0001193125-13-366741.txt : 20130913 0001193125-13-366741.hdr.sgml : 20130913 20130913170836 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-13-366741 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-3ASR PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 8 FILED AS OF DATE: 20130913 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20130913 EFFECTIVENESS DATE: 20130913 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000714310 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021] IRS NUMBER: 222477875 STATE OF INCORPORATION: NJ FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3ASR SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-191168 FILM NUMBER: 131096998 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1455 VALLEY RD CITY: WAYNE STATE: NJ ZIP: 07470 BUSINESS PHONE: 9733053380 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1455 VALLEY RD CITY: WAYNE STATE: NJ ZIP: 07470 S-3ASR 1 d597310ds3asr.htm FORM S-3ASR Form S-3ASR
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 13, 2013

Registration No.            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Form S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

New Jersey   22-2477875

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

1455 Valley Road

Wayne, New Jersey 07470

(973) 305-8800

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Gerald H. Lipkin, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

1455 Valley Road

Wayne, New Jersey 07470

(973) 305-8800

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

Ronald H. Janis, Esq.

Michael T. Rave, Esq.

Day Pitney LLP

7 Times Square

New York, New York 10036

(212) 297-5800

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.   ¨

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  x

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.   ¨

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ¨

If this form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  x

If this form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer   þ    Accelerated filer   ¨
Non-accelerated filer   ¨    Smaller reporting company   ¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each class of

securities to be registered

 

Amount

to be

registered

 

Proposed

maximum

offering price

per security

 

Proposed

maximum

aggregate

offering price

 

Amount of

registration fee (1)

Subordinated Debt Securities

               

Total

               

 

 

(1) An indeterminate amount of securities are being registered as may from time to time be sold at indeterminate prices. In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act, Valley National Bancorp hereby defers payment of the registration fee required in connection with this registration statement. In connection with the securities offered hereby, Valley National Bancorp will pay “pay-as-you-go” registration fees in accordance with Rule 456(b).

 

 

 


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PROSPECTUS

VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP

SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES

 

 

The securities listed above may be offered and sold by us and/or may be offered and sold, from time to time, by one or more selling security holders to be identified in the future. The specific terms of any securities to be offered, and the specific manner in which they may be offered, will be described in a supplement to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in the securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol “VLY”.

These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the SEC or any state securities commission nor have these organizations determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.

This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.

These securities will be our unsecured obligations and will not be savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any banking or non-banking subsidiary of ours and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Bank Insurance Fund or any other governmental agency.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated herein by reference, in any of our subsequently filed quarterly and current reports that are incorporated by reference and in any applicable prospectus supplement.

The date of this prospectus is September 13, 2013.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     PAGE  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1   

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     1   

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     3   

RISK FACTORS

     4   

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     4   

RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     5   

USE OF PROCEEDS

     5   

LEGAL MATTERS

     6   

EXPERTS

     6   


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

References in this prospectus to “Valley,” “we,” “us” and “our” are to Valley National Bancorp. In this prospectus, we sometimes refer to the subordinated debt securities as “offered securities.”

We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of the securities.

This document is called a prospectus and is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC. Under this registration statement, we may from time to time offer the subordinated debt securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the offered securities. Each time we sell securities we will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of the securities being offered. That prospectus supplement may include a discussion of any risk factors or other special considerations that apply to those securities. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change the information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

The registration statement containing this prospectus, including exhibits to the registration statement, provides additional information about us and the securities offered under this prospectus. The registration statement can be read at the SEC web site or at the SEC offices mentioned under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

When acquiring any securities discussed in this prospectus, you should rely only on the information provided in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement, including the information incorporated by reference. Neither we nor any underwriters or agents have authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not offering the securities in any state where the offer is prohibited. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference is accurate or complete at any date other than the date mentioned on the cover page of these documents.

We may sell securities to underwriters who will sell the securities to the public on terms fixed at the time of sale. In addition, the securities may be sold by us directly or through dealers or agents designated from time to time, which agents may be our affiliates. If we, directly or through agents, solicit offers to purchase the securities, we reserve the sole right to accept and, together with our agents, to reject, in whole or in part, any of those offers.

The prospectus supplement will contain the names of the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, together with the terms of offering, the compensation of those underwriters and the net proceeds to us. Any underwriters, dealers or agents participating in the offering may be deemed “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”).

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and on our website at www.valleynationalbank.com. Except as specifically incorporated by reference in this prospectus, information on those websites is not part of this prospectus. You may also read and copy any document we file by visiting the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C. The SEC’s address in Washington, D.C. is 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. You may also inspect our SEC reports and other information at the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with them, which means:

 

    incorporated documents are considered part of the prospectus;

 

    we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents; and

 

    information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this prospectus and earlier information incorporated by reference.

In the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later.

We incorporate by reference the following documents that we have filed with the SEC:

 

    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012;

 

    Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2013 and June 30, 2013;

 

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    Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on the following dates: January 30, 2013, February 11, 2013, April 19, 2013, April 24, 2013, May 22, 2013, June 25, 2013, August 29, 2013 and September 10, 2013 (unless stated otherwise in the applicable report, information furnished under Item 2.02 or 7.01 of our Current Reports on Form 8-K, including those listed here, is not incorporated herein by reference);

 

    The definitive proxy statement for our 2013 annual meeting of shareholders; and

 

    The description of the common stock which is contained in Valley’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

We also incorporate by reference each of the following documents that we will file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished, and not filed in accordance with the SEC rules) until this offering is completed:

 

    reports filed under Sections 13(a) and (c) of the Exchange Act;

 

    any document filed under Section 14 of the Exchange Act; and

 

    any reports filed under Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

You should rely only on information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus is accurate as of the date of this prospectus only. Our business, financial condition and results of operation may have changed since that date.

To receive a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus (other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in the documents), call or write our Shareholder Relations Department, as follows:

Valley National Bancorp

1455 Valley Road

Wayne, New Jersey 07470

Attention: Dianne M. Grenz

Telephone: 973-305-8800

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information about Valley and a general description of the securities we may offer. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that may be important to you. For a more complete understanding of Valley and the terms of the securities we will offer, you should read carefully this entire prospectus, including the applicable prospectus supplement for the securities and the other documents we refer to and incorporate by reference. In particular, we incorporate important business and financial information into this prospectus by reference.

Valley National Bancorp

Valley, a New Jersey corporation, was organized in 1983 as a holding company for Valley National Bank, sometimes referred to herein as the Bank. We indirectly own additional subsidiaries through the Bank. We are registered as a bank holding company with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System under the Bank Holding Company Act.

Our principal executive offices and telephone number are:

1455 Valley Road

Wayne, New Jersey 07470

(973) 305-8800

The Securities We May Offer

The descriptions of the securities contained in this prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplements, summarize certain material terms and provisions of the various types of securities that we or selling security holders may offer. The particular material terms of the securities offered by a prospectus supplement will be described in that prospectus supplement. If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the terms of the offered securities may differ from the terms summarized below. The prospectus supplement will also contain information, where applicable, about material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the offered securities, and the securities exchange, if any, on which the offered securities will be listed. The descriptions in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement do not contain all of the information that you may find useful or that may be important to you. You should refer to the provisions of the actual documents whose terms are summarized herein and in the applicable prospectus supplement, because those documents, and not the summaries, define your rights as holders of the relevant securities. For more information, please review the forms of these documents, which will be filed with the SEC and will be available as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” above.

Our subordinated debt securities will be subordinated in priority of payment. We will provide a prospectus supplement that describes the ranking, the level of subordination, the specific designation, the aggregate principal amount, the purchase price, the maturity, the redemption terms, the interest rate or manner of calculating the interest rate, the time of payment of interest, if any, the terms for any conversion or exchange, including the terms relating to the adjustment of any conversion or exchange mechanism, the listing, if any, on a securities exchange and any other specific terms of the subordinated debt securities.

 

 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in Valley securities involves risks. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and in our updates to those Risk Factors in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q following the most recent Form 10-K, and in all other information appearing in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. The material risks and uncertainties that management believes affect Valley will be described in those documents. In addition to those risk factors, there may be additional risks and uncertainties of which management is not aware or focused on or that management deems immaterial. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. The trading price of our securities could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment. This prospectus is qualified in its entirety by these risk factors.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This document contains and incorporates by reference certain forward-looking statements regarding the financial condition, results of operations and business of Valley. These statements are not historical facts and include expressions about management’s confidence and strategies and management’s expectations about new and existing programs and products, acquisitions, relationships, opportunities, taxation, technology, market conditions and economic expectations.

You may identify these statements by looking for:

 

    forward-looking terminology, like “should,” “expect,” “believe,” “view,” “opportunity,” “allow,” “continues,” “reflects,” “typically,” “usually,” or “anticipate;”

 

    expressions of confidence like “strong” or “on-going;” or

 

    similar statements or variations of those terms.

These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from the results the forward-looking statements contemplate because of, among others, the following possibilities:

 

    a severe decline in the general economic conditions of New Jersey and the New York Metropolitan area;

 

    larger than expected reductions in our loans originated for sale or a slowdown in new and refinanced residential mortgage loan activity;

 

    unexpected changes in long-term market interest rates for interest earning assets and/or interest bearing liabilities;

 

    declines in value in our investment portfolio, including additional other-than-temporary impairment charges on our investment securities;

 

    unexpected significant declines in the loan portfolio due to the lack of economic expansion, increased competition, large prepayments or other factors;

 

    unanticipated credit deterioration in our loan portfolio;

 

    Valley’s inability to pay dividends at current levels, or at all, because of inadequate future earnings, regulatory restrictions or limitations, and changes in the composition of qualifying regulatory capital and minimum capital requirements (including those resulting from the U.S. implementation of Basel III requirements);

 

    higher than expected increases in our allowance for loan losses;

 

    unanticipated loan delinquencies, loss of collateral, decreased service revenues, and other potential negative effects on our business caused by severe weather or other external events;

 

    higher than expected tax rates, including increases resulting from changes in tax laws, regulations and case law;

 

    an unexpected decline in real estate values within our market areas;

 

    charges against earnings related to the change in fair value of our junior subordinated debentures;

 

    higher than expected FDIC insurance assessments;

 

    the failure of other financial institutions with whom we have trading, clearing, counterparty and other financial relationships;

 

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    lack of liquidity to fund our various cash obligations;

 

    unanticipated reduction in our deposit base;

 

    potential acquisitions that may disrupt our business;

 

    legislative and regulatory actions (including the impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and related regulations) subject us to additional regulatory oversight which may result in higher compliance costs and/or require us to change our business model;

 

    changes in accounting policies or accounting standards;

 

    our inability to promptly adapt to technological changes;

 

    our internal controls and procedures may not be adequate to prevent losses;

 

    claims and litigation pertaining to fiduciary responsibility, environmental laws and other matters;

 

    the inability to realize expected revenue synergies from recent acquisitions in the amounts or in the timeframe anticipated;

 

    inability to retain customers and employees;

 

    lower than expected cash flows from purchased credit-impaired loans;

 

    cyber attacks, computer viruses or other malware that may breach the security of our websites or other systems to obtain unauthorized access to confidential information, destroy data, disable or degrade service, or sabotage our systems; and

 

    other unexpected material adverse changes in our operations or earnings.

Valley assumes no obligation for updating its forward-looking statements at any time. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind these risks, uncertainties and other cautionary statements made in this prospectus and the prospectus supplements. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement, which speaks only as of the date made. You should refer to our periodic and current reports filed with the SEC for specific risks that could cause actual results to be significantly different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. See “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Risk Factors” above.

RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

     Six Months
Ended June 30,
     Years Ended December 31,  
     2013      2012      2012      2011      2010      2009      2008  

Consolidated Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges

                    

Excluding interest on deposits

     2.39x         2.48x         2.60x         2.42x         2.27x         2.09x         1.71x   

Including interest on deposits

     2.00x         2.02x         2.11x         1.95x         1.84x         1.61x         1.34x   

Note: The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is calculated by adding earnings before taxes plus fixed charges and dividing that sum by fixed charges.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of offered securities for general corporate purposes, including:

 

    increasing our regulatory capital levels;

 

    refinancing, reduction or repayment of debt;

 

    investments in Valley National Bank and our other subsidiaries as regulatory capital;

 

    financing of possible acquisitions; and

 

    expansion of the business.

 

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The prospectus supplement with respect to an offering of offered securities may identify different or additional uses for the proceeds of that offering.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities of Valley offered hereby will be passed upon for Valley by Day Pitney LLP, New York, New York.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Valley as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2012, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2012 have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth the approximate expenses payable by Valley in connection with the sale of the securities being registered:

 

Registration Statement filing fee

   $ (1)(2)   

Printing expenses

   $ (2)   

Legal fees and expenses

   $ (2)   

Accounting fees and expenses

   $ (2)   

Miscellaneous

   $ (2)   

Total

   $ (2)   

 

(1) Under Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act, the registration fee will be paid at the time of any particular offering of securities under this registration statement.
(2) The amount of these fees and expenses is not currently determinable.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Indemnification. Article VI of the certificate of incorporation of Valley National Bancorp provides that the Corporation shall indemnify its present and former officers, directors, employees, and agents and persons serving at its request against expenses, including attorney’s fees, judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement, incurred in connection with any pending or threatened civil or criminal proceeding to the full extent permitted by the New Jersey Business Corporation Act. The Article also provides that such indemnification shall not exclude any other rights to indemnification to which a person may otherwise be entitled, and authorizes the Corporation to purchase insurance on behalf of any of the persons enumerated against any liability whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him under the provisions of Article VI.

The New Jersey Business Corporation Act empowers a corporation to indemnify a corporate agent against his expenses and liabilities incurred in connection with any proceeding (other than a derivative lawsuit) involving the corporate agent by reason of his being or having been a corporate agent if (a) the agent acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and (b) with respect to any criminal proceeding, the corporate agent had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. For purposes of the Act, the term “corporate agent” includes any present or former director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, and a person serving as a “corporate agent” at the request of the corporation for any other enterprise.

With respect to any derivative action, the Corporation is empowered to indemnify a corporate agent against his expenses (but not his liabilities) incurred in connection with any proceeding involving the corporate agent by reason of his being or having been a corporate agent if the agent acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. However, only the court in which the proceeding was brought can empower a corporation to indemnify a corporate agent against expenses with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which the agent was adjudged liable for negligence or misconduct.

The Corporation may indemnify a corporate agent in a specific case if a determination is made by any of the following that the applicable standard of conduct was met: (i) the board of directors, or a committee thereof, acting by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of disinterested directors; (ii) by independent legal counsel, if there is not a quorum of disinterested directors or if the disinterested quorum empowers counsel to make the determination; or (iii) by the shareholders.

A corporate agent is entitled to mandatory indemnification to the extent that the agent is successful on the merits or otherwise in any proceeding, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter in the proceeding. If a corporation fails or refuses to indemnify a corporate agent, whether the indemnification is permissive or mandatory, the agent may apply to a court to grant him the requested indemnification. In advance of the final disposition of a proceeding, the corporation may pay an agent’s expenses if the agent agrees to repay the expenses unless it is ultimately determined he is entitled to indemnification.

Exculpation. Article VII of the certificate of incorporation of Valley National Bancorp provides:

A director or officer of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its shareholders for damages for breach of any duty owed to the Corporation or its shareholders, except that this provision shall not relieve a director or officer from liability for any breach of duty based upon an act or omission (i) in breach of such person’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its shareholders, (ii) not in good faith or involving a knowing violation of law, or (iii) resulting in receipt by such person of an improper personal benefit. If the New Jersey Business Corporation Act is amended after approval by the shareholders of this provision to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors or officers, then the liability of a director and/or officer of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the New Jersey Business Corporation Act as so amended.

Any repeal or modification of the foregoing paragraph by the shareholders of the Corporation or otherwise shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director or officer of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

 

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The New Jersey Business Corporation Act, as it affects exculpation, has not been changed since the adoption of this provision by Valley National Bancorp in 1987.

Item 16. Exhibits

The following exhibits are filed herewith or incorporated by reference. The reference numbers correspond to the numbered paragraphs of Item 601 of Regulation S-K.

 

1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
4.1    Form of Subordinated Debt Security.
4.2    Form of Subordinated Debt Indenture.
5    Opinion of Day Pitney LLP regarding the legality of the securities being registered.
12.1    Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
23.1    Consent of KPMG LLP.
23.2    Consent of Day Pitney LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5).
24    Power of Attorney (included on signature page).
25.1    Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1 of Trustee under the Subordinated Debt Indenture.

 

* To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K in connection with the offering of securities registered hereunder.

Item 17. Undertakings

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement.

(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered that remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i) each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of the registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

 

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provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

(i) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(ii) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(e) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the SEC under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act.

 

9


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the Town of Wayne, State of New Jersey, on the 13th day of September, 2013.

 

VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP
By:   /s/ Gerald H. Lipkin
Name:     Gerald H. Lipkin
Title:   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

10


Table of Contents

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Gerald H. Lipkin, Alan D. Eskow and Mitchell L. Crandell as attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign on his or her behalf, individually and in any and all capacities, including the capacities stated below, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and any registration statements filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating thereto and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting to said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

  

Date

/s/ Gerald H. Lipkin    Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer    September 13, 2013
Gerald H. Lipkin      
/s/ Alan D. Eskow    Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer), Corporate Secretary and Director    September 13, 2013
Alan D. Eskow      
/s/ Mitchell L. Crandell    First Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)    September 13, 2013
Mitchell L. Crandell      
/s/ Andrew B. Abramson    Director    September 13, 2013
Andrew B. Abramson      
/s/ Peter J. Baum    Director    September 13, 2013
Peter J. Baum      
/s/ Pamela R. Bronander    Director    September 13, 2013
Pamela R. Bronander      
/s/ Peter Crocitto    Director    September 13, 2013
Peter Crocitto      
/s/ Eric P. Edelstein    Director    September 13, 2013
Eric P. Edelstein      
/s/ Mary J. Steele Guilfoile    Director    September 13, 2013
Mary J. Steele Guilfoile      
/s/ Graham O. Jones    Director    September 13, 2013
Graham O. Jones      
/s/ Walter H. Jones, III    Director    September 13, 2013
Walter H. Jones, III      
/s/ Gerald Korde    Director    September 13, 2013
Gerald Korde      
/s/ Michael L. LaRusso    Director    September 13, 2013
Michael L. LaRusso      
/s/ Marc J. Lenner    Director    September 13, 2013
Marc J. Lenner      
/s/ Barnett Rukin    Director    September 13, 2013
Barnett Rukin      
/s/ Suresh L. Sani    Director    September 13, 2013
Suresh L. Sani      

 

11


Table of Contents

Signature

  

Title

  

Date

/s/ Robert C. Soldoveri    Director    September 13, 2013
Robert C. Soldoveri      
/s/ Jeffrey S. Wilks    Director    September 13, 2013
Jeffrey S. Wilks      

 

12


Table of Contents

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
4.1    Form of Subordinated Debt Security.
4.2    Form of Subordinated Debt Indenture.
5    Opinion of Day Pitney LLP regarding the legality of the securities being registered.
12.1    Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
23.1    Consent of KPMG LLP.
23.2    Consent of Day Pitney LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5).
24    Power of Attorney (included on signature page).
25.1    Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1 of Trustee under the Subordinated Debt Indenture.

 

* To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K in connection with the offering of securities registered hereunder.

 

13

EX-4.1 2 d597310dex41.htm EX-4.1 EX-4.1

EXHIBIT 4.1

GLOBAL NOTE

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO IN THIS SECURITY AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED TO, OR REGISTERED OR EXCHANGED FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF, ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE OR A SUCCESSOR OF SUCH DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR AND NO SUCH TRANSFER MAY BE REGISTERED, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE. EVERY SECURITY AUTHENTICATED AND DELIVERED UPON REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER OF, OR IN EXCHANGE FOR OR IN LIEU OF, THIS SECURITY SHALL BE A GLOBAL SECURITY SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING, EXCEPT IN SUCH LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.

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

THIS SECURITY IS NOT A DEPOSIT AND IS NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY FEDERAL OR OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY.

 

1


VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP

[            ]% Subordinated Notes due [                        ]

 

ISIN:    CUSIP   
No. [            ]      

Valley National Bancorp, a New Jersey corporation (hereinafter called the “Company”, which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to                      , or registered assigns the principal sum as set forth in the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Note attached hereto on [                    ] (such date is hereinafter referred to as the “Maturity Date”), and to pay interest thereon from [                    ] or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on each [                    ] and [                        ] of each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing [                        ] at the rate of [            ]% per annum, on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months, until the principal of the Notes has been paid in full or a sum sufficient to pay the principal of the Notes has been made available for payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name the relevant Notes, or any predecessor Notes, are registered at the close of business on the Record Date for such Interest Payment Date; provided that the interest due on the Maturity Date (whether or not an Interest Payment Date) of a Note of this series will be paid to the Person to whom principal of such Note is payable.

Payment of the principal of and interest on this Note will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in The City of New York, which shall initially be the principal office of the Trustee located therein, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that payment of interest may be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the Person entitled thereto at such address as shall appear in the Security register or by wire transfer to an account appropriately designated by the Person entitled to payment; provided, that the paying agent shall have received written notice of such account designation at least five Business Days prior to the date of such payment (subject to surrender of the relevant Note in the case of a payment of interest on the Maturity Date).

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual or facsimile signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

Dated: [                    ], [        ]

VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP

By:                                                                            

Name:

Title:

 

3


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated: [                    ], [        ]

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Trustee

 

By:    
  Authorized Signatory

 

4


REVERSE OF NOTE

VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Notes”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of [                    ] , between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee), as supplemented and amended by the First Supplemental Indenture between the Company and the Trustee (the “Supplemental Indenture” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”) dated as of [                    ] , to which Indenture reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Notes and of the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $[                    ].

All terms used in this Note that are defined in the Base Indenture or the Supplemental Indenture shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Base Indenture or the Supplemental Indenture.

The Notes of this series shall not be redeemable at the option of the Company or the holders prior to the Maturity Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Company may redeem the Notes before the Maturity Date upon the occurrence of a Tier 2 Capital Event or a Tax Event, or if the Company is required to register as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.). Any such redemption by the Company prior to the Maturity Date requires the prior approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

The Notes of this series are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

The Base Indenture provisions relating to defeasance in Sections 13.2 and 13.3 of the Base Indenture shall not be applicable to the Notes.

If an Event of Default with respect to Notes of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal and interest owed on the Notes of this series shall only become due and payable in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Article V of the Base Indenture.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the holders of the Notes at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes of each series (each series voting as a class) affected thereby and at the time Outstanding. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Notes of a series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the holders of all Notes of such series, to waive certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the holder of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by the holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes of this series, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Notes of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $[                    ] and any integral multiple of $[                    ] in excess of $[                    ].

 

5


The Company and the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

THIS NOTE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SAID STATE.

 

6


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Security, fill in the form below:

I or we assign and transfer this Security to:

 

 
(Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. no.)
 
 
 
 
(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint                          as agent to transfer this Security on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

Your Signature:       
   (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Security)

 

Your Name:       

 

Date:       

 

Signature Guarantee:      *

 

* NOTICE: The Signature must be guaranteed by an Institution which is a member of one of the following recognized signature Guarantee Programs: (i) The Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP); (ii) The New York Stock Exchange Medallion Program (MNSP); (iii) The Stock Exchange Medallion Program (SEMP); or (iv) such other guarantee program acceptable to the Trustee.

 

7


SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Security registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Security registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

8


SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN NOTE

The initial principal amount of this Note is $[                    ]. The following increases or decreases in the principal amount of this Note have been made:

 

Date    Amount of decrease in
principal amount of
this Note
   Amount of decrease in
principal amount of
this Note
   Principal amount of
this Note following
such decrease or
increase
   Signature of authorized
signatory of Trustee

 

9

EX-4.2 3 d597310dex42.htm EX-4.2 EX-4.2

Exhibit 4.2

VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP

and

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Trustee

INDENTURE

Dated as of [                 ,         ]

SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I

  

Definitions And Other Provisions Of General Application

     1  

Section 1.1.

  

Definitions

     1  

Section 1.2.

  

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

     8  

Section 1.3

  

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

     9  

Section 1.4.

  

Acts of Holders; Record Dates

     10  

Section 1.5.

  

Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company

     11  

Section 1.6.

  

Notice to Holders; Waiver

     12  

Section 1.7.

  

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

     13  

Section 1.8.

  

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

     13  

Section 1.9.

  

Successors and Assigns

     13  

Section 1.10.

  

Separability Clause

     13  

Section 1.11.

  

Benefits of Indenture

     13  

Section 1.12.

  

Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction

     13  

Section 1.13.

  

Legal Holidays

     14  

ARTICLE II

  

Security Forms

     14  

Section 2.1.

  

Forms Generally

     14  

Section 2.2.

  

Form of Legend for Global Securities

     15  

Section 2.3.

  

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

     15  

ARTICLE III

  

The Securities

     16  

Section 3.1.

  

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

     16  

Section 3.2.

  

Denominations

     19  

Section 3.3.

  

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

     19  

 

i


Section 3.4.

  

Temporary Securities

     21  

Section 3.5.

  

Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange

     22  

Section 3.6.

  

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost, and Stolen Securities

     24  

Section 3.7.

  

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

     24  

Section 3.8.

  

Persons Deemed Owners

     26  

Section 3.9.

  

Cancellation

     27  

Section 3.10.

  

Computation of Interest

     27  

Section 3.11.

  

CUSIP Numbers

     27  

ARTICLE IV

  

Satisfaction and Discharge

     28  

Section 4.1.

  

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

     28  

Section 4.2

  

Application of Trust Money

     29  

ARTICLE V

  

Remedies

     29  

Section 5.1.

  

Events of Default

     29  

Section 5.2.

  

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

     30  

Section 5.3.

  

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

     31  

Section 5.4.

  

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

     32  

Section 5.5.

  

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

     33  

Section 5.6.

  

Application of Money Collected

     33  

Section 5.7.

  

Limitation on Suits

     33  

Section 5.8.

  

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium, and Interest

     34  

Section 5.9.

  

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

     34  

Section 5.10.

  

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

     34  

Section 5.11.

  

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

     35  

Section 5.12.

  

Control by Holders

     35  

 

-ii-


Section 5.13.

  

Waiver of Past Defaults

     35  

Section 5.14.

  

Undertaking for Costs

     36  

ARTICLE VI

  

The Trustee

     36  

Section 6.1.

  

Certain Duties and Responsibilities

     36  

Section 6.2.

  

Notice of Defaults

     37  

Section 6.3.

  

Certain Rights of Trustee

     38  

Section 6.4.

  

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

     40  

Section 6.5.

  

May Hold Securities

     40  

Section 6.6.

  

Money Held in Trust

     40  

Section 6.7.

  

Compensation and Reimbursement

     40  

Section 6.8.

  

Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

     42  

Section 6.9.

  

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

     42  

Section 6.10.

  

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

     42  

Section 6.11.

  

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

     44  

Section 6.12.

  

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation, or Succession to Business

     45  

Section 6.13.

  

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

     46  

Section 6.14.

  

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

     46  

ARTICLE VII

  

Holder’s Lists and Reports by Trustee and Company

     48  

Section 7.1.

  

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

     48  

Section 7.2.

  

Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

     48  

Section 7.3.

  

Reports by Trustee

     49  

Section 7.4.

  

Reports by Company

     49  

ARTICLE VIII

  

Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease

     50  

Section 8.1.

  

Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

     50  

Section 8.2.

  

Successor Substituted

     50  

 

-iii-


ARTICLE IX

  

Supplemental Indentures

     51  

Section 9.1.

  

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

     51  

Section 9.2.

  

Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders

     52  

Section 9.3.

  

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

     53  

Section 9.4.

  

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

     53  

Section 9.5.

  

Conformity With Trust Indenture Act

     54  

Section 9.6.

  

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

     54  

Section 9.7.

  

Notice of Supplemental Indentures

     54  

ARTICLE X

  

Covenants

     54  

Section 10.1.

  

Payment of Principal, Premium, and Interest

     54  

Section 10.2.

  

Maintenance of Office or Agency

     54  

Section 10.3.

  

Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

     55  

Section 10.4.

  

Statement by Officers as to Default

     56  

Section 10.5.

  

Existence

     56  

Section 10.6.

  

Maintenance of Properties

     56  

Section 10.7.

  

Payment of Taxes and Other Claims

     57  

Section 10.8.

  

Waiver of Certain Covenants

     57  

Section 10.9.

  

Calculation of Original Issue Discount

     57  

Section 10.10.

  

Tax Payment and Tax Withholding Obligations

     58  

ARTICLE XI

  

Redemption of Securities

     58  

Section 11.1.

  

Applicability of Article

     58  

Section 11.2.

  

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

     58  

Section 11.3.

  

Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

     59  

 

-iv-


Section 11.4.

  

Notice of Redemption

     59  

Section 11.5.

  

Deposit of Redemption Price

     60  

Section 11.6.

  

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

     61  

Section 11.7.

  

Securities Redeemed in Part

     61  

ARTICLE XII

  

Sinking Funds

     61  

Section 12.1.

  

Applicability of Article

     61  

Section 12.2.

  

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

     62  

Section 12.3.

  

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

     62  

ARTICLE XIII

  

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

     63  

Section 13.1.

  

Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

     63  

Section 13.2.

  

Defeasance and Discharge

     63  

Section 13.3.

  

Covenant Defeasance

     64  

Section 13.4.

  

Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

     64  

Section 13.5.

  

Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions

     66  

Section 13.6.

  

Reinstatement

     67  

ARTICLE XIV

  

Subordination Of Securities

     67  

Section 14.1.

  

Securities Subordinate to Senior Debt

     67  

Section 14.2.

  

No Payment When Senior Debt in Default

     70  

Section 14.3.

  

Trustee and Holders of Securities May Rely on Certificate of Liquidating Agent; Trustee May Require Further Evidence as to Ownership of Senior Debt; Trustee Not Fiduciary to Holders of Senior Debt

     71  

Section 14.4.

  

Payment Permitted If No Default

     72  

Section 14.5.

  

Trustee Not Charged with Knowledge of Prohibition

     72  

 

-v-


Section 14.6.

  

Trustee to Effectuate Subordination

     73  

Section 14.7.

  

Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Debt

     73  

Section 14.8.

  

Article Applicable to Paying Agents

     73  

Section 14.9.

  

Subordination Rights Not Impaired by Acts or Omissions of the Company or Holders of Senior Debt

     73  

Section 14.10.

  

Trustee’s Rights to Compensation, Reimbursement of Expenses and Indemnification

     74  

Section 14.11.

  

Modification of Subordination Provisions

     74  

NOTE: This table of contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.

 

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VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP

Certain Sections of this Indenture relating to

Sections 310 through 318, inclusive, of the

Trust Indenture Act of 1939:

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture Section  

§310

   (a)(1)      6.9   
   (a)(2)      6.9   
   (a)(3)      Not Applicable   
   (a)(4)      Not Applicable   
   (b)      6.8   
        6.10   

§311

   (a)      6.13   
   (b)      6.13   

§312

   (a)      7.1   
   (b)      7.2(a)   
   (c)      7.2(b)   

§313

   (a)      7.3(a)   
   (b)      7.3(a)   
   (c)      7.3(a)   
   (d)      7.3(b)   

§314

   (a)      7.4   
   (a)(4)      1.2   
        10.4   

 

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   (b)      Not Applicable   
   (c)(1)      1.2   
   (c)(2)      1.2   
   (c)(3)      Not Applicable   
   (d)      Not Applicable   
   (e)      1.2   

§315

   (a)      6.1   
   (b)      6.2   
   (c)      6.1   
   (d)      6.1   
   (d)(1)      6.1   
   (d)(2)      6.1   
   (d)(3)      6.1   
   (e)      5.14   

§316

   (a)(1)(A)      5.12   
   (a)(1)(B)      5.2   
        5.13   
   (a)(2)      Not Applicable   
   (b)      5.8   
   (c)      1.4(c)   

§317

   (a)(1)      5.3   
   (a)(2)      5.4   
   (b)      10.3   

§318

   (a)      1.7   

NOTE: This shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.

 

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INDENTURE, dated as of [                 ,         ], between VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of New Jersey (the “Company”), having its principal office at 1455 Valley Road, Wayne, New Jersey, 07470, and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., a national banking association, as Trustee (the “Trustee”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its subordinated, unsecured debentures, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness (the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series as provided in this Indenture.

All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series of the Securities, as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions And Other Provisions

Of General Application

 

Section 1.1. Definitions.

For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;

 

(2) all other terms used in this Indenture which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference to the Trust Indenture Act, have the meanings assigned to them in the Trust Indenture Act;

 

(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined in this Indenture have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, the term “accounting principles generally accepted in the United States” with respect to any computation required or permitted under this Indenture shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States at the date of such computation;

 

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(4) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

 

(5) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “Article” or a “Section” refers to an Article or a Section, as the case may be, of this Indenture.

“Act”, when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 1.4(a).

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Authenticating Agent” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.14 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

“Authorized Officer” means any officer of the Company designated by or pursuant to a Board Resolution to take certain actions as specified in this Indenture.

“Board of Directors” means either the board of directors of the Company or any other duly authorized committee of that board.

“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors, or by action of an Authorized Officer designated as such pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

“Business Day” means, unless otherwise specified, any day that is not a Saturday or Sunday and that is not a day on which banking institutions are generally authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to be closed in The City of New York, New York.

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

 

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“Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.

“Company Request” or “Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by its Chairman, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, its Chief Financial Officer, or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, its Controller, an Assistant Controller, its Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary, and delivered to the Trustee.

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which any particular time its corporate trust business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania shall be principally administered, which office as of the date of this instrument is located at 525 William Penn Place, 38th Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15259, except that with respect to presentation of Securities for payment or for registration of transfer or exchange, such term shall mean the office or agency of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate agency business shall be conducted, which office at the date of this instrument is located at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286; Attention: Corporate Trust Division - Corporate Finance Unit, or, in the case of any of such offices or agency, such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Company.

“Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 13.3.

“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 3.7.

“Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 13.2.

“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 pursuant to Section 3.1, which Person shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act.

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 5.1.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended now or in the future, and any successor statute.

“Global Security” means a Security bearing the legend prescribed in Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a series of Securities, authenticated and delivered to the Depositary for such series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or nominee.

“Holder” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.

 

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“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more supplemental indentures entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, including, for all purposes of this Indenture and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this Indenture and any such supplemental indenture, respectively. The term “Indenture” shall also include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.1.

“Interest Payment Date”, with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

“Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable in accordance with its terms or the terms of this Indenture, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, or otherwise.

“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, an Assistant Controller, the Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee. One of the officers signing an Officers’ Certificate given pursuant to Section 10.4 shall be the principal executive, financial, or accounting officer of the Company.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company, and who, in all cases, shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which provides for an amount less than the principal amount of such Security to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity of such Security pursuant to Section 5.2.

“Outstanding”, when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities previously authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

 

(i) Securities previously cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

 

(ii) Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been previously deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities; provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision for such redemption satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

 

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(iii) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 3.6 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company;

 

(iv) Securities which have been defeased pursuant to Section 13.2; and

 

(v) Securities not deemed outstanding pursuant to Section 11.3;

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, or waiver under this Indenture, (i) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon acceleration of its maturity pursuant to Section 5.2, (ii) if, as of such date, the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of a Security is not determinable, the principal amount of such Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount as specified or determined as contemplated by Section 3.1, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor.

“Paying Agent” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Company.

“Periodic Offering” means an offering of Securities of any series from time to time, the specific terms of which Securities, including, without limitation, its rate or rates of interest, if any, its Stated Maturity, and redemption provisions, if any, with respect to such Securities are to be determined by the Company or its agents upon the issuance of such Securities.

“Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, association, unincorporated organization, or government or any agency or political subdivision of any government.

 

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“Place of Payment”, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 3.1.

“Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.6 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost, or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost, or stolen Security.

“ranking junior to the Securities”, when used with respect to any obligation of the Company, shall mean any obligation of the Company which (a) ranks junior to and not equally with or prior to the Securities (or any other obligations of the Company ranking on a parity with the Securities) in right of payment upon the happening of any event of the kind specified in the first sentence of the second paragraph in Section 14.1 or (b) is specifically designated as ranking junior to the Securities by express provision in the instrument creating or evidencing such obligation. The securing of any obligations of the Company, otherwise ranking junior to the Securities, shall be deemed to prevent such obligations from constituting obligations ranking junior to the Securities. For the avoidance of doubt, any junior subordinated debt securities issued or assumed by the Company shall be deemed securities ranking junior to the Securities other than any such securities issued after the date hereof that by their terms expressly rank on a parity with the Securities.

“ranking on a parity with the Securities”, when used with respect to any obligation of the Company, shall mean any obligation of the Company which (a) ranks equally with and not prior to the Securities in right of payment upon the happening of any event of the kind specified in the first sentence of the second paragraph of Section 14.1 or (b) is specifically designated as ranking on a parity with the Securities by express provision in the instrument creating or evidencing such obligation. The securing of any obligations of the Company, otherwise ranking on a parity with the Securities, shall not be deemed to prevent such obligations from constituting obligations ranking on a parity with the Securities.

“Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

“Redemption Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.

“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 3.1.

 

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“Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer assigned to the Corporate Trust Division - Corporate Finance Unit (or any successor division or unit) of the Trustee located at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and for the purposes of Sections, 5.12(3), 6.1(c)(2) and 6.2 shall also include any other officer of the Trustee to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

“Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

“Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.5.

“Senior Debt” means

 

(i) any of the Company’s indebtedness for borrowed or purchased money, whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, or other written instruments, including any obligations of the Company to general creditors or trade creditors,

 

(ii) the Company’s obligations under letters of credit,

 

(iii) any of the Company’s indebtedness or other obligations with respect to commodity contracts, interest rate and currency swap agreements, cap, floor, and collar agreements, currency spot and forward contracts, and other similar agreements or arrangements designed to protect against fluctuations in currency exchange or interest rates, and

 

(iv) any guarantees, endorsements (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), or other similar contingent obligations in respect of obligations of others of a type described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), whether or not such obligation is classified as a liability on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States,

in each case whether outstanding on the date of execution of this Indenture or incurred later, other than obligations ranking on a parity with the Securities or ranking junior to the Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (or other competent regulatory agency or authority) promulgates any rule or issues any interpretation that defines general creditor(s), the main purpose of which is to establish a criteria for determining whether the subordinated debt of a bank holding company is to be included in its capital, then the term “general creditors” as used herein the definition of Senior Debt will have the meaning as described in that rule or interpretation.

 

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“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.7.

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

“Subsidiary” means a corporation or other Person more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock or a majority of the controlling interest of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more other Subsidiaries. For the purposes of this definition, “voting stock” means stock which ordinarily has voting power for the election of directors, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency.

“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 under this Indenture, 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.

“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “Trust Indenture Act” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as so amended.

“U.S. Government Obligation” has the meaning specified in Section 13.4.

“Vice President”, when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president (other than any assistant vice president), whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “vice president”.

“Wholly Owned Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary all of whose outstanding voting stock (other than directors’ qualifying shares) shall at the time be owned by the Company or one or more of its Wholly Owned Subsidiaries.

 

Section 1.2. Compliance Certificates and Opinions.

Upon any application to or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to

 

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the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provisions of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion (other than the Officers’ Certificate delivered under Section 10.4 of this Indenture) with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

 

(1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the related definitions;

 

(2) 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;

 

(3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, 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

 

(4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

Section 1.3 Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.

In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which this certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such certificate or opinion of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

 

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Where any Person is required to make, give, or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions, or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

 

Section 1.4. Acts of Holders; Record Dates.

 

(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is expressly required by this Indenture, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied in and evidenced by such instrument or instruments) are sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.1) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Holder, including a Depositary that (or whose nominee) is a Holder of a Global Security, may make, give, or take, by a proxy or proxies, duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action provided or permitted in this Indenture to be made, given, or taken by Holders, and a Depositary that (or whose nominee) is a Holder of a Global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such Global Security.

 

(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him its execution. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

 

(c)

The Company may fix any day as the record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Securities of any series entitled to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action, or to vote on any action,

 

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  authorized, or permitted to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series. If not set by the Company prior to the first solicitation of a Holder of Securities of such series made by any Person in respect of any such action, or, in the case of any such vote, prior to such vote, the record date for any such action or vote shall be the 30th day (or, if later, the date of the most recent list of Holders required to be provided pursuant to Section 7.1) prior to such first solicitation or vote, as the case may be. With regard to any record date for action to be taken by the Holders of one or more series of Securities, only the Holders of Securities of such series on such date (or their duly designated proxies) shall be entitled to give, take, or vote on the relevant action.

 

(d) The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.

 

(e) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer of, in exchange for, or in lieu of such Security in respect of anything done, omitted, or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance on such action, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

 

(f) Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled to give or take any action under this Indenture with regard to any particular Security may do so with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Security or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any different part of such principal amount.

 

Section 1.5. Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

 

(1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose under this Indenture if made, given, furnished, or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention: Corporate Trust Division - Corporate Finance Unit, or

 

(2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose under this Indenture (unless otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company, Attention: Corporate Secretary.

 

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The Trustee shall have the right, but shall not be required, to rely upon and comply with notices, instructions, directions or other communications sent by e-mail, facsimile and other similar unsecured electronic methods by persons believed by the Trustee to be authorized to give instructions and directions on behalf of the Company. The Trustee shall have no duty or obligation to verify or confirm that the person who sent such instructions or directions is, in fact, a person authorized to give instructions or directions on behalf of the Company; and the Trustee shall have no liability for any losses, liabilities, costs or expenses incurred or sustained by the Company as a result of such reliance upon or compliance with such notices, instructions, directions or other communications. The Company agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit notices, instructions, directions or other communications to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties. The Company shall use all reasonable endeavors to ensure that any such notices, instructions, directions or other communications transmitted to the Trustee pursuant to this Indenture are complete and correct. Any such notices, instructions, directions or other communications shall be conclusively deemed to be valid instructions from the Company to the Trustee for the purposes of this Indenture.

 

Section 1.6. Notice to Holders; Waiver.

Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture) if in writing and (i) mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, or (ii) in the event that a Depositary (or a nominee thereof) is a Holder of Securities issued in the form of Global Securities, then with respect to such Securities given by electronic, email or other means as such be acceptable to such Depositary, in all cases, not later than the latest date (if any), and not earlier than the earliest date (if any), prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose under this Indenture.

 

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Section 1.7. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under such Act to be a part of and govern this Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be.

 

Section 1.8. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.

The Article and Section headings in this Indenture and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of this Indenture.

 

Section 1.9. Successors and Assigns.

All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

Section 1.10. Separability Clause.

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 by such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision.

 

Section 1.11. Benefits of Indenture.

Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties to this Indenture and their successors under this Indenture, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

 

Section 1.12. Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction.

This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (including but not limited to N.Y. General Obligations Law Section 5-1401 and any successor statute thereto).

Each of the Company and the Trustee, and each Holder of a Security by its acceptance thereof, hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right it may have to trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Indenture, the Securities or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

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Each of the Company and the Trustee irrevocably consents and submits, for itself and in respect of any of its assets or property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any court of the State of New York or any United States court sitting, in each case, in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York, United States of America, and of any appellate court in respect thereof in any suit, action or proceeding that may be brought in connection with this Indenture or the Securities, and waives any immunity from the jurisdiction of such courts. Each of the Company and the Trustee irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection to any such suit, action or proceeding that may be brought in such courts whether on the grounds of venue, residence or domicile or on the ground that any such suit, action or proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each of the Company and the Trustee agrees, to the fullest extent that it lawfully may do so, that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and the Trustee, respectively, and the Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection to the enforcement by any competent court in the Company’s jurisdiction of organization of judgments validly obtained in any such court in New York on the basis of such suit, action or proceeding.

 

Section 1.13. Legal Holidays.

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, or Stated Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities, other than a provision of the Securities of any series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, or Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity, provided that no interest shall accrue with respect to the payment due on such date for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, or Stated Maturity, as the case may be.

ARTICLE II

Security Forms

 

Section 2.1. Forms Generally.

The Securities of each series shall be in substantially such form or forms as shall be established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions or in one or more indentures supplemental to this Indenture, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to such Board Resolution or any such supplemental indenture, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions, and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have

 

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such letters, numbers, or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed on them as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may, consistently with this Indenture, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities. If the form of Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 3.3 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

The definitive Securities, if any, shall be printed, lithographed, or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

 

Section 2.2. Form of Legend for Global Securities.

Any Global Security authenticated and delivered under this Indenture shall bear a legend (in addition to any legend that may be required by the applicable requirements of the Depositary) in substantially the following form:

This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture referred to in this Security and is registered in the name of a Depositary or its nominee. This Security may not be transferred to, or registered or exchanged for Securities registered in the name of, any Person other than the Depositary or its nominee or a successor of such Depositary or a nominee of such successor and no such transfer may be registered, except in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture. Every Security authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, this Security shall be a Global Security subject to the foregoing, except in such limited circumstances.”

 

Section 2.3. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.

The Trustee’s certificates of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

Dated:     THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee
    By:  

 

      Authorized Signatory

 

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ARTICLE III

The Securities

 

Section 3.1. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

The Securities may be issued in one or more series. There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution and, subject to Section 3.3, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers’ Certificate pursuant to a Board Resolution or indenture supplemental to this Indenture, or established in one or more indentures supplemental to this Indenture, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series,

 

(1) the title of the Securities of the series (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from Securities of any other series);

 

(2) 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 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 9.6, or 11.7 and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 3.3, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered under this Indenture);

 

(3) the Person to whom any interest on a Security of the series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on Regular Record Date for such interest;

 

(4) the date or dates on which the principal (and premium, if any) of the Securities of the series is payable;

 

(5) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable, and the Regular Record Date for any interest payable on any Interest Payment Date;

 

(6) the place or places in addition to the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, where the principal of and any premium and interest on Securities of the series shall be payable;

 

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(7) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Company to redeem the Securities shall be evidenced;

 

(8) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, purchase, or repay Securities of the series pursuant to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund, or analogous provision or at the option of a Holder of the Security, 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, purchased, or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

(9) if other than denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of such denomination, the denomination or denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable;

 

(10) if the amount of payments of principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index or formula, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

 

(11) if other than the principal amount of the Securities of the series, the portion of the principal amount of Securities which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of its Maturity pursuant to Section 5.2;

 

(12) if the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of any Securities of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior to the Stated Maturity, the amount which shall be deemed to be the principal amount of such Securities as of any such date for any purpose under the Securities or this Indenture, including the principal amount which shall be due and payable upon any Maturity other than the Stated Maturity or which shall be deemed to be Outstanding as of any date prior to the Stated Maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed to be the principal amount shall be determined);

 

(13) the application, if any, of either or both of Section 13.2 and Section 13.3 to the Securities of the series (including, in the case of Section 13.3, the covenants and any Events of Default not specified therein that are subject thereto) and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election pursuant to such Sections by the Company shall be evidenced;

 

(14)

whether the Securities of the series shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in such case, the Depositary or Depositaries for such Global Security or Global Securities (if other than The Depository Trust Company), and any circumstances other than those set forth in Section 3.5 in which any such Global

 

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  Security may be transferred to, and registered and exchanged for, Securities registered in the name of, a Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or its nominee and in which any such transfer may be registered;

 

(15) any Authenticating Agents, Paying Agents, or any other agents with respect to the Securities of the series;

 

(16) any other covenant or warranty included for the benefit of Securities of the series in addition to (and not inconsistent with) those included in this Indenture for the benefit of Securities of all series, or any other covenant or warranty included for the benefit of Securities of the series in lieu of any covenant or warranty included in this Indenture for the benefit of Securities of all series (including any covenant contained in Article X), or any provision that any covenant or warranty included in this Indenture for the benefit of Securities of all series (including any covenant contained in Article X) shall not be for the benefit of Securities of such series, or any change to or combination of the provisions of any such covenant or warranty included in this Indenture for the benefit of Securities of all series (including any covenants contained in Article X) which applies to the Securities of such series;

 

(17) any addition to, deletion from, 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 of such Securities due and payable pursuant to Section 5.2; and

 

(18) any other terms of the Securities of such series, or of any specified tenor thereof.

All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above and (subject to Section 3.3) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officers’ Certificate referred to above or in any indenture supplemental to the Indenture.

Unless otherwise provided with respect to the Securities of any series, at the option of the Company, interest on the Securities of any series that bears interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled to such interest as such address shall appear in the Security Register.

If any of the terms of the series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of the series.

 

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Section 3.2. Denominations.

The Securities of each series shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 3.1. In the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiples of such denominations.

 

Section 3.3. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.

The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, or one of its Vice Presidents, and may (but need not) have the corporate seal of the Company affixed or reproduced thereon and, if so affixed or reproduced, attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.

Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with the documents referred to below in this Section 3.3, for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver such Securities to or upon a Company Order or pursuant to such procedures acceptable to the Trustee and to such recipients as may be specified from time to time by a Company Order. If so provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture establishing the Securities of any series, the maturity date, original issue date, interest rate, and any other terms of any or all of the Securities of such series may be determined by or pursuant to such Company Order and procedures. If provided for in such procedures, such Company Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to electronic instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent, which instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. In authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive and (subject to Section 6.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, unless and until such documents have been superseded or revoked:

 

(a)

a Company Order requesting such authentication and setting forth delivery instructions if the Securities are not to be delivered to the Company, provided that, with respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, (i) such Company Order may be delivered by the Company to the Trustee at any time prior to the delivery to the Trustee of the Securities of such series for authentication and delivery, (ii) the Trustee shall

 

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  authenticate and deliver the Securities of such series for original issue from time to time, in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding the aggregate principal amount established for such series, pursuant to a Company Order or pursuant to such procedures acceptable to the Trustee as may be specified from time to time by a Company Order, and (iii) if so provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture establishing the Securities of such series, the maturity date, original issue date, interest rate, and any other terms of any or all of the Securities of such series may be determined by a Company Order or pursuant to such procedures;

 

(b) any Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate and/or executed supplemental indenture referred to in Sections 2.1 and 3.1 by or pursuant to which the form or forms and terms of the Securities of such series were established;

 

(c) an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the form or forms and the terms of the Securities of such series, stating that such form or forms and terms have been established pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 3.1 and comply with this Indenture, and covering such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request; and

 

(d) an Opinion of Counsel, substantially to the effect that:

 

  (i) the form or forms of the Securities of such series have been duly authorized and established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

 

  (ii) the terms of the Securities of such series (or the manner of determining such terms) have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

 

  (iii) that such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium, and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles and other customary qualifications and assumptions.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under the Securities or this Indenture or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.1 and of the preceding paragraph, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to

 

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deliver the above specified documents at or prior to the time of authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued.

Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in this Indenture executed by the Trustee by manual signature of an authorized signatory, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered under this Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 3.9, for all purposes of this Indenture, such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered under this Indenture and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

 

Section 3.4. Temporary Securities.

Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed, or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions, and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange one or more definitive Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor. Until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series and tenor.

 

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Section 3.5. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.

The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee a register (the register maintained in such office or in any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment may sometimes be collectively referred to as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities and of transfers of Securities. The Trustee is hereby appointed “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Securities and transfers of Securities as provided in this Indenture.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor.

At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed, by the Holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.4, 9.6, or 11.7 not involving any transfer.

The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that series selected for redemption

 

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under Section 11.3 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

Notwithstanding the foregoing and except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series represented by a Global Security or Global Securities notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a Depositary for the Securities of such series or if at any time the Depositary for Securities of a series shall no longer be registered or in good standing under the Exchange Act or other applicable statute or regulation, the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Securities of such series. If a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not appointed by the Company or, if appointed, has not accepted such appointment, within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such condition, the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon Company Request, will authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security or Global Securities representing Securities of such series in exchange for such Global Security or Global Securities.

In the event that (i) the Company at any time and in its sole discretion determines that the Securities of any series issued in the form of one or more Global Securities shall no longer be represented by such Global Security or Global Securities or (ii) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series, the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon Company Request or instructions from the Depositary, will authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series in definitive form and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security or Global Securities representing such series in exchange for such Global Security or Global Securities.

Upon the occurrence in respect of any Global Security of any series of any one or more of the conditions specified in the preceding two paragraphs or such other conditions as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.1 for such series, such Global Security may be exchanged for Securities registered in the names of, and the transfer of such Global Security may be registered to, such Persons (including Persons other than the Depositary with respect to such series and its nominees) as such Depositary shall direct. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, any Global Security shall also be a Global Security and shall bear the legend or legends specified in Section 2.2 except for any Security authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or upon registration of transfer of, a Global Security pursuant to the preceding sentence.

 

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Section 3.6. 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 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 as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, 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 to such issuance and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected with such issuance.

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 under this Indenture.

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.

 

Section 3.7. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.

Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.1 with respect to any series of Securities, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

 

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Any interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (“Defaulted Interest”) shall cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:

 

(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as provided in this Clause. At such time the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the related Special Record Date to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Securities of such series at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the related Special Record Date having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following Clause (2).

 

(2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

 

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Section 3.8. Persons Deemed Owners.

Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and any premium and (subject to Section 3.7) any interest on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee, nor an agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No holder of any beneficial interest in any Global Security registered in the name of a Depositary or its nominee shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such Global Security, and such Depositary or nominee, as the case may be, may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Indenture shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy, or other authorization furnished by a Depositary or its nominee pursuant to this Indenture. Furthermore, none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent, the Security Registrar, or any other agent of the Company or the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in any such Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests. The Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent, the Security Registrar, or any other agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be entitled to deal with the Depositary, and any nominee thereof, that is the registered holder of any Global Security for all purposes of this Indenture relating to such Global Security (including the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest and additional amounts, if any, and the giving of instructions or directions by or to the owner or holder of a beneficial ownership interest in such Global Security) as the sole holder of such Global Security and shall have no obligations to the beneficial owners thereof. None of the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Security Registrar shall have any responsibility or liability for any acts or omissions of the Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for the records of any such depositary, including records in respect of beneficial ownership interests in respect of any such Global Security, for any transactions between the Depositary and any Depositary participant or between or among the Depositary, any such Depositary participant and/or any holder or owner of a beneficial interest in such Global Security, or for any transfers of beneficial interests in any such Global Security.

 

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Section 3.9. Cancellation.

All Securities surrendered for payment, conversion, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange, or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in accordance with its then customary procedures.

 

Section 3.10. Computation of Interest.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1 for Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

Section 3.11. CUSIP Numbers.

The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP”, “ISIN” or other similar numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP”, “ISIN” or other similar 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 identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in “CUSIP”, “ISIN” or other similar numbers.

 

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ARTICLE IV

Satisfaction and Discharge

 

Section 4.1. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect, including the provisions of Article XIV (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of Securities expressly provided for in this Indenture), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

 

(1) either:

 

  (A) all Securities previously authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Securities which have been destroyed, lost, or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.6 and (ii) Securities for whose payment money has previously been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.3) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

  (B) all such Securities not previously delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

 

  (i) have become due and payable, or

 

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

 

  (iii) 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,

and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not previously delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (other than Securities which have been destroyed, lost, or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.6), for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;

 

(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by the Company under this Indenture; and

 

(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.7, the obligations (if any) of the Company to any Authenticating Agent under Section 6.14 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of Clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 4.2 and the last paragraph of Section 10.3 shall survive.

 

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In the event Securities of two or more series were at any time issued under this Indenture, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to the Securities of all series as to which it is Trustee and if the conditions of satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture contained in this Section 4.1 in respect of such Securities have been satisfied. In the event there are two or more Trustees under this Indenture, the effectiveness of any such instrument shall be conditioned upon receipt of such instruments from all such Trustees.

 

Section 4.2 Application of Trust Money.

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.3, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.1 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 to such money, of the principal and any premium and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee.

ARTICLE V

Remedies

 

Section 5.1. Events of Default.

“Events of Default”, wherever used in this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default, whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree, or order of any court or any order, rule, or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

 

(1) the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company by a court having jurisdiction in the premises in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization law, now or hereafter in effect of the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof, and such decree or order shall have continued unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

(2) the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization law, now or hereafter in effect of the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof, or the consent by the Company to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law; or

 

(3) any other Event of Default with respect to Securities of that series.

 

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Section 5.2. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default specified in Sections 5.1(1) or 5.1(2) with respect to Securities of any series then Outstanding shall have occurred and be continuing, then, in each and every such case, the principal amount and interest, if any, on all of the Securities of all series then Outstanding shall become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holders.

At any time after the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to Securities of one or more series and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as provided below in this Article, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all affected series (voting as one class), by written notice to the Company and the Trustee may waive all defaults with respect to all affected series, and may rescind and annul the consequences of the Event of Default if:

 

(1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay (A) all overdue interest on all Securities of all affected series, (B) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Securities of all affected series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any interest on such Securities at the rate or rates prescribed in such Securities, (C) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed in such Securities, and (D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee under this Indenture and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements, and advances of the Trustee, its agents, and counsel;

and

 

(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of all affected series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of the affected series which has become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

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

For all purposes under this Indenture, if a portion of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Securities shall have been accelerated and declared due and payable pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, then, from and after the date of such Event of Default, unless such Event of Default has been rescinded and annulled as provided above, the principal amount of such Original Issue Discount Securities shall be deemed, for all purposes under this Indenture, to be such portion of the principal as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, and

 

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the payment of such portion of the principal as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, together with interest, if any, on such portion and all other amounts owing under such Original Issue Discount Security, shall constitute payment in full of such Original Issue Discount Securities.

Except for an Event of Default specified in Sections 5.1(1) or 5.1(2), no other Events of Default with respect to Securities of any series then Outstanding shall result in the acceleration of the principal or interest on Securities then Outstanding. For any Event of Default, other than those specified in Sections 5.1(1) or 5.1(2), and for any default, or failure to perform, or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company, there shall not be a right to accelerate the principal or interest due under the Securities then Outstanding.

 

Section 5.3. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

The Company covenants that if:

 

(1) 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,

 

(2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security at its Maturity,

 

(3) default is made in the making or satisfaction of any sinking fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due pursuant to the terms of any Security, or

 

(4) default is made in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and such default or breach continues for a period of 30 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 such 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” under this Indenture,

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 any premium and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and premium and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed in such Securities, and, in addition, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements, and advances of the Trustee, its agents, and counsel.

 

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If the Company fails to pay such amounts immediately 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 decreed 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 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 in this Indenture, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

 

Section 5.4. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of any judicial proceeding relative to the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), its property, or its creditors, the Trustee shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, to take any and all actions authorized under the Trust Indenture Act in order to have claims of the Holders and the Trustee allowed in any such proceeding. In particular, the Trustee shall be authorized 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 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 reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements, and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.7.

No provision of this Indenture 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 or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding; provided, however, the Trustee may vote on behalf of the Holders for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and may be a member of a creditors, or other similar committee.

 

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Section 5.5. 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 of such Securities in any related proceeding, 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 reasonable compensation, 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.

 

Section 5.6. Application of Money Collected.

Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article or, after an Event of Default, any money or other property distributable in respect of the Company’s obligations under this Indenture 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 on account of principal or any premium or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation on such Securities of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender of such Securities if fully paid:

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee (including any predecessor trustee) under Section 6.7; and

SECOND: To the payment of amounts then due and unpaid to the holders of Senior Debt, to the extent required by Article XIV; and

THIRD: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and any premium 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 any premium and interest, respectively.

 

Section 5.7. 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 under this Indenture, unless:

 

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

 

(2) 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 under the Indenture;

 

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(3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses, and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

 

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

 

(5) 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 and intended 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 provided in this Indenture and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such Holders.

 

Section 5.8. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium, 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 any premium and (subject to Section 3.7) any interest on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Maturities 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, subject, however, to the provisions of Article XIV.

 

Section 5.9. 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 under this Indenture and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

Section 5.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost, or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 3.6, no right or remedy conferred in this Indenture upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be

 

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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 under this Indenture or now or in the future existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

Section 5.11. 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 or acquiescence in any such Event of Default. 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 5.12. 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

 

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

 

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

 

(3) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.

 

Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults.

Subject to Section 5.2, 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 waive any past default under this Indenture with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default (1) in the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of such series, or (2) in respect of a covenant or provision of this Indenture which under Article IX cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such affected series.

 

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Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising from such default 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 consequent right.

 

Section 5.14. Undertaking for Costs.

All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Securities by his acceptance of such Securities 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 attorney’s fees and expenses, 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 5.14 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 premium, if any) or interest on any Securities on or after the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Securities (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).

ARTICLE VI

The Trustee

 

Section 6.1. Certain Duties and Responsibilities.

(a) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default,

(1) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(2) 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 certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts, statements, opinions or conclusions stated therein).

 

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(b) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of 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 his or her own affairs.

(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that

(1) this Subsection (c) shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsections (a) or (d) of this Section;

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

(3) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, determined as provided herein, 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.

(d) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(e) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 6.1.

 

Section 6.2. Notice of Defaults.

Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of such series, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register (or in case that a Depositary (or a nominee thereof) is a Holder of Securities issued in the form of Global Securities, then with respect to such Securities give by electronic, email or other means as such be acceptable to such Depositary), notice of such default hereunder known to the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that except in the case of default in the payment of the principal of or the interest on any of the Securities of such series, or in the payment of any sinking fund installment or analogous payment on such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors or

 

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trustees or a committee comprised of Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of such series. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

 

Section 6.3. Certain Rights of Trustee.

Subject to the provisions of Section 6.1:

 

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

 

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned in this Indenture shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

 

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering, or omitting any action under this Indenture, the Trustee (unless other evidence be specifically prescribed in this Indenture) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, conclusively rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

 

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection 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 under this Indenture in good faith and in reliance on such advice or Opinion of Counsel;

 

(e) 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 pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses, and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

 

(f)

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

 

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  investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records, and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation;

 

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers or perform any duties under this Indenture either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it;

 

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;

 

(i) the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities unless written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee by the Company or by any Holder of the Securities, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture;

 

(j) the permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties;

 

(k) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;

 

(l) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded;

 

(m) anything in this Indenture notwithstanding, in no event shall the Trustee be liable for special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to loss of profit), even if the Trustee has been advised as to the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action; and

 

(n)

the Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Indenture arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by

 

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  circumstances beyond its control, including, without limitation, any provision of any law or regulation or any act of any governmental authority, acts of God; earthquakes; fire; flood; terrorism; wars and other military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions; loss or malfunctions of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communication services; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority and governmental action.

 

Section 6.4. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.

The recitals contained in this Indenture and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee or any Authenticating Agent shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds from such Securities. The Trustee shall not be responsible to make any calculation with respect to any matter under this Indenture. The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor or investigate the Company’s compliance with or the breach of, or cause to be performed or observed, any representation, warranty, or covenant, or agreement of any Person, other than the Trustee, made in this Indenture.

 

Section 6.5. May Hold Securities.

The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar, or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 6.8 and 6.13, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, or such other agent.

 

Section 6.6. Money Held in Trust.

Money held by the Trustee in trust under this Indenture need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it under this Indenture except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Company.

 

Section 6.7. Compensation and Reimbursement.

The Company agrees:

 

(1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation as shall be agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee for all services rendered by it under this Indenture (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

 

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(2) except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements, and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement, or advance as may be attributable to its gross negligence or willful misconduct; and

 

(3) to indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee and their officers, agents, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any and all loss, damage, claim, liability, or expense, including fees and expenses of counsel and including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee), incurred without gross negligence or willful misconduct on their part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts under this Indenture, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by the Company, or any Holder or any other Person) or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties under this Indenture, or in connection with enforcing the provisions of this Section.

To secure the Company’s obligations under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities upon all money or property held or collected by the Trustee in its capacity as Trustee, except for such money and property which is held in trust to pay principal (and premium, if any) or interest on particular Securities, and the claims of the Trustee under this Section shall not be subject to the provisions of Article XIV;

In addition to, and without prejudice to its other rights under this Indenture, when the Trustee incurs any expenses or renders any services after the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Section 5.1(1) or (2), such expenses (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) or any similar Federal or State law for the relief of debtors; and

The provisions of this Section 6.7 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture, the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the termination for any reason of this Indenture.

“Trustee” for purposes of this Section shall include any predecessor Trustee; provided, however, that the negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of any Trustee hereunder shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee hereunder.

 

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Section 6.8. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests.

If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. For the purpose of the second paragraph of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the phrase “default (as such term is defined in such indenture, but exclusive of any period of grace or requirement of notice)” is hereby defined to mean any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default. To the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series.

 

Section 6.9. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.

There shall at all times be a Trustee under this Indenture which shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section (and to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act), the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Article.

 

Section 6.10. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

 

(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11.

 

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice of such resignation to the Company.

 

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.

 

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(d) If at any time:

 

  (1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 6.8 after written request for such compliance by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or

 

  (2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.9 and shall fail to resign after written request by the Company or by any such Holder, or

 

  (3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation, or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to Section 5.14, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

 

(e) If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.11 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation or removal, the Trustee resigning or being removed may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

(f)

If the Trustee shall resign, be removed, or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11. If, within one year after such resignation, removal, or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, immediately upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no

 

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  successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.11, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

(g) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided in Section 1.6. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

 

Section 6.11. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

 

(a) In case of the appointment of a successor Trustee under this Indenture with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge, and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment. Upon such delivery, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed, or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts, and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer, and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee under this Indenture, subject nevertheless to its lien provided for in Section 6.7.

 

(b)

In case of the appointment under this Indenture of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee, and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver a supplemental indenture wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts, and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to the Securities of all series, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts, and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or

 

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  those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall 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 under this Indenture by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing in this Indenture or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees cotrustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts under this Indenture separate and apart from any trust or trusts under this Indenture administered by any other such Trustee; and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided in such supplemental indenture and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed, or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts, and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; and such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer, and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject nevertheless to its lien provided for in Section 6.7.

 

(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers, and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) and (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

 

(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

 

Section 6.12. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation, or Succession to Business.

Any Person into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion, or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee under this Indenture, provided such Person shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties to this Indenture. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion, or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

 

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Section 6.13. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities (other than by reason of a relationship described in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company or any such other obligor. For purposes of Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(A) the term “cash transaction” means any transaction in which full payment for goods or securities sold is made within seven days after delivery of the goods or securities in currency or in checks or other orders drawn upon banks or bankers and payable upon demand; and

(B) the term “self-liquidating paper” means any draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation which is made, drawn, negotiated or incurred by the Company or such obligor for the purpose of financing the purchase, processing, manufacturing, shipment, storage or sale of goods, wares or merchandise and which is secured by documents evidencing title to, possession of, or a lien upon, the goods, wares or merchandise or the receivables or proceeds arising from the sale of the goods, wares or merchandise previously constituting the security, provided the security is received by the Trustee simultaneously with the creation of the creditor relationship with the Company or such obligor arising from the making, drawing, negotiating or incurring of the draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation.

 

Section 6.14. Appointment of Authenticating Agent.

The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents (which may be an affiliate of the Company) with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act of behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon original issue and upon exchange, registration of transfer, or partial redemption or conversion, or pursuant to Section 3.6, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any of its states, or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or

 

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examination by federal or state authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any Person into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion, or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such Person shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment under this Indenture shall become vested with all the rights, powers, and duties of its predecessor, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

 

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If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed on it, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternative certificate of authentication in the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee

By:

 

 

  As Authenticating Agent
 

By:

  Authorized Officer

ARTICLE VII

Holder’s Lists and Reports by Trustee and Company

 

Section 7.1. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders.

The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:

 

(a) semi-annually, not later than June 30 and December 31 in each year, a list for each series, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities of such series as of the preceding June 15 or December 15, as the case may be, and

 

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;

provided, that if and so long as the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar for such series, such lists shall not be required to be furnished.

 

Section 7.2. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.

 

(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 7.1 and the names and addresses of Holders received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may dispose of as it deems fit any list furnished to it as provided in Section 7.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

 

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(b) The rights of Holders to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act.

 

(c) Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of either of them shall be held accountable by reason of any disclosure of information as to names and addresses of Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 7.3. Reports by Trustee.

 

(a) The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act. To the extent that any such report is required by the Trust Indenture Act with respect to any 12-month period, such report shall cover the 12-month period ending May 15 and shall be transmitted (in accordance with the Trust Indenture Act) by the next succeeding July 15.

 

(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission, and with the Company. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.

 

Section 7.4. Reports by Company.

The Company shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents, and other reports, and such summaries, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant to such Trust Indenture Act; provided that any such information, documents, or reports required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act shall be filed with the Trustee within 15 days after the same is so required to be filed with the Commission.

Delivery of such reports, information, and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute actual or constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee shall be entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).

 

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ARTICLE VIII

Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance, Transfer or Lease

 

Section 8.1. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.

The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other Person or convey, transfer, or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, and the Company shall not permit any Person to consolidate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer, or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to the Company, unless:

 

(1) in case the Company shall consolidate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer, or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall be a corporation, shall be organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America, any of its states or the District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on all the Securities and the performance or observance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

 

(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and

 

(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer, or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture, comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent in this Indenture provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

 

Section 8.2. Successor Substituted.

Upon any consolidation of the Company with, or merger of the Company into, any other Person or any conveyance, transfer, or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 8.1, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer, or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of,

 

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the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company in this Indenture, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

ARTICLE IX

Supplemental Indentures

 

Section 9.1. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.

Without the consent of any Holders, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more supplemental indentures, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

 

(1) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company in this Indenture and in the Securities; or

 

(2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power conferred in this Indenture upon the Company; or

 

(3) to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such additional Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such additional Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series); or

 

(4) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons, or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form; or

 

(5) to add to, change, or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture in respect of one or more series of Securities, provided that any such addition, change, or elimination (i) shall neither (A) apply to any Security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (B) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (ii) shall become effective only when there is no such Security Outstanding; or

 

(6) to secure the Securities; or

 

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(7) to establish the form or forms or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.1 and 3.1; or

 

(8) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment under this Indenture 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 under this Indenture by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.11(b); or

 

(9) to comply with any requirements of the Commission in connection with qualifying this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

(10) to cure any ambiguity, mistake, defect or inconsistency; or

 

(11) to make any change, provided that such change shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect.

 

Section 9.2. Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders.

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of such Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture or indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture entered into pursuant to this Section 9.2 shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected by such supplemental indenture,

 

(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, or reduce its principal amount or rate of interest or any premium payable upon its redemption, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or any other Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of its Maturity pursuant to Section 5.2, or adversely affect any right of repayment at the option of the Holder of any Security, or change any Place of Payment where any Security or any premium or interest is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after its Stated Maturity (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date), or modify the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to the Holders, or

 

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(2) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver of compliance with the provisions of or defaults under this Indenture and their consequences provided for in this Indenture, or

 

(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13, or Section 10.8, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each affected Outstanding Security, provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Section 6.11(b) and 9.1(8).

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance of such supplemental indenture.

 

Section 9.3. Execution of Supplemental Indentures.

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive in addition to the documents required by Section 1.2, and (subject to Section 6.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

Section 9.4. Effect of Supplemental Indentures.

Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance with such supplemental indenture, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities previously or subsequently authenticated and delivered under this Indenture shall be bound by such supplemental indenture.

 

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Section 9.5. Conformity With Trust Indenture Act.

Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 9.6. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures.

Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Company, bear a notation in form approved by the Company as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

Section 9.7. Notice of Supplemental Indentures.

After any supplemental indenture under this Article becomes effective, the Company may give to the Holders of Securities, in the manner referred to in Section 1.6, a notice briefly describing such supplemental indenture; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice to all Holders of Securities, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE X

Covenants

 

Section 10.1. Payment of Principal, Premium, and Interest.

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of the Securities and this Indenture.

 

Section 10.2. Maintenance of Office or Agency.

The Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that 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 that series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with its address, such presentations, surrenders, notices, and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices, and demands.

 

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The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes 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 obligation to maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment 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 location of any such other office or agency.

 

Section 10.3. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust.

If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium, or interest a sum sufficient to pay the principal and any premium and interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in this Indenture and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, prior to each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such amount, such sum to be held as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure to act.

The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will (i) comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act applicable to it as a Paying Agent and (ii) during the continuance of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any payment in respect of the Securities of that series, and upon the written request of the Trustee, immediately pay to the Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent for payment in respect of the Securities of that series.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

 

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Subject to applicable abandoned property laws, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee, shall cease at such time.

 

Section 10.4. Statement by Officers as to Default.

The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date of this Indenture, an Officers’ Certificate (one of the signers of which shall be the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, or principal accounting officer of the Company), stating whether or not, to the best knowledge of the signers, the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions, and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture) and, if the Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and their nature and status of which they may have knowledge. The Company will deliver to the Trustee written notice of the occurrence of any Event of Default or default (which word has the meaning of the word “default” as used in Section 6.2), within ten (10) Business Days of the Company becoming aware of any such Event of Default or default and setting forth the detail of such Event of Default or default and the action the Company proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

Section 10.5. Existence.

Subject to Article VIII, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, rights (charter and statutory), and franchises; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or franchise if the Board of Directors shall determine that its preservation is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and that its loss is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.

 

Section 10.6. Maintenance of Properties.

The Company will cause all material properties used or useful in the conduct of its business or the business of any Subsidiary to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair,

 

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and working order and supplied with all necessary equipment and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments, and improvements, all as in the judgment of the Company may be necessary so that the business carried on by it may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the Company from discontinuing the operation or maintenance of any of such properties if such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Company, desirable in the conduct of its business or the business of any Subsidiary and not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.

 

Section 10.7. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims.

The Company will pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, (1) all taxes, assessments, and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Company or any Subsidiary or upon the income, profits, or property of the Company or any Subsidiary, and (2) all lawful claims for labor, materials, and supplies which, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the property of the Company or any Subsidiary; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge, or claim whose amount, applicability, or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate provision is made.

 

Section 10.8. Waiver of Certain Covenants.

The Company may, with respect to the Securities of any series, omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision, or condition set forth in Sections 10.5 to 10.7 (excluding Section 10.7(1)), or in any covenant provided pursuant to Section 3.1(16) or 9.1(2) for the benefit of the Holders of such series, if before the time for such compliance the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision, or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision, or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision, or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

 

Section 10.9. Calculation of Original Issue Discount.

If the Company has Outstanding any Original Issue Discount Securities, the Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (i) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on Outstanding Securities as of the end of such year and (ii) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may be required to be provided to the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the holders of the Notes pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations issued thereunder.

 

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Section 10.10. Tax Payment and Tax Withholding Obligations.

In order to enable the Trustee and any other Paying Agent to comply with any tax payment or tax withholding obligation or obligations imposed on it or them by virtue of applicable law in connection with any payment made by it or them to Holders pursuant to any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company hereby agrees that, upon receipt of a request from time to time from the Trustee or such Paying Agent, the Company will provide to the Trustee and such Paying Agent promptly a notice in writing as to whether and to what extent, together with any and all information necessary to enable the Trustee and such Paying Agent to determine whether and to what extent, any such tax payment or tax withholding obligation or obligations shall apply, and, if any do so apply, the amount and other relevant details of such tax payment and/or tax withholding obligation or obligations. In addition to and notwithstanding such agreement, the Trustee and any such Paying Agent shall have full right and warrant to withhold from any payment made by it or them pursuant to any of the provisions of this Indenture (if required to comply with such tax payment or tax withholding obligation or obligations) and shall not be liable to any Person for so doing.

ARTICLE XI

Redemption of Securities

 

Section 11.1. Applicability of Article.

Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

 

Section 11.2. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.

The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 3.1 for such Securities. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company, the Company shall, at least 60 calendar days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee of such Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.

 

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Section 11.3. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed.

If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed (unless all of the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed or such series is comprised of a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate (which may include pro rata or by lot) and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple of such denomination) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series. If less than all of the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed (unless such series is comprised of a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series and specified tenor not previously called for redemption in accordance with the preceding sentence.

Unless all of the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed or such series is comprised of a single Security, the Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities (other than Securities comprised of a single Security) selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. In the case of any such redemption in part, the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of the Security shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) of such Security.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

Section 11.4. Notice of Redemption.

Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his address appearing in the Security Register.

 

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All notices of redemption shall state:

 

(1) the Redemption Date,

 

(2) the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any,

 

(3) if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption of any Securities, the principal amounts) of the particular Securities to be redeemed, and that on or after the date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of such series in authorized denominations for an aggregate principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion will be issued,

 

(4) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, will become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed and that interest on such Security will cease to accrue on and after such date,

 

(5) the place or places where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any,

 

(6) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case, and

 

(7) the CUSIP numbers”, “ISIN” or other similar numbers, if any, of the Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request (delivered to the Trustee, together with a form of notice of redemption, at least 45 days (unless a shorter period shall be acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the Redemption Date) , by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company and shall be irrevocable.

 

Section 11.5. Deposit of Redemption Price.

Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time on the Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.3) an amount of money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date.

 

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Section 11.6. Securities Payable on Redemption Date.

Notice of redemption having been given in accordance with this Indenture, the Securities to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price specified in the notice, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with such notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.7.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender for redemption, the principal and any premium shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed in the Security.

 

Section 11.7. Securities Redeemed in Part.

Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series and of like tenor, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

ARTICLE XII

Sinking Funds

 

Section 12.1. Applicability of Article.

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.1 for Securities of such series.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is referred to in this Indenture as a “mandatory sinking fund payment”, and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of

 

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any series is referred to in this Indenture 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 12.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series.

 

Section 12.2. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

The Company (1) may deliver Securities of a series (other than any previously called for redemption) and (2) may apply as a credit Securities of a series which previously have been redeemed by the Company either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, or have been otherwise acquired by the Company as permitted by such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such series; provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption 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.

 

Section 12.3. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

Not less than 90 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.2 and the basis for such credit and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.3 and cause notice of redemption to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.4. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 11.6 and 11.7.

 

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ARTICLE XIII

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

Section 13.1. Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

If, pursuant to Section 3.1, provision is made for either or both of (a) Defeasance of the Securities of a series under Section 13.2 or (b) Covenant Defeasance of the Securities of a series under Section 13.3, then the provisions of such Section or Sections, as the case may be, together with the other provisions of this Article XIII, shall be applicable to the Securities of such series, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution or in any other manner specified as contemplated by Section 3.1, at any time, with respect to the Securities of such series, elect to have either Section 13.2 (if applicable) or Section 13.3 (if applicable) be applied to the Outstanding Securities of such series upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article XIII.

 

Section 13.2. Defeasance and Discharge.

Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series on and after the date the conditions precedent set forth in Section 13.3 are satisfied (“Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the Outstanding Securities of such series and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture, insofar as such Securities are concerned (and the Trustee, upon Company Order and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged under this Indenture: (A) the rights of Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 13.4 as more fully set forth in such Section, payments of the principal of (any premium, if any) and interest on such Securities when such payments are due, (B) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 6.7, 10.2, and 10.3, and any ancillary obligations, (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties, immunities, and other provisions in respect of the Trustee under this Indenture, and (D) this Article XIII. Subject to compliance with this Article XIII, the Company may exercise its option under this Section 13.2 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 13.3 with respect to the Securities of such series. Following a Defeasance, payment of the Securities of such series may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default.

 

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Section 13.3. Covenant Defeasance.

Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section and after the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (“Covenant Defeasance”), (1) the Company shall be released from its obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities that is determined pursuant to Section 3.1 to be subject to this provision, and (2) the occurrence of any event specified in Section 5.1(1) or (2) or determined pursuant to Section 3.1 to be subject to this provision shall not be deemed to be or result in an Event of Default. For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition, or limitation set forth in any such Section whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere in this Indenture to any such Section or by reason of any reference in any such Section to any other provision in this Indenture or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected by such Covenant Defeasance.

 

Section 13.4. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

The following shall be the conditions precedent to application of either Section 13.2 or Section 13.3 to the Outstanding Securities of such series:

 

(1)

The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee which satisfies the requirements contemplated by Section 6.9 and agrees to comply with the provisions of the Indenture applicable to it as if it were the Trustee under this Indenture), as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (C) a combination of such money and U.S. Government Obligations, in each case sufficient, without reinvestment, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or any such other qualifying trustee as previously provided) to pay and discharge, the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Outstanding Securities of such series on the Maturity of such principal, any premium or interest, and any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to the Outstanding Securities of such series on their due dates. Before such a deposit, the Company may make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of Securities at a future date or dates in accordance with Article XI, which shall be given effect in applying the foregoing provisions. For this purpose, “U.S. Government Obligations” means securities that are (x) direct obligations of the United

 

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  States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged, or (y) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), which may include the Trustee, as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such 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 depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

 

(2) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing (A) on the date of such deposit or (B) insofar as subsections 5.1(1) and (2) are concerned, at any time during the period ending on the 120th day after the date of such deposit or, if longer, ending on the day following the expiration of the preference period applicable to the Company under federal law in respect of such deposit (it being understood that the condition in this clause (B) shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

 

(3) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not (A) cause the Trustee in respect of the Securities of such series to have a conflicting interest as defined in Section 6.8 or for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to any Securities of the Company or (B) result in the trust arising from such deposit to constitute, unless it is qualified as, a regulated investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(4) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall 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.

 

(5) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not cause any Securities of such series then listed on any registered national securities exchange under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, to be delisted.

 

(6)

In the case of an election under Section 13.2, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (x) the Company has received from, or there

 

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  has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (y) since the date of this Indenture there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based on such ruling or change such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Outstanding Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain, or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner, and at the same times as would have been the case if such Defeasance had not occurred.

 

(7) In the case of an election under Section 13.3, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of the Outstanding Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain, or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner, and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred.

 

(8) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (subject to customary qualifications and assumptions) after the period described in Section 13.4(2), the trust funds will not be subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

 

(9) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional terms, conditions, or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection with such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance pursuant to Section 3.1.

 

(10) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to either the Defeasance under Section 13.2 or the Covenant Defeasance under Section 13.3 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

 

Section 13.5. Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions.

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.3, all money and U.S. Government Obligations (including any proceeds) deposited with the Trustee or other qualifying trustee (solely for purposes of this Section and Section 13.6, the Trustee and any such other qualifying trustee are referred to collectively as the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 13.4 in respect of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (but not including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities, of all sums due and to become due on such Securities in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

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The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee, or other charge imposed on or assessed against the money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 13.4 or the principal and interest received in respect of such money or U.S. Government Obligations other than any such tax, fee, or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of Outstanding Securities.

Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 13.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount which would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

 

Section 13.6. Reinstatement.

If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 13.5 by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining, or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Company’s obligations under the Securities of such series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article XIII until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money and U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 13.5; provided, however, that if the Company makes any payment of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any such Security following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be entitled, at its election, (a) to receive from the Trustee or Paying Agent, as applicable, that portion of such money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or the Paying Agent, as applicable, equal to the amount of such payment, or (b) to be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money and U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or the Paying Agent.

ARTICLE XIV

Subordination Of Securities

 

Section 14.1. Securities Subordinate to Senior Debt.

The Company covenants and agrees that anything in this Indenture or the Securities of any series to the contrary notwithstanding, the indebtedness evidenced by the Securities of each series is subordinate and junior in right of payment to all Senior Debt to the extent provided in this Indenture, and each Holder of Securities of each series, by such Holder’s acceptance of such

 

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Securities, likewise covenants and agrees to the subordination provided in this Indenture and shall be bound by the provisions of this Indenture. Senior Debt shall continue to be Senior Debt and entitled to the benefits of these subordination provisions irrespective of any amendment, modification, or waiver of any term of the Senior Debt or extension or renewal of the Senior Debt.

In the event of

 

(a) any insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, readjustment, composition, or other similar proceeding relating to the Company or its property,

 

(b) any proceeding for the liquidation, dissolution, or other winding up of the Company, voluntary or involuntary, whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings,

 

(c) any assignment by the Company for the benefit of creditors, or

 

(d) any other marshaling of the assets of the Company,

all Senior Debt (including any interest on such Senior Debt accruing after the commencement of any such proceedings) shall first be paid in full before any payment or distribution, whether in cash, securities, or other property, shall be made to any Holder of any of the Securities on account of such Securities. Any payment or distribution, whether in cash, securities, or other property (other than securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment the payment of which is subordinate, at least to the extent provided in these subordination provisions with respect to the indebtedness evidenced by the Securities, to the payment of all Senior Debt at the time outstanding and to any securities issued in respect of such Senior Debt under any such plan of reorganization or readjustment), which would otherwise (but for these subordination provisions) be payable or deliverable in respect of the Securities of any series shall be paid or delivered directly to the holders of Senior Debt in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders until all Senior Debt (including any interest on such Senior Debt accruing after the commencement of any such proceedings) shall have been paid in full. In the event of any such proceeding, after payment in full of all sums owing with respect to Senior Debt, the Holders of the Securities, together with the holders of any obligations of the Company ranking on a parity with the Securities, shall be entitled to be paid from the remaining assets of the Company the amounts at the time due and owing on account of unpaid principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities and such other obligations before any payment or other distribution, whether in cash, property, or otherwise, shall be made on account of any capital stock or any obligations of the Company ranking junior to the Securities and such other obligations. The rights of holders of Senior Debt under this Section do not extend to any payment or distribution, whether in cash, securities or other property, to the extent applied to the Trustee’s rights to compensation, reimbursement of expenses or indemnification.

 

-68-


In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of any character or any security, whether in cash, securities, or other property (other than securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment the payment of which is subordinate, at least to the extent provided in these subordination provisions with respect to the indebtedness evidenced by the Securities, to the payment of all Senior Debt at the time outstanding and to any securities issued in respect of such Senior Debt under any such plan of reorganization or readjustment), shall be received by the Trustee or any Holder in contravention of any of the terms of this Indenture such payment or distribution or security shall be received in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered and transferred to, the holders of the Senior Debt at the time outstanding in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders for applications to the payment of all Senior Debt remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all such Senior Debt in full. In the event of the failure of the Trustee or any Holder to endorse or assign any such payment, distribution, or security, each holder of Senior Debt is irrevocably authorized to endorse or assign the same.

No present or future holder of any Senior Debt shall be prejudiced in the right to enforce subordination of the indebtedness evidenced by the Securities by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company. Nothing contained in this Indenture shall impair, as between the Company and the Holders of Securities of each series, the obligation of the Company to pay to such Holders the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on such Securities or prevent the Trustee or the Holder from exercising all rights, powers and remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law or under this Indenture upon a default or Event of Default, all subject to the rights of the holders of the Senior Debt to receive cash, securities, or other property otherwise payable or deliverable to the Holders.

Senior Debt shall not be deemed to have been paid in full unless the holders thereof shall have received cash, securities, or other property equal to the amount of such Senior Debt then outstanding. Upon the payment in full of all Senior Debt, the Holders of Securities of each series shall be subrogated to all rights of any holders of Senior Debt to receive any further payments or distributions applicable to the Senior Debt until the indebtedness evidenced by the Securities of such series shall have been paid in full, and such payments or distributions received by such Holders, by reason of such subrogation, of cash, securities, or other property which otherwise would be paid or distributed to the holders of Senior Debt shall, as between the Company and its creditors other than the holders of Senior Debt, on the one hand, and such Holders, on the other hand, be deemed to be a payment by the Company on account of Senior Debt, and not on account of the Securities of such series.

 

-69-


Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else in this Article XIV contained, at any time after the 123rd day following the date of deposit of money and U.S. Government Obligations pursuant to Article IV or XIII (provided all conditions set out in the applicable Article shall have been satisfied), the funds (including U.S. Government Obligations) so deposited and any interest thereon will not be subject to any rights of holders of Senior Debt including, without limitation, those arising under this Article XIV; provided that no event described in clauses (1) and (2) of Section 5.1 has occurred during such 123-day period.

The provisions of this Section 14.1 shall not impair any rights, interests, remedies, or powers of any secured creditor of the Company in respect of any security interest the creation of which is not prohibited by the provisions of this Indenture.

 

Section 14.2. No Payment When Senior Debt in Default.

In the event and during the continuation of any default in the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Senior Debt beyond any applicable grace period with respect to such Senior Debt, or in the event that any event of default with respect to any Senior Debt shall have occurred and be continuing permitting the holders of such Senior Debt (or the trustee on behalf of the holders of such Senior Debt) to declare such Senior Debt due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, unless and until such event of default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist and any such declaration and its consequences shall have been rescinded or annulled, or (b) in the event any judicial proceeding shall be pending with respect to any such default in payment or event of default, then no payment (including any payment which may be payable by reason of the payment of any other indebtedness of the Company being subordinated to the payment of the Securities) shall be made by the Company on account of the principal of or any premium or interest on the Securities or on account of the purchase or other acquisition of Securities, provided, however, that nothing in this Section 14.2 shall prevent the satisfaction of any sinking fund payment in accordance with Article XII by delivering and crediting pursuant to Section 12.2 Securities which have been acquired (upon redemption or otherwise) prior to such default in payment or event of default.

Subject to Section 14.5, in the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall make any payment to the Trustee or the Holder of any Security prohibited by the foregoing provisions of this Section 14.2, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment, have been made known in a writing delivered to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee by a holder of Senior Debt or the Company or, as the case may be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment shall be paid over and delivered to the Company.

 

-70-


The provisions of this Section 14.2 shall not apply to any payment with respect to which Section 14.1 would be applicable.

 

Section 14.3. Trustee and Holders of Securities May Rely on Certificate of Liquidating Agent; Trustee May Require Further Evidence as to Ownership of Senior Debt; Trustee Not Fiduciary to Holders of Senior Debt.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article XIV, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon an order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution or winding up or liquidation or reorganization or arrangement proceedings are pending or upon a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior Debt and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount of or payable on and the amount or amounts paid or distributed on such Senior Debt or other indebtedness, and all other facts pertinent to such Senior Debt or other indebtedness or to this Article XIV. In the absence of any such bankruptcy trustee, receiver, assignee, or other Person, the Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon a written notice by a Person representing itself, himself or herself to be a holder of Senior Debt (or a trustee or representative on behalf of such holder) as evidence that such Person is a holder of such Senior Debt (or is such a trustee or representative), the amount of or payable on and the amount or amounts paid or distributed on such Senior Debt or other indebtedness, and all other facts pertinent to such Senior Debt or other indebtedness. In the event that the Trustee determines, in good faith, that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Debt to participate in any payments or distributions pursuant to this Article XIV, the Trustee may request such person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Debt held by such Person, as to the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, and as to other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article XIV, and if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may withhold any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive payment. The Trustee, however, shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Debt, and shall not be liable to any such holders if it shall pay over or deliver to the Holders or the Company or any other Person, cash, securities, or other property to which any holders of Senior Debt shall be entitled by virtue of this Article or otherwise. With respect to the holders of Senior Debt, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Debt shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee.

 

-71-


Section 14.4. Payment Permitted If No Default.

Nothing contained in this Article XIV (except in Section 14.5) or elsewhere in this Indenture, or in any of the Securities, shall prevent (a) the Company at any time, except during the pendency of any dissolution, winding up, liquidation, or reorganization proceedings referred to in Section 14.1 or under the conditions specified in Section 14.2, from making payments of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on the Securities or (b) the application by the Trustee or any Paying Agent of any moneys deposited with it under this Indenture to payments of the principal of or interest on the Securities, if, at the time of such deposit, a Responsible Officer of the Trustee or such Paying Agent, as the case may be, had not received at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee the Officers’ Certificate or written notice provided for in Section 14.5 of any event prohibiting the making of such deposit, or if, at the time of such deposit (whether or not in trust) by the Company with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) such payment would not have been prohibited by the provisions of this Article, and the Trustee or any Paying Agent shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary received by it on or after such date.

 

Section 14.5. Trustee Not Charged with Knowledge of Prohibition.

Anything in this Article XIV or elsewhere contained in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall not at any time be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the making of any payment of moneys to or by the Trustee, and shall be entitled conclusively to assume that no such facts exist and that no event specified in Section 14.1 or Section 14.2 has happened, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee (i) an Officers’ Certificate to that effect or (ii) notice in writing to that effect signed by or on behalf of the holder or holders, or their representatives, of Senior Debt who shall have been certified by the Company or otherwise established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee to be such holder or holders or representatives or from any trustee under any indenture pursuant to which such Senior Debt shall be outstanding; and before the receipt of any such Officers’ Certificate or written notice, the Trustee shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that if the Trustee shall not have received the Officers’ Certificate or the written notice provided for in this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security) then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have all power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purpose for which such money were received and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it during or after such three (3) Business Day period.

 

-72-


The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee and to the Paying Agent of any facts which would prohibit the payment of money or assets to or by the Trustee or any Paying Agent.

 

Section 14.6. Trustee to Effectuate Subordination.

Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination as between such Holder and holders of Senior Debt as provided in this Article and appoints the Trustee its attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

Section 14.7. Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Debt.

The Trustee shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article with respect to any Senior Debt which may at the time be held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Debt. Nothing in this Article shall deprive the Trustee of any rights as such holder.

 

Section 14.8. Article Applicable to Paying Agents.

In case at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting under this Indenture, the term “Trustee” as used in this Article shall in such case (unless the context shall otherwise require) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if the Paying Agent were named in this Article in addition to or in place of the Trustee, provided, however, that Sections 14.5 and 14.7 shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if the Company or such Affiliate acts as Paying Agent.

 

Section 14.9. Subordination Rights Not Impaired by Acts or Omissions of the Company or Holders of Senior Debt.

No right of any present or future holders of any Senior Debt to enforce subordination as provided in this Indenture shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions, and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge which any such holder may have or be otherwise charged with. The holders of Senior Debt may, at any time or from time to time and in their absolute discretion, change the manner, place, or terms of payment, change or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, any such Senior Debt, or amend or supplement any instrument pursuant to which any such Senior Debt is issued or by which it may be secured, or release any security, or exercise or refrain from exercising any other of their rights under the Senior Debt including, without limitation, the waiver of default, all without notice to or assent from the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee and without affecting the obligations of the Company, the Trustee, or the Holders of the Securities under this Article.

 

-73-


Section 14.10. Trustee’s Rights to Compensation, Reimbursement of Expenses and Indemnification.

Nothing in this Article shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Sections 5.6 or 6.7.

 

Section 14.11. Modification of Subordination Provisions.

Anything in Article IX or elsewhere contained in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, no modification or amendment and no supplemental indenture shall modify the subordination provisions of this Article XIV in a manner that would adversely affect the holders of Senior Debt.

 

-74-


 

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. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic format (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) 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 electronic format (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

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

 

VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

-75-

EX-5 4 d597310dex5.htm EX-5 EX-5

Exhibit 5

 

LOGO

BOSTON    CONNECTICUT    NEW JERSEY    NEW YORK    WASHINGTON, DC

DAY PITNEY LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

7 Times Square, Times Square Tower

New York, NY 10036

September 13, 2013

Valley National Bancorp

1455 Valley Road

Wayne, New Jersey 07470

We refer to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) of Valley National Bancorp (the “Company”), a New Jersey corporation, relating to the Company’s subordinated debt securities (the “Securities”).

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 issue of the Securities.

We have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such corporate records, documents, agreements, instruments and certificates of public officials of the State of New Jersey and of officers of the Company as we have deemed necessary or appropriate in order to express the opinions hereinafter set forth.

Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that, as of the date hereof:

When an Indenture has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and duly executed and delivered, and when the specific terms of a particular Security have been duly established in accordance with such Indenture and authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and such Security has been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with such Indenture and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement and by such corporate action, such Security will be a legally valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

Our opinions are subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, preference, 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 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 a proceeding is brought; and (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.

The foregoing opinions are limited to the federal laws of the United States and the laws of the State of New Jersey. We express no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction.

We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not hereby concede that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Day Pitney LLP

Day Pitney LLP

EX-12.1 5 d597310dex121.htm EX-12.1 EX-12.1

Exhibit 12.1

Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges

 

     Six Months Ended June 30,      Years Ended December 31,  
     2013      2012      2012      2011      2010      2009      2008  

Excluding interest on deposits

     2.39x         2.48x         2.60x         2.42x         2.27x         2.09x         1.71x   

Including interest on deposits

     2.00x         2.02x         2.11x         1.95x         1.84x         1.61x         1.34x   

 

  Note: The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is calculated by adding income before income taxes plus fixed charges and dividing that sum by fixed charges.

 

     Six Months Ended June 30,      Years Ended December 31,  
     2013      2012      2012      2011      2010      2009      2008  

(In thousands)

                    

Income before income taxes

   $ 89,007       $ 96,995       $ 210,375       $ 195,217       $ 184,935       $ 165,406       $ 108,274   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Interest on deposits

   $ 24,976       $ 29,505       $ 57,556       $ 68,167       $ 74,924       $ 118,297       $ 163,113   

Borrowings and long-term debt

     60,504         61,959         123,756         130,846         139,136         144,573         145,782   

1/3 of net rental expense

     3,753         3,709         7,949         7,061         7,046         6,596         5,945   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total fixed charges, including interest on deposits

   $ 89,233       $ 95,173       $ 189,261       $ 206,074       $ 221,106       $ 269,466       $ 314,840   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total fixed charges, excluding interest on deposits

   $ 64,257       $ 65,668       $ 131,705       $ 137,907       $ 146,182       $ 151,169       $ 151,727   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
EX-23.1 6 d597310dex231.htm EX-23.1 EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

Valley National Bancorp:

We consent to the use of our reports dated February 28, 2013, with respect to the consolidated statements of financial condition of Valley National Bancorp and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2012 and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2012, incorporated herein by reference and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Short Hills, New Jersey

September 13, 2013

EX-25.1 7 d597310dex251.htm EX-25.1 EX-25.1

Exhibit 25.1

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM T-1

 

 

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939

OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

 

¨ CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

N/A   95-3571558

(State of incorporation

if not a U.S. national bank)

 

(I.R.S. employer

identification no.)

400 South Hope Street, Suite 400

Los Angeles, California

  90071
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

Legal Department

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.

One Wall Street, 15th Floor

New York, NY 10286

(212) 635-1270

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

 

 

VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

New Jersey   22-2477875

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. employer

identification no.)

1455 Valley Road

Wayne, New Jersey

  07470
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


Item 1. General information.

Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

(a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Comptroller of the Currency – United States Department of the Treasury

   Washington, D.C. 20219

Federal Reserve Bank

   San Francisco, California 94105

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

   Washington, D.C. 20429

(b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

Item 2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

Item 16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the articles of association of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Act in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-135006-10)

 

  2. A copy of certificate of authority of the trustee to commence business. (Exhibit 2 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121948).

 

  3. A copy of the authorization of the trustee to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 3 to Form T-1 filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Act in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-135006-10).

 

  4. A copy of the existing by-laws of the trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Act in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-135006-10).

 

  5. Not applicable.

 

  6. The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act. (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Act in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-135006-10).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

  8. Not applicable.

 

  9. Not applicable.

 

2


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., a banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Houston, and State of Texas, on the 13th day of September, 2013.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

    TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

By:  

/s/ Julie Hoffman-Ramos

Name:   Julie Hoffman-Ramos
Title:   Vice President

 

3


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

of 400 South Hope Street, Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90071

At the close of business June 30, 2013, published in accordance with Federal regulatory authority instructions.

 

     Dollar Amounts
in Thousands
 

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

     3,555   

Interest-bearing balances

     243   

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

     0   

Available-for-sale securities

     706,791   

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold

     80,200   

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

     0   

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

     0   

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

     0   

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

     0   

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

     0   

Trading assets

     0   

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

     4,961   

Other real estate owned

     0   

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

     0   

Direct and indirect investments in real estate ventures

     0   

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

     856,313   

Other Intangible Assets

     144,885   

Other assets

     144,427   
  

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 1,941,375   
  

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

     541   

Noninterest-bearing

     541   

Interest-bearing

     0   

Not applicable

  

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased

     0   

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

     0   

Trading liabilities

     0   

Other borrowed money:
(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

     0   

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

     0   

Other liabilities

     249,025   

Total liabilities

     249,566   

Not applicable

  

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

     0   

Common stock

     1,000   

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

     1,121,667   

Not available

  

Retained earnings

     566,137   

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     3,005   

Other equity capital components

     0   

Not available

  

Total bank equity capital

     1,691,809   

Noncontrolling (minority) interests in consolidated subsidiaries

     0   

Total equity capital

     1,691,809   
  

 

 

 

Total liabilities and equity capital (sum of items 21 and 28)

     1,941,375   
  

 

 

 


I, Cherisse Waligura, CFO of the above-named bank do hereby declare that the Reports of Condition and Income (including the supporting schedules) for this report date have been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Cherisse Waligura            )           CFO

We, the undersigned directors (trustees), attest to the correctness of the Report of Condition (including the supporting schedules) for this report date and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

 

Troy L. Kilpatrick, President            )  
Frank P. Sulzberger, Director            )           Directors (Trustees)
William D. Lindelof, Director            )  
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