EX-4.(A) 4 g67544ex4-a.txt FORM OF NOTE FOR 6.71% NOTES DUE 2006 1 NOTE UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY ("DTC") (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK), TO THE ISSUER HEREOF 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 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 SINCE AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN. UNLESS AND UNTIL THIS CERTIFICATE IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN CERTIFICATED FORM, THIS CERTIFICATE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY DTC TO A NOMINEE THEREOF OR BY A NOMINEE THEREOF TO DTC OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF DTC OR BY DTC OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR OF DTC OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR. REGISTERED NO.: PRINCIPAL AMOUNT $50,000,000 CUSIP NO.: 737415AE9 POST APARTMENT HOMES, L.P. 6.71% NOTE DUE 2006 POST APARTMENT HOMES, L.P., a Georgia limited partnership (the "Issuer," which term includes any successor under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or its registered assigns (the "Holder"), upon presentation, the principal sum of FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($50,000,000) on March 13, 2006 (the "Maturity Date"), and to pay interest on the outstanding principal amount thereon from March 12, 2001, or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on March 13 and September 13 of each year (each an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing September 13, 2001, and at the Stated Maturity, at the rate of 6.71% per annum, computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months, until the entire principal amount hereof is paid or duly provided for. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture (hereinafter defined), be paid to the person in whose name this Note (the "Note") (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on February 27 of each year (regardless of whether such day is a Business day) for the March 13 Interest Payment Date and August 30 of each year (regardless of whether such day is a Business Day) for the September 13 Interest Payment Date (each a "Regular Record Date"). Any such 2 interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Notes not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. Payments of the principal and interest on, this Note will be made at the office or agency of the Trustee (hereinafter defined) maintained for that purpose at c/o Harris Trust Bank of New York, Wall Street Plaza, 88 Pine Street, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10005, or elsewhere as provided in the Indenture, in United States Dollars; provided, however, that at the option of the Issuer payment of interest may be made by (i) check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register kept for the Notes pursuant to Section 305 of the Indenture (the "Note Register") or (ii) transfer to an account of the Person entitled thereto located inside the United States. Payments of principal and interest in respect of this Note will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in such coin or currency as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, so long as this Note is in global form as described in Section 203 of the Indenture. If this Note is not in global form, all such payments will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds if the Holder hereof at the applicable record date shall have provided wire transfer instructions to the Trustee, received by the Trustee no later than 15 days prior to the applicable payment date, and otherwise payment shall be made in accordance with Section 307 of the Indenture. Such wire transfer instructions shall remain in effect until revoked in a writing received by the Trustee from the Holder hereof. This Note is one of a fully authorized issue of securities of the Issuer issued under an Indenture, dated as of September 15, 2000 (the "Indenture"), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture among the Issuer and Sun Trust Bank, (the "Trustee," which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture with respect to the Notes), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Issuer, the Trustee and Holders of the Notes, and of the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of the series designated as the "6.71% Notes due 2006," limited in the aggregate principal amount to $50,000,000. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire indebtedness of the Issuer on this Note and (b) certain restrictive covenants and the related defaults and Events of Default applicable to the Issuer, in each case, upon compliance by the Issuer with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture, which provisions apply to this Note. In addition to the covenants of the Issuer contained in the Indenture, the Issuer makes the following covenants with respect to, and for the benefit of the Holders of, the Notes: 2 3 Limitations On Incurrence of Debt. The Issuer will not, and will not permit a Subsidiary to, incur any Debt (as defined below), other than intercompany Debt (representing Debt to which the only parties are Post Properties, Inc., a Georgia corporation (the "Company"), the Issuer and any Subsidiaries, but only so long as such Debt is held solely by any of the Company, the Issuer and any Subsidiary), if, immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such additional Debt, the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Debt of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles is greater than 60% of the sum of (i) Total Assets (as defined below) as of the end of the fiscal quarter covered in the Issuer's Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as the case may be, most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (or, if such filing is not permitted under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with the Trustee) prior to the incurrence of such additional Debt and (ii) the increase in Total Assets from the end of such quarter including, without limitation, any increase in Total Assets resulting from the incurrence of such additional Debt (such increase together with the Issuer's Total Assets is referred to as the "Adjusted Total Assets"). In addition to the foregoing limitation on the incurrence of Debt, the Issuer will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, incur any Secured Debt other than intercompany Debt if, immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such additional Secured Debt, the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Secured Debt of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis is greater than 40% of Adjusted Total Assets. Debt shall be deemed to be "incurred" by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis whenever the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis shall create, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect thereof. In addition to the foregoing limitations on the incurrence of Debt, the Issuer will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, incur any Debt, other than intercompany Debt, if the ratio of Consolidated Income Available for Debt Service to the Annual Debt Service Charge (in each case as defined below) for the period consisting of the four consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended prior to the date on which such additional Debt is to be incurred shall have been less than 1.5 to 1, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the incurrence of such Debt and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, and calculated on the assumption that (i) the incurrence of such Debt and any other Debt by the Issuer or its Subsidiaries since the first day of such four-quarter period and the application of the proceeds therefrom, including to refinance other Debt, had occurred at the beginning of such period, (ii) the repayment or retirement of any other Debt by the Issuer or its Subsidiaries since the first day of such four-quarter period had been repaid or retired at the beginning of such period (except that, in making such computation, the amount of Debt under any revolving credit facility shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Debt during such period), and (iii) in the case of any increase or decrease in Total Assets, or any other acquisition or disposition by the Issuer or any Subsidiary of any asset or group of assets, since the first day of such four-quarter period, including, without limitation, by merger, stock purchase or sale, or asset purchase 3 4 or sale, such increase, decrease or other acquisition or disposition or any related repayment of Debt had occurred as of the first day of such period with the appropriate adjustments to net income and Debt levels with respect to such increase, decrease or other acquisition or disposition being included in such pro forma calculation. For purposes of the adjustments referred to in clause (iii) of the preceding sentence, any income earned (or loss incurred) as a result of any such increase, decrease or other acquisition or disposition referred to in clause (iii) for a period less than such four-quarter period shall be annualized for such four-quarter period. Maintenance of Total Unencumbered Assets. The Issuer is required to maintain Total Unencumbered Assets of not less than 150% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the outstanding Unsecured Debt of the Issuer. As used herein: "Annual Debt Service Charge" as of any date means the amount which is expensed in any 12-month period for interest on Debt of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries. "Consolidated Income Available for Debt Service" for any period means Consolidated Net Income plus amounts which have been deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income during such period for (i) Consolidated Interest Expense, (ii) provision for taxes of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries based on income, (iii) amortization (other than amortization of debt discount) and depreciation, (iv) provisions for losses from sales or joint ventures, (v) increases in deferred taxes and other non-cash items, (vi) charges resulting from a change in accounting principles, and (vii) charges for early extinguishment of debt, and less amounts which have been added in determining Consolidated Net Income during such period for (a) provisions for gains from sales or joint ventures, and (b) decreases in deferred taxes and other non-cash items. "Consolidated Interest Expense" means, for any period, and without duplication, all interest (including the interest component of rentals on capitalized leases, letter of credit fees, commitment fees and other like financial charges) and all amortization of debt discount on all Debt (including, without limitation, payment-in-kind, zero coupon and other like securities) of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, but excluding legal fees, title insurance charges and other out-of-pocket fees and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of Debt, all determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. "Consolidated Net Income" for any period means the amount of consolidated net income (or loss) of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. "Debt" of the Issuer or any Subsidiary means any indebtedness of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, whether or not contingent, in respect of (i) borrowed money evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments, (ii) indebtedness secured by a 4 5 mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, (iii) the reimbursement obligations, contingent or otherwise, in connection with any letters of credit actually issued or amounts representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable or (iv) any lease of property by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries as lessee which is reflected in the Issuer's consolidated balance sheet as a capitalized lease in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, in the case of items of indebtedness under (i) through (iii) above to the extent that any such items (other than letters of credit) would appear as a liability on the Issuer's consolidated balance sheet in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and also includes, to the extent not otherwise included, any obligation by the Issuer or any Subsidiary to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise (other than for purposes of collection in the ordinary course of business), indebtedness of another person (other than the Issuer or any Subsidiary) (it being understood that Debt shall be deemed to be incurred by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis whenever the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis shall create, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect thereof); provided, however, that the term Debt shall not include any such indebtedness that has been the subject of an "in substance" defeasance in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. "Secured Debt" means Debt secured by any mortgage, trust deed, deed of trust, deed to secure debt, security agreement, pledge, conditional sale or other title retention agreement, capitalized lease, or other like agreement granting or conveying security title to or a security interest in real property or other tangible assets. "Senior Executive Group" shall mean, collectively, those individuals holding the offices of Chairman, Vice Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, or any Executive Vice President of the Company. "Subsidiary" means (i) any corporation or other entity the majority of the shares of the non-voting capital stock or other equivalent ownership interests of which (except directors' qualifying shares) are at the time directly or indirectly owned by the Issuer or Post GP Holdings, Inc, a Georgia corporation and the Issuer's general partner ("Post GP Holdings") and the majority of the shares of the voting capital stock or other equivalent ownership interests of which (except directors' qualifying shares) are at the time directly or indirectly owned by the Issuer, Post GP Holdings, any other Subsidiary, and/or one or more individuals of the Senior Executive Group (or, in the event of death or disability of any of such individuals, his/her respective legal representative(s)), or such individuals' successors in office as an officer of Post GP Holdings or the Secretary of such Subsidiary, and (ii) any other entity (other than Post GP Holdings) the accounts of which are consolidated with the accounts of the Issuer. "Total Assets" as of any date means the sum of (i) Undepreciated Real Estate Assets and (ii) all other assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis 5 6 determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (but excluding intangibles and accounts receivable). "Total Unencumbered Assets" means the sum of (i) those Undepreciated Real Estate Assets not securing any portion of Secured Debt, and (ii) all other assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries not securing any portion of Secured Debt determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (but excluding accounts receivable and intangibles). "Undepreciated Real Estate Assets" as of any date means the cost (original cost plus capital improvements) of real estate assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on such date, before depreciation and amortization, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. "Unsecured Debt" means Debt of the Issuer or any Subsidiary that is not Secured Debt. If an Event of Default as defined in the Indenture with respect to the Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal of, and premium, if any, on, the Notes may be declared, and upon such declaration shall become, due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Note shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Notes, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Note for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any interest on or after the respective due dates expressed herein. Neither the Company, Post GP Holdings nor any other partner of the Issuer shall have any obligation or liability for payment of the Notes, and holders of the Notes will have no claims or other recourse against the Company, Post GP Holdings or any other partner of the Issuer, or against any assets of the Company, Post GP Holdings or any other partner of the Issuer, in respect of the Notes; and the holders of the Notes shall not have any right to enforce any obligation of a partner to make a contribution to the Issuer under any provision of the Agreement of Limited Partnership. Neither the Company, Post GP Holdings nor any other partner of the Issuer nor any of their respective assets shall be subject to any lien, levy, execution or any other enforcement procedure relating directly or indirectly to the Notes or any obligations hereunder; 6 7 provided, however, that in the event of a dissolution of the Issuer, any assets of the Issuer that are received by the Company or Post GP Holdings in such dissolution shall be subject to the claims of the holders of the Notes for the enforcement of payment thereof. The Issuer covenants that Post GP Holdings shall not acquire any assets other than interests in the Issuer and other than such bank accounts or similar instruments or accounts as necessary to carry out its responsibilities under the Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Issuer without the prior written consent of a majority in principal amount of all of the outstanding Notes. A breach of the foregoing covenant by the Issuer, and continuance of such breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Issuer by the Trustee or to the Issuer and the Trustee by the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes a written notice as set forth in the Indenture, shall be an event of default under the Indenture. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Issuer and the rights of the Holders of the Notes under the Indenture at any time by the Issuer and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Notes, to waive compliance by the Issuer with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note. No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, this Note at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Note Register, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Issuer in any Place of Payment where the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Security Registrar for the Notes duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereon one or more Notes of this series, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees. The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of this series of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same. 7 8 No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith. Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Issuer, the Trustee and any authorized agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or note this Note be overdue, and neither the Issuer, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary. All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture. THE INDENTURE AND THE NOTES INCLUDING THIS NOTE, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE, EXCEPT AS MAY OTHERWISE BE REQUIRED BY MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF LAW. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Issuer has caused "CUSIP" numbers to be printed on the Notes as a convenience to the Holders of the Notes. No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of such CUSIP numbers as printed on the Notes, and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed hereon. Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by or on behalf of the Trustee by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purposes. 8 9 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this instrument to be duly executed under this corporate seal this 12th day of March, 2001. POST APARTMENT HOMES, L.P. By: Post GP Holdings, Inc. as General Partner By: ------------------------------------ R. Gregory Fox Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Attest: -------------------------------------- Sherry W. Cohen Executive Vice President and Secretary [SEAL] 9 10 TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION: This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture. SUNTRUST BANK, as Trustee By: -------------------------------- Authorized Officer By: -------------------------------- Authorized Officer 10 11 ASSIGNMENT FORM FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers to PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBERS OF ASSIGNS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Please Print or Typewrite Name and Address Including Zip Code of Assignee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- the within Note of Post Apartment Homes, L.P. and ------------------------------ hereby does irrevocably constitute and appoint -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney to transfer said Note on the books of the within-named Trust with Full power of substitution in the premises. Dated: --------------- ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------- NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as it appears on the first page of the within Note in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever. 11