *. Provisions Binding on Company's Successors.* All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements of the Company contained in this Indenture shall bind its successors and assigns whether so expressed or not.

Section 17.02 *. Official Acts by Successor Corporation.* Any act or proceeding by any provision of this Indenture authorized or required to be done or performed by any board, committee or Officer of the Company shall and may be done and performed with like force and effect by the like board, committee or officer of any corporation or other entity that shall at the time be the lawful sole successor of the Company.

Section 17.03 *. Addresses for Notices, Etc.* Any notice or demand that by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or by the Holders on the Company shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes if given or served by overnight courier or by being deposited postage prepaid by registered or certified mail in a post office letter box addressed (until another address is filed by the Company with the Trustee) to TXNM Energy, Inc., 414 Silver Ave. SW, MS0905, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102-3226, Attention: Sabrina Greinel, Vice President, Treasurer and Strategy (telephone no.: (505) 241-4683; E-mail: cashdesk@pnmresources.com). Any notice, direction,

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request or demand hereunder to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, if given or served by being deposited postage prepaid by registered or certified mail in a post office letter box addressed to the Corporate Trust Office or sent electronically in PDF format to the Trustee at <u>quinn.depompolo@usbank.com</u> or such other email address specified by the Trustee.

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

Any notice or communication delivered or to be delivered to a Holder of Physical Notes shall be mailed to it by first class mail, postage prepaid, at its address as it appears on the Note Register and shall be sufficiently given to it if so mailed within the time prescribed. Any notice or communication delivered or to be delivered to a Holder of Global Notes shall be delivered in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary and shall be sufficiently given to it if so delivered within the time prescribed. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Note, where this Indenture or any Note provides for notice of any event to a Holder of a Global Note (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from the Depositary or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with the Depositary's applicable procedures.

Failure to mail or deliver a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders. If a notice or communication is mailed or delivered, as the case may be, in the manner provided above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice to Holders by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

The Trustee shall have the right to accept and act upon instructions, including funds transfer instructions ("**Instructions**") given pursuant to this Indenture and delivered using Electronic Means; *provided*, *however*, that the Company shall provide to the Trustee an incumbency certificate listing officers with the authority to provide such Instructions ("**Authorized Officers**") and containing specimen signatures of such Authorized Officers, which incumbency certificate shall be amended by the Company whenever a person is to be added or deleted from the listing. If the Company elects to give the Trustee Instructions using Electronic Means and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such Instructions, the Trustee's understanding of such Instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Company understands and agrees that the Trustee cannot determine the identity of the actual sender of such Instructions and that the Trustee shall conclusively presume that directions that purport to have been sent by an Authorized Officer listed on the incumbency certificate provided to the Trustee have been sent by such Authorized Officer. The Company shall be responsible for ensuring that only Authorized Officers transmit such Instructions to the Trustee and that the Company and all

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Authorized Officers are solely responsible to safeguard the use and confidentiality of applicable user and authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys upon receipt by the Company. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee's reliance upon and compliance with such Instructions notwithstanding such directions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The Company agrees: (i) to assume all risks arising out of the use of Electronic Means to submit Instructions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized Instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties; (ii) that it is fully informed of the protections and risks associated with the various methods of transmitting Instructions to the Trustee and that there may be more secure methods of transmitting Instructions than the method(s) selected by the Company; (iii) that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection with its transmission of Instructions provide to it a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and circumstances; and (iv) to notify the Trustee immediately upon learning of any compromise or unauthorized use of the security procedures.

Section 17.04 *. Governing Law; Jurisdiction.* THIS INDENTURE AND EACH NOTE, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS INDENTURE AND EACH NOTE, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAWS PROVISIONS THEREOF).

The Company irrevocably consents and agrees, for the benefit of the Holders from time to time of the Notes and the Trustee, that any legal action, suit or proceeding against it with respect to obligations, liabilities or any other matter arising out of or in connection with this Indenture or the Notes may be brought in the courts of the State of New York or the courts of the United States located in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City, New York and, until amounts due and to become due in respect of the Notes have been paid, hereby irrevocably consents and submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of each such court *in personam*, generally and unconditionally with respect to any action, suit or proceeding for itself in respect of its properties, assets and revenues.

The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any of the aforesaid actions, suits or proceedings arising out of or in connection with this Indenture brought in the courts of the State of New York or the courts of the United States located in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City, New York and hereby further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such action, suit or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

Section 17.05 *. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent; Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to Trustee.* Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall, if requested by the Trustee, furnish to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such action is permitted by the terms of this Indenture and that in the opinion of the signers,

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all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with.

Each Officer's Certificate and Opinion of Counsel provided for, by or on behalf of the Company in this Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with this Indenture (other than the Officer's Certificates provided for in Section 4.08) shall include (a) a statement that the person signing such certificate is familiar with the requested action and this Indenture; (b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statement contained in such certificate is based; (c) a statement that, in the judgment of such person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him or her to express an informed judgment as to whether or not such action is permitted by this Indenture; and (d) a statement as to whether or not, in the judgment of such person, such action is permitted by this Indenture and that all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with. With respect to matters of fact, an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officer's Certificate or certificates of public officials.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 17.05, if any provision in this Indenture specifically provides that the Trustee shall or may receive an Opinion of Counsel in connection with any action to be taken by the Trustee or the Company hereunder, the Trustee shall be entitled to, or entitled to request, such Opinion of Counsel.

Section 17.06 *. Legal Holidays.* In any case where any Interest Payment Date, any Redemption Date or the Maturity Date is not a Business Day or is a day on which financial institutions located in the state in which the Corporate Trust Office is located are authorized or required by law or executive order to close or be closed, then any action to be taken on such date need not be taken on such date, but may be taken on the next succeeding Business Day that is not a day on which financial institutions located in the state in which the Corporate Trust Office is located are authorized or required by law or executive order to close or be closed with the same force and effect as if taken on such date, and no interest shall accrue in respect of the delay.

Section 17.07 *. No Security Interest Created.* Nothing in this Indenture or in the Notes, expressed or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect, in any jurisdiction.

Section 17.08 *. Benefits of Indenture.* Nothing in this Indenture or in the Notes, expressed or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the Holders, the parties hereto, any Paying Agent, any authenticating agent, any Note Registrar and their successors hereunder, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 17.09 *. **Table of Contents**, Headings, Etc.* The table of contents and the titles and headings of the articles and sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

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Section 17.10 *. Authenticating Agent.* The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent that shall be authorized to act on its behalf and subject to its direction in the authentication and delivery of Notes in connection with the original issuance thereof and transfers and exchanges of Notes hereunder, including under Section 2.05, Section 2.06, Section 2.07, Section 2.08, Section 10.04 and Section 15.04 as fully to all intents and purposes as though the authenticating agent had been expressly authorized by this Indenture and those Sections to authenticate and deliver Notes. For all purposes of this Indenture, the authentication and delivery of Notes by the authenticating agent shall be deemed to be authentication and delivery of such Notes "by the Trustee" and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an authenticating agent shall be deemed to satisfy any requirement hereunder or in the Notes for the Trustee's certificate of authentication. Such authenticating agent shall at all times be a Person eligible to serve as trustee hereunder pursuant to Section 7.08.

Any corporation or other entity into which any authenticating agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation or other entity resulting from any merger, consolidation or conversion to which any authenticating agent shall be a party, or any corporation or other entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of any authenticating agent, shall be the successor of the authenticating agent hereunder, if such successor corporation or other entity is otherwise eligible under this Section 17.10, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the parties hereto or the authenticating agent or such successor corporation or other entity.

Any authenticating agent may at any time resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of any authenticating agent by giving written notice of termination to such authenticating agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time any authenticating agent shall cease to be eligible under this Section 17.10, the Trustee may appoint a successor authenticating agent (which may be the Trustee), shall give written notice of such appointment to the Company and shall deliver notice of such appointment to all Holders.

The Company agrees to pay to the authenticating agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services although the Company may terminate the authenticating agent, if it determines such agent's fees to be unreasonable.

The provisions of Section 7.02, Section 7.03, Section 7.04, Section 8.03 and this Section 17.10 shall be applicable to any authenticating agent.

If an authenticating agent is appointed pursuant to this Section 17.10, the Notes may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee's certificate of authentication, an alternative certificate of authentication in the following form:

__________________________,<br>as Authenticating Agent, certifies that this is one of the Notes described<br>in the within-named Indenture.

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By: ____________________<br>Authorized Officer

Section 17.11 *. Execution in Counterparts.* This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, PDF or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, PDF or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the other parties hereto shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

Section 17.12 *. Severability.* In the event any provision of this Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then (to the extent permitted by law) the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.

Section 17.13 *. 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 TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 17.14 *. 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, (i) labor disputes, strikes or work stoppages, (ii) accidents, (iii) acts of war or terrorism, (vi) civil or military disturbances or unrest, (v) nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, (vi) epidemics or pandemics, (vii) disease, (x) quarantine, (ix) national emergency, (x) interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services outside of the Trustee's control, (xi) communications system failure, (xii) malware or ransomware, (xiii) the unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wire, telex or other communication or wire facility, (xiv) unavailability of any securities clearing system, or (xv) any act or provision of any present or future law or regulation or governmental authority; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

Section 17.15 *. Calculations*. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Company shall be responsible for making all calculations called for under this Indenture and the Notes. These calculations include, but are not limited to, determinations of accrued interest (including any Deferred Interest and any Compound Interest thereon) payable on the Notes. The Company shall make all these calculations in good faith and, absent manifest error, the Company's calculations shall be final and binding on Holders of Notes. The Company shall provide a schedule of its calculations to each of the Trustee, and the Trustee is entitled to rely conclusively upon the

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accuracy of the Company's calculations without independent verification. The Trustee will forward the Company's calculations to any Holder of Notes upon the request of that Holder at the sole cost and expense of the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, the Trustee shall not have any responsibility to perform any calculations under this Indenture.

Section 17.16. *USA PATRIOT Act.* The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 (Customer Identification Program (CIP)) of the USA PATRIOT Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act.

Section 17.17. *Electronic Signatures*. All notices, approvals, consents, requests and any communications hereunder must be in writing (*provided* that any communication sent to the Trustee hereunder must be in the form of a document that is signed manually or by way of a digital signature provided by DocuSign (or such other digital signature provider as specified in writing to Trustee by the authorized representative), in English). The Company agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of digital signatures and electronic methods to submit communications to Trustee, including without limitation the risk of Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties.

The Trustee shall have the right to accept and act upon any notice, instruction, or other communication, including any funds transfer instruction, (each, a "**Notice**") received pursuant to this Indenture by electronic transmission (including by e-mail, facsimile transmission, web portal or other electronic methods) and shall not have any duty to confirm that the person sending such Notice is, in fact, a person authorized to do so. Electronic signatures believed by the Trustee to comply with the ESIGN Act of 2000 or other applicable law (including electronic images of handwritten signatures and digital signatures provided by DocuSign, Orbit, Adobe Sign or any other digital signature provider identified by any other party hereto and acceptable to the Trustee) shall be deemed original signatures for all purposes. Each other party to this Indenture assumes all risks arising out of the use of electronic signatures and electronic methods to send Notices to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on an unauthorized Notice and the risk of interception or misuse by third parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee may in any instance and in its sole discretion require that a Notice in the form of an original document bearing a manual signature be delivered to the Trustee in lieu of, or in addition to, any such electronic Notice.

Section 17.18 *. FATCA*. The Company agrees (i) to provide the Trustee with such reasonable information as it has in its possession to enable the Trustee to determine whether any payments pursuant to this Indenture are subject to the withholding requirements described in Section 1471(b) of the Code or otherwise imposed pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and any regulations or agreements thereunder or official interpretations thereof ("**Applicable FATCA Law**"), and (ii) that the Trustee shall be entitled to make any withholding

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or deduction from payments under this Indenture to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable FATCA Law, for which the Trustee shall not have any liability.

[*Remainder of page intentionally left blank.*]

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| TXNM ENERGY, INC. | TXNM ENERGY, INC. |
| By: | /s/ Gerald R. Bischoff |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gerald R. Bischoff | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gerald R. Bischoff |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President and Corporate Controller | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President and Corporate Controller |

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[*Signature Page to Indenture*]

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee | U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee |
| By: | /s/ Quinton M. DePompolo |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quinton M. DePompolo | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quinton M. DePompolo |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President |

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[*Signature Page to Indenture*]

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**EXHIBIT A**

[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]

[INCLUDE FOLLOWING LEGEND IF A GLOBAL NOTE]

[UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION ("DTC"), 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 IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT HEREUNDER 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.]

[INCLUDE FOLLOWING RULE 144A LEGEND IF A RULE 144A GLOBAL NOTE]

[THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;REPRESENTS THAT IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THAT IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT, AND

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF TXNM ENERGY, INC. (THE "COMPANY") THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, EXCEPT:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(A)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, OR

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(B)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(C)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;TO A PERSON REASONABLY BELIEVED TO BE A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(D)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE (2)(D) ABOVE, THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.]

[INCLUDE FOLLOWING REGULATION S LEGEND IF A REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE]

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS (I) AS PART OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION AT ANY TIME OR (II) OTHERWISE UNTIL 40 DAYS AFTER THE LATER OF THE DATE OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE OFFERING OF THIS SECURITY AND THE DATE OF ORIGINAL ISSUANCE OF THIS SECURITY, EXCEPT IN EITHER CASE IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S OR RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. TERMS USED ABOVE HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S.]

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TXNM Energy, Inc.<br>7.000% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Note due 2056

No. [_____]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Initially]<sup>1</sup> $[_____]

CUSIP No. [_____]

TXNM Energy, Inc., a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of New Mexico (the "**Company**," which term includes any successor corporation or other entity under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received hereby promises to pay to [CEDE & CO.]<sup>2</sup> [_______]<sup>3</sup>, or registered assigns, the principal sum [as set forth in the "Schedule of Exchanges of Notes" attached hereto]<sup>4</sup> [of $[_______]]<sup>5</sup>, which amount, taken together with the principal amounts of all other outstanding Notes, shall not, unless permitted by the Indenture, exceed $350,000,000 in aggregate at any time, in accordance with the rules and applicable procedures of the Depositary, on July 31, 2056 (the "**Maturity Date**"), and interest thereon as set forth below.

This Note shall bear interest (i) from and including December 10, 2025 (the "**Original Issue Date**") to, but excluding, July 31, 2031 at an annual rate of 7.000% (the "**Initial Coupon Rate**") and (ii) from and including July 31, 2031 during each Interest Reset Period (as defined below) at an annual rate equal to the Five-Year Treasury Rate (as defined below) as of the most recent Reset Interest Determination Date (as defined below), plus a spread of 3.254%; provided, that the interest rate during any Interest Reset Period will not reset below 7.000% (each, a "**Reset Coupon Rate**" and, together with the Initial Coupon Rate, the "**Coupon Rate**"). Interest is payable, subject to the Company's right to defer interest payments as set forth in Section 2.04 of the within-mentioned Indenture, semi-annually in arrears on each January 31 and July 31 (each, an "**Interest Payment Date**"), commencing on July 31, 2026, to Holders of record at the close of business on the preceding January 15 and July 15 (whether or not such day is a Business Day), respectively.

Accrued interest on this Note shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months and, for partial months, on the basis of the number of days actually elapsed in a 30-day month. If any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or any Redemption Date (as defined below) falls on a day that is not a Business Day (as defined below), the required payment will be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such scheduled payment date, and no interest on such payment will accrue in respect of the delay.

<sup>1</sup> Include if a global note.

<sup>2</sup> Include if a global note.

<sup>3</sup> Include if a physical note.

<sup>4</sup> Include if a global note.

<sup>5</sup> Include if a physical note.

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"**Business Day**" means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Corporate Trust Office is authorized or required by law or executive order to close or be closed.

"**First Reset Date**" means July 31, 2031.

"**Five-Year Treasury Rate**" means, (i) as of any Reset Interest Determination Date (as defined below), the average of the yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity, for five-year maturities, for the five business days immediately preceding the relevant Reset Interest Determination Date (or, if fewer than five business days appear, such number of business days appearing) appearing under the caption "Treasury Constant Maturities" in the most recent H.15 Daily (as defined below) as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) as of any date of determination; or (ii) if there are no such published yields on actively traded U.S. treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity, for five-year maturities, then the rate will be determined by interpolation between the average of the yields on actively traded U.S. treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity for two series of actively traded U.S. treasury securities, (A) one maturing as close as possible to, but earlier than, the reset date following the next succeeding Reset Interest Determination Date and (B) the other maturing as close as possible to, but later than, the reset date following the next succeeding Reset Interest Determination Date, in each case for the five business days immediately preceding the relevant Reset Interest Determination date (or, if fewer than five business days appear, such number of business days appearing) appearing under the caption "Treasury Constant Maturities" in the H.15 Daily as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) as of any date of determination.

If the Five-Year Treasury Rate cannot be determined pursuant to the method described above, the Calculation Agent (as defined below), after consulting such sources as it deems comparable to any of the foregoing calculations, or any such source as it deems reasonable from which to estimate the Five-Year Treasury Rate, will determine the Five-Year Treasury Rate in its sole discretion, provided that if the Calculation Agent determines there is an industry-accepted successor Five-Year Treasury Rate, then the Calculation Agent will use such successor rate. If the Calculation Agent has determined a substitute or successor base rate in accordance with the foregoing, the Calculation Agent in its sole discretion may determine the business day convention, the definition of "Business Day" and the Reset Interest Determination Date to be used and any other relevant methodology for calculating such substitute or successor base rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such substitute or successor base rate comparable to the Five-Year Treasury Rate, in a manner that is consistent with industry-accepted practices for such substitute or successor base rate. If the Calculation Agent is unable to determine the Five-Year Treasury Rate as described above, and determines that there is no industry-accepted successor rate to the Five-Year Treasury Rate, then the Five-Year Treasury Rate will be the same interest rate determined for the prior Reset Interest Determination Date or, if this sentence is applicable with respect to the first Reset Interest Determination Date, the Five-Year Treasury Rate will be 3.746%.

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"**H.15 Daily**" means the daily statistical release designated as such, or any successor publication as determined by the Calculation Agent in its sole discretion, published by the Federal Reserve Board, and "most recent H.15 Daily" means the H.15 Daily published closest in time but prior to the close of business on the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date.

"**Interest Reset Period**" means the period from and including July 31, 2031 to but excluding the next following Reset Date (as defined below) and thereafter each period from and including a Reset Date to but excluding the next following Reset Date, or the Maturity Date or the Redemption Date, as the case may be.

"**Redemption Date**" the date fixed for redemption pursuant to Section 16.02 of the Indenture.

"**Reset Date**" means July 31, 2031 and each date falling on the five-year anniversary of the preceding Reset Date.

"**Reset Interest Determination Date**" means the day falling two Business Days prior to the beginning of the applicable Interest Reset Period.

Unless all of the outstanding Notes have been redeemed, the Company shall appoint a calculation agent (the "**Calculation Agent**") with respect to the Notes prior to the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date. The Company or any of its Affiliates may assume the duties of the Calculation Agent. The applicable Coupon Rate for each Interest Reset Period will be determined by the Calculation Agent as of the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date. If the Company or one of its Affiliates is not the Calculation Agent, the Calculation Agent will notify the Company of the Coupon Rate for the relevant Interest Reset Period promptly upon such determination. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of such Coupon Rate, promptly upon making or being notified of such determination. The Calculation Agent's determination of any Coupon Rate and its calculation of the amount of interest for any Interest Reset Period will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, will be made in the Calculation Agent's sole discretion and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the documentation relating to the Notes, will become effective without consent from any other person or entity. Such determination of any Coupon Rate and calculation of the amount of interest will be on file at the Company's principal offices and will be made available to any Holder of the Notes upon request. In no event shall the Trustee serve as the Calculation Agent (unless upon receiving reasonable advance notice the Trustee agrees to the appointment as Calculation Agent in writing), nor shall it have any liability for any determination made by or on behalf of such Calculation Agent.

During any Optional Deferral Period, interest on the Notes will continue to accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes (as reset from time to time on any Reset Date occurring during such Optional Deferral Period in accordance with the terms of the Notes). In addition, during any Optional Deferral Period, interest on the Deferred Interest will accrue at the then-applicable interest rate on the Notes (as reset from time to time on any Reset Date occurring

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during such Optional Deferral Period in accordance with the terms of the Notes), compounded semi-annually, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Any Defaulted Amounts shall accrue interest per annum at the then-applicable interest rate borne by the Notes, subject to the enforceability thereof under applicable law, from, and including, the relevant payment date to, but excluding, the date on which such Defaulted Amounts shall have been paid by the Company, at its election, in accordance with Section 2.03(c) of the Indenture.

The Company shall pay the principal of and interest on this Note, if and so long as such Note is a Global Note, in immediately available funds to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered Holder of such Note. As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Company shall pay the principal of any Notes (other than Notes that are Global Notes) at the office or agency designated by the Company for that purpose. The Company has initially designated the Trustee as its Paying Agent and Note Registrar in respect of the Notes and its Corporate Trust Office in the contiguous United States as a place where Notes may be presented for payment or for registration of transfer and exchange.

Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

**This Note, and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Note, shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York (without regard to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof).**

In the case of any conflict between this Note and the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall control and govern.

This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been signed manually, by facsimile or electronically by the Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent under the Indenture.

[*Remainder of page intentionally left blank.*]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be duly executed.

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| |
|:---|
| TXNM ENERGY, INC. |
| By: |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; |

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Dated:

TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION<br>U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,<br>as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the Notes described<br>in the within-named Indenture.

By:_______________________________<br> Authorized Signatory

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[FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE]

TXNM Energy, Inc.<br>7.000% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Note due 2056

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Notes of the Company, designated as its 7.000% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2056 (the "**Notes**"), initially limited to the aggregate principal amount of $350,000,000, all issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of December 10, 2025 (the "**Indenture**"), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (the "**Trustee**"), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the Holders of the Notes. Additional Notes may be issued in an unlimited aggregate principal amount, subject to certain conditions specified in the Indenture. Capitalized terms used in this Note and not defined in this Note shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Indenture.

In case certain Events of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of, and interest on, all Notes may be declared, by either the Trustee or Holders of at least 33% in aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, and upon said declaration shall become, due and payable, in the manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions and certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture.

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Indenture, the Company will make all payments and deliveries in respect of the Redemption Price on any Redemption Date and the principal amount on the Maturity Date, as the case may be, to the Holder who surrenders a Note to a Paying Agent to collect such payments in respect of the Note. The Company will pay cash amounts in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the Trustee in certain circumstances, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, and in certain other circumstances, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, evidenced as in the Indenture provided, to execute supplemental indentures modifying the terms of the Indenture and the Notes as described therein. It is also provided in the Indenture that, subject to certain exceptions, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any past Default or Event of Default under the Indenture and its consequences.

Each Holder shall have the right to receive payment of (x) the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable) of, and (y) accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, this Note at the place, at the respective times, at the rate and in the lawful money herein prescribed (subject in the case of clause (y) to the Company's right to defer the payment of interest on the Notes pursuant to Section 2.04 of the Indenture).

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The Notes are issuable in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. At the office or agency of the Company referred to on the face hereof, and in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, Notes may be exchanged for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of other authorized denominations, without payment of any service charge but, if required by the Company or Trustee, with payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer or similar tax that may be imposed in connection therewith as a result of the name of the Holder of the new Notes issued upon such exchange of Notes being different from the name of the Holder of the old Notes surrendered for such exchange.

The Notes shall be redeemable at the Company's option in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions specified in the Indenture. No sinking fund is provided for the Notes.

The Company agrees and each Holder and beneficial owner of the Notes, by accepting the Notes or a beneficial interest therein, will be deemed to have agreed that the Notes constitute debt and will treat the Notes as debt for United States federal, state and local tax purposes.

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ABBREVIATIONS

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription of the face of this Note, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

TEN COM = as tenants in common&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT = Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

CUST = Custodian

TEN ENT = as tenants by the entireties&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<br>JT TEN = joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

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**SCHEDULE A**<sup>6</sup>

SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF NOTES<br>TXNM Energy, Inc.<br>7.000% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Notes due 2056

The initial principal amount of this Global Note is [____________]. The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| 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 signatory of Trustee or Custodian |

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<sup>6</sup> Include if a global note.

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**ATTACHMENT 1**

[FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND TRANSFER]

For value received ____________________________ hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto _________________ (Please insert social security or Taxpayer Identification Number of assignee) the within Note, and hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints _____________________ attorney to transfer the said Note on the books of TXNM Energy, Inc. (the "Company"), with full power of substitution in the premises.

In connection with any transfer of the within Note [occurring prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period]<sup>7</sup>, as defined in the Indenture governing such Note, the undersigned confirms that such Note is being transferred:

□&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To the Company or a subsidiary thereof; or

□&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; or

□&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To a person whom the undersigned reasonably believes is a "qualified institutional buyer" within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, purchasing for its own account or for the account of a "qualified institutional buyer" to whom notice is given that the resale, pledge or other transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

□&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In an offshore transaction pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; or

□&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF (3) ABOVE IS CHECKED.

The undersigned represents and warrants that it is purchasing this Note for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and any such account is a "qualified institutional buyer" within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is aware that the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Company as the undersigned has requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request such

<sup>7</sup> [To be included for Regulation S Global Notes only].

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information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon the undersigned's foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A.

Date: _______________________

____________________________

Signature

**NOTICE: If an entity, to be executed by an executive officer.**

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Dated: ________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Signature(s)

_____________________________________

Signature Guarantee

Signature(s) must be guaranteed by an<br>eligible Guarantor Institution (banks, stock<br>brokers, savings and loan associations and<br>credit unions) with membership in an approved<br>signature guarantee medallion program pursuant<br>to Securities and Exchange Commission<br>Rule 17Ad-15 if Notes are to be delivered, other<br>than to and in the name of the registered holder.

NOTICE: The signature on the assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.

<br>