EX-4.3 5 b328441_ex4-3.txt REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT Exhibit 4.3 ================================================================================ REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT Dated As of November 24, 2003 among GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION and UBS SECURITIES LLC and MERRILL LYNCH & CO., MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED As Representatives of the Initial Purchasers named herein =============================================================================== REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT This Registration Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") is made and entered into this 24th day of November, 2003, among General Cable Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company") and UBS Securities LLC ("UBS"), Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch"), and each other Initial Purchaser set forth on Schedule A attached hereto (collectively, the "Initial Purchasers"), for whom UBS and Merrill Lynch are acting as representatives (the "Representatives"). This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated November 18, 2003, by and among the Company and the Initial Purchasers (the "Purchase Agreement"), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of 1,800,000 shares of the Company's 5.75% Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), and with respect to the grant by the Company to the Initial Purchasers, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) of the Purchase Agreement to purchase all or any part of 270,000 additional shares of Preferred Stock. The aforesaid 1,800,000 shares of Preferred Stock (the "Initial Securities") to be purchased by the Initial Purchasers and all or any part of the 270,000 shares of Preferred Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the "Option Securities") are hereinafter called, collectively, the "Securities". In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement. In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows: 1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms shall have the following meanings: "1933 Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time. "1934 Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of l934, as amended from time to time. "Black-out Periods" shall mean suspensions of the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement as permitted by Section 3 hereof. "Certificate of Designations" shall mean the Certificate of Designations relating to the Preferred Stock, which sets forth the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the Preferred Stock. "Closing Date" shall mean the Closing Time as defined in the Purchase Agreement. "Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall also include the Company's successors. "Depositary" shall mean The Depository Trust Company, or any other depositary appointed by the Company, provided, however, that such depositary must have an address in the Borough of Manhattan, in the City of New York. "Holder" shall mean an Initial Purchaser, for so long as it owns any Registrable Securities, and each of its successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become registered owners of Registrable Securities and each Participating Broker-Dealer that holds Exchange Securities for so long as such Participating Broker-Dealer is required to deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the 1933 Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. "Initial Purchaser" or "Initial Purchasers" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble. "Majority Holders" shall mean the Holders of a majority of the shares of outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company and other obligors on the Securities or any Affiliate (as defined in the Certificate of Designations) of the Company shall be disregarded in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage amount. "Participating Broker-Dealer" shall mean any of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and UBS Securities LLC and any other broker-dealer which makes a market in the Securities. "Person" shall mean an individual, partnership (general or limited), corporation, limited liability company, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof. "Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus included in a Shelf Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, and by all other amendments and supplements to a prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and in each case including all material incorporated by reference therein. "Purchase Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble. "Registrable Securities" shall mean the Securities; provided, however, that Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (i) a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to such Securities shall have been declared effective under the 1933 Act and such Securities shall have been disposed of pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, (ii) such Securities have been sold to the public pursuant to Rule l44 (or any similar provision then in force, but not Rule 144A) under the 1933 Act or (iii) such Securities shall have ceased to be outstanding. -2- "Registration Expenses" shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") registration and filing fees, including, if applicable, the fees and expenses of any "qualified independent underwriter" (and its counsel) that is required to be retained by any holder of Registrable Securities in accordance with the rules and regulations of the NASD, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws and compliance with the rules of the NASD (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any of the Registrable Securities and any filings with the NASD), (iii) all expenses of any Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Shelf Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements and other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing, if any, of any of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange or exchanges, (v) all rating agency fees, (vi) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of the independent public accountants of the Company, including the expenses of any special audits or "cold comfort" letters required by or incident to such performance and compliance, (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, special counsel representing the Holders of Registrable Securities and (viii) any fees and disbursements of the underwriters customarily required to be paid by issuers or sellers of securities and the fees and expenses of any special experts retained by the Company in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement, but excluding underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder. "SEC" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency or government body performing the functions currently performed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. "Shelf Registration" shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof. "Shelf Registration Statement" shall mean a "shelf" registration statement of the Company pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.1 of this Agreement which covers all of the Registrable Securities on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the 1933 Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein. "Transfer Agent" shall mean the transfer agent with respect to the Preferred Stock. -3- 2. Registration Under the 1933 Act. 2.1 Shelf Registration. The Company shall, for the benefit of the Holders, at the Company's cost: (a) As promptly as practicable, use its reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC no later than 90 days after the original issue of the Registrable Securities, a Shelf Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities by the Holders from time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution elected by the Majority Holders participating in the Shelf Registration and set forth in such Shelf Registration Statement. (b) Use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective under the 1933 Act within 180 days of the Closing Date. (c) Use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, other than during Black-out Periods, in order to permit the Prospectus forming part thereof to be usable by Holders for a period of two years from the date the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, or for such shorter period that will terminate when all Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement or cease to be outstanding or otherwise to be Registrable Securities (the "Effectiveness Period"); provided, however, that the Effectiveness Period in respect of the Shelf Registration Statement shall be extended to the extent required to permit dealers to comply with the applicable prospectus delivery requirements of Rule 174 under the 1933 Act and as otherwise provided herein. (d) Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, use their best efforts to ensure that (i) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and any Prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any Prospectus forming part of any Shelf Registration Statement, and any supplement to such Prospectus (as amended or supplemented from time to time), does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company shall not permit any securities other than Registrable Securities to be included in the Shelf Registration Statement. The Company further agrees, if necessary, to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, as required by Section 3(b) below, and to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC. -4- 2.2 Expenses. The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with the registration pursuant to Section 2.0 or 2.1. Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder's Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement. 2.3 Effectiveness. (a) The Company will be deemed not have used its reasonable best efforts to cause the Shelf Registration Statement to become, or to remain, effective during the requisite period if they voluntarily take any action that would, or omit to take any action which omission would, result in any such Shelf Registration Statement not being declared effective or in the Holders of Registrable Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Registrable Securities during that period as and to the extent contemplated hereby, unless such action is required by applicable law. (b) A Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC; provided, however, that if, after it has been declared effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court, such Shelf Registration Statement will be deemed not to have become effective during the period of such interference, until the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement may legally resume. 2.4 Dividends. The Certificate of Designations executed in connection with the Securities will provide that in the event that either (a) the Shelf Registration Statement is not filed with the Commission on or prior to the 90th calendar day following the date of the original issue of the Securities or (b) the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to the 180th calendar day following the date of original issue of the Securities (such event referred to above, a "Registration Default"), the dividend rate for the Securities shall be increased ("Additional Dividends") by one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) per annum upon the occurrence of each Registration Default, which rate will increase by one quarter of one percent (0.25%) each 90-day period that such Additional Dividends continues to accrue under any such circumstance, provided that the maximum aggregate increase in the dividend rate will in no event exceed one percent (1%) per annum. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults the accrual of Additional Dividends will cease and the dividend rate will revert to the original rate. If the Shelf Registration Statement is unusable by the Holders for any reason, and the aggregate number of days in any consecutive twelve-month period for which the Shelf Registration Statement shall not be usable exceeds 30 days in the aggregate, then the dividend rate for the Securities will be increased by 0.25% per annum of the liquidation preference of the Securities for the first 90-day period (or portion thereof) beginning on the 31st such date that such Shelf Registration Statement ceases to be usable, which rate shall be increased by an additional 0.25% per annum of the liquidation preference of the Securities at the beginning of each subsequent 90-day period, provided that the maximum aggregate increase in the dividend rate will in no event exceed one percent (1%) per annum. Any amounts payable under this paragraph shall also be deemed "Additional Dividends" for purposes of this Agreement. Upon the Shelf Registration Statement once again becoming usable, the dividend rate for the Securities will be reduced to the original dividend rate if the Company is otherwise in compliance with this Agreement at such time. Additional Dividends shall be computed based on the actual number of days elapsed in each 90-day period in which the Shelf Registration Statement is unusable. -5- The Company shall notify the Transfer Agent within three business days after each and every date on which an event occurs in respect of which Additional Dividends are required to be paid (an "Event Date"). Additional Dividends shall be paid by depositing with the Transfer Agent, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of Registrable Securities, on or before the applicable quarterly dividend payment date, immediately available funds in sums sufficient to pay the Additional Dividends then due. The Additional Dividends due shall be payable on each dividend payment date to the record Holder of Securities entitled to receive the dividend payment to be paid on such date as set forth in the Certificate of Designations. Each obligation to pay Additional Dividends shall be deemed to accrue from and including the day following the applicable Event Date. 3. Registration Procedures. In connection with the obligations of the Company with respect to the Shelf Registration Statements pursuant to Sections 2.1, the Company shall: (a) prepare and file with the SEC a Shelf Registration Statement, within the relevant time period specified in Section 2, on the appropriate form under the 1933 Act, which form (i) shall be selected by the Company, (ii) shall be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the selling Holders thereof, (iii) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include or incorporate by reference all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein, and (iv) shall comply in all respects with the requirements of Regulation S-T under the 1933 Act, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective in accordance with Section 2 hereof; (b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Shelf Registration Statement as may be necessary under applicable law to keep such Shelf Registration Statement effective for the applicable period; and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (or any similar provision then in force) under the 1933 Act and comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to them with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the selling Holders thereof (including sales by any Participating Broker-Dealer); (c) (i) notify each Holder of Registrable Securities, at least five business days prior to filing, that a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to the Registrable Securities is being filed and advising such Holders that the distribution of Registrable Securities will be made in accordance with the method selected by the Majority Holders participating in the Shelf Registration; (ii) furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities and to each underwriter of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, including each preliminary Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto and such other documents as such Holder or underwriter may reasonably request, including financial statements and schedules and, if the Holder so requests, all exhibits in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities; and (iii) hereby consent to the use of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of Registrable Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto; -6- (d) use its best efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each such Holder and underwriter to consummate the disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided, however, that the Company shall be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), or (ii) take any action which would subject it to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject; (e) notify promptly each Holder of Registrable Securities under a Shelf Registration and, if requested by such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer, confirm such advice in writing promptly (i) when a Shelf Registration Statement has become effective and when any post-effective amendments and supplements thereto become effective, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for post-effective amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement and Prospectus or for additional information after the Shelf Registration Statement has become effective, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, if, between the effective date of a Shelf Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement or other similar agreement, if any, relating to the offering cease to be true and correct in all material respects, (v) of the happening of any event or the discovery of any facts during the period a Shelf Registration Statement is effective which makes any statement made in such Shelf Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material respect or which requires the making of any changes in such Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading, (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and (vii) of any determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement would be appropriate; -7- (f) furnish counsel for the Holders of Registrable Securities copies of any comment letters received from the SEC or any other request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments or supplements to a Shelf Registration Statement and Prospectus or for additional information; (g) make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement at the earliest possible moment; (h) furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities, and each underwriter, if any, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules (without documents incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits thereto, unless requested); (i) cooperate with the selling Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations (consistent with the provisions of the Certificate of Designations) and registered in such names as the selling Holders or the underwriters, if any, may reasonably request at least three business days prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities; (j) upon the occurrence of any event or the discovery of any facts, each as contemplated by Sections 3(e)(v) and 3(e)(vi) hereof, as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, use their best efforts to prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities or Participating Broker-Dealers, such Prospectus will not contain at the time of such delivery any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or will remain so qualified. At such time as such public disclosure is otherwise made or the Company determines that such disclosure is not necessary, in each case to correct any misstatement of a material fact or to include any omitted material fact, the Company agrees promptly to notify each Holder of such determination and to furnish each Holder such number of copies of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, as such Holder may reasonably request; (k) a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Shelf Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendment to a Shelf Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or any document which is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus after initial filing of a Shelf Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers on behalf of such Holders; and make representatives of the Company as shall be reasonably requested by the Holders of Registrable Securities, or the Initial Purchasers on behalf of such Holders, available for discussion of such document; -8- (l) obtain a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of a Shelf Registration Statement, and provide the Transfer Agent with printed certificates for the Registrable Securities in a form eligible for deposit with the Depositary; (m) enter into agreements (including underwriting agreements) and take all other customary and appropriate actions in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities and in such connection whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered into and whether or not the registration is an underwritten registration: (i) make such representations and warranties to the Holders of such Registrable Securities and the underwriters, if any, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in similar underwritten offerings as may be reasonably requested by them; (ii) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and updates thereof (which counsel and opinions (in form of Exhibit A hereto) shall be reasonably satisfactory to the managing underwriters, if any, and the holders of a majority of the shares of Registrable Securities being sold) addressed to each selling Holder and the underwriters, if any, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in sales of securities or underwritten offerings and such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such Holders and underwriters; (iii) obtain "cold comfort" letters and updates thereof from the Company's independent certified public accountants (and, if necessary, any other independent certified public accountants of any subsidiary of the Company or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial statements are, or are required to be, included in the Shelf Registration Statement) addressed to the underwriters, if any, and use reasonable efforts to have such letter addressed to the selling Holders of Registrable Securities (to the extent consistent with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100 of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts), such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in "cold comfort" letters to underwriters in connection with similar underwritten offerings; (iv) enter into a securities sales agreement with the Holders and an agent of the Holders providing for, among other things, the appointment of such agent for the selling Holders for the purpose of soliciting purchases of Registrable Securities, which agreement shall be in form, substance and scope customary for similar offerings; -9- (v) if an underwriting agreement is entered into, cause the same to set forth indemnification provisions and procedures substantially equivalent to the indemnification provisions and procedures set forth in Section 4 hereof with respect to the underwriters and all other parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section or, at the request of any underwriters, in the form customarily provided to such underwriters in similar types of transactions; and (vi) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested and as are customarily delivered in similar offerings to the Holders of a majority of the shares of Registrable Securities being sold and the managing underwriters, if any. The above shall be done at (i) the effectiveness of such Shelf Registration Statement (and each post-effective amendment thereto) and (ii) each closing under any underwriting or similar agreement as and to the extent required thereunder; (n) make available for inspection by representatives of the Holders of the Registrable Securities, any underwriters participating in any disposition pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, any Participating Broker-Dealer and any counsel or accountant retained by any of the foregoing, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company reasonably requested by any such persons, and cause the respective officers, directors, employees, and any other agents of the Company to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, underwriter, special counsel or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement, and make such representatives of the Company available for discussion of such documents as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers; (o) a reasonable time prior to filing any Shelf Registration Statement, any Prospectus forming a part thereof, any amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to such Prospectus, provide copies of such document to the Holders of Registrable Securities, to the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for the Holders and to the underwriter or underwriters of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any, make such changes in any such document prior to the filing thereof as the Initial Purchasers, the counsel to the Holders or the underwriter or underwriters reasonably request and not file any such document in a form to which the Majority Holders, the Initial Purchasers on behalf of the Holders of Registrable Securities, counsel for the Holders of Registrable Securities or any underwriter shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy of or to which the Majority Holders, the Initial Purchasers of behalf of the Holders of Registrable Securities, counsel to the Holders of Registrable Securities or any underwriter shall reasonably object, and make the representatives of the Company available for discussion of such document as shall be reasonably requested by the Holders of Registrable Securities, the Initial Purchasers on behalf of such Holders, counsel for the Holders of Registrable Securities or any underwriter; -10- (p) use its best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities to be listed on any securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed if requested by the Majority Holders, or if requested by the underwriter or underwriters of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any; (q) use its best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities to be rated by the appropriate rating agencies, if so requested by the Majority Holders, or if requested by the underwriter or underwriters of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, if any; (r) otherwise comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering at least 12 months which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and Rule 158 thereunder; and (s) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with the NASD and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter and its counsel (including any "qualified independent underwriter" that is required to be retained in accordance with the rules and regulations of the NASD). The Company may (as a condition to such Holder's participation in the Shelf Registration) require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information regarding the Holder and the proposed distribution by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Holder of Registrable Securities may include any of its Registrable Securities in any Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such holder (i) furnishes to the Company the information required by the Questionnaire included as Annex A in the Offering Memorandum, (ii) agrees to promptly furnish additional information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading and (iii) at the Company's request, acknowledges in writing its agreement to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 3 hereof. No holder shall be entitled to Additional Dividends during any period in which the exclusion of any Registrable Securities of such Holder from any Shelf Registration results from the operation of this paragraph. Each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event or the discovery of any facts, each of the kind described in Section 3(e)(v) or (vi) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(k) hereof, and, if so directed by the Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at its expense) all copies in such Holder's possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder's possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice. If the Company shall give any such notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall extend the period during which the Shelf Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of giving such notice to and including the date when the Holders shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions. Such suspensions may not exceed 90 days in the aggregate in any consecutive 365-day period. -11- In the event that the Company fails to file any Shelf Registration Statement and maintain the effectiveness of any Shelf Registration Statement as provided herein, the Company shall not file any Registration Statement with respect to any securities (within the meaning of Section 2(1) of the 1933 Act) of the Company other than Registrable Securities. If any of the Registrable Securities covered by any Shelf Registration Statement are to be sold in an underwritten offering, the underwriter or underwriters and manager or managers that will manage such offering will be selected by the Majority Holders of such Registrable Securities included in such offering and shall be acceptable to the Company. No Holder of Registrable Securities may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder's Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements. 4. Indemnification; Contribution. (a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Initial Purchasers, each Holder, each Participating Broker-Dealer, each Person who participates as an underwriter (any such Person being an "Underwriter") and each Person, if any, who controls any Holder or Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows: (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) pursuant to which Registrable Securities were registered under the 1933 Act, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 4(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and -12- (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by any indemnified party), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under subparagraph (i) or (ii) above; provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense (i) to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Holder or Underwriter expressly for use in a Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), (ii) resulting from the use of the Prospectus during a period when the use of such Prospectus has been suspended; provided that the Holder received prior notice of such suspension in accordance with Section 3 hereof or (iii) resulting from the fact that the Holder sold Registrable Securities to a person as to whom there was not sent or given prior to the written confirmation of such sale, a copy of the Prospectus, in any case where such delivery is required by the 1933 Act. (b) Each Holder severally, but not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Initial Purchasers, each Underwriter and the other selling Holders, and each of their respective directors and officers, and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, the Initial Purchasers, any Underwriter or any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 4(a) hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Shelf Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus included therein (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information with respect to such Holder furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in the Shelf Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto); provided, however, that no such Holder shall be liable for any claims hereunder in excess of the amount of net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement. (c) Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action or proceeding commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure so to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying party or parties be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 4 (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. -13- (d) If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 4(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 business days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party for such fees and expenses of counsel in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. (e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 4 is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Holders and the Initial Purchasers on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Holders and the Initial Purchasers on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Holders or the Initial Purchasers and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Holders and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Initial Purchasers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 4. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 4 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. -14- Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4, no Initial Purchaser shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities sold by it were offered exceeds the amount of any damages which such Initial Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 4, each Person, if any, who controls an Initial Purchaser or Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Initial Purchaser or Holder, and each director of the Company, and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Initial Purchasers' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of shares of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement and not joint. 5. Miscellaneous. 5.1 Rule 144 and Rule 144A. For so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15 of the 1934 Act, the Company covenants that it will file the reports required to be filed by it under the 1933 Act and Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the SEC thereunder. If the Company ceases to be so required to file such reports, the Company covenants that it will upon the request of any Holder of Registrable Securities (a) make publicly available such information as is necessary to permit sales pursuant to Rule 144 under the 1933 Act, (b) deliver such information to a prospective purchaser as is necessary to permit sales pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and it will take such further action as any Holder of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, and (c) take such further action that is reasonable in the circumstances, in each case, to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell its Registrable Securities without registration under the 1933 Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (i) Rule 144 under the 1933 Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, (ii) Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or (iii) any similar rules or regulations hereafter adopted by the SEC. Upon the request of any Holder of Registrable Securities, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements. 5.2 No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not entered into and the Company will not after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement which is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not and will not for the term of this Agreement in any way conflict with the rights granted to the holders of the Company's other issued and outstanding securities under any such agreements. -15- 5.3 Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company has obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority of the shares of outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or departure. 5.4 Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, registered first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (a) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5.4, which address initially is the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement with respect to the Initial Purchasers; and (b) if to the Company, initially at the Company's address set forth in the Purchase Agreement, and thereafter at such other address of which notice is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5.4. All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; two business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next business day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery. Copies of all such notices, demands, or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the person giving the same to the Transfer Agent, at the address specified herein. 5.5 Successor and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Certificate of Designations. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement, including the restrictions on resale set forth in this Agreement and, if applicable, the Purchase Agreement, and such person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. -16- 5.6 Third Party Beneficiaries. The Initial Purchasers (even if the Initial Purchasers are not Holders of Registrable Securities) shall be third party beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent they deem such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect their rights or the rights of Holders hereunder. Each Holder of Registrable Securities shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights hereunder. 5.7 Specific Enforcement. Without limiting the remedies available to the Initial Purchasers and the Holders, the Company acknowledges that any failure by it to comply with its obligations under Sections 2.1 through 2.4 hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it would not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Sections 2.1 through 2.4 hereof; provided, however, that without limiting the ability of the Initial Purchasers or any Holder to specifically enforce such obligations, in the case of any terms of this Agreement for which Additional Dividends pursuant to Section 2.4 are expressly provided as a remedy for a violation of such terms, such Additional Dividends shall be the sole monetary damages for such violation. 5.8 Restriction on Resales. Until the expiration of two years after the original issuance of the Securities, the Company will not, and will cause its "affiliates" (as such term is defined in Rule 144(a)(1) under the 1933 Act) not to, resell any Securities which are "restricted securities" (as such term is defined under Rule 144(a)(3) under the 1933 Act) that have been reacquired by any of them and no such Securities shall be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of any required percentage under this Agreement.. 5.9 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. 5.10 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof. 5.11 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS THEREOF. 5.12 Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. No proceeding related to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company hereby consent to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. The Company hereby waive all right to trial by jury in any proceeding (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such proceeding brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any other courts in the jurisdiction of which the Company are or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment. -17- 5.13 Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above. GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION By: /s/ Robert J. Siverd -------------------------------- Robert J. Siverd Executive Vice President Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written: UBS SECURITIES LLC By: /s/ Richard Beaudoin --------------------------------- Richard Beaudoin Executive Director By: /s/ Charles Nifong --------------------------------- Charles Nifong Associate Director MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED By: /s/ R.D.Faber --------------------------------- R.D.Faber Managing Director SCHEDULE A Initial Purchasers UBS Securities LLC Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Exhibit A Form of Opinion of Counsel Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Merrill Lynch World Headquarters World Financial Center - North Tower 250 Vessey Street New York, New York 10080 UBS Securities LLC 299 Park Avenue New York, New York 10171 Ladies and Gentlemen: We have acted as counsel for General Cable Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers (as defined below) of 2,070,000 shares of 5.75% Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Securities") of the Company pursuant to the Purchase Agreement dated November 18, 2003 (the "Purchase Agreement") among the Company and UBS Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (collectively, the "Initial Purchasers") and the filing by the Company of an Shelf Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement") in connection with a Shelf Registration to be effected pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), dated November 24, 2003 between the Company and the Initial Purchasers. This opinion is furnished to you pursuant to Section 3(m)(ii) of the Registration Rights Agreement. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this opinion that are defined in the Registration Rights Agreement are used herein as so defined. We have examined such documents, records and matters of law as we have deemed necessary for purposes of this opinion. In rendering this opinion, as to all matters of fact relevant to this opinion, we have assumed the completeness and accuracy of, and are relying solely upon, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in the Purchase Agreement and the statements set forth in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company, without making any independent investigation or inquiry with respect to the completeness or accuracy of such representations, warranties or statements, other than a review of the certificate of incorporation, by-laws and relevant minute books of the Company. Based on and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion as follows: 1. The Shelf Registration Statement and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements, notes or schedules thereto and other financial data and supplemental schedules included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the 1933 Act. A-1 We have participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and in the course thereof have had discussions with representatives of the underwriters, officers and other representatives of the Company and Deloitte & Touche LLP the Company's independent public accountants, during which the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus were discussed. We have not, however, independently verified and are not passing upon, and do not assume any responsibility for, the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Based on our participation as described above, nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that the Registration Statement (it being understood that we express no comment with respect to the financial statements, including the notes thereto, or any other financial or statistical data that is found in or derived from the internal accounting or financial records of the Company and its subsidiaries set forth or referred to in the Registration Statement) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that we express no comment with respect to the financial statements, including the notes thereto, or any other financial or statistical data that is found in or derived from the internal accounting or financial records of the Company and its subsidiaries set forth or referred to in the Prospectus), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented Prospectus was issued or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. This opinion is being furnished to you solely for your benefit in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, and may not be used for any other purpose or relied upon by any person other than you. Except with our prior written consent, the opinions herein expressed are not to be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise referred to in connection with any transactions other than those contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement by or to any other person. Very truly yours, A-2