Document:

Exhibit 4.3

	
 
    

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

Dated May 28, 2014

 

among

 

SEAGATE HDD CAYMAN

 

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY PLC

 

and

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

	
 
    

 

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into this 28th day of May, 2014 among Seagate HDD Cayman, an exempted limited liability company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”), Seagate Technology plc, a public limited company organized under the laws of Ireland (the “Parent”), and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representative (the “Representative”) of the initial purchasers (collectively, the “Initial Purchasers”) named in Schedule I to the Purchase Agreement, dated May 20, 2014, among the Company, the Parent and the Representative (the “Purchase Agreement”).

 

This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, which provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 4.75% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “Notes”).  The Notes will be unconditionally guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the Parent (such guarantee, the “Guarantee,” and the Notes together with the Guarantee, the “Securities”).  In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company and the Parent have agreed to provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement.  The execution of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement.

 

In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.         Definitions.

 

As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“1933 Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

 

“1934 Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

“Additional Interest” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(d).

 

“Closing Date” shall mean the Closing Date as defined in the Purchase Agreement.

 

“Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall also include the Company’s successors.

 

“Exchange Offer” shall mean the exchange offer by the Company of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

 

 

“Exchange Offer Registration” shall mean a registration under the 1933 Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

 

“Exchange Offer Registration Statement” shall mean an exchange offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate form) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein.

 

“Exchange Securities” shall mean securities issued by the Company under the Indenture containing terms identical to the Securities (except that (i) interest thereon shall accrue from the last date on which interest was paid on the Securities or, if no such interest has been paid, from the Closing Date and (ii) the Exchange Securities will not contain restrictions on transfer) and to be offered to Holders of Securities in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

 

“Freely Transferable” shall mean, with respect to any Security, the time at which (i) such Security may be sold to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the 1933 Act by a person that is not an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 under the 1933 Act) of the Company without regard to any of the conditions specified therein (other than the holding period requirement in paragraph (d) of Rule 144 so long as such holding period requirement is satisfied at such time of determination) and (ii) either (A) such Security does not bear any restrictive legends relating to the 1933 Act or (B) the Company has advised the Holder of such Security that upon presentation of adequate proof of non-affiliate status, such legend would be removed.

 

“Guarantee” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Holder” shall mean the Initial Purchasers, for so long as they own any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become registered owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that for purposes of Sections 4 and 5 of this Agreement, the term “Holder” shall include Participating Broker-Dealers (as defined in Section 4(a)).

 

“Indenture” shall mean the Indenture relating to the Securities dated as of May 28, 2014 between the Company, the Parent and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, and as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

“Initial Purchasers” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Issuer FWP” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).

 

 

“Majority Holders” shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company or any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) (other than the Initial Purchasers or subsequent Holders of Registrable Securities if such subsequent holders are deemed to be such affiliates solely by reason of their holding of such Registrable Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage or amount.

 

“Parent” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble, together with its successors.

 

“Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in a Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including all material incorporated by reference therein.

 

“Registrable Securities” shall mean the Securities; provided, however, that the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (i) when a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities shall have been declared effective under the 1933 Act and such Securities shall have been disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) when such Securities have been sold to the public pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in force, but not Rule 144A) under the 1933 Act, (iii) when such Securities have become Freely Transferable, or (iv) when such Securities shall have ceased to be outstanding.

 

“Registration Default” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(d) hereof.

 

“Registration Expenses” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company and the Parent with this Agreement, including without limitation:  (i) all SEC, stock exchange or Financial Industry Regulatory Authority registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any

 

 

underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements and other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel, (vii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and the Parent and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the Holders (which counsel shall be selected by the Majority Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Initial Purchasers) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public accountants of the Company and the Parent, including the expenses of any special audits or “cold comfort” letters required by or incident to such performance and compliance, but excluding fees and expenses of counsel to the underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.

 

“Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement of the Company and the Parent that covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements to any such Registration Statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein.

 

“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.

 

“Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement of the Company and the Parent pursuant to the provisions of Section 2(b) hereof which covers all of the Registrable Securities (but no other securities unless approved by the Holders whose Registrable Securities are covered by such Shelf Registration Statement) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the 1933 Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein.

 

“Trustee” shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities under the Indenture.

 

 

“Underwriter” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.

 

“Underwritten Registration” or “Underwritten Offering” shall mean a registration in which Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public.

 

2.         Registration under the 1933 Act.

 

(a)   If any Registrable Securities are outstanding as of the 366th calendar day following the Closing Date, then to the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretation of the Staff of the SEC, the Company and the Parent shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to (i) prepare and file with the SEC, an Exchange Offer Registration Statement on an appropriate form under the 1933 Act with respect to a proposed Exchange Offer and the issuance and delivery to the Holders, in exchange for such Registrable Securities, of Exchange Securities, (ii) cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become or be declared effective under the 1933 Act, and (iii) cause the Exchange Offer to be consummated on or prior to the 451st calendar day following the Closing Date.  The Company and the Parent shall commence the Exchange Offer by mailing the related exchange offer Prospectus and accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable law:

 

(i)    that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Registration Rights Agreement and that all Registrable Securities validly tendered will be accepted for exchange;

 

(ii)   the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a period of at least 20 business days from the date such notice is mailed) (the “Exchange Dates”);

 

(iii)  that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest, but will not retain any rights under this Registration Rights Agreement;

 

(iv)  that Holders electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to surrender such Registrable Security, together with the enclosed letters of transmittal, to the institution and at the address (located in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York) specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and

 

(v)   that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange

 

 

Date, by sending to the institution and at the address (located in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York) specified in the notice a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered for exchange and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Securities exchanged.

 

As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company and the Parent shall:

 

(i)        accept for exchange Registrable Securities or portions thereof tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer; and

 

(ii)       deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the Company and the Parent and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and mail to each Holder, an Exchange Security equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities surrendered by such Holder.

 

The Company and the Parent shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with the Exchange Offer.  The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate applicable law or any applicable interpretation of the Staff of the SEC.  The Company and the Parent shall inform the Initial Purchasers of the names and addresses of the Holders to whom the Exchange Offer is made, and the Initial Purchasers shall have the right, subject to applicable law, to contact such Holders and otherwise facilitate the tender of Registrable Securities in the Exchange Offer.

 

(b)   If any Registrable Securities are outstanding as of the 366th calendar date after the Closing Date and (i) if, because of any changes in law, SEC rules or regulations or applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the SEC, neither the Company nor the Parent is permitted to effect the Exchange Offer as contemplated by Section 2(a) above, (ii) for any other reason the Exchange Offer is not consummated within 451 calendar days of the Closing Date or (iii) the Exchange Offer has been completed and in the opinion of counsel for the Initial Purchasers a Registration Statement must be filed and a Prospectus must be delivered by the Initial Purchasers in connection with any offering or sale of Registrable Securities, the Company and the Parent will, at their cost, as promptly as reasonably practicable, and in any event on or prior to the 30th calendar

 

 

day after such obligation arises, but in no event earlier than the 451st calendar day after the Closing Date, use their commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be filed a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale by the Holders of all of such Registrable Securities and to have such Shelf Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC on or prior to the 40th calendar day after such filing.  In the event the Company and the Parent are required to file a Shelf Registration Statement solely as a result of the matters referred to in clause (b) of the preceding sentence, the Company and the Parent shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to file and have declared effective by the SEC both an Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) with respect to all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Initial Purchasers after completion of the Exchange Offer.  The Company and the Parent agree to use their commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective until two years after the Closing Date with respect to the Registrable Securities or such shorter period that will terminate when all of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement or are Freely Transferable or cease to be outstanding.  The Company and the Parent further agree to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company and the Parent for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the 1933 Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder for shelf registration or if reasonably requested by a Holder with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use their commercially reasonable efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective and such Shelf Registration Statement to become usable as soon as practicable thereafter.  The Company and the Parent agree to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC.

 

(c)   The Company and the Parent shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any registration required pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof.  Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement.

 

(d)   An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC; provided, however, that if, after it has been

 

 

declared effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court, such Registration Statement will be deemed not to have become effective during the period of such interference until the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement may legally resume.  In the event that any Registrable Securities are outstanding as of the 366th calendar day after the Closing Date and either (i) the Exchange Offer is not consummated on or prior to the 451st calendar day following the Closing Date, (ii) a Shelf Registration Statement applicable to such Registrable Securities, if required pursuant to Section 2(b), is not filed or declared effective when required pursuant to Section 2(b) or (iii) a Shelf Registration Statement applicable to such Registrable Securities, if required pursuant to Section 2(b), is declared effective as required but thereafter fails to remain effective or usable in connection with resales for more than 60 calendar days in the aggregate in any twelve month period (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iii) above, a “Registration Default”), additional interest (“Additional Interest”), payable in cash, will accrue on such Registrable Securities at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of a Registration Default, with such Additional Interest to be increased by an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, up to a maximum Additional Interest rate of 1.00% per annum, provided that any such Additional Interest shall cease to accrue on any Registrable Security upon the earlier of (A) the date on which all Registration Defaults with respect to such Registrable Security have been cured or (B) the date on which such Registrable Security ceases to be a Registrable Security.

 

3.         Registration Procedures.

 

In connection with the obligations of the Company and the Parent with respect to any Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company shall as promptly as practicable and to the extent required hereby:

 

(a)   prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the 1933 Act, which form (x) shall be selected by the Company and the Parent, (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the selling Holders thereof and (z) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to

 

 

become effective and remain effective in accordance with Section 2 hereof;

 

(b)   prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the period required pursuant to Section 2 hereof and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act;

 

(c)   keep each Prospectus current during the period described under Section 4(3) of, and Rule 174 under, the 1933 Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities;

 

(d)   in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to any Holder of Registrable Securities, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for the Holders and to any Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, including each preliminary Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto and such other documents as such Holder or Underwriter may reasonably request, in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities; and each of the Company and the Parent consents to the use of such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the selling Holders of Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;

 

(e)   use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, cooperate with such Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Holder to consummate the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided, however, that the Company and the Parent shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(e), (ii) file any general consent to

 

 

service of process or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not so subject;

 

(f)    in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder of Registrable Securities, counsel for the Holders and counsel for the Initial Purchasers promptly and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such notification in writing (i) when a Registration Statement has become effective and when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement and Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) if, between the effective date of a Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company and the Parent contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement or other similar agreement, if any, relating to the offering cease to be true and correct in all material respects or if the Company or the Parent receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (v) of the happening of any event during the period a Shelf Registration Statement is effective which makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material respect or which requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading and (vi) of any determination by the Company or the Parent that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would be appropriate;

 

(g)   make every commercially reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement as promptly as practicable and provide prompt notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of any such order;

 

(h)   in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested);

 

(i)    in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the selling Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities

 

 

to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) and registered in such names as the selling Holders may reasonably request at least one business day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;

 

(j)    in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(f) hereof, use its commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus will not contain any 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 were made, not misleading.  The Company and the Parent agree to notify the Holders to suspend use of the Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and the Holders hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus until the Company and the Parent have amended or supplemented the Prospectus to correct such misstatement or omission;

 

(k)   a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or any document which is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus after initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders and their counsel) and make such of the representatives of the Company as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders or their counsel) available for discussion of such document, and shall not at any time file or make any amendment to the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement or a Prospectus or any document which is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus, of which the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders and their counsel) shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders or their counsel) shall object;

 

 

(l)    obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the effective date of a Registration Statement;

 

(m)  cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “TIA”), in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the TIA and execute, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

 

(n)   in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable Securities, any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, and attorneys and accountants designated by the Holders, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all financial and other records, pertinent documents and properties of the Company, and cause the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement;

 

(o)   in the case of a Shelf Registration, use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities to be listed on any securities exchange or any automated quotation system, if any, on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed if requested by the Majority Holders, to the extent such Registrable Securities satisfy applicable listing requirements;

 

(p)   use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, to be rated by two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act);

 

(q)   if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Holder as such Holder reasonably requests to be included therein and (ii) make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as the Company has received notification of the matters to be incorporated in such filing; and

 

 

(r)    in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including those requested by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including, but not limited to, an Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (i) to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, the Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when requested, (ii) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Holders and such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (iii) obtain “cold comfort” letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company, or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in “cold comfort” letters in connection with underwritten offerings, and (iv) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company made pursuant to clause (r) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement.

 

In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information regarding the Holder and the proposed distribution by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.

 

In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(f) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus

 

 

contemplated by Section 3(j) hereof, and, if so directed by the Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at its expense) all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.  If the Company shall give any such notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company shall extend the period during which the Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions.  The Company may give any such notice only twice during any 365 day period and any such suspensions may not exceed 30 days for each suspension and there may not be more than two suspensions in effect during any 365 day period.

 

The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering.  In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers (the “Underwriters”) that will administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in such offering.

 

4.         Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer.

 

(a)   The Staff of the SEC has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”), may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the 1933 Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the 1933 Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

 

The Company and the Parent understand that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the 1933 Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the 1933 Act.

 

(b)   In light of the above, notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company and the Parent agree that the provisions

 

 

of this Agreement as they relate to a Shelf Registration shall also apply to an Exchange Offer Registration to the extent, and with such reasonable modifications thereto as may be, reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers, in each case as provided in clause (ii) below, in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited in Section 4(a) above; provided that:

 

(i)    the Company and the Parent shall not be required to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, as would otherwise be contemplated by Section 3(j) hereof, for a period exceeding 180 days after the last Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to the penultimate paragraph of Section 3 of this Agreement) and Participating Broker-Dealers shall not be authorized by the Company to deliver and shall not deliver such Prospectus after such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4; and

 

(ii)   the application of the Shelf Registration procedures set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement to an Exchange Offer Registration, to the extent not required by the positions of the Staff of the SEC or the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, will be in conformity with the reasonable request to the Company and the Parent by the Initial Purchasers or with the reasonable request in writing to the Company by one or more broker-dealers who certify to the Initial Purchasers and the Company and the Parent in writing that they anticipate that they will be Participating Broker-Dealers; and provided further that, in connection with such application of the Shelf Registration procedures set forth in Section 3 to an Exchange Offer Registration, the Company shall be obligated (x) to deal only with one entity representing the Participating Broker-Dealers, which shall be Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC unless it elects not to act as such representative, (y) to pay the fees and expenses of only one counsel representing the Participating Broker-Dealers, which shall be counsel to the Initial Purchasers unless such counsel elects not to so act and (z) to cause to be delivered only one, if any, “cold comfort” letter with respect to the Prospectus in the form existing on the last Exchange Date and with respect to each subsequent amendment or supplement, if any, effected during the period specified in clause (i) above.

 

 

(c)   The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company or any Holder with respect to any request that it may make pursuant to Section 4(b) above.

 

5.         Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)   The Company and the Parent, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Initial Purchasers, each Holder of Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls Initial Purchaser or any such Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, or is under common control with, or is controlled by, any Initial Purchaser or any such Holder, from and against all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Initial Purchasers, any such Holder or any such controlling or affiliated Person in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in such Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) pursuant to which Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities were registered under the 1933 Act, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company and the Parent shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or in any Preliminary Prospectus or “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act (“Issuer FWP”), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to the Initial Purchasers or any Holder furnished to the Company and the Parent in writing by Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC or any selling Holder expressly for use therein.  In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company and the Parent will also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, selling brokers, dealers and similar securities industry professionals participating in the distribution, their officers and directors and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement.

 

 

(b)   Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Parent, the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders, and each of their respective directors, officers who sign the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, any Initial Purchasers and any other selling Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company and the Parent to the Initial Purchasers and the Holders, but only with reference to information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company and the Parent in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or Issuer FWP.

 

(c)   In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) above, such Person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.  In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (A) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Initial Purchasers and all Persons, if any, who control any Initial Purchaser within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, (B) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, the Parent, their directors, their officers who sign the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company or the Parent within the meaning of either such Section and (C) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Holders and all Persons, if any, who control any Holders within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.  In such

 

 

case involving the Initial Purchasers and Persons who control the Initial Purchasers, such firm shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC.  In such case involving the Holders and such Persons who control Holders, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders.  In all other cases, such firm shall be designated by the Company.  The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but, if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which such indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

 

(d)   If the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of this Section 5 is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative fault of the Company, the Parent and the Holders shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Parent or by the Holders and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.  The Holders’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5(d) are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Registrable Securities of such Holder that were registered pursuant to a Registration Statement.

 

(e)   The Company, the Parent and each Holder agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above.  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities

 

 

referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, 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 5, no Holder shall be required to indemnify or contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which Registrable Securities were sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

 

The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers, any Holder or any Person controlling any Initial Purchaser or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company, the Parent, their officers or directors or any Person controlling the Company or the Parent, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

 

6.         Miscellaneous.

 

(a)   No Inconsistent Agreements.  Neither the Company nor the Parent has not entered into, and on or after the date of this Agreement will not enter into, any agreement which is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.  The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Company’s or the Parent’s other issued and outstanding securities under any such agreements.

 

(b)   Amendments and Waivers.  The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company and the Parent have obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided, however, that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the

 

 

provisions of Section 5 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder.

 

(c)   Notices.  All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; and (ii) if to the Company, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c).

 

All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given:  at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next business day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.

 

Copies of all such notices, demands, or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture.

 

(d)   Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture.  If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof.  The Initial Purchasers (in their capacity as Initial Purchasers) shall have no liability or obligation to the Company with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement.

 

(e)   Purchases and Sales of Securities.  The Company shall not, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its affiliates (as

 

 

defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) not to, purchase and then resell or otherwise transfer any Securities.

 

(f)    Third Party Beneficiary.  The Holders shall be third party beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder among the Company and the Parent, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of Holders hereunder.

 

(g)   Consent to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agent for Service of Process.  The Company and the Parent, jointly and severally, agree that:

 

(i)    Any suit, action or proceeding against the Company or Parent arising out of or relating to this Agreement may be instituted in any state or U.S. federal court in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and the Company and each Parent irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding.  The Company and the Parent irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection to any suit, action or proceeding that may be brought in connection with this Agreement, including such actions, suits or proceedings relating to securities laws of the United States of America or any state thereof, in such courts whether on the grounds of venue, residence or domicile or on the ground that any such suit, action or proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.  The final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company or the Parent and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which the Company or the Parent is subject by a suit upon such judgment; provided that service of process is effected upon the Company or the Parent in the manner provided by this Section 6(h).

 

(ii)   The Company and the Parent each hereby appoint Seagate Technology (US) Holdings, Inc., as its authorized agent (the “Authorized Agent”), upon whom process may be served in any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein which may be instituted in any state or U.S. federal court in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York, and expressly accepts the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any such court in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding.  The Authorized Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to act as said agent

 

 

for service of process.  Service of process upon the Authorized Agent shall be deemed, in every respect, effective service of process upon the Company and the Parent.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action involving the Company or the Parent arising out of or relating to this Agreement may be instituted in any court of competent jurisdiction in any other jurisdiction.

 

(iii)  Any action, suit or proceeding brought by the Company and the Parent against the Holders arising out of or based upon this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein shall be brought solely in a U.S. federal or state court in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York, and the Company and the Parent shall not initiate or seek to initiate, in any other jurisdiction other than in such New York courts, any action, suit or proceeding against the Holders arising out of or based upon this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein.  The foregoing shall apply, without limitation, to any action seeking to obtain any injunction or declaratory judgment against the enforcement of, or a declaratory judgment concerning, any claim by the Holders in respect of this Agreement and any transaction contemplated herein, and any action challenging the enforceability of or seeking to invalidate in any respect the submission by the Company and the Parent hereunder to the jurisdiction of such New York courts or the designation, pursuant to this Section 6(g), of the laws of the State of New York as the law applicable to this Agreement.

 

(iv)  The provisions of this Section 6(g) shall survive any termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

 

(h)   Judgment Currency.  If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder into any currency other than United States dollars, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Initial Purchasers or Holders, as the case may be, could purchase United States dollars with such other currency in The City of New York on the business day preceding that on which final judgment is given.  The obligation of the Company and the Parent with respect to any sum due from it to any Initial Purchaser or Holder or any person controlling any Initial Purchaser or Holder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day following receipt by such Initial Purchaser or Holder or controlling person of any sum in such other currency, and only to the extent that such Initial Purchaser or Holder or controlling person may in accordance with normal

 

 

banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency.  If the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to such Initial Purchaser or Holder or controlling person hereunder, the Company and the Parent, jointly and severally, agree as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Initial Purchaser or Holder or controlling person against such loss.  If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to such Initial Purchaser or Holder or controlling person hereunder, such Initial Purchaser or Holder or controlling person agrees to pay to the Company and Parent an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to such Initial Purchaser or Holder or controlling person hereunder.

 

(i)    Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

(j)    Headings.  The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 

(k)   Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

 

(l)    Severability.  In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

	
 
    	
SEAGATE HDD CAYMAN
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Kenneth   M. Massaroni
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Executive   Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Administrative Officer and Company   Secretary
    

 

 

	
 
    	
SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY PLC
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Kenneth   M. Massaroni
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Executive   Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Administrative Officer and Company   Secretary
    

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

Confirmed and accepted as of
 the date first above written:

 

	
MORGAN   STANLEY & CO. LLC
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
 
    

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]EXHIBIT 10.1

 

FORM OF

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

 

INSIGNIA SYSTEMS, INC.

2013 OMNIBUS STOCK AND INCENTIVE PLAN

 

You have been granted an award of Restricted Stock Units, each unit representing the right to receive one share of the Company’s common stock, subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s 2013 Omnibus Stock and Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement set forth below (the “Agreement”), as follows:

 

	
Name   of Grantee:
    	
                                       
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Date   of Grant:
    	
                 ,   20   
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Number   of Restricted Stock Units:
    	
                          
    	
 
    

 

	
Vesting   Schedule:
    	
 
    	
Vesting Date
    	
 
    	
Number of Units
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
[1st Anniversary]
    	
 
    	
1/3
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
[2nd Anniversary]
    	
 
    	
1/3
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
[3rd Anniversary]
    	
 
    	
1/3
    

 

Capitalized terms used but not defined in the Agreement have the meanings assigned to them in the Plan.

 

THIS AGREEMENT, made effective as of this       day of                       , 20    , by and between Insignia Systems, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the “Company”), and                              (“Grantee”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, Grantee on the date hereof is an employee of the Company or one of its Affiliates; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company wishes to grant to Grantee an Award of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to the Plan; and

 

WHEREAS, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) has authorized the grant of an Award of Restricted Stock Units to Grantee;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.             Grant of Restricted Stock Units.  The Company hereby grants to Grantee, subject to the terms and conditions in this Agreement and the Plan, an Award of the number of Restricted Stock Units  specified above (the “Units”), each representing the right to receive one Share of the Company’s common stock.  The Units granted hereby will be credited to an account in Grantee’s name maintained

 

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by the Company or its agent.  This account shall be unfunded and maintained for book-keeping purposes only, with the Units representing an unfunded and unsecured obligation of the Company.

 

2.             Restrictions on Units.  Neither this Award nor the Units subject to this Award may be sold, assigned, transferred, exchanged or encumbered other than a transfer upon Grantee’s death in accordance with his or her will or by the laws of descent and distribution.  Any attempted transfer in violation of this Section 2 shall be of no effect and may result in the forfeiture of all Units.  The Units and Grantee’s right to receive Shares in settlement of the Units under this Agreement shall be subject to forfeiture as provided in Section 5 of this Agreement until satisfaction of the vesting conditions set forth in Section 4 of this Agreement.

 

3.             Acceptance. Grantee’s execution of this Agreement will indicate his or her acceptance of and willingness to be bound by its terms. These Units will not be settled unless Grantee has executed and returned this Agreement to the Company.

 

4.             Vesting of Units. If Grantee remains an employee of the Company or an Affiliate continuously from the Date of Grant as specified above, then the Units will vest in the numbers and on the dates specified in the Vesting Schedule above.

 

5.             Service Requirement.  If Grantee ceases to be an employee of the Company or an Affiliate prior to the vesting dates specified in the Vesting Schedule above, Grantee will forfeit all unvested Units.  Inter-company transfers and approved leaves of absence for up to 90 days shall not be considered termination of employment.

 

6.             Settlement of Units.  After any Units vest pursuant to Section 4 of this Agreement, the Company shall, as soon as practicable (but in any event within the period specified in Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(4) to qualify for a short-term deferral exception to Section 409A of the Code), cause to be issued and delivered to Grantee, or to Grantee’s designated beneficiary or estate in the event of his or her death, one Share in payment and settlement of each vested Unit.  Delivery of the Shares shall be subject to the tax withholding provisions of Section 8(h) of this Agreement and compliance with all applicable legal requirements, including compliance with the requirements of applicable federal and state securities laws, and shall be in complete satisfaction and settlement of such vested Units.

 

7.     This Award Subject to Plan. The Award of Units evidenced by this Agreement is granted pursuant to the Plan, a copy of which Plan has been made available to Grantee and is hereby incorporated into this Agreement. This Agreement is subject to and in all respects limited and conditioned as provided in the Plan.  The Plan governs this Award and, in the event of any questions as to the construction of this Agreement or in the event of a conflict between the Plan and this Agreement, the Plan shall govern, except as the Plan otherwise provides.

 

8.              Securities Matter and Certain Transactions.

 

a.             Shares Reserved. The Company shall at all times during the term of this Agreement reserve and keep available such number of Shares as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Agreement.

 

b.             Rights as Shareholder. This Agreement shall not confer on Grantee any right with respect to the continuance of any relationship with the Company, nor will it interfere in any way with the right of the Company to terminate any such relationship.  Grantee shall have no rights as a shareholder

 

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with respect to Shares subject to this award until such Shares have been issued to Grantee upon settlement of the Units granted hereunder. No adjustment shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash, securities or other property), distributions or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such Shares are issued, except as provided in Section 4(c) of the Plan.

 

c.             Securities Law Compliance. The settlement of all or any parts of the Units shall only be effective at such time as counsel to the Company shall have determined that the issuance and delivery of Shares, whether or not in certificated form, pursuant to such settlement will not violate any state or federal securities or other laws. Grantee may be required by the Company, as a condition of the receipt of any Shares issuable pursuant to the settlement of any Units, to agree in writing that all Shares to be acquired pursuant to such issuance shall be held, until such time that such Shares are registered and freely tradable under applicable state and federal securities laws, for Grantee’s own account without a view to any further distribution thereof and that such Shares will be not transferred or disposed of except in compliance with applicable state and federal securities laws.

 

d.             Stock Legend. The Board may require that the certificates or evidence for any Shares issued to Grantee (or, in the case of death, Grantee’s successors) shall bear an appropriate legend to reflect the restrictions of Sections 8(c) and 8(f)-(g) of this Agreement.

 

e.             Mergers, Recapitalizations, Stock Splits, Etc. Pursuant and subject to Section 4(c) of the Plan, certain changes in the number or character of the common stock of the Company (through sale, merger, consolidation, exchange, reorganization, divestiture (including a spin-off), liquidation, recapitalization, stock split, stock dividend or otherwise) shall result in an adjustment, reduction or enlargement, as appropriate, in Grantee’s rights with respect to any unvested portion of the Units (i.e., Grantee shall have such “anti-dilution” rights under the Units with respect to such events, but shall not have “preemptive” rights).

 

f.             Change in Control. For purposes of this Section 8(f), the term “Change in Control” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2 of the Plan. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Committee shall have the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, but not the obligation, to take actions to make one or more adjustments or modifications to this Award pursuant to Section 9(g) of the Plan.

 

g.             Accounting Compliance. Grantee agrees that, if a reclassification, reorganization, liquidation or other transaction described in Section 4(c) of the Plan occurs and Grantee is an “affiliate” of the Company or any Subsidiary (as defined in applicable legal and accounting principles) at the time of such transaction, Grantee will comply with all requirements of Rule 145 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the requirements of such other legal or accounting principles, and will execute any documents necessary to ensure such compliance.

 

h.             Withholding Taxes. In order to permit the Company to comply with all applicable federal, state, local or foreign payroll, withholding, income or other tax laws or regulations, the Company may take such action as it deems appropriate to insure that, if necessary, all applicable federal state, local or foreign payroll, withholding, income or other taxes are withheld from any amounts payable by the Company to Grantee. If the Company is unable to withhold such federal or other taxes, for whatever reason, Grantee hereby agrees to pay to the Company an amount equal to the amount the Company would otherwise be required to withhold under federal or other applicable law. Grantee may, subject to the approval and discretion of the Board or such administrative rules it may deem advisable, elect to have all or a portion of such tax withholding obligations satisfied by delivering Shares or by electing to have the Company withhold Shares otherwise issuable to Grantee. Such shares shall have a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum required tax withholding, based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes, including payroll taxes, that are applicable to the supplemental income

 

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resulting from the settlement of the Units. In no event may the Company withhold Shares having a Fair Market Value in excess of such statutory minimum required tax withholding.

 

9.              Miscellaneous.

 

a.             Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators and successors of the parties hereto.

 

b.             Governing Law. This Agreement and all rights and obligations hereunder shall be construed in accordance with the Plan and governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota.

 

c.             Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Plan set forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the grant of this Award and the administration of the Plan and supersede all prior agreements, arrangements, plans and understandings relating to the grant of this Award and the administration of the Plan.

 

d.             Amendment and Waiver. This Agreement may be amended, waived, modified or canceled by the Committee at any time, provided that all such amendments, waivers, modifications or cancellations shall comply with and not be prohibited by the provisions of the Plan, and any amendment, waiver, modification or cancellation that has an adverse effect on Grantee’s rights under this Agreement shall be with Grantee’s consent in a written instrument executed by Grantee and the Company.

 

e.             Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

f.             Section 409A of the Code. The Award  provided in this Agreement and any issuance of Shares or payment pursuant to this Agreement are intended to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code under the short-term deferral exception specified in Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(4).

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed on the day and year first above written.

 

	
 
    	
INSIGNIA   SYSTEMS, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Its:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
GRANTEE:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
[Printed   Name]
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
[Signature]
    
				

 

4

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00231-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00231-of-00352.parquet"}]]