-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, AntncS+RAHNWcwzh1Q+H3wl+xCTDESghpcqeyHEycQT0Q/9zBbL2nQ57i1I0JBno SncTYQsH7gPI1WZ8zqz1NA== 0001104659-03-019632.txt : 20030827 0001104659-03-019632.hdr.sgml : 20030827 20030827154519 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001104659-03-019632 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 6 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20030825 ITEM INFORMATION: Financial statements and exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20030827 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: DUKE REALTY CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000783280 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798] IRS NUMBER: 351740409 STATE OF INCORPORATION: IN FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-09044 FILM NUMBER: 03868596 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 600 EAST 96TH STREET STREET 2: STE 100 CITY: INDIANAPOLIS STATE: IN ZIP: 46240 BUSINESS PHONE: 3178086000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 600 EAST 96TH STREET STREET 2: STE 100 CITY: INDIANAPOLIS STATE: IN ZIP: 46240 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DUKE WEEKS REALTY CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19990716 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DUKE REALTY INVESTMENTS INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 8-K 1 a03-2988_18k.htm 8-K

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 


 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  August 25, 2003

 

 

DUKE REALTY CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant specified in its charter)

 

Indiana

 

1-9044

 

35-1740409

(State of
Incorporation)

 

(Commission
File Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

600 East 96th Street
Suite 100
Indianapolis, IN 46240

(Address of principal executive offices, zip code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (317) 808-6000

 

 



 

Item 7.          Financial Statements and Other Exhibits

 

The following exhibits are filed with this report pursuant to Regulation S-K Item 601 in lieu of filing the otherwise required exhibits to the registration statement on Form S-3 of the Registrant, file no. 333-37920, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (as amended, the “Registration Statement”), and which, as this Form 8-K filing is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, is set forth in full in the Registration Statement.

 

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Exhibit

1.1

 

Terms Agreement dated July 24, 2003.

1.2

 

Underwriting Agreement dated January 9, 2003, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.2 to Duke Realty Limited Partnership’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 16, 2003.

3

 

Designating Amendment to the Third Restated Articles of Incorporation of Duke Realty Corporation establishing the terms of the 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock.

4

 

Deposit Agreement dated August 25, 2003 by and among Duke Realty Corporation, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company and the holders from time to time of the Depositary Receipts (which includes as an exhibit the form of Depositary Receipt).

5

 

Opinion of Alston & Bird LLP.

8

 

Opinion of Alston & Bird LLP.

 

2



 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

 

 

 

DUKE REALTY CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 25, 2003

 

By:

/s/ Matthew A. Cohoat

 

 

 

 

Matthew A. Cohoat, Senior Vice

 

 

 

President and Corporate Controller

 

3


EX-1.1 3 a03-2988_1ex1d1.htm EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

 

DUKE REALTY CORPORATION

(an Indiana Corporation)

 

4,000,000 Depositary Shares

Each Representing 1/10 of a 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable

Preferred Share (Par Value $0.01 Per Share)

(Liquidation Preference Equivalent to $25.00 Per Depositary Share)

 

TERMS AGREEMENT

 

Dated: July 24, 2003

To:                              Duke Realty Corporation

600 East 96th Street, Suite 100

Indianapolis, IN  46240

 

Attention:  Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We understand that Duke Realty Corporation, an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell 4,000,000 depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”) each representing 1/10 of a 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Share, par value $0.01 (collectively, the “Series J Preferred Shares”), of the Company (such Depositary Shares being collectively hereinafter referred to as the “Underwritten Securities”).  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the underwriters named below (the “Underwriters”) offer to purchase the Initial Securities (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement referred to below) and the Option Securities (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement referred to below) to the extent any are purchased, at the purchase price set forth below.  For purposes of this offering, the term “Registration Statement” (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement referred to below) means the registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-37920).

 



 

Underwriter

 

Number of Shares
Of Initial
Underwritten
Securities

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

 

800,000

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

 

800,000

 

A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.

 

800,000

 

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

 

800,000

 

Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC

 

800,000

 

 

The Underwritten Securities shall have the following terms:

 

Title of securities:

 

Depositary Shares each representing 1/10 of a 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Share (Par Value $0.01 Per Share) (Liquidation Preference Equivalent to $25.00 Per Depositary Share).

 

 

 

Number of shares:

 

4,000,000

 

 

 

Public offering price per share:

 

$25.00, plus accumulated dividends, if any, from the date of original issue.

 

 

 

Purchase price per share:

 

$24.2125

 

 

 

Number of Option Securities, if any, that may be purchased by the Underwriters:

 

600,000

 

 

 

Dividend rate:

 

Cumulative dividends in the amount of 6.625% of the liquidation preference per annum (equivalent to $1.65625 per annum per Depositary Share); payable quarterly on or about the last calendar day of each February, May, August and November of each year, commencing on December 1, 2003.

 

 

 

Voting and other rights:

 

If distributions on the Series J Preferred Shares are in arrears for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive, holders of the Underwritten Securities (voting separately as a class with all other series of preferred shares upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable) will be entitled to vote for the election of two additional Directors to serve on the Board of Directors of the Company until all distribution arrearages are paid.

 

 

 

Additional co-manager:

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

 

2



 

Liquidation preference:

 

$25.00 per Depositary Share.

 

 

 

Ranking:

 

The Underwritten Securities will rank pari passu with any other preferred shares (except the Series C Junior Preferred Stock to which the Underwritten Securities rank senior) and will rank senior to the Common Stock of the Company and any other shares of the Company ranking junior to the Series J Preferred Shares.

 

 

 

Conversion provision:

 

The Series J Preferred Shares are not convertible or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Company.

 

 

 

Redemption provisions:

 

The Depositary Shares may be redeemed, in whole or in part at the option of the Company, as of August 25, 2008, at a redemption price of $25.00 per Depositary Share, plus accrued and unpaid distributions thereon to the date fixed for redemption, without interest.

 

 

 

Sinking fund provisions:

 

None

 

 

 

Closing time, date and location:

 

August 25, 2003, 10:00 a.m., New York City Time, Clifford Chance US LLP, 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166

 

 

 

Other Terms:

 

Sections 3(o) and 5(h) of the Underwriting Agreement are inapplicable to this transaction.

 

All the provisions contained in the document attached as Annex A hereto entitled “Duke Realty Corporation and Duke Realty Limited Partnership — Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares and Debt Securities – Underwriting Agreement” are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein and shall be deemed to be a part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein.  Terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

3



 

Please accept this offer no later than 5 o’clock P.M. (New York City time) on July 24, 2003 by signing a copy of this Terms Agreement in the space set forth below and returning the signed copy to us.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.

 

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

 

INCORPORATED

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED

 

 

 

By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

 

INCORPORATED

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Alex Rubin

 

 

 

For Themselves and as Representatives of the other named underwriters

 

 

Name: Alex Rubin

 

 

Title: Director

 

 

 

 

Accepted:

 

 

 

DUKE REALTY CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Matthew A. Cohoat

 

 

Name: Matthew A. Cohoat

 

Title: SVP & Controller

 

 

 

 

 

DUKE REALTY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

 

 

 

 

 

By:

DUKE REALTY CORPORATION

 

 

 

General Partner

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Matthew A. Cohoat

 

 

Name: Matthew A. Cohoat

 

Title: SVP & Controller

 

 



 

Annex A

 

Underwriting Agreement

 


EX-3 4 a03-2988_1ex3.htm EX-3

Exhibit 3

 

[LOGO]

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT OF THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

State Form 38333 (R9/11-98)

Approved by State Board of Accounts 1995

 

SUE ANNE GILROY

SECRETARY OF STATE

CORPORATIONS DIVISION

302 W. Washington St. Rm. E018

Indianapolis, IN 46204

Telephone: (317) 232-6576

INSTRUCTIONS:

Use 8 1/2” x 11” white paper for inserts.

Present original and two copies to address in upper right hand corner of this Please TYPE or PRINT

Indiana Code 23-1-38-1 et seq.

 

Filing Fee: $30.00

 

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT OF THE
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF:

 

Name of Corporation

Duke Realty Corporation

Date of Incorporation

March 12, 1992

The undersigned officers of the above referenced Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the “Corporation”) existing pursuant to the provisions of: (indicate appropriate act)

        ý Indiana Business Corporation Law

o Indiana Professional Corporation Act of 1983

 

 

        as amended (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”), desiring to give notice of corporate action effectuating amendment of certain provisions of its Articles of Incorporation, certify the following facts:

 

ARTICLE I Amendment(s)

 

The exact text of Article(s)               of the Articles

 

 

(Note: if amending the name of corporation, write Article “I” in space above and write “The name of the Corporation is            ,”below.)

 

The exact text of the Third Restated Articles of Incorporation is amended to add Exhibit J as follows:

 

SEE ATTACHED EXHIBIT J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

Date of each amendment’s adoption:

 

July 30, 2003

(Continued on the reverse side)

 

 



 

ARTICLE III Manner of Adoption and Vote

Mark applicable section: NOTE-Only in limited situations does Indiana law permit an Amendment without shareholder approval.  Because a name change requires shareholder approval, Section 2 must be marked and either A or B completed.

 

 

ý SECTION 1

This amendment was adopted by the Board of Directors or Incorporators and shareholder action was not required.

 

o SECTION 2

The shareholders of the Corporation entitled to vote in respect to the amendment adopted the proposed amendment.  The

 

amendment was adopted by: (Shareholder approval may be by either A or B.)

 

 

 

A. Vote of such shareholders during a meeting called by the Board of Directors.  The result of such vote is as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

Shares entitled to vote.

 

 

 

 

Number of shares represented at the meeting.

 

 

 

 

Shares voted in favor.

 

 

 

 

Shares voted against.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 B. Unanimous written consent executed on                               , 20    and signed by all shareholders entitled to vote.

 

ARTICLES IV Compliance with Legal Requirements

 

 

 

The manner of the adoption of the Articles of Amendment and the vote by which they were adopted constitute full legal compliance with the provisions of the Act, the Articles of Incorporation, and the By-Laws of the Corporation.

 

 

 

 

 

I hereby verify, subject to the penalties of perjury, that the statements contained herein are true, this 19th day of August, 2003.

 

 

Signature of current officer or chairman of the board

 

Printed name of officer or chairman of the board

/s/ Matthew A. Cohoat

Matthew A. Cohoat

Signature’s title

 

 

Senior Vice President & Corporate Controller

 

 

2



 

Exhibit J

to the

Third Restated

Articles of Incorporation of

Duke Realty Corporation

 

 

Series J Preferred Shares. Pursuant to the authority granted under Section 6.01 of the Corporation’s Third Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Board of Directors of the Corporation hereby establishes a series of preferred shares designated the 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares ($0.01 par value per share) (liquidation preference $250.00 per share) (the “Series J Preferred Shares”) on the following terms:

 

(a)           Number. The number of authorized shares of the Series J Preferred Shares shall be 460,000.

 

(b)           Relative Seniority.  In respect of rights to receive dividends and to participate in distributions or payments in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the Series J Preferred Shares shall rank (i) on a parity with any class or series of capital shares of the Corporation as to the payment of dividends and as to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up (whether or not the dividend rates, dividend payment dates or redemption or liquidation prices per share thereof are different from those of the Series J Preferred Shares), if the holders of such class or series of capital shares and the Series J Preferred Shares shall be entitled to the receipt of dividends and of amounts distributable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up in proportion to their respective amounts of accrued and unpaid dividends per share or liquidation preferences without preference or priority one over the other, (ii) senior to any class or series of capital shares of the Corporation ranking, as to dividends or upon liquidation, junior to the Series J Preferred Shares (collectively, “Junior Shares”) and (iii) senior to the Series C Preferred Shares, shares of common stock (“Common Shares”) and any other class or series of capital shares of the Corporation ranking, as to dividends and upon liquidation, junior to the Series J Preferred Shares (collectively, “Fully Junior Shares”).

 

(c)           Dividends.

 

(1)           The holders of the then outstanding Series J Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of Directors out of any funds legally available therefor, cumulative dividends at the rate of 6.625% of the liquidation preference per share per year, payable quarterly in equal amounts of $4.140625 per share in cash on the last calendar day of each February, May, August and November or, if not a Business Day  (as hereinafter defined), the next succeeding Business Day (each such day being hereinafter called a “Quarterly Dividend Date” and each period ending on a Quarterly Dividend Date being hereinafter called a “Dividend Period”), provided, however,  that the first distribution on the Series J Preferred Shares

 

 

3



 

will be paid on December 1, 2003.  Dividends shall be payable to holders of record as they appear in the share records of the Corporation at the close of business on the applicable record date  (the “Record Date”), which shall be on such date designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation for the payment of dividends that is not more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to such Quarterly Dividend Date. The amount of any dividend payable for any partial Dividend Period shall be prorated and computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends on each share of Series J Preferred Shares shall accrue and be cumulative from and including the date of original issue thereof whether or not  (i) there are funds legally available for the payment of such distributions or (ii) such distributions are authorized.  Dividends paid on the Series J Preferred Shares in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a per share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. Except as provided in subparagraph (e)(2)(iv) and the last sentence of this paragraph, unless the full cumulative dividends on the Series J Preferred Shares have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for payment for all past Dividend Periods and the then current Dividend Period, no dividends  (other than dividends payable solely in Common Shares or other Fully Junior Shares) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment or other distribution made upon the Common Shares or any other capital shares of the Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series J Preferred Shares as to dividends or upon liquidation, nor shall any Common Shares or any other capital shares of the Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series J Preferred Shares as to dividends or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of such shares) by the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation (except for conversion into or exchange for such capital shares of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series J Preferred Shares as to dividends and upon liquidation). If accrued dividends on the Series J Preferred Shares for all prior Dividend Periods have not been paid in full, then any dividend declared on the Series J Preferred Shares for any Dividend Period and on any series of preferred shares at the time outstanding ranking on a parity as to the dividends with the Series J Preferred Shares will be declared ratably in proportion to accrued and unpaid dividends on the Series J Preferred Shares and such series of preferred shares at the time outstanding ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series J Preferred Shares.

 

“Business Day” shall mean any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

(2)           The amount of any dividends accrued on any Series J Preferred Shares at any Quarterly Dividend Date shall be the amount of any unpaid dividends accumulated thereon, to and including such Quarterly Dividend Date, whether or not earned or declared, and the amount of dividends accrued on any shares of Series J Preferred Shares at any date other than a Quarterly Dividend Date shall be equal to the sum of the amount of any unpaid dividends accumulated thereon, to and including the last preceding Quarterly Dividend Date, whether or not earned or declared, plus an

 

4



 

amount calculated on the basis of the annual dividend rate of 6.625% per share, for the period after such last preceding Quarterly Dividend Date to and including the date as of which the calculation is made based on a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

 

(3)           Except as provided in this Section, the Series J Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to participate in the earnings or assets of the Corporation.

 

(4)           Any dividend payment made on the Series J Preferred Shares shall be first credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividend due with respect to such shares which remains payable.

 

(5)           If, for any taxable year, the Corporation elects to designate as “capital gain dividends” (as defined in Section 857 of the Code) any portion (the “Capital Gains Amount”) of the dividends paid or made available for the year to holders of all classes of capital shares (the “Total Dividends”), then the portion of the Capital Gains Amount that shall be allocated to the holders of the Series J Preferred Shares shall be the amount that the total dividends paid or made available to the holders of the Series J Preferred Shares for the year bears to the Total Dividends.

 

(6)           No dividends on the Series J Preferred Shares shall be authorized by the Board of Directors or be paid or set apart for payment by the Corporation at such time as the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Corporation, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, prohibit such authorization, payment or setting apart for payment or provide that such authorization, payment or setting apart for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such authorization or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends on the Series J Preferred Shares will accrue whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such distributions or such distributions are authorized.

 

(d)           Liquidation Rights.

 

(1)           Upon the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of the Series J Preferred Shares then outstanding shall be entitled to receive and to be paid out of the assets of the Corporation legally available for distribution to its shareholders, before any payment or distribution shall be made on any Junior Shares or any Fully Junior Shares, the amount of $250.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid distributions thereon to the date of such liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

 

(2)           After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions provided for in this Section to the holders of the Series J Preferred Shares, such holders shall have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation.

 

5



 

(3)           If, upon any voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the Corporation, the amounts payable with respect to the liquidating distributions of the Series J Preferred Shares and any other shares of the Corporation ranking as to any such distribution on a parity with the Series J Preferred Shares are not paid in full, the holders of the Series J Preferred Shares and of such other shares will share ratably in any such distribution of assets of the Corporation in proportion to the full respective liquidating distributions to which they are entitled.

 

(4)           Neither the sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Corporation, the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with any other entity nor the merger or consolidation of any other entity into or with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a dissolution, liquidation or winding up, voluntary or involuntary, for the purposes of this Section.

 

(e)           Redemption by the Corporation.

 

(1)           Optional Redemption.  On and after August 25, 2008, the Corporation may, at its option, redeem at any time all or, from time to time, part of the Series J Preferred Shares at a price per share  (the “Series J Redemption Price”), payable in cash, of $250.00, together with all accrued and unpaid distributions thereon, without interest, to and including the date fixed for redemption (the “Series J Redemption Date”).  The Series J Preferred Shares have no stated maturity and will not be subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption provisions.

 

(2)           Procedures of Redemption.

 

(i)            Notice of redemption will be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of New York once a week for two successive weeks, and notice will be mailed by the Corporation, postage prepaid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Series J Redemption Date, addressed to each holder of record of the Series J Preferred Shares to be redeemed at the address set forth in the share transfer records of the Corporation. No failure to give such notice or any defect therein or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series J Preferred Shares, except as to the holder to whom the Corporation has failed to give notice or except as to the holder to whom notice was defective. In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which Series J Preferred Shares (or depositary shares or receipts representing fractional interests in Series J Preferred Shares) may be listed or admitted to trading, such notice shall state: (a) the Series J Redemption Date; (b) the Series J Redemption Price; (c) the number of Series J Preferred Shares to be redeemed; (d) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the Series J Redemption Price; and (e) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate on the Series J Redemption Date. In case fewer than all of the Series J Preferred Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of Series J Preferred Shares to be redeemed from such holder.

 

6



 

(ii)           If notice has been mailed in accordance with subparagraph (e)(2)(i) above and provided that on or before the Series J Redemption Date specified in such notice all funds necessary for such redemption shall have been irrevocably set aside by the Corporation, separate and apart from its other funds in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of the Series J Preferred Shares so called for redemption, so as to be, and to continue to be available therefor, then, from and after the Series J Redemption Date, dividends on the Series J Preferred Shares so called for redemption shall cease to accumulate, said shares shall no longer be deemed to be outstanding and shall not have the status of Series J Preferred Shares and all rights of the holders thereof as shareholders of the Corporation (except the right to receive the Series J Redemption Price) shall cease. Upon surrender, in accordance with such notice, of the certificates for any Series J Preferred Shares so redeemed  (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Corporation shall so require and the notice shall so state), such Series J Preferred Shares shall be redeemed by the Corporation at the Series J Redemption Price. In case fewer than all the Series J Preferred Shares represented by any such certificate are redeemed, a new certificate or certificates shall be issued representing the unredeemed Series J Preferred Shares without cost to the holder thereof.

 

(iii)          Any funds deposited with a bank or trust company for the purpose of redeeming Series J Preferred Shares shall be irrevocable except that:

 

(A)          the Corporation shall be entitled to receive from such bank or trust company the interest or other earnings, if any, earned on any money so deposited in trust, and the holders of any shares redeemed shall have no claim to such interest or other earnings; and

 

(B)           any balance of monies so deposited by the Corporation and unclaimed by the holders of the Series J Preferred Shares entitled thereto at the expiration of two years from the applicable Series J Redemption Date shall be repaid, together with any interest or other earnings earned thereon, to the Corporation, and after any such repayment, the holders of the shares entitled to the funds so repaid to the Corporation shall look only to the Corporation for payment without interest or other earnings.

 

(iv)          Unless full accumulated dividends on all Series J Preferred Shares shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for payment for all past Dividend Periods and the then current Dividend Period, no Series J Preferred Shares shall be redeemed or purchased or otherwise acquired directly or indirectly by the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation and no shares of any series of preferred shares of the Corporation shall be redeemed unless all outstanding Series J Preferred Shares are simultaneously redeemed; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the redemption of Series J Preferred Shares to preserve the REIT status of the Corporation or the purchase or acquisition of Series J Preferred Shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series J

 

7



 

Preferred Shares.

 

(v)           If the Series J Redemption Date is after a Record Date and before the related Quarterly Dividend Date, the dividend payable on such Quarterly Dividend Date shall be paid to the holder in whose name the Series J Preferred Shares to be redeemed are registered at the close of business on such Record Date notwithstanding the redemption thereof between such Record Date and the related Quarterly Dividend Date or the Corporation’s default in the payment of the dividend due.

 

(vi)          In case of redemption of less than all Series J Preferred Shares at the time outstanding, the Series J Preferred Shares to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata from the holders of record of such shares in proportion to the number of Series J Preferred Shares held by such holders (with adjustments to avoid redemption of fractional shares) or by any other equitable method determined by the Corporation.

 

(f)            Voting Rights.  Except as required by law and as set forth below, the holders of the Series J Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the shareholders for the election of Directors or for any other purpose, to otherwise participate in any action taken by the Corporation or the shareholders thereof or to receive notice of any meeting of shareholders.

 

(1)           Whenever dividends on any Series J Preferred Shares shall be in arrears for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not such quarterly periods are consecutive, the holders of such Series J Preferred Shares (voting separately as a class with all other series of preferred shares upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable) will be entitled to vote for the election of two additional Directors of the Corporation at a special meeting called by the holders of record of at least ten percent (10%) of any series of preferred shares so in arrears (unless such request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of the shareholders) or at the next annual meeting of shareholders and at each subsequent annual meeting until all dividends accumulated on such Series J Preferred Shares for the past dividend periods and the then current dividend period shall have been fully paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside for payment.  In such case, the entire Board of Directors of the Corporation will be increased by two Directors.

 

(2)           So long as any Series J Preferred Shares remain outstanding, the Corporation will not, without the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the Series J Preferred Shares outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting (such series voting separately as a class),  (i) authorize or create, or increase the authorized or issued amount of, any class or series of capital shares ranking prior to the Series J Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up or reclassify any authorized shares of the Corporation into such shares, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the

 

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provisions of the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise (an “Event”), so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series J Preferred Shares or the holders thereof; provided, however, with respect to the occurrence of any of the Events set forth in (ii) above, so long as the Series J Preferred Shares remain outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, taking into account that upon the occurrence of an Event the Corporation may not be the surviving entity, the occurrence of any such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of holders of Series J Preferred Shares and provided further that (x) any increase in the amount of the authorized preferred shares or the creation or issuance of any other series of preferred shares, or (u) any increase in the amount of authorized Series J Preferred Shares or any other preferred shares, in each case ranking on a parity with or junior to the Series J Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers.

 

The foregoing voting provisions will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding Series J Preferred Shares shall have been redeemed or called for redemption and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption.

 

(3)           On each matter submitted to a vote of the holders of Series J Preferred Shares in accordance with this Section or as otherwise required by law, each Series J Preferred Share shall be entitled to ten (10) votes, each of which ten (10) votes may be directed separately by the holder thereof (or by any proxy or proxies of such holder). With respect to each Series J Preferred Share, the holder thereof may designate up to ten (10) proxies, with each such proxy having the right to vote a whole number of votes (totaling ten (10) votes per Series J Preferred Share).

 

                                (g)           Conversion. The Series J Preferred Shares are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Corporation.

 

 

 

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EX-4 5 a03-2988_1ex4.htm EX-4

Exhibit 4

 

DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

 

DEPOSIT AGREEMENT, dated as of August 25, 2003, among DUKE REALTY CORPORATION, an Indiana corporation (the “Company”) and American Stock Transfer & Trust Co., a New York banking corporation, as Depositary, and all holders from time to time of Receipts (as hereinafter defined) issued hereunder.

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, it is desired to provide, as hereinafter set forth in this Deposit Agreement, for the deposit of the Company’s Preferred Shares (as hereinafter defined) with the Depositary for the purposes set forth in this Deposit Agreement and for the issuance hereunder of the Receipts evidencing Depositary Shares representing a fractional interest in the Preferred Shares deposited; and

 

WHEREAS, the Receipts are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided in this Deposit Agreement;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises contained herein, it is agreed by and among the parties hereto as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

The following definitions shall apply to the respective terms (in the singular and plural forms of such terms) used in this Deposit Agreement and the Receipts:

 

SECTION 1.1.                       Articles of Incorporation” shall mean the Third Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended from time to time, of the Company.

 

SECTION 1.2.                       Company” shall mean Duke Realty Corporation, an Indiana corporation, and its successors.

 

SECTION 1.3.                       Corporate Office” shall mean the corporate office of the Depositary at which at any particular time its business in respect of matters governed by this Deposit Agreement shall be administered, which at the date of this Deposit Agreement is located at 59 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038.

 

SECTION 1.4.                       Deposit Agreement” shall mean this agreement, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 



 

SECTION 1.5.                       Depositary” shall mean American Stock Transfer & Trust Co., a company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $10,000,000, and any successor as depositary hereunder.

 

SECTION 1.6.                       Depositary Share” shall mean a fractional interest of 1/10 of a Preferred Share deposited with the Depositary hereunder and the same proportionate interest in any and all other property received by the Depositary in respect of such Preferred Share and held under this Deposit Agreement, all as evidenced by the Receipts issued hereunder.  Subject to the terms of this Deposit Agreement, each owner of a Depositary Share is entitled, proportionately, to all the rights, preferences and privileges of the Preferred Share represented by such Depositary Share, including the dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights contained in the Designating Amendment.

 

SECTION 1.7.                       Depositary’s Agent” shall mean an agent appointed by the Depositary as provided, and for the purposes specified, in Section 7.5.

 

SECTION 1.8.                       Designating Amendment” shall mean the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Indiana establishing the Preferred Shares as a series of preferred shares of the Company.

 

SECTION 1.9.                       Preferred Shares” shall mean the Company’s 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, par value $0.01 per share, heretofore validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

SECTION 1.10.                 Receipt” shall mean a Depositary Receipt issued hereunder to evidence one or more Depositary Shares, whether in definitive or temporary form, substantially in the form set forth as Exhibit A hereto.

 

SECTION 1.11.                 record date” shall mean the date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4.

 

SECTION 1.12.                 record holder” or “holder” as applied to a Receipt shall mean the person in whose name a Receipt is registered on the books maintained by the Depositary for such purpose.

 

SECTION 1.13.                 Registrar” shall mean American Stock Transfer & Trust Co. or any bank or trust company appointed to register ownership and transfers of Receipts or the deposited Preferred Shares, as the case may be, as herein provided.

 

SECTION 1.14.                 Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

SECTION 1.15.                 Transfer Agent” shall mean American Stock Transfer & Trust Co. or any bank or trust company appointed to transfer the Receipts or the deposited Preferred Shares, as the case may be, as herein provided.

 

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ARTICLE II

 

FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF PREFERRED SHARES,

EXECUTION AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER,

SURRENDER AND REDEMPTION OF RECEIPTS

 

SECTION 2.1.                       Form and Transferability of Receipts.  Definitive Receipts shall be engraved or printed or lithographed and shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided.  Pending the preparation of definitive Receipts, the Depositary, upon the written order of the Company, delivered in compliance with Section 2.2, shall execute and deliver temporary Receipts which may be printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise substantially of the tenor of the definitive Receipts in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the persons executing such Receipts may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Receipts.  If temporary Receipts are issued, the Company and the Depositary will cause definitive Receipts to be prepared without unreasonable delay.  After the preparation of definitive Receipts, the temporary Receipts shall be exchangeable for definitive Receipts upon surrender of the temporary Receipts at the Corporate Office or such other offices, if any, as the Depositary may designate, without charge to the holder.  Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Receipts, the Depositary shall execute and deliver in exchange therefor definitive Receipts representing the same number of Depositary Shares as represented by the surrendered temporary Receipt or Receipts.  Such exchange shall be made at the Company’s expense and without any charge therefor.  Until so exchanged, the temporary Receipts shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Deposit Agreement, and with respect to the Preferred Shares deposited, as definitive Receipts.

 

Receipts shall be executed by the Depositary by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary, provided that if a Registrar (other than the Depositary) shall have been appointed then such Receipts shall also be countersigned by manual signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Registrar.  No Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless it shall have been executed as provided in the preceding sentence.  The Depositary shall record on its books each Receipt executed as provided above and delivered as hereinafter provided.

 

Except as the Depositary may otherwise determine, Receipts shall be in denominations of any number of whole Depositary Shares.  All Receipts shall be dated the date of their issuance.

 

Receipts may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or recitals or changes not inconsistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be required by the Depositary or required to comply with any applicable law or regulation or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange upon which the Preferred Shares, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts may be listed or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Receipts are subject.

 

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Title to any Receipt (and to the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt), that is properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement shall be transferable by delivery with the same effect as in the case of a negotiable instrument; provided, however, that until a Receipt shall be transferred on the books of the Depositary as provided in Section 2.4, the Depositary may, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, treat the record holder thereof at such time as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the person entitled to distribution of dividends or other distributions, the exercise of any conversion rights or to any notice provided for in this Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes.

 

SECTION 2.2.                       Deposit of Preferred Shares; Execution and Delivery of Receipts in Respect Thereof.  Concurrently with the execution of this Deposit Agreement, the Company is delivering to the Depositary a certificate or certificates, registered in the name of the Depositary and evidencing 400,000 Preferred Shares (or 460,000 Preferred Shares if the Underwriters exercise their over allotment option), properly endorsed or accompanied, if required by the Depositary, by a duly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement, in form satisfactory to the Depositary, together with (i) all such certifications as may be required by the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement and (ii) a written order of the Company directing the Depositary to execute and deliver to, or upon the written order of, the person or persons stated in such order a Receipt or Receipts for the Depositary Shares representing such deposited Preferred Shares.  The Depositary acknowledges receipt of the deposited Preferred Shares and related documentation and agrees to hold such deposited Preferred Shares in an account to be established by the Depositary at the Corporate Office or at such other office as the Depositary shall determine.  The Company hereby appoints the Depositary as the Registrar and Transfer Agent for Preferred Shares deposited hereunder and the Depositary hereby accepts such appointment and, as such, will reflect changes in the number of shares (including any fractional shares) of deposited Preferred Shares held by it by notation, book-entry or other appropriate method.

 

If required by the Depositary, Preferred Shares presented for deposit by the Company at any time, whether or not the register of shareholders of the Company is closed, shall also be accompanied by an agreement or assignment, or other instrument satisfactory to the Depositary, that will provide for the prompt transfer to the Depositary or its nominee of any dividend or right to subscribe for additional Preferred Shares or to receive other property that any person in whose name the Preferred Shares is or has been registered may thereafter receive upon or in respect of such deposited Preferred Shares, or in lieu thereof such agreement of indemnity or other agreement as shall be satisfactory to the Depositary.

 

Upon receipt by the Depositary of a certificate or certificates for Preferred Shares deposited hereunder, together with the other documents specified above, and upon registering such Preferred Shares in the name of the Depositary, the Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall execute and deliver to, or upon the order of, the person or persons named in the written order delivered to the Depositary referred to in the first paragraph of this Section 2.2, a Receipt or Receipts for the number of whole Depositary Shares representing the Preferred Shares so deposited and registered in such name or names as may be requested by such person or persons.  The Depositary shall execute and deliver such Receipt or Receipts at the Corporate Office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of any person

 

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requesting such delivery, such delivery may be made at such other place as may be designated by such person.

 

Other than in the case of splits, combinations or other reclassifications affecting the Preferred Shares, or in the case of dividends or other distributions of Preferred Shares, if any, there shall be deposited hereunder not more than the number of shares constituting the Preferred Shares as set forth in the Designating Amendment, as such may be amended.

 

The Company shall deliver to the Depositary from time to time such quantities of Receipts as the Depositary may request to enable the Depositary to perform its obligations under this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.3.                       Optional Redemption of Preferred Shares for Cash.  Whenever the Company shall elect to redeem deposited Preferred Shares for cash in accordance with the provisions of the Designating Amendment, it shall (unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Depositary) give the Depositary not less than 60 days’ prior written notice of the date of such proposed redemption and of the number of such Preferred Shares held by the Depositary to be redeemed and the applicable redemption price, as set forth in the Designating Amendment, including the amount, if any, of accrued and unpaid dividends to the date of such redemption.  The Depositary shall mail, first-class postage prepaid, notice of the redemption of Preferred Shares and the proposed simultaneous redemption of the Depositary Shares representing the Preferred Shares to be redeemed, not less than 30 and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption of such Preferred Shares and Depositary Shares (the “cash redemption date”), to the holders of record on the record date fixed for such redemption pursuant to Section 4.4 hereof of the Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares to be so redeemed, at the addresses of such holders as the same appear on the records of the Depositary; but neither failure to mail any such notice to one or more such holders nor any defect in any such notice shall affect the sufficiency of the proceedings for redemption as to other holders.  The Company shall provide the Depositary with such notice, and each such notice shall state:  the cash redemption date; the cash redemption price; the number of deposited Preferred Shares and Depositary Shares to be redeemed; if fewer than all the Depositary Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the number of such Depositary Shares held by such holder to be so redeemed; the place or places where Receipts evidencing Depositary Shares to be redeemed are to be surrendered for payment of the cash redemption price; and that from and after the cash redemption date dividends in respect of the Preferred Shares represented by the Depositary Shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue.  If fewer than all the outstanding Depositary Shares are to be redeemed, the Depositary Shares to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional Depositary Shares) or by any other equitable method determined by the Company.  The Company shall also cause notice of redemption to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in The City of New York at least once a week for two successive weeks commencing not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the cash redemption date.

 

In the event that notice of redemption has been made as described in the immediately preceding paragraph and the Company shall then have paid in full to the Depositary the cash redemption price (determined pursuant to the Designating Amendment) of the Preferred Shares deposited with the Depositary to be redeemed (including any accrued and unpaid dividends to the date of redemption), the Depositary shall redeem the number of Depositary Shares

 

5



 

representing such Preferred Shares so called for redemption by the Company and from and after the cash redemption date (unless the Company shall have failed to redeem the Preferred Shares to be redeemed by it as set forth in the Company’s notice provided for in the preceding paragraph), all dividends in respect of the Preferred Shares called for redemption shall cease to accrue, the Depositary Shares called for redemption shall be deemed no longer to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares (except the right to receive the cash redemption price and any money or other property to which holders of such Receipts were entitled upon such redemption) shall, to the extent of such Depositary Shares, cease and terminate.  Upon surrender in accordance with said notice of the Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Depositary shall so require), such Depositary Shares shall be redeemed at a cash redemption price of $25.00 per Depositary Share plus any other money and other property payable in respect of such Preferred Shares.  The foregoing shall be further subject to the terms and conditions of the Designating Amendment.

 

If fewer than all of the Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt are called for redemption, the Depositary will deliver to the holder of such Receipt upon its surrender to the Depositary, together with payment of the cash redemption price for and all other amounts payable in respect of the Depositary Shares called for redemption, a new Receipt evidencing the Depositary Shares evidenced by such prior Receipt and not called for redemption.

 

SECTION 2.4.                       Registration of Transfers of Receipts.  The Company hereby appoints the Depositary as the Registrar and Transfer Agent for the Receipts and the Depositary hereby accepts such appointment and, as such, shall register on its books from time to time transfers of Receipts upon any surrender thereof by the holder in person or by a duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement, together with evidence of the payment of any transfer taxes as may be required by law.  Upon such surrender, the Depositary shall execute a new Receipt or Receipts and deliver the same to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto evidencing the same aggregate number of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

 

SECTION 2.5.                       Combinations and Split-ups of Receipts.  Upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts at the Corporate Office or such other office as the Depositary may designate for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of Receipts, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall execute and deliver a new Receipt or Receipts in the authorized denominations requested evidencing the same aggregate number of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

 

SECTION 2.6.                       Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Preferred Shares.  Any holder of a Receipt or Receipts may withdraw any or all of the deposited Preferred Shares represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt or Receipts and all money and other property, if any, represented by such Depositary Shares by surrendering such Receipt or Receipts at the Corporate Office or at such office as the Depositary may designate for such withdrawals, provided that a holder of a Receipt or Receipts may not withdraw such Preferred Shares (or money and other property, if any, represented thereby) which has previously been called for redemption.  After such surrender, without unreasonable delay, the Depositary shall deliver to such holder, or to the person or persons designated by such holder as hereinafter

 

6



 

provided, the number of whole or fractional shares of such Preferred Shares and all such money and other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts so surrendered for withdrawal, but holders of such whole or fractional Preferred Shares will not thereafter be entitled to deposit such Preferred Shares hereunder or to receive Depositary Shares therefor.  If the Receipt or Receipts delivered by the holder to the Depositary in connection with such withdrawal shall evidence a number of Depositary Shares in excess of the number of Depositary Shares representing the number of whole or fractional shares of deposited Preferred Shares to be withdrawn, the Depositary shall at the same time, in addition to such number of whole or fractional Preferred Shares and such money and other property, if any, to be withdrawn, deliver to such holder, or (subject to Section 2.4) upon his order, a new Receipt or Receipts evidencing such excess number of Depositary Shares.  Delivery of such Preferred Shares and such money and other property being withdrawn may be made by the delivery of such certificates, documents of title and other instruments as the Depositary may deem appropriate, which, if required by the Depositary, shall be properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer.

 

If the deposited Preferred Shares and the money and other property being withdrawn are to be delivered to a person or persons other than the record holder of the Receipt or Receipts being surrendered for withdrawal of Preferred Shares, such holder shall execute and deliver to the Depositary a written order so directing the Depositary and the Depositary may require that the Receipt or Receipts surrendered by such holder for withdrawal of such Preferred Shares be properly endorsed in blank or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement in blank.

 

The Depositary shall deliver the deposited Preferred Shares and the money and other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by Receipts surrendered for withdrawal at the Corporate Office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of the holder surrendering such Receipt or Receipts and for the account of the holder thereof, such delivery may be made at such other place as may be designated by such holder.

 

SECTION 2.7.                       Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer, Split-up, Combination, Surrender and Exchange of Receipts.  As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery, transfer, split-up, combination, surrender or exchange of any Receipt, the Depositary, any of the Depositary’s Agents or the Company may require any or all of the following: (i) payment to it of a sum sufficient for the payment (or, in the event that the Depositary or the Company shall have made such payment, the reimbursement to it) of any tax or other governmental charge with respect thereto (including any such tax or charge with respect to the Preferred Shares being deposited or withdrawn); (ii) the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature (or the authority of any signature); and (iii) compliance with such regulations, if any, as the Depositary or the Company may establish consistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be required by any securities exchange upon which the deposited Preferred Shares, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts may be included for quotation or listed.

 

The deposit of Preferred Shares may be refused, the delivery of Receipts against Preferred Shares may be suspended, the transfer of Receipts may be refused, and the transfer, split-up, combination, surrender, exchange or redemption of outstanding Receipts may be

 

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suspended (i) during any period when the register of shareholders of the Company is closed or (ii) if any such action is deemed reasonably necessary or advisable by the Depositary, any of the Depositary’s Agents or the Company at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body or commission, or under Article X of the Articles of Incorporation or under any provision of this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.8.                       Lost Receipts, etc. In case any Receipt shall be mutilated or destroyed or lost or stolen, the Depositary, in its discretion, may execute and deliver a Receipt of like form and tenor in exchange and substitution for such mutilated Receipt or in lieu of and in substitution for such destroyed, lost or stolen Receipt, provided that the holder thereof provides the Depositary with (i) evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary of such destruction, loss or theft of such Receipt, of the authenticity thereof and of his ownership thereof and (ii) reasonable indemnification satisfactory to the Depositary and the Company.

 

SECTION 2.9.                       Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts.  All Receipts surrendered to the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent shall be cancelled by the Depositary.  Except as prohibited by applicable law or regulation, the Depositary is authorized to destroy such Receipts so cancelled.

 

ARTICLE III

 

CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF HOLDERS OF RECEIPTS AND THE COMPANY

 

SECTION 3.1.                       Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information.  Any person presenting Preferred Shares for deposit or any holder of a Receipt may be required from time to time to file such proof of residence or other information, to execute such certificates and to make such representations and warranties as the Depositary or the Company may reasonably deem necessary or proper.  The Depositary or the Company may withhold or delay the delivery of any Receipt, the transfer, redemption or exchange of any Receipt, the withdrawal of the deposited Preferred Shares represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by any Receipt, the distribution of any dividend or other distribution or the sale of any rights or of the proceeds thereof, until such proof or other information is filed, such certificates are executed or such representations and warranties are made.

 

SECTION 3.2.                       Payment of Fees and Expenses.  Holders of Receipts shall be obligated to make payments to the Depositary of certain fees and expenses, as provided in Section 5.7, or provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary that such fees and expenses have been paid.  Until such payment is made, transfer of any Receipt or any withdrawal of the Preferred Shares or money or other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt may be refused, any dividend or other distribution may be withheld, and any part or all of the Preferred Shares or other property represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt may be sold for the account of the holder thereof (after attempting by reasonable means to notify such holder a reasonable number of days prior to such sale).  Any dividend or other distribution so withheld and the proceeds of any such sale may be applied to any payment of such fees or expenses, the holder of such Receipt remaining liable for any deficiency.

 

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SECTION 3.3.                       Representations and Warranties as to Preferred Shares.  In the case of the initial deposit of the Preferred Shares hereunder, the Company and, in the case of subsequent deposits thereof, each person so depositing Preferred Shares under this Deposit Agreement shall be deemed thereby to represent and warrant that such Preferred Shares and each certificate therefor are valid and that the person making such deposit is duly authorized to do so.  The Company hereby further represents and warrants that such Preferred Shares, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.  Such representations and warranties shall survive the deposit of the Preferred Shares and the issuance of Receipts.

 

SECTION 3.4.                       Representation and Warranty as to Receipts and Depositary Shares.  The Company hereby represents and warrants that the Receipts, when issued, will evidence legal and valid interests in the Depositary Shares and each Depositary Share will represent a legal and valid 1/10 fractional interest in a deposited Preferred Share.  Such representation and warranty shall survive the deposit of the Preferred Shares and the issuance of Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

THE PREFERRED SHARES; NOTICES

 

SECTION 4.1.                       Cash Distributions.  Whenever the Depositary shall receive any cash dividend or other cash distribution on the deposited Preferred Shares, including any cash received upon redemption of any Preferred Shares pursuant to Section 2.3, the Depositary shall, subject to Section 3.2, distribute to record holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4 such amounts of such sum as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts held by such holders; provided, however, that in case the Company or the Depositary shall be required to and shall withhold from any cash dividend or other cash distribution in respect of the Preferred Shares represented by the Receipts held by any holder an amount on account of taxes, the amount made available for distribution or distributed in respect of Depositary Shares represented by such Receipts subject to such withholding shall be reduced accordingly.  The Depositary shall distribute or make available for distribution, as the case may be, only such amount, however, as can be distributed without attributing to any holder of Receipts a fraction of one cent, and any balance not so distributable shall be held by the Depositary (without liability for interest thereon) and shall be added to and be treated as part of the next sum received by the Depositary for distribution to record holders of Receipts then outstanding.

 

SECTION 4.2.                       Distributions Other Than Cash.  Whenever the Depositary shall receive any distribution other than cash on the deposited Preferred Shares, the Depositary shall, subject to Section 3.2, distribute to record holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4 such amounts of the securities or property received by it as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts held by such holders, in any manner that the Depositary and the Company may deem equitable and practicable for accomplishing such distribution.  If, in the opinion of the Depositary after consultation with the Company, such distribution cannot be made proportionately among such record holders, or if for any other reason (including any requirement

 

9



 

that the Company or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of taxes), the Depositary deems, after consultation with the Company, such distribution not to be feasible, the Depositary may, with the approval of the Company, adopt such method as it deems equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such distribution, including the sale (at public or private sale) of the securities or property thus received or any part thereof, at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem proper.  The net proceeds of any such sale shall, subject to Section 3.2, be distributed or made available for distribution, as the case may be, by the Depositary to record holders of Receipts as provided by Section 4.1 in the case of a distribution received in cash.  The Company shall not make any distribution of such securities or property to the holders of Receipts unless the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel stating that such securities or property have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered.

 

SECTION 4.3.                       Subscription Rights, Preferences or Privileges.  If the Company shall at any time offer or cause to be offered to the persons in whose names deposited Preferred Shares are registered on the books of the Company any rights, preferences or privileges to subscribe for or to purchase any securities or any rights, preferences or privileges of any other nature, such rights, preferences or privileges shall in each such instance be made available by the Depositary to the record holders of Receipts in such manner as the Company shall instruct (including by the issue to such record holders of warrants representing such rights, preferences or privileges); provided, however, that (a) if at the time of issue or offer of any such rights, preferences or privileges the Company determines upon advice of its legal counsel that it is not lawful or feasible to make such rights, preferences or privileges available to the holders of Receipts (by the issue of warrants or otherwise) or (b) if and to the extent instructed by holders of Receipts who do not desire to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges, the Depositary shall then, if so instructed by the Company, and if applicable laws or the terms of such rights, preferences or privileges so permit, sell such rights, preferences or privileges of such holders at public or private sale, at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem proper.  The net proceeds of any such sale shall, subject to Section 3.1 and Section 3.2, be distributed by the Depositary to the record holders of Receipts entitled thereto as provided by Section 4.1 in the case of a distribution received in cash.  The Company shall not make any distribution of such rights, preferences or privileges, unless the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel stating that such rights, preferences or privileges have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered.

 

If registration under the Securities Act of the securities to which any rights, preferences or privileges relate is required in order for holders of Receipts to be offered or sold the securities to which such rights, preferences or privileges relate, the Company agrees that it will promptly file a registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act with respect to such rights, preferences or privileges and securities and use its best efforts and take all steps available to it to cause such registration statement to become effective sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges.  In no event shall the Depositary make available to the holders of Receipts any right, preference or privilege to subscribe for or to purchase any securities unless and until such a registration statement shall have become effective or unless the offering and sale of such securities to such holders are exempt from registration under the provisions of the Securities Act and the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel to such effect.

 

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If any other action under the law of any jurisdiction or any governmental or administrative authorization, consent or permit is required in order for such rights, preferences or privileges to be made available to holders of Receipts, the Company agrees to use its best efforts to take such action or obtain such authorization, consent or permit sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges.

 

SECTION 4.4.                       Notice of Dividends; Fixing of Record Date for Holders of Receipts.  Whenever any cash dividend or other cash distribution shall become payable, any distribution other than cash shall be made, or any rights, preferences or privileges shall at any time be offered, with respect to the deposited Preferred Shares, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of (i) any meeting at which holders of such Preferred Shares are entitled to vote or of which holders of such Preferred Shares are entitled to notice or (ii) any election on the part of the Company to redeem any such Preferred Shares, the Depositary shall in each such instance fix a record date (which shall be the same date as the record date fixed by the Company with respect to the Preferred Shares) for the determination of the holders of Receipts who shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution, rights, preferences or privileges or the net proceeds of the sale thereof, to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any such meeting or to receive notice of such meeting or whose Depositary Shares are to be so redeemed.

 

SECTION 4.5.                       Voting Rights.  Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of deposited Preferred Shares are entitled to vote, the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail to the record holders of Receipts a notice, which shall be provided by the Company and which shall contain (i) such information as is contained in such notice of meeting, (ii) a statement that the holders of Receipts at the close of business on a specified record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4 will be entitled, subject to any applicable provision of law, to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of Preferred Shares represented by their respective Depositary Shares and (iii) a brief statement as to the manner in which such instructions may be given.  Upon the written request of a holder of a Receipt on such record date, the Depositary shall vote or cause to be voted the amount of Preferred Shares represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt in accordance with the instructions set forth in such request.  To the extent such instructions request the voting of a fractional interest of a share of deposited Preferred Shares, the Depositary shall aggregate such interest with all other fractional interests resulting from requests with the same voting instructions and shall vote the number of whole votes resulting from such aggregation in accordance with the instructions received in such requests.  Each Preferred Share is entitled to 10 votes and, accordingly, each Depositary Share is entitled to one vote.  The Company hereby agrees to take all reasonable action that may be deemed necessary by the Depositary in order to enable the Depositary to vote such Preferred Shares or cause such Preferred Shares to be voted.  In the absence of specific instructions from the holder of a Receipt, the Depositary will abstain from voting to the extent of the Preferred Shares represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt.  The Depositary shall not be required to exercise discretion in voting any Preferred Shares represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt.

 

SECTION 4.6.                       Changes Affecting Preferred Shares and Reclassifications, Recapitalization, etc. Upon any change in par or stated value, split-up, combination or any other reclassification of Preferred Shares, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger,

 

11



 

amalgamation or consolidation affecting the Company or to which it is a party or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, the Depositary shall, upon the instructions of the Company:  (i) make such adjustments in (a) the fraction of an interest represented by one Depositary Share in one Preferred Share and (b) the ratio of the redemption price per Depositary Share to the redemption price of a Preferred Share, in each case as may be required by or as is consistent with the provisions of the Designating Amendment to fully reflect the effects of such change in liquidation value, split-up, combination or other reclassification of Shares, or of such recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale and (ii) treat any shares or other securities or property (including cash) that shall be received by the Depositary in exchange for or upon conversion of or in respect of the Preferred Shares as new deposited property under this Deposit Agreement, and Receipts then outstanding shall thenceforth represent the proportionate interests of holders thereof or the new deposited property so received in exchange for or upon conversion or in respect of such Preferred Shares.  In any such case the Depositary may, in its discretion, with approval of the Company, execute and deliver additional Receipts, or may call for the surrender of all outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing such new deposited property.  Anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, holders of Receipts shall have the right from and after the effective date of any such change in par or stated value, split-up, combination or other reclassification of the Preferred Shares or any such recapitalization, reorganization, merger, amalgamation or consolidation or sale of substantially all the assets of the Company to surrender such Receipts to the Depositary with instructions to convert, exchange or surrender the Preferred Shares represented thereby only into or for, as the case may be, the kind and amount of shares and other securities and property and cash into which the deposited Preferred Shares evidenced by such Receipts might have been converted or for which such Preferred Shares might have been exchanged or surrendered immediately prior to the effective date of such transaction.  The Company shall cause effective provision to be made in the charter of the resulting or surviving corporation (if other than the Company) for protection of such rights as may be applicable upon exchange of the deposited Preferred Shares for securities or property or cash of the surviving corporation in connection with the transactions set forth above.  The Company shall cause any such surviving corporation (if other than the Company) expressly to assume the obligations of the Company hereunder.

 

SECTION 4.7.                       Inspection of Reports.  The Depositary shall make available for inspection by holders of Receipts at the Corporate Office and at such other places as it may from time to time deem advisable during normal business hours any reports and communications received from the Company that are both received by the Depositary as the holder of deposited Preferred Shares and made generally available to the holders of the Preferred Shares.  In addition, the Depositary shall transmit certain notices and reports to the holders of Receipts as provided in Section 5.5.

 

SECTION 4.8.                       Lists of Receipt Holders.  Promptly upon request from time to time by the Company, the Depositary shall furnish to the Company a list, as of a recent date specified by the Company, of the names, addresses and holdings of Depositary Shares of all persons in whose names Receipts are registered on the books of the Depositary.

 

SECTION 4.9.                       Tax and Regulatory Compliance.  The Depositary shall be responsible for (i) preparation and mailing of form 1099s for all open and closed accounts, (ii) foreign tax withholding, (iii) withholding 28% (or any withholding as may be required at the then applicable

 

12



 

rate) of dividends from eligible holders of Receipts if directed to do so by the Company or required to do so by applicable law, (iv) mailing W-9 forms to new holders of Receipts without a certified taxpayer identification number, (v) processing certified W-9 forms, (vi) preparation and filing of state information returns and (vii) escheatment services.

 

SECTION 4.10.                 Withholding.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Deposit Agreement, in the event that the Depositary determines that any distribution in property is subject to any tax which the Depositary is obligated by law to withhold, the Depositary may dispose of all or a portion of such property in such amounts and in such manner as the Depositary deems necessary and practicable to pay such taxes, by public or private sale, and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of any such sale or the balance of any such property after deduction of such taxes to the holders of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to the number of Depositary Shares held by them respectively.

 

ARTICLE V

 

THE DEPOSITARY AND THE COMPANY

 

SECTION 5.1.                       Maintenance of Offices, Agencies and Transfer Books by the Depositary and the Registrar.  The Depositary shall maintain at the Corporate Office facilities for the execution and delivery, transfer, surrender and exchange, split-up, combination and redemption of Receipts and deposit and withdrawal of Preferred Shares and at the offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, facilities for the delivery, transfer, surrender and exchange, split-up, combination and redemption of Receipts and deposit and withdrawal of Preferred Shares, all in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.

 

The Depositary shall keep books at the Corporate Office for the registration and transfer of Receipts, which books at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the record holders of Receipts as provided by applicable law.  The Depositary may close such books, at any time or from time to time, when deemed expedient by it in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder.

 

If the Receipts or the Depositary Shares evidenced thereby or the Preferred Shares represented by such Depositary Shares shall be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or any other stock exchange, the Depositary may, with the approval of the Company, appoint a Registrar (acceptable to the Company) for registration of such Receipts or Depositary Shares in accordance with the requirements of such Exchange.  Such Registrar (which may be the Depositary if so permitted by the requirements of such Exchange) may be removed and a substitute registrar appointed by the Depositary upon the request or with the approval of the Company.  If the Receipts, such Depositary Shares or such Preferred Shares are listed on one or more other stock exchanges, the Depositary will, at the request and expense of the Company, arrange such facilities for the delivery, transfer, surrender, redemption and exchange of such Receipts, such Depositary Shares or such Preferred Shares as may be required by law or applicable stock exchange regulations.

 

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SECTION 5.2.                       Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar or the Company. Neither the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar nor the Company shall incur any liability to any holder of any Receipt, if by reason of any provision of any present or future law or regulation thereunder of the United States of America or of any other governmental authority or, in the case of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar, by reason of any provision, present or future, of the Articles of Incorporation or the Designating Amendment or, in the case of the Company, the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar, by reason of any act of God or war or other circumstance beyond the control of the relevant party, the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent, the Registrar or the Company shall be prevented or forbidden from doing or performing any act or thing that the terms of this Deposit Agreement provide shall be done or performed; nor shall the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company incur any liability to any holder of a Receipt by reason of any nonperformance or delay, caused as aforesaid, in the performance of any act or thing that the terms of this Deposit Agreement provide shall or may be done or performed, or by reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.3.                       Obligations of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar and the Company.  Neither the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar nor the Company assumes any obligation or shall be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement or any Receipt to holders of Receipts other than from acts or omissions arising out of conduct constituting bad faith, negligence (in the case of any action or inaction with respect to the voting of the deposited Preferred Shares), gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of such duties as are specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement.

 

Neither the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar nor the Company shall be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding with respect to the deposited Preferred Shares, Depositary Shares or Receipts that in its reasonable opinion may involve it in expense or liability unless indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against all expense and liability be furnished as often as may be required.

 

Neither the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar nor the Company shall be liable for any action or any failure to act by it in reliance upon the written advice of legal counsel or accountants, or information provided by any person presenting Preferred Shares for deposit, any holder of a Receipt or any other person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such information.  The Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar and the Company may each rely and shall each be protected in acting upon any written notice, request, direction or other document believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

In the event the Depositary shall receive conflicting claims, requests or instructions from any holders of Receipts, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, the Depositary shall be entitled to act on such claims, requests or instructions received from the Company, and shall be entitled to the full indemnification set forth in Section 5.6 hereof in connection with any action so taken.

 

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The Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instruction to vote any of the deposited Preferred Shares or for the manner or effect of any such vote made, as long as any such action or non-action is in good faith and does not result from negligence or willful misconduct of the Depositary.  The Depositary undertakes, and any Registrar shall be required to undertake, to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Depositary or any Registrar.

 

The Depositary, its parent, affiliate, or subsidiaries, any Depositary’s Agent, and any Registrar may own, buy, sell or deal in any class of securities of the Company and its affiliates and in Receipts or Depositary Shares or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company or its affiliates may be interested or contract with or lend money to or otherwise act as fully or as freely as if it were not the Depositary or the Depositary’s Agent hereunder.  The Depositary may also act as transfer agent or registrar of any of the securities of the Company and its affiliates or act in any other capacity for the Company or its affiliates.

 

It is intended that neither the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent shall be deemed to be an “issuer” of the securities under the federal securities laws or applicable state securities laws, it being expressly understood and agreed that the Depositary and any Depositary’s Agent are acting only in a ministerial capacity as Depositary for the deposited Preferred Shares; provided, however, that the Depositary agrees to comply with all information reporting and withholding requirements applicable to it under law or this Deposit Agreement in its capacity as Depositary.

 

The Company agrees that it will register the deposited Preferred Shares and the Depositary Shares if required by the applicable securities laws.

 

SECTION 5.4.                       Resignation and Removal of the Depositary; Appointment of Successor Depositary.  The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary hereunder by notice of its election to do so delivered to the Company, such resignation to take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

 

The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by notice of such removal delivered to the Depositary, such removal to take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

 

In case at any time the Depositary acting hereunder shall resign or be removed, the Company shall, within 60 days after the delivery of the notice of resignation or removal, as the case may be, appoint a successor depositary, which shall be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States of America and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.  If a successor depositary shall not have been appointed in 60 days, the resigning Depositary may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to appoint a successor depositary.  Every successor depositary shall execute and deliver to its predecessor and to the Company an instrument in writing accepting its appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor depositary, without any further act or deed, shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor and for all purposes shall be the

 

15



 

Depositary under this Deposit Agreement, and such predecessor, upon payment of all sums due it and on the written request of the Company, shall promptly execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor all rights and powers of such predecessor hereunder, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver all rights, title and interest in the deposited Preferred Shares and any moneys or property held hereunder to such successor and shall deliver to such successor a list of the record holders of all outstanding Receipts.  Any successor depositary shall promptly mail notice of its appointment to the record holders of Receipts.

 

Any corporation into or with which the Depositary may be merged, consolidated or converted shall be the successor of such Depositary without the execution or filing of any document or any further act.  Such successor depositary may execute the Receipts either in the name of the predecessor depositary or in the name of the successor depositary.

 

SECTION 5.5.                       Notices, Reports and Documents.    The Company agrees that it will deliver to the Depositary, and the Depositary will, promptly after receipt thereof, transmit to the record holders of Receipts, in each case at the address recorded in the Depositary’s books, copies of all notices and reports (including financial statements) required by law, by the rules of any national securities exchange upon which the Preferred Shares, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts are included for quotation or listed or by the Articles of Incorporation and the Designating Amendment to be furnished by the Company to holders of the deposited Preferred Shares and, if requested by the holder of any Receipt, a copy of this Deposit Agreement, the form of Receipt, the Designating Amendment and the form of Preferred Shares.  Such transmission will be at the Company’s expense and the Company will provide the Depositary with such number of copies of such documents as the Depositary may reasonably request.  In addition, the Depositary will transmit to the record holders of Receipts at the Company’s expense such other documents as may be requested by the Company.

 

SECTION 5.6.                       Indemnification by the Company.  The Company agrees to indemnify the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar against, and hold each of them harmless from, any liability, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that may arise out of, or in connection with, its acting as Depositary, Depositary’s Agent or Registrar, respectively, under this Deposit Agreement and the Receipts, except for any liability arising out of the willful misconduct, gross negligence, negligence (in the case of any action or inaction with respect to the voting of the deposited Preferred Shares) or bad faith on the part of any such person or persons.  The obligations of the Company set forth in this Section 5.6 shall survive any succession of any Depositary, Registrar or Depositary’s Agent or termination of this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.7.                       Fees, Charges and Expenses.  No charges and expenses of the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent hereunder shall be payable by any person, except as provided in this Section 5.7.  The Company shall pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of this Deposit Agreement.  The Company shall also pay all fees and expenses of the Depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the Preferred Shares and the initial issuance of the Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts, any redemption of the Preferred Shares at the option of the Company and all withdrawals of the Preferred Shares by holders of Depositary Shares.  If a holder of Receipts requests the Depositary to perform duties not required under this Deposit Agreement, the

 

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Depositary shall notify the holder of the cost of the performance of such duties prior to the performance thereof.  Such holder will be liable for the charges and expenses related to such performance.  All other fees and expenses of the Depositary and any Depositary’s Agent hereunder and of any Registrar (including, in each case, fees and expenses of counsel) incident to the performance of their respective obligations hereunder will be promptly paid as previously agreed between the Depositary and the Company.  The Depositary shall present its statement for fees and expenses to the Company every month or at such other intervals as the Company and the Depositary may agree.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

SECTION 6.1.                       Amendment.  The form of the Receipts and any provision of this Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary in any respect that they may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that no such amendment (other than any change in the fees of any Depositary, Registrar or Transfer Agent) which (i) shall materially and adversely alter the rights of the holders of Receipts or (ii) would be materially and adversely inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Preferred Shares pursuant to the Designating Amendment shall be effective unless such amendment shall have been approved by the holders of at least a majority of the Depositary Shares then outstanding.  In no event shall any amendment impair the right, subject to the provisions of Section 2.6 and Section 2.7 and Article III, of any holder of any Depositary Shares to surrender the Receipt evidencing such Depositary Shares with instructions to the Depositary to deliver to the holder the deposited Preferred Shares and all money and other property, if any, represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law.  Every holder of an outstanding Receipt at the time any such amendment becomes effective shall be deemed, by continuing to hold such Receipt, to consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by this Deposit Agreement as amended thereby.

 

SECTION 6.2.                       Termination.  This Deposit Agreement may be terminated by the Company upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice to the Depositary if (i) such termination is necessary to preserve the Company’s status as a real estate investment trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor provisions) or (ii) the holders of a majority of the Preferred Shares consent to such termination, whereupon the Depositary shall deliver or make available to each holder of a Receipt, upon surrender of the Receipt held by such holder, such number of whole or fractional shares of deposited Preferred Shares that are represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt, together with any other property held by the Depositary in respect of such Receipt.  In the event that this Deposit Agreement is terminated pursuant to clause (i) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company hereby agrees to use its best efforts to list the Preferred Shares issued upon surrender of the Receipt evidencing the Depositary Shares represented thereby on a national securities exchange.  This Deposit Agreement will automatically terminate if (i) all outstanding Depositary Shares shall have been redeemed pursuant to Section 2.3 or (ii) there shall have been made a final distribution in respect of the deposited Preferred Shares in connection with any liquidation,

 

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dissolution or winding up of the Company and such distribution shall have been distributed to the holders of Receipts entitled thereto.

 

Upon the termination of this Deposit Agreement, the Company shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar under Section 5.6 and Section 5.7.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 7.1.                       Counterparts.  This Deposit Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and by each of the parties hereto on separate counterparts, each of which counterparts, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Deposit Agreement by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Deposit Agreement.  Copies of this Deposit Agreement shall be filed with the Depositary and the Depositary’s Agents and shall be open to inspection during business hours at the Corporate Office and the respective offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, by any holder of a Receipt.

 

SECTION 7.2.                       Exclusive Benefit of Parties.  This Deposit Agreement is for the exclusive benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective successors hereunder, and shall not be deemed to give any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim to any other person whatsoever.

 

SECTION 7.3.                       Invalidity of Provisions.  In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Deposit Agreement or in the Receipts should be or become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein or therein shall in no way be affected, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.

 

SECTION 7.4.                       Notices.  Any and all notices to be given to the Company hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, or by telegram or facsimile transmission confirmed by letter, addressed to the Company at:

 

DUKE REALTY CORPORATION

600 East 96th Street

Suite 100

Indianapolis, Indiana  46240

Attention:  Matthew A. Cohoat

Telephone No.:  (317) 808-6065

 

or at any other address of which the Company shall have notified the Depositary in writing.

 

Any notices to be given to the Depositary hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, or

 

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by telegram or telex or telecopier confirmed by letter, addressed to the Depositary at the Corporate Office.

 

Any notices given to any record holder of a Receipt hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, or by telegram or telex or telecopier confirmed by letter, addressed to such record holder at the address of such record holder as it appears on the books of the Depositary or, if such holder shall have filed with the Depositary in a timely manner a written request that notices intended for such holder be mailed to some other address, at the address designated in such request.

 

Delivery of a notice sent by mail, or by telegram or telex or telecopier shall be deemed to be effected at the time when a duly addressed letter containing the same (or a confirmation thereof in the case of a telegram or telex or telecopier message) is deposited, postage prepaid, in a post office letter box.  The Depositary or the Company may, however, act upon any telegram or telex or telecopier message received by it from the other or from any holder of a Receipt, notwithstanding that such telegram or telex or telecopier message shall not subsequently be confirmed by letter as aforesaid.

 

SECTION 7.5.                       Depositary’s Agents.  The Depositary may from time to time appoint Depositary’s Agents to act in any respect for the Depositary for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement and may at any time appoint additional Depositary’s Agents and vary or terminate the appointment of such Depositary’s Agents.  The Depositary will notify the Company of any such action.

 

SECTION 7.6.                       Holders of Receipts Are Parties.  The holders of Receipts from time to time shall be deemed to be parties to this Deposit Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions hereof and of the Receipts by acceptance of delivery thereof.

 

SECTION 7.7.                       Governing Law.  This Deposit Agreement and the Receipts and all rights hereunder and thereunder and provisions hereof and thereof shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in said State.

 

SECTION 7.8.                       Inspection of Deposit Agreement and Designating Amendment.  Copies of this Deposit Agreement and the Designating Amendment shall be filed with the Depositary and the Depositary’s Agents and shall be open to inspection during business hours at the Corporate Office and the respective offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, by any holder of any Receipt.

 

SECTION 7.9.                       Headings.  The headings of articles and sections in this Deposit Agreement and in the form of the Receipt set forth in Exhibit A hereto have been inserted for convenience only and are not to be regarded as part of this Deposit Agreement or to have any bearing upon the meaning or interpretation of any provision contained herein or in the Receipts.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Duke Realty Corporation and American Stock Transfer & Trust Co. have duly executed this Deposit Agreement as of the day and year first above set forth and all holders of Receipts shall become parties hereto by and upon acceptance by them of delivery of Receipts issued in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

 

DUKE REALTY CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Matthew A. Cohoat

 

Attest:

/s/ Douglas E. Greer

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST CO.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ HJ Lemmer

 

Attest:

/s/ Susan Silber

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

20



Exhibit A

 

The Depositary Shares evidenced by this Depositary Receipt are subject to restrictions on ownership and transfer for the purpose of the Company’s maintenance of its status as a Real Estate Investment Trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  In order to maintain such status, the Company’s Articles of Amendment designating the terms of the 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares imposes limitations on the number of 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares that may be owned by any single person or affiliated group.  All capitalized terms in this legend have the meanings defined in such Articles of Amendment.  Transfers in violation of the restrictions described above shall be void ab initio.

 

The Company will furnish to the holder hereof upon request and without charge a complete written statement of the terms and conditions of the 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares.  Requests for such statement may be directed to the Secretary of the Company.

 

 

[FORM OF FACE OF RECEIPT]

 

CERTIFICATE FOR NOT MORE THAN 4,000,000 DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

RECEIPT FOR DEPOSITARY SHARES,
EACH REPRESENTING 1/10 OF A 6.625% SERIES J CUMULATIVE

REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARE

 

 

DUKE REALTY CORPORATION

(an Indiana corporation)

 

DR-

CUSIP 264411 77 8
This Receipt is transferable in
New York City.
See reverse for certain definitions.

 

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary (the “Depositary”), hereby certifies that Cede & Co. is the registered owner of 4,000,000 fully paid and non-assessable DEPOSITARY SHARES (“Depositary Shares”), each Depositary Share representing 1/10 of one 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Share, $0.01 par value per share (the “Shares”), of Duke Realty Corporation, an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), on deposit with the Depositary, subject to the terms and entitled to the benefits of the Deposit Agreement dated as of August 25, 2003 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Company, the Depositary and the holders from time to time of Receipts for Depositary Shares.  By accepting this Receipt, the holder hereof becomes a party to and agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement.  This Receipt shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose or entitled to any benefits under the Deposit Agreement unless it shall have been executed by the Depositary by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer or, if a Registrar in respect of the Receipts (other than the Depositary) shall have been appointed, by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of such Registrar.

 

Dated:

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

21



 

[FORM OF REVERSE RECEIPT]

 

DUKE REALTY CORPORATION WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH REGISTERED HOLDER OF RECEIPTS WHO SO REQUESTS A COPY OF THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT AND A COPY OF THE DESIGNATING AMENDMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE SERIES J CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES OF DUKE REALTY CORPORATION ANY SUCH REQUEST SHALL BE ADDRESSED TO THE DEPOSITARY NAMED ON THE FACE OF THIS RECEIPT.

 

The following abbreviations when used in the instructions on the face of this receipt shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations.

 

 

TEN COM -

 

as tenant in common

 

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -

 

Custodian

 

 

 

 

 

(Cust)

(Minor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEN ENT -

 

as tenants by the entireties

 

Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

 

 

 

 

 

 

(State)

 

JT TEN -

 

as joint tenants with
right of survivorship
and not as tenants in
common

 

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

 

ASSIGNMENT

 

For value received, _______________ hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

 

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

___________________

 

PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________ Depositary Shares represented by the within Receipt, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________ Attorney to transfer the said Depositary Shares on the books of the within named Depositary with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Dated:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTICE:

The signature to the assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Receipt in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.

 

 

 

Signature

 

 

 

 

 

22



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1.

“Articles of Incorporation”

 

 

Section 1.2.

“Company”

 

 

Section 1.3.

“Corporate Office”

 

 

Section 1.4.

“Deposit Agreement”

 

 

Section 1.5.

“Depositary”

 

 

Section 1.6.

“Depositary Share”

 

 

Section 1.7.

“Depositary’s Agent”

 

 

Section 1.8.

“Designating Amendment”

 

 

Section 1.9.

“Preferred Shares”

 

 

Section 1.10.

“Receipt”

 

 

Section 1.11.

“record date”

 

 

Section 1.12.

“record holder” or “holder”

 

 

Section 1.13.

“Registrar”

 

 

Section 1.14.

“Securities Act”

 

 

Section 1.15.

“Transfer Agent”

 

 

ARTICLE II

 

FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF PREFERRED SHARES,
EXECUTION AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER,
SURRENDER AND REDEMPTION OF RECEIPTS

 

 

Section 2.1.

Form and Transferability of Receipts

 

 

Section 2.2.

Deposit of Preferred Shares; Execution and Delivery of Receipts in Respect Thereof

 

 

Section 2.3.

Optional Redemption of Preferred Shares for Cash

 

 

Section 2.4.

Registration of Transfers of Receipts

 

 

Section 2.5.

Combinations and Split-ups of Receipts

 

 

Section 2.6.

Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Preferred Shares

 

 

Section 2.7.

Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer, Split-up, Combination, Surrender and Exchange of Receipts

 

i



 

Section 2.8.

Lost Receipts, etc.

 

 

Section 2.9.

Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts

 

 

ARTICLE III

 

 

CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF HOLDERS OF RECEIPTS AND THE COMPANY

 

 

Section 3.1.

Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information

 

 

Section 3.2.

Payment of Fees and Expenses

 

 

Section 3.3.

Representations and Warranties as to Preferred Shares

 

 

Section 3.4.

Representation and Warranty as to Receipts and Depositary Shares

 

 

ARTICLE IV

 

 

THE PREFERRED SHARES; NOTICES

 

 

Section 4.1.

Cash Distributions

 

 

Section 4.2.

Distributions Other Than Cash

 

 

Section 4.3.

Subscription Rights, Preferences or Privileges

 

 

Section 4.4.

Notice of Dividends; Fixing of Record Date for Holders of Receipts

 

 

Section 4.5.

Voting Rights

 

 

Section 4.6.

Changes Affecting Preferred Shares and Reclassifications, Recapitalization, etc.

 

 

Section 4.7.

Inspection of Reports

 

 

Section 4.8.

Lists of Receipt Holders

 

 

Section 4.9.

Tax and Regulatory Compliance

 

 

Section 4.10.

Withholding

 

 

ARTICLE V

 

 

THE DEPOSITARY AND THE COMPANY

 

 

Section 5.1.

Maintenance of Offices, Agencies and Transfer Books by the Depositary and the Registrar

 

 

Section 5.2.

Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar or the Company

 

 

Section 5.3.

Obligations of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar and the Company

 

 

Section 5.4.

Resignation and Removal of the Depositary; Appointment of Successor Depositary

 

 

Section 5.5.

Notices, Reports and Documents

 

ii



 

Section 5.6.

Indemnification by the Company

 

 

Section 5.7.

Fees, Charges and Expenses

 

 

ARTICLE VI

 

 

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

 

Section 6.1.

Amendment

 

 

Section 6.2.

Termination

 

 

ARTICLE VII

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

Section 7.1.

Counterparts

 

 

Section 7.2.

Exclusive Benefit of Parties

 

 

Section 7.3.

Invalidity of Provisions

 

 

Section 7.4.

Notices

 

 

Section 7.5.

Depositary’s Agents

 

 

Section 7.6.

Holders of Receipts Are Parties

 

 

Section 7.7.

Governing Law

 

 

Section 7.8.

Inspection of Deposit Agreement and Designating Amendment

 

 

Section 7.9.

Headings

 

iii


EX-5 6 a03-2988_1ex5.htm EX-5

Exhibit 5

ALSTON&BIRD LLP

3201 Beechleaf Court, Suite 600

Raleigh, NC 27604-1062

 

919-862-2200

Fax: 919-862-2260

www.alston.com

 

 

Brad S. Markoff

 

Direct Dial: 919-862-2210

 

 

August 25, 2003

 

 

Duke Realty Corporation

600 East 96th Street, Suite 100

Indianapolis, IN  46240

 

 

Re:

Registration Statement on Form S-3

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                We are acting as counsel to Duke Realty Corporation, an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), in connection with a registration statement on Form S-3, file no. 333-37920 (as amended, the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), to register $100 million of the Company’s equity securities, which may be offered from time to time by the Company.  The Company has filed a prospectus dated January 9, 2003 and a prospectus supplement dated July 24, 2003 (the “Prospectus Supplement”) relating to the offering of 4,000,000 depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each of which represents a 1/10th interest in a 6.625% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Share (the “Series J Preferred Shares”).  An additional 600,000 Depositary Shares may be issued pursuant to the exercise of an over-allotment option.

                We have examined copies of the Third Restated Articles of Incorporation and the Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, the amendment (the “Designating Amendment”) pursuant to which the terms of the Series J Preferred Shares are issued and the Deposit Agreement pursuant to which the Depositary Shares are issued and have made such further legal and factual examinations and investigations as we, in our professional judgment, have deemed appropriate to render the opinion contained herein.  As to various questions of fact material to our opinions, we have relied upon certificates of, or communications with, officers of the Company, including but not limited to a certificate of the secretary of the Company rendered in connection with actions taken by or on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the sale of the Depositary Shares.

In our examination of the relevant documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of all original documents and the

One Atlantic Center

1201 West Peachtree Street

Atlanta, GA 30309-3424

404-881-7000

Fax: 404-881-7777

 

Bank of America Plaza

101 South Tryon Street, Suite 4000

 Charlotte, NC 28280-4000

704-444-1000

Fax: 704-444-1111

 

90 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10016

212-210-9400

Fax: 212-210-9444

 

601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

North Building, 10th Floor

Washington, DC 20004-2601

202-756-3300

Fax: 202-756-3333

 



 

conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (including telecopies).  This opinion letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the foregoing.

This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the Indiana Business Corporation Law.  We express no opinion herein as to any other laws, statutes, ordinances, rules or regulations.

Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the opinion that (a) the Series J Preferred Shares have been duly authorized by the Company, are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any preemptive or other similar rights under any provision of the Indiana Business Corporation Law or under the Third Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company and  (b)  the terms of the Depositary Shares and the Series J Preferred Shares conform in all material respects to all statements and descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus Supplement.

 

The opinion expressed herein is as of the date hereof.  We assume no obligation to advise you of any changes in applicable law or other matters that may come to our attention after the date hereof that may affect our opinion expressed herein.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement.  In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Act.



 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

ALSTON & BIRD LLP

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Brad Markoff

 

 

 

Brad Markoff, Partner

 

 

2


EX-8 7 a03-2988_1ex8.htm EX-8

EXHIBIT 8

 

ALSTON&BIRD LLP

601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
North Building, 10th Floor

Washington, DC 20004-2601

 

202-756-3300
Fax: 202-756-3333
www.alston.com

 

August 25, 2003

 

Duke Realty Corporation

600 East 96th Street, Suite 100

Indianapolis, IN 46240

 

                Re:          Registration Statement File No. 333-37920

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We are acting as counsel to Duke Realty Corporation, an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Prospectus Supplement, dated July 24, 2003 (collectively, the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus, dated January 9, 2003 are called the “Prospectus”) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), to offer and sell $100 million of the Company’s equity securities.  The prospectus is part of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-37920), which was originally filed with the Commission on May 26, 2000 (as amended and supplemented from time to time, the “Registration Statement”).  This opinion letter is rendered pursuant to Item 16 of Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(8) of Regulation S-K.

 

You have requested our opinion as to (i) the qualification of the Company as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and (ii) the accuracy of the discussion of US federal income tax considerations contained under the caption “Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the Prospectus.

 

In preparing this opinion, we have reviewed the Prospectus, the Company’s Articles and Bylaws, the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Duke Realty Limited Partnership and the amendments thereto, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate.  We have also obtained representations made by the Company as to factual matters through a certificate of an officer of the Company (the “Officer’s Certificate”).  Our opinion is based solely on the information and representations in such documents.  We have assumed, with your consent, that the representations set forth in the Officer’s Certificate are true, accurate, and complete as of the date hereof.  While we are not aware of any facts inconsistent with the representations set forth in the Officer’s Certificate, we have not made an independent investigation or audit of the facts set forth in any of the above-referenced documents.

 

One Atlantic Center
1201 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309-3424
404-881-7000
Fax: 404-881-7777

Bank of America Plaza
101 South Tryon Street, Suite 4000

Charlotte, NC 28280-4000
704-444-1000
Fax: 704-444-1111

90 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-210-9400
Fax: 212-210-9444

3201 Beechleaf Court, Suite 600
Raleigh, NC 27604-1062
919-862-2200
Fax: 919-862-2260

 



 

Without limiting the foregoing, we have not undertaken to review the REIT status of Weeks Corporation at the time of its merger into the Company in 1999 or the classifiaction for tax purposes of all of the partnerships and limited liability companies in which the Company owns an interest.  Instead, we have, with your consent, relied on the Company’s representations in the Officer’s Certificate.

 

In rendering the opinion set forth herein, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures thereon, the legal capacity of natural persons executing such documents and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies.

 

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

 

(i)                                     Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 1999, the Company has been organized, and has operated, in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation of the Company as a REIT under the Code, and the present and proposed method of operation (as described in the Prospectus and the Officer’s Certificate) of the Company will permit the Company to continue to so qualify.

 

(ii)                                  The statements in the Prospectus under the caption “Federal Income Tax Considerations” and in the Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Certain Federal Income Tax Considerations,” to the extent that they describe matters of law or legal conclusions, are correct in all material respects.

 

The Company’s qualification as a REIT depends on the Company’s ongoing satisfaction of the various requirements under the Code and described in the Prospectus under the caption “Federal Income Tax Considerations” relating to, among other things, the nature of the Company’s gross income, the composition of the Company’s assets, the level of distributions to the Company’s shareholders, and the diversity of the Company’s ownership.  Alston & Bird LLP will not review the Company’s compliance with these requirements on a continuing basis.  No assurances can be given that the Company will satisfy these requirements.

 

An opinion of counsel merely represents counsel’s best judgment with respect to the probable outcome on the merits and is not binding on the Internal Revenue Service or the courts.  There can be no assurance that positions contrary to our opinion will not be taken by the Internal Revenue Service or that a court considering the issues would not hold contrary to such opinion.

 

The opinions expressed herein are given as of the date hereof and are based upon the Code, the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, current administrative positions of the Internal Revenue Service, and existing judicial decisions, any of which

 

2



 

could be changed at any time, possibly on a retroactive basis.  Any such changes could adversely affect the opinions rendered herein.  In addition, as noted above, our opinions are based solely on the documents that we have examined and the representations that have been made to us, and cannot be relied upon if any of the facts contained in such documents or in such additional information is, or later becomes, inaccurate or if any of the representations made to us is, or later becomes, inaccurate.  Finally, our opinion is limited to the US federal income tax matters specifically covered herein, and we have not opined on any other tax consequences to the Company or any other person, and we express no opinion with respect to other federal laws, the laws of any other jurisdiction, the laws of any state or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any other local agencies within any state.

 

No opinion other than that expressly contained herein may be inferred or implied.  We have no obligation to update this opinion.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 8 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of the Prospectus.  In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Act.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

ALSTON & BIRD LLP

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ James E. Croker

 

James E. Croker, Partner

 

3


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