0001193125-17-074366.txt : 20170308 0001193125-17-074366.hdr.sgml : 20170308 20170308130403 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-17-074366 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 7 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20170308 ITEM INFORMATION: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement ITEM INFORMATION: Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20170308 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20170308 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: MERCURY GENERAL CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000064996 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331] IRS NUMBER: 952211612 STATE OF INCORPORATION: CA FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-12257 FILM NUMBER: 17674563 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4484 WILSHIRE BLVD CITY: LOS ANGELES STATE: CA ZIP: 90010 BUSINESS PHONE: 2139371060 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4484 WILSHIRE BLVD CITY: LOS ANGELES STATE: CA ZIP: 90010 8-K 1 d350382d8k.htm FORM 8-K Form 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 8, 2017

 

 

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

California   001-12257   95-221-1612

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

4484 Wilshire Boulevard

Los Angeles, California 90010

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(323) 937-1060

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14.a-12)

 

  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On March 8, 2017, Mercury General Corporation (the “Company”) completed a public offering of $375.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027 (the “Notes”). The Notes are the Company’s unsecured senior obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of the Company’s existing and future unsecured senior indebtedness. The Notes were issued and sold at a public offering price of 99.847% of their principal amount.

The Notes were issued pursuant to an indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of March 8, 2017, between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a first supplemental indenture (the “First Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of March 8, 2017, among the Company and the Trustee, as thereafter amended or supplemented (such Base Indenture, as so amended and supplemented, the “Indenture”). The Indenture includes customary agreements and covenants by the Company.

Interest on the Notes accrues at a rate of 4.400% per annum and is payable semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year commencing on September 15, 2017. The Notes will mature on March 15, 2027.

Certain events are considered events of default under the Indenture and the Notes, which may result in the accelerated maturity of the Notes, including the following events:

 

  (a) if any event of default under a mortgage, indenture or instrument under which the Company may issue, or by which the Company may secure or evidence, any indebtedness, including an event of default under any other series of the Company debt securities, whether the indebtedness now exists or is later created or incurred, happens and consists of default in the payment of more than $25,000,000 in principal amount of indebtedness at the maturity of the indebtedness, after giving effect to any applicable grace period, or results in the indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $25,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and this default is not cured or the acceleration is not rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after the Company received written notice; or

 

  (b) the Company shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $25,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

 

  (c) default in the payment of any interest on any Note when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the 30th day of such period); or

 

  (d) default in the payment of principal of any Note at its Maturity; or

 

  (e) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in the Base Indenture (other than defaults pursuant to paragraphs (c) or (d) above or pursuant to a covenant), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

 

  (f) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

    commences a voluntary case,

 

    consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

 

    consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,

 

    makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or

 

    generally is unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or

 

  (g) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 

    is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,

 

    appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or

 

    orders the liquidation of the Company,

  and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

 

  (h) any other Event of Default provided with respect to the Notes, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officer’s Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2.18 of the Base Indenture.

The Base Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture and the form of global note for the offering are filed as Exhibits 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, respectively, to this Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference. The descriptions of the material terms of the Notes, the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture are qualified in their entirety by reference to such exhibits.


Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement.

The information included in Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

The following exhibits are filed herewith or incorporated herein by reference.

 

Exhibit

  

Description

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement dated as of March 1, 2017, between Mercury General Corporation and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
  4.1    Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2017, between Mercury General Corporation and Wilmington Trust, National Association
  4.2    First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2017, between Mercury General Corporation, and Wilmington Trust, National Association
  4.3    Form of note representing the 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027 (included in exhibit 4.2)
  5.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
23.1    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

 

2


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: March 8, 2017      MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION
     By:  

/s/ THEODORE STALICK

     Name: Theodore Stalick
     Its: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

3


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

  

Description

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement dated as of March 1, 2017, between Mercury General Corporation and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
  4.1    Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2017, between Mercury General Corporation and Wilmington Trust, National Association
  4.2    First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2017, among Mercury General Corporation, and Wilmington Trust, National Association
  4.3    Form of note representing the 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027 (included in exhibit 4.2)
  5.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
23.1    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

 

4

EX-1.1 2 d350382dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

Execution Version

 

 

 

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION

(a California corporation)

$375,000,000 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Dated: March 1, 2017

 

 

 


MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION

(a California corporation)

$375,000,000 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

March 1, 2017

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, NY 10036

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

As Representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Mercury General Corporation, a California corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A (the “Underwriters”), acting severally and not jointly, the respective principal amounts set forth in such Schedule A of the Company’s 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027 (the “Notes”). Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC have agreed to act as representatives of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “Representatives”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes.

The Notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture, to be dated as of March 8, 2017 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). Certain terms of the Notes will be established pursuant to a supplemental indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture”) to the Base Indenture (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Notes will be issued in book-entry form in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), pursuant to a Letter of Representations, to be dated on or before the Closing Date (as defined in Section 2 below) (the “DTC Agreement”), among the Company, the Trustee and DTC.

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an “automatic shelf registration statement”, as defined under Rule 405 (“Rule 405”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on Form S-3 (File No. 333-215344) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities of the Company, including the Notes, under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), which automatic shelf registration statement became effective under Rule 462(e) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 462(e)”). Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto at such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), and is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” Each preliminary prospectus supplement and the base prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Notes, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item


12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus supplement relating to the Notes in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus supplement and the base prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act immediately prior to the Applicable Time, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system)(“EDGAR”).

As used in this Agreement:

Applicable Time” means 3:25 P.M., New York City time, on March 1, 2017 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.

General Disclosure Package” means each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus and the most recent preliminary prospectus furnished to the Underwriters for general distribution to investors prior to the Applicable Time, all considered together.

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) relating to the Notes that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Notes or of the offering thereof that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B hereto.

Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Applicable Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”) incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the Applicable Time.

 

2


The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as follows:

SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.

(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter at the date hereof, the Applicable Time and the Closing Time (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i) Compliance of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and Incorporated Documents. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is an automatic shelf registration statement under Rule 405 and the Notes have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on such automatic shelf registration statement. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 401(g)(2)”) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. In addition, the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Trust Indenture Act”).

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and as of each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations and the Trust Indenture Act. Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations and the Trust Indenture Act, and are identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any of the Underwriters through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representatives consists of the information described as such in Section 6(b) hereof (such information, the “Underwriter Information”).

(ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time or at the Closing Time, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the Applicable Time, neither (A)

 

3


the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or at the Closing Time, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such incorporated documents were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the Underwriter Information.

(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, that has not been superseded or modified. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives in writing and has promptly amended or supplemented or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict. The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representatives consists of the Underwriter Information.

(iv) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Time and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Notes, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes other than the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and listed on Schedule B hereto or any electronic road show or other written communications reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and listed on Schedule C hereto (each a, “Company Additional Written Communication”). Each such Company Additional Written Communication, when taken together with the Disclosure Package, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Company Additional Written Communication based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representatives consists of the Underwriter Information.

 

4


(v) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no individuals or entities (“Persons”) with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.

(vi) Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (A) At the original effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any Person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Notes in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163, (D) at the date of this Agreement and (E) at the Applicable Time, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer”, as defined in Rule 405.

(vii) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, (B) at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Notes, (C) at the date of this Agreement and (D) at the Applicable Time, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

(viii) Independent Accountants. KPMG, LLP, who has certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations and are an independent registered public accounting firm with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(ix) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; and said financial statements comply as to form with the accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus under the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting

 

5


Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present the required information and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(x) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the respective dates as of which information is given therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business or in the ability of the Company to enter into and perform its obligations under, or consummate the transactions contemplated in, this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes (each, a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) except for dividends per share in amounts as set forth in a document filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class or series of its capital stock.

(xi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of California and has all requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under, and to consummate the transactions contemplated in, this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each, a “Significant Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or other organization, has all requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of or other equity interests in each Significant Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of or other equity interests in any Significant Subsidiary were issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Significant Subsidiary or any other entity. The only subsidiaries of the Company are (A) the subsidiaries listed on Schedule E hereto and (B) certain other subsidiaries, which considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, do not constitute a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

(xiii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent

 

6


issuances, if any, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus).

(xiv) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xv) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, at the Closing Time, will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, will constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.

(xvi) Authorization and of the Notes. The Notes to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, when authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

(xvii) Description of the Notes and the Indenture. The Notes and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xviii) Accuracy of Statements. The statements in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Notes,” “Description of Debt Securities” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” in each case insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present and summarize, in all material respects, the matters referred to therein.

(xix) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties, assets or operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Notes and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the

 

7


Notes as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) have been duly authorized by all requisite action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties, assets or operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that, singly or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity (except, in the case of clauses (B) and (C) above, for such violations as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect) . As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other financing instrument (or any Person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of the related financing by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(xx) Absence of Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, that would reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, the Indenture or the Notes or the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture or the Notes. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries are a party or of which any of their respective properties, assets or operations are the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxi) Accuracy of Contracts; Filing of Exhibits. All descriptions in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus of contracts and other documents to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries are a party are complete and accurate in all material respects. There are no contracts, instruments or other documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.

(xxii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture, or the Notes, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Notes or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, the Indenture or the Notes, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and any other exchange on which Company securities are traded, the securities laws of any state or non-U.S. jurisdiction or the rules of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

(xxiii) Insurance Laws. Each subsidiary of the Company which is engaged in the business of insurance or reinsurance (including insurance holding companies) (collectively, the “Insurance Subsidiaries”) is duly registered, licensed or admitted as an insurer or an insurance holding company (as applicable) in each jurisdiction where it is required to be so licensed or admitted to conduct its business as presently conducted, except where the failure to be so registered, licensed or admitted

 

8


would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Insurance Subsidiaries has all other insurance licenses, authorizations, approvals, consents, orders, registrations, certificates, permits, qualifications or decrees, of and from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all insurance departments, authorities, commissions or other insurance regulatory bodies of the various jurisdictions where it conducts business (collectively, the “Insurance Licenses”) necessary to conduct its business as described in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to have the Insurance Licenses, would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Insurance Licenses are in full force and effect, except where the failure to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor the Insurance Subsidiaries has received any notification from any insurance authority, commission or other insurance regulatory body to the effect that any additional Insurance Licenses from such authority, commission or body is needed to be obtained by the Company or any of the Insurance Subsidiaries, except for any additional Insurance Licenses from any such authority, commission or body the failure of which to obtain, would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Each of the Company and the Insurance Subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable insurance statutes and regulations and has filed all reports, documents or other information required to be filed under such statutes and regulations, except where the failure to comply or file would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and each of the Company and the Insurance Subsidiaries is in compliance with the insurance laws and regulations of other jurisdictions which are applicable to the Company and the Insurance Subsidiaries (as the case may be), except where the failure to comply would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

To the knowledge of the Company and the Insurance Subsidiaries, no change in any insurance law or regulation is pending that would singly or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xxiv) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. All of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any notice of any claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to its rights under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above or affecting or questioning its rights to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

(xxv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

9


(xxvi) Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 have been settled and no assessment in connection therewith has been made against the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income or other material tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxvii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 of the Exchange Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present the required information and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 of the Exchange Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

(xxviii) Statutory Financial Statements. The statutory financial statements of the Insurance Subsidiaries have been prepared for each relevant period in conformity with statutory accounting principles or practices required or permitted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and by the appropriate insurance department of the jurisdiction of domicile of each Insurance Subsidiary, and such statutory accounting principles and practices have been applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may otherwise be indicated therein or in the

 

10


notes thereto, and present fairly in all material respects the statutory financial position of the Insurance Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the statutory basis results of operations of the Insurance Subsidiaries for the periods covered thereby.

(xxix) Reserves. The description of the Company’s reserves and reserving methodology and assumptions described in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is accurate and fairly presents the information set forth therein in all material respects and, since the date of the latest financial statements included in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no loss experience has developed which would require or make it appropriate for the Company to alter or modify such methodology. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and the Insurance Subsidiaries have made no material change in their insurance reserving practices since December 31, 2016.

(xxx) Reinsurance. All ceded reinsurance treaties, contracts, agreements and arrangements to which the Company or any of its Insurance Subsidiaries is a party are in full force and effect and neither the Company nor any of its Insurance Subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default in the performance, observance or fulfillment of, any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained therein, except for such violations or defaults which would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any of its Insurance Subsidiaries has received any notice from any of the other parties to such treaties, contracts, agreements or arrangements indicating that such other party intends not to perform in any material respect its obligations thereunder and none of the Company nor any of its Insurance Subsidiaries has any reason to believe that any of the other parties to such treaties, contracts, agreements or arrangements will be unable to perform its obligations thereunder, except to the extent that (i) the Company or such Insurance Subsidiary has established appropriate reserves on its financial statements therefor or (ii) such nonperformance would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxi) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(xxxii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(xxxiii) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary or other affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any such subsidiary or other affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Notes or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(xxxiv) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, any director, officer or, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, employee, affiliate or other Person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such Persons of either (i) the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without

 

11


limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA or (ii) the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 (the “Bribery Act”), and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its other affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and the Bribery Act and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(xxxv) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the United and Strengthening America by Proving Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”). No action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxxvi) OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, any director, officer or, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, employee, affiliate or other Person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is (A) a Person currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the U.S. Department of State, the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), (B) controlled by a Person that is currently subject to Sanctions or (C) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the sale of the Notes, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

(xxxvii) Lending and Other Relationships. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (A) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any Underwriter or any bank, lending or other affiliate of any Underwriter and (B) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes to repay any outstanding debt owed to the Underwriter or any bank, lending or other affiliate of any Underwriter. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any other Person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

(xxxviii) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects, and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

 

12


(b) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby as of the date indicated in such certificate.

SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

(a) The Notes. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of 99.197% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from March 1, 2017 to the Closing Time (as defined below) hereunder, the principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A.

(b) The Closing Time. Delivery of certificates for the Notes in global form to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on March 8, 2017, or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as the Representatives and the Company shall mutually agree (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

(c) Public Offering of the Notes. The Representatives hereby advise the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Notes as soon after the Applicable Time as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have determined is advisable and practicable.

(d) Payment for the Notes. Payment for the Notes shall be made to the Company at the Closing Time by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company.

It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for their respective accounts, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Notes which it has agreed to purchase. The Representatives may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Notes to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

(e) Delivery of the Notes. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters certificates for the Notes at the Closing Time, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The certificates for the Notes shall be in such denominations and registered in such names and denominations as the Representatives shall have requested at least two full business days prior to the Closing Time and shall be made available for inspection on the business day preceding the Closing Time at a location in New York City, as the Representatives may designate. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.

 

13


SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Compliance with Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(c) hereof, will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Notes shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus shall have been used or filed, as the case may be, including any document incorporated by reference therein, but not including the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or of the issuance of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Notes for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Notes. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop, prevention or suspension order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Notes within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) of the Securities Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act Regulations (including, if applicable, by updating the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)).

(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Notes as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Notes is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, including, without limitation, any document incorporated therein by reference, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations,

 

14


the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives written notice of such event or condition, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement and use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as possible if the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

(c) Filing or Use of Amendments or Supplements. The Company has given the Representatives written notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or Exchange Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time and will give the Representatives written notice of its intention to file or use any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations or otherwise, from the Applicable Time to the later of (i) the time when a prospectus relating to the Notes is no longer required by the Securities Act (without giving effect to Rule 172) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes and (ii) the Closing Time, and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

(d) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The signed copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Notes is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify or register the Notes for offering and sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the applicable securities laws of such states and non-U.S. jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Notes; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

15


(g) Earnings Statements. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.

(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Notes in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(i) Restriction on Sale of Notes. During the period commencing on the date hereof and ending at the Closing Time, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives (which consent may be withheld at the Representatives’ discretion), (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, the Notes or any securities that are substantially similar to the Notes, whether owned as of the date hereof or hereafter acquired or with respect to which the Company has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Notes or such other securities, whether any such transaction, swap or other agreement described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of any Notes or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the Notes to be sold hereunder.

(j) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Notes is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by, and each such document will meet the requirements of, the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations.

(k) Final Term Sheet. The Company will prepare a final term sheet (the “Final Term Sheet”) containing only a description of the final terms of the Notes and the offering, in a form approved by the Underwriters and attached as Schedule D hereto, and acknowledges that the Final Term Sheet is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and will comply with its related obligations set forth in Section 3(1) hereof. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, copies of the Final Term Sheet promptly upon its completion.

(l) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Notes that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representatives as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs

 

16


an event or condition as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives in writing and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(m) Renewal Deadline. If, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Renewal Deadline”), any Notes remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Representatives in writing and (ii) promptly file, if it is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters. If, at the Renewal Deadline, the Company is not eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Representatives in writing, (ii) promptly file a new shelf registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to such Notes, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives in writing of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the expired Registration Statement. References herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

(n) Eligibility of Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form. If at any time when Notes remain unsold by the Underwriters the Company receives a notice from the Commission pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Representatives in writing, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to such Notes, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective as soon as practicable and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives in writing of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the Registration Statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

(o) No Manipulation of Price. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Notes.

(p) DTC. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters and use its best efforts to permit the Notes to be eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC.

SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including without limitation (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each

 

17


preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Notes to the Underwriters, including any transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Notes to the Underwriters, (iv) all costs and expenses incurred by it in connection with the preparation and execution of this Agreement, the Indenture and the DTC Agreement, (v) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (vi) the qualification of the Notes under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto in an amount not to exceed $7,500, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Notes, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA, if required, of the terms of the sale of the Notes, (ix) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Notes by the rating agencies, (x) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Notes, (xi) the fees and expenses of making the Notes eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC, (xii) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Notes made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the second sentence of Section 1(a)(ii), (xiii) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement, and (xiv) all other fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. Except as provided in this Section 4 and Sections 6, 7 and 9(c) hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.

SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement, etc. The Registration Statement was filed by the Company with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof and became effective upon filing in accordance with Rule 462(e). Each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus have been filed as required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) and Rule 433, as applicable, within the time period prescribed by, and in compliance with, the Securities Act Regulations. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Notes within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) of the Securities Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities

 

18


Act Regulations and, if applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).

(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable (i) corporate opinion, (ii) tax opinion and (iii) negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, each dated the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of each such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibits A-1, A-2 and A-3 hereto, respectively.

(c) Opinion of the General Counsel of Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion of the General Counsel of the Company, dated the Closing Time, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto.

(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Sidley Austin LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with respect to the matters reasonably requested by the Representatives. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(e) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) the conditions specified in Section 5(a) hereof have been satisfied.

(f) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(h) No Objection. If a filing with FINRA is required, FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Notes.

 

19


(i) No Important Changes. Since the execution of this Agreement, (i) in the judgment of the Representatives, since the date hereof or the respective dates of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the (A) rating of any securities of the Company or the financial strength of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Insurance Subsidiary’s claims paying ability or similar rating by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act) or (B) the financial strength or claims paying ability of any Insurance Subsidiary by A.M. Best Company, and no such nationally recognized statistical rating organization shall have given any notice of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating, financial strength or claims paying ability or of a possible change in any such rating, financial strength or claims paying ability that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(j) Clearance, Settlement and Trading. Prior to the Closing Time, the Company and DTC shall have executed and delivered the DTC Agreement, dated the Closing Time, and the Notes shall be eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC.

(k) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

(l) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Time, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 9 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) of the Securities Act Regulations (each, an “Affiliate”)), selling agents, officers and directors and each Person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Notes (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer

 

20


Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) hereof) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 6(a) hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only Underwriter Information is: (i) the names of such Underwriter as presented on the front and back cover of the preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and (ii) the statements set forth under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)” in (A) the table immediately following the first paragraph thereunder, (B) the second and third sentences of the second paragraph following the table and (C) the first and second sentences of the fourth paragraph following the table, each as set forth in the preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus.

(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense

 

21


of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the prior written consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Notes as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

22


The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discount received by such Underwriter in connection with the Notes underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

For purposes of this Section 7, each Person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates, officers, directors and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Notes set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (a) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates, officers, directors and or selling agents, any Person controlling any Underwriter or the Company’s officers or directors or any Person controlling the Company and (b) delivery of and payment for the Notes.

SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

(a) Termination. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time, (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering of the Notes or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Notes, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the NYSE, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE, the NYSE MKT LLC, or the Nasdaq Global Select Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the

 

23


Commission, FINRA or any other Governmental Entity, or (v) if a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal, New York, Delaware or California authorities.

(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 9 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

(c) Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 5 or this Section 9(a)(i) or Section 9(a)(iii), or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Notes at the Closing Time is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves), severally, upon demand for all reasonably documented out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Notes, including but not limited to fees and disbursements of Sidley Austin LLP, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.

SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time to purchase the Notes which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

(i) if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

(ii) if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be purchased on such date, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.

SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives, (i) care of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated at 50 Rockefeller Plaza, NY1 050 12 02, New York,

 

24


New York 10020, attention of High Grade Transaction Management/Legal, fax (212) 901-7881 and (ii) care of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC at 550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, attention of Transaction Management, fax (704) 410-0326; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at the address and numbers of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Ted Stalick.

SECTION 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Notes and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (b) in connection with the offering of the Notes and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Notes or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Notes except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, actuarial, financial, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Notes and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, actuarial, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

SECTION 13. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any Person, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling Persons, Affiliates, selling agents, officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling Persons, Affiliates, selling agents, officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other Person. No purchaser of Notes from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 14. TRIAL BY JURY. EACH OF THE COMPANY (ON ITS BEHALF AND, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS STOCKHOLDERS AND AFFILIATES) AND THE UNDERWRITERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

SECTION 15. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

 

25


SECTION 16. Consent to Jurisdiction. Each of the parties hereto agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted in (a) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (b) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any Specified Court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of the Specified Courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any Specified Court that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

SECTION 17. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

SECTION 19. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

SECTION 20. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

SECTION 21. Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company, its subsidiaries and/or the offering of the Notes that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

SECTION 22. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement shall not become effective until the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit.

 

26


Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business Person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 6 and the contribution provisions of Section 7, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 6 and 7 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

27


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,

 

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION

 

By:  

/s/ Theodore Stalick

  Name:
  Title:

 

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

as of the date first above written:

 

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

    INCORPORATED

 

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC

For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

 

By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

                             INCORPORATED

By:  

/s/ Randolph Randolph

  
Authorized Signatory   
By: WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC   
By:  

/s/ Carolyn Hurley

  
Authorized Signatory   

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

EX-4.1 3 d350382dex41.htm EX-4.1 EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

 

 

 

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION

 

 

INDENTURE

Dated as of March 8, 2017

 

 

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Trustee

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

     1  

Section 1.1.

   Definitions      1  

Section 1.2.

   Other Definitions      4  

Section 1.3.

   Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act      5  

Section 1.4.

   Rules of Construction      5  

ARTICLE II. THE SECURITIES

     5  

Section 2.1.

   Issuable in Series      5  

Section 2.2.

   Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities      6  

Section 2.3.

   Execution and Authentication      8  

Section 2.4.

   Registrar and Paying Agent      9  

Section 2.5.

   Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust      10  

Section 2.6.

   Securityholder Lists      10  

Section 2.7.

   Transfer and Exchange      10  

Section 2.8.

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities      11  

Section 2.9.

   Outstanding Securities      12  

Section 2.10.

   Treasury Securities      12  

Section 2.11.

   Temporary Securities      12  

Section 2.12.

   Cancellation      13  

Section 2.13.

   Defaulted Interest      13  

Section 2.14.

   Global Securities      13  

Section 2.15.

   CUSIP Numbers      15  

ARTICLE III. REDEMPTION

     15  

Section 3.1.

   Notice to Trustee      15  

Section 3.2.

   Selection of Securities to be Redeemed      15  

Section 3.3.

   Notice of Redemption      16  

Section 3.4.

   Effect of Notice of Redemption      16  

Section 3.5.

   Deposit of Redemption Price      17  

Section 3.6.

   Securities Redeemed in Part      17  

ARTICLE IV. COVENANTS

     17  

Section 4.1.

   Payment of Principal and Interest      17  

Section 4.2.

   SEC Reports      17  

Section 4.3.

   Compliance Certificate      18  

Section 4.4.

   Stay, Extension and Usury Laws      18  

ARTICLE V. SUCCESSORS

     18  

Section 5.1.

   When Company May Merge, Etc.      18  

Section 5.2.

   Successor Corporation Substituted      19  

ARTICLE VI. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

     19  

Section 6.1.

   Events of Default      19  

 

i


Section 6.2.

   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment      20  

Section 6.3.

   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee      21  

Section 6.4.

   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim      22  

Section 6.5.

   Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities      22  

Section 6.6.

   Application of Money Collected      23  

Section 6.7.

   Limitation on Suits      23  

Section 6.8.

   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest      24  

Section 6.9.

   Restoration of Rights and Remedies      24  

Section 6.10.

   Rights and Remedies Cumulative      24  

Section 6.11.

   Delay or Omission Not Waiver      24  

Section 6.12.

   Control by Holders      24  

Section 6.13.

   Waiver of Past Defaults      25  

Section 6.14.

   Undertaking for Costs      25  

ARTICLE VII. TRUSTEE

     26  

Section 7.1.

   Duties of Trustee      26  

Section 7.2.

   Rights of Trustee      27  

Section 7.3.

   Individual Rights of Trustee      28  

Section 7.4.

   Trustee’s Disclaimer      28  

Section 7.5.

   Notice of Defaults      28  

Section 7.6.

   Reports by Trustee to Holders      29  

Section 7.7.

   Compensation and Indemnity      29  

Section 7.8.

   Replacement of Trustee      30  

Section 7.9.

   Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.      31  

Section 7.10.

   Eligibility; Disqualification      31  

Section 7.11.

   Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company      31  

ARTICLE VIII. SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

     31  

Section 8.1.

   Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture      31  

Section 8.2.

   Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification      32  

Section 8.3.

   Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series      33  

Section 8.4.

   Covenant Defeasance      34  

Section 8.5.

   Repayment to Company      35  

Section 8.6.

   Reinstatement      36  

ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

     36  

Section 9.1.

   Without Consent of Holders      36  

Section 9.2.

   With Consent of Holders      37  

Section 9.3.

   Limitations      37  

Section 9.4.

   Compliance with Trust Indenture Act      38  

Section 9.5.

   Revocation and Effect of Consents      38  

Section 9.6.

   Notation on or Exchange of Securities      38  

Section 9.7.

   Trustee Protected      39  

ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS

     39  

Section 10.1.

   Trust Indenture Act Controls      39  

Section 10.2.

   Notices      39  

 

ii


Section 10.3.

   Communication by Holders with Other Holders      40  

Section 10.4.

   Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent      41  

Section 10.5.

   Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion      41  

Section 10.6.

   Rules by Trustee and Agents      41  

Section 10.7.

   Legal Holidays      41  

Section 10.8.

   No Recourse Against Others      41  

Section 10.9.

   Counterparts      42  

Section 10.10.

   Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction      42  

Section 10.11.

   No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements      42  

Section 10.12.

   Successors      43  

Section 10.13.

   Severability      43  

Section 10.14.

   Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.      43  

Section 10.15.

   Securities in a Foreign Currency      43  

Section 10.16.

   Judgment Currency      44  

Section 10.17.

   Force Majeure      44  

Section 10.18.

   U.S.A. Patriot Act      44  

ARTICLE XI. SINKING FUNDS

     44  

Section 11.1.

   Applicability of Article      44  

Section 11.2.

   Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities      45  

Section 11.3.

   Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund      45  

 

iii


MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION

Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and

Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2017

 

§ 310(a)(1)       7.10
(a)(2)       7.10
(a)(3)       Not Applicable
(a)(4)       Not Applicable
(a)(5)       7.10
(b)       7.10
§ 311(a)       7.11
(b)       7.11
(c)       Not Applicable
§ 312(a)       2.6
(b)       10.3
(c)       10.3
§ 313(a)       7.6
(b)(1)       7.6
(b)(2)       7.6
(c)(1)       7.6
(d)       7.6
§ 314(a)       4.2, 10.5
(b)       Not Applicable
(c)(1)       10.4
(c)(2)       10.4
(c)(3)       Not Applicable
(d)       Not Applicable
(e)       10.5
(f)       Not Applicable
§ 315(a)       7.1
(b)       7.5
(c)       7.1
(d)       7.1
(e)       6.14
§ 316(a)       2.10
(a)(1)(A)       6.12
(a)(1)(B)       6.13
(b)       6.8
§ 317(a)(1)       6.3
(a)(2)       6.4
(b)       2.5
§ 318(a)       10.1

 

 

Note:  This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.

 

iv


Indenture dated as of March 8, 2017 between Mercury General Corporation, a company incorporated under the laws of California (“Company”), and Wilmington Trust, National Association (“Trustee”).

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Section 1.1. Definitions.

Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on Holders specified herein or therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate” of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.

Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent.

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.

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

Business Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York, New York (or in connection with any payment, the place of payment) on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock.

Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.

Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by an Officer.

 


Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business related to this Indenture shall be principally administered.

Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depositary for such Series by the Company, which Depositary shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of such Series.

Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

Dollars” and “$” means the currency of The United States of America.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of The United States of America.

Foreign Government Obligations” means, with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

“GAAP” means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect as of the date of determination.

Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depositary for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or nominee.

Holder” or “Securityholder” means a person in whose name a Security is registered.

 

2


Indenture” means this Indenture as amended or supplemented from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.

Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, and any Vice President of the Company.

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any Officer.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company. The opinion may contain customary limitations, conditions and exceptions.

person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.

Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office having responsibility for administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof.

Stated Maturity” when used with respect to any Security, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or interest is due and payable.

Subsidiary” of any specified person means any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that person or a combination thereof.

 

3


TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.

Trustee” means the person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.

U.S. Government Obligations” means securities which are direct obligations of, or guaranteed by, The United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depositary receipt.

Section 1.2. Other Definitions.

 

TERM

  

DEFINED IN

SECTION

  
Bankruptcy Law    6.1
Custodian    6.1
Event of Default    6.1
Judgment Currency    10.16
Legal Holiday    10.7
mandatory sinking fund payment    11.1
New York Banking Day    10.16
Notice Agent    2.4
optional sinking fund payment    11.1
Paying Agent    2.4
Registrar    2.4
Required Currency    10.16
Specified Courts    10.10
successor person    5.1

 

4


Section 1.3. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.

Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

Commission” means the SEC.

indenture securities” means the Securities.

indenture security holder” means a Securityholder.

indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.

indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.

obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.

Section 1.4. Rules of Construction.

Unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;

(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

(c) “or” is not exclusive;

(d) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and

(e) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.

ARTICLE II.

THE SECURITIES

Section 2.1. Issuable in Series.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officer’s Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board

 

5


Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

Section 2.2. Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.

At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2.1 and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.2.2 through 2.2.23) by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate:

2.2.1. the title (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series) and ranking (including the terms of any subordination provisions) of the Series;

2.2.2. the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;

2.2.3. any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6);

2.2.4. the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;

2.2.5. the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

2.2.6. the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, where the Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered, and the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;

2.2.7. if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

 

6


2.2.8. the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

2.2.9. the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;

2.2.10. if other than minimum denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple in excess thereof, the minimum denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;

2.2.11. the forms of the Securities of the Series and whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities;

2.2.12. if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;

2.2.13. the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;

2.2.14. the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be made;

2.2.15. if payments of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;

2.2.16. the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;

2.2.17. the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series;

2.2.18. any addition to, deletion of or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;

2.2.19. any addition to, deletion of or change in the covenants set forth in Articles IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;

 

7


2.2.20. any Depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein;

2.2.21. the provisions, if any, relating to conversion or exchange of any Securities of such Series, including if applicable, the conversion or exchange price, the conversion or exchange period, provisions as to whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory, at the option of the Holders thereof or at the option of the Company, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price or exchange price and provisions affecting conversion or exchange if such Series of Securities are redeemed;

2.2.22. any other terms of the Series (which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series), including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of Securities of that Series; and

2.2.23. whether any of the Company’s direct or indirect Subsidiaries will guarantee the Securities of that Series, including the terms of subordination, if any, of such guarantees.

All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate referred to above.

Section 2.3. Execution and Authentication.

An Officer shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.

If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.

A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.

The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.

 

8


Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officer’s Certificate complying with Section 10.4, and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.

The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not be taken lawfully; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or vice-presidents or a committee of Responsible Officers shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities.

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.

Section 2.4. Registrar and Paying Agent.

The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered (“Notice Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands; provided, however, that any appointment of the Trustee as the Notice Agent shall exclude the appointment of the Trustee or any office of the Trustee as an agent to receive the service of legal process on the Company.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional notice agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional notice agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Notice Agent” includes any additional notice agent. The Company or any of its Affiliates may serve as Registrar or Paying Agent.

 

9


The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.

Section 2.5. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.

The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee in writing of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent. Upon any bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to the Company, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Securities.

Section 2.6. Securityholder Lists.

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities.

Section 2.7. Transfer and Exchange.

Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6).

 

10


Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days immediately preceding the sending of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day such notice is sent, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.

Section 2.8. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity bond as may be required by each of them to hold itself and any of its agents harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon receipt of a Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

 

11


Section 2.9. Outstanding Securities.

The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding.

If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser.

If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.

The Company may purchase or otherwise acquire the Securities, whether by open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise. A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Security (but see Section 2.10 below).

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

Section 2.10. Treasury Securities.

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, Securities of a Series owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver only Securities of a Series that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.

Section 2.11. Temporary Securities.

Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon receipt of a Company Order shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.

 

12


Section 2.12. Cancellation.

The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall destroy such canceled Securities (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act and the Trustee) and deliver a certificate of such cancellation to the Company upon written request of the Company. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.13. Defaulted Interest.

If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Securityholders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least 10 days before the special record date, the Company shall send to the Trustee and to each Securityholder of the Series a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.

Section 2.14. Global Securities.

2.14.1.     Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities.

2.14.2.     Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depositary for such Security or its nominee only if (i) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of such event or (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.

Except as provided in this Section 2.14.2, a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depositary, by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such a successor Depositary.

 

13


2.14.3.     Legends. Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY. THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.”

In addition, so long as The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) is the Depositary, each Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“UNLESS THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY GLOBAL NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”

2.14.4.     Acts of Holders. The Depositary, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.

2.14.5.     Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.

2.14.6.     Consents, Declaration and Directions. The Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary or by the applicable procedures of such Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.

 

14


Section 2.15. CUSIP Numbers.

The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.

ARTICLE III.

REDEMPTION

Section 3.1. Notice to Trustee.

The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee in writing of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the notice at least 15 days before the redemption date, unless a shorter period is satisfactory to the Trustee.

Section 3.2. Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Securities of the Series to be redeemed will be selected as follows: (a) if the Securities are in the form of Global Securities, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary, (b) if the Securities are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Securities are listed (and the Company shall notify the Trustee of any such listing), or (c) if not otherwise provided for under clause (a) or (b) in the manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate, including by lot or other method, unless otherwise required by law or applicable stock exchange requirements, subject, in the case of Global Securities, to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Securities to be redeemed shall be selected from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. Portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $1,000 may be selected for redemption. Securities of the Series and portions of them selected for redemption shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2.10, the minimum principal denomination for each Series and the authorized integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.

 

15


Section 3.3. Notice of Redemption.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall send or cause to be sent by first-class mail or electronically, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed.

The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:

(a)     the redemption date;

(b)     the redemption price;

(c)     the name and address of the Paying Agent;

(d)     if any Securities are being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date and upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Security shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Security;

(e)     that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

(f)     that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date unless the Company defaults in the deposit of the redemption price;

(g)     the CUSIP number, if any; and

(h)     any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.

At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense, provided, however, that the Company has delivered to the Trustee, at least 10 days (unless a shorter time shall be acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the notice date, an Officer’s Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice.

Section 3.4. Effect of Notice of Redemption.

Once notice of redemption is sent as provided in Section 3.3, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. Except as otherwise provided in the supplemental indenture, Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate for a Series, a notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to the redemption date.

 

16


Section 3.5. Deposit of Redemption Price.

On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.

Section 3.6. Securities Redeemed in Part.

Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.

ARTICLE IV.

COVENANTS

Section 4.1. Payment of Principal and Interest.

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture. On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the applicable payment date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of each Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.

Section 4.2. SEC Reports.

To the extent any Securities of a Series are outstanding, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA § 314(a). Reports, information and documents filed with the SEC via the EDGAR system will be deemed to be delivered to the Trustee as of the time of such filing via EDGAR for purposes of this Section 4.2.

Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under this Section 4.2 are for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of the foregoing shall not constitute constructive or actual notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of their covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).

 

17


Section 4.3. Compliance Certificate.

To the extent any Securities of a Series are outstanding, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officer’s Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his/her knowledge the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which the Officer may have knowledge).

Section 4.4. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.

The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities; and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.

ARTICLE V.

SUCCESSORS

Section 5.1. When Company May Merge, Etc.

The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”) unless:

(a)     the Company is the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes the Company’s obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture; and

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

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officer’s Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and any supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture.

 

18


Notwithstanding the above, any Subsidiary of the Company may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to the Company. Neither an Officer’s Certificate nor an Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered in connection therewith.

Section 5.2. Successor Corporation Substituted.

Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person has been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale, conveyance or other disposition (other than a lease) shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

ARTICLE VI.

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Section 6.1. Events of Default.

Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:

(a)     default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the 30th day of such period); or

(b)     default in the payment of principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity; or

(c)     default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than defaults pursuant to paragraphs (a) or (b) above or pursuant to a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d)     the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

(i) commences a voluntary case,

 

19


(ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

(iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,

(iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or

(v) generally is unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or

(e)     a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

(i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,

(ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or

(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company,

and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

(f)     any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2.18.

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

The Company will provide the Trustee written notice of any Default or Event of Default within 30 days of becoming aware of the occurrence of such Default or Event of Default, which notice will describe in reasonable detail the status of such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take in respect thereof.

Section 6.2. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(d) or (e)) then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and a copy to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

 

20


At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal and interest, if any, of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 6.3. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

The Company covenants that if

(a)     default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b)     default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, or

(c)     default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, if any, when and as due by the terms of a Security,

then, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and any overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

 

21


Section 6.4. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a)     to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b)     to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same,

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 6.5. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

22


Section 6.6. Application of Money Collected.

Any money or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money or property on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7; and

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and

Third: To the Company.

Section 6.7. Limitation on Suits.

No Holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a)     such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;

(b)     the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c)     such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by the Trustee in compliance with such request;

(d)     the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity or security has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e)     no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series;

it being understood, intended and expressly covenanted by the Holder of every Security with every other Holder and the Trustee that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders of the applicable Series.

 

23


Section 6.8. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 6.9. Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 6.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.8, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 6.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

Section 6.12. Control by Holders.

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that

 

24


(a)     such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,

(b)     the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction,

(c)     subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability, and

(d)     prior to taking any action as directed under this Section 6.12, the Trustee shall be entitled to indemnity or security satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

Section 6.13. Waiver of Past Defaults.

The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series, by written notice to the Trustee and the Company, waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 6.14. Undertaking for Costs.

All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).

 

25


ARTICLE VII.

TRUSTEE

Section 7.1. Duties of Trustee.

(a)     If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

(b)     Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

(i) The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others.

(ii) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the form requirements of this Indenture.

(c)     The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(i) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.

(ii) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

(iii) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series in accordance with Section 6.12.

(d)     Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraph (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.

 

26


(e)     The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power unless it receives indemnity or security satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in performing such duty or exercising such right or power.

(f)     The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

(g)     No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if adequate indemnity or security against such risk is not assured to the Trustee in its satisfaction.

(h)     The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections and immunities as are set forth in paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of this Section and in Section 7.2, each with respect to the Trustee.

Section 7.2. Rights of Trustee.

(a)     The Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document (whether in its original or facsimile form) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

(b)     Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.

(c)     The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depositary shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depositary.

(d)     The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, provided that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct or negligence.

(e)     The Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder without willful misconduct or negligence, and in reliance thereon.

(f)     The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

 

27


(g)     The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(h)     The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities generally or the Securities of a particular Series and this Indenture.

(i)     In no event shall the Trustee be liable to any person for special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.

(j)     The permissive right of the Trustee to take the actions permitted by this Indenture shall not be construed as an obligation or duty to do so.

Section 7.3. Individual Rights of Trustee.

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.

Section 7.4. Trustees Disclaimer.

The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its authentication.

Section 7.5. Notice of Defaults.

If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall send to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as its corporate trust committee or a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Securityholders of that Series.

 

28


Section 7.6. Reports by Trustee to Holders.

Within 60 days after each January 1 commencing 2018, the Trustee shall transmit by mail, or send electronically in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary, to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar, a brief report dated as of such anniversary date, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA § 313.

A copy of each report at the time of its sending to Securityholders of any Series shall be filed by the Company with the SEC and each national securities exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing when Securities of any Series are listed on any national securities exchange.

Section 7.7. Compensation and Indemnity.

The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree upon in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee (including for the cost of defending itself) against any cost, expense or liability, including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it except as set forth in the next paragraph in the performance of its duties under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder, unless and to the extent that the Company is materially prejudiced thereby. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have one separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee.

The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee through willful misconduct or negligence.

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Securities of that Series.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

29


The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture.

Section 7.8. Replacement of Trustee.

A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.

The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company at least 30 days prior to the date of the proposed resignation. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:

(a)     the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;

(b)     the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

(c)     a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

(d)     the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.

If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.7, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to each Securityholder of each such Series. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.7 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it for actions taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with its rights, powers and duties under this Indenture prior to such replacement.

 

30


Section 7.9. Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.

If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee, subject to Section 7.10.

Section 7.10. Eligibility; Disqualification.

This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall always have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA § 310(b).

Section 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated.

ARTICLE VIII.

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

Section 8.1. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

This Indenture shall upon Company Order be discharged with respect to the Securities of any Series and cease to be of further effect as to all Securities of such Series (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.1), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, upon receipt of a Company Order, execute instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

(a)     either

(i) all Securities of such Series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all such Securities of such Series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(1) have become due and payable by reason of sending a notice of redemption or otherwise, or

(2) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(3) have been called for redemption or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, or

(4) are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.3, as applicable;

 

31


and the Company, in the case of (1), (2) or (3) above, shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount of money or U.S. Government Obligations, which amount shall be sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest are due;

(b)     the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and

(c)     the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.7, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2 and 8.5 shall survive.

Section 8.2. Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.

(a)     Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Sections 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4.

(b)     The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.

(c)     The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Order any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations

 

32


or money held by it as provided in Sections 8.3 or 8.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.

Section 8.3. Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series.

Unless this Section 8.3 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.2, to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of any Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, upon receipt of a Company Order, execute instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:

(a)     the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;

(b)     the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 7.7, 8.2, 8.3, 8.5 and 8.6; and

(c)     the rights, powers, trusts and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith;

provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

(d)     the Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest and such sinking fund payments are due;

 

33


(e)     such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

(f)     no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

(g)     the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

(h)     the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and

(i)     the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.4. Covenant Defeasance.

Unless this Section 8.4 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2 to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company may omit to comply with respect to the Securities of any Series with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6 and 5.1 and, unless otherwise specified therein, any additional covenants specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series under Section 6.1) and the occurrence of any event specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2.18 and designated as an Event of Default shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities will be unaffected thereby; provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

 

34


(a)     with reference to this Section 8.4, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest are due;

(b)     such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

(c)     no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;

(d)     the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm, subject to customary exclusions, that the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, covenant defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, covenant defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

(e)     The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and

(f)     The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.5. Repayment to Company.

Subject to applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years. After that, Securityholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.

 

35


Section 8.6. Reinstatement.

If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money deposited with respect to Securities of any Series in accordance with Section 8.1 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Company under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series and under the Securities of such Series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.1 until such time as the Trustee or the Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.1; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent after payment in full to the Holders.

ARTICLE IX.

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 9.1. Without Consent of Holders.

The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Securityholder:

(a)     to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

(b)     to comply with Article V;

(c)     to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities;

(d)     to add guarantees with respect to Securities of any Series or secure Securities of any Series;

(e)     to surrender any of the Company’s rights or powers under this Indenture;

(f)     to add covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders of Securities of any Series;

(g)     to comply with the applicable procedures of the applicable depositary;

(h)     to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder;

(i)     to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture;

 

36


(j)     to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee; or

(k)     to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA.

Section 9.2. With Consent of Holders.

The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Securityholders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall send to the Holders of Securities affected thereby, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to send such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

Section 9.3. Limitations.

Without the consent of each Securityholder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:

(a)     reduce the principal amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

(b)     reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;

(c)     reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;

(d)     reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;

 

37


(e)     waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

(f)     make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;

(g)     make any change in Sections 6.8, 6.13 or 9.3 (this sentence); or

(h)     waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security, provided that such redemption is made at the Company’s option.

Section 9.4. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.

Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

Section 9.5. Revocation and Effect of Consents.

Until an amendment is set forth in a supplemental indenture or a waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date of the supplemental indenture or the date the waiver becomes effective.

Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Securityholder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (h) of Section 9.3. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the second immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to revoke any consent previously given or take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 120 days after such record date.

Section 9.6. Notation on or Exchange of Securities.

The Company or the Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon receipt of a Company Order in accordance with Section 2.3 new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.

 

38


Section 9.7. Trustee Protected.

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both complying with Section 10.4. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures upon delivery of such an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel or both, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture.

ARTICLE X.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.1. Trust Indenture Act Controls.

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.

Section 10.2. Notices.

Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other, or by a Holder to the Company or the Trustee, is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), facsimile transmission, email or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to the others’ address:

if to the Company:

Mercury General Corporation

4484 Wilshire Boulevard

Los Angeles, California 90010

Attention: Ted Stalick

Telephone: (323) 937-1060

with a copy to:

Latham & Watkins LLP

350 South Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90071

Attention: Julian Kleindorfer

Telephone: (213) 891-1234

 

39


if to the Trustee:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Rodney Square North

1100 North Market Street

Wilmington, DE 19890

Attention: Mercury General Administrator

Telephone: (302) 636-6432

with a copy to:

Covington & Burling LLP

The New York Times Building

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Attention: Ronald A. Hewitt

Telephone: (212) 841-1220

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

Any notice or communication to a Securityholder shall be sent electronically or by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary. Failure to send a notice or communication to a Securityholder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders of that or any other Series.

If a notice or communication is sent or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Securityholder receives it.

If the Company sends a notice or communication to Securityholders, it shall send a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security, where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption) to a Holder of a Global Security (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given to the Depositary for such Security (or its designee) pursuant to the customary procedures of such Depositary.

Section 10.3. Communication by Holders with Other Holders.

Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).

 

40


Section 10.4. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.

Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

(a) an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

(b) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

Section 10.5. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.

Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA § 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA § 314(e) and shall include:

(a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 10.6. Rules by Trustee and Agents.

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Securityholders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

Section 10.7. Legal Holidays.

A “Legal Holiday” is any day that is not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.

Section 10.8. No Recourse Against Others.

A director, officer, employee or stockholder (past or present), as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

 

41


Section 10.9. Counterparts.

This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

Section 10.10. Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction.

THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE INDENTURE OR THE SECURITIES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE (AND ITS AGENTS) AND THE HOLDERS (BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES) EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.

Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the non exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail (to the extent allowed under any applicable statute or rule of court) to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The Company, the Trustee and the Holders (by their acceptance of the Securities) each hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim any such suit, action or other proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

Section 10.11. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.

This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

 

42


Section 10.12. Successors.

All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.

Section 10.13. Severability.

In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 10.14. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

The Table of Contents, Cross Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

Section 10.15. Securities in a Foreign Currency.

Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in more than one currency, then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be determined by converting any such other currency into a currency that is designated upon issuance of any particular Series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, such conversion shall be at the spot rate for the purchase of the designated currency as published in The Financial Times in the “Currency Rates” section (or, if The Financial Times is no longer published, or if such information is no longer available in The Financial Times, such source as may be selected in good faith by the Company) on any date of determination. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

All decisions and determinations provided for in the preceding paragraph shall, in the absence of manifest error, to the extent permitted by law, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Trustee and all Holders.

 

43


Section 10.16. Judgment Currency.

The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Section 10.17. Force Majeure.

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

Section 10.18. U.S.A. Patriot Act.

The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act, the Trustee is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.

ARTICLE XI.

SINKING FUNDS

Section 11.1. Applicability of Article.

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series if so provided by the terms of such Securities pursuant to Section 2.2 and except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.

 

44


The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.

Section 11.2. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (2) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been repurchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.2, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.

Section 11.3. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which

 

45


is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.2, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date will be selected in the manner specified in Section 3.2 and the Company shall send or cause to be sent a notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in and in accordance with Section 3.3. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6.

 

46


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

 

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Gabriel Tirador

Name:   Gabriel Tirador
Its:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:  

/s/ W. Thomas Morris, II

Name:   W. Thomas Morris, II
Its:   Vice President
EX-4.2 4 d350382dex42.htm EX-4.2 EX-4.2

Exhibit 4.2

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION,

as the Company,

And

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as the Trustee

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

DATED AS OF MARCH 8, 2017

TO INDENTURE

DATED AS OF MARCH 8, 2017

Relating To

$375,000,000 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027


FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of March 8, 2017 (this “Supplemental Indenture”), between Mercury General Corporation, a California corporation (the “Company”), and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), to the Base Indenture (as defined below).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2017 (the “Base Indenture”), providing for the issuance from time to time of its senior debt securities, to be issued in one or more series as therein provided;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Base Indenture, the Company desires to provide for the establishment of its 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027 (the “Notes”), the form and substance of such Notes and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Base Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture (together, the “Indenture”);

WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture, and all requirements necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture a valid and legally binding instrument in accordance with its terms, to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the valid and legally binding obligations of the Company and all acts and things necessary have been done and performed to make this Supplemental Indenture enforceable in accordance with its terms, and the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized in all respects.

WITNESSETH:

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises contained herein, each party agrees for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes, as follows:

ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01 Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Supplemental Indenture shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Base Indenture.

Section 1.02 References in this Supplemental Indenture to article and section numbers shall be deemed to be references to article and section numbers of this Supplemental Indenture unless otherwise specified.

Section 1.03 For purposes of this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes, the following terms have the meanings ascribed to them as follows:

 

1


Additional Notes” means any additional Notes that may be issued from time to time pursuant to the second paragraph of Section 2.01.

Base Indenture” has the meaning provided in the recitals.

Business Day” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02.

Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed as if the Notes matured on the Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”) that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the Remaining Life of such Notes.

Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date determined by the Company, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average, determined by the Company, of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained.

Depositary” has the meaning provided in Section 2.03.

Indenture” has the meaning provided in the recitals.

Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.

Initial Notes” means the aggregate principal amount of each series of Notes issued on the date hereof, as specified on the first paragraph of Section 2.01.

Interest Payment Date” has the meaning provided in Section 2.04.

Maturity Date” has the meaning provided in Section 2.02.

Notes” has the meaning provided in the recitals. For the avoidance of doubt, “Notes” shall include the Additional Notes as provided herein, if any.

Par Call Date” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02.

Principal Subsidiaries” means (1) any present or future subsidiary of the Company, the consolidated total assets or revenues of which constitute at least 10% of the Company’s total consolidated assets or revenues; and (2) any person which is a successor, by merger or otherwise, to substantially all the business or properties of any subsidiary referred to or described in clause (1).

Record Date” has the meaning provided in Section 2.04.

 

2


Redemption Date” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02.

Redemption Notice” has the meaning provided in Section 3.03.

Redemption Price” means the redemption price specified in Section 3.02(a) or (b), as applicable.

Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of (i) Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated; and (ii) Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, and their respective successors; and (iii) two other nationally recognized investment banking firms that are Primary Treasury Dealers specified from time to time by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing or their successors cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer (each, a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company will substitute therefor another such Primary Treasury Dealer.

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Company in good faith, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company (with a copy to the Trustee) by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

Supplemental Indenture” has the meaning provided in the preamble.

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per year equal to: (1) the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue; provided that, if no maturity is within three months before or after the Remaining Life of the Notes to be redeemed, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue shall be determined and the Treasury Rate shall be interpolated from those yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month; or (2) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity or interpolated maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

Trustee” has the meaning provided in the preamble.

 

3


ARTICLE TWO

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE NOTES

Section 2.01 Designation and Principal Amount.

The Notes are hereby authorized and are designated as a Series of Securities under the Base Indenture, titled as the “4.400% Senior Notes due 2027”, initially limited to $375,000,000 in aggregate principal amount. The Notes issued on the date hereof pursuant to the terms of the Indenture shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $375,000,000, which amount shall be set forth in the written order of the Company for the authentication and delivery of the Notes pursuant to Section 2.3 of the Base Indenture.

In addition, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, the Company may issue Additional Notes having the same terms (except for the issue date and, in some cases, the public offering price and the first interest payment date) as, and ranking equally and ratably with, the Notes. Any Additional Notes, will constitute a single series of Notes under the Indenture. No Additional Notes may be issued if an Event of Default under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Notes.

Section 2.02 Maturity.

Unless an earlier redemption has occurred, the principal amount of the Notes shall mature and be due and payable, together with any accrued interest thereon, on March 15, 2027 (the “Maturity Date”).

Section 2.03 Form and Payment.

The Notes shall be issued as global notes, in fully registered book-entry form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The Notes and the Trustee’s Certificates of Authentication to be endorsed thereon are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A, which form is hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Supplemental Indenture.

The terms and provisions contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Supplemental Indenture, and the Company and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

The Company will make payments of principal and/or interest, if any, in respect of the Notes represented by global notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by The Depository Trust Company (together with any successor thereto, the “Depositary”) or its nominee. The Company will make all payments of principal, premium, if any, and/or interest and special interest, if any, with respect to certificated notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders of the certificated notes or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each such Holder’s registered address.

 

4


Principal, premium, if any, and/or interest, if any, on the global notes representing the Notes shall be made to the Depositary.

The global notes representing the Notes shall be deposited with, or on behalf of, the Depositary and shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary. No global note may be transferred except as a whole by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or such nominee to a successor of the Depositary or a nominee of such successor.

If any Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date is not a Business Day, the related payment of principal of or interest on such series of Notes shall become due and payable on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the date such payment were due, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date, as the case may be. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such regular Record Date and shall be paid as set forth in Section 2.13 of the Base Indenture.

Section 2.04 Interest.

Interest on the Notes shall accrue at the rate of 4.400% per annum. Interest on the Notes shall accrue from September 15, 2017 or the most recent Interest Payment Date on which interest was paid. Interest on the Notes shall be payable semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, beginning on September 15, 2017 (each an “Interest Payment Date”), to the Holders in whose names the Notes are registered at the close of business on the preceding March 1 and September 1 (each a “Record Date”). Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

Section 2.05 Limitation on Liens.

So long as any Notes are outstanding, the Company will not, and will not permit any of its Principal Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, use any voting stock of a Principal Subsidiary as security for any of its debt or other obligations unless the Notes are secured prior to, or to the same extent as that debt or other obligation. This restriction does not apply to liens on voting stock existing at the time a corporation becomes the Company’s Principal Subsidiary or any renewal or extension of such existing liens and does not apply to shares of Subsidiaries that are not “Principal Subsidiaries.”

Section 2.06 Limitation on Disposition of Stock of Principal Subsidiaries.

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, issue, sell, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of the common stock of the Company’s Principal Subsidiaries (except to the Company or to one or more of the Company’s other Subsidiaries or for the purpose of qualifying directors), except for:

 

  (a) any issuance, sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition is required to comply with the order of a court or regulatory authority of competent jurisdiction, other than an order issued at the Company’s request or at the request of one of the Company’s Subsidiaries;

 

5


  (b) all of the common stock of a principal subsidiary owned by the Company or by a Principal Subsidiary sold for cash or other property having a fair market value that is at least equal to the fair market value of the disposed stock, as determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors; or

 

  (c) after giving effect to the issuance, sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition, the Company and its Subsidiaries would own directly or indirectly at least 80% of the issued and outstanding common stock of such principal subsidiary and such issuance, sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition is made for consideration consisting of cash or other property which is at least equal to the fair value of such common stock.

The Company may also merge or consolidate any Principal Subsidiary into or with another direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company, the shares of capital stock of which the Company owns at least 80%.

ARTICLE THREE

REDEMPTION OF THE NOTES

Section 3.01 Redemption Provisions in the Base Indenture.

Sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the Base Indenture shall not be applicable to the Notes and are superseded by Article III of this Supplemental Indenture. Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6 of the Base Indenture shall be applicable to the Notes.

Section 3.02 Optional Redemption.

(a) Redemption Prior to December 15, 2026. Prior to December 15, 2026, (the date that is three months prior to the Maturity Date of the Notes (the “Par Call Date”)), the Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option, at any time or from time to time, on notice given not more than 60 days, nor less than 30 days, prior to the date on which the Notes will be redeemed (the “Redemption Date”), at a price (the “Redemption Price”) equal to the greater of:

(1) 100% of the principal amount of any Notes to be redeemed; or

(2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on any Notes to be redeemed (exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the then current Treasury Rate plus 30 basis points.

(b) Redemption On or After December 15, 2026. On or after the Par Call Date, the Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option, at any time or from time to time, on notice given not more than 60 days, nor less than 30 days, prior to the Redemption Date, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of any Notes to be redeemed.

 

6


If the Company redeems any Notes pursuant to the foregoing paragraphs, it will pay accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of any Note being redeemed to the Redemption Date.

(c) Calculation of the Treasury Rate. The Treasury Rate will be calculated by the Company in good faith on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date. As used in the immediately preceding sentence, the term “Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

Section 3.03 Notice of Redemption.

At least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date, the Company will deliver a notice of redemption (the “Redemption Notice”) to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed, in accordance with Section 10.2 of the Base Indenture, except that Redemption Notices may be given more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of this Supplemental Indenture pursuant to Article VIII of the Base Indenture.

The Redemption Notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and corresponding CUSIP, ISIN or Common Code numbers, as applicable, and will state:

(a) The amount of the Notes to be redeemed;

(b) the Redemption Date;

(c) the Redemption Price;

(d) if any global note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such global note to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date upon surrender of such global note, the principal amount thereof will be decreased by the portion thereof redeemed pursuant thereto;

(e) the CUSIP number;

(f) the name and address of the Paying Agent(s) to which the Notes are to be surrendered for redemption;

(g) that interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the Redemption Date unless the Company defaults in the deposit of the Redemption Price;

(h) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the Redemption Price;

(i) the paragraph of the Notes and/or Section of the Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and

(j) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP, ISIN or Common Code numbers, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.

 

7


If the Company chooses to redeem less than all of the Notes, the Company will notify the Trustee at least 60 days before giving the Redemption Notice, or such shorter period as is satisfactory to the Trustee, of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed and the applicable Redemption Date. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at the Company’s option, the Notes, or portions of the Notes, to be redeemed, will be selected in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary. Unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Redemption Price, interest will cease to accrue on any Notes that have been called for redemption at the Redemption Date.

At the Company’s written request, the Trustee shall give the Redemption Notice in the Company’s name and at its expense; provided, however, that the Company has delivered to the Trustee, at least 10 days prior to the Redemption Date, an Officers’ Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the preceding paragraph.

The Company will not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 30 days immediately preceding the sending of a Redemption Notice of Notes selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such notice is sent (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Notes between a Record Date and the related Interest Payment Date, or (iii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Notes selected, called or being called for redemption in whole or in part.

The full defeasance and covenant defeasance provisions of the Indenture will apply to the Notes.

ARTICLE FOUR

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

Section 4.01 Addition of Events Constituting Events of Default.

In addition to the Events of Default included in Section 6.1 of the Base Indenture, an “Event of Default” shall be included to mean, with respect to the Notes, any of the following:

(a) if any event of default under a mortgage, indenture or instrument under which the Company may issue, or by which the Company may secure or evidence, any indebtedness, including an event of default under any other series of the Company debt securities, whether the indebtedness now exists or is later created or incurred, happens and consists of default in the payment of more than $25,000,000 in principal amount of indebtedness at the maturity of the indebtedness, after giving effect to any applicable grace period, or results in the indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $25,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and this default is not cured or the acceleration is not rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after the Company received written notice; and

 

8


(b) The Company shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $25,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith.

ARTICLE FIVE

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVER

Section 5.01 Addition of Amendments and Waivers Without Consent of Holders.

In addition to changes to Section 9.3 of the Base Indenture, the following changes cannot be made with respect to the Notes without the consent of the Holders of all of the Notes then outstanding:

(a) change the place of payment;

(b) change in the Redemption Price; or

(c) change in the Par Call Date to a date that is prior in time to the stated Par Call Date.

ARTICLE SIX

ABOUT THE TRUSTEE

Section 6.01 Replacement of Provision Regarding the Duties of the Trustee.

With respect to the Notes, Section 7.1(e) of the Base Indenture is hereby replaced in its entirety with the following:

(a) The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power unless it receives indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in performing such duty or exercising such right or power.

ARTICLE SEVEN

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.01 Application of Supplemental Indenture.

This Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Base Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided.

Section 7.02 Trust Indenture Act Controls.

If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 through 317 of the Trust Indenture Act, the imposed duties shall control.

 

9


Section 7.03 Conflict with Base Indenture.

To the extent not expressly amended or modified by this Supplemental Indenture, the Base Indenture shall remain in full force and effect. If any provision of this Supplemental Indenture relating to the Notes is inconsistent with any provision of the Base Indenture, the provision of this Supplemental Indenture shall control.

Section 7.04 Notices.

Any request, direction, instruction, demand, document, notice or communication by a party to the other parties will be made in the manner and be effective as set forth in Section 10.2 of the Base Indenture. Notices shall be delivered as follows:

if to the Company:

Mercury General Corporation

4484 Wilshire Boulevard

Los Angeles, California 90010

Attention: Ted Stalick

Telephone: (323) 937-1060

with a copy to:

Latham & Watkins LLP

350 South Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90071

Attention: Julian Kleindorfer

Telephone: (213) 891-1234

if to the Trustee:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Rodney Square North

1100 North Market Street

Wilmington, DE 19890

Attention: Mercury General Administrator

Telephone: (302) 636-6432

with a copy to:

Covington & Burling LLP

The New York Times Building

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Attention: Ronald A. Hewitt

Telephone: (212) 841-1220

 

10


Section 7.05 Governing Law.

THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE AND THE NOTES, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE OR THE NOTES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF ANY LAW OTHER THAN THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Section 7.06 Successors.

All agreements of the Company in the Base Indenture, this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in the Base Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors.

Section 7.07 Waiver of Jury Trial.

EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 7.08 Counterparts.

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

Section 7.09 Trustee Disclaimer.

The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture other than as to the validity of its execution and delivery by the Trustee. The recitals and statements herein are deemed to be those of the Company and not the Trustee.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

11


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

 

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Gabriel Tirador

Name: Gabriel Tirador
Its: President and Chief Executive Officer
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:  

/s/ W. Thomas Morris, II

Name: W. Thomas Morris, II
Its: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]

EX-5.1 5 d350382dex51.htm EX-5.1 EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

355 South Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90071-1560

Tel: +1.213.485.1234 Fax: +1.213.891.8763

www.lw.com

LOGO   FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES

 

March 8, 2017

 

Mercury General Corporation

4484 Wilshire Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90010

 

Barcelona

Beijing

Boston

Brussels

Century City

Chicago

Dubai

Düsseldorf

Frankfurt

Hamburg

Hong Kong

Houston

London

Los Angeles

Madrid

Milan

  

Moscow

Munich

New York

Orange County

Paris

Riyadh

Rome

San Diego

San Francisco

Seoul

Shanghai

Silicon Valley

Singapore

Tokyo

Washington, D.C.

    
 

 

  Re: Registration Statement No. 333-215344; $375,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount of 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Mercury General Corporation, a California corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance of $375,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.400% Senior Notes due 2027 (the “Notes”), under an Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2017 (the “Base Indenture,” as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 8, 2017, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), and pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on December 28, 2016 (Registration No. 333-215344) (as so filed and amended, the “Registration Statement”), a base prospectus, dated December 28, 2016, included in the Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective (the “Base Prospectus”), a preliminary prospectus supplement, dated March 1, 2017, filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Preliminary Prospectus”), each document that the Company has identified as an “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rules 433 and 405 under the Act) and that is described on Exhibit A attached hereto (each a “Specified IFWP”), a final prospectus supplement, dated March 1, 2017, filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act on March 2, 2017 (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”), and an underwriting agreement, dated March 1, 2017, between the underwriters named therein and the Company (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issuance of the Notes.


March 8, 2017

Page 2

 

LOGO

 

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the internal laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of California, and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or, in the case of California, any other laws, or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any local agencies within any state.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, the Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and, when the Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and in the manner contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the Notes will be the legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

Our opinion is subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity, whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought; (iii) the invalidity under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy; and (iv) we express no opinion with respect to: (a) any provision for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty; (b) consents to, or restrictions upon, governing law, jurisdiction, venue, arbitration, remedies or judicial relief; (c) the waiver of rights or defenses contained in Section 4.4 of the Base Indenture; (d) any provision requiring the payment of attorneys’ fees, where such payment is contrary to law or public policy; (e) any provision permitting, upon acceleration of the Notes, collection of that portion of the stated principal amount thereof which might be determined to constitute unearned interest thereon; (f) advance waivers of claims, defenses, rights granted by law, or notice, opportunity for hearing, evidentiary requirements, statutes of limitation, trial by jury or at law or other procedural rights; (g) waivers of broadly or vaguely stated rights; (h) provisions for exclusivity, election or cumulation of rights or remedies; (i) provisions authorizing or validating conclusive or discretionary determinations; (j) grants of setoff rights; (k) proxies, powers and trusts; (l) provisions prohibiting, restricting or requiring consent to assignment or transfer of any right or property; and (m) the severability, if invalid, of provisions to the foregoing effect.

With your consent, we have assumed (a) that the Indenture, the Specified IFWP, the Prospectus and the Notes (collectively, the “Documents”) have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto other than the Company, (b) that the Documents constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the parties thereto other than the Company, enforceable against each of them in accordance with their respective terms, and (c) that the status of the


March 8, 2017

Page 3

 

LOGO

 

Documents as legally valid and binding obligations of the parties is not affected by any (i) breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments, (ii) violations of statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders or (iii) failures to obtain required consents, approvals or authorizations from, or make required registrations, declarations or filings with, governmental authorities.

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated March 8, 2017 and to the reference to our firm contained in the Prospectus under the heading “Validity of the Notes.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Latham & Watkins


March 8, 2017

Page 4

 

LOGO

 

Exhibit A

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus

[provided separately]

GRAPHIC 6 g350382dsp177.jpg GRAPHIC begin 644 g350382dsp177.jpg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end GRAPHIC 7 g350382dsp178.jpg GRAPHIC begin 644 g350382dsp178.jpg M_]C_X 02D9)1@ ! $ 8 !@ #__@ ?3$5!1"!496-H;F]L;V=I97,@26YC M+B!6,2XP,0#_VP"$ (" @(" @(" @(" @(" @(" @(" @(" @(" @(" @(" M @(" @,# @(# @(" P0# P,#! 0$ @,$! 0$! ,$! ,! @(" @(" @(" @," M @(# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# P,# M P,# P,# __$ :( $% 0$! 0$! ! @,$!08'" D*"P$ P$! M 0$! 0$! 0 $" P0%!@<("0H+$ " 0,# @0#!04$! 7T! @, M!!$%$B$Q008346$'(G$4,H&1H0@C0K'!%5+1\"0S8G*""0H6%Q@9&B4F)R@I M*C0U-CH.$A8:' MB(F*DI.4E9:7F)F:HJ.DI::GJ*FJLK.TM;:WN+FZPL/$Q<;'R,G*TM/4U=;7 MV-G:X>+CY.7FY^CIZO'R\_3U]O?X^?H1 (! @0$ P0'!00$ $"=P ! @,1 M! 4A,08205$'87$3(C*!"!1"D:&QP0DC,U+P%6)RT0H6)#3A)?$7&!D:)BH*#A(6& MAXB)BI*3E)66EYB9FJ*CI*6FIZBIJK*SM+6VM[BYNL+#Q,7&Q\C)RM+3U-76 MU]C9VN+CY.7FY^CIZO+S]/7V]_CY^O_ !$( P C@,!$0 "$0$#$0'_V@ , M P$ A$#$0 _ /V\\,Z[JFH>-?B3H]W<+)I_AV_\,0:1 (88S;1:CX9LM1O% M:6-%>??>32.#*SE0=JX4 5S4JDY5\53;]VDZ:BK)6O34GZZOJ>UC\'A\/E.0 M8JE!QKXZGBY5I2?N^ M\KHL_$#5M:C\-:=XH\+>*+C2K:>30(XX(=,T:_@O(-=U33[5;IWU&SFDBDCM M;QF18W52P&X&GB9U%2C5HU7!/DTY8M-3E%7]Y/9/2Q&28;"/'U\NS#+XXB<% MB&Y2JUZ#+[P%9W>HZGK<%_>:W;Z MS+;:);76IZFMOILMS9E+'2K-?)\J8Q[C:QQ_+'E\C.2K5GAY8>+E*:DY*5HI MR=HW6D5I9]D+ 8'#YI1SBK2H4L).A"A*A&=>4*5+FJJ$[U*TWS,IM5IIGFF5QP=')J=)0GB<73J.I*E5 M]K"I/ZQ.G3Y91;@K148M1LK[ZW,CX9>-M;\0:EJMCXAGM6.HV5MXL\+Q6ZVR M/;>&]0N+BVCT^Y\CF2ZMC%;.[29D_P!-&XX Q&$KU*DIQJM>\E4II6T@VTHN MW6-E>^NIU9_E.$P6'PU7 PG%4*DL'BW)R:EBJ48S=2/-M"I>2BH^[^[TW.=3 MXI:SI^K_ !&BU)X9[&UBU)_ :+!#&TUWHU_'X?NM.WHBM=R2:Q=V#C>78+,P M'RC S6+J0GBE*SC%2]BK+>#Y''S]YK[SN?#V$K87(I8=2A6FZ2S!N4FHPKTW MB85;-M04:$*BT25XKJSJ?"_C76D\ 6VIZ['_ &OXHM=6U'P_?0VL*V_VK5-. MU.\MIC'!:0$1JEI;-+MCBR1$< LPSK1KU%AE*HN>K&4H-)6O*,FGHEV5]$>= MF.583^V9X?!/ZME\Z-+$TW.3ER4JE*$XWE.6MYR4;N5DWJ[(MZSXVDLY_ FO M6]Y&GA76+W4M*UM-D$D<=R^G74^GS+=F/>GDWVG7$!*.J2><,@X7%3KN+P]1 M.U&;E&6V_*W%W\G%KSN983*8U89Q@YTF\QPE.E6H.\DW%581J1Y+V?-3JQFK MIN/+HUJ<%X=^(GB_4[6TT>^N8K7Q+J_B_P /R6#+96H:#P9K]BWB%,6[0E'D M@TNTO;5IG5GW88G> :YJ6)K24:C:'XGBD%L;F35/% N!I]Q#*P\V.&Q8:<90A (U'YP=O&U7$3AB(Q32HP M<85%I?FJ7Y7?=*/NW_Q'!@,FP^(R:M4G3F\RQ$*^(PC3DHJCA.7VD6E[KE67 MM>2^J]EIN7_$1\6Q>.O#NCZ?XUO]/TWQ%#KETUI'HGAVX^P#1K:QDCAMKBZT MV261)7GE+F9G8<;2.SJ^V6(I4XUW&%13=N6#MR)62;BWK?6YC@5EKR?'8FME M5.M7P$L/!3=?$Q]I[>51.4HPJQBG%17*HI+NF97BOQQXBTWQS)X+TNZMXKC6 M]*T&VT.[OK: :?I.HWMSJO\ :&IW['J].YT9=E&"KY1'-,13E*&$JXB5>%.4O:5J=.-' MV5*$;^['GF_:UDKTZ;;;ORG9ZIJFK:7XI^'NA)?M/;:K'XACU>2:VLUFU"32 M](BN+>=C% BVK_:"TA6W$2G=MQM %;SG.%;#4^:ZES\UTKOEC=/1::]K'EX? M#X;$9=G6+=%0J85X9T5&4^6FJM9QE'63)='\3>.+ M'5)X?[">;6=)\(7XM;=/[*\1:5H46J0:;=NL0%PMXDYDA,^\F2V,><-@SO*--V7NSC#F47WYKZ7ZJQ[]/(L!B)_%5OX;\!:JEWJ=AI.I:5#>>+_$>AZ)9 M:SJ>FR2:5:W%K*NFW%I<0PV$UU)<&>9+.;RA&H54#9&E2K6C2P\DY1A**=2< M(J4H^ZFO=::2;O=\KMY''@.SC#.G2K8FA6E#!87$5ZE"E52K3C-.K&< M)RJ1@H^SBZL.=MMMM6.['BO3[73K.=+U=8AD\./K=OJ8EM;?^U8K86ZM)''& MD<:RS"7S2(T5$P1M4# Z%6C&,;2YERK!TGA91 MQ*H2I6G+V+ES-)MMRM#EY?>;;T=WN:6C:\-8O-9MXK.6*WTJYBM8K_S!);7[ MNCO)]G=4 W1*L3,%9QMN8CNR65;A4YW-*-E!I)]'Z>GZHY\3@_JE+"S=52G7 MBY.G:TJ:327,F]I:I72=XRTM9OGKKX>V\FO:UXAL/$_BS0[O7Y=/GU.WTB\T MJ.RFDTO3[?3+5A%>:-,@#)X9>TJ58U:E-U.5R47&WNQ45H MXOHNYWT\[G'!83 ULOP>+I8&-2-&5:%9SBJM256:O"O33]^3M[NB2^>A=^ O M#.I:O>ZUK&GPZY>7=G96"KJ\-K>V]C:V(FQ'81/;C[.9I)Y))6W,6?&"H4** M>'I2G*2:25]E;2][LPI9QC\/A:.$PM>6$I49SJ?N92IRG.?+K4:E M[W*HJ,%9)+NVV1KX#T=?"ECX-^TZFVDZ=/8S6KO<0M>QIINIQ:I96QG^R[6M MXI(8H0#'N\E N[=\]'U>"HQH7ER0:MKK[LN9*]ME:VVQ7]L8K^TJN:*%*.)K MQJ1FE&2IMU:3I3ER\UU*2DY-\UN=WM;0VM0T&RU+5="U>X>X6Z\/37T]BL4B M)"[W]FUC.+E&B9I%$+$J%9,-R21Q5RIQE.G-W3I-M=M59W^1R4,95P^'Q>%@ MH^SQL:<:C:?,E3FJD>5II)\RUNGIVW,B\\$:5>0^+X7NM3A7QJ;?^V&@N(8Y M$CM[!#8L;9O(CELX C[O,8^8Y4KD;8>'@U65Y+V]N:S[)1TTTNE9[_(Z: M6;8BC++)*G2D\IYO8*49-7E4E5O47,N9QG*\;7_A'O._M"=_#7B'4/$ME++(]M-M+G!7S' M$UYX6IS*E4PE"&'A*GS1DZ=--1YGS.\K/E;5DTEH5?$_@G0?%7AZ;PS?026> MF2SV]PHTHPV,UO-;3K.CV["%TB9BK(Q\LY61QP3D*K0IUJ;I27+"Z?NZ--.^ MFFAIE^;8S+<;#'T9*I7C&4?WUZD91E%Q:DN9-VO=:Z-+M8C_ .$$T!?%>F^, M$CN(M4TG1SH=I#'*BV M )$BDDM_*+-=10RRQ)() %21AM/4+ZO35:%:S4X1 MY$NENFG=+1>17]L8S^S:^5N498?$5_;S;3=3GT;2E>RA*48RE'EUDD[F5>?" MKP;J%IKD%_8?:[S7KN]OKK6YTM&URWN+ME9&L+\6H-H+41Q+;J%(C$2YW?-N MB6#H2C44HW=1MN3MS7>UG;3ETMVL=-+B+-,/4P3D[6TMT\OARSGU70-9FGO9+[P]:7]G9NTL02X34H+>WN9;U M5@'FS%;9&!C,0#,QVD$ ;.E%SIS;;E232^:2=]-].ECSXXZK3PV,PD(0C1QL MZJDF] MSIPFRJ.I"-*\VXQ3=K2 M*=4&LWCK/$EQ9:BD%K!%<:7*+?\ T5HU MM(RI82G+."2K%:B>%I3A5IRNU5ES/75.R2<7;2UO,Z\-GN.P>(R_%4/9QJ9; M2]A33BW&=+FG)QJQYO?3YVG;EV5K-7+U]X/2ZTC2=%L_$/B31++2K)-._P") M1=:=%/?V:6T5JL5_+=Z7)+86SJTCE6&1BI4;PA3C5G3C!FH58=7\-3VD6DDT^NOI_A M_1M+T[3M*M-.MELM)M%L;"*6);AK>V6,1&-9)PSG<@^