-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, VO93PoON/3G2s1pittfn1US1tKNXqpDNLe9pRxWwEo1lsD75UO+zFdtwOUBkzEAL a3bhpD18d9neGil6fbrn2A== 0000912057-01-519200.txt : 20010611 0000912057-01-519200.hdr.sgml : 20010611 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000912057-01-519200 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-3 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 5 FILED AS OF DATE: 20010608 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: DEERE JOHN CAPITAL CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000027673 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SHORT-TERM BUSINESS CREDIT INSTITUTIONS [6153] IRS NUMBER: 362386361 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1031 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3 SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-62622 FILM NUMBER: 1657123 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: FIRST INTERSTATE BANK BUILDING STREET 2: 1 EAST FIRST STREET, SUITE 600 CITY: RENO STATE: NV ZIP: 89501 BUSINESS PHONE: (702) 786-5527 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: ONE JOHN DEERE PLACE CITY: MOLINE STATE: IL ZIP: 61265-8098 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DEERE JOHN CREDIT CO DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19890130 S-3 1 a2049853zs-3.txt S-3 REGISTRATION COVER AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 8, 2001 REGISTRATION NO. 333- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 ------------------------ FORM S-3 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ------------------------ JOHN DEERE CAPITAL CORPORATION (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) ------------------------------ DELAWARE 36-2386361 (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer incorporation or organization) Identification No.)
1 EAST FIRST STREET SUITE 600 RENO, NEVADA 89501 775/786-5527 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices) MICHAEL A. HARRING DEERE & COMPANY ONE JOHN DEERE PLACE MOLINE, ILLINOIS 61265-8098 309/765-5799 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) COPIES TO: JONATHAN JEWETT HOWARD G. GODWIN LISA L. JACOBS EDWARD F. PETROSKY Shearman & Sterling Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP 599 Lexington Avenue One World Trade Center New York, New York 10022 New York, New York 10048
------------------------------ APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: From time to time after this registration statement becomes effective. ------------------------------ If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. / / If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities being offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. /X/ If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box and list the registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. / / If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box and list the registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. / / If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434 under the Securities Act of 1933, please check the following box. / / CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
PROPOSED MAXIMUM PROPOSED MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF AMOUNT TO BE OFFERING PRICE PER AGGREGATE OFFERING REGISTRATION SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED REGISTERED UNIT(1) PRICE(1) FEE Debt securities(2), warrants to purchase debt securities and preferred stock(3).......... $3,000,000,000 100% $3,000,000,000 $750,000
(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the registration fee. (2) Or, in the event of the issuance of original issue discount debt securities, such higher principal amount as may be sold for an initial public offering price of up to $3,000,000,000. (3) Such indeterminate number of shares of Preferred Stock as may, from time to time, be issued at indeterminate prices, including Preferred Stock issuable upon conversion into or exchange of other securities of the Company. Pursuant to rule 429 under the securities act of 1933, the prospectus included in this registration statement is a combined prospectus relating also to $1,075,000,000 of securities previously registered under registration statement no. 333-39012 previously filed by the registrant on Form S-3 and declared effective on June 20, 2000 and also relating to $850,000 of securities previously registered under registration statement no. 333-69601 previously filed by the registrant on Form S-3 and declared effective on January 12, 1999. This registration statement, which is a new registration statement, also constitutes post-effective amendment no. 1 to registration statement no. 333-39012 and to registration statement no. 333-69601, and such post-effective amendments no. 1 shall hereafter become effective concurrently with the effectiveness of this registration statement and in accordance with section 8(c) of the securities act of 1933. The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with section 8(a) of the securities act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the commission, acting pursuant to said section 8(a), may determine. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED. SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JUNE 8, 2001 JOHN DEERE CAPITAL CORPORATION - ------------------------------- By this prospectus, we offer up to $4,075,850,000 of-- DEBT SECURITIES WARRANTS TO PURCHASE DEBT SECURITIES PREFERRED STOCK --------------------------------- We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the supplements carefully before you invest. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. ------------------------------------------------ [JOHN DEERE CREDIT LOGO] The date of this prospectus is , 2001 WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and special reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC's public reference rooms at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 and in New York, New York and Chicago, Illinois. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference rooms. Our SEC filings are also available to the public from the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov. Some of our debt securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and information about us also is available at this location. The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the information we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents that are considered part of this prospectus. Later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i) after the date of the filing of this registration statement and prior to its effectiveness and (ii) until the offering of the particular securities covered by a prospectus supplement has been completed. This prospectus is part of a registration statement filed with the SEC. - Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2000. - Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended January 31, 2001 and April 30, 2001. - Current Reports on Form 8-K dated November 21, 2000, February 13, 2001 and May 15, 2001. You may obtain a copy of these filings at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address: John Deere Capital Corporation 1 East First Street, Suite 600 Reno, Nevada 89501 Attn: Manager (775) 786-5527 You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different or additional information. This prospectus is an offer to sell or to buy only the securities referred to herein, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of the date hereof. 2 THE CAPITAL CORPORATION The principal business of John Deere Capital Corporation (Capital Corporation) and its subsidiaries is providing and administering financing for retail purchases of new and used equipment manufactured by Deere & Company's agricultural, commercial and consumer, and construction equipment divisions. We purchase retail installment sales and loan contracts (retail notes) from Deere & Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively called John Deere). John Deere acquires these retail notes through John Deere retail dealers. We also purchase and finance certain agricultural, construction, and lawn and grounds care retail notes unrelated to John Deere. In addition, we purchase and finance recreational product retail notes acquired from dealers. We also lease equipment to retail customers, finance and service revolving charge accounts and operating loans acquired from and offered through merchants or farm input providers in the agricultural, construction, and lawn and grounds care markets as well as insured international export financing products, and provide wholesale financing for inventories of John Deere engines and John Deere agricultural and John Deere construction equipment owned by dealers of those products. The Capital Corporation was incorporated under the laws of Delaware and commenced operations in 1958. At January 1, 2001, we had 1,364 full-time and part-time employees. BUSINESS OF JOHN DEERE John Deere's operations are categorized into four major business segments: John Deere's worldwide AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT segment manufactures and distributes a full line of farm equipment--including tractors; combine, cotton, and sugarcane harvesters; tillage, seeding and soil preparation machinery; sprayers; hay and forage equipment; materials handling equipment; and integrated precision farming technology. John Deere's worldwide COMMERCIAL AND CONSUMER EQUIPMENT segment manufactures and distributes equipment for commercial and residential uses--including small tractors for lawn, garden, commercial and utility purposes; riding and walk-behind mowers; golf course equipment; snowblowers; handheld products such as chain saws, string trimmers and leaf blowers; skid-steer loaders; utility vehicles; and other outdoor power products. John Deere's worldwide CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT segment manufactures and distributes a broad range of machines used in construction, earthmoving, material handling and timber harvesting--including backhoe loaders; crawler dozers and loaders; four-wheel-drive loaders; excavators; motor graders; articulated dump trucks; forklifts; landscape loaders; and log skidders, feller bunchers, loaders, forwarders, harvesters and related attachments. The products produced by the equipment segments are marketed primarily through retail dealer networks and major retail outlets. John Deere's CREDIT segment primarily includes the operations of the Capital Corporation, John Deere Credit Company and John Deere Credit Inc. (Canada), and primarily finances sales and leases by John Deere dealers of new and used equipment and sales by non-Deere dealers of recreational products. In addition, it provides wholesale financing to dealers of the foregoing equipment, provides operating loans and finances retail revolving charge accounts. 3 USE OF PROCEEDS Except as may be described otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will add the net proceeds from the sale of the securities under this prospectus to our general funds and will use them for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including, among other things, the purchase of receivables or other assets. The net proceeds may be applied initially to the reduction of short-term indebtedness. PROSPECTUS This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC utilizing a "shelf" registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell any combination of the following securities in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $4,075,850,000, or the equivalent thereof if any of the securities are denominated in a currency, currency unit or composite currency ("currency") other than the U.S. dollar: - unsecured debt securities ("debt securities"), which may be either senior (the "senior securities") or subordinated (the "subordinated securities"); - warrants to purchase debt securities ("debt warrants"); or - shares of our preferred stock ("preferred stock"). The terms of the securities will be determined at the time of offering. We will refer to the debt securities, debt warrants and preferred stock, or any combination of those securities, proposed to be sold under this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement as the "offered securities". The offered securities, together with any debt securities and preferred stock issuable upon exercise of debt warrants or conversion or exchange of other offered securities, as applicable, will be referred to as the "securities". PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT This prospectus provides you with a general description of the debt securities, warrants to purchase debt securities and preferred stock we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change information contained in this prospectus and, accordingly, to the extent inconsistent, information in this prospectus is superseded by the information in the prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information". The prospectus supplement to be attached to the front of this prospectus will describe: the terms of the securities offered, any initial public offering price, the price paid to us for the securities, the net proceeds to us, the manner of distribution and any underwriting compensation and the other specific material terms related to the offering of these securities. For more detail on the terms of the securities, you should read the exhibits filed with or incorporated by reference in our registration statement. 4 DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES We may issue debt securities in one or more distinct series. This section summarizes the material terms of the debt securities that are common to all series. Most of the financial terms and other specific material terms of any series of debt securities that we offer will be described in a prospectus supplement to be attached to the front of this prospectus. Furthermore, since the terms of specific debt securities may differ from the general information we have provided below, you should rely on information in the prospectus supplement that contradicts different information below. As required by federal law for all bonds and notes of companies that are publicly offered, the debt securities are governed by a document called an "indenture". An indenture is a contract between us and a financial institution acting as trustee on your behalf. The trustee has two main roles. First, the trustee can enforce your rights against us if we default. There are some limitations on the extent to which the trustee acts on your behalf, described in the second paragraph under "Events of Default--Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs". Second, the trustee performs certain administrative duties for us. Senior securities will be issued under an indenture dated as of March 15, 1997, as supplemented from time to time (the "senior indenture"), between us and The Chase Manhattan Bank, trustee (the "senior trustee"), and subordinated securities will be issued under an indenture dated as of March 15, 1997, as supplemented from time to time (the "subordinated indenture"), between us and Bank One Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to The First National Bank of Chicago), trustee (the "subordinated trustee"). The term "trustee" refers to the senior trustee or the subordinated trustee, as appropriate. We will refer to the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture together as the "indentures" and each as an "indenture". The indentures are subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities and the indentures. We urge you to read the indenture that governs your debt securities because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a holder of debt securities. For example, in this section, we use capitalized words to signify terms that are specifically defined in the indentures. Some of the definitions are repeated in this prospectus, but for the rest you will need to read the indentures. We have filed the form of each indenture as an exhibit to a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC. See "Where You Can Find More Information" on page 2 for information on how to obtain a copy of the indentures. GENERAL The debt securities will be our unsecured obligations. The senior securities will rank equally with all our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The subordinated securities will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of our Senior Indebtedness as described below under "Subordinated Indenture Provisions--Subordination". Each indenture provides that any debt securities proposed to be sold under this prospectus and the attached prospectus supplement ("offered debt securities") and any debt securities issuable upon the exercise of debt warrants or upon conversion or exchange of other offered securities ("underlying debt securities"), as well as other unsecured debt securities, may be issued under that indenture in one or more series. 5 You should read the prospectus supplement for the material terms of the offered debt securities and any underlying debt securities, including the following: - The title of the debt securities and whether the debt securities will be senior securities or subordinated securities. - The total principal amount of the debt securities and any limit on the total principal amount of debt securities of the series. - If not the principal amount of the debt securities, the portion of the principal amount payable upon acceleration of the maturity of the debt securities or how this portion will be determined. - The date or dates, or how the date or dates will be determined or extended, when the principal of the debt securities will be payable. - The interest rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, that the debt securities will bear, if any, or how the rate or rates will be determined, the date or dates from which any interest will accrue or how the date or dates will be determined, the interest payment dates, any record dates for these payments and the basis upon which interest will be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. - Any optional redemption provisions. - Any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to repurchase or otherwise redeem the debt securities. - The form in which we will issue the debt securities; whether we will have the option of issuing debt securities in "certificated" form; whether we will have the option of issuing certificated debt securities in bearer form if we issue the securities outside the United States to non-U.S. persons; any restrictions on the offer, sale or delivery of bearer securities and the terms, if any, upon which bearer securities of the series may be exchanged for registered securities of the series and VICE VERSA (if permitted by applicable laws and regulations). - If other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies in which the debt securities are denominated and/or payable. - Whether the amount of payments of principal, premium or interest, if any, on the debt securities will be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which could be based on one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices) and how these amounts will be determined. - The place or places, if any, other than or in addition to The City of New York, of payment, transfer, conversion and/or exchange of the debt securities. - If other than denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple in the case of registered securities issued in certificated form and $5,000 in the case of bearer securities, the denominations in which the offered debt securities will be issued. - The applicability of the provisions of the applicable indenture described under "defeasance" and any provisions in modification of, in addition to or in lieu of any of these provisions. 6 - Whether and under what circumstances we will pay additional amounts in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether we will have the option to redeem the debt securities rather than pay the additional amounts (and the terms of this option). - Any provisions granting special rights to the holders of the debt securities upon the occurrence of specified events. - Any changes or additions to the Events of Default or covenants contained in the applicable indenture. - Whether the debt securities will be convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities and the applicable terms and conditions. - Any other material terms of the debt securities. For purposes of this prospectus, any reference to the payment of principal of or premium or interest, if any, on debt securities will include additional amounts if required by the terms of the debt securities. Neither indenture limits the amount of debt securities that may be issued thereunder from time to time. Debt securities issued under an indenture, when a single trustee is acting for all debt securities issued under the indenture, are called the "indenture securities". Each indenture also provides that there may be more than one trustee thereunder, each with respect to one or more different series of indenture securities. See "Resignation of Trustee" below. At a time when two or more trustees are acting under either indenture, each with respect to only certain series, the term "indenture securities" means the one or more series of debt securities with respect to which each respective trustee is acting. In the event that there is more than one trustee under either indenture, the powers and trust obligations of each trustee described in this prospectus will extend only to the one or more series of indenture securities for which it is trustee. If two or more trustees are acting under either indenture, then the indenture securities for which each trustee is acting would be treated as if issued under separate indentures. The indentures do not contain any provisions that give you protection in the event we issue a large amount of debt or we are acquired by another entity. We refer you to the prospectus supplement for information with respect to any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or our covenants that are described below, including any addition of a covenant or other provision providing event risk or similar protection. We have the ability to issue indenture securities with terms different from those of indenture securities previously issued and, without the consent of the holders thereof, to reopen a previous issue of a series of indenture securities and issue additional indenture securities of that series unless the reopening was restricted when that series was created. CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE If any debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the prospectus supplement will explain the terms and conditions of the conversion or exchange, including the conversion price or exchange ratio (or the calculation method), the conversion or exchange period (or how the period will be determined), if conversion or exchange will be mandatory or at the option of the holder or us, provisions for adjusting the conversion price or the exchange ratio and provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of the redemption of the underlying debt securities. These terms may also include provisions under 7 which the number or amount of other securities to be received by the holders of the debt securities upon conversion or exchange would be calculated according to the market price of the other securities as of a time stated in the prospectus supplement. ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES IN REGISTERED FORM We may issue the debt securities in registered form, in which case we may issue them either in book-entry form only or in "certificated" form. Debt securities issued in book-entry form will be represented by global securities. We expect that we will usually issue debt securities in book-entry only form represented by global securities. We also will have the option of issuing debt securities in non-registered form as bearer securities if we issue the securities outside the United States to non-U.S. persons. In that case, the prospectus supplement will set forth the mechanics for holding the bearer securities, including the procedures for receiving payments, for exchanging the bearer securities for registered securities of the same series, and for receiving notices. The prospectus supplement will also describe the requirements with respect to our maintenance of offices or agencies outside the United States and the applicable U.S. federal tax law requirements. BOOK-ENTRY HOLDERS. We will issue registered debt securities in book-entry form only, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means debt securities will be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a depositary that will hold them on behalf of financial institutions that participate in the depositary's book-entry system. These participating institutions, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the debt securities held by the depositary or its nominee. These institutions may hold these interests on behalf of themselves or customers. Under each indenture, only the person in whose name a debt security is registered is recognized as the holder of that debt security. Consequently, for debt securities issued in book-entry form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the debt securities and we will make all payments on the debt securities to the depositary. The depositary will then pass along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn will pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the debt securities. As a result, investors will not own debt securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary's book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the debt securities are represented by one or more global securities, investors will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the debt securities. STREET NAME HOLDERS. In the future, we may issue debt securities in certificated form or terminate a global security. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their debt securities in their own names or in "street name". Debt securities held in street name are registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution chosen by the investor, and the investor would hold a beneficial interest in those debt securities through the account he or she maintains at that institution. For debt securities held in street name, we will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the debt securities are registered as the holders of those debt securities and we will make all payments on those debt securities to them. These institutions will pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or 8 because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold debt securities in street name will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the debt securities. LEGAL HOLDERS. Our obligations, as well as the obligations of the applicable trustee and those of any third parties employed by us or the applicable trustee, run only to the legal holders of the debt securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a debt security or has no choice because we are issuing the debt securities only in book-entry form. For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, if we want to obtain the approval of the holders for any purpose (for example, to amend an indenture or to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture), we would seek the approval only from the holders, and not the indirect holders, of the debt securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect holders is up to the holders. When we refer to you, we mean those who invest in the debt securities being offered by this prospectus, whether they are the holders or only indirect holders of those debt securities. When we refer to your debt securities, we mean the debt securities in which you hold a direct or indirect interest. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR INDIRECT HOLDERS. If you hold debt securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, we urge you to check with that institution to find out: - how it handles securities payments and notices, - whether it imposes fees or charges, - how it would handle a request for the holders' consent, if ever required, - whether and how you can instruct it to send you debt securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future for a particular series of debt securities, - how it would exercise rights under the debt securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests, and - if the debt securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary's rules and procedures will affect these matters. GLOBAL SECURITIES WHAT IS A GLOBAL SECURITY? As noted above, we usually will issue debt securities as registered securities in book-entry form only. A global security represents one or any other number of individual debt securities. Generally, all debt securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms. Each debt security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all debt securities issued in book-entry form. 9 A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary or its nominee, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under "Special Situations when a Global Security Will Be Terminated". As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all debt securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that has an account with the depositary. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the debt security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR GLOBAL SECURITIES. As an indirect holder, an investor's rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor's financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. The depositary that holds the global security will be considered the holder of the debt securities represented by the global security. If debt securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following: - An investor cannot cause the debt securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain certificates for his or her interest in the debt securities, except in the special situations we describe below. - An investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the debt securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the debt securities, as we describe under "Issuance of Securities in Registered Form" above. - An investor may not be able to sell interests in the debt securities to some insurance companies and other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form. - An investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the debt securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective. - The depositary's policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor's interest in a global security. We and the trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary's actions or for its records of ownership interests in a global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way. - If we redeem less than all the debt securities of a particular series being redeemed, DTC's practice is to determine by lot the amount to be redeemed from each of its participants holding that series. - An investor is required to give notice of exercise of any option to elect repayment of its debt securities, through its participant, to the applicable trustee and to deliver the related debt securities by causing its participant to transfer its interest in those debt securities, on DTC's records, to the applicable trustee. - DTC requires that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security deposited in its book-entry system use immediately available funds. Your broker or bank may also require you to use immediately available funds when purchasing or selling interests in a global security. 10 - Financial institutions that participate in the depositary's book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in a global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the debt security. There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries. SPECIAL SITUATIONS WHEN A GLOBAL SECURITY WILL BE TERMINATED. In a few special situations described below, a global security will be terminated and interests in it will be exchanged for certificates in non-book-entry form (certificated securities). After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold the certificated debt securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in a global security transferred on termination to their own names, so that they will be holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors under "Holders of Registered Debt Securities" above. The special situations for termination of a global security are as follows: - if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security, and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 60 days, - if we notify the trustee that we wish to terminate that global security, or - if an event of default has occurred with regard to the debt securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived; we discuss defaults later under "Events of Default". The prospectus supplement may list situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of debt securities covered by the prospectus supplement. If a global security is terminated, only the depositary, and not we or the applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions in whose names the debt securities represented by the global security will be registered and, therefore, who will be the holders of those debt securities. PAYMENT AND PAYING AGENTS We will pay interest to the person listed in the applicable trustee's records as the owner of the debt security at the close of business on a particular day in advance of each due date for interest, even if that person no longer owns the debt security on the interest due date. That day, usually about two weeks in advance of the interest due date, is called the "record date". Because we will pay all the interest for an interest period to the holders on the record date, holders buying and selling debt securities must work out between themselves the appropriate purchase price. The most common manner is to adjust the sales price of the debt securities to prorate interest fairly between buyer and seller based on their respective ownership periods within the particular interest period. This prorated interest amount is called "accrued interest". PAYMENTS ON GLOBAL SECURITIES. We will make payments on a global security in accordance with the applicable policies of the depositary as in effect from time to time. Under those policies, we will make payments directly to the depositary, or its nominee, and not to any indirect holders who own beneficial interests in the global security. An indirect holder's right to those payments will be governed by the rules and practices of the depositary and its participants, as described under "What Is a Global Security?". 11 PAYMENTS ON CERTIFICATED SECURITIES. We will make payments on a certificated debt security as follows. We will pay interest that is due on an interest payment date by check mailed on the interest payment date to the holder at his or her address shown on the trustee's records as of the close of business on the regular record date. We will make all payments of principal and premium, if any, by check at the office of the applicable trustee in New York, NY and/or at other offices that may be specified in the prospectus supplement or in a notice to holders, against surrender of the debt security. Alternatively, if the holder asks us to do so, we will pay any amount that becomes due on the debt security by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank in New York City, on the due date. To request payment by wire, the holder must give the applicable trustee or other paying agent appropriate transfer instructions at least 15 business days before the requested wire payment is due. In the case of any interest payment due on an interest payment date, the instructions must be given by the person who is the holder on the relevant regular record date. Any wire instructions, once properly given, will remain in effect unless and until new instructions are given in the manner described above. PAYMENT WHEN OFFICES ARE CLOSED. If any payment is due on a debt security on a day that is not a business day, we will make the payment on the next day that is a business day. Payments made on the next business day in this situation will be treated under the indentures as if they were made on the original due date, except as otherwise indicated in the attached prospectus supplement. Such payment will not result in a default under any debt security or either indenture, and no interest will accrue on the payment amount from the original due date to the next day that is a business day. BOOK-ENTRY AND OTHER INDIRECT HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR BANKS OR BROKERS FOR INFORMATION ON HOW THEY WILL RECEIVE PAYMENTS ON THEIR DEBT SECURITIES. EVENTS OF DEFAULT You will have rights if an Event of Default occurs in respect of the debt securities of your series and is not cured, as described later in this subsection. WHAT IS AN EVENT OF DEFAULT? The term "Event of Default" in respect of the debt securities of your series means any of the following: - We do not pay the principal of, or any premium on, a debt security of the series on its due date. - We do not pay interest on a debt security of the series within 30 days of its due date. - We do not deposit any sinking fund payment in respect of debt securities of the series on its due date. - We remain in breach of a covenant in respect of debt securities of the series for 60 days after we receive a written notice of default stating we are in breach. The notice must be sent by either the trustee or holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of debt securities of the series. - We file for bankruptcy or certain other events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur. - Any other Event of Default in respect of debt securities of the series described in the prospectus supplement occurs. An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under the same or any other indenture. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any 12 default, except in the payment of principal, premium or interest, if it considers the withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders. REMEDIES IF AN EVENT OF DEFAULT OCCURS. If an Event of Default has occurred and has not been cured, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may declare the entire principal amount of all the debt securities of that series to be due and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. A declaration of acceleration of maturity may be canceled by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series. Except in cases of default, where the trustee has some special duties, the trustee is not required to take any action under the applicable indenture at the request of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable protection from expenses and liability (called an "indemnity"). If reasonable indemnity is provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the relevant series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. The trustee may refuse to follow those directions in certain circumstances. No delay or omission in exercising any right or remedy will be treated as a waiver of that right, remedy or Event of Default. Before you are allowed to bypass your trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities, the following must occur: - You must give your trustee written notice that an Event of Default has occurred and remains uncured. - The holders of at least 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the relevant series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the default and must offer reasonable indemnity to the trustee against the cost and other liabilities of taking that action. - The trustee must not have taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice and offer of indemnity. - The holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities must not have given the trustee a direction inconsistent with the above notice. However, you are entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on your debt securities on or after the due date. Holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may waive any past defaults other than - the payment of principal, any premium or interest or - in respect of a covenant that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each holder. BOOK-ENTRY AND OTHER INDIRECT HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR BANKS OR BROKERS FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO GIVE NOTICE OR DIRECTION TO OR MAKE A REQUEST OF THE TRUSTEE AND HOW TO DECLARE OR CANCEL AN ACCELERATION. Each year, we will furnish to each trustee a written statement of certain of our officers certifying that to their knowledge we are in compliance with the applicable indenture and the debt securities, or else specifying any default. 13 MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION Under the terms of the indentures, we are generally permitted to consolidate or merge with another entity. We are also permitted to sell all or substantially all of our assets to another entity. However, we may not take any of these actions unless all the following conditions are met: - Where we merge out of existence or sell our assets, the resulting entity must agree to be legally responsible for our obligations under the debt securities. - The merger or sale of assets must not cause a default on the debt securities and we must not already be in default (unless the merger or sale would cure the default). For purposes of this no-default test, a default would include an Event of Default that has occurred and has not been cured, as described under "What Is an Event of Default?" above. A default for this purpose would also include any event that would be an Event of Default if the requirements for giving us a notice of default or our default having to exist for a specific period of time were disregarded. - Under the senior indenture, no merger or sale of assets may be made if as a result any of our property or assets or any property or assets of one of our Subsidiaries would become subject to any mortgage, lien or other encumbrance unless either (i) the mortgage, lien or other encumbrance could be created pursuant to the limitation on liens covenant in the senior indenture (see "Senior Indenture Provisions--Limitation on Liens" below) without equally and ratably securing the senior indenture securities or (ii) the senior indenture securities are secured equally and ratably with or prior to the debt secured by the mortgage, lien or other encumbrance. - We must deliver certain certificates and documents to the trustee. - We must satisfy any other requirements specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of debt securities. MODIFICATION OR WAIVER There are three types of changes we can make to either indenture and the debt securities issued thereunder. CHANGES REQUIRING YOUR APPROVAL. First, there are changes that we cannot make to your debt securities without your specific approval. Following is a list of those types of changes: - change the stated maturity of the principal of or interest on a debt security; - reduce any amounts due on a debt security; - reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of a security following a default; - adversely affect any right of repayment at the holder's option; - change the place (except as otherwise described in the prospectus or prospectus supplement) or currency of payment on a debt security; - impair your right to sue for payment; - adversely affect any right to convert or exchange a debt security in accordance with its terms; - modify the subordination provisions in the subordinated indenture in a manner that is adverse to holders of the subordinated securities; - reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to modify or amend the applicable indenture; 14 - reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to waive compliance with certain provisions of the applicable indenture or to waive certain defaults; - modify any other aspect of the provisions of either indenture dealing with modification and waiver of past defaults, changes to the quorum or voting requirements or the waiver of certain covenants; and - change any obligation we have to pay additional amounts. CHANGES NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL. The second type of change does not require any vote by the holders of the debt securities. This type is limited to clarifications and certain other changes that would not adversely affect holders of the outstanding debt securities in any material respect. We also do not need any approval to make any change that affects only debt securities to be issued under either indenture after the change takes effect. CHANGES REQUIRING MAJORITY APPROVAL. Any other change to either indenture and the debt securities would require the following approval: - If the change affects only one series of debt securities, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of that series. - If the change affects more than one series of debt securities issued under the same indenture, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all of the series affected by the change, with all affected series voting together as one class for this purpose. In each case, the required approval must be given by written consent. The holders of a majority in principal amount of all of the series of debt securities issued under an indenture, voting together as one class for this purpose, may waive our compliance with some of our covenants in that indenture. However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default or of any of the matters covered by the bullet points included above under "--Changes Requiring Your Approval". FURTHER DETAILS CONCERNING VOTING. When taking a vote, we will use the following rules to decide how much principal to attribute to a debt security: - For original issue discount securities, we will use the principal amount that would be due and payable on the voting date if the maturity of these debt securities were accelerated to that date because of a default. - For debt securities whose principal amount is not known (for example, because it is based on an index), we will use a special rule for that debt security described in the prospectus supplement. - For debt securities denominated in one or more foreign currencies, we will use the U.S. dollar equivalent. Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote, if we have deposited or set aside in trust money for their payment or redemption. Debt securities will also not be eligible to vote if they have been fully defeased as described later under "Defeasance--Full Defeasance". We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding indenture securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the indentures. If we set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by holders of one or more series, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding indenture securities of those series on the record date and must be taken within eleven months following the record date. 15 BOOK-ENTRY AND OTHER INDIRECT HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR BANKS OR BROKERS FOR INFORMATION ON HOW APPROVAL MAY BE GRANTED OR DENIED IF WE SEEK TO CHANGE THE APPLICABLE INDENTURE OR THE DEBT SECURITIES OR REQUEST A WAIVER. DEFEASANCE The following provisions will be applicable to each series of debt securities unless we state in the applicable prospectus supplement that the provisions of covenant defeasance and full defeasance will not be applicable to that series. COVENANT DEFEASANCE. Under current United States federal tax law, we can make the deposit described below and be released from some of the restrictive covenants in the indenture under which the particular series was issued. This is called "covenant defeasance". In that event, you would lose the protection of those restrictive covenants but would gain the protection of having money and government securities set aside in trust to repay your debt securities. If you hold subordinated securities, you also would be released from the subordination provisions described under "Subordinated Indenture Provisions--Subordination" below. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, we must do the following: - We must deposit in trust for the benefit of all holders of the debt securities of the particular series a combination of money and United States government or United States government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates. - We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that, under current United States federal income tax law, we may make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and just repaid the debt securities ourselves at maturity. - We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel stating that the above deposit does not require registration by us under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. If we accomplish covenant defeasance, you can still look to us for repayment of the debt securities if there were a shortfall in the trust deposit or the trustee is prevented from making payment. In fact, if one of the remaining Events of Default occurred (such as our bankruptcy) and the debt securities became immediately due and payable, there might be a shortfall. Depending on the event causing the default, you may not be able to obtain payment of the shortfall. FULL DEFEASANCE. If there is a change in United States federal tax law, as described below, we can legally release ourselves from all payment and other obligations on the debt securities of a particular series (called "full defeasance") if we put in place the following other arrangements for you to be repaid: - We must deposit in trust for the benefit of all holders of the debt securities of the particular series a combination of money and United States government or United States government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates. - We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion confirming that there has been a change in current United States federal tax law or an Internal Revenue Service ruling that allows us to make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt 16 securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and just repaid the debt securities ourselves at maturity. Under current United States federal tax law, the deposit and our legal release from the debt securities would be treated as though we paid you your share of the cash and notes or bonds at the time the cash and notes or bonds were deposited in trust in exchange for your debt securities and you would recognize gain or loss on the debt securities at the time of the deposit. - We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel stating that the above deposit does not require registration by us under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. If we ever did accomplish full defeasance, as described above, you would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for repayment of the debt securities. You could not look to us for repayment in the unlikely event of any shortfall. Conversely, the trust deposit would most likely be protected from claims of our lenders and other creditors if we ever became bankrupt or insolvent. If you hold subordinated securities, you would also be released from the subordination provisions described later under "Subordinated Indenture Provisions-- Subordination". FORM, EXCHANGE AND TRANSFER OF CERTIFICATED REGISTERED SECURITIES If registered debt securities cease to be issued in book-entry form, they will be issued: - only in fully registered certificated form, - without interest coupons, and - unless we indicate otherwise in the prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and amounts that are multiples of $1,000. Holders may exchange their certificated securities for debt securities of smaller denominations or combined into fewer debt securities of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount is not changed. Holders may exchange or transfer their certificated securities at the office of their trustee. We have appointed the trustee to act as our agent for registering debt securities in the names of holders transferring debt securities. We may appoint another entity to perform these functions or perform them ourselves. Holders will not be required to pay a service charge to transfer or exchange their certificated securities, but they may be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge associated with the transfer or exchange. The transfer or exchange will be made only if our transfer agent is satisfied with the holder's proof of legal ownership. If we have designated additional transfer agents for your debt security, they will be named in your prospectus supplement. We may appoint additional transfer agents or cancel the appointment of any particular transfer agent. We may also approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts. If any certificated securities of a particular series are redeemable and we redeem less than all the debt securities of that series, we may block the transfer or exchange of those debt securities during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail the notice of redemption and ending on the day of that mailing, in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare the mailing. We may also refuse to register transfers or exchanges of any certificated securities selected for redemption, except that we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any debt security that will be partially redeemed. 17 If a registered debt security is issued in book-entry form, only the depositary will be entitled to transfer and exchange the debt security as described in this subsection, since it will be the sole holder of the debt security. RESIGNATION OF TRUSTEE Each trustee may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of indenture securities provided that a successor trustee is appointed to act with respect to these series. In the event that two or more persons are acting as trustee with respect to different series of indenture securities under one of the indentures, each of the trustees will be a trustee of a trust separate and apart from the trust administered by any other trustee. SENIOR INDENTURE PROVISIONS--LIMITATION ON LIENS We covenant in the senior indenture that neither we nor any of our subsidiaries will pledge or subject to any lien any of our or their property or assets unless the indenture securities issued under that indenture are secured by this pledge or lien equally and ratably with other indebtedness thereby secured. There are excluded from this covenant liens created to secure obligations for the purchase price of physical property, liens of a Subsidiary securing indebtedness owed to us, liens existing on property acquired upon exercise of rights arising out of defaults on receivables acquired in the ordinary course of business, sales of receivables accounted for as secured indebtedness in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, certain liens not related to the borrowing of money and other liens not securing borrowed money aggregating less than $500,000. SUBORDINATED INDENTURE PROVISIONS--SUBORDINATION Upon any distribution of our assets upon our dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the subordinated securities is to be subordinated to the extent provided in the subordinated indenture in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, but our obligation to you to make payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the subordinated securities will not otherwise be affected. In addition, no payment on account of principal (or premium, if any), sinking fund or interest, if any, may be made on the subordinated securities at any time unless full payment of all amounts due in respect of the principal (and premium, if any), sinking fund and interest on Senior Indebtedness has been made or duly provided for in money or money's worth. In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment by us is received by the subordinated trustee or the holders of any of the subordinated securities before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, the payment or distribution must be paid over to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness or on their behalf for application to the payment of all the Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all the Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness upon this distribution by us, the holders of the subordinated securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of the Senior Indebtedness to the extent of payments made to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness out of the distributive share of the subordinated securities. By reason of this subordination, in the event of a distribution of our assets upon our insolvency, certain of our senior creditors may recover more, ratably, than holders of the subordinated securities. The subordinated indenture provides that these subordination 18 provisions will not apply to money and securities held in trust under the defeasance provisions of the subordinated indenture. Senior Indebtedness is defined in the subordinated indenture as the principal of (and premium, if any) and unpaid interest on: - our indebtedness (including indebtedness of others guaranteed by us), whenever created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, for money borrowed (other than the indenture securities issued under the subordinated indenture and our 8 5/8% Subordinated Debentures due 2019), unless in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or under which the same is outstanding it is provided that this indebtedness is not senior or prior in right of payment to the subordinated securities, and - renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any of this indebtedness. If this prospectus is being delivered in connection with the offering of a series of subordinated securities, the accompanying prospectus supplement will set forth the approximate amount of our Senior Indebtedness outstanding as of a recent date. THE TRUSTEES UNDER THE INDENTURES The Chase Manhattan Bank and Bank One N.A., an affiliate of Bank One Trust Company, National Association, are two of a number of banks with which we and Deere & Company maintain ordinary banking relationships and from which we and Deere & Company have obtained credit facilities and lines of credit. The Chase Manhattan Bank also serves as trustee under other indentures under which we or Deere & Company are the obligor. John R. Stafford, a director of Deere & Company, is a director of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., the parent of The Chase Manhattan Bank. Antonio Madero B., a director of Deere & Company, is a member of the International Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO FOREIGN CURRENCIES Debt securities denominated or payable in foreign currencies may entail significant risks. These risks include the possibility of significant fluctuations in the foreign currency markets, the imposition or modification of foreign exchange controls and potential illiquidity in the secondary market. These risks will vary depending upon the currency or currencies involved and will be more fully described in the applicable prospectus supplement. DESCRIPTION OF DEBT WARRANTS We may issue (either separately or together with other offered securities) debt warrants to purchase underlying debt securities issued by us ("offered debt warrants"). We will issue the debt warrants under warrant agreements (each a "debt warrant agreement") to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent (the "debt warrant agent"), identified in the prospectus supplement. Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt warrants and the debt warrant agreement. We urge you to read the debt warrant agreement because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a holder of debt warrants. We have filed the form of debt warrant agreement as an exhibit to the registration statement that we have filed with the SEC. See "Where You Can Find More Information" on page 2 for information on how to obtain a copy of the debt warrant agreement. 19 GENERAL You should read the prospectus supplement for the material terms of the offered debt warrants, including the following: - The title and aggregate number of the debt warrants. - The title, rank, aggregate principal amount and terms of the underlying debt securities purchasable upon exercise of the debt warrants. - The principal amount of underlying debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of each debt warrant, and the price or the manner of determining the price at which this principal amount may be purchased upon exercise. - The time or times at which, or the period or periods during which, the debt warrants may be exercised and the expiration date of the debt warrants. - Any optional redemption terms. - Whether certificates evidencing the debt warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form and, if registered, where they may be transferred and exchanged. - Whether the debt warrants are to be issued with any debt securities or any other securities and, if so, the amount and terms of these debt securities or other securities. - The date, if any, on and after which the debt warrants and these debt securities or other securities will be separately transferable. - Any other material terms of the debt warrants. The prospectus supplement will also contain a discussion of the United States federal income tax considerations relevant to the offering. Debt warrant certificates will be exchangeable for new debt warrant certificates of different denominations. No service charge will be imposed for any permitted transfer or exchange of debt warrant certificates, but we may require payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith. Debt warrants may be exercised and exchanged and debt warrants in registered form may be presented for registration of transfer at the corporate trust office of the debt warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement. EXERCISE OF DEBT WARRANTS Each offered debt warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase the amount of underlying debt securities at the exercise price set forth in, or calculable from, the prospectus supplement relating to the offered debt warrants. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised debt warrants will be void. Debt warrants may be exercised by payment to the debt warrant agent of the applicable exercise price and by delivery to the debt warrant agent of the related debt warrant certificate, properly completed. Debt warrants will be deemed to have been exercised upon receipt of the exercise price and the debt warrant certificate or certificates. Upon receipt of this payment and the properly completed debt warrant certificates, we will, as soon as practicable, deliver the amount of underlying debt securities purchased upon exercise. If fewer than all of the debt warrants represented by any debt warrant certificate are exercised, a new debt warrant certificate will be issued for the unexercised debt warrants. The holder of a debt warrant will be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge that 20 may be imposed in connection with any transfer involved in the issuance of underlying debt securities purchased upon exercise. MODIFICATIONS There are three types of changes we can make to a debt warrant agreement and the debt warrants issued thereunder. CHANGES REQUIRING YOUR APPROVAL. First, there are changes that cannot be made to your debt warrants without your specific approval. Those types of changes include modifications and amendments that: - accelerate the expiration date; - reduce the number of outstanding debt warrants, the consent of the holders of which is required for a modification or amendment; or - otherwise materially and adversely affect the rights of the holders of the debt warrants. CHANGES NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL. The second type of change does not require any vote by holders of the debt warrants. This type of change is limited to clarifications and other changes that would not materially adversely affect the interests of holders of the debt warrants. CHANGES REQUIRING A MAJORITY VOTE. Any other change to the debt warrant agreement and the debt warrants requires a vote in favor by holders of a majority in number of the then outstanding unexercised debt warrants affected thereby. Most changes fall into this category. NO RIGHTS AS HOLDERS OF UNDERLYING DEBT SECURITIES Before the warrants are exercised, holders of the debt warrants are not entitled to payments of principal, premium or interest, if any, on the related underlying debt securities or to exercise any rights whatsoever as holders of the underlying debt securities. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK Under our certificate of incorporation (the "certificate of incorporation"), we are authorized to adopt resolutions providing for the issuance, in one or more series, of up to 10,000 shares of preferred stock, $1.00 par value, with the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof adopted by our Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof. Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of our preferred stock. We urge you to read our certificate of incorporation and the certificate of designations creating your preferred stock because they, and not this description, define your rights as a holder of preferred stock. We have filed our certificate of incorporation and will file the certificate of designations with the SEC. See "Where You Can Find More Information" on page 2 for information on how to obtain copies of these documents. The specific material terms of any preferred stock proposed to be sold under this prospectus and an attached prospectus supplement will be described in the prospectus supplement. If so indicated in the prospectus supplement, the terms of the offered preferred stock may differ from the terms set forth below. 21 GENERAL Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement relating to the offered preferred stock, each series of preferred stock will rank on a parity as to dividends and distribution of assets upon liquidation and in all other respects with all other series of preferred stock. The preferred stock will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable and holders thereof will have no preemptive rights. You should read the prospectus supplement for the material terms of the preferred stock offered thereby, including the following: - The title and stated value of the preferred stock. - The number of shares of the preferred stock offered, the liquidation preference per share and the offering price of the preferred stock. - The dividend rate(s), period(s) and/or payment date(s) or method(s) of calculation thereof applicable to the preferred stock. - The date from which dividends on the preferred stock will accumulate, if applicable. - The liquidation rights of the preferred stock. - The procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any, of the preferred stock. - The sinking fund provisions, if applicable, for the preferred stock. - The redemption provisions, if applicable, for the preferred stock. - Whether the preferred stock will be convertible into or exchangeable for other securities and, if so, the terms and conditions of conversion or exchange, including the conversion price or exchange ratio and the conversion or exchange period (or the method of determining the same). - Whether the preferred stock will have voting rights and the terms thereof, if any. - Whether the preferred stock will be listed on any securities exchange. - Whether the preferred stock will be issued with any other securities and, if so, the amount and terms of these other securities. - Any other specific material terms, preferences or rights of, or limitations or restrictions on, the preferred stock. Subject to our certificate of incorporation and to any limitations contained in our outstanding preferred stock, we may issue additional series of preferred stock, at any time or from time to time, with the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as our Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee thereof may determine, all without further action of our stockholders, including holders of our then outstanding preferred stock. If applicable, the prospectus supplement will also contain a discussion of the material United States federal income tax considerations relevant to the offering. DIVIDENDS Holders of preferred stock will be entitled to receive cash dividends, when, as and if declared by our Board of Directors, out of our assets legally available for payment, at the rate and on the dates set forth in the prospectus supplement. Each dividend will be payable to holders of record as they appear on our stock books on the record date fixed by our Board of 22 Directors. Dividends, if cumulative, will be cumulative from and after the date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may not: - declare or pay dividends (except in our stock that is junior as to dividends and liquidation rights to the preferred stock ("junior stock")) or make any other distributions on junior stock, or - purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire junior stock or set aside funds for that purpose (except in a reclassification or exchange of junior stock through the issuance of other junior stock or with the proceeds of a reasonably contemporaneous sale of junior stock), if there are arrearages in dividends or failure in the payment of our sinking fund or redemption obligations on any of our preferred stock and, in the case of the first bullet point above, if dividends in full for the current quarterly dividend period have not been paid or declared on any of our preferred stock. Dividends in full may not be declared or paid or set apart for payment on any series of preferred stock unless: - there are no arrearages in dividends for any past dividend periods on any series of preferred stock, and - to the extent that the dividends are cumulative, dividends in full for the current dividend period have been declared or paid on all preferred stock. Any dividends declared or paid when dividends are not so declared, paid or set apart in full will be shared ratably by the holders of all series of preferred stock in proportion to the respective arrearages and undeclared and unpaid current cumulative dividends. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, will be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments that may be in arrears. CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE If the preferred stock will be convertible into or exchangeable for common stock or other securities, the prospectus supplement will set forth the terms and conditions of that conversion or exchange, including the conversion price or exchange ratio (or the method of calculating the same), the conversion or exchange period (or the method of determining the same), whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory or at the option of the holder or us, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price or the exchange ratio and provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of the redemption of that preferred stock. These terms may also include provisions under which the number of shares of common stock or the number or amount of other securities to be received by the holders of that preferred stock upon conversion or exchange would be calculated according to the market price of the common stock or those other securities as of a time stated in the prospectus supplement. LIQUIDATION RIGHTS In the event of our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of each series of the preferred stock will be entitled to receive out of our assets that are available for distribution to stockholders, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of any junior stock, liquidating distributions in the amount set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement plus all accrued and unpaid dividends. If, upon our any voluntary or 23 involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the amounts payable with respect to the preferred stock are not paid in full, the holders of preferred stock of each series will share ratably in the distribution of our assets in proportion to the full respective preferential amounts to which they are entitled. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, the holders of the preferred stock will not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of our assets. Our consolidation or merger with or into any other corporation or corporations or a sale of all or substantially all of our assets will not be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us for purposes of these provisions. REDEMPTION If so provided in the prospectus supplement, the offered preferred stock may be redeemable in whole or in part at our option at the times and at the redemption prices set forth therein. If dividends on any series of preferred stock are in arrears or we have failed to fulfill our sinking fund or redemption obligations with respect to any series of preferred stock, we may not purchase or redeem shares of preferred stock or any other capital stock ranking on a parity with or junior to the preferred stock as to dividends or upon liquidation, nor permit any subsidiary to do so, without in either case the consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of each series of preferred stock then outstanding; provided, however, that: - to meet our purchase, retirement or sinking fund obligations with respect to any series of preferred stock, we may use shares of that preferred stock acquired prior to the arrearages or failure of payment and then held as treasury stock, and - we may complete the purchase or redemption of shares of preferred stock for which a contract was entered into for any purchase, retirement or sinking fund purposes prior to the arrearages or failure of payment. VOTING RIGHTS Except as indicated below or in the prospectus supplement, or except as expressly required by applicable law, the holders of the preferred stock will not be entitled to vote. As used herein, the term "applicable preferred stock" means those series of preferred stock to which the provisions described herein are expressly made applicable by resolutions of our Board of Directors. If the equivalent of six quarterly dividends payable on any shares of any series of applicable preferred stock are in default (whether or not the dividends have been declared or the defaulted dividends are consecutive), the number of our directors will be increased by two and the holders of all outstanding series of applicable preferred stock, voting as a single class without regard to series, will be entitled to elect the two additional directors until four consecutive quarterly dividends are paid or declared and set apart for payment, if the shares are cumulative, or until all arrearages in dividends and dividends in full for the current quarterly period are paid or declared and set apart for payment, if the shares are non-cumulative, whereupon all voting rights described herein will be divested from the applicable preferred stock. The holders of applicable preferred stock may exercise their special class voting rights at meetings of the stockholders for the election of directors or at special meetings for the purpose of electing directors, in either case at which the holders of not less than one-third of the aggregate number of shares of applicable preferred stock are present in person or by proxy. 24 The affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of any series of preferred stock will be required: - for any amendment of our certificate of incorporation (or the related certificate of designations) that will adversely affect the powers, preferences or rights of the holders of the preferred stock of that series, or - to create any class of stock (or increase the authorized number of shares of any class of stock) that will have preference as to dividends or upon liquidation over the preferred stock of that series or create any stock or other security convertible into or exchangeable for or evidencing the right to purchase any stock of that class. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of all the then outstanding shares of our preferred stock will be required to increase the authorized amount of our preferred stock. PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION We may sell the offered securities: - through agents; - to or through underwriters; or - directly to other purchasers. Any underwriters or agents will be identified and their compensation described in the applicable prospectus supplement. We (directly or through agents) may sell, and the underwriters may resell, the offered securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. In connection with the sale of offered securities, the underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the offered securities for whom they may act as agents. The underwriters may sell offered securities to or through dealers, who may also receive compensation from purchasers of the offered securities for whom they may act as agents. Compensation may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the offered securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act"), and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the offered securities by them may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Act. We will indemnify the underwriters and agents against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Act, or contribute to payments they may be required to make in respect of such liabilities. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of their businesses. If so indicated in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series or issue of offered securities, we will authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase the offered securities from us under delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery at a future date. These contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable for solicitation of these contracts. 25 LEGAL OPINIONS The validity of the securities will be passed upon for us by Shearman & Sterling, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022, and for any underwriters, dealers or agents by Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP, One World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048. EXPERTS The financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference, and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of that firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing. 26 PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION. The following table sets forth the expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered, other than underwriting discounts and commissions. All of the amounts shown are estimates, except the SEC registration fee. SEC registration fee........................................ $ 750,000 Printing and engraving...................................... 150,000 Legal fees and expenses..................................... 200,000 Accounting fees............................................. 80,000 Trustees fees............................................... 40,000 Blue sky fees and expenses.................................. 10,000 Rating agency fees.......................................... 500,000 Miscellaneous............................................... 70,000 ---------- Total................................................... $1,800,000 ==========
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware authorizes registrant to indemnify its directors and officers under specified circumstances. Article twelfth of the Certificate of Incorporation of registrant provides in effect that registrant shall provide certain indemnification of its directors and officers. Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware also authorizes Deere & Company to indemnify persons who serve as directors or officers of registrant at the request of Deere & Company under specified circumstances. Article seventh of the restated Certificate of Incorporation of Deere & Company provides in effect that Deere & Company shall provide certain indemnification to such persons under certain circumstances. The directors and officers of the registrant are insured, under policies of insurance maintained by the registrant, within the limits and subject to the limitations of the policies, against certain expenses in connection with the defense of actions, suits or proceedings, to which they are parties by reason of being or having been such directors or officers. Section 6 of the underwriting agreement basic provisions filed as a part of exhibits 1.1 and 1.2 to this registration statement provides for indemnification of directors, officers who sign the registration statement and controlling persons of the registrant by the underwriters, and for indemnification of each underwriter and its controlling persons by the registrant, against certain liabilities. Similar provisions are contained in agreements entered into between the registrant and groups of underwriters on past occasions. ITEM 16. LIST OF EXHIBITS. The exhibits to this registration statement are listed in the exhibit index, which appears elsewhere herein and is incorporated herein by reference. II-1 ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS. (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the registration statement is on form S-3, form S-8 or form F-3, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement. (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof. (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. II-2 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the County of Rock Island, State of Illinois, on June 8, 2001. JOHN DEERE CAPITAL CORPORATION By: /s/ R. W. LANE ----------------------------------------- Robert W. Lane CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated. EACH PERSON SIGNING BELOW ALSO HEREBY APPOINTS ROBERT W. LANE, NATHAN J. JONES AND MICHAEL A. HARRING, AND EACH OF THEM SINGLY, HIS OR HER LAWFUL ATTORNEY-IN-FACT WITH FULL POWER TO EXECUTE AND FILE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, AND GENERALLY TO DO ALL SUCH THINGS, AS SUCH ATTORNEY-IN-FACT MAY DEEM APPROPRIATE TO ENABLE JOHN DEERE CAPITAL CORPORATION TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE --------- ----- ---- /s/ JAMES W. EILER --------------------------------- Director June 8, 2001 James W. Eiler /s/ JAMES R. HESEMAN --------------------------------- Director June 8, 2001 James R. Heseman /s/ JAMES A. ISRAEL --------------------------------- Director June 8, 2001 James A. Israel /s/ J. J. JENKINS --------------------------------- Director June 8, 2001 John J. Jenkins /s/ NATHAN J. JONES --------------------------------- Director, Senior Vice President and June 8, 2001 Nathan J. Jones Principal Financial Officer /s/ FERDINAND F. KORNDORF --------------------------------- Director June 8, 2001 Ferdinand F. Korndorf
II-3
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE --------- ----- ---- /s/ R. W. LANE Director, Chairman and Chief --------------------------------- Executive Officer (Principal June 8, 2001 Robert W. Lane Executive Officer) /s/ PIERRE E. LEROY --------------------------------- Director June 8, 2001 Pierre E. Leroy /s/ M. P. ORR --------------------------------- Director June 8, 2001 Michael P. Orr /s/ JON D. VOLKERT --------------------------------- Director and President June 8, 2001 Jon D. Volkert /s/ STEVEN E. WARREN --------------------------------- Director, Senior Vice President and June 8, 2001 Steven E. Warren Principal Accounting Officer
II-4 EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT - --------------------- 1.1 Proposed forms of terms agreement and underwriting agreement basic provisions for Debt Securities (Exhibit 1 to registration statement on Form S-3 no. 33-46514*) 1.2 Proposed forms of terms agreement and underwriting agreement basic provisions for Preferred Stock (Exhibit 1.2 to registration statement on Form S-3 no. 33-65088*) 4.1 Senior indenture dated March 15, 1997 between the registrant and The Chase Manhattan Bank (Exhibit 4.1 to registration statement on Form S-3 no. 333-68355*) 4.2 Proposed form of senior fixed rate redeemable or non-redeemable note (Exhibit 4.2 to registration statement on Form S-3 no. 33-46514*) 4.3 Subordinated indenture dated March 15, 1997 between the registrant and Bank One Trust Company, National Association (a successor in interest to The First National Bank of Chicago) (Exhibit 4.3 to registration statement on Form S-3 no. 333-68355*) 4.4 Proposed form of subordinated fixed rate redeemable or non-redeemable note (Exhibit 4.4 to registration statement on Form S-3 no. 33-46514*) 4.5 Proposed form of debt warrant agreement (including proposed form of debt warrant certificate) (Exhibit 4.6 to registration statement on Form S-3 no. 33-34475*) 5 Opinion of Shearman & Sterling 12 John Deere Capital Corporation and Subsidiaries--Computation of Ratio of Earnings Before Fixed Charges to Fixed Charges (Exhibit 12 to Form 10-Q of registrant for the quarter ended April 30, 2001; file no. 1-6458*) 23.1 Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP 23.2 Consent of Shearman & Sterling (included in their opinion filed as exhibit 5) 24 Power of Attorney (included on signature page) 25.1 Statement of eligibility of The Chase Manhattan Bank under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 on form T-1 relating to the senior indenture 25.2 Statement of eligibility of Bank One Trust Company, National Association under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 on form T-1 relating to the subordinated indenture 99 None
- ------------------------ * Incorporated by reference. EX-5 2 a2049853zex-5.txt EXHIBIT 5 OPINION OF SHEARMAN AND STERLING Exhibit 5 June 8, 2001 To the Board of Directors of John Deere Capital Corporation Ladies and Gentlemen: We are acting as counsel for John Deere Capital Corporation (the "Company") in connection with the combined Registration Statement on Form S-3 and Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 333-39012 and to Registration Statement No. 333-69601 (the "Registration Statement") being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the offering from time to time, as set forth in the combined prospectus pursuant to Rule 429 contained in the Registration Statement (the "Prospectus") and as to be set forth in one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each such supplement, a "Prospectus Supplement"), of the Company's non-convertible debt securities (the "Debt Securities"), warrants to purchase debt securities (the "Debt Warrants") and non-convertible preferred stock (the "Preferred Stock") with an aggregate issue price of up to $4,075,850,000. The Debt Securities, the Debt Warrants and the Preferred Stock are collectively referred to as the "Securities". The Debt Securities will be issued in one or more series and may be either senior debt securities ("Senior Securities") issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 15, 1997 (the "Senior Indenture") between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, trustee (the "Senior Trustee"), or subordinated debt securities ("Subordinated Securities") issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 15, 1997 (the "Subordinated Indenture") between the Company and Bank One N.A., an affiliate of Bank One Trust Company National Association, trustee (the "Subordinated Trustee"). The Debt Warrants will be issued under one or more debt warrant agreements (each, a "Warrant Agreement") to be entered into between the Company and a financial institution identified therein as warrant agent (each, a "Warrant Agent"). We are familiar with the corporate proceedings of the Company to date with respect to the proposed issuance and sale of the Securities, including resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Resolutions") authorizing the Indentures and the issuance, offering and sale of the Securities, and we have examined such corporate records of the Company and such other documents and certificates as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. Based on the foregoing, and having regard for such legal considerations as we have deemed relevant, we are of the opinion that: 1. The Senior Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company pursuant to the authority granted in the Resolutions and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Senior Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms. 2. The Senior Securities (including Senior Securities issuable upon exercise of any Debt Warrants) have been duly authorized and, when the final terms thereof have been duly established and approved and when duly executed by the Company, in each case pursuant to the authority granted in the Resolutions, and authenticated by the Senior Trustee in accordance with the Senior Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the purchasers thereof, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Senior Indenture. 3. The Subordinated Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company pursuant to the authority granted in the Resolutions and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Subordinated Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms. 4. The Subordinated Securities (including Subordinated Securities issuable upon exercise of any Debt Warrants) have been duly authorized and, when the final terms thereof have been duly established and approved and when duly executed by the Company, in each case pursuant to the authority granted in the Resolutions, and authenticated by the Subordinated Trustee in accordance with the Subordinated Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the purchasers thereof, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Subordinated Indenture. 5. The Warrant Agreements have been duly authorized and, when executed and delivered by the Company pursuant to the authority granted in the Resolutions and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the applicable Warrant Agent, will constitute valid and legally binding instruments of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms. 6. The Debt Warrants have been duly authorized and, when the final terms thereof have been duly established and approved and when certificates representing such Debt Warrants have been duly executed by the Company, in each case pursuant to the authority granted in the Resolutions, and when such certificates have been countersigned by the applicable 2 Warrant Agent in accordance with the applicable Warrant Agreement and delivered to and paid for by the purchasers thereof, such Debt Warrants will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the applicable Warrant Agreement. 7. The Preferred Stock has been duly authorized and, when the final terms thereof have been duly established and approved and certificates representing such shares have been duly executed by the Company, in each case pursuant to the authority granted in the Resolutions, and delivered to and paid for by the purchasers thereof, and when all corporate action necessary for the issuance of such shares has been taken, including the adoption of Certificate of Designations, such shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The opinions set forth above are subject, as to enforcement, to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally, (ii) general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (iii) provisions of law that require that a judgment for money damages rendered by a court in the United States be expressed only in United States dollars. We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the heading "Legal Opinions" in the Prospectus. Very truly yours, /s/ Shearman & Sterling JJ/LLJ/NAM 3 EX-23.1 3 a2049853zex-23_1.txt EXHIBIT 23.1 CONSENT OF DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP EXHIBIT 23.1 [Letterhead of Deloitte & Touche LLP] Deloitte & Touche LLP Two Prudential Plaza 180 North Stetson Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60601 INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of John Deere Capital Corporation on Form S-3 of our report dated November 21, 2000, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of John Deere Capital Corporation for the year ended October 31, 2000, and to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement. DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP Chicago, Illinois June 8, 2001 EX-25.1 4 a2049853zex-25_1.txt EXHIBIT 25.1 CHASE MANHATTAN T-1 Exhibit 25.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D. C. 20549 ------------------------- FORM T-1 STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE ------------------------------------------- CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) ________ ---------------------------------------- THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter) NEW YORK 13-4994650 (State of incorporation (I.R.S. employer if not a national bank) identification No.) 270 PARK AVENUE NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) William H. McDavid General Counsel 270 Park Avenue New York, New York 10017 Tel: (212) 270-2611 (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service) --------------------------------------------- JOHN DEERE CAPITAL CORPORATION (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter) DELAWARE 36-2386361 (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. employer incorporation or organization) identification No.) 1 EAST FIRST STREET, SUITE 600 RENO, NEVADA 89501 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) ---------------------------------------- DEBT SECURITIES (Title of the indenture securities) ---------------------------------------- -2- GENERAL Item 1. General Information. Furnish the following information as to the trustee: (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject. New York State Banking Department, State House, Albany, New York 12110. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, D.C., 20551 Federal Reserve Bank of New York, District No. 2, 33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C., 20429. (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers. Yes. Item 2. Affiliations with the Obligor. If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation. None. Item 16. List of Exhibits List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of Eligibility. 1. A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee as now in effect, including the Organization Certificate and the Certificates of Amendment dated February 17, 1969, August 31, 1977, December 31, 1980, September 9, 1982, February 28, 1985, December 2, 1991 and July 10, 1996 (see Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-06249, which is incorporated by reference). 2. A copy of the Certificate of Authority of the Trustee to Commence Business (see Exhibit 2 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 33-50010, which is incorporated by reference. On July 14, 1996, in connection with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed The Chase Manhattan Bank). 3. None, authorization to exercise corporate trust powers being contained in the documents identified above as Exhibits 1 and 2. 4. A copy of the existing By-Laws of the Trustee (see Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-06249, which is incorporated by reference). 5. Not applicable. 6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (see Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 33-50010, which is incorporated by reference. On July 14, 1996, in connection with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed The Chase Manhattan Bank). 7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee, published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority. 8. Not applicable. 9. Not applicable. SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 the Trustee, The Chase Manhattan Bank, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of New York and State of New York, on the 30th day of May, 2001. THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK By /s/ William G. Keenan ----------------------- William G. Keenan Assistant Vice President EX-25.2 5 a2049853zex-25_2.txt EXHIBIT 25.2 BANK ONE T-1 Exhibit 25.2 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM T-1 STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) ---------------------------- BANK ONE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter) A NATIONAL BANKING ASSOCIATION 31-0838515 (I.R.S. employer identification number) 100 EAST BROAD STREET, COLUMBUS, OHIO 43271-0181 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) BANK ONE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. 1 Bank One Plaza Chicago, Illinois 60670 ATTN: SANDRA L. CARUBA, VICE PRESIDENT AND SENIOR COUNSEL, (312) 336-9436 (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service) ----------------------------- JOHN DEERE CAPITAL CORPORATION (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter) DELAWARE 36-2386361 (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. employer incorporation or organization) identification number) 1 EAST FIRST STREET, SUITE 600 89501 RENO, NEVADA (ZIP Code) (Address of principal executive offices) DEBT SECURITIES (Title of Indenture Securities) Item 1. GENERAL INFORMATION. FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO THE TRUSTEE: (a) NAME AND ADDRESS OF EACH EXAMINING OR SUPERVISING AUTHORITY TO WHICH IT IS SUBJECT. Comptroller of Currency, Washington, D.C.; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C.; The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington D.C. (b) WHETHER IT IS AUTHORIZED TO EXERCISE CORPORATE TRUST POWERS. The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers. Item 2. AFFILIATIONS WITH THE OBLIGOR. IF THE OBLIGOR IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE TRUSTEE, DESCRIBE EACH SUCH AFFILIATION. No such affiliation exists with the trustee. Item 16. LIST OF EXHIBITS. LIST BELOW ALL EXHIBITS FILED AS A PART OF THIS STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY. 1. A copy of the articles of association of the trustee now in effect.* 2. A copy of the certificate of authority of the trustee to commence business.* 3. A copy of the authorization of the trustee to exercise corporate trust powers.* 4. A copy of the existing by-laws of the trustee.* 5. Not Applicable. 6. The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act. 7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority. 8. Not Applicable. 9. Not Applicable. Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the trustee, Bank One Trust Company, National Association, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this Statement of Eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Chicago and State of Illinois, on the 29th day of May, 2001. BANK ONE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, TRUSTEE By /s/ SANDRA L. CARUBA SANDRA L. CARUBA VICE PRESIDENT * Exhibits 1, 2, 3, and 4 are herein incorporated by reference to Exhibits bearing identical numbers in Item 16 of the Form T-1 of Bank One Trust Company, National Association, filed as Exhibit 25 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 10, 2000 (Registration No. 333-36718). EXHIBIT 6 THE CONSENT OF THE TRUSTEE REQUIRED BY SECTION 321(b) OF THE ACT May 29, 2001 Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, D.C. 20549 Ladies and Gentlemen: In connection with the qualification of an indenture between John Deere Capital Corporation and Bank One Trust Company, National Association, as Trustee, the undersigned, in accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, hereby consents that the reports of examinations of the undersigned, made by Federal or State authorities authorized to make such examinations, may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor. Very truly yours, BANK ONE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION By: /s/ SANDRA L. CARUBA SANDRA L. CARUBA VICE PRESIDENT EXHIBIT 7
Legal Title of Bank: Bank One Trust Company, N.A. Call Date: 3/31/01 State #: 391581 FFIEC 041 Address: 100 Broad Street Vendor ID: D Cert #: 21377 Page RC-1 City, State Zip: Columbus, OH 43271 Transit #: 04400003
CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF CONDITION FOR INSURED COMMERCIAL AND STATE-CHARTERED SAVINGS BANKS FOR MARCH 31, 2001 All schedules are to be reported in thousands of dollars. Unless otherwise indicated, report the amount outstanding of the last business day of the quarter. SCHEDULE RC--BALANCE SHEET
DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS C300 RCON BIL MIL THOU ASSETS 1. Cash and balances due from depository institutions (from Schedule RC-A): RCON ---- a. Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin(1)................... 0081 57,409 1.a b. Interest-bearing balances(2)............................................ 0071 0 1.b 2. Securities a. Held-to-maturity securities (from Schedule RC-B, column A).............. 1754 0 2.a b. Available-for-sale securities (from Schedule RC-B, column D)............ 1773 1,922 2.b 3. Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell..... 1350 771,209 3. 4. Loans and lease financing receivables: (from Schedule RC-C):..... RCON ---- a. Loans and leases held for sale........................................... 5369 0 4.a b. Loans and leases, net of unearned income................................ B528 84,428 4.b c. LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses............................... 3123 387 4.c d. Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance (item 4.b minus 4.c).................................................... B529 84,041 4.d 5. Trading assets (from Schedule RC-D)........................................ 3545 0 5. 6. Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)................... 2145 21,125 6. 7. Other real estate owned (from Schedule RC-M)............................... 2150 0 7. 8. Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies (from Schedule RC-M)............................................. 2130 0 8. 9. Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding............... 2155 0 9. 10. Intangible assets.......................................................... a. Goodwill............................................................... 3163 0 10.a b. Other intangible assets (from Schedule RC-M)........................... 0426 12,971 10.b 11. Other assets (from Schedule RC-F).......................................... 2160 317,034 11. 12. Total assets (sum of items 1 through 11)................................... 2170 1,265,711 12.
- -------- (1) Includes cash items in process of collection and unposted debits. (2) Includes time certificates of deposit not held for trading.
Legal Title of Bank: Bank One Trust Company, N.A. Call Date: 3/31/01 State #: 391581 FFIEC 041 Address: 100 East Broad Street Vendor ID: D Cert #: 21377 Page RC-2 City, State Zip: Columbus, OH 43271 Transit #: 04400003
SCHEDULE RC-CONTINUED
DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS --------------------- LIABILITIES 13. Deposits: RCON a. In domestic offices (sum of totals of columns A and C ----- from Schedule RC-E) .................................................... 2200 995,556 13.a (1) Noninterest-bearing(1).............................................. 6631 558,282 13.a1 (2) Interest-bearing.................................................... 6636 437,274 13.a2 b. Not applicable 14. Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase ............................................................. RCFD 2800 0 14. 15. Trading Liabilities(from Schedule RC-D)................................... RCFD 3548 0 15. 16. Other borrowed money (includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases) (from Schedule RC-M)................. 3190 0 16. 17. Not applicable 18. Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding................... 2920 0 18. 19. Subordinated notes and debentures (2)...................................... 3200 0 19. 20. Other liabilities (from Schedule RC-G)..................................... 2930 125,576 20. 21. Total liabilities (sum of items 13 through 20)............................. 2948 1,121,132 21. 22. Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries............................. 3000 0 22. EQUITY CAPITAL 23. Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus.............................. 3838 0 23. 24. Common stock............................................................... 3230 800 24. 25. Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)................... 3839 45,157 25. 26. a. Retained earnings....................................................... 3632 98,597 26.a b. Accumulated other comprehensive income (3).............................. B530 25 26.b 27. Other equity capital components (4)........................................ A130 0 27. 28. Total equity capital (sum of items 23 through 27).......................... 3210 144,579 28. 29. Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital (sum of items 21, 22, and 28)...................................... 3300 1,265,711 29.
Memorandum To be reported only with the March Report of Condition. 1. Indicate in the box at the right the number of the statement below that best describes the most comprehensive level of auditing work performed for the bank by independent external auditors as of any date during 1996....... RCFD 6724 N/A Number M.1. 1 = Independent audit of the bank conducted in accordance 4. = Directors' examination of the bank performed by other with generally accepted auditing standards by a certified external auditors (may be required by state chartering public accounting firm which submits a report on the bank authority) 2 = Independent audit of the bank's parent holding company 5 = Review of the bank's financial statements by external conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing auditors standards by a certified public accounting firm which 6 = Compilation of the bank's financial statements by external submits a report on the consolidated holding company auditors (but not on the bank separately) 7 = Other audit procedures (excluding tax preparation work) 3 = Directors' examination of the bank conducted in 8 = No external audit work accordance with generally accepted auditing standards by a certified public accounting firm (may be required by state chartering authority)
- --------- (1) Includes total demand deposits and noninterest-bearing time and savings deposits. -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----