Document:

Exhibit 10.1

 

Execution Version

 

$400,000,000

 

HALCÓN RESOURCES CORPORATION

 

9.75% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2020

 

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

December 16, 2013

 

BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
                                                  As the Initial Purchasers

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

550 S. Tryon Street, 5th Floor

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Halcón Resources Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this agreement (this “Agreement”), to issue and sell to you, as the initial purchasers (the “Initial Purchasers”), $400,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of its 9.75% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “Notes”).  The Notes will (i) have terms and provisions that are summarized in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum (as defined below), and (ii) are to be issued pursuant to that certain Indenture dated as of July 16, 2012 (the “Indenture”), by and among the Company, the Guarantors (as defined below) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”) pursuant to which the Company previously issued, on July 16, 2012, $750 million in aggregate principal amount of 9.75% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “Existing Notes”).  The Notes and the Existing Notes will be treated as a single class of debt securities under the Indenture.

 

The Company’s obligations under the Notes, including the due and punctual payment of interest on the Notes, will be irrevocably and unconditionally guaranteed (the “Guarantees”) by the guarantors listed in Schedule II hereto (together the “Guarantors”).  As used herein, the term “Notes” shall include the Guarantees, unless the context otherwise requires.  This Agreement is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the Notes from the Company by the Initial Purchasers.

 

 

1.                                      Purchase and Resale of the Notes.  The Notes will be offered and sold to the Initial Purchasers without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in reliance on an exemption pursuant to Section 4(2) under the Securities Act.  The Company and the Guarantors have prepared a preliminary offering memorandum, dated December 16, 2013 (the “Preliminary Offering Memorandum”), a pricing term sheet substantially in the form attached hereto as Schedule III (the “Pricing Term Sheet”) setting forth the terms of the Notes omitted from the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and certain other information and an offering memorandum, dated December 16, 2013 (the “Offering Memorandum”), setting forth information regarding the Company, the Guarantors, the Notes and the Exchange Notes (as defined herein) and the Guarantees and the Exchange Guarantees (as defined herein).  The Preliminary Offering Memorandum, as supplemented and amended as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), together with the Pricing Term Sheet and any of the documents listed on Schedule IV(A) hereto are collectively referred to as the “Pricing Disclosure Package.”  The Company and the Guarantors hereby confirm that they have authorized the use of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum in connection with the offering and resale of the Notes by the Initial Purchasers. “Applicable Time” means 3:00 p.m. (New York City time) on December 16, 2013.

 

Any reference to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to refer to and include the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and all subsequent documents filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on or prior to the date of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, as the case may be that are incorporated by reference therein.  Any reference to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, as the case may be, as amended or supplemented, as of any specified date, shall be deemed to include any documents filed with the Commission by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, as the case may be, and prior to such specified date.  All documents filed under the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference therein shall be deemed to be included in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, as the case may be, or any amendment or supplement thereto are hereinafter called the “Exchange Act Reports.”

 

You have advised the Company that you will offer and resell (the “Exempt Resales”) the Notes purchased by you hereunder on the terms set forth in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, as amended or supplemented, solely to (i) persons whom you reasonably believe to be “qualified institutional buyers” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“QIBs”), and (ii) outside the United States to certain persons in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act (“Regulation S”).  Those persons specified in clauses (i) and (ii) are referred to herein as “Eligible Purchasers.”

 

Holders (including subsequent transferees) of the Notes will have the registration rights set forth in the registration rights agreement in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) between the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers to be dated the Closing Date (as defined herein), for so long as such Notes

 

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constitute “Transfer Restricted Securities” (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement).  Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company and the Guarantors will agree to file with the Commission under the circumstances set forth therein, a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to the Company’s 9.75% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “Exchange Notes”) and the Guarantors’ Exchange Guarantees (the “Exchange Guarantees”) to be offered in exchange for the Notes and the Guarantees.  Such portion of the offering is referred to as the “Exchange Offer”.

 

2.                                      Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company and the Guarantors.  The Company and each of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, represent, warrant and agree as follows:

 

(a)                                 When the Notes and Guarantees are issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement, such Notes and Guarantees will not be of the same class (within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act) as securities of the Company or the Guarantors that are listed on a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act or that are quoted in a U.S. automated inter-dealer quotation system.

 

(b)                                 Neither the Company nor any subsidiary of the Company is or, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Notes and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, will be an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(c)                                  Assuming the accuracy of your representations and warranties in Section 3(b), the purchase and resale of the Notes pursuant hereto (including pursuant to the Exempt Resales) are exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.  No form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Regulation D (including, but not limited to, advertisements, articles, notices or other communications published in any newspaper, magazine or similar medium or broadcast over television or radio, or any seminar or meeting whose attendees have been invited by any general solicitation or general advertising) was used by the Company, the Guarantors, or any person acting on behalf of the Company or the Guarantors (other than you, as to whom the Company and the Guarantors make no representation) in connection with the offer and sale of the Notes.

 

(d)                                 No directed selling efforts within the meaning of Rule 902 under the Securities Act were used by the Company, the Guarantors, any affiliate of the Company or the Guarantors or any person acting on behalf of the Company or the Guarantors (other than you, as to whom the Company and the Guarantors make no representation) with respect to Notes sold outside the United States in accordance with Regulation S, and the Company and any person acting on its behalf (other than you, as to whom the Company and the Guarantors make no representation) has complied with and will implement the “offering restrictions” required by Rule 902 under the Securities Act.

 

(e)                                  Each of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, each as of its respective date, contains all the

 

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information specified in, and meeting the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.

 

(f)                                   The Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum have been prepared by the Company and the Guarantors for use by the Initial Purchasers in connection with the Exempt Resales.  No order or decree preventing the use of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, or any order asserting that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has commenced or is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of the Guarantors is contemplated.

 

(g)                                  The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, and will not, as of the Closing Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Initial Purchaser specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

(h)                                 The Offering Memorandum will not, as of its date or as of the Closing Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Offering Memorandum in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through any Initial Purchaser specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

(i)                                     Neither the Company nor any Guarantor has made any offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (if the offering of the Notes was made pursuant to a registered offering under the Securities Act), as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (a “Free Writing Offering Document”) without the prior consent of the Initial Purchasers; any such Free Writing Offering Document the use of which has been previously consented to by the Initial Purchasers is listed on Schedule IV.

 

(j)                                    The Pricing Disclosure Package, when taken together with each Free Writing Offering Document listed in Schedule IV(B) hereto, did not, as of the Applicable Time, and will not, as of the Closing Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package (or Free Writing Offering Document listed in Schedule IV(B) hereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Initial Purchaser specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

(k)                                 The documents incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, at the time they were filed with the Commission,

 

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complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents, when read together with the other information in the Pricing Disclosure Package, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, when such documents are filed with the Commission will conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not, when read together with the other information in the Pricing Disclosure Package, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.

 

(l)                                     The statistical and market-related data relating to the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum and the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable in all material respects.

 

(m)                             The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum; the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to qualify or to be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, prospects, financial condition, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”); each subsidiary of the Company other than those subsidiaries which would not, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Item 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X (each such “significant subsidiary,” a “Subsidiary”) is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or business trust duly incorporated or organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite entity power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties, except where the failure to qualify or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other corporate entity that, individually or in the aggregate would constitute a Subsidiary, other than the subsidiaries listed on Schedule II hereof.  On a consolidated basis, the Company and its subsidiaries conduct their business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum and each Subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership, limited liability company, business trust or other organization to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(n)                                 The Company has the authorized equity capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, and all of the issued and outstanding

 

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shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.  Except as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other ownership interests of each subsidiary of the Company (i) have been duly authorized and validly issued, (ii) are fully paid and non-assessable and (iii) are owned by the Company directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum and except for such security interests, mortgages, pledges, liens, encumbrances, claims or equities that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(o)                                 The Company and each Guarantor has all requisite corporate power, partnership or limited liability company and authority, as applicable, to perform its obligations under the Indenture.  The Indenture has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantors and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Guarantors, enforceable against the Company and the Guarantors in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).  No qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”) is required in connection with the offer and sale of the Notes contemplated hereby or in connection with the Exempt Resales.  The Indenture conforms to the description thereof in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(p)                                 The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, issue, sell and perform its obligations under the Notes.  The Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, assuming due authentication of the Notes by the Trustee, upon delivery to the Initial Purchasers against payment therefor in accordance with the terms hereof, will be validly issued and delivered and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).  The Notes will conform in all material respects to the description thereof in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(q)                                 The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, issue and perform its obligations under the Exchange Notes.  The Exchange Notes have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and if and when issued and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered in accordance with the Exchange Offer provided for in the Registration Rights Agreement, will be validly issued and delivered and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable

 

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principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 

(r)                                    Each Guarantor has all requisite corporate, partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as applicable, to execute, issue and perform its obligations under the Guarantees.  The Guarantees have been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Guarantors upon the due execution, authentication and delivery of the Notes in accordance with the Indenture and the issuance of the Notes in the sale to the Initial Purchasers contemplated by this Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Guarantors, enforceable against the Guarantors in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).  The Guarantees will conform in all material respects to the description thereof in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(s)                                   Each Guarantor has all requisite corporate, partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as applicable, to execute, issue and perform its obligations under the Exchange Guarantees.  The Exchange Guarantees have been duly and validly authorized by the Guarantors and if and when executed and delivered by the Guarantors in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and upon the due execution and authentication of the Exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture and the issuance and delivery of the Exchange Notes in the Exchange Offer contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, will be validly issued and delivered and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Guarantors entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, enforceable against the Guarantors in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 

(t)                                    The Company and each Guarantor has all requisite corporate, partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as applicable, to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement.  The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company and each Guarantor and, when executed and delivered by the Company and each Guarantor in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will be validly executed and delivered and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by you) will be the legally valid and binding obligation of the Company and each Guarantor in accordance with the terms thereof, enforceable against the Company and each Guarantor in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditor’s rights generally, by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and, as to rights of indemnification and contribution, by principles of public policy.  The Registration Rights Agreement will conform in all material respects to the description thereof in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

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(u)                                 The Company and each Guarantor has all requisite corporate power to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and each of the Guarantors.

 

(v)                                 The issue and sale of the Notes and the Guarantees, the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Guarantors of the Notes, the Guarantees, the Exchange Notes, the Exchange Guarantees, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement and this Agreement, the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes as described under “Use of Proceeds” in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, impose any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company, the Guarantors or their respective subsidiaries, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries, or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets, except, with respect to clauses (i) and (iii), conflicts or violations that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on ability of the company or any Guarantor to perform their obligations under this Agreement.

 

(w)                               No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company is required for the offering and sale of the Notes or the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement, except for the filing of the registration statement by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as required by the Registration Rights Agreement, and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, filings or qualifications which shall have been obtained or made prior to the Closing Date as described in this Agreement or as may be required by the securities or blue sky laws of the various states, the Securities Act and the securities laws of any jurisdiction outside the United States in which the Notes are offered.

 

(x)                                 Except for the Registration Rights Agreement and as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company, any Guarantor and any person granting such person the right to require the Company or any Guarantor to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or any Guarantor owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company or any Guarantor to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or in any securities being

 

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registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company or any Guarantor under the Securities Act.

 

(y)                                 Neither the Company, any Guarantor nor any other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Guarantor has sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Notes contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.

 

(z)                                  Neither the Company, the Guarantors nor any of their respective subsidiaries has sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included and incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, and, since such date, there has not been any change in the capital stock, partnership or limited liability interests, as applicable, or long-term debt, of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries or any adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, prospects, financial condition, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case except as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(aa)                          The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) of each of the Company and GeoResources, Inc. (“GeoResources”) included and/or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby, at the dates and for the periods indicated, and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.  The statement of revenues and direct operating expenses of each of the East Texas Assets (as defined in the Pricing Disclosure Package) and the Williston Basin Assets (as defined in the Pricing Disclosure Package) present fairly in all material respects the revenues and direct operating expenses of the East Texas Assets and the Williston Basin Assets, as applicable, at the dates and for the periods indicated.  The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“XBRL”) included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum fairly presents the financial information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(bb)                          The pro forma financial statements included in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the historical financial statement amounts in the pro forma financial statements included in the Pricing Disclosure Package.  The pro forma financial statements included in the Pricing Disclosure Package have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidance with respect to pro forma financial information.  The pro forma financial statements included in the

 

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Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum have been prepared on the basis consistent with such historical financial statements, except for the pro forma adjustments specified therein, and include all material adjustments to the historical financial data required by Rule 11-02 of Regulation S-X to reflect the GeoResources Merger (as defined therein), the acquisition of the East Texas Assets, the acquisition of the Williston Basin Assets, including the issuance of $750 million of 8% Automatically Convertible Preferred Stock, the issuance of the Existing Notes, the private placement of approximately 41.9 million shares of the Company’s common stock and the issuance of $750 million of 8.875% senior notes, and to give effect to the other transactions described therein, and give effect to assumptions made on a reasonable basis and in good faith and present fairly in all material respects the historical and proposed transactions reflected therein. The other financial information and data included and incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum, historical and pro forma, are, in all material respects, accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such financial statements and the books and records of the Company.

 

(cc)                            Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company, whose reports appear in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum or are incorporated by reference therein and who delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(f) hereof, are independent registered public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) during the periods covered by the financial statements on which they reported contained in and incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(dd)                          Grant Thornton LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of GeoResources and SBE Partners LP, whose reports appear in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum or are incorporated by reference therein and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(f) hereof, were independent registered public accountants of GeoResources as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the rules and regulations of the PCAOB during the periods covered by the financial statements on which they reported contained in and incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(ee)                            UHY LLP, who have certified certain statements of revenues and direct operating expenses of the East Texas Assets and the Williston Basin Assets, whose reports appear in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum or are incorporated by reference therein and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(f) hereof, are independent registered public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the rules and regulations of the PCAOB during the periods covered by the financial statements on which they reported contained in and incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(ff)                              The Company and its subsidiaries have defensible title to all of their interests in oil and gas properties (other than interests earned under farm-out, participation or similar agreements in which an assignment or transfer is pending) and all their interests in other real property and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind

 

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except such as (i) are described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, (ii) liens and encumbrances under operating agreements, unitization and pooling agreements, production sales contracts, farm-out agreements and other oil and gas exploration participation and production agreements, in each case that secure payment of amounts not yet due and payable for the performance of other unmatured obligations and are of a scope and nature customary in the oil and gas industry or arise in connection with drilling and production operations, or (iii) would not have a Material Adverse Effect; except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, all of the leases and subleases of real property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, are in full force and effect.

 

(gg)                            Netherland, Sewell & Associates (the “Company Reservoir Engineer”), whose report dated December 31, 2012, is summarized or excerpted in reports incorporated by reference, or included, in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, was, as of the date of such report, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company.  The written engineering report prepared by the Company Reservoir Engineer dated January 31, 2013 setting forth the proved reserves attributed to the oil and gas properties of the Company and its subsidiaries accurately reflects in all material respects the interests of the Company and its subsidiaries in the properties therein as of December 31, 2012 and was prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and regulations relating to the reporting of oil and natural gas reserves; the information furnished by the Company to the Company Reservoir Engineer for purposes of preparing its report, including, without limitation, production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true, correct and complete in all material respects on the date supplied and was prepared in accordance with customary industry practices, as indicated in the letter of the Company Reservoir Engineer dated January 31, 2013.

 

(hh)                          Forrest A. Garb & Associates (“Forrest A. Garb”), whose report dated February 7, 2012, is summarized or excerpted in reports incorporated by reference, or included, in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, was, as of the date of such report, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company.  The written engineering report prepared by Forrest A. Garb dated February 7, 2012 setting forth the proved reserves attributed to the oil and gas properties of the Company and its subsidiaries accurately reflects in all material respects the interests of the Company its subsidiaries in the properties therein as of December 31, 2011 and was prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and regulations relating to the reporting of oil and natural gas reserves; the information furnished by the Company to Forrest A. Garb for purposes of preparing its report, including, without limitation, production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true, correct and complete in all material respects on the date supplied and was prepared in accordance with customary industry practices, as indicated in the letter of Forrest A. Garb dated February 7, 2012.

 

(ii)                                  The Company and each of its subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or

 

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regulatory authorities (“Permits”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, except for any of the foregoing that would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(jj)                                The Company and each of its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses and have no reason to believe that the conduct of their respective businesses will conflict in any material respect with, and have not received any notice of any material claim of conflict with, any such rights of others.

 

(kk)                          Other than as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which if determined adversely to the Company, or such subsidiary, would individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or which would materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated under this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement or the performance by the Company or any Guarantor of their obligations hereunder or thereunder; and, to the Company’s and the Guarantors’ knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.

 

(ll)                                  There are no contracts or other documents that would be required to be described in a registration statement filed under the Securities Act or filed as exhibits to a registration statement of the Company pursuant to Item 601(10) of Regulation S-K, or a periodic report of the Company under the Exchange Act that would be incorporated by reference therein, that have not been described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.  The statements made in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the contracts and other documents that are so described, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such contracts and documents in all material respects.  Neither the Company, the Guarantors nor any of their respective subsidiaries has knowledge that any other party to any such contract or other document has any intention not to render full performance as contemplated by the terms thereof.

 

(mm)                  The statements made in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum under the captions “Business” (as incorporated by reference from the Company’s Exchange Act Reports), “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Certain Considerations for ERISA and Other U.S. Employee Benefit Plans,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of statutes, rules or regulations, legal or

 

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governmental proceedings or contracts and other documents, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such statutes, rules and regulations, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents in all material respects.

 

(nn)                          No relationship, direct or indirect, that would be required to be described in a registration statement of the Company pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K, exists between or among the Company or any Guarantor and their respective subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any Guarantor and their respective subsidiaries, on the other hand, that has not been described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(oo)                          No labor disturbance by or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Guarantor, is imminent that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(pp)                          (i) Each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)) for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code in all material respects; (ii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (a) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (b) no “accumulated funding deficiency” (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (c) the fair market value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan) and (d) neither the Company or any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the PBGC in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA); and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

 

(qq)                          The Company and each of its subsidiaries has filed all federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and paid all taxes due thereon, and (i) no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries, nor (ii) does the Company or any Guarantor have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that could, in the case of clause (i) or (ii) in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(rr)                                There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in

 

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connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company or sale by the Company of the Notes.

 

(ss)                              Since the date as of which information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum and except as may otherwise be described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, neither the Company nor any Guarantor has (i) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business or (iii) declared or paid any dividend on its capital stock.

 

(tt)                                Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents), (ii) is in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or other obligation contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject, or (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets or has failed to obtain any license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its business, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such conflict, breach, violation or default would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company or any Guarantor to perform their obligations under this Agreement.

 

(uu)                          Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company and the Guarantors, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries, has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

 

(vv)                          The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are, and at all times prior hereto were, in compliance with all laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including without limitation any international, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources, or to hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”) applicable to such entity, which compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining, maintaining and complying with all permits and authorizations and approvals required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (ii) have not received notice of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any potential liability for or other obligation concerning the presence, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except in the case of clause (i) or (ii) where such non-compliance, violation, liability, or other obligation could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a

 

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Material Adverse Effect.  Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package, (A) there are no proceedings that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (B) the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries are not aware of any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (C) none of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures other than in the ordinary course of business relating to Environmental Laws.

 

(ww)                      None of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes), will violate or result in a violation of Section 7 of the Exchange Act, or any regulation promulgated thereunder, including, without limitation, Regulations T, U and X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

 

(xx)                          The statements contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum under the caption “Description of the Notes,” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Indenture, the Notes, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Guarantees and under the captions “Description of Our Other Indebtedness” and “Plan of Distribution” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the documents referred to therein, are accurate in all material respects.

 

(yy)                          The Company and its affiliates have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or the Guarantors in connection with the offering of the Notes.

 

(zz)                            The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.  The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains internal accounting controls that are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain accountability for its assets, (iii) access to the Company’s assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (iv) the recorded accountability for the Company’s assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences, and (v) the interactive data in XBRL included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum

 

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fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(aaa)                   (i) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have established and maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act), (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports they file or submit under the Exchange Act (assuming the Company was required to file or submit such reports under the Exchange Act) is accumulated and communicated to management of the Company and its subsidiaries, including their respective principal executive officers and principal financial officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure to be made; and (iii) such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.

 

(bbb)                   Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP and reviewed by the audit committee of the board of directors of the Company, (i) the Company has not been advised of by its auditors, nor has it identified (A) any material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls, and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of its subsidiaries; and (ii) there have been no changes in internal controls or in other factors that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect internal controls.

 

(ccc)                      No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(ddd)                   There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.

 

(eee)                      The section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” as incorporated by reference from the Company’s Exchange Act Reports in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum accurately and fully describes in all material respects (A) the accounting policies that the Company believed as of the date thereof were the most important in the portrayal of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations and that required management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments; (B) the judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of critical accounting policies; and (C) the likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions and an explanation thereof.

 

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(fff)                         The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Guarantor, threatened, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ggg)                      None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of the Guarantors, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, “Covered Persons”) is currently the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries organized or resident in a country or territory other than the United States; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Notes hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity for the purpose or with the intent to fund any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions.

 

(hhh)                   The Company has not taken any action or omitted to take any action (such as issuing any press release relating to any Notes without an appropriate legend) which may result in the loss by any of the Initial Purchasers of the ability to rely on any stabilization safe harbor provided by the Financial Services Authority under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”). The Company has been informed of the guidance relating to stabilization provided by the Financial Services Authority, in particular in Section MAR 2 Annex 2G of the Financial Services Handbook.

 

(iii)                               Immediately after the consummation of the issuance and sale of the Notes in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, each of the Company and each of the Guarantors will be Solvent. As used in this paragraph, the term “Solvent” means, with respect to a particular date, that on such date (i) the present fair market value (or present fair saleable value) of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Guarantors and their subsidiaries are not less than the total amount required to pay the probable liabilities of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Guarantors and their subsidiaries on their total existing debts and liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they become absolute and matured, (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries and the Guarantors and their subsidiaries are able to realize upon their assets and pay their debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and commitments as they mature and become due in the normal course of business, (iii) assuming the sale of the Notes as contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, the Company and its subsidiaries and the Guarantors and their subsidiaries are not incurring debts or liabilities beyond their ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature and (iv) the Company and its subsidiaries and the Guarantors and their subsidiaries are not engaged

 

17

 

in any business or transaction, and are not about to engage in any business or transaction, for which their property would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration to the prevailing practice in the industry in which the Company and its subsidiaries and the Guarantors and their subsidiaries are engaged. In computing the amount of such contingent liabilities at any time, it is intended that such liabilities will be computed at the amount that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

(jjj)                            As of the date hereof, (i) all royalties, rentals, deposits and other amounts owed under the oil and gas leases constituting the oil and gas properties of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries have been properly and timely paid (other than amounts held in suspense accounts pending routine payments or related to disputes about the proper identification of royalty owners), and no amount of proceeds from the sale or production attributable to the oil and gas properties of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries are currently being held in suspense by any purchaser thereof, except where such amounts due could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) there are no claims under take-or-pay contracts pursuant to which natural gas purchasers have any make-up rights affecting the interests of the Company, the Guarantors or their respective subsidiaries in their oil and gas properties, except where such claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(kkk)                   Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that could give rise to a valid claim against the Initial Purchasers for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes.

 

(lll)                               Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of or has received notice of any violation with respect to any federal or state law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, nor any applicable federal or state wage and hour laws, the violation of any of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any Guarantor and delivered to the Initial Purchasers or counsel for the Initial Purchasers in connection with the offering of the Notes shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company or any such Guarantor, jointly and severally, as to matters covered thereby, to each Initial Purchaser.

 

3.                                      Purchase of the Notes by the Initial Purchasers, Agreements to Sell, Purchase and Resell.

 

(a)                                 The Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally hereby agree, on the basis of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Initial Purchasers contained herein and subject to all the terms and conditions set forth herein, to issue and sell to the Initial Purchasers and, upon the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Guarantors herein contained and subject to all the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Initial Purchasers agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of 101.75% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from July 15, 2013, the total principal amount of Notes set forth opposite the name of such Initial Purchaser in Schedule I hereto.  The Company and the Guarantors shall not be obligated to

 

18

 

deliver any of the securities to be delivered hereunder except upon transfer of immediately available funds to the Company for all of the securities to be purchased as provided herein.

 

(b)                                 Each of the Initial Purchasers, severally and not jointly, hereby represents and warrants to the Company that it will offer the Notes for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.  Each of the Initial Purchasers, severally and not jointly, hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Company, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Guarantors, that such Initial Purchaser: (i) is a QIB; (ii) in connection with the Exempt Resales, will solicit offers to buy the Notes only from, and will offer to sell the Notes only to, the Eligible Purchasers in accordance with this Agreement and on the terms contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package; and (iii) will not offer or sell the Notes, nor has it offered or sold the Notes by, or otherwise engaged in, any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D, including, but not limited to, advertisements, articles, notices or other communications published in any newspaper, magazine, or similar medium or broadcast over television or radio, or any seminar or meeting whose attendees have been invited by any general solicitation or general advertising) and will not engage in any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Rule 902 under the Securities Act, in connection with the offering of the Notes.  The Initial Purchasers have advised the Company that they will offer the Notes to Eligible Purchasers at a price initially equal to 102.75% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from July 15, 2013.  Such price may be changed by the Initial Purchasers at any time without notice.

 

(c)                                  Each of the Initial Purchasers, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to the Company that:

 

(i)                                     it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom, and it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and it will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of any Notes, in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company; and

 

(ii)                                  in relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”), it has not made and will not make an offer of the Notes to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the Notes which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of the Notes to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:

 

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(A)                               to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities;

 

(B)                               to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts;

 

(C)                               to fewer than 100, or if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 Prospectus Directive Amending Directive 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the initial purchasers for any offer; or

 

(D)                               in any other circumstances which do not require the publication by the issuer of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive;

 

For the purposes of this representation, the expression an “offer of securities to the public” in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Notes, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 Prospectus Directive Amendment Directive to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State) and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.

 

(d)                                 The Initial Purchasers have not nor, prior to the later to occur of (A) the Closing Date and (B) completion of the distribution of the Notes, will not, use, authorize use of, refer to or distribute any material in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes other than (i) the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Offering Memorandum, (ii) any written communication that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or any Free Writing Offering Document listed on Schedule IV hereto, (iii) the Free Writing Offering Documents listed on Schedule IV hereto, (iv) any written communication prepared by such Initial Purchaser and approved by the Company in writing, or (v) any written communication relating to or that contains the terms of the Notes and/or other information that was included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum.

 

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Each of the Initial Purchasers understands that the Company and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to Sections 7(c) and 7(d) hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Initial Purchasers, will rely upon the accuracy and truth of the foregoing representations, warranties and agreements, and the Initial Purchasers hereby consent to such reliance.

 

4.                                      Delivery of the Notes and Payment Therefor.  Delivery to the Initial Purchasers of and payment for the Notes shall be made at the office of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on December 19, 2013 (the “Closing Date”).  The place of closing for the Notes and the Closing Date may be varied by agreement between the Initial Purchasers and the Company.

 

The Notes will be delivered to the Initial Purchasers, or the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), against payment by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer in immediately available funds, by causing DTC to credit the Notes to the account of the Initial Purchasers at DTC.  The Notes will be evidenced by one or more global securities in definitive form (the “Global Notes”) and will be registered, in the case of the Global Notes, in the name of Cede & Co. as nominee of DTC, and in the other cases, in such names and in such denominations as the Initial Purchasers shall request prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second business day preceding the Closing Date.  The Notes to be delivered to the Initial Purchasers shall be made available to the Initial Purchasers in New York City for inspection and packaging not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the business day next preceding the Closing Date.

 

5.                                      Agreements of the Company and the Guarantors.  The Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agree with each of the Initial Purchasers as follows:

 

(a)                                 The Company and the Guarantors will furnish to the Initial Purchasers, without charge, within one business day of the date of the Offering Memorandum, such number of copies of the Offering Memorandum as may then be amended or supplemented as it may reasonably request.

 

(b)                                 The Company and the Guarantors will not make any amendment or supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package or to the Offering Memorandum of which the Initial Purchasers shall not previously have been advised or to which they shall reasonably object after being so advised.

 

(c)                                  The Company and each of the Guarantors consents to the use of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum in accordance with the securities or Blue Sky laws of the jurisdictions in which the Notes are offered by the Initial Purchasers and by all dealers to whom Notes may be sold, in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes.

 

(d)                                 If, at any time prior to completion of the distribution of the Notes by the Initial Purchasers to Eligible Purchasers, any event occurs or information becomes known that, in the judgment of the Company or any of the Guarantors or in the opinion of counsel for the Initial Purchasers, should be set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum so that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, as then

 

21

 

amended or supplemented, does not include any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary to supplement or amend the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum in order to comply with any law, the Company and the Guarantors will forthwith prepare an appropriate supplement or amendment thereto, and will expeditiously furnish to the Initial Purchasers and dealers a reasonable number of copies thereof.

 

(e)                                  None of the Company or any Guarantor will make any offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes that would constitute a Free Writing Offering Document without the prior consent of the Initial Purchasers, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.  If at any time following issuance of a Free Writing Offering Document any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Free Writing Offering Document conflicts with the information in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum or, when taken together with the information in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, as promptly as practicable after becoming aware thereof, the Company will give notice thereof to the Initial Purchasers and will prepare and furnish without charge to the Initial Purchasers a Free Writing Offering Document or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission.

 

(f)                                   Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably request to qualify the Notes for offering and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Initial Purchasers may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Notes; provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject.

 

(g)                                  During the period commencing on the date hereof through and including the date that is 60 days after the date hereof, the Company and each of the Guarantors will not, without the prior written consent of the Initial Purchasers, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities substantially similar to the Notes issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of the Guarantors and having a tenor of more than one year except in exchange for the Exchange Notes and the Exchange Guarantees in connection with the Exchange Offer.

 

(h)                                 Upon request, so long as any of the Notes are outstanding, the Company and the Guarantors will, furnish at their expense to the Initial Purchasers and to the holders of the Notes the information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act (if any).

 

(i)                                     The Company and the Guarantors will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes to be sold by it hereunder substantially in accordance with the description set

 

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forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum under the caption “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(j)                                    The Company, the Guarantors and their respective affiliates will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that reasonably could be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or the Guarantors in connection with the offering of the Notes.

 

(k)                                 The Company and the Guarantors will use their best efforts to permit the Notes to be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.

 

(l)                                     The Company and the Guarantors will not, and will not permit any of their respective affiliates (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) to, resell any of the Notes that have been acquired by any of them, except for Notes purchased by the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective affiliates and resold in a transaction registered under the Securities Act.

 

(m)                             The Company and the Guarantors will take precautions designed to insure that any offer or sale, direct or indirect, in the United States or to any U.S. person (as defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act), of any Notes or any substantially similar security issued by the Company or any Guarantor, within six months subsequent to the date on which the distribution of the Notes has been completed (as notified to the Company by any Initial Purchaser), is made under restrictions and other circumstances reasonably designed not to affect the status of the offer and sale of the Notes in the United States and to U.S. persons contemplated by this Agreement as transactions exempt from the registration provisions of the Securities Act, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulations D or S of, the Securities Act.

 

(n)                                 None of the Company or any of the Guarantors or any other person on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to which no covenant is given) will (i) solicit offers for, or offer or sell, the Notes by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or (ii) engage in any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Regulation S, and all such persons will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.

 

(o)                                 The Company and the Guarantors agree to comply with all the terms and conditions of the Registration Rights Agreement and all agreements set forth in the representation letters of the Company and the Guarantors to DTC relating to the approval of the Notes by DTC for “book entry” transfer.

 

(p)                                 The Company and the Guarantors will use their best efforts to (i) do and perform all things required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by them prior to the Closing Date, and (ii) satisfy all conditions precedent to the Initial Purchasers’ obligations hereunder to purchase the Notes.

 

6.                                      Expenses.  Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agree, to pay all expenses, costs, fees and taxes incident to and in connection with:

 

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(a) the preparation, printing, filing and distribution of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum (including, without limitation, financial statements and exhibits) and all amendments and supplements thereto (including the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s and the Guarantors’ accountants and counsel, but not, however, legal fees and expenses of the Initial Purchasers’ counsel incurred in connection therewith); (b) the preparation, printing (including, without limitation, word processing and duplication costs) and delivery of this Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement, all Blue Sky memoranda and all other agreements, memoranda, correspondence and other documents printed and delivered in connection therewith and with the Exempt Resales (but not, however, legal fees and expenses of the Initial Purchasers’ counsel incurred in connection with any of the foregoing other than fees of such counsel incurred in connection with the preparation, printing and delivery of such Blue Sky memoranda); (c) the issuance and delivery by the Company of the Notes and by the Guarantors of the Guarantees and any taxes payable in connection therewith; (d) the qualification of the Notes and Exchange Notes for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the several states and any foreign jurisdictions as the Initial Purchasers may designate (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Initial Purchasers’ counsel relating to such registration or qualification); (e) the furnishing of such copies of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, and all amendments and supplements thereto, as may be reasonably requested for use in connection with the Exempt Resales; (f) the preparation of certificates for the Notes (including, without limitation, printing and engraving thereof); (g) the approval of the Notes by DTC for “book-entry” transfer (including fees and expenses of counsel for the Initial Purchasers reasonably incurred in connection therewith); (h) the rating of the Notes and the Exchange Notes; (i) the obligations of the Trustee, any agent of the Trustee and the counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees, the Exchange Notes; and the Exchange Guarantees; (j) the performance by the Company and the Guarantors of their other obligations under this Agreement; and (k) all travel expenses (including expenses related to chartered aircraft) of each Initial Purchaser and the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of each Initial Purchaser and the Company in connection with attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers of the Notes, and expenses associated with any electronic road show.

 

7.                                      Conditions to Initial Purchasers’ Obligations.  The respective obligations of the Initial Purchasers hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on and as of the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantors contained herein, to the performance by the Company and the Guarantors of their respective obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:

 

(a)                                 The Initial Purchasers shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel to the Initial Purchasers, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading.

 

(b)                                 All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Notes, the Guarantees, the Exchange

 

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Notes, the Exchange Guarantees, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, and the Company and the Guarantors shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

(c)                                  Mayer Brown LLP shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers its written opinion, as counsel to the Company and the Guarantors, addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

 

(d)                                 David Elkouri, General Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers his written opinion, as counsel to the Company and the Guarantors and dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto.

 

(e)                                  The Initial Purchasers shall have received from Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel for the Initial Purchasers, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Notes, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Offering Memorandum and other related matters as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents and information as such counsel reasonably requests for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

(f)                                   At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Initial Purchasers shall have received from each of (a) Deloitte & Touche LLP, (b) UHY LLC and (c) Grant Thornton LLP a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and (iii) covering such other matters as are ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

 

(g)                                  With respect to the letters of each of (a) Deloitte & Touche LLP, (b) UHY LLC and (c) Grant Thornton LLP referred to in the preceding paragraph and delivered to the Initial Purchasers concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the “initial letter”), the Company shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers a “bring-down letter” of such accountants, addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the Closing Date (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the Closing Date (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering

 

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Memorandum, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date of the Closing Date), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the initial letter, and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the initial letter.

 

(h)                                 Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, (i) neither the Company, any Guarantor nor any of their respective subsidiaries shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included and incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, or (ii) since such date, there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, any Guarantor or any of their respective subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the business, properties, prospects, financial condition, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries, taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, individually or in the aggregate, in the judgment of the Initial Purchasers, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or the delivery of the Notes being delivered on the Closing Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(i)                                     At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Initial Purchasers shall have received from (a) the Company Reservoir Engineer and (b) Forrest A. Garb an initial letter (each an “initial expert letter”), in form and substance satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the date hereof and a subsequent letter dated as of the Closing Date, which such letter shall cover the period from any initial expert letter to the Closing Date, confirming that they are independent with respect to the Company and stating the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to matters pertaining to the Company’s use of the reports of proved reserves from the Company Reservoir Engineer and Forrest A. Garb.

 

(j)                                    The Company and each Guarantor shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Initial Purchasers dated as of the Closing Date a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and each Guarantor, or other officers satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, as to such matters as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably request, including, without limitation, a statement that:

 

(i)                                     The representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Guarantors in Section 2 are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date, and the Company and the Guarantors have complied with all its agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date; and

 

(ii)                                  They have examined the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, and, in their opinion, (A) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date, and the Offering Memorandum, as of its date and as of the Closing Date, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light

 

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of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (B) since the date of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum.

 

(k)                                 Subsequent to the earlier of the Applicable Time and the execution and delivery of this Agreement (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is used in Section 15E of the Exchange Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Notes or of any other debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of the Guarantors (in each case, other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

 

(l)                                     The Notes shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.

 

(m)                             The Company and the Guarantors shall have executed and delivered the Registration Rights Agreement, and the Initial Purchasers shall have received an original copy thereof, duly executed by the Company and the Guarantors.

 

(n)                                 Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following:  (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE Amex Equities or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, (iv) a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (v) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such), as to make it, in the judgment of the Initial Purchasers, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Notes being delivered on the Closing Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum or that, in the judgment of the Initial Purchasers, could materially and adversely affect the financial markets or the markets for the Notes and other debt securities.

 

(o)                                 The Notes and the notation of guarantees shall be executed by the Company and the Guarantors in substantially the respective forms set forth in the Indenture and the Notes shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.2 of the Indenture.

 

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All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Initial Purchasers.

 

8.                                      Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)                                 The Company and each Guarantor, hereby agrees, jointly and severally, to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Notes), to which that Initial Purchaser, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained (A) in any Free Writing Offering Document, the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) in any Blue Sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Company or any Guarantor (or based upon any written information furnished by the Company or any Guarantor) specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Notes under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being hereinafter called a “Blue Sky Application”), or (C) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company or any Guarantor in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Notes (“Marketing Materials”), including any road show or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically) or any materials prepared, or approved, by the Company for the purpose of compliance with the Canadian securities laws, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Free Writing Offering Document, the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Blue Sky Application or in any Marketing Materials, any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall reimburse each Initial Purchaser and each such affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Initial Purchaser, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company and the Guarantors shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Offering Memorandum, or in any such amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Blue Sky Application or in any Marketing Materials, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company by any Initial Purchaser specifically for inclusion therein, which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(e).  The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that the Company or the Guarantors may otherwise have to any Initial Purchaser or to any affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person of that Initial Purchaser.

 

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(b)                                 Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each Guarantor, their respective officers and employees, each of their respective directors, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Guarantor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the Company, any Guarantor or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained (A) in any Free Writing Offering Document, Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) in any Blue Sky Application, or (C) in any Marketing Materials, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Free Writing Offering Document, Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Blue Sky Application or in any Marketing Materials any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company by or on behalf of that Initial Purchaser specifically for inclusion therein, which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 8(e).  The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that any Initial Purchaser may otherwise have to the Company, any Guarantor or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person.

 

(c)                                  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under paragraphs (a) or (b) of this Section 8 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under paragraphs (a) or (b) of this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraphs (a) or (b) of this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure and; provided, further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8.  If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party.  After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that the Initial Purchasers shall have the right to employ counsel to represent jointly the Initial Purchasers and their respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Initial Purchasers against the Company or any Guarantor under this Section 8, if (i) the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the Company and the Guarantors

 

29

 

have failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers; (iii) the Initial Purchasers and their respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees and controlling persons shall have reasonably concluded, based on the advice of counsel, that there may be legal defenses available to them that are different from or in addition to those available to the Company and the Guarantors; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Initial Purchasers or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees or controlling persons, on the one hand, and the Company and the Guarantors, on the other hand, and representation of both sets of parties by the same counsel would present a conflict due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the Company and the Guarantors.  No indemnifying party shall (x) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include a statement as to, or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party, or (y) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment of the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.

 

(d)                                 If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or 8(b) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other, from the offering of the Notes, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other, with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Notes purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the total discounts and commissions received by the Initial Purchasers with respect to the Notes purchased under this Agreement, on the other hand, bear to the total gross proceeds from the offering of the Notes under this Agreement as set forth on the cover page of the Offering Memorandum.  The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Guarantors, or the Initial

 

30

 

Purchasers, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.  For purposes of the preceding two sentences, the net proceeds deemed to be received by the Company shall be deemed to be also for the benefit of the Guarantors, and information supplied by the Company shall also be deemed to have been supplied by the Guarantors.  The Company, the Guarantors, and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Initial Purchasers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein.  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), no Initial Purchaser shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds from the sale to Eligible Purchasers of the Notes initially purchased by it exceeds the amount of any damages that such Initial Purchaser has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Initial Purchasers’ obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 8(d) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations and not joint.

 

(e)                                  The Initial Purchasers severally confirm and the Company and the Guarantors acknowledge and agree that the statements contained in the second sentence under the heading “Plan of Distribution” in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Offering Memorandum are correct and constitute the only information concerning such Initial Purchasers furnished in writing to the Company or any Guarantor by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers specifically for inclusion in any Free Writing Offering Document, the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Offering Memorandum, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Blue Sky Application or in any Marketing Materials.

 

9.                                      Defaulting Initial Purchasers.

 

(a)                                 If, on the Closing Date, any Initial Purchaser defaults in its obligations to purchase the Notes that it has agreed to purchase under this Agreement, the remaining non-defaulting Initial Purchasers may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Notes by the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers or other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement.  If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Initial Purchaser, the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers do not arrange for the purchase of such Notes, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers to purchase such Notes on such terms.  In the event that within the respective prescribed periods, the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers notify the Company that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Notes, or the Company notifies the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Notes, either the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Initial Purchasers may be necessary in the Pricing Disclosure

 

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Package, the Offering Memorandum or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Offering Memorandum that effects any such changes.  As used in this Agreement, the term “Initial Purchaser” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule I hereto that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Notes that a defaulting Initial Purchaser agreed but failed to purchase.

 

(b)                                 If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Notes of a defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers by the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Notes that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Notes, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Initial Purchaser to purchase the principal amount of Notes that such Initial Purchaser agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Initial Purchaser’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Notes that such Initial Purchaser agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Notes of such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers for which such arrangements have not been made; provided that the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes that it agreed to purchase on the Closing Date pursuant to the terms of Section 3.

 

(c)                                  If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Notes of a defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers by the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Notes that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Notes, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers.  Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of the Company or the Guarantors, except that the Company and each of the Guarantors will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Sections 6 and 11 to the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers and except that the provisions of Section 8 shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

 

(d)                                 Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Initial Purchaser of any liability it may have to the Company, the Guarantors or any non-defaulting Initial Purchaser for damages caused by its default.

 

10.                               Termination.  The obligations of the Initial Purchasers hereunder may be terminated by the Initial Purchasers by notice given to and received by the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Notes if, prior to that time, any event described in Section 7 shall have occurred or failed to occur and shall permit the Initial Purchasers to decline to purchase the Notes, or if the Initial Purchasers shall decline to purchase the Notes for any other reason permitted under this Agreement.

 

11.                               Reimbursement of Initial Purchasers’ Expenses.  If (a) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Notes for delivery to the Initial Purchasers, or (b) the Initial Purchasers shall decline to purchase the Notes for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company and the Guarantors shall jointly and severally reimburse the Initial Purchasers for all reasonable

 

32

 

out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Initial Purchasers) incurred by the Initial Purchasers in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Notes, and upon demand the Company and the Guarantors shall pay the full amount thereof to the Initial Purchasers.  If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 by reason of the default of one or more Initial Purchasers, the Company and the Guarantors shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Initial Purchaser on account of those expenses.

 

12.                               Notices, etc.  All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:

 

(a)                                 if to Barclays Capital Inc., shall be delivered or sent by hand delivery, mail, telex, overnight courier or facsimile transmission to Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration with a copy to Vinson & Elkins LLP, 1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention: Jim Prince (Fax: (713) 615-5962), and with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 8(c), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Ave., New York, New York 10019;

 

(b)                                 if to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, shall be delivered or sent by hand delivery, mail, telex, overnight courier or facsimile transmission to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 550 S. Tryon Street, 5th Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Transaction Management Department with a copy Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., 1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention: Jim Prince (Fax: (713) 615-5962),

 

(c)                                  if to the Company or any Guarantor, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex, overnight courier or facsimile transmission to Halcón Resources Corporation, 1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 6700, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention: David Elkouri, with a copy to Mayer Brown LLP, 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 3400, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention: William T. Heller IV;

 

(d)                                 In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Initial Purchasers are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Initial Purchasers to properly identify their respective clients.

 

13.                               Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Initial Purchasers, the Company, the Guarantors and their respective successors.  This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Company and the Guarantors contained in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the affiliates, directors, officers and employees of the Initial Purchasers and each person or persons, if any, controlling any Initial Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section 13, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.

 

33

 

14.                               Survival.  The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Notes and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any of them or any person controlling any of them.

 

15.                               Definition of the Terms “Business Day”, “Affiliate”, and “Subsidiary”.  For purposes of this Agreement, (a) “business day” means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. is open for trading, and (b) “affiliate” and “subsidiary” have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

16.                               Governing Law.  This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

17.                               Waiver of Jury Trial.  The Company and each of the Initial Purchasers 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 Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

18.                               No Fiduciary Duty.  The Company and the Guarantors acknowledge and agree that in connection with this offering, or any other services the Initial Purchasers may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Initial Purchasers: (a) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Company, any Guarantor and any other person, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other, exists; (b) the Initial Purchasers are not acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to the Company or the Guarantors, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the purchase price of the Notes, and such relationship between the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length negotiations; (c) any duties and obligations that the Initial Purchasers may have to the Company and the Guarantors shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; (d) the Initial Purchasers and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Company and the Guarantors; and (e) the Company and the Guarantors have consulted their own legal and financial advisors to the extent they deemed appropriate.  The Company and the Guarantors hereby waive any claims that the Company and the Guarantors may have against the Initial Purchasers with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the Notes.

 

19.                               Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

20.                               Headings.  The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

34

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement between the Company, the Guarantors, and the Initial Purchasers, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.

 

	
 
    	
Very   truly yours,
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN RESOURCES CORPORATION
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   David S. Elkouri
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
David   S. Elkouri
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Executive   Vice President, General Counsel
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN ENERGY PROPERTIES, INC.
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN FIELD SERVICES, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN HOLDINGS, INC.
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN OPERATING CO., INC.
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN RESOURCES OPERATING, INC.
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN LOUISIANA OPERATING, L.P.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
By: HALCÓN GULF STATES, LLC,
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
its   General Partner
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN GULF STATES, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HRC ENERGY LOUISIANA, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HRC ENERGY, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HRC OPERATING, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HRC ENERGY RESOURCES (WV), INC.
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN ENERGY HOLDINGS, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN WILLISTON I, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HALCÓN WILLISTON II, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HRC PRODUCTION COMPANY
    
	
 
    	
HK OIL & GAS, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HK ENERGY OPERATING, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HK LOUISIANA OPERATING, LLC
    
	
 
    	
HK ENERGY, LLC
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   David S. Elkouri
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
David   S. Elkouri
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Executive   Vice President, General Counsel
    
						

 

Signature Page to Purchase Agreement

 

 

	
Accepted:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
BARCLAYS   CAPITAL INC.
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Paul Cugno
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Authorized   Signatory
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
WELLS   FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Robert Johnson
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Authorized   Signatory
    	
 
    

 

Signature Page to Purchase Agreement

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
Principal
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Amount of
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Notes
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
to be
    	
 
    
	
Initial Purchaser
    	
 
    	
Purchased
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Barclays Capital Inc. 
    	
 
    	
$
    	
240,000,000
    	
 
    
	
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC 
    	
 
    	
$
    	
160,000,000
    	
 
    
	
Total 
    	
 
    	
$
    	
400,000,000
    	
 
    

 

I-1

 

SCHEDULE II

 

LIST OF GUARANTORS

 

	
Subsidiary
    	
 
    	
State of Incorporation
   or Organization
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Energy Properties, Inc.
    	
 
    	
Delaware
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Field Services, LLC
    	
 
    	
Delaware
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Holdings, Inc.
    	
 
    	
Delaware
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Operating Co., Inc.
    	
 
    	
Texas
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Resources Operating, Inc.
    	
 
    	
Delaware
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Louisiana Operating, L.P.
    	
 
    	
Delaware
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Gulf States, LLC
    	
 
    	
Oklahoma
    	
 
    
	
HRC Energy Louisiana, LLC
    	
 
    	
Delaware
    	
 
    
	
HRC Energy Resources (WV), Inc.
    	
 
    	
Delaware
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Energy Holdings, LLC
    	
 
    	
Delaware
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Williston I, LLC
    	
 
    	
Texas
    	
 
    
	
Halcón Williston II, LLC
    	
 
    	
Texas
    	
 
    
	
HRC Production Company
    	
 
    	
Texas
    	
 
    
	
HK Oil & Gas, LLC
    	
 
    	
Texas
    	
 
    
	
HRC Energy, LLC
    	
 
    	
Colorado
    	
 
    
	
HRC Operating, LLC
    	
 
    	
Colorado
    	
 
    
	
HK Energy Operating, LLC
    	
 
    	
Texas
    	
 
    
	
HK Energy, LLC
    	
 
    	
Texas
    	
 
    
	
HK Louisiana Operating, LLC
    	
 
    	
Texas
    	
 
    

 

II-1

 

SCHEDULE III

 

 

HALCÓN RESOURCES CORPORATION

 

$400,000,000 Re-Opening of 9.75% Senior Notes due 2020

 

December 16, 2013

 

Pricing Supplement dated December 16, 2013 to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum dated December 16, 2013 of Halcón Resources Corporation. This Pricing Supplement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum.  The information in this Pricing Supplement supplements the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum to the extent it is inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum.  Capitalized terms used in this Pricing Supplement but not defined have the meanings given them in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum.

 

	
Issuer
    	
Halcón Resources Corporation
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Guarantors
    	
The notes will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by the   Issuer’s current wholly owned subsidiaries and by any future restricted   subsidiaries that guarantee the Issuer’s indebtedness under a credit facility.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Title of Securities
    	
9.75% Senior Notes due 2020 (the   “Notes”)
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Aggregate Principal Amount
    	
$400,000,000
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Distribution
    	
144A / Regulation S with Registration Rights
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Maturity Date
    	
July 15, 2020
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Issue Price
    	
102.750%, plus accrued interest, if any, from July 15, 2013
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Coupon
    	
9.75%
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Yield to Worst
    	
8.99%
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Interest Payment Dates
    	
January 15 and July 15 of each year, beginning on   January 15, 2014
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Record Dates
    	
January 1 and July 1 of each year
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Trade Date
    	
December 16, 2013
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Settlement Date
    	
December 19, 2013 (T+3)
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Optional Redemption
    	
On or after July 15, 2016, at the following redemption prices   (expressed as a percentage of principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid   interest, if any, on the Notes redeemed during the twelve-month period   indicated beginning on Julyt 15 of the years indicated below:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Year
    	
 
    	
Price
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
2016
    	
 
    	
104.875
    	
%
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
2017
    	
 
    	
102.438
    	
%
    

 

III-1

 

	
 
    	
2018 and thereafter
    	
 
    	
100.000
    	
%
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Make-Whole Redemption
    	
Make-whole redemption at Treasury Rate + 50 basis points prior to   July 15, 2016
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Equity Clawback
    	
Up to 35% at 109.750% prior to July 15, 2015
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Change of Control
    	
101% plus accrued and unpaid interest (following a Rating Decline)
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Book-Running Managers
    	
Barclays Capital Inc.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
CUSIP Numbers
    	
Rule 144A: 40537Q AG5

 

Regulation S: U4057P AE5
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ISIN Numbers
    	
Rule 144A: US40537QAG55

 

Regulation S: USU4057PAE52
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Denominations
    	
Minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in   excess thereof
    

 

 

All information (including financial information) presented in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum is deemed to have changed to the extent affected by the changes described herein.

 

Additional Changes to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum:

 

Use of Proceeds

 

We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $406.1 million after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses and excluding accrued interest.

 

Capitalization

 

The first sentence on page 38, “Capitalization”, is hereby restated as follows:

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of September 30, 2013 on an actual basis and as adjusted to reflect this offering and the application of the net proceeds therefrom.

 

The “As Adjusted” column of the “Capitalization” table on page 38 of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum is amended to show Cash of $174.6 million, 9.75% senior notes due 2020 of $1,151.9 million, Total long-term debt of $3,182.9 million and Total capitalization of $5,032.7 million.

 

Footnote 3 to the Capitalization Table is hereby restated as follows:

As adjusted includes $11.0 million issue premium on the notes offered hereby and actual and as adjusted includes $750.0 million principal amount of existing notes, net of a $9.1 million unamortized discount at September 30, 2013.

 

 

This material is strictly confidential and has been prepared by the Issuer solely for use in connection with the proposed offering of the securities described in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum. This material is personal to each offeree and does not constitute an offer to any other person or the public generally to subscribe for or otherwise acquire the securities. Please refer to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum for a complete description.

 

The securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and are being offered only to (1) “qualified institutional buyers” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act and (2) outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act, and this communication is only being distributed to such persons.

 

This communication is not an offer to sell the securities and it is not a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or soliciation in such jurisdiction.

 

Any disclaimers or notices that may appear on this Pricing Supplement below the text of this legend are not applicable to this Pricing Supplement and should be disregarded. Such disclaimers may have been electronically generated as a result of this Pricing Supplement having been sent via, or posted on, Bloomberg or another electronic mail system.

 

III-2

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

A.                                    Insert list of each document provided as an amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum to be treated as part of the Pricing Disclosure Package.

 

B.                                    Insert list of any “road show” materials or other materials that are Free Writing Offering Documents.

 

IV-1EXHIBIT 4.1

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

YANDEX N.V.

 

AND

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

 

as Trustee

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of December 17, 2013

 

1.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2018

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
PAGE
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 1
    	
 
    
	
DEFINITIONS
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 1.01 . 
    	
Definitions
    	
1
    
	
Section 1.02 .
    	
References   to Interest
    	
14
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 2
    	
 
    
	
ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND   EXCHANGE OF NOTES
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 2.01 . 
    	
Designation   and Amount
    	
14
    
	
Section 2.02 .
    	
 Form of Notes
    	
14
    
	
Section 2.03 . 
    	
Date and   Denomination of Notes; Payments of Interest and Defaulted Amounts
    	
15
    
	
Section 2.04 . 
    	
Execution,   Authentication and Delivery of Notes
    	
16
    
	
Section 2.05 . 
    	
Exchange   and Registration of Transfer of Notes; Restrictions on Transfer; Depositary
    	
17
    
	
Section 2.06 . 
    	
Mutilated,   Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes
    	
24
    
	
Section 2.07 . 
    	
Temporary   Notes
    	
25
    
	
Section 2.08 . 
    	
Cancellation   of Notes Paid, Converted, Etc.
    	
26
    
	
Section 2.09 . 
    	
CUSIP   Numbers
    	
26
    
	
Section 2.10 . 
    	
Additional   Notes; Repurchases
    	
26
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 3
    	
 
    
	
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 3.01 . 
    	
Satisfaction   and Discharge
    	
27
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 4
    	
 
    
	
PARTICULAR   COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 4.01 . 
    	
Payment   of Principal and Interest
    	
27
    
	
Section 4.02 . 
    	
Maintenance   of Office or Agency
    	
28
    
	
Section 4.03 . 
    	
Appointments   to Fill Vacancies in Trustee’s Office
    	
28
    
	
Section 4.04 . 
    	
Provisions   as to Paying Agent
    	
28
    
	
Section 4.05 . 
    	
Existence
    	
30
    
	
Section 4.06 . 
    	
Rule 144A   Information Requirement and Annual Reports
    	
30
    
	
Section 4.07 . 
    	
Additional   Amounts
    	
32
    
	
Section 4.08 . 
    	
Stay, Extension   and Usury Laws
    	
34
    
	
Section 4.09 . 
    	
Compliance   Certificate; Statements as to Defaults
    	
35
    

 

i

 

	
ARTICLE 5
    	
 
    
	
LISTS   OF HOLDERS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 5.01 . 
    	
Lists of   Holders
    	
35
    
	
Section 5.02 . 
    	
Preservation   of Lists
    	
35
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 6
    	
 
    
	
DEFAULTS   AND REMEDIES
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 6.01 . 
    	
Events   of Default
    	
35
    
	
Section 6.02   . 
    	
Acceleration;   Rescission and Annulment
    	
37
    
	
Section 6.03   . 
    	
Additional   Interest
    	
38
    
	
Section 6.04 . 
    	
Payments   of Notes on Default; Suit Therefor
    	
39
    
	
Section 6.05 . 
    	
Application   of Monies Collected by Trustee
    	
41
    
	
Section 6.06 . 
    	
Proceedings   by Holders
    	
41
    
	
Section 6.07 . 
    	
Proceedings   by Trustee
    	
42
    
	
Section 6.08 . 
    	
Remedies   Cumulative and Continuing
    	
42
    
	
Section 6.09 . 
    	
Direction   of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Holders
    	
43
    
	
Section 6.10 . 
    	
Notice   of Defaults
    	
43
    
	
Section 6.11 . 
    	
Undertaking   to Pay Costs
    	
44
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 7
    	
 
    
	
CONCERNING   THE TRUSTEE
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 7.01 . 
    	
Duties   and Responsibilities of Trustee
    	
44
    
	
Section 7.02 . 
    	
Reliance   on Documents, Opinions, Etc.
    	
46
    
	
Section 7.03 . 
    	
No   Responsibility for Recitals, Etc.
    	
47
    
	
Section 7.04 . 
    	
Trustee,   Paying Agents, Conversion Agents, Bid Solicitation Agent or Note Registrar   May Own Notes
    	
47
    
	
Section 7.05 . 
    	
Monies   and Class A Shares to Be Held in Trust
    	
47
    
	
Section 7.06 . 
    	
Compensation   and Expenses of Trustee
    	
47
    
	
Section 7.07 . 
    	
Officers’   Certificate as Evidence
    	
48
    
	
Section 7.08 . 
    	
Eligibility   of Trustee
    	
48
    
	
Section 7.09 . 
    	
Resignation   or Removal of Trustee
    	
49
    
	
Section 7.10 . 
    	
Acceptance   by Successor Trustee
    	
50
    
	
Section 7.11 . 
    	
Succession   by Merger, Etc.
    	
50
    
	
Section 7.12 . 
    	
Trustee’s   Application for Instructions from the Company
    	
51
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 8
    	
 
    
	
CONCERNING   THE HOLDERS
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 8.01 . 
    	
Action   by Holders
    	
51
    
	
Section 8.02 . 
    	
Proof of   Execution by Holders
    	
52
    
	
Section 8.03 . 
    	
Who Are   Deemed Absolute Owners
    	
52
    

 

ii

 

	
Section 8.04 . 
    	
Company-Owned   Notes Disregarded
    	
52
    
	
Section 8.05 . 
    	
Revocation   of Consents; Future Holders Bound
    	
53
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 9
    	
 
    
	
HOLDERS’   MEETINGS
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 9.01 . 
    	
Purpose   of Meetings
    	
53
    
	
Section 9.02 . 
    	
Call of   Meetings by Trustee
    	
53
    
	
Section 9.03 . 
    	
Call of   Meetings by Company or Holders
    	
54
    
	
Section 9.04 . 
    	
Qualifications   for Voting
    	
54
    
	
Section 9.05 . 
    	
Regulations
    	
54
    
	
Section 9.06 . 
    	
Voting
    	
55
    
	
Section 9.07 .
    	
No Delay   of Rights by Meeting
    	
55
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 10
    	
 
    
	
SUPPLEMENTAL   INDENTURES
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 10.01 . 
    	
Supplemental   Indentures Without Consent of Holders
    	
55
    
	
Section 10.02 .
    	
Supplemental   Indentures with Consent of Holders
    	
56
    
	
Section 10.03 . 
    	
Effect   of Supplemental Indentures
    	
58
    
	
Section 10.04 . 
    	
Notation   on Notes
    	
58
    
	
Section 10.05 . 
    	
Evidence   of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to Be Furnished to Trustee
    	
58
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 11
    	
 
    
	
CONSOLIDATION,   MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 11.01 . 
    	
Company   May Consolidate, Etc. on Certain Terms
    	
58
    
	
Section 11.02 . 
    	
Successor   Corporation to Be Substituted
    	
59
    
	
Section 11.03 . 
    	
Opinion   of Counsel to Be Given to Trustee
    	
60
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 12
    	
 
    
	
IMMUNITY   OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 12.01 . 
    	
Indenture   and Notes Solely Corporate Obligations
    	
60
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 13
    	
 
    
	
[INTENTIONALLY   OMITTED]
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 14
    	
 
    
	
CONVERSION   OF NOTES
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 14.01 . 
    	
Conversion   Privilege
    	
60
    
	
Section 14.02 . 
    	
Conversion   Procedure; Settlement Upon Conversion
    	
63
    

 

iii

 

	
Section 14.03 . 
    	
Increased   Conversion Rate Applicable to Certain Notes Surrendered in Connection with   Make-Whole Fundamental Changes
    	
68
    
	
Section 14.04 . 
    	
Adjustment   of Conversion Rate
    	
70
    
	
Section 14.05 . 
    	
Adjustments   of Prices
    	
80
    
	
Section 14.06 . 
    	
Reservation   of Class A Shares
    	
80
    
	
Section 14.07 . 
    	
Effect   of Recapitalizations, Reclassifications and Changes of the Class A   Shares
    	
80
    
	
Section 14.08 . 
    	
Certain   Covenants
    	
82
    
	
Section 14.09 . 
    	
Responsibility   of Trustee
    	
82
    
	
Section 14.10 . 
    	
Notice   to Holders Prior to Certain Actions
    	
83
    
	
Section 14.11 . 
    	
Stockholder   Rights Plans
    	
84
    
	
Section 14.12 . 
    	
Limit on   Issuance of Class A Shares Upon Conversion
    	
84
    
	
Section 14.13 .
    	
Exchange   in Lieu of Conversion
    	
84
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 15
    	
 
    
	
REPURCHASE   OF NOTES AT OPTION OF HOLDERS
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 15.01 . 
    	
[Intentionally   Omitted]
    	
85
    
	
Section 15.02 . 
    	
Repurchase   at Option of Holders Upon a Fundamental Change
    	
85
    
	
Section 15.03 . 
    	
Withdrawal   of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice
    	
88
    
	
Section 15.04 . 
    	
Deposit   of Fundamental Change Repurchase Price
    	
88
    
	
Section 15.05   . 
    	
Covenant   to Comply with Applicable Laws Upon Repurchase of Notes
    	
89
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 16
    	
 
    
	
OPTIONAL   REDEMPTION
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 16.01   . 
    	
Optional   Redemption
    	
90
    
	
Section 16.02   . 
    	
Notice   of Optional Redemption; Selection of Notes
    	
91
    
	
Section 16.03 . 
    	
Payment   of Notes Called for Redemption
    	
92
    
	
Section 16.04   . 
    	
Restrictions   on Redemption
    	
92
    
	
Section 16.05   . 
    	
Increased   Conversion Rate Applicable to Certain Notes Surrendered in Connection with an   Optional Redemption
    	
93
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE 17
    	
 
    
	
MISCELLANEOUS   PROVISIONS
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 17.01 .
    	
 Provisions Binding on Company’s Successors
    	
93
    
	
Section 17.02 . 
    	
Official   Acts by Successor Corporation
    	
93
    
	
Section 17.03 . 
    	
Addresses   for Notices, Etc.
    	
93
    
	
Section 17.04 . 
    	
Governing   Law; Jurisdiction
    	
94
    
	
Section 17.05 . 
    	
Service   of Process
    	
95
    
	
Section 17.06 . 
    	
Evidence   of Compliance with Conditions Precedent; Certificates and Opinions of Counsel   to Trustee
    	
95
    
	
Section 17.07 . 
    	
Legal   Holidays
    	
96
    

 

iv

 

	
Section 17.08 . 
    	
No   Security Interest Created
    	
96
    
	
Section 17.09 . 
    	
Benefits   of Indenture
    	
96
    
	
Section 17.10 . 
    	
Table of   Contents, Headings, Etc.
    	
96
    
	
Section 17.11 . 
    	
Authenticating   Agent
    	
96
    
	
Section 17.12 . 
    	
Execution   in Counterparts
    	
97
    
	
Section 17.13 . 
    	
Severability
    	
97
    
	
Section 17.14 . 
    	
Waiver   of Jury Trial
    	
97
    
	
Section 17.15 . 
    	
Force   Majeure
    	
98
    
	
Section 17.16 . 
    	
Calculations
    	
98
    
	
Section 17.17   . 
    	
USA   PATRIOT Act
    	
98
    
	
Section 17.18   . 
    	
Electronic   Communication
    	
98
    

 

EXHIBIT

 

	
Exhibit A
    	
Form of Note
    	
A-1
    

 

v

 

INDENTURE dated as of December 17, 2013 between YANDEX N.V., a public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootschap) incorporated under Dutch law, as issuer (the “Company,” as more fully set forth in Section 1.01) and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York banking corporation, 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 1.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”), initially in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $ 600,000,000 (as increased by an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of any additional Notes purchased by the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the exercise of their over-allotment option as set forth in the Purchase Agreement), 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, the Form of Notice of Conversion, the Form of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice 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 in this Indenture provided, 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
  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.

 

“Additional Amounts” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.07.

 

“Additional Interest” means all amounts, if any, payable pursuant to Section 4.06(d), Section 4.06(e) and Section 6.03, as applicable.

 

“Additional Shares” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.03(a).

 

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person.  For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct 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.

 

“Bid Solicitation Agent” means the Person appointed by the Company to solicit bids for the Trading Price of the Notes in accordance with Section 14.01(b)(i).  The Company shall initially act as the Bid Solicitation Agent.

 

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

 

“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

“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 is authorized or required by law or executive order to close or be closed.

 

“Capital Stock” means, 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.

 

“Cash Settlement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a).

 

“Change in Tax Law” shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.01(a).

 

“Class A Shares” means the Class A ordinary shares of the Company, nominal value €0.01 per share, at the date of this Indenture, subject to Section 14.07.

 

2

 

“Class B Shares” means the Class B ordinary shares of the Company, nominal value €0.10 per share.

 

“Class C Shares” means the Class C ordinary shares of the Company, nominal value €0.09 per share.

 

“Clause A Distribution” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).

 

“Clause B Distribution” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).

 

“Clause C Distribution” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).

 

“close of business” means 5:00 p.m. (New York City time).

 

“Combination Settlement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a).

 

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

 

“Common Equity” of any Person means Capital Stock of such Person that is generally entitled (a) to vote in the election of directors of such Person or (b) if such Person is not a corporation, to vote or otherwise participate in the selection of the governing body, partners, managers or others that will control the management or policies of such Person.

 

“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 (a) an Officer of the Company and (b) the Chief Financial Officer of Yandex LLC, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

“Conversion Agent” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.02.

 

“Conversion Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(c).

 

“Conversion Obligation” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.01(a).

 

“Conversion Price” means as of any date, $1,000, divided by the Conversion Rate as of such date.

 

“Conversion Rate” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.01(a).

 

“Corporate Trust Office” means the principal office of the Trustee at which at any time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date hereof is located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 7E, New York, NY 10286, Attention: International Corporate Trust, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee (or such other 

 

3

 

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.

 

“Daily Conversion Value” means, for each of the 40 consecutive Trading Days during the Observation Period, 2.5% of the product of (a) the Conversion Rate on such Trading Day and (b) the Daily VWAP on such Trading Day.

 

“Daily Measurement Value” means the Specified Dollar Amount, divided by 40.

 

“Daily Settlement Amount,” for each of the 40 consecutive Trading Days during the Observation Period, shall consist of:

 

(a)                                 cash in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the Daily Measurement Value and (ii) the Daily Conversion Value on such Trading Day; and

 

(b)                                 if the Daily Conversion Value on such Trading Day exceeds the Daily Measurement Value, a number of Class A Shares equal to (i) the difference between the Daily Conversion Value and the Daily Measurement Value, divided by (ii) the Daily VWAP for such Trading Day.

 

“Daily VWAP” means, for each of the 40 consecutive Trading Days during the applicable Observation Period, the per share volume-weighted average price as displayed under the heading “Bloomberg VWAP” on Bloomberg page “YNDX <equity> AQR” (or its equivalent successor if such page is not available) in respect of the period from the scheduled open of trading until the scheduled close of trading of the primary trading session on such Trading Day (or if such volume-weighted average price is unavailable, the market value of one Class A Share on such Trading Day determined, using a volume-weighted average method, by a nationally recognized independent investment banking firm retained for this purpose by the Company).  The “Daily VWAP” shall be determined without regard to after hours trading or any other trading outside of the regular trading session trading hours.

 

“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, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, principal and interest) that are payable but are not punctually paid or duly provided for.

 

“Depositary” means, with respect to each Global Note, the Person specified in Section 2.05(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.

 

4

 

“Distributed Property” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).

 

“Effective Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.03(c), except that, as used in Section 14.04, “Effective Date” means the first date on which Class A Shares trade on the Relevant Stock Exchange, regular way, reflecting the relevant share split or share combination, as applicable.

 

“Event of Default” shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.01.

 

“Exchange Election” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.13.

 

“Ex-Dividend Date” means the first date on which Class A Shares trade on the Relevant Stock Exchange, regular way, without the right to receive the issuance, dividend or distribution in question, from the Company or, if applicable, from the seller of Class A Shares on the Relevant Stock Exchange (in the form of due bills or otherwise) as determined by the Relevant Stock Exchange.

 

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

 

“Form of Assignment and Transfer” means the “Form of Assignment and Transfer” in substantially the form attached as Attachment 3 to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

“Form of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice” means the “Form of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice” in substantially the form attached as Attachment 2 to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

“Form of Note” means the “Form of Note” attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

“Form of Notice of Conversion” means the “Form of Notice of Conversion” in substantially the form attached as Attachment 1 to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

“Free Float Event” means a “person” or “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, other than the Company, its Subsidiaries and any employee benefit plans of the Company or its Subsidiaries, has become the direct or indirect “beneficial owner,” as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, of Class A Shares representing more than 65% of the voting power of the Class A Shares.

 

“Fundamental Change” shall be deemed to have occurred at the time, if any, after the Notes are originally issued that any of the following occurs:

 

(a)                                 a “person” or “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act (other than the Company, its Subsidiaries, any employee benefit plans of the Company or its Subsidiaries and any Permitted Holder) has become the direct or indirect “beneficial owner,” as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, of Class A 

 

5

 

Shares and/or the Class B Shares representing more than 50% of the voting power of the Class A Shares and Class B Shares taken together;

 

(b)                                 a Free Float Event occurs;

 

(c)                                  the consummation of (A) any recapitalization, reclassification or change of the Class A Shares (other than changes resulting from a subdivision or combination) as a result of which the Class A Shares would be converted into, or exchanged for, stock, other securities, other property or assets; (B) any share exchange, consolidation, merger or similar transaction involving the Company pursuant to which the Class A Shares will be converted into cash, securities or other property; or (C) any sale, lease or other transfer in one transaction or a series of related transactions of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person other than one of the Company’s Wholly Owned Subsidiaries; provided, however, that a transaction described in clause (A) or (B) in which the holders of all classes of the Ordinary Shares immediately prior to such transaction own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of all classes of Common Equity of the continuing or surviving corporation or transferee or the parent thereof immediately after such transaction in substantially the same proportions as such ownership immediately prior to such transaction shall not be a Fundamental Change pursuant to this clause (c);

 

(d)                                 the shareholders of the Company approve any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or

 

(e)                                  the Class A Shares (or other shares underlying the Notes) cease to be listed or quoted on any of The New York Stock Exchange, The NASDAQ Global Select Market or The NASDAQ Global Market (or any of their respective successors);

 

provided, however, that a transaction or transactions described in clause (a) or clause (c) above shall not constitute a Fundamental Change, if at least 90% of the consideration received or to be received by the holders of Class A shares, excluding cash payments for fractional shares, in connection with such transaction or transactions consists of shares of common stock (or depositary shares or receipts in respect of Common Equity interests) that are listed or quoted on any of The New York Stock Exchange, The NASDAQ Global Select Market or The NASDAQ Global Market (or any of their respective successors) or will be so listed or quoted when issued or exchanged in connection with such transaction or transactions, and as a result of such transaction or transactions, the Notes become convertible into such consideration, excluding cash payments for fractional shares or pursuant to statutory appraisal rights (subject to the provisions of Section 14.02(a) and Section 14.07).

 

“Fundamental Change Company Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15.02(c).

 

6

 

“Fundamental Change Repurchase Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15.02(a).

 

“Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15.02(b)(i).

 

“Fundamental Change Repurchase Price” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15.02(a).

 

“Global Note” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(b).

 

“Holder,” as applied to any Note, or other similar terms (but excluding the term “beneficial holder,” “beneficial owner,” “owner of beneficial interest” or terms of similar import), 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 Goldman Sachs & Co. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC.

 

“Interest Payment Date” means each June 15 and December 15 of each year, beginning on June 15, 2014 until (and including) the Maturity Date.

 

“Last Reported Sale Price” of the Class A Shares on any date means the closing sale price per share (or if no closing sale price is reported, the average of the bid and ask prices or, if more than one in either case, the average of the average bid and the average ask prices) on that date as reported in composite transactions for the Relevant Stock Exchange.  If the Class A Shares are not quoted on any U.S. securities exchange or any other market, the “Last Reported Sale Price” shall be the average of the mid-point of the last bid and ask prices for the Class A Shares on the relevant date from each of at least three nationally recognized independent investment banking firms selected by the Company for this purpose.

 

“Make-Whole Fundamental Change” means any transaction or event that constitutes a Fundamental Change (as defined above and determined after giving effect to any exceptions to or exclusions from such definition, but without regard to the proviso in clause (c) of the definition thereof).

 

“Market Disruption Event” means (a) a failure by the Relevant Stock Exchange to open for trading during its regular trading session or (b) the occurrence or existence prior to 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on any Scheduled Trading Day for the Class A Shares for more than one half-hour period in the aggregate during regular trading hours of any suspension or limitation imposed on trading (by reason of movements in price exceeding limits permitted by the relevant stock exchange or otherwise) in the Class A Shares or in any options contracts or future contracts relating to the Class A Shares.

 

7

 

“Maturity Date” means December 15, 2018.

 

“Measurement Period” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.01(b)(i).

 

“No Redemption Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.01(c).

 

“Note” or “Notes” shall have the meaning specified in the first paragraph of the recitals of this Indenture.

 

“Notes Fungibility Date” means the date, if any, following the Resale Restriction Termination Date on which all of the Rule 144A Notes and all of the Regulation S Notes are no longer Restricted Securities, do not bear the restrictive legend required by Section 2.05(c), are fungible for U.S. securities law purposes and are assigned an identical, unrestricted CUSIP number.

 

“Note Register” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(a).

 

“Note Registrar” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(a).

 

“Notice of Conversion” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(b).

 

“Observation Period” with respect to any Note surrendered for conversion means: (i) if the relevant Conversion Date occurs prior to June 15, 2018 and the Company has not delivered a Redemption Notice with respect to the Notes pursuant to Section 16.02, the 40 consecutive Trading Day period beginning on, and including, the second Trading Day immediately succeeding such Conversion Date; (ii) if the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after June 15, 2018 and the Company has not delivered a Redemption Notice with respect to the Notes pursuant to Section 16.02, the 40 consecutive Trading Days beginning on, and including, the 42nd Scheduled Trading Day immediately preceding the Maturity Date; and (iii) if the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after the date the Company has delivered a Redemption Notice with respect to the Notes pursuant to Section 16.02, but prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Redemption Date (even if the relevant Conversion Date occurs after June 15, 2018), the 40 consecutive Trading Days beginning on, and including, the 42nd Scheduled Trading Day immediately preceding the Redemption Date.

 

“Offering Circular” means the preliminary offering circular dated December 10, 2013, as supplemented by the related pricing term sheet dated December 11, 2013, relating to the offering and sale of the Notes.

 

“Officer” means, with respect to the Company, an Executive Director of the Company or another person acting under a duly authorized power of attorney.

 

“Officers’ Certificate,” when used with respect to the Company, means a certificate that is delivered to the Trustee and that is signed by two Officers of the Company.  Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 17.06 if and to the extent required 

 

8

 

by the provisions of such Section.  One of the Officers giving an Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Section 4.09 shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Company’s group.

 

“open of business” means 9:00 a.m. (New York City time).

 

“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, that is delivered to the Trustee, which opinion may contain customary exceptions and qualifications as to the matters set forth therein.  Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 17.06 if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section 17.06.

 

“Optional Redemption” shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.01.

 

“Ordinary Shares” means any of the Class A Shares, Class B Shares or Class C Shares.

 

“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:

 

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

 

(b)                                 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);

 

(c)                                  Notes that have been paid pursuant to Section 2.06 or Notes in lieu of which, or in substitution for which, other Notes shall have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.06 unless proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that any such Notes are held by protected purchasers in due course;

 

(d)                                 Notes converted pursuant to Article 14 and required to be cancelled pursuant to Section 2.08; and

 

(e)                                  Notes repurchased by the Company pursuant to the penultimate sentence of Section 2.10.

 

“Paying Agent” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.02.

 

“Permitted Holder” means Arkady Volozh, funds affiliated with Baring Vostok Private Equity or any “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act that includes either Arkady Volozh or funds affiliated with Baring Vostok Private Equity.

 

9

 

“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 $1,000 principal amount and integral multiples thereof.

 

“Physical Settlement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a).

 

“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 2.06 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 as of December 11, 2013, among the Company and the Initial Purchasers.

 

“Record Date” means, with respect to any dividend, distribution or other transaction or event in which the holders of Class A Shares (or other applicable security) have the right to receive any cash, securities or other property or in which the Class A Shares (or such other security) is exchanged for or converted into any combination of cash, securities or other property, the date fixed for determination of holders of the Class A Shares (or such other security) entitled to receive such cash, securities or other property (whether such date is fixed by the Board of Directors, by statute, by contract or otherwise).

 

“Redemption Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.02(a).

 

“Redemption Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section 16.02(a).

 

“Redemption Price” means, for any Notes to be redeemed pursuant to Section 16.01, 100% of the principal amount of such Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date (unless the Redemption Date falls after a Regular Record Date but on or prior to the immediately succeeding Interest Payment Date, in which case interest accrued to the Interest Payment Date will be paid to Holders of record of such Notes on such Regular Record Date, and the Redemption Price will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Notes).

 

“Redemption Reference Date” means, for any conversion of Notes in connection with an Optional Redemption pursuant to Section 14.01(b)(v) and Section 16.05, the date 50 Scheduled Trading Days immediately preceding the Redemption Date.

 

“Redemption Reference Price” means, for any conversion of Notes in connection with an Optional Redemption pursuant to Section 14.01(b)(v) and Section 16.05, the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Class A Shares over the five consecutive Trading Day period 

 

10

 

ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Redemption Reference Date.

 

“Reference Property” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.07(a).

 

“Regular Record Date,” with respect to any Interest Payment Date, means the June 1 or December 1 (whether or not such day is a Business Day) immediately preceding the applicable June 15 or December 15 Interest Payment Date, respectively.

 

“Regulation S” means Regulation S under the Securities Act or any successor to such regulation.

 

“Regulation S Notes” means the Notes initially offered and sold outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S.

 

“Relevant Stock Exchange” means The NASDAQ Global Select Market or, if the Class A Shares (or other security for which a closing sale price must be determined) are not then listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market, the principal other U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which the Class A Shares (or such other security) are then listed or, if the Class A Shares (or such other security) are not then listed on a U.S. national or regional securities exchange, the over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. or similar organization or, if the Class A Shares are not then reported by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. or similar organization, the principal other market on which the Class A Shares (or such other security) are then traded.

 

“Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.07.

 

“Resale Restriction Termination Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(c).

 

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

 

“Restricted Securities” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(c).

 

“Rule 144” means Rule 144 as promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

“Rule 144A” means Rule 144A as promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

“Rule 144A Notes” means the Notes initially offered and sold pursuant to Rule 144A.

 

11

 

“Scheduled Trading Day” means a day that is scheduled to be a Trading Day on the Relevant Stock Exchange.  If the Class A Shares (or such other security) are not listed or admitted for trading on any U.S. securities exchange or any other market, “Scheduled Trading Day” means a “Business Day.”

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Settlement Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a)(iv).

 

“Settlement Method” means, with respect to any conversion of Notes, Physical Settlement, Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement, as elected (or deemed to have been elected) by the Company.

 

“Settlement Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a)(iii).

 

“Share Exchange Event” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.07(a).

 

“Share Price” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.03(c).

 

“Significant Subsidiary” means (i) a Subsidiary of the Company that meets the definition of “significant subsidiary” in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act or (ii) any group of the Company’s Subsidiaries that in the aggregate would constitute a “significant subsidiary” in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.

 

“Specified Dollar Amount” means the maximum cash amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes to be received upon conversion as specified (or deemed specified) in the Settlement Notice related to any converted Notes.

 

“Spin-Off” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).

 

“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).

 

“Trading Day” means, except for the purposes of determining amounts due upon conversion, a day on which (i) trading in the Class A Shares (or other security for which a closing sale price must be determined) generally occurs on the Relevant Stock Exchange, and (ii)

 

12

 

a Last Reported Sale Price for the Class A Shares (or closing sale price for such other security) is available on the Relevant Stock Exchange, provided that if the Class A Shares (or such other security) are not listed or traded on any U.S. securities exchange or any other market, “Trading Day” means a “Business Day”. For the purposes of determining amounts due upon conversion only, “Trading Day” means a day on which (i) there is no Market Disruption Event and (ii) trading in the Class A Shares generally occurs on the Relevant Stock Exchange; provided that if the Class A Shares are not listed or admitted for trading on any U.S. securities exchange or any other market, “Trading Day” means a “Business Day.”

 

“Trading Price” of the Notes on any date of determination means the average of the secondary market bid quotations obtained by the Bid Solicitation Agent for $2,000,000 principal amount of Notes at approximately 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on such determination date from three independent nationally recognized securities dealers the Company selects; provided that if three such bids cannot reasonably be obtained by the Bid Solicitation Agent but two such bids are obtained, then the average of the two bids shall be used, and if only one such bid can reasonably be obtained by the Bid Solicitation Agent, that one bid shall be used. If the Bid Solicitation Agent cannot reasonably obtain at least one bid for $2,000,000 principal amount of Notes from a nationally recognized securities dealer on any determination date, then the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes on such determination date shall be deemed to be less than 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Class A Shares and the Conversion Rate.

 

“transfer” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(c).

 

“Trigger Event” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(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.

 

“unit of Reference Property” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.07(a).

 

“U.S. Person” shall have the meaning as such term is defined under Regulation S.

 

“Valuation Period” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).

 

“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 “50%” in the definition of “Subsidiary” shall be deemed replaced by a reference to “100%”.

 

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Section 1.02.  References to Interest.  Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to interest on, or in respect of, any Note in this Indenture shall be deemed to include Additional Interest if, in such context, Additional Interest is, was or would be payable pursuant to any of Section 4.06(d), Section 4.06(e) and Section 6.03. Unless the context otherwise requires, any express mention of Additional Interest in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Interest in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

 

ARTICLE 2
  ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES

 

Section 2.01.  Designation and Amount.  The Notes shall be designated as the “1.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2018.” The aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is initially limited to $ 600,000,000 (as increased by an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of any additional Notes purchased by the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the exercise of their over-allotment option as set forth in the Purchase Agreement), subject to Section 2.10 and except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration or transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Section 2.05, Section 2.06, Section 2.07, Section 10.04, Section 14.02 and Section 15.04.

 

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.

 

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 Officers 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.

 

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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, conversions, 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 written instructions given by the Holder of such Notes in accordance with this Indenture.  Payment of principal (including the Redemption Price and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, a Global Note shall be made to the Holder of 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.  Date and Denomination of Notes; Payments of Interest and Defaulted Amounts.  (a) The Notes shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and integral multiples 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 actual days elapsed over a 30-day month.

 

(b)                       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.  Interest shall be payable at the office or agency of the Company maintained by the Company for such purposes in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, which shall initially be the Corporate Trust Office.  The Company shall 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 Holder or, upon 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 account within the United States, 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.

 

(c)                        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 rate borne by the Notes plus one percent, 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:

 

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(i)                                     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 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.  The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee 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 at its address as it appears in the Note Register, or by electronic means to the Depositary in the case of Global Notes, 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).

 

(ii)                                  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 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.

 

Section 2.04.  Execution, Authentication and Delivery of Notes.  The Notes shall be signed in the name and on behalf of the Company by the manual or facsimile signature of one of its Officers.

 

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Notes executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order 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.

 

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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 an authorized officer of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee as provided by Section 17.11), 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 2.05.  Exchange and Registration of Transfer of Notes; Restrictions on Transfer; Depositary.  (a) 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.

 

Prior to the Notes Fungibility Date, upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Rule 144A Note or Regulation S Note, as the case may be, to the Note Registrar or any co-Note Registrar, and satisfaction of the requirements for such transfer set forth in this Section 2.05, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Rule 144A Notes or Regulation S Notes, as the case may be, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and bearing such restrictive legends as may be required by this Indenture. Following the Notes Fungibility Date, 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 2.05, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee 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 not bearing the restrictive legends required by Section 2.05(c).

 

Prior to the Notes Fungibility Date, Rule 144A Notes and Regulation S Notes, as the case may be, may be exchanged for other Rule 144A Notes or Regulation S Notes, as the case may be, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the

 

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Rule 144A Notes or Regulation S Notes, as the case may be, to be exchanged at any such office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 4.02. Whenever any Rule 144A Notes or Regulation S Notes, as the case may be, are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Rule 144A Notes or Regulation S Notes, as the case may be, that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive, bearing registration numbers not contemporaneously outstanding. Following the Notes Fungibility Date, Notes may be exchanged for other Notes of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount but not bearing the restrictive legends required by Section 2.05(c), 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, repurchase or conversion 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 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.

 

None of the Company, the Trustee, the Note Registrar or any co-Note Registrar shall be required to exchange or register a transfer of (i) any Notes surrendered for conversion or, if a portion of any Note is surrendered for conversion, such portion thereof surrendered for conversion, (ii) any Notes, or a portion of any Note, surrendered for repurchase (and not withdrawn) in accordance with Article 15 or (iii) any Notes selected for redemption in accordance with Article 16.

 

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.

 

(b)                       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 2.05(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.  The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in a Global Note that does not involve the issuance of a Physical 

 

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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 procedures of the Depositary therefor.  Prior to the Notes Fungibility Date, the Rule 144A Notes shall be represented by one or more Global Notes and the Regulation S Notes shall be represented by one or more separate Global Notes.  Following the Notes Fungibility Date, the Rule 144A Notes and the Regulation S Notes may be represented by one or more of the same Global Notes.

 

(c)                        Every Note that bears or is required under this Section 2.05(c) to bear the legend set forth in this Section 2.05(c) (together with any Class A Shares issued upon conversion of the Notes that is required to bear the legend set forth in Section 2.05(d), collectively, the “Restricted Securities”) shall be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 2.05(c) (including those contained in the legend set forth below), unless such restrictions on transfer shall be eliminated or otherwise waived by written consent of the Company, and the Holder of each such Restricted Security, by such Holder’s acceptance thereof, agrees to be bound by all such restrictions on transfer.  As used in this Section 2.05(c) and Section 2.05(d), the term “transfer” encompasses any sale, pledge, transfer or other disposition whatsoever of any Restricted Security.

 

Until the date (the “Resale Restriction Termination Date”) that is the later of (1) the date that is one year after the last date of original issuance of the Notes, or such shorter period of time as permitted by Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any successor provision thereto, and (2) such later date, if any, as may be required by applicable law, any certificate evidencing such Note (and all securities issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof, other than Class A Shares, if any, issued upon conversion thereof, which shall bear the legend set forth in Section 2.05(d), if applicable) shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (unless such Notes have been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer, or sold pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, or unless otherwise agreed by the Company in writing, with notice thereof to the Trustee):

 

THIS SECURITY AND ANY CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS SECURITY HAVE 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:

 

(1)                                 REPRESENTS THAT (X) IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS (a) A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (b) LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES (WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT), (Y) IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT 

 

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DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT AND (Z) IT AND ANY SUCH ACCOUNT IS NOT AN AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY, AND

 

(2)                                 AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF YANDEX N.V. (THE “COMPANY”) THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THE LATER OF (X) ONE YEAR AFTER THE LAST ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF OR SUCH SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME AS PERMITTED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY SUCCESSOR PROVISION THERETO AND (Y) SUCH LATER DATE, IF ANY, AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EXCEPT:

 

(A)                               TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, OR

 

(B)                               PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

 

(C)                               TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES TO BE A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

 

(D)                               OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

 

(E)                                PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE) 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)(E) 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.

 

NO AFFILIATE (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OF THE COMPANY OR PERSON THAT HAS BEEN AN AFFILIATE (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OF THE COMPANY DURING THE THREE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING MONTHS MAY PURCHASE, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR OWN THIS SECURITY OR A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN.

 

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No transfer of any Note prior to the Resale Restriction Termination Date will be registered by the Note Registrar unless the applicable box on the Form of Assignment and Transfer has been checked.

 

Any Note (or security issued in exchange or substitution therefor) as to which such restrictions on transfer shall have expired in accordance with their terms may, upon surrender of such Note for exchange to the Note Registrar in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.05, be exchanged for a new Note or Notes, of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, which shall not bear the restrictive legend required by this Section 2.05(c) and shall not be assigned a restricted CUSIP number. The Company shall be entitled to instruct the Custodian in writing to so surrender any Global Note as to which such restrictions on transfer shall have expired in accordance with their terms for exchange, and, upon such instruction, the Custodian shall so surrender such Global Note for exchange; and any new Global Note so exchanged therefor shall not bear the restrictive legend specified in this Section 2.05(c) and shall not be assigned a restricted CUSIP number.  The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee upon the occurrence of the Resale Restriction Termination Date (and upon such notice, the legend set forth above shall be deemed removed from the Note, with no further action required by the Company, the Trustee or, if applicable, the Depositary) and promptly after a registration statement, if any, with respect to the Notes or any Class A Shares issued upon conversion of the Notes has been declared effective under the Securities Act.

 

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture (other than the provisions set forth in this Section 2.05(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 transfers of portions of a Global Note in certificated form made upon request of a member of, or a participant in, the Depositary (for itself or on behalf of a beneficial owner) by written notice given to the Trustee by or on behalf of the Depositary in accordance with customary procedures of the Depositary and in compliance with this Section 2.05(c).

 

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 a beneficial owner of any Note requests that its beneficial interest therein be exchanged for a Physical Note, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Officers’ Certificate and a Company Order for

 

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the authentication and delivery of Notes, shall authenticate and deliver (x) in the case of clause (iii) or (iv), 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.

 

Physical Notes issued in exchange for all or a part of the Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.05(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, shall instruct the Trustee.  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 converted, canceled, repurchased 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, converted, canceled, repurchased 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 or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Note or maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

 

(d)                       Until the Resale Restriction Termination Date, any stock certificate representing Class A Shares issued upon conversion of such Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (unless the Note or such Class A Shares has been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer, or pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, or such Class A Shares has been issued upon conversion of Notes that have been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer, or pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, or unless otherwise agreed by the Company with written notice thereof to the Trustee and any transfer agent for the Class A Shares):

 

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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:

 

(1)                                 REPRESENTS THAT (X) IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS (a) A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (b) LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES (WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT), (Y) IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT AND (Z) IT AND ANY SUCH ACCOUNT IS NOT AN AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY, AND

 

(2)                                 AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF YANDEX N.V. (THE “COMPANY”) THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THE LATER OF (X) ONE YEAR AFTER THE LAST ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE OF THE SERIES OF NOTES UPON THE CONVERSION OF WHICH THIS SECURITY WAS ISSUED OR SUCH SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME AS PERMITTED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY SUCCESSOR PROVISION THERETO AND (Y) SUCH LATER DATE, IF ANY, AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EXCEPT:

 

(A)                               TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, OR

 

(B)                               PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

 

(C)                               TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES TO BE A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

 

(D)                               OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

 

(E)                                PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE) 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)(E) ABOVE, THE COMPANY AND THE TRANSFER AGENT FOR THE COMPANY’S CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS 

 

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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.

 

NO AFFILIATE (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OF THE COMPANY OR PERSON THAT HAS BEEN AN AFFILIATE (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OF THE COMPANY DURING THE THREE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING MONTHS MAY PURCHASE, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR OWN THIS SECURITY OR A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN.

 

Any such Class A Shares as to which such restrictions on transfer shall have expired in accordance with their terms may, upon surrender of the certificates representing such Class A Shares for exchange in accordance with the procedures of the transfer agent for the Class A Shares, be exchanged for a new certificate or certificates for a like aggregate number of Class A Shares, which shall not bear the restrictive legend required by this Section 2.05(d).

 

(e)                        Any Note or Class A Shares issued upon the conversion or exchange of a Note that is repurchased or owned by any Affiliate of the Company (or any Person who was an Affiliate of the Company at any time during the three months preceding) may not be resold by such Affiliate (or such Person, as the case may be) unless registered under the Securities Act or resold pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in a transaction that results in such Note or Class A Shares, as the case may be, no longer being a “restricted security” (as defined under Rule 144 under the Securities Act).  The Company shall cause any Note that is repurchased or owned by it to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation in accordance with Section 2.08.

 

(f)                         Until the Resale Restriction Termination Date, prior to any sale of Regulation S Notes, or the Class A Shares deliverable upon conversion thereof, to a qualified institutional buyer in compliance with Rule 144A, the Holder thereof shall deliver to the Trustee, the transfer agent for the Class A Shares and/or Depositary, as the case may be, written confirmation that the prospective purchaser is a Person such Holder reasonably believes is a “qualified institutional buyer” (within the meaning of Rule 144A) that is purchasing for its own account or for the account of another qualified institutional buyer and to whom notice is given that the transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A.

 

Section 2.06.  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 

 

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indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless from any loss, liability, cost or expense caused by or connected with such substitution, and, in every case of 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 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 or has been surrendered for required repurchase or is about to be converted in accordance with Article 14 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 or convert or authorize the conversion of the same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Note), as the case may be, if the applicant for such payment or conversion 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, 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 or Conversion 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 2.06 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, conversion 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, conversion or repurchase of negotiable instruments or other securities without their surrender.

 

Section 2.07.  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 

 

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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 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 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 2.08.  Cancellation of Notes Paid, Converted, Etc.  The Company shall cause all Notes surrendered for the purpose of payment, redemption, repurchase (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Notes underlying cash-settled swaps or other derivatives), registration of transfer or exchange or conversion, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee (including any of the Company’s agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates), to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation, and thereafter they shall no longer be considered “outstanding” under this Indenture.  All Notes delivered to the Trustee shall be canceled promptly by it, and no Notes shall be authenticated in exchange thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture.  The Trustee shall dispose of canceled Notes in accordance with its customary procedures and, after such disposition, shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company, at the Company’s written request in a Company Order.

 

Section 2.09.  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 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, and no Optional Redemption shall be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.  The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the “CUSIP” numbers.  Prior to the Notes Fungibility Date, the Rule 144A Notes and the Regulation S Notes shall have different “CUSIP” numbers. Following the Notes Fungibility Date, the Rule 144A Notes and the Regulation S Notes shall have the same “CUSIP” number.

 

Section 2.10.  Additional Notes; Repurchases.  The Company may, without the consent of the Holders and notwithstanding Section 2.01, reopen this Indenture and issue additional Notes hereunder with the same terms as the Notes initially issued hereunder (other than issue price and the date from which interest will accrue) in an unlimited aggregate principal amount; provided that if any such additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes initially issued hereunder for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional Notes shall have a separate CUSIP number from both the Rule 144A Notes and the Regulation S Notes.  Prior to the issuance of any such additional Notes, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee a Company Order, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, such Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel to cover

 

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such matters, in addition to those required by Section 17.06, 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 private or public tender or exchange offer or through counterparties to private agreements, including by cash-settled swaps or other derivatives, in each case, without prior notice to the Holders of the Notes.  The Company shall cause any Notes so repurchased (other than Notes repurchased pursuant to cash settled swaps or other derivatives) to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation in accordance with Section 2.08.

 

ARTICLE 3
  SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

Section 3.01.  Satisfaction and Discharge.  This Indenture shall upon request of the Company contained in an Officers’ Certificate cease to be of further effect, and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when (a) (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 2.06 and (y) Notes for whose payment money has theretofore 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 Note Registrar for cancellation (with concurrent notice to the Trustee); or (ii) the Company has 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, any Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, upon conversion or otherwise, cash or cash, Class A Shares or a combination thereof, as applicable, solely to satisfy the Company’s Conversion Obligation, sufficient to pay all of the outstanding Notes and all other sums due and payable under this Indenture by the Company; and (b) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture 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
  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 and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, and 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.

 

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Section 4.02.  Maintenance of Office or Agency.  The Company will maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, an office or agency where the Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment or repurchase (“Paying Agent”) or for conversion (“Conversion 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 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 Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.  The Company may serve as Paying Agent or Conversion Agent.

 

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 Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, 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 Company may serve as the Note Registrar.  The terms “Paying Agent” and “Conversion Agent” include any such additional or other offices or agencies, as applicable.

 

The Company hereby initially designates the Trustee as the Paying Agent, Note Registrar, Custodian and Conversion Agent and the Corporate Trust Office as the office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment or repurchase or for conversion and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served.

 

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:

 

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

 

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

 

(iii)                               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 and the Fundamental Change Repurchase 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 and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) or accrued and unpaid interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee 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 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date.

 

(b)                       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 and the Fundamental Change Repurchase 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 and the Fundamental Change Repurchase 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 and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, or accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes when the same shall become due and payable.

 

(c)                        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, cause to be paid or deliver 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 or delivery 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.

 

(d)                       Any money and Class A Shares 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 and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, accrued and unpaid interest on and the consideration due upon conversion of any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal (including the Redemption Price and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable), interest or consideration due upon conversion has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on request of the Company contained in an Officers’ Certificate, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder

 

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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 Class A Shares, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease.

 

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, so long as any of the Notes or any Class A Shares issuable upon conversion thereof 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 or any Class A Shares issuable upon conversion 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 or Class A Shares pursuant to Rule 144A.  The Company shall take such further action as any Holder or beneficial owner of such Notes or such Class A Shares may reasonably request to the extent from time to time required to enable such Holder or beneficial owner to sell such Notes or Class A Shares in accordance with Rule 144A, as such rule may be amended from time to time.

 

(b)                       The Company shall file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the same are required to be filed with the Commission, copies of any documents or reports that the Company is required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (giving effect to any grace period provided by Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act).  Any such document or report that the Company files with the Commission via the Commission’s EDGAR 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.

 

(c)                        Delivery of the reports and documents described in subsection (b) above to the Trustee is for informational purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute actual or constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely on an Officers’ Certificate).

 

(d)                       If, at any time during the six-month period beginning on, and including, the date that is six months after the last date of original issuance of the Notes, the Company fails to timely file any document or report that it is required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as applicable (after giving effect to all applicable grace periods thereunder and other than reports on Form 6-K), or the Notes are not otherwise freely tradable by Holders other than the Company’s Affiliates or Holders that were the Company’s Affiliates at any time during the three months preceding (as a result of restrictions pursuant to U.S. securities laws or the terms of this Indenture or the Notes), the Company shall pay Additional Interest on the Notes.  Such Additional Interest shall accrue on the Notes at the rate of

 

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0.50% per annum of the principal amount of the Notes outstanding for each day during such period for which the Company’s failure to file has occurred and is continuing or the Notes are not otherwise freely tradable by Holders other than the Company’s Affiliates (or Holders that have been the Company’s Affiliates at any time during the three months preceding) without restrictions pursuant to U.S. securities laws or the terms of this Indenture or the Notes.  As used in this Section 4.06(d), documents or reports that the Company is required to “file” with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act does not include documents or reports that the Company furnishes to the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

(e)                        If, and for so long as, the restrictive legend on the Notes specified in Section 2.05(c) has not been removed, the Notes are assigned a restricted CUSIP number or the Notes are not freely tradable by Holders other than the Company’s Affiliates (or Holders that have been the Company’s Affiliates at any time during the three months preceding) without restrictions pursuant to U.S. securities laws or the terms of this Indenture or the Notes as of the 375th day after the last date of original issuance of the Notes, the Company shall pay Additional Interest on the Notes at a rate equal to 0.50% per annum of the principal amount of Notes outstanding until the restrictive legend on the Notes has been removed in accordance with Section 2.05(c), the Notes are assigned an unrestricted CUSIP number and the Notes are freely tradable by Holders other than the Company’s Affiliates (or Holders that were the Company’s Affiliates at any time during the three months preceding) without restrictions pursuant to U.S. securities laws or the terms of this Indenture or the Notes.

 

(f)                         Additional Interest will be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date following accrual in the same manner as regular interest on the Notes.

 

(g)                        Subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, the Additional Interest that is payable in accordance with Section 4.06(d) or Section 4.06(e) shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any Additional Interest that may be payable as a result of the Company’s election pursuant to Section 6.03.  Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, in no event will any Additional Interest that may accrue as a result of the Company’s failure to timely file any document or report that it is required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as applicable (after giving effect to all applicable grace periods thereunder and other than current reports on Form 6-K), as described in Section 4.06(d), together with any Additional Interest that may accrue in the event that the Company elects to pay Additional Interest pursuant to Section 6.03 in respect of any Event of Default relating to its failure to comply with its reporting obligations as set forth in in Section 4.06(b), accrue at a rate in excess of 0.50% per annum pursuant to this Indenture, regardless of the number of events or circumstances giving rise to the requirement to pay such Additional Interest.

 

(h)                       If Additional Interest is payable by the Company pursuant to Section 4.06(d) or Section 4.06(e), the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to that effect stating (i) the amount of such Additional Interest that is payable and (ii) the date on which such Additional Interest is payable.  Unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee receives at

 

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the Corporate Trust Office such a certificate, the Trustee may assume without inquiry that no such Additional Interest is payable.  If the Company has paid Additional Interest directly to the Persons entitled to it, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the particulars of such payment.

 

Section 4.07.  Additional Amounts.  (a) All payments and deliveries made by, or on behalf of, the Company or any successor to the Company under or with respect to this Indenture and the Notes, including, but not limited to, payments of principal (including, if applicable, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price or the Redemption Price), payments of interest, payments of cash upon conversion of the Notes and deliveries of Class A Shares (together with payments of cash for any Class A Shares that would represent a fractional share) upon conversion of the Notes, shall be made without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed or levied by or within any jurisdiction in which the Company or any successor to the Company is, for tax purposes, organized or resident or doing business or through which payment is made or deemed made (or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein) (each, as applicable, a “Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction”), unless such withholding or deduction is required by law or by regulation or governmental policy having the force of law. The Company will provide the Trustee with sufficient information so as to enable the Trustee to determine whether or not it is obliged to make such a withholding or deduction.  In the event that any such withholding or deduction is so required, the Company or any successor to the Company shall pay to each Holder such additional amounts (“Additional Amounts”) as may be necessary to ensure that the net amount received by the beneficial owner after such withholding or deduction (and after deducting any taxes on the Additional Amounts) shall equal the amounts that would have been received by such beneficial owner had no such withholding or deduction been required; provided that no Additional Amounts shall be payable:

 

(i)                                     for or on account of:

 

(A)                               any tax, duty, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for:

 

(1)                                 the existence of any present or former connection between the Holder or beneficial owner of such Note and the Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction, other than merely holding such Note or the receipt of payments thereunder, including, without limitation, such Holder or beneficial owner being or having been a national, domiciliary or resident of such Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction or treated as a resident thereof or being or having been physically present or engaged in a trade or business therein or having or having had a permanent establishment therein;

 

(2)                                 the presentation of such Note (in cases in which presentation is required) more than 30 days after the later of the date on which the payment of the principal of (including the Fundamental 

 

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Change Repurchase Price or the Redemption Price, if applicable) and interest on, such Note, together with payments of cash and the delivery of Class A Shares (together with payment of cash for any Class A Shares that would represent a fractional share) upon conversion of such Note became due and payable pursuant to the terms thereof or was made or duly provided for; or

 

(3)                                 the failure of the Holder or beneficial owner to comply with a timely request from the Company or any successor of the Company, addressed to the Holder or beneficial owner, as the case may be, to provide certification, information, documents or other evidence concerning such Holder’s or beneficial owner’s nationality, residence, identity or connection with the Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction, or to make any declaration or satisfy any other reporting requirement relating to such matters, if and to the extent that due and timely compliance with such request is required by statute, regulation or administrative practice of the Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction in order to reduce or eliminate any withholding or deduction as to which Additional Amounts would have otherwise been payable to such Holder or beneficial owner;

 

(B)                               any estate, inheritance, gift, sale, transfer, excise, personal property or similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge;

 

(C)                               any tax, duty, assessment or other governmental charge that is payable otherwise than by withholding from payments under or with respect to the Notes;

 

(D)                               any combination of taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges referred to in the preceding clauses (A), (B) or (C); or

 

(E)                                any taxes withheld, deducted or imposed on a payment to an individual that are required to be made pursuant to European Council Directive 2003/48/EC or any other directive implementing the conclusions of the ECOFIN Council meeting of November 26 and 27, 2000 on the taxation of savings income, or any law implementing or complying with or introduced in order to conform to, such directive; or

 

(ii)                                  with respect to any payment of the principal of (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price or the Redemption Price, if applicable) and interest on such Note, together with payments of cash upon conversion and the delivery of Class A Shares (together with payment of cash for any Class A Shares that would represent a fractional share) upon conversion of such Note to a Holder, if the Holder is a fiduciary, partnership or person other than the sole beneficial owner of that payment to the extent that such payment would be required to be included in the income under the

 

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laws of the Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction, for tax purposes, of a beneficiary or settlor with respect to the fiduciary, a partner or member of that partnership or a beneficial owner who would not have been entitled to such Additional Amounts had that beneficiary, settlor, partner, member or beneficial owner been the Holder thereof.

 

(b)                       In the event that (i) the taxing authority of a Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction determines that amounts should have been withheld or deducted in respect of any payments or deliveries under or with respect to the Notes in excess of any amounts that were actually withheld or deducted by the Company or its successor, and (ii) the Company or its successor would have been required to pay Additional Amounts if such amounts had been withheld or deducted, then the Company or its successor shall indemnify each beneficial owner of the Notes, on an after-tax basis, for any and all losses incurred as a result of the Company’s failure to make such withholdings and deductions and to pay Additional Amounts; provided, that (i) only direct losses (and no consequential losses or damages) shall be recoverable hereunder, (ii) no indemnification shall be required hereunder unless and after such beneficial owner has exhausted all reasonable remedies available to it to reduce or eliminate the amount of such losses, and (iii) as a condition of such indemnification such beneficial owner shall reasonably assist the Company or its successor in any attempt the Company or its successor may make to seek to secure a reduction or refund of any such amounts, which reduction or refund shall be for the account of the Company or its successor to the extent of any indemnification previously provided to such beneficial owner.

 

(c)                        Any reference in this Indenture or the Notes in any context to the delivery of Class A Shares (together with payments of cash for any Class A Shares that would represent a fractional share) upon conversion of the Notes or the payment of cash due upon conversion of, principal of (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price or the Redemption Price, if applicable) and interest on, any Note or any other amount payable or deliverable with respect to such Note, shall be deemed to include any Additional Amounts, unless the context requires otherwise, that may be payable with respect to that amount under the obligations referred to in this Section 4.07.

 

(d)                       The foregoing obligations shall survive termination or discharge of this Indenture.

 

Section 4.08.  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 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.

 

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Section 4.09.  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, 2013) an Officers’ Certificate stating whether the signers thereof have knowledge of any failure by the Company to comply with all conditions and covenants then required to be performed under this Indenture and, if so, specifying each such failure and the nature thereof.

 

In addition, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Trustee, and in any event within 30 days after the occurrence of any Event of Default or Default, an Officers’ 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.

 

ARTICLE 5
  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, upon written request from the Trustee, furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee, semi-annually, not more than 15 days after each June 1 and December 1 in each year beginning with June 1, 2014, 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 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 destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 5.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

 

ARTICLE 6
  DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

 

Section 6.01.  Events of Default.  Each of the following events shall be an “Event of Default”:

 

(a)                       default in any payment of interest or Additional Amounts, if any, on any Note when due and payable, and the default continues for a period of 30 days;

 

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(b)                       default in the payment of principal of any Note when due and payable on the Maturity Date, upon Optional Redemption, upon any required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise;

 

(c)                        failure by the Company to comply with its obligation to convert the Notes in accordance with this Indenture upon exercise of a Holder’s conversion right, and such failure continues for a period of five Business Days;

 

(d)                       failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Article 11;

 

(e)                        failure by the Company to issue a Fundamental Change Company Notice in accordance with Section 15.02(c), notice of a specified corporate event in accordance with Section 14.01(b)(ii)or 14.01(b)(iii), notice as set forth in Section 16.02 or notice of a Conversion Rate increase pursuant to Section 16.05 in connection with an Optional Redemption;

 

(f)                         failure by the Company for 60 days after written notice from the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding has been received by the Company to comply with any of its other agreements contained in the Notes or this Indenture;

 

(g)                        default by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company with respect to any mortgage, agreement or other instrument under which there may be outstanding, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any indebtedness for money borrowed in excess of $75,000,000 (or its foreign currency equivalent) in the aggregate of the Company and/or any such Subsidiary, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created (i) resulting in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable or (ii) constituting a failure to pay the principal or interest of any such debt when due and payable at its stated maturity, upon required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise, in either case, if such default is not cured or waived, or such acceleration is not rescinded within 30 days after notice to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, in accordance with this Indenture;

 

(h)                       a final judgment for the payment of $100,000,000 (or its foreign currency equivalent) or more (excluding any amounts covered by insurance) rendered against the Company or Limited Liability Company Yandex (in Russian: OOO Yandex), which judgment is not discharged or stayed within 60 days after (i) the date on which the right to appeal thereof has expired if no such appeal has commenced, or (ii) the date on which all rights to appeal have been extinguished;

 

(i)                           the Company or any Significant Subsidiary shall commence a voluntary case or other proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company or any such Significant Subsidiary 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 such Significant Subsidiary or any substantial part of its property, or shall consent to any such relief or to the appointment of or

 

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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

 

(j)                          an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company or such Significant Subsidiary 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 such Significant Subsidiary 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 (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), then, and in each and every such case (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(i) or Section 6.01(j) with respect to the Company), unless the principal of all of the Notes shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), may, and the Trustee at the request of Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04 shall, declare 100% of the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, all the Notes 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(i) or Section 6.01(j) with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, 100% of the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, all Notes shall become and shall automatically be immediately due and payable.

 

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, the Company shall pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay installments of accrued and unpaid interest upon all Notes and the principal of any and all Notes that shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest on overdue installments of accrued and unpaid interest to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law, and on such principal at the rate borne by the Notes plus one percent at such time) and amounts due to the Trustee pursuant to Section 7.06, 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

 

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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 (i) the nonpayment of the principal (including the Redemption Price and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, or accrued and unpaid interest on, any Notes, (ii) a failure to repurchase any Notes when required, (iii) a failure to pay or deliver, as the case may be, the consideration due upon conversion of the Notes or (iv) failure of the Company to comply with any other provision of this Indenture or the Notes that requires the consent of each Holder affected to amend.

 

Section 6.03.  Additional Interest.  (a) Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture or in the Notes to the contrary, to the extent the Company elects, the sole remedy for an Event of Default relating to the Company’s failure to comply with its obligations as set forth in Section 4.06(b) shall (i) for the first 90 days after the occurrence of such an Event of Default (beginning on, and including, the date on which such an Event of Default first occurs, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not commence until the notice described in Section 6.01(f) with respect to the Notes has been given, and the related 60-day period described in Section 6.01(f) above has passed), consist exclusively of the right to receive Additional Interest on the Notes at a rate equal to 0.25% per annum of the principal amount of Notes outstanding for each day during such 90-day period on which such Event of Default is continuing and (ii) for the period from, and including, the 91st day after the occurrence of such an Event of Default to, and including, the 180th day after the occurrence of such an Event of Default, consist exclusively of the right to receive Additional Interest on the Notes at a rate equal to 0.50% per annum of the principal amount of Notes outstanding for each day during such 90-day period on which such Event of Default is continuing (subject to Section 6.03(d), in addition to, not in lieu of, any Additional Interest payable pursuant to Section 4.06(d) or Section 4.06(e)).

 

(b)                       If the Company so elects, such Additional Interest shall be payable in the same manner and on the same dates as the stated interest payable on the Notes.  On the 181st day after such Event of Default (if the Event of Default relating to the Company’s failure to comply with its obligations as set forth in Section 4.06(b) is not cured or waived prior to such 181st day), the Notes shall be immediately subject to acceleration as provided in Section 6.02.  In the event the Company does not elect to pay Additional Interest following an Event of Default in accordance with this Section 6.03 or the Company elected to make such payment but does not pay the Additional Interest when due, the Notes shall be immediately subject to acceleration as provided in Section 6.02.

 

(c)                        In order to elect to pay Additional Interest as the sole remedy during the first 180 days after the occurrence of any Event of Default described in the second preceding paragraph, the Company must notify all Holders of the Notes, the Trustee and the Paying Agent of such 

 

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election prior to the beginning of such 180-day period (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not commence until the notice described in Section 6.01(f) above with respect to the Notes has been given, and the related 60-day period described in Section 6.01(f) with respect to such Notes has passed).  Upon the failure to timely give such notice, the Notes shall be immediately subject to acceleration as provided in Section 6.02.

 

(d)                       In no event will Additional Interest payable pursuant to this Section 6.03, together with any Additional Interest that may accrue as a result of the Company’s failure to timely file any document or report that the Company is required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as applicable (after giving effect to all applicable grace periods thereunder and other than current reports on Form 6-K), as described in, and pursuant to, Section 4.06(d), accrue at a rate in excess of 0.50% per annum pursuant to this Indenture, regardless of the number of events or circumstances giving rise to the requirement to pay such Additional Interest.

 

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, 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 plus one percent 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 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 

 

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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, disbursements and other amounts due it, including agents and counsel fees, 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, advances of, and other amounts due to, 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 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.

 

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Section 6.05.  Application of Monies Collected by Trustee.  Any monies 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, upon presentation of the several Notes, and 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 under Section 7.06;

 

Second, in case the principal of the outstanding Notes shall not have become due and be unpaid, to the payment of interest on, and any cash due upon conversion of, the Notes in default in the order of the date due of the payments of such interest and cash due upon conversion, as the case may be, with interest (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon such overdue payments at the rate 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, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price and any cash due upon conversion) 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 borne by the Notes at such time plus one percent, 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, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price and the cash due upon conversion) 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, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price and any cash due upon conversion) 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 and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price) or interest when due, or the right to receive payment or delivery of the consideration due upon conversion, no Holder of any Note shall have any right by virtue of or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver, trustee, liquidator, custodian or other similar official, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

 

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

 

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(b)                       Holders of at least 25% 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;

 

(c)                        such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense to be incurred therein or thereby;

 

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

 

(e)                        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, 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, the right of any Holder to receive payment or delivery, as the case may be, of (x) the principal (including the Redemption Price and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, (y) accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, and (z) the consideration due upon conversion of, 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 or delivery, as the case may be, on or after such respective dates against the Company shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

 

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 judicial proceedings 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 2.06, all powers and remedies given by this Article 6 to the Trustee or to the

 

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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 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 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 (i) a default in the payment of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, or the principal (including any Redemption Price and any Fundamental Change Repurchase Price) of, the Notes when due that has not been cured pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.02, (ii) a failure by the Company to pay or deliver, as the case may be, the consideration due upon conversion of the Notes or (iii) 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.

 

Section 6.10.  Notice of Defaults.  The Trustee shall, within 90 days after a Responsible Officer has actual knowledge (in accordance with Section 7.02) of the occurrence and continuance of a Default, mail to all Holders as the names and addresses of such Holders appear upon the Note Register, notice of all Defaults known to a Responsible Officer, 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 and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable), or accrued and unpaid interest on, any of

 

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the Notes or a Default in the payment or delivery of the consideration due upon conversion, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a committee of Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith 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 (including, but not limited to, the Redemption Price and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of or accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on any Note on or after the due date expressed or provided for in such Note or to any suit for the enforcement of the right to convert any Note in accordance with the provisions of Article 14.

 

ARTICLE 7
  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, 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 to the Trustee indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

 

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:

 

(a)                       prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred:

 

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(i)                                     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

 

(ii)                                  in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, 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);

 

(b)                       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;

 

(c)                        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;

 

(d)                       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;

 

(e)                        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;

 

(f)                         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, unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee had actual knowledge of such event;

 

(g)                        in the absence of written investment direction from the Company agreed to by the Trustee, 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 incurred as a result of the liquidation of any such investment

 

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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 agreed to by the Trustee; and

 

(h)                       in the event that the Trustee is also acting as Custodian, Note Registrar, Paying Agent, Conversion Agent, Bid Solicitation 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, Conversion Agent, Bid Solicitation 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 personal 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:

 

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

 

(b)                       any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed); and any Board Resolution may be evidenced to the Trustee by a copy thereof certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company;

 

(c)                        the Trustee may consult with counsel and require an Opinion of Counsel at the Company’s expense 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;

 

(d)                       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;

 

(e)                        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

 

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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; and

 

(f)                         the permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties.

 

In no event shall the Trustee be liable for any special, 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.  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 Event of Default in respect of a Default or Event of Default set forth in Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b) or (2) written notice of such Default or Event of Default shall have been given to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee by the Company or by any Holder of the Notes.

 

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, Conversion Agents, Bid Solicitation Agent or Note Registrar May Own Notes.  The Trustee, any Paying Agent, any Conversion Agent, Bid Solicitation Agent (if other than the Company) 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, Conversion Agent, Bid Solicitation Agent or Note Registrar.

 

Section 7.05.  Monies and Class A Shares to Be Held in Trust.  All monies and Class A Shares 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 and Class A Shares 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 or Class A Shares 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 be entitled to, reasonable 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

 

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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.  The Company also covenants to indemnify the 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 loss, claim, damage, liability or expense 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, and arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of  this Indenture 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 claim 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 obligation of the Company under this Section 7.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture and the earlier resignation or removal or 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 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(i) or Section 6.01(j) 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.  Officers’ 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, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee, and such Officers’ Certificate, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, 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 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, 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

 

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report of condition so published.  If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

Section 7.09.  Resignation or Removal of Trustee.  (a) The Trustee may at any time resign by giving written notice of such resignation to the Company and by mailing notice thereof to the Holders at their addresses as they shall appear on the Note Register.  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 60 days after the mailing 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 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 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.

 

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

 

(i)                                     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

 

(ii)                                  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 by a Board Resolution remove the Trustee and 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 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 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.

 

(c)                        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 which case the Trustee so removed or any Holder, upon the terms and conditions and otherwise

 

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as in Section 7.09(a) provided, may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for an appointment of a successor trustee.

 

(d)                       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 mail or cause to be mailed notice of the succession of such trustee hereunder to the Holders at their addresses as they shall appear on the Note Register.  If the Company fails to mail such notice within ten days after acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall cause such notice to be mailed 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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In case at the time such successor to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture, any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee or authenticating agent appointed by such predecessor trustee, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee or an authenticating agent appointed by such successor trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor trustee hereunder or in the name of the successor trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have; provided, however, that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee or to authenticate Notes in the name of any predecessor trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.

 

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 for any action taken by, or omission of, the Trustee in accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than three Business Days after the date any officer that the Company has indicated to the Trustee should receive such application actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to any earlier date), unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of 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
  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.  The

 

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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 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, any Conversion 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 of and (subject to Section 2.03) accrued and unpaid interest on such Note, for conversion of such Note and for all other purposes, including Section 16.01 hereof; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Paying Agent nor any Conversion Agent nor any Note Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.  All such payments or deliveries so made to any Holder for the time being, or upon its order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sums or Class A Shares so paid or delivered, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for monies payable or shares deliverable 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 Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with 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 that a Responsible Officer knows 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 a Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with 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

 

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Company shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officers’ 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 entitled to accept such Officers’ 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.

 

ARTICLE 9
  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:

 

(a)                       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;

 

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

 

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

 

(d)                       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.

 

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

 

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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 mailed to Holders of such Notes at their addresses as they shall appear on the Note Register.  Such notice shall also be mailed to the Company.  Such notices shall be mailed 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, pursuant to a Board Resolution, 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 mailed 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 mailing 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 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 mailed 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
  SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

Section 10.01.  Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.  The Company, when authorized by the resolutions of the Board of Directors 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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(a)                       to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in this Indenture or in the Notes;

 

(b)                       to provide for the assumption by a Successor Company of the obligations of the Company under this Indenture and the Notes, in accordance with the provisions of Article 11;

 

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

 

(d)                       to secure the Notes;

 

(e)                        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 under this Indenture;

 

(f)                         to make any other change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder;

 

(g)                        appoint a successor Trustee with respect to the Notes;

 

(h)                       increase the Conversion Rate as provided in this Indenture;

 

(i)                           irrevocably elect a Settlement Method or a Specified Dollar Amount, or eliminate the Company’s right to elect a Settlement Method;

 

(j)                          to conform the provisions of this Indenture or the Notes to the “Description of Notes” section of the Offering Circular; or

 

(k)                       upon the occurrence of a Share Exchange Event, solely to (i) provide that the Notes are convertible into Reference Property, subject to Section 14.02, and (ii) effect the related changes to the terms of the Notes described under Section 14.07, in each case, in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture.

 

Upon the written request of the Company, the Trustee is hereby authorized to, and shall, join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, 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, Notes), the Company, when authorized by the resolutions of the Board of Directors and the Trustee, at the Company’s expense, may from time to time and at any time enter into an

 

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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 or any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any provision of this Indenture or the Notes to the contrary, without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected, no such supplemental indenture shall:

 

(a)                       reduce the percentage in aggregate principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment of this Indenture or the Notes or to waive any past Default;

 

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

 

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

 

(d)                       make any change that impairs or adversely affects the conversion rights of any Notes;

 

(e)                        reduce the Redemption Price or the Fundamental Change Repurchase 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;

 

(f)                         make any Note payable in a currency other than that stated in the Notes;

 

(g)                        change the ranking of the Notes;

 

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

 

(i)                           change the Company’s obligation to pay Additional Amounts on any Note; or

 

(j)                          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 mail to

 

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the Holders a notice briefly describing such supplemental indenture. However, the failure to give such notice to all the Holders, 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 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 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 Board of Directors, 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 17.11) 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 to Trustee.  In addition to the documents required by Section 17.06, the Trustee shall receive an Officers’ 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.

 

ARTICLE 11
  CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE

 

Section 11.01.  Company May Consolidate, Etc. on Certain Terms.  Subject to the provisions of Section 11.02, the Company shall not consolidate with, merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to another Person, unless:

 

(a)                       if the Company is not the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Company”), the Successor Company shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Netherlands, 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

 

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(including, for the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to pay any Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.07); and

 

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

 

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 properties and assets of the Company on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company 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 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Additional Amounts), the due and punctual delivery or payment, as the case may be, of any consideration due upon conversion of the Notes (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Additional Amounts) 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 Company’s properties and assets, 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, except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of the Company’s properties and assets, the Company shall be discharged from the obligations of the Company under the Notes and 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.

 

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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.  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 Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel 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 transaction, such supplemental indenture, complies with the provisions of this Article 11.

 

ARTICLE 12
  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
  [INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]

 

ARTICLE 14
  CONVERSION OF NOTES

 

Section 14.01.  Conversion Privilege.  (a) Subject to and upon compliance with the provisions of this Article 14, each Holder of a Note shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to convert all or a portion (if the portion to be converted is $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof) of such Note (i) subject to satisfaction of the conditions described in, and during the periods set forth in, Section 14.01(b), at any time prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding June 15, 2018 and (ii) regardless of the conditions described in Section 14.01(b), on or after June 15, 2018 and prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Maturity Date, in each case, at an initial conversion rate of 19.4354

 

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Class A Shares (subject to adjustment as provided in this Article 14, the “Conversion Rate”) per $1,000 principal amount of Notes (subject to, and in accordance with, the settlement provisions of Section 14.02, the “Conversion Obligation”).

 

(b)                       (i) Prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding June 15, 2018, a Holder may surrender all or a portion (if the portion to be converted is $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof) of its Notes for conversion at any time during the five Business Day period immediately after any ten consecutive Trading Day period (the “Measurement Period”) in which the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, as determined following a request by a Holder of Notes in accordance with this subsection (b)(i), for each Trading Day of the Measurement Period was less than 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Class A Shares and the Conversion Rate on each such Trading Day.  The Trading Prices shall be determined by the Bid Solicitation Agent pursuant to this subsection (b)(i) and the definition of Trading Price set forth in this Indenture.  The Company shall provide written notice to the Bid Solicitation Agent, if other than the Company, of the three independent nationally recognized securities dealers selected by the Company pursuant to the definition of Trading Price, along with appropriate contact information for each.  The Bid Solicitation Agent, if other than the Company, shall have no obligation to determine the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes unless the Company has requested such determination, and the Company shall have no obligation to make such request (or, if the Company is acting as Bid Solicitation Agent, the Company shall have no obligation to determine the Trading Price), unless a Holder provides the Company with reasonable evidence that the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes would be less than 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of Class A Shares and the Conversion Rate, at which time the Company shall instruct the Bid Solicitation Agent, if other than the Company, to determine, or if the Company is acting as Bid Solicitation Agent, the Company shall determine the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes beginning on the next Trading Day and on each successive Trading Day until the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes is greater than or equal to 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of Class A Shares and the Conversion Rate.  If the Trading Price condition set forth above has been met on any Trading Day, the Company shall so notify in writing the Holders, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) on  such Trading Day.  If, at any time after the Trading Price condition set forth above has been met, the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes is greater than or equal to 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Class A Shares and the Conversion Rate for such date, the Company shall so promptly notify in writing the Holders of the Notes, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee).  If (x) the Company is not acting as Bid Solicitation Agent, and the Company does not instruct the Bid Solicitation Agent to determine the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes when obligated as provided in the third immediately preceding sentence, or if the Company instructs the Bid Solicitation Agent to obtain bids and the Bid Solicitation Agent fails to make such determination, or (y) the Company is acting as Bid Solicitation Agent and the Company fails to make such determination when obligated as provided in the third immediately preceding sentence, then, in either case, the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be deemed to be less than 98% of the

 

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product of the Last Reported Sale Price of Class A Shares and the Conversion Rate on each Trading Day of such failure.

 

(ii)                                  If, prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding June 15, 2018, the Company elects to:

 

(A)                               distribute to all or substantially all holders of the Class A Shares any rights, options or warrants entitling them, for a period of not more than 45 calendar days from the declaration date for such distribution, to subscribe for or purchase shares of the Class A Shares at a price per share that is less than the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Class A Shares for the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the declaration date for such distribution; or

 

(B)                               distribute to all or substantially all holders of Class A Shares the Company’s assets, debt securities or rights to purchase securities of the Company, which distribution has a per share value, as reasonably determined by the Board of Directors, exceeding 10% of the Last Reported Sale Price of Class A Shares on the Trading Day preceding the declaration date for such distribution,

 

then, in either case, the Company shall notify in writing all Holders of the Notes, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) at least 50 Scheduled Trading Days prior to the Ex-Dividend Date for such issuance or distribution.  Once the Company has given such written notice, a Holder may surrender all or a portion (if the portion to be converted is $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof) of its Notes for conversion at any time until the earlier of (1) the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Ex-Dividend Date for such issuance or distribution and (2) the Company’s declaration that such issuance or distribution will not take place, in each case, even if the Notes are not otherwise convertible at such time.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Holders of the Notes shall not be permitted to surrender their Notes for conversion pursuant to this Section 14.01(b)(ii) if such Holders are entitled to participate (solely as a result of holding the Notes), at the same time and on the same terms as holders of the Class A Shares, in such distribution without having to convert their Notes as if they held a number of Class A Shares equal to the Conversion Rate, multiplied by the principal amount (expressed in thousands) of Notes held by such Holder.  Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall have any duty or obligation to determine whether a Holder is not permitted to surrender its Notes for conversion and may conclusively assume that each Holder is permitted to surrender its Notes for conversion.

 

(iii)                               If a transaction or event that constitutes (x) a Fundamental Change or (y) a Make-Whole Fundamental Change occurs prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding June 15, 2018, regardless of whether a Holder has the right to require the Company to repurchase the Notes pursuant to Section 15.02, or if the Company is a party to a consolidation, merger, binding share exchange or similar transaction, or transfer or lease of all or substantially all of its assets, in each case, 

 

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pursuant to which the Class A Shares would be converted into cash, securities or other assets, all or a portion (if the portion to be converted is $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof) of a Holder’s Notes may be surrendered for conversion at any time from or after the date that is 50 Scheduled Trading Days prior to the anticipated effective date of the transaction (or, if later, the Business Day after the Company gives notice of such transaction) until 35 Trading Days after the actual effective date of such transaction or, if such transaction also constitutes a Fundamental Change, until the related Fundamental Change Repurchase Date.  The Company shall notify in writing Holders, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) (i) as promptly as practicable following the date the Company publicly announces such transaction but in no event less than 50 Scheduled Trading Days prior to the anticipated effective date of such transaction or (ii) if the Company does not have knowledge of such transaction at least 50 Scheduled Trading Days prior to the anticipated effective date of such transaction, within one Business Day of the date upon which the Company receives notice, or otherwise becomes aware, of such transaction, but in no event later than the actual effective date of such transaction.

 

(iv)                              Prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding June 15, 2018, a Holder may surrender all or any portion of its Notes for conversion at any time during any calendar quarter commencing after the calendar quarter ending on March 31, 2014 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the Last Reported Sale Price of Class A Shares for at least 20 Trading Days (whether or not consecutive) during the period of 30 consecutive Trading Days ending on the last Trading Day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the Conversion Price on each applicable Trading Day.  The Company shall determine at the beginning of each calendar quarter commencing after March 31, 2014 whether the Notes may be surrendered for conversion in accordance with this clause (iv) and shall notify in writing the Conversion Agent and the Trustee if the Notes become convertible in accordance with this clause (iv).

 

(v)                                 If the Company calls the Notes for redemption pursuant to Article 16 prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding June 15, 2018, then a Holder may surrender all or a portion (if the portion to be converted is $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof) of its Notes for conversion at any time prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Redemption Date, even if the Notes are not otherwise convertible at such time.  After that time, the right to convert the Notes shall expire, unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Redemption Price, in which case each Holder of Notes may convert its Notes until the Redemption Price has been paid or duly provided for.

 

Section 14.02.  Conversion Procedure; Settlement Upon Conversion.

 

(a)                       Subject to this Section 14.02, Section 14.03(b) and Section 14.07(a), upon conversion of any Note, the Company shall pay or deliver, as the case may be, to the converting 

 

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Holder, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted, cash (“Cash Settlement”), Class A Shares, together with cash, if applicable, in lieu of delivering any fractional Class A Share in accordance with subsection (j) of this Section 14.02 (“Physical Settlement”) or a combination of cash and Class A Shares, together with cash, if applicable, in lieu of delivering any fractional Class A Share in accordance with subsection (j) of this Section 14.02 (“Combination Settlement”), at its election, as set forth in this Section 14.02.

 

(i)                                     All conversions for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after the Company’s issuance of a Redemption Notice with respect to the Notes but prior to the related Redemption Date, and all conversions for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after June 15, 2018, shall be settled using the same Settlement Method.

 

(ii)                                  Except for any conversions for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after the Company’s issuance of a Redemption Notice with respect to the Notes but prior to the related Redemption Date, and any conversions for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after June 15, 2018, the Company shall use the same Settlement Method for all conversions with the same Conversion Date, but the Company shall not have any obligation to use the same Settlement Method with respect to conversions that occur on different Conversion Dates.

 

(iii)                               If, in respect of any Conversion Date (or one of the periods described in the fourth immediately succeeding set of parentheses, as the case may be), the Company elects to deliver a written notice (the “Settlement Notice”) of the relevant Settlement Method in respect of such Conversion Date (or such period, as the case may be), the Company, through the Trustee, shall deliver such Settlement Notice to converting Holders (and the Conversion Agent, if different than the Trustee) no later than the close of business on the Trading Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date (or, in the case of any conversions for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs (x) on or after the Company’s issuance of a Redemption Notice with respect to the Notes and prior to the related Redemption Date, in such Redemption Notice, or (y) on or after June 15, 2018, no later than June 15, 2018).  Such Settlement Notice shall specify the relevant Settlement Method and in the case of an election of Combination Settlement, the relevant Settlement Notice shall indicate the Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes.  If the Company does not elect a Settlement Method prior to the deadline set forth in the immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall no longer have the right to elect Cash Settlement or Physical Settlement and the Company shall be deemed to have elected Combination Settlement in respect of its Conversion Obligation, and the Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be equal to $1,000.  If the Company delivers a Settlement Notice electing Combination Settlement in respect of its Conversion Obligation but does not indicate a Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes in such Settlement Notice, the Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be deemed to be $1,000.

 

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(iv)                              The cash, Class A Shares or combination of cash and Class A Shares in respect of any conversion of Notes (the “Settlement Amount”) shall be computed as follows:

 

(A)                                         if the Company elects to satisfy its Conversion Obligation in respect of such conversion by Physical Settlement, the Company shall deliver to the converting Holder in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted a number of Class A Shares equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Conversion Date;

 

(B)                                         if the Company elects to satisfy its Conversion Obligation in respect of such conversion by Cash Settlement, the Company shall pay to the converting Holder in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted cash in an amount equal to the sum of the Daily Conversion Values for each of the 40 consecutive Trading Days during the related Observation Period; and

 

(C)                                         if the Company elects (or is deemed to have elected) to satisfy its Conversion Obligation in respect of such conversion by Combination Settlement, the Company shall pay or deliver, as the case may be, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted, a Settlement Amount equal to the sum of the Daily Settlement Amounts for each of the 40 consecutive Trading Days during the related Observation Period.

 

(v)                                 The Daily Settlement Amounts (if applicable) and the Daily Conversion Values (if applicable) shall be determined by the Company promptly following the last day of the relevant Observation Period.  Promptly after such determination of the Daily Settlement Amounts or the Daily Conversion Values, as the case may be, and the amount of cash payable in lieu of delivering any fractional Class A Share, the Company shall notify the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) of the Daily Settlement Amounts or the Daily Conversion Values, as the case may be, and the amount of cash payable in lieu of delivering any fractional Class A Share.  The Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) shall have no responsibility for any such determination.

 

(b)                       Subject to Section 14.02(e), before any Holder of a Note shall be entitled to convert a Note as set forth above, such Holder shall (i) in the case of a Global Note, comply with the procedures of the Depositary in effect at that time and, if required, pay funds equal to interest payable on the next Interest Payment Date to which such Holder is not entitled as set forth in Section 14.02(h) and (ii) in the case of a Physical Note (1) complete, manually sign and deliver an irrevocable notice to the Conversion Agent as set forth in the Form of Notice of Conversion (or a facsimile thereof) (a “Notice of Conversion”) at the office of the Conversion Agent and state in writing therein the principal amount of Notes to be converted and the name or names (with addresses) in which such Holder wishes the certificate or certificates for any Class A 

 

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Shares to be delivered upon settlement of the Conversion Obligation to be registered, (2) surrender such Notes, duly endorsed to the Company or in blank (and accompanied by appropriate endorsement and transfer documents), at the office of the Conversion Agent, (3) if required, furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and (4) if required, pay funds equal to interest payable on the next Interest Payment Date to which such Holder is not entitled as set forth in Section 14.02(h).  The Trustee (and if different, the Conversion Agent) shall notify the Company of any conversion pursuant to this Article 14 on the Conversion Date for such conversion.  No Notice of Conversion with respect to any Notes may be surrendered by a Holder thereof if such Holder has also delivered a Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice to the Company in respect of such Notes and has not validly withdrawn such Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice in accordance with Section 15.03.  If the Company has designated a Redemption Date as described in, and pursuant to, Article 16, a Holder that complies with the requirements for conversion described in this Section 14.02 prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the relevant Redemption Date (unless the Company fails to timely pay the Redemption Price, in which case each Holder shall have the right to convert its Notes until the Redemption Price for all Notes to be redeemed has been paid or duly provided for) shall be deemed to have delivered a notice of its election to not have its Notes so redeemed.

 

If more than one Note shall be surrendered for conversion at one time by the same Holder, the Conversion Obligation with respect to such Notes shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (or specified portions thereof to the extent permitted thereby) so surrendered.

 

(c)                        A Note shall be deemed to have been converted immediately prior to the close of business on the date (the “Conversion Date”) that the Holder has complied with the requirements set forth in subsection (b) above.  Except as set forth in Section 14.03(b) and in Section 14.07(a), the Company shall pay or deliver, as the case may be, the consideration due in respect of the Conversion Obligation on the third Business Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date, if the Company elects Physical Settlement, or on the third Business Day immediately following the last Trading Day of the Observation Period, in the case of any other Settlement Method.  If any Class A Shares are due to converting Holders, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued, and deliver to the Conversion Agent or to such Holder, or such Holder’s nominee or nominees, certificates or a book-entry transfer through the Depositary for the full number of Class A Shares to which such Holder shall be entitled in satisfaction of the Company’s Conversion Obligation.

 

(d)                       In case any Note shall be surrendered for partial conversion, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to or upon the written order of the Holder of the Note so surrendered a new Note or Notes in authorized denominations in an aggregate principal amount equal to the unconverted portion of the surrendered Note, without payment of any service charge by the converting Holder but, if required by the Company or Trustee, with payment of a sum sufficient to cover any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or similar governmental charge required by law or that may be imposed in connection therewith as

 

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a result of the name of the Holder of the new Notes issued upon such conversion being different from the name of the Holder of the old Notes surrendered for such conversion.

 

(e)                        If a Holder submits a Note for conversion, the Company shall pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax due on the issue of any Class A Shares upon conversion, unless the tax is due because the Holder requests such shares to be issued in a name other than the Holder’s name, in which case the Holder shall pay that tax.  The Conversion Agent may refuse to deliver the certificates representing the Class A Shares being issued in a name other than the Holder’s name until the Trustee receives a sum sufficient to pay any tax that is due by such Holder in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence.

 

(f)                         Except as provided in Section 14.04, no adjustment shall be made for dividends on any Class A Shares issued upon the conversion of any Note as provided in this Article 14.

 

(g)                        Upon the conversion of an interest in a Global Note, the Trustee, or the Custodian at the direction of the Trustee, shall make a notation on such Global Note as to the reduction in the principal amount represented thereby.  The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of any conversion of Notes effected through any Conversion Agent other than the Trustee.

 

(h)                       Upon conversion, a Holder shall not receive any separate cash payment for accrued and unpaid interest, if any, except as set forth below.  The Company’s settlement of the full Conversion Obligation shall be deemed to satisfy in full its obligation to pay the principal amount of the Note and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the relevant Conversion Date. As a result, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the relevant Conversion Date shall be deemed to be paid in full rather than cancelled, extinguished or forfeited.  Upon a conversion of Notes into a combination of cash and Class A Shares, accrued and unpaid interest will be deemed to be paid first out of the cash paid upon such conversion.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Notes are converted after the close of business on a Regular Record Date, Holders of such Notes as of the close of business on such Regular Record Date will receive the full amount of interest payable on such Notes on the corresponding Interest Payment Date notwithstanding the conversion.  Notes surrendered for conversion during the period from the close of business on any Regular Record Date to the open of business on the immediately following Interest Payment Date must be accompanied by funds equal to the amount of interest payable on the Notes so converted; provided that no such payment shall be required (1) for conversions following the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the Maturity Date; (2) if the Company has specified a Redemption Date that is after a Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next Scheduled Trading Day immediately following the corresponding Interest Payment Date; (3) if the Company has specified a Fundamental Change Repurchase Date that is after a Regular Record Date and on or prior to the Business Day immediately following the corresponding Interest Payment Date; or (4) to the extent of any Defaulted Amounts, if any Defaulted Amounts exist at the time of conversion with respect to such Note.  Therefore, for the avoidance of doubt, all Holders of record on the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the Maturity Date shall receive the full interest payment due on the Maturity Date regardless of whether their Notes have been converted following such Regular Record Date.

 

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(i)                           The Person in whose name the certificate for any Class A Shares delivered upon conversion is registered shall be treated as a shareholder of record as of the close of business on the relevant Conversion Date (if the Company elects to satisfy the related Conversion Obligation by Physical Settlement) or the last Trading Day of the relevant Observation Period (if the Company elects to satisfy the related Conversion Obligation by Combination Settlement), as the case may be.  Upon a conversion of Notes, such Person shall no longer be a Holder of such Notes surrendered for conversion.

 

(j)                          The Company shall not issue any fractional Class A Share upon conversion of the Notes and shall instead pay cash in lieu of any fractional Class A Share issuable upon conversion based on the Daily VWAP on the relevant Conversion Date (in the case of Physical Settlement) or based on the Daily VWAP on the last Trading Day of the relevant Observation Period (in the case of Combination Settlement).  For each Note surrendered for conversion, if the Company has elected Combination Settlement, the full number of shares that shall be issued upon conversion thereof shall be computed by the Company on the basis of the aggregate Daily Settlement Amounts for the relevant Observation Period and any fractional shares remaining after such computation shall be paid in cash.

 

Section 14.03.  Increased Conversion Rate Applicable to Certain Notes Surrendered in Connection with Make-Whole Fundamental Changes.  (a) If the Effective Date for a Make-Whole Fundamental Change occurs prior to the Maturity Date and a Holder elects to convert its Notes in connection with such Make-Whole Fundamental Change, the Company shall, under the circumstances described below, increase the Conversion Rate for the Notes so surrendered for conversion by a number of additional Class A Shares (the “Additional Shares”), as described below.  A conversion of Notes shall be deemed for these purposes to be “in connection with” such Make-Whole Fundamental Change if the Notice of Conversion is received by the Conversion Agent from, and including, the Effective Date of the Make-Whole Fundamental Change up to, and including, the Business Day immediately prior to the related Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (or, in the case of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change that would have been a Fundamental Change but for the proviso in clause (c) of the definition thereof, the 35th Trading Day immediately following the Effective Date of such Make-Whole Fundamental Change).

 

(b)                       Upon surrender of Notes for conversion in connection with a Make-Whole Fundamental Change pursuant to Section 14.01(b)(iii), the Company shall, at its option, satisfy the related Conversion Obligation by Physical Settlement, Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement in accordance with Section 14.02; provided, however, that if, at the effective time of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change described in clause (c) of the definition of Fundamental Change, the Reference Property following such Make-Whole Fundamental Change is composed entirely of cash, for any conversion of Notes following the Effective Date of such Make-Whole Fundamental Change, the Conversion Obligation shall be calculated based solely on the Share Price for the transaction and shall be deemed to be an amount of cash per $1,000 principal amount of converted Notes equal to the Conversion Rate (including any adjustment for Additional Shares), multiplied by such Share Price.  In such event, the Conversion Obligation shall be paid to Holders in cash on the third Business Day following the Conversion Date.  The 

 

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Company shall notify the Holders of Notes of the Effective Date of any Make-Whole Fundamental Change and issue a press release announcing such Effective Date no later than five Business Days after such Effective Date.

 

(c)                        The number of Additional Shares, if any, by which the Conversion Rate shall be increased shall be determined by reference to the table below, based on the date on which the Make-Whole Fundamental Change occurs or becomes effective (the “Effective Date”) and the price (the “Share Price”) paid (or deemed to be paid) per Class A Share in the Make-Whole Fundamental Change.  If the holders of Class A Shares receive in exchange for their Class A Shares only cash in a Make-Whole Fundamental Change described in clause (c) of the definition of Fundamental Change, the Share Price shall be the cash amount paid per share.  Otherwise, the Share Price shall be the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Class A Shares over the five Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Effective Date of the Make-Whole Fundamental Change.  The Board of Directors shall make appropriate adjustments to the Share Price, in its good faith determination, to account for any adjustment to the Conversion Rate that becomes effective, or any event requiring an adjustment to the Conversion Rate where the Ex-Dividend Date of the event occurs, during such five consecutive Trading Day period.

 

(d)                       The Share Prices set forth in the column headings of the table below shall be adjusted as of any date on which the Conversion Rate of the Notes is otherwise adjusted pursuant to Section 14.04.  The adjusted Share Prices shall equal the Share Prices applicable immediately prior to such adjustment, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Conversion Rate immediately prior to such adjustment giving rise to the Share Price adjustment and the denominator of which is the Conversion Rate as so adjusted.  The number of Additional Shares set forth in the table below shall be adjusted in the same manner and at the same time as the Conversion Rate as set forth in Section 14.04.

 

(e)                        The following table sets forth the number of Additional Shares to be added to the Conversion Rate per $1,000 principal amount of Notes pursuant to this Section 14.03 for each Share Price and Effective Date set forth below:

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
Share Price
    	
 
    
	
Effective Date
    	
 
    	
$37.42
    	
 
    	
$40.00
    	
 
    	
$42.50
    	
 
    	
$45.00
    	
 
    	
$47.50
    	
 
    	
$51.45
    	
 
    	
$55.00
    	
 
    	
$60.00
    	
 
    	
$70.00
    	
 
    	
$85.00
    	
 
    	
$100.00
    	
 
    	
$125.00
    	
 
    	
$150.00
    	
 
    
	
December 17,   2013 
    	
 
    	
7.2882
    	
 
    	
6.6046
    	
 
    	
5.7860
    	
 
    	
5.0836
    	
 
    	
4.4772
    	
 
    	
3.6777
    	
 
    	
3.0916
    	
 
    	
2.4286
    	
 
    	
1.5016
    	
 
    	
0.7102
    	
 
    	
0.3064
    	
 
    	
0.0414
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    
	
December 15,   2014 
    	
 
    	
7.2882
    	
 
    	
6.4419
    	
 
    	
5.6049
    	
 
    	
4.8898
    	
 
    	
4.2756
    	
 
    	
3.4706
    	
 
    	
2.8853
    	
 
    	
2.2293
    	
 
    	
1.3290
    	
 
    	
0.5864
    	
 
    	
0.2284
    	
 
    	
0.0185
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    
	
December 15,   2015 
    	
 
    	
7.2882
    	
 
    	
6.2360
    	
 
    	
5.3735
    	
 
    	
4.6414
    	
 
    	
4.0159
    	
 
    	
3.2040
    	
 
    	
2.6199
    	
 
    	
1.9744
    	
 
    	
1.1109
    	
 
    	
0.4350
    	
 
    	
0.1380
    	
 
    	
0.0017
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    
	
December 15,   2016 
    	
 
    	
7.2882
    	
 
    	
6.0184
    	
 
    	
5.1090
    	
 
    	
4.3431
    	
 
    	
3.6956
    	
 
    	
2.8661
    	
 
    	
2.2803
    	
 
    	
1.6479
    	
 
    	
0.8397
    	
 
    	
0.2645
    	
 
    	
0.0535
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    
	
December 15,   2017 
    	
 
    	
7.2882
    	
 
    	
5.7599
    	
 
    	
4.7493
    	
 
    	
3.9100
    	
 
    	
3.2127
    	
 
    	
2.3434
    	
 
    	
1.7529
    	
 
    	
1.1474
    	
 
    	
0.4530
    	
 
    	
0.0703
    	
 
    	
0.0004
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    
	
December 15,   2018 
    	
 
    	
7.2882
    	
 
    	
5.5646
    	
 
    	
4.0940
    	
 
    	
2.7868
    	
 
    	
1.6172
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    	
0.0000
    	
 
    

 

69

 

The exact Share Prices and Effective Dates may not be set forth in the table above, in which case:

 

(i)                                     if the Share Price is between two Share Prices in the table above or the Effective Date is between two Effective Dates in the table, the number of Additional Shares shall be determined by a straight-line interpolation between the number of Additional Shares set forth for the higher and lower Share Prices and the earlier and later Effective Dates based on a 365-day year, as applicable;

 

(ii)                                  if the Share Price is greater than $150.00 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Share Prices set forth in the column headings of the table above pursuant to subsection (d) above), no Additional Shares shall be added to the Conversion Rate; and

 

(iii)                               if the Share Price is less than $37.42 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Share Prices set forth in the column headings of the table above pursuant to subsection (d) above), no Additional Shares shall be added to the Conversion Rate.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Conversion Rate per $1,000 principal amount of Notes exceed 26.7236 Class A Shares, subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 14.04.

 

(f)                         Nothing in this Section 14.03 shall prevent an adjustment to the Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 14.04 in respect of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change.

 

Section 14.04.  Adjustment of Conversion Rate.  The applicable Conversion Rate shall be adjusted from time to time by the Company if any of the following events occurs, except that the Company shall not make any adjustments to the Conversion Rate if Holders of the Notes participate (other than in the case of a share split or share combination), at the same time and upon the same terms as holders of Class A Shares and solely as a result of holding the Notes, in any of the transactions described in this Section 14.04, as if they held a number of Class A Shares equal to the applicable Conversion Rate, multiplied by the principal amount (expressed in thousands) of Notes held by such Holder, without having to convert their Notes.

 

(a)                       If the Company exclusively issues Class A Shares as a dividend or distribution on the Class A Shares, or if the Company effects a share split or share combination of the Class A Shares, the applicable Conversion Rate shall be adjusted based on the following formula:

 

 

where,

 

70

 

CR0                              =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date of such dividend or distribution, or immediately prior to the open of business on the Effective Date of such share split or share combination, as applicable;

 

CR’                               =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date or Effective Date;

 

OS0                                =                            the number of Class A Shares outstanding immediately prior to the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date or Effective Date; and

 

OS’                                 =                            the number of Class A Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such dividend, distribution, share split or share combination.

 

Any adjustment made under this Section 14.04(a) shall become effective immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution, or immediately after the open of business on the Effective Date for such share split or share combination, as applicable.  If any dividend or distribution of the type described in this Section 14.04(a) is declared but not so paid or made, the applicable Conversion Rate shall be immediately readjusted, effective as of the date the Board of Directors determines not to pay such dividend or distribution, to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such dividend or distribution had not been declared.

 

(b)                       If the Company distributes to all or substantially all holders of Class A Shares any rights, options or warrants entitling them, for a period of not more than 45 calendar days from the declaration date for such distribution, to subscribe for or purchase Class A Shares at a price per share that is less than the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Class A Shares for the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the declaration date for such distribution, the applicable Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:

 

 

where,

 

CR0                              =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution;

 

CR’                               =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date;

 

OS0                                =                            the number of Class A Shares outstanding immediately prior to the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date;

 

71

 

X                                            =                            the total number of Class A Shares issuable pursuant to such rights, options or warrants; and

 

Y                                            =                            the number of Class A Shares equal to the aggregate price payable to exercise such rights, options or warrants, divided by the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Class A Shares over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the declaration date for the distribution of such rights, options or warrants.

 

Any increase made under this Section 14.04(b) shall be made successively whenever any such rights, options or warrants are distributed and shall become effective immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution.  To the extent that Class A Shares are not delivered after the expiration of such rights, options or warrants, the applicable Conversion Rate shall be decreased to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect had the increase with respect to the distribution of such rights, options or warrants been made on the basis of delivery of only the number of Class A Shares actually delivered.  If such rights, options or warrants are not so distributed, the Conversion Rate shall be decreased to the applicable Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution had not occurred.

 

For purposes of this Section 14.04(b)and for the purpose of Section 14.01(b)(ii)(A), in determining whether any rights, options or warrants entitle the holders to subscribe for or purchase Class A Shares at less than such average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Class A Shares for the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the declaration date for such distribution, and in determining the aggregate offering price of such Class A Shares, there shall be taken into account any consideration received by the Company for such rights, options or warrants and any amount payable on exercise or conversion thereof, the value of such consideration, if other than cash, to be determined by the Board of Directors.

 

(c)                        If the Company distributes its equity securities, evidences of its indebtedness, other assets or property of the Company or rights, options or warrants to acquire its equity securities or other securities, to all or substantially all holders of Class A Shares, excluding (i) dividends or distributions as to which an adjustment was effected pursuant to Section 14.04(a) or Section 14.04(b), (ii) dividends or distributions paid exclusively in cash as to which an adjustment was effected pursuant to Section 14.04(d), (iii) a transaction or event in connection with which all of the Class A Shares are converted into, exchanged for or constitute solely the right to receive Reference Property pursuant to Section 14.07, and (iv) Spin-Offs as to which the provisions set forth below in this Section 14.04(c) shall apply (any of such equity securities, evidences of indebtedness, other assets or property or rights, options or warrants to acquire equity securities or other securities, the “Distributed Property”), then the applicable Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:

 

 

72

 

where,

 

CR0                             =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution;

 

CR’                               =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date;

 

SP0                                  =                            the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of Class A Shares over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution; and

 

FMV                         =                            the fair market value (as determined by the Board of Directors) of the Distributed Property with respect to each outstanding Class A Share on the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution.

 

Any increase made under the portion of this Section 14.04(c) above shall become effective immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution.  If such distribution is not so paid or made, the applicable Conversion Rate shall be decreased to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such distribution had not been declared.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if “FMV” (as defined above) is equal to or greater than “SP0” (as defined above), in lieu of the foregoing increase, each Holder of a Note shall receive, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount thereof, at the same time and upon the same terms as holders of the Class A Shares receive the Distributed Property, the amount and kind of Distributed Property such Holder would have received if such Holder owned a number of Class A Shares equal to the applicable Conversion Rate in effect on the Ex-Dividend Date for the distribution.  If the Board of Directors determines the “FMV” (as defined above) of any distribution for purposes of this Section 14.04(c) by reference to the actual or when-issued trading market for any securities, it shall in doing so consider the prices in such market over the same period used in computing the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Class A Shares over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution.

 

With respect to an adjustment pursuant to this Section 14.04(c) where there has been a payment of a dividend or other distribution on the Class A Shares of equity securities of any class or series, or similar equity interest, of or relating to a Subsidiary or other business unit of the Company, that are, or, when issued, will be, listed or admitted for trading on a U.S. national securities exchange (a “Spin-Off”), the applicable Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:

 

 

where,

 

73

 

CR0                              =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such Spin-Off;

 

CR’                               =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such Spin-Off;

 

FMV0                    =                            the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the equity securities or similar equity interest distributed to holders of Class A Shares applicable to one Class A Share (determined by reference to the definition of Last Reported Sale Price as set forth in Section 1.01 as if references therein to Class A Shares were to such equity securities or similar equity interest) over the first 10 consecutive Trading Day period after, and including, the Ex-Dividend Date of the Spin-Off (the “Valuation Period”); and

 

MP0                             =                            the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of Class A Shares over the Valuation Period.

 

The adjustment to the applicable Conversion Rate under the preceding paragraph shall be determined on the last Trading Day of the Valuation Period, but shall be given effect at the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such Spin-Off.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in respect of any conversion during the Valuation Period, references in the portion of this Section 14.04(c) related to Spin-Offs with respect to 10 Trading Days shall be deemed to be replaced with such lesser number of Trading Days as have elapsed between the Ex-Dividend Date of such Spin-Off and the Conversion Date in determining the Conversion Rate.  If the Ex-Dividend Date for the Spin-Off is less than 10 Trading Days prior to, and including, the end of the Observation Period in respect of any conversion of Notes, references in the preceding paragraph to 10 Trading Days will be deemed to be replaced, solely in respect of that conversion of Notes, with such lesser number of Trading Days as have elapsed from, and including, the Ex-Dividend Date for the Spin-Off to, and including, the last Trading Day of such Observation Period.

 

For purposes of this Section 14.04(c) (and subject in all respect to Section 14.13), rights, options or warrants distributed by the Company to all holders of Class A Shares entitling them to subscribe for or purchase shares of the Company’s equity securities, including Class A Shares (either initially or under certain circumstances), which rights, options or warrants, until the occurrence of a specified event or events (“Trigger Event”): (i) are deemed to be transferred with such Class A Shares; (ii) are not exercisable; and (iii) are also issued in respect of future issuances of Class A Shares, shall be deemed not to have been distributed for purposes of this Section 14.04(c) (and no adjustment to the Conversion Rate under this Section 14.04(c) will be required) until the occurrence of the earliest Trigger Event, whereupon such rights, options or warrants shall be deemed to have been distributed and an appropriate adjustment (if any is required) to the Conversion Rate shall be made under this Section 14.04(c).  If any such right, option or warrant, including any such existing rights, options or warrants distributed prior to the date of this Indenture, are subject to events, upon the occurrence of which such rights, options or warrants become exercisable to purchase different securities, evidences of indebtedness or other 

 

74

 

assets, then the date of the occurrence of any and each such event shall be deemed to be the date of distribution and Ex-Dividend Date with respect to new rights, options or warrants with such rights (in which case the existing rights, options or warrants shall be deemed to terminate and expire on such date without exercise by any of the holders thereof).  In addition, in the event of any distribution (or deemed distribution) of rights, options or warrants, or any Trigger Event or other event (of the type described in the immediately preceding sentence) with respect thereto that was counted for purposes of calculating a distribution amount for which an adjustment to the Conversion Rate under this Section 14.04(c) was made, (1) in the case of any such rights, options or warrants that shall all have been redeemed or purchased without exercise by any holders thereof, upon such final redemption or purchase (x) the Conversion Rate shall be readjusted as if such rights, options or warrants had not been issued and (y) the Conversion Rate shall then again be readjusted to give effect to such distribution, deemed distribution or Trigger Event, as the case may be, as though it were a cash distribution, equal to the per share redemption or purchase price received by a holder or holders of Class A Shares with respect to such rights, options or warrants (assuming such holder had retained such rights, options or warrants), made to all holders of Class A Shares as of the date of such redemption or purchase, and (2) in the case of such rights, options or warrants that shall have expired or been terminated without exercise by any holders thereof, the Conversion Rate shall be readjusted as if such rights, options and warrants had not been issued.

 

For purposes of Section 14.04(a), Section 14.04(b) and this Section 14.04(c), if any dividend or distribution to which this Section 14.04(c) is applicable also includes one or both of:

 

(A)                               a dividend or distribution of Class A Shares to which Section 14.04(a) is applicable (the “Clause A Distribution”); or

 

(B)                               a dividend or distribution of rights, options or warrants to which Section 14.04(b) is applicable (the “Clause B Distribution”),

 

then, in either case, (1) such dividend or distribution, other than the Clause A Distribution and the Clause B Distribution, shall be deemed to be a dividend or distribution to which this Section 14.04(c) is applicable (the “Clause C Distribution”) and any Conversion Rate adjustment required by this Section 14.04(c) with respect to such Clause C Distribution shall then be made, and (2) the Clause A Distribution and Clause B Distribution shall be deemed to immediately follow the Clause C Distribution and any Conversion Rate adjustment required by Section 14.04(a) and Section 14.04(b) with respect thereto shall then be made, except that, if determined by the Company (I) the “Ex-Dividend Date” of the Clause A Distribution and the Clause B Distribution shall be deemed to be the Ex-Dividend Date of the Clause C Distribution and (II) any Class A Shares included in the Clause A Distribution or Clause B Distribution shall be deemed not to be “outstanding immediately prior to the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date or Effective Date” within the meaning of Section 14.04(a) or “outstanding immediately prior to the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date” within the meaning of Section 14.04(b).

 

75

 

(d)                       If the Company pays any cash dividend or distribution to all or substantially all holders of the Class A Shares, the applicable Conversion Rate shall be adjusted based on the following formula:

 

 

where,

 

CR0                             =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution;

 

CR’                               =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution;

 

SP0                                  =                            the Last Reported Sale Price of the Class A Shares on the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution; and

 

C                                            =                            the amount in cash per Class A Share the Company distributes to all or substantially all holders of the Class A Shares.

 

Any increase to the applicable Conversion Rate pursuant to this Section 14.04(d) shall become effective immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution.  If such dividend or distribution is not so paid, the applicable Conversion Rate shall be decreased, effective as of the date the Board of Directors determines not to make or pay such dividend or distribution, to be the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such dividend or distribution had not been declared.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if “C” (as defined above) is equal to or greater than “SP0” (as defined above), in lieu of the foregoing increase, each Holder of a Note shall receive, for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes, at the same time and upon the same terms as holders of Class A Shares, the amount of cash that such Holder would have received if such Holder owned a number of Class Shares equal to the applicable Conversion Rate on the Ex-Dividend Date for such cash dividend or distribution.

 

(e)                        If the Company makes or any of its Subsidiaries makes a payment in respect of a tender or exchange offer for Class A Shares, to the extent that the cash and value of any other consideration included in the payment per Class A Share exceeds the Last Reported Sale Price of Class A Shares on the Trading Day next succeeding the last date on which tenders or exchanges may be made pursuant to such tender or exchange offer, the applicable Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:

 

 

where,

 

76

 

CR0                              =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires;

 

CR’                               =                            the applicable Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires;

 

AC                                   =                            the aggregate value of all cash and any other consideration (as determined by the Board of Directors) paid or payable for Class A shares purchased in such tender or exchange offer;

 

OS0                                =                            the number of Class A Shares outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of the purchase of all Class A shares accepted for purchase or exchange in such tender or exchange offer;

 

OS’                                 =                            the number of Class A Shares outstanding immediately after the consummation of the purchase of all Class A shares accepted for purchase or exchange in such tender or exchange offer; and

 

SP’                                   =                            the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of Class A Shares over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period commencing on, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires.

 

The increase to the applicable Conversion Rate under this Section 14.04(e) shall be determined at the close of business on the 10th Trading Day immediately following, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires, but shall be given effect at the open of business on the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in respect of any conversion of Notes within the 10 Trading Days immediately following, and including, the expiration date of any tender or exchange offer, references in this Section 14.04(e) with respect to 10 Trading Days shall be deemed replaced with such lesser number of Trading Days as have elapsed between the date that such tender or exchange offer expires and the Conversion Date in determining the Conversion Rate. In addition, if the Trading Day next succeeding the expiration date for any tender or exchange offer is less than 10 Trading Days prior to, and including, the end of the Observation Period in respect of any conversion, references in the preceding paragraph to 10 Trading Days shall be deemed to be replaced, solely in respect of that conversion of Notes, with such lesser number of Trading Days as have elapsed from, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding such expiration date to, and including, the last Trading Day of such Observation Period.  For the avoidance of doubt, no adjustment under this Section 14.04(e) shall be made if such adjustment would result in a decrease in the applicable Conversion Rate.

 

(f)                         Notwithstanding this Section 14.04 or any other provision of this Indenture or the Notes, if a Conversion Rate adjustment becomes effective on any Ex-Dividend Date, and a Holder that has converted its Notes on or after such Ex-Dividend Date and on or prior to the related Record Date would be treated as the record holder of the Class A Shares as of the related 

 

77

 

Conversion Date as described under Section 14.02(i) based on an adjusted Conversion Rate for such Ex-Dividend Date, then, notwithstanding the Conversion Rate adjustment provisions in this Section 14.04, the Conversion Rate adjustment relating to such Ex-Dividend Date shall not be made for such converting Holder. Instead, such Holder shall be treated as if such Holder were the record owner of the Class A Shares on an unadjusted basis and participate in the related dividend, distribution or other event giving rise to such adjustment.

 

(g)                        Except as stated herein, the Company shall not adjust the Conversion Rate for the issuance of Class A Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Class A Shares or the right to purchase Class A Shares or such convertible or exchangeable securities (including as consideration for a merger, purchase or similar transaction).

 

(h)                       In addition to those adjustments required by clauses (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) of this Section 14.04, and to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to the applicable rules of any exchange on which any of the Company’s securities are then listed (including, without limitation, the NASDAQ Global Select Market), the Company from time to time may increase the Conversion Rate by any amount for a period of at least 20 Business Days if the Board of Directors determines that such increase would be in the Company’s best interest.  In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to the applicable rules of any exchange on which any of the Company’s securities are then listed (including, without limitation, the NASDAQ Global Select Market), the Company may (but is not required to) increase the Conversion Rate to avoid or diminish any income tax to holders of Class A Shares or rights to purchase Class A Shares in connection with a dividend or distribution of Class A Shares (or rights to acquire Class A Shares) or similar event.  Whenever the Conversion Rate is increased pursuant to either of the preceding two sentences, the Company shall mail to the Holder of each Note at its last address appearing on the Note Register a notice of the increase at least 15 days prior to the date the increased Conversion Rate takes effect, and such notice shall state the increased Conversion Rate and the period during which it will be in effect.

 

(i)                           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article 14, the Conversion Rate shall not be adjusted:

 

(i)                                     upon the issuance of any Class A Shares pursuant to any present or future plan providing for the reinvestment of dividends or interest payable on the Company’s securities and the investment of additional optional amounts in Class A Shares under any plan;

 

(ii)                                  upon the issuance of any Class A Shares or options or rights to purchase those shares pursuant to any present or future employee, director or consultant benefit plan or program of, or assumed by, the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries;

 

(iii)                               upon the issuance of any Class A Shares or the Class C Shares upon the conversion of the Class B Shares outstanding on the date of the Offering Circular;

 

78

 

(iv)                              upon the repurchase by the Company of any of the Class A Shares shares pursuant to an open-market share repurchase program or other buy-back transaction that is not a tender offer or exchange offer as described under clause (e) above;

 

(v)                                 for a third-party tender offer (other than a tender offer by any of the Company’s Subsidiaries as described under clause (e) above);

 

(vi)                              upon the issuance of any Class A Shares pursuant to any option, warrant, right or exercisable, exchangeable or convertible security not described in this clause (i) and outstanding as of the date the Notes were first issued;

 

(vii)                           solely for a change in the nominal value of the Ordinary Shares; or

 

(viii)                        for accrued and unpaid interest, if any.

 

(j)                          The Company shall not adjust the applicable Conversion Rate pursuant to this Section 14.04 unless the adjustment would result in a change of at least 1% in the then effective Conversion Rate. However, the Company shall carry forward any adjustment to such Conversion Rate that the Company would otherwise have to make and take that adjustment into account in any subsequent adjustment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all such carried-forward adjustments shall be made with respect to the Notes (i) in connection with any subsequent adjustment to the Conversion Rate of at least 1% and (ii) (x) on the Conversion Date for any Notes (in the case of Physical Settlement) or (y) on each Trading Day of any Observation Period (in the case of Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement).  All calculations and other determinations under this Article 14 shall be made by the Company and shall be made to the nearest one-ten thousandth (1/10,000th) of a share.

 

(k)                       Whenever the Conversion Rate is adjusted as herein provided, the Company shall promptly file with the Trustee (and the Conversion Agent if not the Trustee) an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the Conversion Rate after such adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.  Unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received such Officers’ Certificate, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any adjustment of the Conversion Rate and may assume without inquiry that the last Conversion Rate of which it has knowledge is still in effect.  Promptly after delivery of such certificate, the Company shall prepare a notice of such adjustment of the Conversion Rate setting forth the adjusted Conversion Rate and the date on which each adjustment becomes effective and shall mail such notice of such adjustment of the Conversion Rate to each Holder at its last address appearing on the Note Register of this Indenture.  Failure to deliver such notice shall not affect the legality or validity of any such adjustment.

 

(l)                           For purposes of this Section 14.04, the number of Class A Shares at any time outstanding shall not include Class A Shares held by or on behalf of the Company so long as the Company does not pay any dividend or make any distribution on such Class A Shares, but shall 

 

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include Class A Shares issuable in respect of scrip certificates issued in lieu of fractions of Class A Shares.

 

Section 14.05. Adjustments of Prices.  Whenever any provision of this Indenture requires the Company to calculate the Last Reported Sale Prices, the Daily VWAPs, the Daily Conversion Values or the Daily Settlement Amounts over a span of multiple days (including an Observation Period and, if applicable, the period for determining the Share Price for purposes of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change), the Company shall make appropriate adjustments to each to account for any adjustment to the Conversion Rate that becomes effective, or any event requiring an adjustment to the Conversion Rate where the Ex-Dividend Date, Effective Date or expiration date, as the case may be, of the event occurs, at any time during the period when the Last Reported Sale Prices, the Daily VWAPs, the Daily Conversion Values or the Daily Settlement Amounts are to be calculated.

 

Section 14.06.  Reservation of Class A Shares.  The Company shall provide, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued shares or shares held by the Company, sufficient Class A Shares to provide for conversion of the Notes from time to time as such Notes are presented for conversion (assuming that at the time of computation of such number of shares, all such Notes would be converted by a single Holder and that Physical Settlement is applicable).

 

Section 14.07.  Effect of Recapitalizations, Reclassifications and Changes of the Class A Shares.

 

(a)                       In the case of:

 

(i)                                     any recapitalization, reclassification or change of the Class A Shares (other than changes in nominal value or resulting from a subdivision or combination),

 

(ii)                                  any consolidation, merger, combination or similar transaction involving the Company,

 

(iii)                               any sale, lease or other transfer to a third party of the consolidated assets of the Company and the Company’s Subsidiaries substantially as an entirety or

 

(iv)                              any statutory share exchange,

 

in each case, as a result of which Class A Shares would be converted into, or exchanged for, stock, other securities, other property or assets (including cash or any combination thereof) (any such event, a “Share Exchange Event” and any such stock, other securities or other property or assets, “Reference Property,” and the amount of Reference Property that a holder of one Class A share immediately prior to such Share Exchange Event would have been entitled to receive upon the occurrence of such Share Exchange Event, a “unit of Reference Property”), then the Company or the successor or purchasing company, as the case may be, shall execute with the Trustee a supplemental indenture permitted under Section 10.01(k) providing that, at and after the effective time of such Share Exchange Event, a Holder’s right to convert a Note into cash 

 

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and/or the Class A Shares shall be changed into the right to convert such Note into cash and/or units of Reference Property.  However, at and after the effective time of the Share Exchange Event (A) the Company shall continue to have the right to determine the form of consideration to be paid or delivered, as the case may be, upon conversion of Notes in accordance with Section 14.02 and (B) (I) any amount payable in cash upon conversion of the Notes in accordance with Section 14.02 shall continue to be payable in cash, (II) any Class A Shares that the Company would have been required to deliver upon conversion of the Notes in accordance with Section 14.02 shall instead be deliverable in the units of Reference Property that a holder of that number of Class A Shares would have been entitled to receive in such Share Exchange Event and (III) the Daily VWAP shall be calculated based on the value of a unit of Reference Property.

 

If the Share Exchange Event causes the Class A Shares to be converted into, or exchanged for, the right to receive more than a single type of consideration (determined based in part upon any form of shareholder election), then (i) the amount and kind of Reference Property into which the Notes will be convertible shall be deemed to be (x) the weighted average of the types and amounts of consideration received by the holders of Class A Shares that affirmatively make such an election or (y) if no holders of Class A Shares affirmatively make such an election, the types and amounts of consideration actually received by the holders of Class A Shares, and (ii) the unit of Reference Property for purposes of the immediately preceding paragraph shall refer to the consideration referred to in clause (i) attributable to one Class A Share.  If the holders of the Class A Shares receive only cash in such Share Exchange Event, then for all conversions for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs after the effective date of such Share Exchange Event (A) the consideration due upon conversion of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be solely cash in an amount equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Conversion Date (as may be increased by any Additional Shares pursuant to Section 14.03), multiplied by the price paid per Class A Share in such Share Exchange Event and (B) the Company shall satisfy the Conversion Obligation by paying cash to converting Holders on the third Business Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date. The Company shall notify Holders, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) of such weighted average as soon as practicable after such determination is made.

 

Such supplemental indenture described in the second immediately preceding paragraph shall provide for anti-dilution and other adjustments that shall be as nearly equivalent as is possible to the adjustments provided for in this Article 14.  If, in the case of any Share Exchange Event, the Reference Property includes shares of stock, securities or other property or assets (including cash or any combination thereof) of a Person other than the Company or the successor or purchasing corporation, as the case may be, in such Share Exchange Event, then such supplemental indenture shall also be executed by such other Person and shall contain such additional provisions to protect the interests of the Holders of the Notes as the Board of Directors shall reasonably consider necessary by reason of the foregoing, including the provisions providing for the repurchase rights set forth in Article 15.

 

(b)                       When the Company executes a supplemental indenture pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 14.07, the Company shall promptly file with the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate

 

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briefly stating the reasons therefor, the kind or amount of cash, securities or property or asset that will comprise a unit of Reference Property after any such Share Exchange Event, any adjustment to be made with respect thereto and that all conditions precedent have been complied with, and shall promptly mail notice thereof to all Holders.  The Company shall cause notice of the execution of such supplemental indenture to be mailed to each Holder, at its address appearing on the Note Register provided for in this Indenture, within 20 days after execution thereof and shall issue a press release containing the relevant information (and make the press release available on the Company’s website).  Failure to deliver such notice or issue and make available such press release shall not affect the legality or validity of such supplemental indenture.

 

(c)                        The Company shall not become a party to any Share Exchange Event unless its terms are consistent with this Section 14.07.  None of the foregoing provisions shall affect the right of a holder of Notes to convert its Notes into cash and Class A Shares, if any, cash, Class A Shares or a combination of cash and Class A Shares, as applicable, as set forth in Section 14.01 and Section 14.02 prior to the effective date of such Share Exchange Event.

 

(d)                       The above provisions of this Section shall similarly apply to successive Share Exchange Events.

 

Section 14.08.  Certain Covenants.  (a) The Company covenants that all Class A Shares issued upon conversion of Notes will be fully paid and non-assessable by the Company and free from all taxes, liens and charges with respect to the issue thereof.

 

(b)                       The Company covenants that, if any Class A Shares to be provided for the purpose of conversion of Notes hereunder require registration with or approval of any governmental authority under any federal or state law before such Class A Shares may be validly issued upon conversion, the Company will, to the extent then permitted by the rules and interpretations of the Commission, secure such registration or approval, as the case may be.  For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 14.08(b) shall not preclude reliance on Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act (or any similar exemption under applicable law) in lieu of any such registration or approval.

 

(c)                        The Company further covenants that if at any time the Class A Shares shall be listed on any national securities exchange or automated quotation system the Company will list and keep listed, so long as the Class A Shares shall be so listed on such exchange or automated quotation system, any Class A Shares issuable upon conversion of the Notes.

 

Section 14.09.  Responsibility of Trustee.  The Trustee and any other Conversion Agent shall not at any time be under any duty or responsibility to any Holder to determine the Conversion Rate (or any adjustment thereto) or whether any facts exist that may require any adjustment (including any increase) of the Conversion Rate, or with respect to the nature or extent or calculation of any such adjustment when made, or with respect to the method employed, or herein or in any supplemental indenture provided to be employed, in making the same.  The Trustee and any other Conversion Agent shall not be accountable with respect to the validity or value (or the kind or amount) of any Class A Shares, or of any securities, property or cash that

 

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may at any time be issued or delivered upon the conversion of any Note; and the Trustee and any other Conversion Agent make no representations with respect thereto.  Neither the Trustee nor any Conversion Agent shall be responsible for any failure of the Company to issue, transfer or deliver any Class A Shares or share certificates or other securities or property or cash upon the surrender of any Note for the purpose of conversion or to comply with any of the duties, responsibilities or covenants of the Company contained in this Article.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, neither the Trustee nor any Conversion Agent shall be under any responsibility to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in any supplemental indenture entered into pursuant to Section 14.07 relating either to the kind or amount of shares of stock or securities or property (including cash) receivable by Holders upon the conversion of their Notes after any event referred to in such Section 14.07 or to any adjustment to be made with respect thereto, but, subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, may accept (without any independent investigation) as conclusive evidence of the correctness of any such provisions, and shall be protected in relying upon, the Officers’ Certificate (which the Company shall be obligated to file with the Trustee prior to the execution of any such supplemental indenture) with respect thereto.  Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be responsible for determining whether any event contemplated by Section 14.01(b) has occurred that makes the Notes eligible for conversion or no longer eligible therefor until the Company has delivered to the Trustee and the Conversion Agent the notices referred to in Section 14.01(b) with respect to the commencement or termination of such conversion rights, on which notices the Trustee and the Conversion Agent may conclusively rely, and the Company agrees to deliver such notices to the Trustee and the Conversion Agent immediately after the occurrence of any such event or at such other times as shall be provided for in Section 14.01(b).  The Trustee and Conversion Agent may conclusively rely upon all calculations performed by the Company or the Bid Solicitation Agent and neither of the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent has any duty to verify any such calculations.

 

Section 14.10.  Notice to Holders Prior to Certain Actions.  In case of any:

 

(a)                       action by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries that would require an adjustment in the Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 14.04 or Section 14.11;

 

(b)                       Share Exchange Event; or

 

(c)                        voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

 

then, in each case (unless notice of such event is otherwise required pursuant to another provision of this Indenture), the Company shall cause to be filed with the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) and to be mailed to each Holder at its address appearing on the Note Register, as promptly as possible but in any event at least 20 days prior to the applicable date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (i) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such action by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or, if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of Class A Shares of record are to be determined for the purposes of such action by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, or (ii) the date on

 

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which such Share Exchange Event, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up is expected to become effective or occur, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of Class A Shares of record shall be entitled to exchange their Class A Shares for securities or other property deliverable upon such Share Exchange Event, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up.  Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such action by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, Share Exchange Event, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up.

 

Section 14.11.  Stockholder Rights Plans.  If the Company has a stockholder rights plan in effect upon conversion of the Notes, each Class A Share, if any, issued upon such conversion shall be entitled to receive the appropriate number of rights, if any, and the certificates representing the Class A Shares issued upon such conversion shall bear such legends, if any, in each case as may be provided by the terms of any such stockholder rights plan, as the same may be amended from time to time. However, if, prior to any conversion of Notes, the rights have separated from the Class A Shares in accordance with the provisions of the applicable stockholder rights plan so that the Holders would not be entitled to receive any rights in respect of Class A Shares issuable upon conversion of the Notes, the Conversion Rate shall be adjusted at the time of separation as if the Company distributed to all or substantially all holders of the Class A Shares, Distributed Property as provided in Section 14.04(c), subject to readjustment in the event of the expiration, termination or redemption of such rights.

 

Section 14.12.  Limit on Issuance of Class A Shares Upon Conversion.  In the event of an increase in the applicable Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 14.03, pursuant to Section 14.04 (other than as set forth in Section 14.04(a)), or pursuant to Section 16.05, in each case, that would result in the Notes, in the aggregate, becoming convertible into Class A Shares in excess of the limitations set forth in the NASDAQ Global Select Market’s shareholder approval rules, the Company shall, at its option, either obtain shareholder approval of such issuances or deliver cash in lieu of any Class A Shares otherwise deliverable upon conversion of the Notes in excess of such limitations based on the Daily VWAP on each Trading Day of the relevant Observation Period, in the case of Combination Settlement, or the relevant Conversion Date, in the case of Physical Settlement, in respect of which, in lieu of delivering Class A Shares, the Company pays cash pursuant to this Section 14.12.

 

Section 14.13.  Exchange in Lieu of Conversion.  When a Holder surrenders its Notes for conversion, the Company may, at its election (an “Exchange Election”), direct the Conversion Agent to surrender, on or prior to the Trading Day following the Conversion Date, such Notes to a financial institution designated by the Company for exchange in lieu of conversion.  In order to accept any Notes surrendered for conversion, the designated institution must agree to timely deliver, in exchange for such Notes, the Class A Shares and/or cash due upon conversion as set forth in Section 14.02.  If the Company makes an Exchange Election, it will, by the close of business on the Trading Day following the relevant Conversion Date, notify the Holder surrendering its Notes for conversion that the Company has made the Exchange Election and the Company will notify the designated financial institution of the Settlement Method the Company has elected with respect to such conversion and the relevant deadline for delivery of the Class A

 

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Shares and/or cash due upon conversion.  Any Notes exchanged by the designated financial institution will remain outstanding.  If the designated financial institution agrees to accept any Notes for exchange but does not timely deliver the Class A Shares and/or cash due upon conversion, or such designated financial institution does not accept the notes for exchange, the Company will deliver the Class A Shares and/or cash due upon conversion to the converting Holder at the time and in the manner required herein as if the Company had not made an Exchange Election.  The Company’s designation of a financial institution to which the Notes may be submitted for exchange in lieu of conversion pursuant to this Section 14.13 does not require the institution to accept any Notes in exchange for the Class A Shares and/or cash.  Any such exchange pursuant to this Section 14.13 shall be completed in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Depositary.

 

ARTICLE 15
  REPURCHASE OF NOTES AT OPTION OF HOLDERS

 

Section 15.01.  [Intentionally Omitted]

 

Section 15.02.  Repurchase at Option of Holders Upon a Fundamental Change.  (a)  If a Fundamental Change occurs at any time prior to the Maturity Date, each Holder shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to require the Company to repurchase for cash all of such Holder’s Notes, or any portion thereof that is equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000, on the date (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Date”) specified by the Company that is not less than 20 calendar days or more than 35 calendar days following the date of the Fundamental Change Company Notice (or, if we fail to specify a Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, the 35th calendar day following the date of the Fundamental Change Company Notice (without prejudice to any rights or remedies Holders may have on account of such failure)) at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Price”), unless the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date falls after a Regular Record Date but on or prior to the Interest Payment Date to which such Regular Record Date relates, in which case the Company shall instead pay the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest to Holders of record as of such Regular Record Date, and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of Notes to be repurchased pursuant to this Article 15.

 

(b)                       Repurchases of Notes under this Section 15.02 shall be made, at the option of the Holder thereof, upon:

 

(i)                                     delivery to the Paying Agent by a Holder of a duly completed notice (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice”) in the form set forth in Attachment 2 to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A, if the Notes are Physical Notes, or in compliance with the Depositary’s procedures for surrendering interests in Global Securities, if the Notes are Global Notes, in each case, on or before the close of business

 

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on the Business Day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date; and

 

(ii)                                  delivery of the Notes, if the Notes are Physical Notes, to the Paying Agent at any time after delivery of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice (together with all necessary endorsements for transfer) at the Corporate Trust Office of the Paying Agent, or book-entry transfer of the Notes, if the Notes are Global Notes, in compliance with the procedures of the Depositary, in each case, such delivery being a condition to receipt by the Holder of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price therefor.

 

The Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice in respect of any Notes to be repurchased shall state:

 

(i)                                     in the case of Physical Notes, the certificate numbers of the Notes to be delivered for repurchase;

 

(ii)                                  the portion of the principal amount of Notes to be repurchased, which must be in principal amounts of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000; and

 

(iii)                               that the Notes are to be repurchased by the Company pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Notes and this Indenture;

 

provided, however, that if the Notes are Global Notes, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice delivered by each Holder must comply with appropriate Depositary procedures.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Holder delivering to the Paying Agent the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice contemplated by this Section 15.02 shall have the right to withdraw, in whole or in part, such Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice at any time prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date by delivery of a written notice of withdrawal to the Paying Agent in accordance with Section 15.03.

 

The Paying Agent shall promptly notify the Company of the receipt by it of any Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice or written notice of withdrawal thereof.

 

(c)                        On or before the 20th calendar day after the effective date of a Fundamental Change, the Company shall provide to all Holders of Notes and the Trustee and the Paying Agent (in the case of a Paying Agent other than the Trustee) a notice (the “Fundamental Change Company Notice”) of the effective date of the Fundamental Change and of the repurchase right at the option of the Holders arising as a result thereof.  In the case of Physical Notes, such notice shall be by first class mail or, in the case of Global Notes, such notice shall be delivered in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary.  Simultaneously with providing such notice, the Company shall publish a notice containing the information set forth in the Fundamental Change Company Notice on the Company’s website or through such other

 

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public medium as the Company may use at that time.  Each Fundamental Change Company Notice shall specify:

 

(i)                                     the events causing the Fundamental Change;

 

(ii)                                  the date of the Fundamental Change;

 

(iii)                               the last date on which a Holder may exercise the repurchase right pursuant to this Article 15;

 

(iv)                              the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price;

 

(v)                                 the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date;

 

(vi)                              the name and address of the Paying Agent and the Conversion Agent, if applicable;

 

(vii)                           if applicable, the Conversion Rate and any adjustments to the Conversion Rate;

 

(viii)                        that the Notes with respect to which a Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice has been delivered by a Holder may be converted only if the Holder withdraws the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; and

 

(ix)                              the procedures that Holders must follow to require the Company to repurchase their Notes.

 

No failure of the Company to give the foregoing notices and no defect therein shall limit the Holders’ repurchase rights or affect the validity of the proceedings for the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to this Section 15.02.

 

At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give such notice in the Company’s name and at the Company’s expense; provided, however, that, in all cases, the text of such Fundamental Change Company Notice shall be prepared by the Company.

 

(d)                       Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Notes may be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders upon a Fundamental Change if the principal amount of the Notes has been accelerated (other than in connection with a Default in the payment of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price), and such acceleration has not been rescinded, on or prior to such date. The Paying Agent will promptly return to the respective Holders thereof any Physical Notes held by it during the acceleration of the Notes (except in the case of an acceleration resulting from a Default by the Company in the payment of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price with respect to such Notes), or any instructions for book-entry transfer of the Notes in compliance with the procedures of the Depositary shall be deemed to have been cancelled, and, upon such

 

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return or cancellation, as the case may be, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice with respect thereto shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.

 

(e)                        The Company will not be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Fundamental Change if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture, and such third party repurchases all Notes properly surrendered and not validly withdrawn under its offer in the manner, at the times, and otherwise in compliance with the requirements, set forth in this Indenture.

 

(f)                         To the extent that the provisions of this Indenture relating to the Company’s obligations to repurchase the Notes upon a Fundamental Change violate any securities laws or regulations as a result of changes to such laws or regulations enacted after the date of the Offering Circular, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under such provisions of this Indenture by virtue of such conflict; provided that in no event shall the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (and the required repurchase of the Notes on such date) be delayed more than five Business Days.

 

Section 15.03.  Withdrawal of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice.  (a)  A Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice may be withdrawn (in whole or in part) by means of a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in accordance with this Section 15.03 at any time prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, specifying:

 

(i)                                     the principal amount of the Notes with respect to which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted, which must be in principal amounts of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,

 

(ii)                                  if Physical Notes have been issued, the certificate number of the Note in respect of which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted, and

 

(iii)                               the principal amount, if any, of such Note that remains subject to the original Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice, which portion must be in principal amounts of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000;

 

provided, however, that if the Notes are Global Notes, the notice delivered by each Holder must comply with appropriate procedures of the Depositary.

 

Section 15.04.  Deposit of Fundamental Change Repurchase Price.  (a)  The Company will deposit with the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company, or if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 4.04) on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date an amount of money sufficient to repurchase all of the Notes to be repurchased at the appropriate Fundamental Change Repurchase Price.  Subject to receipt of funds and/or

 

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Notes to be repurchased by the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company), payment for Notes surrendered for repurchase (and not withdrawn prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date) will be made on the later of (i) the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (provided the Holder has satisfied the conditions in Section 15.02) and (ii) the time of book-entry transfer or the delivery of such Note to the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company) by the Holder thereof in the manner required by Section 15.02 by mailing checks for the amount payable to the Holders of such Notes entitled thereto as they shall appear in the Note Register; provided, however, that payments to the Depositary shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee.  The Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company) shall, promptly after such payment and upon written demand by the Company, return to the Company any funds in excess of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price.

 

(b)                       If by 10:00 a.m. New York City time, on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company) holds money sufficient to make payment on all the Notes or portions thereof that are to be repurchased on such Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, then, with respect to the Notes that have been properly surrendered for repurchase and not validly withdrawn, (i) such Notes will cease to be outstanding, (ii) interest will cease to accrue on such Notes (whether or not book-entry transfer of the Notes has been made or the Notes have been delivered to the Trustee or Paying Agent) and (iii) all other rights of the Holders of such Notes will terminate (other than (x) the right to receive the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price and (y) if the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date falls after a Regular Record Date but on or prior to the related Interest Payment Date, the right of the Holder of record on such Regular Record Date to receive the related interest payment).

 

(c)                        Upon surrender of a Note that is to be repurchased in part pursuant to Section 15.02, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder a new Note in an authorized denomination equal in principal amount to the unrepurchased portion of the Note surrendered.

 

Section 15.05.  Covenant to Comply with Applicable Laws Upon Repurchase of Notes.  In connection with any repurchase offer, the Company will, if required:

 

(a)                       comply with the provisions of Rule 13e-4, Rule 14e-1 and any other tender offer rules under the Exchange Act;

 

(b)                       file a Schedule TO or any other required schedule under the Exchange Act; and

 

(c)                        otherwise comply with all federal and state securities laws in connection with any offer by the Company to repurchase the Notes;

 

in each case, so as to permit the rights and obligations under this Article 15 to be exercised in the time and in the manner specified in this Article 15.

 

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ARTICLE 16
  OPTIONAL REDEMPTION

 

Section 16.01.  Optional Redemption.  (a) If the Company has, or on the next Interest Payment Date would, become obligated to pay to the Holders Additional Amounts that are, in aggregate, more than a de minimis amount, as a result of any change or amendment on or after the date of the Offering Circular or, in the case of a Successor Company, after the date such Successor Company assumes all of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture, in the laws or any rules or regulations of a Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction or any change on or after the date of the Offering Circular or, in the case of a Successor Company, after the date such Successor Company assumes all of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture, in an interpretation, administration or application of such laws, rules or regulations by any legislative body, court, governmental agency, taxing authority or regulatory or administrative authority of such Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction (including the enactment of any legislation and the announcement or publication of any judicial decision or regulatory or administrative interpretation or determination) (a “Change in Tax Law”), the Company may at its option, redeem all but not part of the Notes (an “Optional Redemption”) (except in respect of Holders that elect otherwise as described in clause (b) and clause (c) below) at the Redemption Price, including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Additional Amounts with respect to such Redemption Price; provided that the Company may only redeem the Notes if (x) it cannot avoid these obligations by taking commercially reasonable measures available to it and (y) the Company delivers to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel from outside counsel of recognized standing in the Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction and a Officers’ Certificate attesting to such Change in Tax Law and obligation to pay such Additional Amounts.

 

(b)                       Upon receiving a Redemption Notice, each Holder will have the right to elect not to have its Notes redeemed pursuant to clause (c) below, in which case the Company shall not be obligated to pay any Additional Amounts on any payment with respect to such Notes solely as a result of such Change in Tax Law that resulted in the obligation to pay such Additional Amounts (whether upon conversion, required repurchase in connection with a Fundamental Change, on the Maturity Date or otherwise, and whether in cash, Class A Shares, Reference Property or otherwise) after the Redemption Date (or, if the Company fails to pay the Redemption Price on the Redemption Date, such later date on which the Company pays the Redemption Price), and all future payments with respect to such Notes will be subject to the deduction or withholding of such Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction taxes to the extent required by law to be deducted or withheld as a result solely of such Change in Tax Law; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Holder electing not to have its Notes redeemed converts its Notes in connection with the Company’s election to redeem the Notes pursuant to this Section 16.01 as described in Section 14.01(b)(v), the Company shall be obligated to pay Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such conversion.

 

(c)                        A Holder electing not to have its Notes redeemed must deliver to the Paying Agent a written notice of election (a “No Redemption Notice”) so as to be received by the Paying Agent prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Redemption

 

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Date; provided that a Holder that complies with the requirements for conversion of its Notes as described in Article 14 will be deemed to have delivered a No Redemption Notice.  A Holder may withdraw any No Redemption Notice (other than a No Redemption Notice that was deemed delivered as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence) by delivering to the Paying Agent a written notice withdrawing such No Redemption Notice prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Redemption Date (or, if the Company fails to pay the Redemption Price on the Redemption Date, such later date on which the Company pays the Redemption Price).  If, in respect of any Holder, such Holder does not deliver a No Redemption Notice (and is not deemed to have delivered a No Redemption Notice), such Holder will have its Notes redeemed without any further action.

 

(d)                       Except as described in this Section 16.01, the Company may not redeem the Notes prior to the Maturity Date. In addition, no “sinking fund” is provided for the Notes.

 

Section 16.02.  Notice of Optional Redemption; Selection of Notes.  (a)  In case the Company exercises its Optional Redemption right to redeem all 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 75 Scheduled Trading Days prior to the Redemption Date (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 mail or cause to be mailed a notice of such Optional Redemption (a “Redemption Notice”) not less than 50 nor more than 70 Scheduled Trading Days prior to the Redemption Date to each Holder of Notes so to be redeemed as a whole or in part at its last address as the same appears on the Note Register; provided, however, that, if the Company shall give such notice, it shall also give written notice of the Redemption Date to the Trustee.  The Redemption Date must be a Business Day.  Simultaneously with providing such Redemption Notice, the Company shall publish a notice containing the information in such Redemption Notice in a newspaper of general circulation in The City of New York or publish the information on the Company’s website or through such other public medium as the Company may use at that time.  A Redemption Notice may be delivered electronically to the Depositary according to its policies and procedures.

 

(b)                       The Redemption Notice, if mailed 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 Redemption Notice by mail or any defect in the Redemption Notice 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.

 

(c)                        Each Redemption Notice shall specify:

 

(i)                                     the Redemption Date;

 

(ii)                                  the Redemption Price;

 

91

 

(iii)          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;

 

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

 

(v)           that Holders may surrender their Notes for conversion at any time prior to the close of business on the third Scheduled Trading Day immediately preceding the Redemption Date;

 

(vi)          the procedures a converting Holder must follow to convert its Notes and the Settlement Method and Specified Cash Amount, if applicable;

 

(vii)         the Conversion Rate and, if applicable, the number of Additional Shares added to the Conversion Rate in accordance with Section 16.05; and

 

(viii)        the CUSIP, ISIN or other similar numbers, if any, assigned to such Notes.

 

A Redemption Notice shall be irrevocable.

 

Section 16.03.  Payment of Notes Called for Redemption.  (a)  If any Redemption Notice has been given in respect of the Notes in accordance with Section 16.02, the Notes shall become due and payable on the Redemption Date at the place or places stated in the Redemption Notice and at the applicable Redemption Price.  On presentation and surrender of the Notes at the place or places stated in the Redemption Notice, the Notes shall be paid and redeemed by the Company at the applicable Redemption Price.

 

(b)        Prior to the open of business 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), 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.

 

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.

 

Section 16.04.  Restrictions on Redemption.  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 (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), and such acceleration has not been rescinded, on or prior to the Redemption Date.

 

92

 

Section 16.05.  Increased Conversion Rate Applicable to Certain Notes Surrendered in Connection with an Optional Redemption.  (a) If a Holder elects to convert its Notes in connection with an Optional Redemption pursuant to Section 14.01(b)(v), the Conversion Rate will be increased by a number of additional Class A Shares as described in this Section 16.05 and Section 14.03.  A conversion of Notes shall be deemed to be “in connection with” an Optional Redemption if the relevant Conversion Date occurs during the period from, and including, the date the Company provide the relevant Redemption Notice to Holders until the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Redemption Date or, if the Company fails to pay the Redemption Price, such later date on which the Company pays the Redemption Price.

 

(b)        The number of additional Class A Shares, if any, by which the Conversion Rate will be increased pursuant to this Section 16.05 and Section 14.03 if a Holder elects to convert its Notes in connection with an Optional Redemption pursuant to Section 14.01(b)(v) will be determined by reference to the table set forth in Section 14.03(e) based on the Redemption Reference Date and the Redemption Reference Price, but determined for purposes of this Section 16.05 as if (x) the Holder had elected to convert its Notes in connection with a Make-Whole Fundamental Change, (y) the Redemption Reference Date were the Effective Date of the relevant Make-Whole Fundamental Change and (z) the Redemption Reference Price were the Share Price in respect of such Make-Whole Fundamental Change.

 

(c)        If the Company has designated a Redemption Date pursuant to this Article 16, a Holder that complies with the requirements for conversion as set forth in Article 14 shall be deemed to have delivered and not withdrawn a No Redemption Notice.

 

ARTICLE 17
  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 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 Yandex N.V., Laan Copes van Cattenburch 52, The Hague, The Netherlands 2585 GB, Attention: Executive

 

93

 

Director, with a copy to OOO Yandex, 16, Leo Tolstoy Street, Moscow 119021, Russian Federation, Attention: General Counsel.  Any notice, direction, 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.

 

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

 

Any notice or communication mailed to a Holder 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; provided, however, that if the Notes are Global Notes, the notice given to each Holder may be given through the facilities of the Depositary in accordance with the notice procedures of such Depositary.

 

Failure to mail 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 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.

 

All notices shall be in writing, in the English language.

 

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 OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401 OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW).

 

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

 

94

 

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.  Service of Process.  The Company irrevocably appoints Yandex Inc., with offices at 299 S. California Ave., Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA 94306 as its authorized agent in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York upon which process may be served in any such suit or proceeding, and agrees that service of process upon such agent, and written notice of said service to the Company by the person serving the same to Yandex N.V., Laan Copes van Cattenburch 52, The Hague, The Netherlands 2585 GB, Attention: Executive Director, with a copy to OOO Yandex, 16, Leo Tolstoy Street, Moscow 119021, Russian Federation, Attention: General Counsel, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company in any such suit or proceeding.  The Company further agrees to take any and all action as may be necessary to maintain such designation and appointment of such agent in full force and effect for a period of five and a half years from the date of this Indenture.  If for any reason such agent shall cease to be such agent for service of process, the Company shall forthwith appoint a new agent of recognized standing for service of process in the State of New York and deliver to the Trustee a copy of the new agent’s acceptance of that appointment within five Business Days of such acceptance.  Nothing herein shall affect the right of the Trustee, any agent or any Holder to serve process in any other manner permitted by law or to commence legal proceedings or otherwise proceed against the Company in any other court of competent jurisdiction.  To the extent that the Company has or hereafter may acquire any sovereign or other immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process with respect to itself or its property, the Company irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations hereunder or under any Note.

 

Section 17.06.  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 Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel stating that such action is permitted by the terms of this Indenture and that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in the Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with.

 

Each Officers’ 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 shall include (a) a statement that the person signing such certificate or Opinion of Counsel is familiar with the relevant covenant or condition; (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 covenant or condition has been complied with; and (d) a statement as to whether or not, in the judgment of such person, such covenant or condition has been complied with.

 

95

 

Section 17.07.  Legal Holidays.  In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, the Redemption Date or Maturity Date is not a Business Day, 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 with the same force and effect as if taken on such date, and no interest shall accrue in respect of the delay.

 

Section 17.08.  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 17.09.  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 Conversion 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 17.10.  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.

 

Section 17.11.  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 2.04, Section 2.05, Section 2.06, Section 2.07, 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 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 17.11, 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.

 

96

 

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, 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 mail notice of such appointment to all Holders as the names and addresses of such Holders appear on the Note Register.

 

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 17.11 shall be applicable to any authenticating agent.

 

If an authenticating agent is appointed pursuant to this Section 17.11, the Notes  may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternative certificate of authentication in the following form:

 

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

 

	
By:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Authorized Officer
    	
 
    

 

Section 17.12.  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 or PDF 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 or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

 

Section 17.13.  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 17.14.  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.

 

97

 

Section 17.15.  Force Majeure.  In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

Section 17.16.  Calculations.  Except as otherwise provided herein, the Company shall be responsible for making all calculations called for under the Notes.  These calculations include, but are not limited to, determinations of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Class A Shares, the Daily VWAPs, the Daily Conversion Values, the Daily Settlement Amounts, accrued interest payable on the Notes and the Conversion Rate of 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 and the Bid Solicitation Agent shall provide a schedule of its calculations to each of the Trustee and the Conversion Agent, and each of the Trustee and Conversion Agent is entitled to rely conclusively upon the accuracy of the Company’s and the Bid Solicitation Agent’s calculations without independent verification.  The Trustee will forward the Company’s and the Bid Solicitation Agent’s calculations to any Holder of Notes upon the request of that Holder at the sole cost and expense of the Company.

 

Section 17.17.  USA PATRIOT Act.  The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 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 17.18.  Electronic Communication.  In no event shall The Bank of New York Mellon, in any of its capacities hereunder, be liable for any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, expenses and judgments (including legal fees and expenses) arising to it from receiving or transmitting any data from the Company or its Officers via any non-secure method of transmission or communication, including, without limitation, by facsimile or e-mail.  The Company accepts that some methods of communication are not secure, and The Bank of New York Mellon shall incur no liability for receiving instructions via any such non-secure method.  The Bank of New York Mellon is authorized to comply with and rely on any such notice, instructions or other communications believed by it to have been sent by an Officer or contained within a Company Order.  The Company shall use all reasonable endeavors to ensure that instructions are complete and correct.  Any instructions given by the Company to The Bank of New York Mellon under this Indenture shall be conclusively deemed to be valid instructions from the Company to The Bank of New York Mellon for purposes of this Indenture.

 

98

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

99

 

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

 

	
 
    	
YANDEX N.V.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ ILLEGIBLE
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Aufisco B.V.,   Ph.W. van der Heijden
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Proxyholder
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
   as Trustee
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Jaime Nielsen
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Jaime Nielsen
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Vice President
    

 

 

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 LEGEND IF A RESTRICTED SECURITY]

 

[THIS SECURITY AND ANY CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS SECURITY HAVE 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:

 

(1)                                 REPRESENTS THAT (X) IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS (a) A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (b) LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES (WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT), (Y) IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT AND (Z) IT AND ANY SUCH ACCOUNT IS NOT AN AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY, AND

 

(2)                                 AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF YANDEX N.V. (THE “COMPANY”) THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THE LATER OF (X) ONE YEAR AFTER THE LAST ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF OR SUCH SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME AS PERMITTED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY SUCCESSOR PROVISION THERETO AND (Y) SUCH LATER DATE, IF ANY, AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EXCEPT:

 

(A)                               TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, OR

 

A-1

 

(B)                               PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

 

(C)                               TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES TO BE A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

 

(D)                               OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR

 

(E)                                PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE) 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)(E) 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.

 

NO AFFILIATE (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OF THE COMPANY OR PERSON THAT HAS BEEN AN AFFILIATE (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OF THE COMPANY DURING THE THREE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING MONTHS MAY PURCHASE, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR OWN THIS SECURITY OR A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN.](1)

 

(1)  This legend shall be deemed removed from the face of this Note without further action of the Company, the Trustee or the Holders at such time as the Company instructs the Trustee to remove such legend pursuant to Section 2.05(c) of the Indenture.

 

A-2

 

YANDEX N.V.

 

1.125% Convertible Senior Note due 2018

 

	
No. [          ]
    	
[Initially](2) $[                  ]
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
CUSIP   No. [                  ](3)
    	
 
    

 

 

YANDEX N.V., a public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootschap) incorporated under Dutch law (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.](4) [              ](5), or registered assigns, the principal sum [as set forth in the “Schedule of Exchanges of Notes” attached hereto](6) [of $[              ]](7), which amount, taken together with the principal amounts of all other outstanding Notes, shall not, unless permitted by the Indenture, exceed $[              ] in aggregate at any time (or $[              ] if the Initial Purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional Notes in full as set forth in the Purchase Agreement), in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Depositary, on December 15, 2018, and interest thereon as set forth below.

 

This Note shall bear interest at the rate of 1.125% per year from December 17, 2013, or from the most recent date to which interest had been paid or provided for to, but excluding, the next scheduled Interest Payment Date until December 15, 2018.  Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears on each June 15 and December 15, commencing on June 15, 2014, to Holders of record at the close of business on the preceding June 1 and December 1 (whether or not such day is a Business Day), respectively.  Additional Interest will be payable as set forth in Section 4.06(d), Section 4.06(e) and Section 6.03 of the within-mentioned Indenture, and any reference to interest on, or in respect of, any Note therein shall be deemed to include Additional Interest if, in such context, Additional Interest is, was or would be payable pursuant to any of such Section 4.06(d), Section 4.06(e) or Section 6.03, and any express mention of the payment of Additional Interest in any provision therein shall not be construed as excluding Additional Interest in those provisions thereof where such express mention is not made.

 

Any Defaulted Amounts shall accrue interest per annum at the rate borne by the Notes plus one percent, 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.

 

(2)  Include if a global note.

(3)  At such time as the Company notifies the Trustee to remove the legend pursuant to Section 2.05(c) of the Indenture, the CUSIP number for this Note shall be deemed to be CUSIP No. [                  ].

(4)  Include if a global note.

(5)  Include if a physical note.

(6)  Include if a global note.

(7)  Include if a physical note.

 

A-3

 

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 agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, 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, including, without limitation, provisions giving the Holder of this Note the right to convert this Note into cash, Class A Shares or a combination of cash and Class A Shares, as applicable, on the terms and subject to the limitations set forth in the Indenture.  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 other than Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law).

 

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 or by facsimile by the Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent under the Indenture.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

A-4

 

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

 

	
 
    	
YANDEX N.V.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Dated:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
TRUSTEE’S   CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
THE BANK OF NEW   YORK MELLON
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
as Trustee,   certifies that this is one of the Notes described
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
in the   within-named Indenture.
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Authorized Officer
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    

 

A-5

 

[FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE]

 

YANDEX N.V.
 1.125% Convertible Senior Note due 2018

 

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Notes of the Company, designated as its 1.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”), limited to the aggregate principal amount of $600,000,000 (as increased by an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of any additional Notes purchased by the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the exercise of their over-allotment option as set forth in the Purchase Agreement) all issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of December 17, 2013 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon (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.  The Rule 144A Notes and the Regulation S Notes initially have separate CUSIP numbers and will initially not be fungible.

 

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 25% in aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding to be due and payable immediately, 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 Fundamental Change Repurchase Price on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, the Redemption Price on the 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.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Indenture, Additional Amounts will be paid in connection with any payments made and deliveries caused to be made by the Company or any successor to the Company under or with respect to the Indenture and the Notes, including, but not limited to, payments of principal (including, if applicable the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price and the Redemption Price), payments of interest, payments of cash upon conversion and deliveries of Class A Shares (together with payments of cash for any Class A Shares that would represent a fractional share) upon conversion of the Notes to ensure that the net amount received by the beneficial owner after any applicable withholding or deduction (and after deducting any taxes on the Additional Amounts) will equal the amount that would have been received by such beneficial owner had no such withholding or deduction been required.

 

A-6

 

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.

 

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay or deliver, as the case may be, the principal (including the Redemption Price, if applicable, and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, accrued and unpaid interest on, and the consideration due upon conversion of, this Note at the place, at the respective times, at the rate and in the lawful money herein prescribed.

 

The Notes are issuable in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and integral multiples 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 certain limited circumstances in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in the Indenture.

 

Upon the occurrence of a Fundamental Change, the Holder has the right, at such Holder’s option, to require the Company to repurchase for cash all of such Holder’s Notes or any portion thereof (in principal amounts of $1,000 or integral multiples thereof) on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date at a price equal to the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price.

 

Subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder hereof has the right, at its option, during certain periods and upon the occurrence of certain conditions specified in the Indenture, prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Maturity Date, to convert any Notes or portion thereof that is $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof into cash, Class A Shares or a combination of cash and Class A Shares, as applicable, at the Conversion Rate specified in the Indenture, as adjusted from time to time as provided in the Indenture.

 

A-7

 

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

 

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT = Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

 

CUST = Custodian

 

TEN ENT = as tenants by the entireties

 

JT TEN = joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common

 

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

 

A-8

 

SCHEDULE A(8)

 

SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF NOTES

 

YANDEX N.V.
 1.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2018

 

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

 

	
Date of exchange
    	
 
    	
Amount of
   decrease in
   principal amount
   of this Global Note
    	
 
    	
Amount of
   increase in
   principal amount
   of this Global Note
    	
 
    	
Principal amount
   of this Global Note
   following such
   decrease or
   increase
    	
 
    	
Signature of
   authorized
   signatory of
   Trustee or
   Custodian
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    

 

(8)  Include if a global note.

 

A-9

 

ATTACHMENT 1

 

[FORM OF NOTICE OF CONVERSION]

 

To: The Bank of New York Mellon
 101 Barclay Street, Floor 7E
 New York, New York 10286
 Attention: International Corporate Trust

 

The undersigned registered owner of this Note hereby exercises the option to convert this Note, or the portion hereof (that is $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof) below designated, into cash, Class A Shares or a combination of cash and Class A Shares, as applicable, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture referred to in this Note, and directs that any cash payable and any Class A Shares issuable and deliverable upon such conversion, together with any cash for any fractional share, and any Notes representing any unconverted principal amount hereof, be issued and delivered to the registered Holder hereof unless a different name has been indicated below.  If any Class A Shares or any portion of this Note not converted are to be issued in the name of a Person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer taxes, if any, in accordance with Section 14.02(d) and Section 14.02(e) of the Indenture.  Any amount required to be paid to the undersigned on account of interest accompanies this Note.  Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Indenture.

 

 

	
Dated:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
Signature(s)
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Signature Guarantee
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Signature(s) must   be guaranteed by an eligible Guarantor Institution (banks, stock brokers,   savings and loan associations and credit unions) with membership in an   approved signature guarantee medallion program pursuant to Securities and   Exchange Commission Rule 17Ad-15 if
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    

 

1

 

	
Class A Shares are   to be issued, or Notes are to be delivered, other than to and in the name of   the registered holder.
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Fill in for   registration of Class A Shares if to be issued, and Notes if to be delivered,   other than to and in the name of the registered holder:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
(Name)
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
(Street Address)
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
(City, State and   Zip Code)
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Please print name   and address
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Principal amount   to be converted (if less than all):    $            ,000
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
NOTICE:  The above signature(s) of the Holder(s)   hereof must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Note in   every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Social Security or   Other Taxpayer
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Identification   Number
    

 

2

 

ATTACHMENT 2

 

[FORM OF FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE REPURCHASE NOTICE]

 

To: The Bank of New York Mellon
 101 Barclay Street, Floor 7E
 New York, New York 10286
 Attention: International Corporate Trust

 

The undersigned registered owner of this Note hereby acknowledges receipt of a notice from Yandex N.V. (the “Company”) as to the occurrence of a Fundamental Change with respect to the Company and specifying the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date and requests and instructs the Company to pay to the registered holder hereof in accordance with Section 15.02 of the Indenture referred to in this Note (1) the entire principal amount of this Note, or the portion thereof (that is $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple thereof) below designated, and (2) if such Fundamental Change Repurchase Date does not fall during the period after a Regular Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Interest Payment Date, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to, but excluding, such Fundamental Change Repurchase Date.  Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Indenture.

 

In the case of Physical Notes, the certificate numbers of the Notes to be repurchased are as set forth below:

 

	
Dated:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
Signature(s)
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
Social Security or   Other Taxpayer
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
Identification   Number
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
Principal amount   to be repaid (if less than all):    $            ,000
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
NOTICE:  The above signature(s) of the Holder(s)   hereof must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Note in   every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.
    

 

1

 

ATTACHMENT 3

 

[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 the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

In connection with any transfer of the within Note occurring prior to the Resale Restriction Termination Date, as defined in the Indenture governing such Note, the undersigned confirms that such Note is being transferred:

 

o                                    To Yandex N.V. or a subsidiary thereof; or

 

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

 

o                                    Pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended [(“Rule 144A”), and the undersigned confirms that the undersigned reasonably believes that the transferee of such Note is a “qualified institutional buyer” (within the meaning of Rule 144A) that is purchasing for its own account or for the account of another qualified institutional buyer and the undersigned has provided such transferee notice that the transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A](9); or

 

o                                    Outside the United States in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; or

 

o                                    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.

 

(9)  Include if Regulation S Note.

 

1

 

	
Dated:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Signature(s)
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Signature Guarantee
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Signature(s) must   be guaranteed by an eligible Guarantor Institution (banks, stock brokers,   savings and loan associations and credit unions) with membership in an   approved signature guarantee medallion program pursuant to Securities and   Exchange Commission Rule 17Ad-15 if Notes are to be delivered, other 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.

 

2

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