EX-4.1 5 d722337dex41.htm EX-4.1 EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

EXECUTION VERSION

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

This FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of November 19, 2019 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”), is entered into by and among Gannett Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), New Media Investment Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (“New Media”) and U.S. Bank National Association (the “Trustee”).

WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an indenture, dated as of April 9, 2018 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee, providing for the issuance of the 4.750% Convertible Senior Notes due 2024 (the “Notes”);

WHEREAS, on August 5, 2019, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with New Media Investment Group Inc. (“New Media”), Arctic Holdings LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of New Media (“Intermediate Holdco”), and Arctic Acquisition Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Intermediate Holdco (“Merger Sub”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions thereof, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of New Media (the “New Media Merger”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the New Media Merger (the “Effective Time,” and the date of such Effective Time, the “Effective Date”), each share of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than any Company Excluded Shares and any Dissenting Shares, each as defined in the Merger Agreement) will be automatically converted into (A) 0.5427 of a fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of New Media (“New Media Common Stock”) (subject to Section 2.05 of the Merger Agreement with respect to fractional shares) and (B) the right to receive $6.25 in cash, without interest;

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 13.07 of the Indenture, the Company and New Media are required to execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture providing for, among other things, the right to convert each $1,000 principal amount of Notes into the kind and amount of shares of stock, other securities or other property or assets (including cash or any combination thereof) that a holder of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate immediately prior to the New Media Merger would have owned or been entitled to receive upon the New Media Merger;

WHEREAS, the New Media Merger constitutes a Merger Event, Fundamental Change and Make-Whole Fundamental Change;

WHEREAS, New Media wishes to fully and unconditionally guarantee all of the obligations of the Company under the Notes and the Indenture (the “Guarantee”);

WHEREAS, Section 10.01(m) of the Indenture provides that the Company, when authorized by the resolutions of the Board of Directors and the Trustee, may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental thereto, without the consent of Holders, in connection with any Merger Event, to provide that the Notes are convertible into Reference Property, subject to Section 13.02 of the Indenture, and to make certain related changes to the terms of the Notes;

WHEREAS, Section 10.01(l) of the Indenture provides that the Company, when authorized by the resolutions of the Board of Directors and the Trustee, may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental thereto, without the consent of Holders, to eliminate the requirement that all conversions prior to June 29, 2020 be settled through Combination Settlement with a Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes of $1,000 (as set forth in the proviso to Section 13.02(a) of the Indenture);

WHEREAS, Section 10.01(c) of the Indenture provides that the Company, when authorized by the resolutions of the Board of Directors and the Trustee, may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental thereto, without the consent of Holders, to add guarantees with respect to the Notes; and

WHEREAS, the Company has complied with all conditions precedent provided for in the Indenture relating to this First Supplemental Indenture.

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

ARTICLE I

TERMS

Section 1.01 Definitions. All capitalized terms used but not defined in this First Supplemental Indenture shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Indenture. “Unit of Reference Property” means (A) 0.5427 of a fully paid and nonassessable share of New Media Common Stock and (B) $6.25 in cash, without interest.

ARTICLE II

EFFECT OF NEW MEDIA MERGER

SECTION 2.01. Conversion Right. Pursuant to Section 13.07 of the Indenture, as a result of the New Media Merger:

(1) at and after the Effective Time, the right to convert each $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be changed into a right to convert such principal amount of Notes into the number of Units of Reference Property equal to the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time;

(2) at and after the Effective Time (A) the Company shall continue to have the right to determine the Settlement Method applicable upon conversion of Notes in accordance with Section 13.02 of the Indenture and (B)(I) any amount payable in cash upon conversion of the Notes in accordance with Section 13.02 shall continue to be payable in cash, and (II) any shares of Common Stock that the Company would have been required to deliver upon conversion of the Notes in accordance with Section 13.02 shall instead be deliverable in Units of Reference Property;

 

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(3) the Daily VWAP shall be calculated based on the value of a Unit of Reference Property;

(4) the definitions of “Trading Day” and “Market Disruption Event” shall be determined by reference to the New Media Common Stock; and

(5) the provisions of the Indenture, as modified herein, including without limitation, (i) all references and provisions respecting the terms “Common Stock,” “Conversion Price” and “Conversion Rate,” and (ii) the provisions of Article 13 of the Indenture, including Section 13.01(b) thereof, shall continue to apply, mutatis mutandis, to the Holders’ right to convert each Note into the Reference Property.

SECTION 2.02. Anti-Dilution Adjustments. As and to the extent required by Section 13.07(a) of the Indenture, the Conversion Rate shall be subject to anti-dilution and other adjustments as a result of events occurring subsequent to the date hereof with respect to the Reference Property that shall be as nearly equivalent as is possible to the adjustments provided for in Article 13 of the Indenture with respect to the Common Stock.

SECTION 2.03. Repurchase of Notes at Option of Holders. References to the “Company” and to “Common Stock” in the definition of “Fundamental Change” and “Make-Whole Fundamental Change” in Section 1.01 of the Indenture shall instead be references to “New Media” and “New Media Common Stock,” respectively. Except as amended hereby, the purchase rights set forth in Article 14 of the Indenture shall continue to apply.

ARTICLE III

MODIFICATIONS TO INDENTURE

SECTION 3.01. Settlement Upon Conversion. The following language shall be deleted from the first sentence of Section 13.02(a): “; provided, however, that all conversion prior to June 29, 2020 shall be settled through Combination Settlement with a Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes of $1,000”.

SECTION 3.02. Guarantee. (a) New Media hereby unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of Notes and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, (i) the full and punctual payment when due of all monetary obligations of the Company under the Indenture and (ii) the full and punctual performance within applicable grace periods of all other obligations of the Company under the Indenture. New Media further agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be unconditional, irrespective of the absence or existence of any action to enforce the same, the recovery of any judgment against the Company (except to the extent such judgment is paid) or any waiver or amendment of the provisions of the Indenture or the Notes to the extent that any such action or any similar action would otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of New Media (except that such waiver or amendment shall be effective in accordance with its terms).

 

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(b) New Media further agrees that its Guarantee constitutes a guarantee of payment, performance and compliance and not merely of collection.

(c) New Media further agrees to waive presentment to, demand of payment from and protest to the Company of its Guarantee, and also waives diligence, notice of acceptance of its Guarantee, presentment, demand for payment, notice of protest for nonpayment, the filing of claims with a court in the event of merger or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company or any other Person, and all other defenses based on suretyship. The obligations of New Media shall not be affected by any failure or delay on the part of the Trustee to exercise any right or remedy under the Indenture or the Notes.

(d) The obligation of New Media to make any payment hereunder may be satisfied by causing the Company to make such payment. If any Holder of any Note or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Company or New Media or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to the Company or New Media any amount paid by either of them to the Trustee or such Holder, the Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect.

ARTICLE IV

ACCEPTANCE OF FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

SECTION 4.01. Trustee’s Acceptance. The Trustee hereby accepts this First Supplemental Indenture and agrees to perform the same under the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture.

ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 5.01. Effectiveness of First Supplemental Indenture. This First Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the Effective Time on the Effective Date.

SECTION 5.02. Effect of First Supplemental Indenture. Upon the execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture by the Company, New Media and the Trustee, the Indenture shall be supplemented and amended in accordance herewith, and this First Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes, and every Holder heretofore or hereafter authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be bound hereby. All the provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture shall thereby be deemed to be incorporated in, and a part of, the Indenture; and the Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this First Supplemental Indenture, shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument.

SECTION 5.03. Indenture Remains in Full Force and Effect. This First Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes and, except as supplemented or amended hereby, all other provisions in the Indenture and the Notes, to the extent not inconsistent with the terms and provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture, shall remain in full force and effect and is in all respects confirmed and preserved.

 

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SECTION 5.04. Headings. The headings of the Articles and Sections of this First Supplemental Indenture are inserted for convenience of reference and shall not be deemed a part thereof.

SECTION 5.05. Counterparts. This First Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

SECTION 5.06. Governing Law. THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE AND ANY CLAIM CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THERETO, 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).

SECTION 5.07. Severability. In the event any provision of this First Supplemental Indenture 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 5.08. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, NEW MEDIA 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 FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

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

 

GANNETT CO., INC.
By:   /s/ Paul J. Bascobert
  Name: Paul J. Bascobert
  Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]

NEW MEDIA INVESTMENT GROUP INC.
By:   /s/ Michael E. Reed
  Name: Michael E. Reed
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:   /s/ William Sicking
  Name: William Sicking
  Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]