0001104659-19-007512.txt : 20190212 0001104659-19-007512.hdr.sgml : 20190212 20190212161628 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001104659-19-007512 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 9 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20190107 ITEM INFORMATION: Regulation FD Disclosure ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20190212 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20190212 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: QCR HOLDINGS INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000906465 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022] IRS NUMBER: 421397595 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 000-22208 FILM NUMBER: 19591008 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 3551 7TH STREET CITY: MOLINE STATE: IL ZIP: 61265 BUSINESS PHONE: 3097363580 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 3551 7TH STREET CITY: MOLINE STATE: IL ZIP: 61265 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: QUAD CITY HOLDINGS INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19930805 8-K 1 a19-3454_68k.htm 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


 

FORM 8-K

 


 

CURRENT REPORT

 

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event Reported): January 7, 2019

 

QCR Holdings, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Delaware

 

0-22208

 

42-1397595

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification
Number)

 

3551 Seventh Street, Moline, Illinois 61265

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

 

(309) 736-3584
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2). Emerging growth company o

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o

 

 

 


 

Item 7.01.                                        Regulation FD Disclosure.

 

On February 12, 2019, QCR Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing the completion of an underwritten public offering of $65.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029 (the “Notes”).  A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

The information in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K and the related Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto is being “furnished” and will not be deemed “filed” by the Company for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor will any of such information or exhibits be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Item 8.01.                                        Other Events.

 

Notes Offering

 

On February 12, 2019, the Company issued the Notes in a public offering pursuant to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-214283) and a prospectus supplement dated February 7, 2019 (the “Prospectus Supplement”).  The Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of February 12, 2019, between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 12, 2019 (the “Supplemental Indenture”).

 

The terms of the Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture and the Notes are further described in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading “Description of the Notes” and in the related base prospectus, dated January 31, 2017 that accompanies the Prospectus Supplement, under the heading “Description of Debt Securities,” which descriptions are incorporated herein by reference.  Such descriptions of the Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture and the Notes are qualified in their entirety by reference to the complete terms and conditions of the Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture and the form of the Notes, copies of which are filed herewith as Exhibits 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

In connection with the issuance of the Notes, the Company entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., which contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company, and customary closing conditions, termination rights and indemnification provisions.  The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 1.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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Item 9.01.                                        Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(d)

 

Exhibits

 

 

 

1.1

 

Underwriting Agreement, dated as of February 7, 2019, between the Company and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.

 

 

 

4.1

 

Indenture, dated as of February 12, 2019, between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association

 

 

 

4.2

 

First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 12, 2019, between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association

 

 

 

4.3

 

Form of 5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029 (included in Exhibit 4.2)

 

 

 

5.1

 

Opinion of Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP

 

 

 

23.1

 

Consent of Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press Release dated February 12, 2019

 

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Signature

 

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

 

 

Date: February 12, 2019

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Todd A. Gipple

 

Name:

Todd A. Gipple

 

Title:

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

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EX-1.1 2 a19-3454_6ex1d1.htm EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

 

Execution Version

 

$65,000,000

 

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

February 7, 2019

 

KEEFE, BRUYETTE & WOODS, INC.

787 Seventh Avenue, 4th Floor

New York, New York 10019

 

As representative of the Underwriters listed in Schedule A hereto

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

QCR Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”) pursuant to the terms set forth herein (this “Agreement”) $65,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an indenture (the “Base Indenture”), to be dated as of the Closing Date (as defined below), between the Company and Wilmington Trust National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a supplemental indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. (“KBW”) has agreed to act as representative of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “Representative”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

 

To the extent there are no additional underwriters listed on Schedule A, the term “Representative” as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriter, and the term “Underwriters” shall mean either the singular or the plural, as the context requires.

 

The Company has prepared and filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, on Form S-3 (File No. 333-214283) pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), covering the public offering and sale from time to time of certain securities of the Company, including the Securities, under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), which registration statement has become effective. Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereto at such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the

 

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documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; provided, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Securities, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of the Registration Statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of Rule 430B(f)(2), including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B. From and after the date and time of filing of any registration statement increasing the size of the offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 462(b)” and such registration statement, a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Each preliminary prospectus supplement and the base prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus supplement and the base prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“EDGAR”).

 

As used in this Agreement:

 

Applicable Time” means 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on February 7, 2019 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representative.

 

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

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means (a) the “Term Sheet” (as defined below) and (b) any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to

 

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Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering thereof that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

 

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

 

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

 

Term Sheet” means a pricing term sheet substantially in the form of Schedule C hereto.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.                                                 Representations and Warranties.

 

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

 

(i)                                                             Compliance of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and Incorporated Documents. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is a shelf registration statement, and the offer and sale of the Securities is registered by the Company on such shelf registration statement. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the Securities Act and the initial effective date of the Registration Statement is not more than three years before the date of this Agreement. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 401(g)(2)”) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any

 

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preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness, as of each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), at the Closing Time and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated under the Trust Indenture Act. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed or is hereafter filed with the Commission and at the Closing Time complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and are and will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

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

 

(ii)                                                          Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement nor any post-effective amendment thereto, at its effective time and at the Closing Time contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the Applicable Time, neither (A) the Pricing Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date and at the Closing Time, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became effective or when such incorporated documents were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not

 

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misleading. There are no statutes, regulations, documents or contracts of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, which are not described or filed as required. There are no business relationships or related person transactions involving the Company or any Subsidiary (as defined herein) or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

 

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information contained in the last paragraph on the prospectus supplement cover page concerning the terms of the offering, the third sentence of the paragraph under the caption “Underwriting — No Public Trading Market” and the first and sixth sentences of the paragraph under the caption “Underwriting — Stabilization” in each case, contained in the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

 

(iii)                                                       Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, that has not been superseded or modified. If, at any time prior to or as of the Closing Time and following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (A) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives thereof and (B) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

(iv)                                                      Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, (B) at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Securities and (C) at the Applicable Time, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.

 

(v)                                                         Independent Accountants. RSM US LLP, the accounting firm that certified the financial statements and supporting schedules of the Company that are included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the

 

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Prospectus, is (i) an independent public accountant as required by the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), (ii) a registered public accounting firm, as defined by the PCAOB, which has not had its registration superseded or revoked and which has not requested that such registration be withdrawn, and (iii) with respect to the Company, is not and has not been in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission.

 

(vi)                                                      Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below) included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply with the requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below). The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below) have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus. To the extent applicable, all disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is updated as necessary to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto and present fairly the consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries”) on the basis stated in the Registration Statement at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply.

 

(vii)                                                   No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse effect, or any development that could be expected to result in a material adverse effect, (i) on the general affairs, condition (financial or otherwise), business, properties, prospects, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity, assets, liabilities or results of operations, of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business or (ii) in the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under, and to consummate the transactions

 

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contemplated by, this Agreement (each of (i) and (ii) a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there has not been any change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries outside of the ordinary course of business, (C) there have been no transactions entered into by, and no obligations or liabilities, contingent or otherwise, incurred by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, which are material to the Company and the Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, (D) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock and there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock or (E) there has been no material loss or interference with the Company’s business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, in each case, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(viii)                                                Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing could not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ix)                                                      Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each of Quad City Bank & Trust Company, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Company and Community State Bank (the “Iowa Banks”) are banks chartered under the laws of the State of Iowa. Rockford Bank & Trust Company (“RBT”) is a bank chartered under the laws of the State of Illinois. Springfield First Community Bank (“SFC” and, together with RBT and the Iowa Banks, the “Banks”) is a bank chartered under the laws of the State of Missouri. The charter of each Bank is in full force and effect and each Bank is validly existing and holds the requisite authority to do business as a bank under the laws of the applicable state of incorporation. The Banks are the only depositary institution subsidiaries of the Company. Each other subsidiary (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other organization in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, formation or organization, has the requisite corporate or organizational power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other business entity to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing could not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of

 

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each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, except for the pledge of the common stock of each of the Banks to First National Bank of Omaha in connection with a credit facility; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary arising by operation of law, or under the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company or any Subsidiary or under any agreement to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party. The only subsidiaries of the Company are (a) the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and (b) certain other subsidiaries which, considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, do not constitute a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X. Except for the Subsidiaries, the Company does not own beneficially, directly or indirectly, more than five percent (5%) of any class of equity securities or similar interests in any corporation, business trust, association or similar organization, and is not, directly or indirectly, a partner in any partnership or party to any joint venture.

 

(x)                                                         Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company and consolidated long-term debt (i.e. a maturity greater than one year) as of September 30, 2018 is as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company arising by operation of law, or under the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company or any Subsidiary or under any agreement to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party. There have been no long-term borrowings by the Company or its consolidated Subsidiaries since September 30, 2018, other than brokered certificates of deposit with terms greater than one year.

 

(xi)                                                      Authorization of Agreement. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(xii)                                                   Securities Offerings. All offers and sales of the Company’s capital stock and debt or other securities prior to the date hereof were made in compliance with or were the subject of an available exemption from the Securities Act and the Securities

 

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Act Regulations and all other applicable state and federal laws or regulations, or any actions under the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations or any state or federal laws or regulations in respect of any such offers or sales are effectively barred by effective waivers or statutes of limitation.

 

(xiii)                                                Authorization, Validity and Enforceability of Indenture and Securities. The Indenture will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee, the Indenture will constitute a valid, legal and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (b) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity). The Base Indenture has been, and at the Closing Date will be, duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, at Closing, will have been duly executed by the Company, and when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in the manner provided for in the Indenture, and issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will constitute valid, legal and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (b) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity). The Securities will be in the form contemplated by, and will be entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture. The description of the Indenture contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conforms in all material respects to the Indenture.

 

(xiv)                                               Registration Rights. There are no contracts, agreements or understandings granting any person registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for resale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for resale or sold by the Company under the Securities Act by reason of filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or by reason of the sale of the Securities by the Company pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(xv)                                                  Summaries of Legal Matters. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of the Notes” and under the captions “Appendix A: Supervision and Regulation” and “Legal Proceedings” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, insofar as they purport to describe legal matters or provisions of the laws and regulations or documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects; and the statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”, insofar as they purport to summarize certain federal income tax

 

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laws of the United States, constitute a fair summary of the principal U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities.

 

(xvi)                                               Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. The Company is not in violation of its Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”), or Bylaws, as amended (the “Bylaws”); none of the Subsidiaries is in violation of its charter, bylaws or other organizational documents and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), or in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except for such violations or defaults that could not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Indenture and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that could not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect); nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Charter or Bylaws of the Company or the charter, bylaws or other organizational document of any Subsidiary; nor will such action result in any violation of any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations (except for such violations that could not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect). As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

(xvii)                                            Nasdaq Compliance. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of The Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) for continued listing of the Company’s common stock, $1.00 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), thereon. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or the listing of the Common Stock on Nasdaq, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or Nasdaq is contemplating terminating such

 

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registration or listing. The transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not contravene the rules or regulations of Nasdaq.

 

(xviii)                                         Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent. The Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any Subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, could, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of the Significant Subsidiaries is engaged in any unfair labor practice; except for matters which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (A) there is (1) no unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries before the National Labor Relations Board or any similar domestic or foreign body, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, (2) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries and (3) no union representation dispute currently existing concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries, (B) to the Company’s knowledge, no union organizing activities are currently taking place concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries and (C) there has been no violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, any applicable wage or hour laws or any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”) or any similar domestic or foreign law or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries.

 

(xix)                                               Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which, if determined adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, individually or in the aggregate, could result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which could materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is there any basis for any such action, suit, inquiry, proceeding or investigation; the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, if determined adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, individually or in the aggregate, could not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xx)                                                  Bank Holding Company Act. The Company has been duly registered as, and meets in all material respects the applicable requirements for qualification as, a bank holding company and has elected to be treated as a financial holding company under the applicable provisions of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. The

 

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activities of the Subsidiaries are permitted of subsidiaries of a financial holding company under applicable law and the rules and regulations of the Federal Reserve set forth in Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

 

(xxi)                                               Compliance with Bank Regulatory Authorities. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules and regulations (including, without limitation, all applicable regulations and orders) of, or agreements with, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the State of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Iowa Superintendent of Banking and the Missouri Division of Finance, as applicable (collectively, the “Bank Regulatory Authorities”), the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Community Reinvestment Act (the “CRA”), the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Bank Secrecy Act and Title III of the USA Patriot Act, to the extent such laws or regulations apply to the Company or the Banks, as applicable. The Company and the Banks have no knowledge of any facts and circumstances, and have no reason to believe that any facts or circumstances exist, that could cause any of the Banks (A) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance with the CRA and the regulations promulgated thereunder or to be assigned a CRA rating by federal or state banking regulators of lower than “satisfactory,” or (B) to be deemed to be operating in violation, in any material respect, of the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 as amended by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (or otherwise known as the “Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act”), the USA Patriot Act (or otherwise known as “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001”) or any order issued with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws (as defined below). As of December 31, 2018, the Company and each of the Banks met or exceeded the standards necessary to be considered “well capitalized” under the FDIC’s regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. Each of the Banks has a Community Reinvestment Act rating of at least “Satisfactory.” The Banks are the only depository institution subsidiaries of the Company and each of the Banks is a member in good standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. The activities of the Banks are permitted under the laws and regulations of the United States and the states of Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, as applicable. Since December 31, 2013, the Company, the Banks and each of their subsidiaries have filed all material reports, registrations and statements, together with any required amendments thereto, that it was required to file with the Bank Regulatory Authorities. All such reports and statements filed with any such regulatory body or authority are collectively referred to herein as the “Company Reports.” As of their respective dates, the Company Reports complied as to form in all material respects with all the rules and regulations promulgated by the Bank Regulatory Authorities. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Company, the Banks nor any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or subject to any formal or informal agreement, memorandum of understanding, consent decree, directive, cease-and-desist order, order of prohibition or suspension, written commitment, supervisory agreement or other written statement as described under 12 U.S.C. 1818(u) with, or order issued by, or has adopted any board resolutions at the request of, a Bank Regulatory Authority that restricts materially the conduct of its

 

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business, or in any manner relates to its capital adequacy, its credit policies or its management, nor have any of them been advised by any Bank Regulatory Authority that it is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any such order, decree, agreement, memorandum of understanding, extraordinary supervisory letter, commitment letter or similar submission, or any such board resolutions or that imposes any restrictions or requirements not generally applicable to bank holding companies or commercial banks. There is no unresolved violation, criticism or exception by any Bank Regulatory Authority with respect to any examination of the Company, the Banks or any of the Company’s other Subsidiaries, which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxii)                                            Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

 

(xxiii)                                         Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental agency or body is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement prior to the Closing Time, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the securities laws of any state or non-U.S. jurisdiction or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). All of the information provided to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities is true, complete, correct and compliant with FINRA’s rules, and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rules or National Association of Securities Dealers Conduct Rules are true, complete and correct.

 

(xxiv)                                        Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, registrations, memberships, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them; the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure to so comply could not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination of any such Governmental License or result in any other material impairment of the rights of any such Governmental License; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect; and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has failed to file with applicable regulatory authorities any material statement, report, information or form required by any applicable law, regulation or order, all such filings were in material

 

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compliance with applicable laws when filed and no material deficiencies have been asserted by any regulatory commission, agency or authority with respect to any such filings or submissions.

 

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

 

(xxvi)                                        Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures and excluding generally commercially available “off the shelf” software programs licensed pursuant to shrink wrap or “click and accept” licenses), systems, technology, trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement or misappropriation of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which could render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries therein.

 

(xxvii)                                     Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement and except as could not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment,

 

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storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (D) there are no events or circumstances that could result in forming the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws, and (E) none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries anticipate material capital expenditures relating to Environmental Laws.

 

(xxviii)          ERISA. Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any Subsidiary or any member of the Company’s “control group” (within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates (“Plan”) has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code. No “prohibited transaction,” within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code has occurred with respect to any such Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, the Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” (as defined under ERISA) established or maintained by the Company, the Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such employee benefit plan were terminated, could have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, the Subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (A) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan,” or (B) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each employee benefit plan established or maintained by the Company, the Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which could cause the loss of such qualification. With respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA, the minimum funding standard of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, as applicable, has been satisfied (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period) and is reasonably expected to be satisfied in the future (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period) and the fair market value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan). There is no pending audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other governmental agency or any foreign agency.

 

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(xxix)                                        Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have established and maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act Regulations) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer and is sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement is accurate and fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. The systems of internal control over financial reporting of the Company and its Subsidiaries are overseen by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with Nasdaq rules and regulations. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, (i) there has been no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated), (ii) there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and (iii) the Company has not been advised of (a) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could adversely affect the ability of the Company or any Subsidiary to record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal controls, or (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries.

 

(xxx)                                           Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company and its Subsidiaries employ disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act Regulations), which (A) are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms and that material information relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within the Company and its Subsidiaries to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure, (B) have been evaluated by management of the Company for effectiveness as of the end of the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter, and (C) were then effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Based on the evaluation of the Company’s and each Subsidiary’s disclosure controls and procedures described above, the Company is not aware of (1) any significant deficiency in the design or operation of internal controls

 

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which could adversely affect the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data or any material weaknesses in internal controls or (2) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ internal controls. Since the most recent evaluation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures described above, there have been no changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls. Within the next 90 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board of Directors a material weakness, change in internal control over financial reporting or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in internal control over financial reporting, any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or the Exchange Act, or any matter related to internal control over financial reporting which, if determined adversely, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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

 

(xxxii)                                     Pending Procedures and Examinations. The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

 

(xxxiii)                                  Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and the Subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been timely filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which have been or will be promptly contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in the Company’s financials in accordance with GAAP. The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law, except insofar as the failure to file such returns, individually or in the aggregate, could not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company or any Subsidiary except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and the Subsidiaries in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been or would reasonably be expected to be asserted against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.

 

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(xxxiv)                                 Insurance. The Company and each Subsidiary is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and each Subsidiary against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes; neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company has no reason to believe that it or any Subsidiary will not be able to renew their existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that could not have a Material Adverse Effect. All such insurance is fully in force as of the date hereof.

 

(xxxv)                                    Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(xxxvi)                                 Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor any affiliates of the Company or its Subsidiaries, has taken, directly, or indirectly, and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor any affiliates of the Company or its Subsidiaries, will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act) to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

 

(xxxvii)                              Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any of the respective affiliates of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective affiliates has (A) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (B) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any foreign or domestic government official (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for public office) from corporate funds; (C) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), or any applicable law or regulations implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offense under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption statute or regulation; or (D)

 

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made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment or benefit. The Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and all other applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(xxxviii)                           Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries and, to the best knowledge of the Company, their respective affiliates, are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective affiliates conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency or body (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court, governmental agency or body involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. The Company and its Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, their respective affiliates, have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

 

(xxxix)                                 OFAC. None of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or any officer or director of either the Company or any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, after due inquiry, any agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is or has been (A) engaged in any services (including financial services), transfers of goods, software, or technology, or any other business activity related to (i) Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria or the Crimea region of Ukraine claimed by Russia (“Sanctioned Countries”), (ii) the government of any Sanctioned Country, (iii) any person, entity or organization located in, resident in, formed under the laws of, or owned or controlled by the government of, any Sanctioned Country, or (iv) any person, entity or organization made subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the list of Specially Designated Nationals (“SDN List”) of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”), or by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”) and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, or any joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that currently is the subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC; (B) engaged in any transfers of goods, technologies or services

 

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(including financial services) that may assist the governments of Sanctioned Countries or facilitate money laundering or other activities proscribed by United States laws, rules or regulations; (C) is a person, entity or organization currently the subject of any Sanctions; or (D) located, organized or resident in any Sanctioned Country.

 

(xl)                                                      Relationship. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers or shareholders of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act or Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement and/or the Prospectus and that is not so described.

 

(xli)                                                   Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (A) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (B) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

 

(xlii)                                                No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.

 

(xliii)                                             Statistical and Market-Related Data. The statistical and market-related data contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of Commission Industry Guide 3 (where applicable) and are based on or derived from sources which the Company believes are reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.

 

(xliv)                                            Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Time and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Securities, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representative and included in Schedule B hereto or any electronic road show or other written communications reviewed and consented to by the Representative and listed on Schedule B hereto (each a, “Company Additional Written Communication”). Each such Company Additional Written Communication, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not, and at the Closing Time will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the

 

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Company Additional Written Communication based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representative consists of the Underwriter Information.

 

(xlv)                                               Forward-Looking Statements. Each financial or operational projection or other “forward-looking statement” (as defined by Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (A) was so included by the Company in good faith and with reasonable basis after due consideration by the Company of the underlying assumptions, estimates and other applicable facts and circumstances, and (B) is accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying those factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statement. No such statement was made with the knowledge of an executive officer or director of the Company that it was false or misleading.

 

(xlvi)                                            No Fees or Advisory Rights. Other than as contemplated by this Agreement, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company or any Subsidiary any brokerage or finder’s fee or any other fee, commission or payment as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No person has the right to act as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities.

 

(xlvii)                                         Deposit Insurance. The deposit accounts of each Bank are insured by the FDIC up to applicable legal limits, each Bank has paid all premiums and assessments required by the FDIC and the regulations thereunder, and no proceeding for the termination or revocation of such insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(xlviii)                                      Derivative Instruments. Any and all material swaps, caps, floors, futures, forward contracts, option agreements (other than options issued under the Company’s shareholder-approved benefit plans) and other derivative financial instruments, contracts or arrangements, whether entered into for the account of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or for the account of a customer of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, were entered into in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with applicable laws, rules, regulations and policies of all applicable regulatory agencies and with counterparties believed by the Company to be financially responsible. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have duly performed in all material respects all of their obligations thereunder to the extent that such obligations to perform have accrued, and there are no breaches, violations or defaults or allegations or assertions of such by any party thereunder except as could not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xlix)                                            Termination of Contracts. Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts

 

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or agreements referred to or described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and  Prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement; and there are no contracts or documents of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries that are required to be described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto by the Securities Act or by the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder that have not been so described and filed.

 

(l)                                                             Off-Balance Sheet Transactions. There is no transaction, arrangement or other relationship between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and an unconsolidated or other off-balance sheet entity which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (other than as disclosed therein).

 

(li)                                                          Margin Rules. The application of the proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not violate Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve or any other regulation of the Federal Reserve.

 

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

 

SECTION 2.                                                 Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

 

(a)                                 Sale of Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, at a purchase price equal 98.5% of the aggregate principal amount thereof.

 

(b)                                 Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of the Securities shall be made at the offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 300 North LaSalle, Chicago, Illinois, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on February 12, 2019 (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of SECTION 11), or such other time not later than 10 business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

 

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery of the Securities (in the form of one or more global notes), through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), to

 

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

 

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

 

(a)                                 Compliance with Commission Requests. Prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement, the Company, subject to SECTION 3(b) hereof will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representative immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Securities shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus shall have been used or filed, as the case may be, including any document incorporated by reference therein, in each case only as permitted by SECTION 3 hereof, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or of the issuance of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. Until the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement, the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop, prevention or suspension order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. If, before all the Securities have been sold by the Underwriters, the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (A) promptly notify the Underwriters, (B) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Securities in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, (C) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective as soon as practicable, and (D) promptly notify the Underwriters of such effectiveness.

 

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The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

 

(b)                                 Payment of Filing Fees. If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company will file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement, and at the time of filing either to pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or to give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111 under the Securities Act.

 

(c)                                  Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations, would be) required by the Securities Act (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act Regulations) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities ending no later than nine months from the date hereof (the “Delivery Period”) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act Regulations) is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, including, without limitation, any document incorporated therein by reference, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative written notice of such event or condition, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement and use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as possible, provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall object.

 

(d)                                 Filing or Use of Amendments or Supplements. During the Delivery Period, the Company (A) will furnish to the Representative for review, a reasonable period of time prior to

 

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the proposed time of filing of any proposed amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement (including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement), a copy of each such amendment or supplement, and (B) will not amend or supplement the Registration Statement without the Representative’s prior written consent. Prior to amending or supplementing any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representative for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the time of filing or use of the proposed amendment or supplement, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement. The Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Representative’s prior written consent.

 

(e)                                  Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The signed copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(f)                                   Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many written or electronic copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the Delivery Period, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(g)                                  Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and non-U.S. jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect during the Delivery Period; provided, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(h)                                 Earnings Statements. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 16 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) of the Securities Act), an earnings statement (satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations (including Rule 158)).

 

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

 

(j)                                    Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the Delivery Period, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by, and each such document will meet the requirements of, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations.

 

(k)                                 Pricing Term Sheet. The Company will prepare the Term Sheet, containing solely a description of the final terms of the Securities and the offering thereof, and after affording the Representative the opportunity to comment thereon, file the Term Sheet with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such Rule.

 

(l)                                     Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided, that the Representative will be deemed to have consented to any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representative. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representative as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus during the Delivery Period there occurred or occurs an event or condition as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative in writing and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to correct such untrue statement or omission.

 

(m)                             Renewal Deadline. If, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Renewal Deadline”), any Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Representative in writing and (ii) promptly file, if it is eligible to do so, a new shelf registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters. If, at the Renewal Deadline, the Company is not eligible to file a shelf registration statement, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Representative in writing, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to such Securities, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline and (iv) promptly notify the Representative in writing of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other

 

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action necessary or appropriate to permit the offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the expired Registration Statement. References herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

 

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

 

(o)                                 Investment Company Act. The Company shall not invest or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Securities in such a manner as could require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

 

(p)                                 Regulation M. The Company will not take, and will ensure that no affiliate of the Company will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in or which constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities or any reference security with respect to the Securities, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M.

 

(q)                                 Trustee, Registrar and Paying Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a trustee, registrar and paying agent for the Securities.

 

(r)                                    Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company and its Subsidiaries will comply with all effective applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(s)                                   Taxes. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters against any documentary, stamp, issue or similar tax, including any interest and penalties, on the creation, issue and sale of the Securities and on the execution and delivery of this Agreement. All payments to be made by the Company hereunder shall be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties or governmental charges whatsoever unless the Company is compelled by law to deduct or withhold such taxes, duties or charges. In that event, the Company shall pay such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received after such withholding or deduction shall equal the amounts that would have been received if no withholding or deduction had been made.

 

(t)                                    Trademarks. Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Securities (the “License”); provided that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.

 

SECTION 4.                                                 Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)                                 Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all

 

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expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, including any transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of SECTION 3(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, and the fees and expenses of making the Securities eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC, (vi) the fees and expenses of any trustee, registrar or paying agent, including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA, if required, of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (ix) expenses associated with the ratings of the Securities, (x) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement, (xi) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the second sentence of SECTION 1(a)(ii) and SECTION 1(a)(xi), (xii) the legal fees and expenses (including fees and disbursements of the counsel for the Underwriters), and marketing, syndication and travel expenses and any expenses related to an investor presentation and/or roadshow that are incurred by the Underwriters, and (xiii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this SECTION 4(a). In addition to (and not in lieu of) the fee and expense reimbursement described in the foregoing sentence, the Company will reimburse KBW for its out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the Offering, including, without limitation, legal fees and expenses, marketing, syndication and travel expenses, in an amount not to exceed $110,000, without the Company’s consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

 

(b)                                 Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of SECTION 6, SECTION 10(a) or SECTION 11 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

 

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SECTION 5.                                                 Use of Free Writing Prospectuses by Underwriters. Each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission.

 

SECTION 6.                                                 Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

 

(a)                                 Effectiveness of Registration Statement, etc. The Registration Statement was filed by the Company with the Commission and has been declared effective not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof. Each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus shall have been filed as required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) and Rule 433, as applicable, within the time period prescribed by, and in compliance with, the Securities Act Regulations. If the Company has elected to rely on Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have been issued under the Securities Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, no notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

(b)                                 Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, respectively, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(c)                                  Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they may request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representative. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of

 

29


 

officers and other representatives of the Company and its Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

 

(d)                                 Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) the conditions specified in SECTION 6(a) hereof have been satisfied.

 

(e)                                  Comfort Letters. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from RSM US LLP a letter with respect to the Company, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm and independent registered public accountants as required by the Securities Act and containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(f)                                   Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from RSM US LLP a letter with respect to the Company, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to SECTION 6(e) hereof, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

 

(g)                                  Certificate of the Chief Financial Officer. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received a certificate executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(h)                                 Beneficial Ownership Certificate.  On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received a certificate satisfying the beneficial ownership due diligence requirements of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network from the Company in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(i)                                     Other Documents.  The Underwriters shall have received such other documents as they may reasonably request with respect to other matters related to the sale of the Securities.

 

(j)                                    Absence of Rating Downgrade. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of (i) any downgrading, (ii) any intended or potential downgrading, or (iii) any review or possible change that does not indicate an improvement, in the rating accorded to the Securities by Kroll Bond Rating Agency, Inc.

 

30


 

(k)                                 No Objection. If applicable, FINRA shall have not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.

 

(l)                                     No Important Changes. Since the execution of this Agreement, (i) in the judgment of the Representative, since the respective date hereof or the respective dates of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any debt securities or preferred securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

 

(m)                             Delivery of Prospectus. The Company shall have complied with the provisions hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses, in electronic or printed format, on the New York business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement.

 

(n)                                 No Termination Event. On or after the date hereof, there shall not have occurred any of the events, circumstances or occurrences set forth in SECTION 10(a).

 

(o)                                 No Legal Impediment to Issuance and/or Sale. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Time, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities by the Company.

 

(p)                                 Good Standing. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Time satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and each Bank in their respective jurisdictions of organization, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

 

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

 

(r)                                    Lender Consent. The Company shall have obtained the written consent of First National Bank of Omaha (the “Lender”) pursuant to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of June 24, 2014, by and between the Company and the Lender (as amended through the date hereof, the “Credit Agreement”), which consent shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative and shall specify that the covenant set forth in Section 7.5(a) of the Credit Agreement shall not apply to the Company’s issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated herein or the execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture and the transactions contemplated therein.

 

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(s)                                   If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in SECTION 4 and except that SECTION 1, SECTION 6, SECTION 7, SECTION 8, SECTION 9, SECTION 14, SECTION 15, SECTION 16 and SECTION 17 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 7.                                                 Indemnification.

 

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

 

(i)                                                             against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “road show”, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) 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 7(d) hereof) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

 

(iii)                                                       against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative), 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 (i) or (ii) above;

 

provided, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement

 

32


 

or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

(b)                                 Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in SECTION 7(a) hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

(c)                                  Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to SECTION 7(a) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representative, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to SECTION 7(b) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the prior written consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this SECTION 7 or SECTION 8 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d)                                 Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of

 

33


 

the nature contemplated by SECTION 7(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 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 45 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

 

SECTION 8.                                                 Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in SECTION 7 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

 

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

 

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

 

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this SECTION 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this SECTION 8. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this SECTION 8 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.

 

34


 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this SECTION 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discount received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

 

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this SECTION 8 are several in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

 

For purposes of this SECTION 8, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates, officers, directors and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

 

SECTION 9.                                                 Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in SECTION 7 and SECTION 8, and all representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates, officers, directors and or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter or the Company’s officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

 

SECTION 10.                                          Termination of Agreement.

 

(a)                                 Termination. The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time, (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representative, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, including without limitation as a result of terrorist activities, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission, or Nasdaq, (iv) if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental agency or body, (v) if a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a general

 

35


 

moratorium on commercial banking activities has been declared by either federal, New York, Illinois, Iowa or Missouri authorities or if there is a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States.

 

(b)                                 Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in SECTION 4 hereof, and provided further that SECTION 1, SECTION 6, SECTION 7, SECTION 8, SECTION 9, SECTION 14, SECTION 15, SECTION 16 and SECTION 17 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 11.                                          Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 36 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 36-hour period, then:

 

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

 

(ii)                                                          if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on the Closing Date, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

 

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

 

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement, either the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this SECTION 11.

 

SECTION 12.                                          Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representative care of KBW at 787 Seventh Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10019, attention of Michael C. Garea, Director, Capital Markets, e-mail: mgarea@kbw.com; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 3351 7th Street, Moline, Illinois 61265, attention of the Corporate Secretary.

 

SECTION 13.                                          No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including

 

36


 

the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its shareholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, financial, regulatory or tax advice in connection with the offering of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law any claims that it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Securities.

 

SECTION 14.                                          Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriter and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriter and the Company and their respective successors and the indemnified parties referred to in SECTION 7 and SECTION 8 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriter and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons, Affiliates, selling agents, officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

 

SECTION 15.                                          Trial by Jury. Each of the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates) and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 16.                                          GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT, ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF ANY LAW OTHER THAN THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

SECTION 17.                                          Consent to Jurisdiction. Each of the parties hereto agrees that any legal

 

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

 

SECTION 18.                                          TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

 

SECTION 19.                                          Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. The exchange of copies of this Agreement and of signature pages by facsimile or other electronic means shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original signature pages to this Agreement for all purposes.

 

SECTION 20.                                          Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

SECTION 21.                                          Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party that the condition is meant to benefit.

 

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

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

 

/s/ Todd A. Gipple

 

Name:

Todd A. Gipple

 

Title:

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 


 

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

as of the date first above written:

 

 

KEEFE, BRUYETTE & WOODS, INC.

 

 

By:

/s/ Victor Sack

 

 

Name: Victor Sack

 

 

Title: Managing Director

 

 

For itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 


 

SCHEDULE A

 

Name of Underwriter

 

Aggregate Principal
Amount of Securities to be
Purchased

 

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.

 

$

65,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

65,000,000

 

 


 

SCHEDULE B

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses

 

Investor Presentation, filed as a Free Writing Prospectus on February 7, 2019.

 

The Term Sheet set forth in Schedule C.

 


 

 

SCHEDULE C

 

Term Sheet

 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated February 7, 2019

Registration No. 333-214283

 

 

QCR Holdings, Inc.

 

$65,000,000

5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029

 

PRICING TERM SHEET

 

Issuer:

 

QCR Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: QCRH)

 

 

 

Security:

 

5.375% fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due February 15, 2029 (the “Notes”)

 

 

 

Security Rating:*

 

BBB- by Kroll Bond Rating Agency

 

 

 

Principal Amount:

 

$65,000,000

 

 

 

Pricing Date:

 

February 7, 2019

 

 

 

Settlement Date:

 

February 12, 2019 (T+3)

 

 

 

Stated Maturity Date:

 

February 15, 2029

 

 

 

Interest Payment Dates:

 

Interest on the Notes will be payable on February 15 and August 15, of each year, through but excluding February 15, 2024, and thereafter February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year through the Stated Maturity Date, unless in any case previously redeemed.

 

The first interest payment will be made on August 15, 2019.

 

 

 

Interest Payment Record Dates:

 

The interest payable on any fixed rate interest payment date will be paid to the holder in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on the February 1 and August 1 (whether or not a business day) immediately preceding such fixed rate interest payment date. The interest payable on any floating rate interest payment date will be paid to the holder in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on the February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 (whether or not a business day) immediately preceding such floating rate interest payment date.

 


 

Interest Rate:

 

Unless previously redeemed, the Notes will bear interest (i) from, and including, the original issue date to, but excluding, February 15, 2024, at a fixed rate equal to 5.375% per year and (ii) from, and including, February 15, 2024, at an annual floating rate equal to three-month LIBOR, as determined quarterly on the determination date for the applicable interest period, plus 282 basis points (2.82%).

 

 

 

Day Count Convention:

 

30/360 to but excluding February 15, 2024, and, thereafter, a 360-day year and the number of days actually elapsed.

 

 

 

Price to Public:

 

100% of Principal Amount

 

 

 

Optional Redemption:

 

Subject to obtaining prior approval of the Federal Reserve, to the extent that such approval is then required, the Issuer may, at its option, beginning with the Interest Payment Date of February 15, 2024, and on any scheduled Interest Payment Date thereafter, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. Any partial redemption will be made by lot in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures.

 

In addition, in certain circumstances the Issuer may have the option to redeem the Notes upon the occurrence of events described in the prospectus supplement under the heading “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption and Redemption Upon Special Events.”

 

 

 

Subordination:

 

The Notes will be subordinate in right of payment to all senior indebtedness of the Issuer as described in the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

 

Use of Proceeds:

 

Repayment of approximately $34.2 million of senior holding company debt and general corporate purposes.

 

 

 

Denominations:

 

$2,000 minimum denomination and $1,000 integral multiples thereof.

 

 

 

CUSIP / ISIN:

 

74727AAA2 / US74727AAA25

 

 

 

Sole Book-Running Manager:

 

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company

 

-2-


 

_________

* Note: A rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. Ratings may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating organization. Each rating agency has its own methodology for assigning ratings and, accordingly, each rating should be evaluated independently of any other rating.

 

The Issuer has filed a registration statement (including a preliminary prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates.  Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement, the final prospectus supplement (when available) and the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering.  You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.  Alternatively, you may obtain a copy of the prospectus by contacting Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company at 787 Seventh Avenue, Fourth Floor, New York, NY 10019 or by calling 1-800-966-1559.

 

-3-


 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Opinion of Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP

 

(i)                                    Based solely on the good standing certificate issued by the relevant governmental agency, the Company is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

(ii)                                 The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement.

 

(iii)                              Based solely on the good standing certificates issued by the relevant governmental agency, the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in the State of Illinois and the State of Iowa.

 

(iv)                             Based solely on good standing certificates issued by the relevant governmental agencies or bodies, each of Quad City Bank & Trust Company, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Company, Community State Bank, Rockford Bank & Trust Company, Springfield First Community Bank, m2 Lease Funds, LLC, Bates Securities, Inc., Bates Financial Group, Inc., Bates Financial Advisors, Inc., and Bates Financial Services, Inc. has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company or is validly existing as a bank subject to the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, in each case in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has corporate or bank power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus.

 

(v)                                The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(vi)                             The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has been declared effective under the Securities Act; any required filing of any Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the Commission.

 

(vii)                          The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Rule 430 Information, as applicable, any Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and any Prospectus, excluding the

 


 

documents incorporated by reference therein, as of their respective effective or issue dates (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, and any other financial data, as to which we express no opinion) complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations.

 

(viii)                        The reports filed under the Exchange Act incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, and any other financial data, as to which we express no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(ix)                              To our knowledge, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit, proceeding, to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party, or to which the property of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which are expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which are expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Underwriting Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder.

 

(x)                                 The information (a) in the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” (b) in the Registration Statement under Item 15 and (c) and under the caption “Supervision and Regulation” in Appendix A to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, to the extent that such information constitutes matters of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company’s charter and bylaws or legal proceedings, or legal conclusions, has been reviewed by us and is correct in all material respects.

 

(xi)                              To our knowledge, there are no franchises, contracts, shareholder agreements, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other instruments required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those described or referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto, and the descriptions thereof or references thereto are correct in all material respects.

 

(xii)                           To our knowledge, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation of its charter or bylaws and no default by the Company or any Subsidiary exists in the due performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument that is filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

 


 

(xiii)                        Except as required by Supervisory and Regulatory Letter 09-4 issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, no filing with, or authorization, approval, action, consent, notice, license, order, registration, qualification, decree of, or other action by any court or governmental authority or agency, including the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any state bank regulatory authority acting under applicable laws, domestic or foreign (other than under the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be required under the securities or blue sky laws of the various states, as to which we express no opinion) is or will be necessary or required of the Company in connection with the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby or for the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the Securities.

 

(xiv)                       The execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Underwriting Agreement and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use Of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event under or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to the Credit Agreement or any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any other agreement or instrument, that are filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect and except for any such conflict, breach or default which has been waived by the party or the parties with power to waive such conflict, breach or default, and we express no opinion as to compliance with any financial covenants), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree, known to us, of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their respective properties, assets or operations.

 

(xv)                          The Company is not, and immediately after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities to the Underwriter and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds” will not be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” required to be registered as such within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 


 

(xvi)                       The Company is registered as a financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended.

 

(xvii)                    Based solely on the certificates issued by the relevant bank regulatory agencies, each of the Banks is an insured depository institution under the provisions of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, and the deposit accounts of each of the Banks are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to the legal maximum, and no proceeding for the termination or revocation of such insurance is pending or, to our knowledge, threatened.

 

(xviii)                 Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or except as is not required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations or the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus: (a) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or subject to any order, decree, agreement, memorandum of understanding or similar agreement with, or a commitment letter, supervisory letter or similar submission to, any governmental entity charged with the supervision or regulation of depository institutions or engaged in the insurance of deposits or the supervision or regulation of it or any of its subsidiaries, including the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and (b) to our knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been advised by any such governmental entity that such governmental entity is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any order, decree, agreement, memorandum of understanding, commitment letter, supervisory letter or similar submission.

 

(xix)                       The Securities to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriter under the Underwriting Agreement are in the form contemplated by the Indenture.

 

(xx)                          The Base Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. Assuming due execution and delivery of the Base Indenture by the Trustee, the Base Indenture is a valid and binding agreement and is enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general equity principles (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”).

 

(xxi)                       The Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. Assuming due execution and delivery of the Supplemental Indenture by the Trustee, the Supplemental Indenture is a valid and binding agreement and is enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.

 

(xxii)                    The Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. When paid for by the Underwriter in accordance with the terms of the

 


 

Underwriting Agreement (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee and the due authentication and delivery of the Securities by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture), the Securities will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and the holders of record of the Securities will be entitled to the benefits afford by the Indenture.

 

(xxiii)                 The statements set forth under the caption “Description of the Notes” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the Supplemental Indenture, the Base Indenture and the Securities, are correct in all material respects.

 

(xxiv)                The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

 

Although we are not passing upon or assuming responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements included in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and have made no independent check or verification thereof (except as otherwise stated in paragraphs (x) and (xxiii)), based upon our participation in such conferences, no facts have come to our attention that have caused us to believe that, insofar as is relevant to the offering of the Securities:

 

(a)                                 the Registration Statement, at the time it was declared effective on January 31, 2017 and as of the Applicable Time (including the information in the Prospectus that was omitted from the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective but that is deemed, pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations, to be part of and included 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,

 

(b)                                 the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time or on the date hereof included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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, or

 

(c)                                  the Prospectus, as of its date or on the date hereof, contained or contains 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,

 

except in each case that we express no belief and make no statement with respect to financial statements and supporting schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, or as to the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 filed with the Commission.

 


EX-4.1 3 a19-3454_6ex4d1.htm EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

 

INDENTURE

 

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

and

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of February 12, 2019

 

Providing for the Issuance of Debt Securities

 


 

CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

 

Indenture Section

310 

(a)(1)

 

N.A.

 

(a)(2)

 

6.13

 

(a)(3)

 

6.13

 

(a)(4)

 

N.A.

 

(a)(5)

 

7.01

 

(b)

 

7.02

 

(c)

 

7.02

311

(a)

 

7.03

 

(b)

 

7.03

 

(c)

 

7.03

312

(a)

 

7.03

 

(b)

 

7.04 ; 1.02

 

(c)

 

1.02

313

(a)

 

1.02

 

(b)(2)

 

N.A.

 

(c)

 

1.02

 

(d)

 

N.A.

314

(a)

 

6.01

 

(c)(1)

 

6.02 ; 1.06

 

(c)(2)

 

6.01

 

(c)(3)

 

6.01

 

(e)

 

5.14

 

(f)

 

1.01

315

(a)

 

5.12

 

(b)

 

5.02

 

(c)

 

N.A.

 

(d)

 

5.08

 

(e)

 

3.07

316

(a)(last sentence)

 

5.03

 

(a)(1)(A)

 

5.04

 

(a)(1)(B)

 

4.06

 

(a)(2)

 

1.07

 

(b)

 

N.A.

 

(c)

 

1.07

 


N.A. means not applicable

 

* This Cross-Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Article 1 DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

1

Section 1.01.

Definitions

1

Section 1.02.

Officers’ Certificates and Opinions

5

Section 1.03.

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

6

Section 1.04.

Acts of Securityholders

6

Section 1.05.

Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company

7

Section 1.06.

Notice To Securityholders; Waiver

7

Section 1.07.

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

8

Section 1.08.

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

8

Section 1.09.

Successors and Assigns

8

Section 1.10.

Separability Clause

8

Section 1.11.

Benefits of Indenture

8

Section 1.12.

Governing Law and Waiver of Jury Trial

8

Section 1.13.

Counterparts

8

Section 1.14.

Judgment Currency

8

Section 1.15.

Legal Holidays

9

 

 

 

Article 2 SECURITY FORMS

9

Section 2.01.

Forms Generally

9

Section 2.02.

Forms of Securities

9

Section 2.03.

Securities in Global Form

9

Section 2.04.

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

9

 

 

 

Article 3 THE SECURITIES

10

Section 3.01.

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series; Terms of Particular Series

10

Section 3.02.

Denominations and Currency

13

Section 3.03.

Execution, Authentication and Delivery, and Dating

13

Section 3.04.

Temporary Securities

14

Section 3.05.

Registration, Transfer and Exchange

15

Section 3.06.

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

17

Section 3.07.

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

17

Section 3.08.

Persons Deemed Owners

18

Section 3.09.

Cancellation

18

Section 3.10.

Computation of Interest

18

 

 

 

Article 4 SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

19

Section 4.01.

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

19

Section 4.02.

Discharge and Defeasance

20

Section 4.03.

Covenant Defeasance

20

Section 4.04.

Conditions To Defeasance Or Covenant Defeasance

20

Section 4.05.

Application of Trust Money; Excess Funds

22

Section 4.06.

Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held

22

Section 4.07.

Return of Unclaimed Amounts

22

 

 

 

Article 5 REMEDIES

22

Section 5.01.

Events of Default

22

Section 5.02.

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission, and Annulment

23

Section 5.03.

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

24

Section 5.04.

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

25

Section 5.05.

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

25

Section 5.06.

Application of Money Collected

25

Section 5.07.

Limitation on Suits

26

 

i


 

Section 5.08.

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

26

Section 5.09.

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

26

Section 5.10.

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

26

Section 5.11.

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

26

Section 5.12.

Control by Securityholders

26

Section 5.13.

Waiver of Past Defaults

27

Section 5.14.

Undertaking for Costs

27

Section 5.15.

Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws

27

 

 

 

Article 6 THE TRUSTEE

28

Section 6.01.

Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee

28

Section 6.02.

Notice of Defaults

28

Section 6.03.

Certain Rights of Trustee

29

Section 6.04.

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

30

Section 6.05.

May Hold Securities

30

Section 6.06.

Money Held in Trust

30

Section 6.07.

Compensation and Reimbursement

30

Section 6.08.

Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

31

Section 6.09.

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

31

Section 6.10.

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

31

Section 6.11.

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

32

Section 6.12.

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

33

Section 6.13.

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

33

Section 6.14.

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

34

 

 

 

Article 7 SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

35

Section 7.01.

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders

35

Section 7.02.

Preservation of Information; Communications to Securityholders

35

Section 7.03.

Reports by Trustee

36

Section 7.04.

Reports by Company

36

 

 

 

Article 8 CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER

36

Section 8.01.

Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms

36

Section 8.02.

Successor Corporation Substituted

37

 

 

 

Article 9 SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

37

Section 9.01.

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders

37

Section 9.02.

Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders

38

Section 9.03.

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

39

Section 9.04.

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

39

Section 9.05.

Conformity With Trust Indenture Act

40

Section 9.06.

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

40

 

 

 

Article 10 COVENANTS

40

Section 10.01.

Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

40

Section 10.02.

Maintenance of Office or Agency

40

Section 10.03.

Money or Security Payments to Be Held in Trust

40

Section 10.04.

Certificate to Trustee

41

Section 10.05.

Corporate Existence

41

 

 

 

Article 11 REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

41

Section 11.01.

Applicability of Article

41

Section 11.02.

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

41

Section 11.03.

Selection of Securities to be Redeemed

41

Section 11.04.

Notice of Redemption

42

Section 11.05.

Deposit of Redemption Price

42

 

ii


 

Section 11.06.

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

42

Section 11.07.

Securities Redeemed in Part

43

Section 11.08.

Provisions with Respect to any Sinking Funds

43

 

 

 

Article 12 REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDERS

44

Section 12.01.

Applicability of Article

44

Section 12.02.

Repayment of Securities

44

Section 12.03.

Exercise of Option

44

Section 12.04.

When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable

44

Section 12.05.

Securities Repaid in Part

45

 

iii


 

THIS INDENTURE, between QCR Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the “Company”) having its principal office at 3551 Seventh Street, Moline, Illinois 61265, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States as trustee (hereinafter called the “Trustee”), is made and entered into as of this 12th day of February, 2019.

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of its unsecured debentures, notes, bonds, and other evidences of indebtedness, to be issued in one or more fully registered series.

 

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

 

AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

 

To set forth or to provide for the establishment of the terms and conditions upon which the Securities (as hereinafter defined) are and are to be authenticated, issued, and delivered, and in consideration of the premises thereof, and the purchase of Securities by the Holders (as hereinafter defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as follows, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders from time to time of the Securities or of any series thereof, as the case may be:

 

ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

 

Section 1.01.                          Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

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

 

(b)                                 all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act (as hereinafter defined), either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

 

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

 

(d)                                 all references in this instrument to designated “Articles”, “Sections” and other subdivisions are to the designated Articles, Sections and other subdivisions of this instrument as originally executed. The words “herein”, “hereof”, and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section, or other subdivision.

 

(e)                                  the following terms will have the meanings set forth below:

 

Act”, when used with respect to any Securityholder (as hereinafter defined), has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

 

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

 

1


 

Authenticating Agent” means any Person authorized by the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series under Section 6.14.

 

Authentication Order” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03.

 

Board of Directors” means (i) the board of directors of the Company, (ii) any duly authorized committee of that board, or (iii) any officer, director, or authorized representative of the Company, in each case duly authorized by such Board to act hereunder.

 

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Business Day” means (except, with respect to any particular series of Securities, as may be otherwise provided in the form of such Securities) any day other than a Saturday or Sunday that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law, regulation, or executive order to be closed; provided, however, that in the case of any Interest Payment Date, for Securities which have a floating rate of interest based on LIBOR, such day is also a London banking day. “London banking day” means any date on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in U.S. dollars) in London.

 

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any capital stock (including preferred stock), shares, interests, participations or other ownership interests (however designated) of such Person and any rights (other than debt securities convertible or exchangeable for corporate stock), warrants or options to purchase any thereof.

 

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.

 

Company” means QCR Holdings, Inc., unless and until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor corporation.

 

Company Request”, “Company Order”, and “Company Consent” mean, respectively, a written request, order, or consent signed in the name of the Company by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Controller, or by any other officer or officers of the Company pursuant to an applicable Board Resolution, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Corporate Trust Office” means the corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office, at the date of the execution of this Indenture, is located at 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890, Attention: QCR Holdings, Inc. Administrator.

 

Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 4.03.

 

Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

 

Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02.

 

Depositary” means with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01, unless and until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the “Depositary” with respect to the Securities of that series.

 

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EDGAR” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04.

 

Equivalent Government Securities” means, in relation to Securities denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, securities of the government that issued the currency in which such Securities are denominated or securities of government agencies backed by the full faith and credit of such government.

 

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Article 5.

 

Holder”, “Securityholder” and “Holder of Securities” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register (as hereinafter defined).

 

Indenture” or “this Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of any particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01.

 

Interest Payment Date”, when used with respect to any series of Securities, means any date on which an installment of interest on those Securities is scheduled to be paid.

 

Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal amount outstanding under such Security or an installment of principal amount outstanding under such Security becomes due and payable, as therein or herein provided, whether on the Scheduled Maturity Date (as hereinafter defined), by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, or otherwise.

 

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by any two of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Controller, or by any other officer or officers of the Company pursuant to an applicable Board Resolution, and delivered to the Trustee.  Each such certificate shall contain the statements set forth in Section 1.02.

 

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture) be an employee of the Company or other counsel who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

 

Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which is initially sold at a discount from the principal amount thereof and the terms of which provide that upon redemption or acceleration of the Maturity thereof, an amount less than the principal amount thereof would become due and payable.

 

Outstanding”, when used with respect to any particular Securities or to the Securities of any particular series means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

 

(a)                                 such Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered by the Company to the Trustee for cancellation;

 

(b)                                 such Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent (as hereinafter defined) other than the Company, or, if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent, has been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company; provided, in any case, that if such Securities are to be redeemed prior to their Scheduled Maturity Date, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made; and

 

(c)                                  such Securities in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, or which shall have been paid, in each case, pursuant to the terms of Section 3.06 (except with respect to any such Security as to which proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that such Security is held by a Person in whose hands such Security is a legal, valid, and binding

 

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obligation of the Company). In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of such Securities Outstanding have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of such Securities Outstanding have given a direction concerning the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or concerning the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee under this Indenture, or concerning a consent on behalf of the Holders of any series of Securities to the waiver of any past default and its consequences, Securities owned by the Company, any other obligor upon the Securities, or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding. In determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer assigned to the corporate trust department of the Trustee actually knows to be owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right to act as owner with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor.

 

Paying Agent” means, with respect to any Securities, any Person appointed by the Company to distribute amounts payable by the Company on such Securities. If at any time there shall be more than one such Person, “Paying Agent” as used with respect to the Securities of any particular series shall mean the Paying Agent with respect to Securities of that series.

 

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

 

Place of Payment” means with respect to any series of Securities issued hereunder the place or places so designated with respect to the series of Securities in question in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01.

 

Predecessor Securities” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated, or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed, mutilated, or stolen Security.

 

Record Date” means any date as of which the Holder of a Security will be determined for any purpose described herein, such determination to be made as of the close of business on such date by reference to the Security Register.

 

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

 

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

 

Repayment Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid, means the date fixed for such repayment pursuant to such Security.

 

Repayment Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid, means the price at which it is to be repaid pursuant to such Security.

 

Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee, shall mean an officer within the Corporate Trust Administration department in the Corporate Trust Office, having direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and also, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer of such Trustee to whom such corporate trust matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

 

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Scheduled Maturity Date”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date specified in such Security as the date on which all outstanding principal and interest will be due and payable.

 

Security” or “Securities” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of indebtedness, as the case may be, of any series authenticated and delivered from time to time under this Indenture.

 

Security Register” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.05.

 

Security Registrar” means the Person who maintains the Security Register, which Person shall be the Trustee unless and until a successor Security Registrar is appointed by the Company.

 

Significant Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary which is a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, as amended or modified and in effect from time to time.

 

Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.07.

 

Subsidiary” means any corporation, partnership or other entity of which at the time of determination the Company owns or controls directly or indirectly more than 50% of the shares of voting stock or equivalent interest.

 

Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as in force as of the date hereof, except as provided in Section 9.05.

 

Trustee” means the Person named as such above until a successor becomes such pursuant to this Indenture and thereafter means or includes each Person who is then a trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such party, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series means the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series. If Trustees with respect to different series of Securities are trustees under this Indenture, nothing herein shall constitute the Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, and each Trustee shall be the trustee of a trust separate and apart from any trust administered by any other Trustee with respect to a different series of Securities.

 

U.S. Government Obligations” means (i) securities that are direct obligations of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America and (ii) securities that are obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, and also includes depository receipts issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any of the securities described in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii), and any payment of interest or principal payable under any of the securities described in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii) that is held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt, or from any amount received by the custodian in respect of such securities, or from any specific payment of interest or principal payable under the securities evidenced by such depository receipt.

 

Section 1.02.                          Officers’ Certificates and Opinions. Every Officers’ Certificate, Opinion of Counsel, and other certificate or opinion to be delivered to the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to any action to be taken by the Trustee (except for the Officers’ Certificate required by Section 10.04) shall include the following:

 

(a)                                 a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read all covenants and conditions of this Indenture relating to such proposed action, including the definitions herein relating thereto;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 1.03.         Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to the other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

 

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, legal counsel, unless such officer knows that any such certificate, opinion, or representation is erroneous. Any opinion of counsel for the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company, unless such counsel knows that any such certificate, opinion, or representation is erroneous.

 

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

 

Section 1.04.         Acts of Securityholders.

 

(a)           Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Securityholders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Securityholders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and (if expressly required by the applicable terms of this Indenture) to the Company. If any Securities are denominated in coin or currency other than that of the United States, then for the purposes of determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Securities have taken any action as herein described, the principal amount of such Securities shall be deemed to be that amount of United States dollars that could be obtained for such principal amount on the basis of the spot rate of exchange into United States dollars for the currency in which such Securities are denominated (as evidenced to the Trustee by a certificate provided by a financial institution, selected by the Company, that maintains an active trade in the currency in question, acting as conversion agent) as of the date the taking of such action by the Holders of such requisite principal amount is evidenced to the Trustee as provided in the immediately preceding sentence. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Securityholders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.

 

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

 

(c)           The ownership of Securities shall for all purposes be determined by reference to the Security Register, as such register shall exist as of the applicable date.

 

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(d)           If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, the Company may, at its option, by Board Resolution, fix in advance a Record Date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such Record Date is fixed, only the Holders of record at the close of business on such Record Date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Securities Outstanding have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, and for that purpose the Securities Outstanding shall be computed as of such Record Date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such Record Date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after such Record Date.

 

(e)           Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action by the Holder of any Security shall bind each subsequent Holder of such Security, and each Holder of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof, with respect to anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance upon such action, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

 

(f)            Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Holder, including the Depositary, that is the Holder of a Security issued in global form, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders, and any Person that is the Holder of a Security issued in global form, including the Depositary, may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such Security issued in global form through such Depositary’s standing instructions and customary practices.

 

Section 1.05.         Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company. Any request, order, authorization, direction, consent, waiver, or other action to be taken by the Trustee, the Company, or the Securityholders hereunder (including any Authentication Order), and any notice to be given to the Trustee or the Company with respect to any action taken or to be taken by the Trustee, the Company, or the Securityholders hereunder, shall be sufficient if made in writing and

 

(a)           (if to be furnished or delivered to or filed with the Trustee by the Company or any Securityholder) delivered to the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

 

(b)           (if to be furnished or delivered to the Company by the Trustee or any Securityholder, and except as otherwise provided in Section 5.01(d) and, in the case of a request for repayment, except as specified in the Security carrying the right to repayment) mailed to the Company, first-class postage prepaid, at its principal office (as specified in the first paragraph of this instrument), Attention: Chief Financial Officer, or at any other address hereafter furnished in writing by the Company to the Trustee.

 

Section 1.06.         Notice To Securityholders; Waiver. Where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice to Securityholders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise expressly provided herein or in such Security) (i) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Securityholder affected by such event, at his or her address as it appears in the Security Register as of the applicable Record Date or (ii) in the case of Securities issued in global form, electronically in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary for such Securities, not later than the latest date or earlier than the earliest date prescribed by this Indenture or such Security for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Securityholders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice nor any defect in any notice so mailed to any particular Securityholder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Securityholders. Where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Securityholders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

 

In case, by reason of the suspension of regular mail service as a result of a strike, work stoppage or otherwise, it shall be impractical to mail notice of any event to any Securityholder when such notice is required to be

 

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given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture or the applicable Security, then any method of notification as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company shall be deemed to be sufficient for the giving of such notice.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or any Security, where the Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event or any other communication (including any notice of redemption or repurchase) to a holder of a Security issued in global form (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary (or its designee) pursuant to the applicable procedures of the Depositary or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices at the Depositary.

 

Section 1.07.         Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required to be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the TIA, such required provision shall control.

 

Section 1.08.         Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents hereof are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of any provision of this Indenture.

 

Section 1.09.         Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

Section 1.10.         Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 1.11.         Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, their successors hereunder, the Authenticating Agent, the Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, the parties entitled to indemnity under Section 6.07(c), and the Holders of Securities (or such of them as may be affected thereby), any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

 

Section 1.12.         Governing Law and Waiver of Jury Trial. This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. Each of the Company and the Trustee hereby irrevocable waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Indenture or the securities or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 1.13.         Counterparts. This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

Section 1.14.         Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court with respect to the Securities of any series it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, payable with respect to such Securities into a currency in which a judgment can be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange from the currency in which payments under such Securities is payable (the “Required Currency”) into the Judgment Currency shall be the highest bid quotation (assuming European-style quotation—i.e., Required Currency per Judgment Currency) received by the Company from three recognized foreign exchange dealers in the City of New York for the purchase of the aggregate amount of the judgment (as denominated in the Judgment Currency) on the Business Day preceding the date on which a final unappealable judgment is rendered, for settlement on such payment date, and at which the applicable dealer timely commits to execute a contract, and (b) the Company’s obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or by any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with the preceding clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt by the judgment creditor of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be

 

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enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture.

 

Section 1.15.         Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or at Maturity, provided that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Maturity, as the case may be.

 

ARTICLE 2
SECURITY FORMS

 

Section 2.01.         Forms Generally. The Securities of each series shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon, as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange, or as may, consistently with this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities. Any portion of the text of any Security may be set forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the face of the Security.

 

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

 

Section 2.02.         Forms of Securities. The Security of each series shall be in one of the forms approved from time to time by or pursuant to any Board Resolution, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto. Prior to the delivery to the Trustee for authentication of any Security in any form approved by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee a copy of such Board Resolution, together with a true and correct copy of the form of Security which has been approved thereby, or, if a Board Resolution authorizes a specific officer or officers to approve a form of Security, together with a certificate of such officer or officers approving the form of Security attached thereto or a copy of the supplemental indenture establishing such series with the form of Security attached thereto, provided, however, that with respect to all Securities issued pursuant to the same Board Resolution, the required copy of such Board Resolution, together with the appropriate attachment, need be delivered only once. Any form of Security must be acceptable as to form to the Trustee, such acceptance to be evidenced by the Trustee’s authentication of Securities in that form or by a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and delivered to the Company.

 

Section 2.03.         Securities in Global Form. If Securities of a series are issuable in whole or in part in global form, the global security representing such Securities may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be reduced to reflect exchanges or increased to reflect the issuance of additional Securities. Any endorsement of a Security in global form to reflect the amount (or any increase or decrease in the amount) of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Authentication Order delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.03 hereof.

 

Section 2.04.         Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. The form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication for any Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be substantially as follows:

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

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

 

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WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

 

ARTICLE 3
THE SECURITIES

 

Section 3.01.         Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series; Terms of Particular Series.

 

(a)           The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated, delivered, and Outstanding at any time under this Indenture is not limited.

 

(b)           The Securities may be issued in one or more series in such aggregate principal amount as may from time to time be authorized by the Board of Directors. All Securities of a series issued under this Indenture shall in all respects be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits hereof, without preference, priority, or distinction on account of the actual time of the authentication and delivery or Scheduled Maturity Date thereof.

 

(c)           Each series of Securities shall be created either by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions or by one or more indentures supplemental hereto. Any such Board Resolution or supplemental indenture (or, in the case of a series of Securities created pursuant to a Board Resolution, any officer or officers authorized by such Board Resolution) shall establish the terms of any such series of Securities, including the following (as and to such extent as may be applicable):

 

(1)           the title of the Securities of the series (which title shall distinguish the Securities of the series from all other Securities issued by the Company), including, as applicable, whether the Securities of the series shall be issued as senior Securities, senior subordinated Securities or subordinated Securities; any subordination provisions particular to the Securities of the series; and whether the Securities of the series are convertible or exchangeable for other securities;

 

(2)           any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.05, 3.06 or 11.07);

 

(3)           if other than 100% of its aggregate principal amount, the percentage of the aggregate principal amount at which the Securities of the series will be offered;

 

(4)           the date or dates (whether fixed or extendable) on which the principal of the Securities of the series is payable;

 

(5)           the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable, the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and the record dates for the determination of Holders to whom interest is payable;

 

(6)           any provisions relating to the issuance of the Securities of the series at an Original Issue Discount;

 

(7)           the place or places where the principal of and interest on Securities of the series shall be payable and where Securities of the series may be surrendered for conversion or exchange (if other than as provided in Section 10.02);

 

(8)           whether any of such Securities of the Series are to be redeemable at the option of the Company, and if so, the price or prices at which, the period or periods within which and the terms and

 

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conditions upon which Securities of the series may be so redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company, pursuant to any sinking fund or otherwise;

 

(9)           if other than 100% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 5.03, or, if applicable, which is convertible or exchangeable;

 

(10)         the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof, and the price or prices at which, the currency in which and the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, Securities of the series shall be redeemed, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation (including the terms or method of payment thereof if other than cash), and any provision for the remarketing of the Securities;

 

(11)         if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations, which may be in U.S. Dollars or any foreign currency, in which Securities of the series shall be issuable;

 

(12)         whether the Securities of the Series will be certificated and, if so, the form of the Securities (or forms thereof if both Unregistered Securities and Registered Securities shall be issuable in such Series), including such legends as required by law or as the Company deems necessary or appropriate, the form of any Coupons or temporary global security which may be issued and the forms of any other certificates which may be required hereunder or which the Company may require in connection with the offering, sale, delivery or exchange of the Securities;

 

(13)         if other than U.S. Dollars, the currency or currencies in which payments of interest, principal and other amounts payable with respect to the Securities of the series are to be denominated, payable, redeemable or repurchasable, as the case may be;

 

(14)         whether Securities of the series are issuable in tranches;

 

(15)         the obligations, if any, of the Company to permit the conversion or exchange of the Securities of such series into common stock, preferred stock or other Capital Stock or property (including securities), or a combination thereof, and the terms and conditions upon which such conversion shall be effected (including the initial conversion or exchange price or rate, the conversion or exchange period, the provisions for conversion or exchange price or rate adjustments and any other provisions relative to such obligation) and any limitations on the ownership or transferability of the securities or property into which the Securities may be converted or exchanged;

 

(16)         if other than the Trustee, any trustees, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars or any other agents with respect to the Securities of such series;

 

(17)         any deletions from, modifications of or additions to (a) the Events of Default with respect to Securities of the series or (b) the right of the Trustee or the Holders of such Securities pursuant to Section 5.02;

 

(18)         any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the covenants with respect to Securities of the series;

 

(19)         if the amount of payments of principal of, and make-whole amount, if any, and interest on, the Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index, the manner in which such amount shall be determined;

 

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(20)         whether the Securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in the global form of one or more Securities and in such case, (i) the depositary for such Securities, which depositary must be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, (ii) the circumstances under which any such Securities may be exchanged for Securities registered in the name of, and under which any transfer of such Securities may be registered in the name of, any Person other than such depositary or its nominee, if other than as set forth in Section 2.03, and (iii) any other provisions regarding such Securities which provisions may be in addition to or in lieu of, in whole or in part, the provisions of Section 2.03;

 

(21)         whether, under what circumstances and the currency in which, the Company will pay additional amounts on the Securities of the Series to any Holder who is not a United States Person (including any modification to the definition of such term) in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such additional amounts (and the terms of any such option);

 

(22)         whether the Securities of the series, in whole or in specified part, will not be defeasible pursuant to Section 4.02 or Section 4.03, or both such Sections, and, if the Securities may be defeased, in whole or in specified part, pursuant to either or both such Sections, any provisions to permit a pledge of obligations other than U.S. Government Obligations (or the establishment of other arrangements) to satisfy the requirements of Section 4.04(a) for defeasance of the Securities and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Company to defease the Securities will be evidenced;

 

(23)         whether the Securities of such series are to be secured by any property, assets or other collateral and, if so, the applicable collateral;

 

(24)         the Person to whom any interest on the Securities of such series will be payable, if other than the Securityholder thereof, on the regular record date therefor;

 

(25)         the dates on which interest, if any, will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates;

 

(26)         any restrictions, conditions or requirements for transfer of the Securities of such series; and

 

(27)         any other terms or conditions upon which the Securities of the series are to be issued (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, but which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such series).

 

If all of the Securities issuable by or pursuant to any Board Resolution are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required by Section 3.03 hereof at the time of issuance of each such Security, but such Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first such Security.

 

If any series of Securities shall be established by action taken pursuant to any Board Resolution, the execution by the officer or officers authorized by such Board Resolution of an Authentication Order (as defined in Section 3.03 below) with respect to the first Security of such series to be issued, and the delivery of such Authentication Order to the Trustee at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series, shall constitute a sufficient record of such action. Except as otherwise permitted by Section 3.03, if all of the Securities of any such series are not to be issued at one time, the Company shall deliver an Authentication Order with respect to each subsequent issuance of Securities of such series, but such Authentication Orders may be executed by any authorized officer or officers of the Company, whether or not such officer or officers would have been authorized to establish such series pursuant to the aforementioned Board Resolution.

 

Unless otherwise provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture creating such series (i) a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series, and (ii) all Securities of the

 

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same series shall be substantially identical, except for the initial Interest Payment Date, issue price, initial interest accrual date and the amount of the first interest payment.

 

The form of the Securities of each series shall be established in a supplemental indenture or by or pursuant to the Board Resolution creating such series. The Securities of each series shall be distinguished from the Securities of each other series in such manner as the Board of Directors or its authorized representative or representatives may determine.

 

Unless otherwise provided with respect to Securities of a particular series, the Securities of any series may only be issuable in registered form, without coupons.

 

Section 3.02.         Denominations and Currency. The Securities of each series shall be issuable in such denominations and currency as shall be provided in the provisions of this Indenture or by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture creating such series. In the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of that series shall be issuable only in fully registered form in minimum denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

 

Section 3.03.         Execution, Authentication and Delivery, and Dating. The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile. The seal of the Company, if set forth thereon, may be in the form of a facsimile thereof and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted, or otherwise reproduced on the Securities. Typographical and other minor errors or defects in any such reproduction of the seal or any such signature shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any Security that has been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee.

 

Unless otherwise provided in the form of Security for any series, all Securities shall be dated the date of their authentication.

 

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

 

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for authentication and delivery (such Order an “Authentication Order”) with respect to such Securities, and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of such Authentication Order, in accordance with procedures acceptable to the Trustee set forth in the Authentication Order, and subject to the provisions hereof, authenticate and deliver such Securities to such recipients as may be specified from time to time pursuant to such Authentication Order. The material terms of such Securities shall be determinable by reference to such Authentication Order and procedures. In authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to the provisions of Section 6.01 hereof) shall be fully protected in conclusively relying upon:

 

(1)           an executed supplemental indenture, if any;

 

(2)           an Officers’ Certificate, certifying as to the authorized form or forms and terms of such Securities and that no Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing or would be caused by such additional issuance; and

 

(3)           an Opinion of Counsel, stating that:

 

(a)           the form or forms and terms of such Securities have been established by and in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; provided that if all such Securities are not to be issued at the same

 

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time, such Opinion of Counsel may state that such terms will be established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture, subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel;

 

(b)           such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization, and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity; and

 

(c)           that the Company has complied with all covenants and conditions precedent, if any, set forth in the Indenture and any supplemental indenture thereto relating to the authentication, execution and delivery of the Securities.

 

If the authentication and delivery relates to a new series of Securities created by an indenture supplemental hereto, such Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel shall also state that all conditions precedent to the execution of the supplemental indenture with respect to that series of Securities have been complied with, the Company has the power to execute and deliver such supplemental indenture and has taken all necessary action for those purposes and any such supplemental indenture has been duly executed and validly delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if all Securities issuable by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or supplemental indenture are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to this paragraph at or prior to the time of authentication of each such Security if such documents are delivered at or prior to the time of authentication upon original issuance of the first such Security to be issued. After the original issuance of the first such Security to be issued, any separate request by the Company that the Trustee authenticate such Securities for original issuance will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that it is in compliance with all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

 

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue thereof will adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties, or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture.

 

If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 3.01 that Securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in global form, then the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall (in accordance with this Section 3.03 and the Authentication Order with respect to such series) authenticate and deliver, one or more Securities in global form that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series to be represented by such one or more Securities in global form, (ii) shall be registered, in the name of the Depositary for such Security or Securities in global form, or in the name of a nominee of such Depositary, (iii) shall be delivered to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instruction, and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially as follows: “Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in certificated form, this Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.” Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 3.01 for a Security in global form must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and any other applicable statute or regulation.

 

No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature of an authorized officer, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.

 

Section 3.04.         Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and, upon receipt of the documents required by Sections 2.02, 3.01 and 3.03 hereof, together with an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities of such series that are printed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities

 

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in lieu of which they are issued in registered form, without coupons, and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions, and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities. In the case of Securities of any series for which a temporary Security may be issued in global form, such temporary global security shall represent all of the Outstanding Securities of such series and tenor.

 

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary, if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable, at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, or at such other office or agency as may be maintained by the Company in a Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof, for definitive Securities of such series having identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series, at the Company’s own expense and without charge to the Holder; and upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of such series in authorized denominations containing identical terms and provisions. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to a temporary Security in global form, until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of such series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

 

Section 3.05.         Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Securities of each series, the Trustee shall keep a register (herein sometimes referred to as the “Security Register”) which shall provide for the registration of Securities of such series, and for transfers of Securities of such series, in accordance with information to be provided to the Trustee by the Company, subject to such reasonable regulations as the Trustee may prescribe. Such register shall be in written form or in any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. At all reasonable times the information contained in such register or registers shall be available for inspection at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at such other office or agency to be maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof.

 

Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at any other office or agency maintained by the Company with respect to that series pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of such series of any authorized denominations, of like aggregate principal amount, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date.

 

Any other provision of this Section 3.05 notwithstanding, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual Securities represented thereby, in definitive form, a Security in global form representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary, or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary, or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

 

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

 

If at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series represented by one or more Securities in global form notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Securities of such series, or if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 3.03 hereof, the Company, by Company Order, shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Securities of such series. If a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company’s election pursuant to Section 3.01 that such Securities be represented by one or more Securities in global form shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities of such series and the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and

 

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deliver to the parties specified by the Depositary (as set forth in the applicable Authentication Order) Securities of such series in definitive form, in authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount, and of like terms and tenor, equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities in global form representing such series, in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form.

 

The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion and subject to the procedures of the Depositary determine that individual Securities of any series issued in global form shall no longer be represented by such Security or Securities in global form. In such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series and of the same terms and tenor, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series in definitive form, in authorized denominations, and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities in global form representing such series in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form.

 

If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to a series of Securities issued in global form, the Depositary for such series of Securities may surrender a Security in global form for such series of Securities in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of such series in definitive form and of like terms and tenor on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge:

 

(a)           to each Person specified by such Depositary, a new definitive Security or Securities of the same series and of the same tenor and terms, in authorized denominations, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Security in global form; and

 

(b)           to such Depositary, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Security in global form and the aggregate principal amount of the definitive Securities delivered to Holders pursuant to clause (a) above.

 

Upon the exchange of a Security in global form for Securities in definitive form, such Security in global form shall be canceled by the Trustee or an agent of the Company or the Trustee. Securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a Security in global form pursuant to this Section 3.05 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Security in global form, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee, the Company or an agent of the Company or the Trustee in writing. In the event that the Depositary provides such instruction to the Company or its agent, any Authentication Order provided to the Trustee with respect to such Securities in definitive form shall include the names, denominations and delivery instructions specified by the Depositary.  The Trustee or such agent shall deliver such Securities to or as directed by the Depositary or such Authentication Order.

 

Whenever any securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

 

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

 

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

 

Unless otherwise provided in the Security to be transferred or exchanged, no service charge shall be imposed for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may (unless otherwise provided in such Security) require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.06, 9.06 and 11.07 hereof not involving any transfer.

 

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The Company and the Security Registrar shall not be required to (i) issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any Security of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of such series selected for redemption under Section 11.03 and ending at the close of business on the date of such mailing, or (ii) register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed.

 

Section 3.06.                          Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If (i) any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, or the Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security, and (ii) there is delivered to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company may in its discretion execute and upon request of the Company the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of like tenor, terms, series, Scheduled Maturity Date, and principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 3.07.                          Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved. Interest on any Security which is payable and is punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date shall, if so provided in such Security, be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the applicable Record Date, notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such Security subsequent to such Record Date and prior to such Interest Payment Date (unless such Interest Payment Date is also the date of Maturity of such Security).

 

Any interest on any Security which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder on the applicable Record Date by virtue of his having been such Holder; and, except as hereinafter provided, such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or clause (b) below:

 

(a)                                 The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names any such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause

 

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notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of each such Security at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

 

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

 

Interest on Securities of any series that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto at such address as shall appear in the Securities Register for such series or by such other means as may be specified in the form of such Security.

 

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.07 and the provisions of Section 3.05 hereof, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

 

Section 3.08.                          Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name any Security is registered on the applicable Record Date(s) as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07 hereof), and any additional amounts payable with respect to such Security, and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee, nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

None of the Company, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, the Security Registrar, or any Co-Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Security in global form or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests and each of them may treat the Depositary, or its nominee, as the sole Holder and absolute owner of the related Securities for all purposes hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its participants, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any Security.

 

Section 3.09.                          Cancellation.

 

All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange, or credit against a sinking or analogous fund shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and, if not already canceled, shall be promptly canceled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Trustee. Acquisition of such Securities by the Company shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Security shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall dispose of all canceled Securities in accordance with its customary procedures and upon request from the Company deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company.

 

Section 3.10.                          Computation of Interest. Unless otherwise provided as contemplated in Section 3.01, interest on the Securities shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

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ARTICLE 4
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

Section 4.01.                          Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities (except as to any surviving rights of conversion or transfer or exchange of Securities of such series expressly provided for herein or in the form of Security for such series and obligations described as surviving below), and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

 

(a)                                 either

 

(i)                                     all Securities of that series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (A) Securities of such series which have been destroyed, lost, or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, and (B) Securities of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 4.07) have been delivered to the Trustee canceled or for cancellation; or

 

(ii)                                  all such Securities of that series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee canceled or for cancellation

 

(1)                                 have become due and payable, or

 

(2)                                 will, in accordance with their Scheduled Maturity Date, become due and payable within one year, or

 

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

 

and, in any of the cases described in subparagraphs (1), (2), or (3) above, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee, as trust funds in trust for the purpose, (x) an amount in money sufficient, (y) U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money sufficient, or (z) a combination of (x) and (y) sufficient, in the opinion with respect to (y) and (z) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities with respect to principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable), or to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date, as the case may be; provided, however , that if such U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities are callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, the amount of such money, U.S. Government Obligations, and Equivalent Government Securities deposited with the Trustee must be sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness referred to above if such issuer elects to exercise such call or redemption provisions at any time prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date, as the case may be, and the Company, but not the Trustee, shall be responsible for monitoring any such call or redemption provision; and

 

(b)                                 the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Securities of such series; and

 

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

 

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company under paragraph (a) of this Section 4.01 and its obligations to the Trustee with respect to

 

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that series under Section 6.07 shall survive, and the obligations of the Trustee under Sections 4.05, 4.07 and 10.03 shall survive.

 

Section 4.02.                          Discharge and Defeasance. The provisions of this Section and Section 4.04 (insofar as relating to this Section) shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 3.01. In addition to discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Section 4.01, in the case of any series of Securities with respect to which the exact amount described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04 can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in such subparagraph (a), the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the Securities of such a series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.04 are satisfied, and the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series shall no longer be in effect (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series, (ii) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities of such series, (iii) rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, solely from the trust fund described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04, payments of principal thereof, premium, if any, and interest, if any, thereon upon the original stated due dates or upon the Redemption Dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders of Securities of such series to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, (v) this Section 4.02, Section 4.07, Section 10.02 and Section 10.03 and (vi) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them) (hereinafter called “Defeasance”), and the Trustee at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same.

 

Section 4.03.                          Covenant Defeasance. The provisions of this Section and Section 4.04 (insofar as relating to this Section) shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 3.01. In the case of any series of Securities with respect to which the exact amount described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04 can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in such subparagraph (a), (i) the Company shall be released from its obligations under any covenants specified in or pursuant to Section 3.01 as being subject to Covenant Defeasance with respect to such series (except as to (a) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series and rights under Section 4.07, Section 10.02 and Section 10.03, (b) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities of such series, (c) rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, from the Company pursuant to Section 10.01, payments of principal thereof and interest, if any, thereon upon the original stated due dates or upon the Redemption Dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders of Securities of such series to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (d) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (e) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them), and (ii) the occurrence of any event specified in Section 5.01(d) (with respect to any of the covenants specified in or pursuant to Section 3.01 as being subject to Covenant Defeasance with respect to such series) shall be deemed not to be or result in a default or an Event of Default, in each case with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.04 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Trustee at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same. For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant (to the extent so specified in the case of Section 5.01(d)), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be unaffected thereby.

 

Section 4.04.                          Conditions To Defeasance Or Covenant Defeasance. The following shall be the conditions to application of either Section 4.02 or Section 4.03 to the Outstanding Securities:

 

(a)                                 with reference to Section 4.02 or Section 4.03, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of Securities of such series (i) money in an amount, or (ii) U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any

 

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payment, money in an amount, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), sufficient, in the opinion (with respect to (ii) and (iii)) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund payments) of, premium, if any, and interest on, the Outstanding Securities of such series on the dates such installments of interest, premium or principal are due, including upon redemption; provided, however , that if such U.S. Government Obligations and Equivalent Government Securities are callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, the amount of such money, U.S. Government Obligations, and/or Equivalent Government Securities deposited with the Trustee must be sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness referred to above if the issuer of any such U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities elects to exercise such call or redemption provisions at any time prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date of such Securities, as the case may be. The Company, but not the Trustee, shall be responsible for monitoring any such call or redemption provision.

 

(b)                                 in the case of Defeasance under Section 4.02, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel based on the fact that (x) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (y) since the date hereof, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit, Defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

 

(c)                                  in the case of Covenant Defeasance under Section 4.03, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit and Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(d)                                 no Event of Default or event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit, after giving effect to such deposit or, in the case of a Defeasance under Section 4.02, no Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or Section 5.01(f) shall have occurred, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit or, if longer, ending on the day following the expiration of the longest preference period applicable to the Company in respect of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period);

 

(e)                                  such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the TIA, assuming all Securities of a series were in default within the meaning of the TIA;

 

(f)                                   such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

 

(g)                                  such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless the trust is registered under such Act or exempt from registration;

 

(h)                                 if the Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to their Stated Maturity Date (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments), notice of such redemption shall have been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made; and

 

(i)                                     the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, have been complied with.

 

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Section 4.05.                          Application of Trust Money; Excess Funds. All money and U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and of the series of Securities in respect of which it was deposited, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

The Company will pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the Outstanding Securities.

 

Anything in this Article 4 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or U.S. Governmental Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 4.01 or Section 4.04, as applicable), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent satisfaction and discharge, Covenant Defeasance or Defeasance of the applicable series.

 

Section 4.06.                          Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held. Upon the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent of the Securities (other than the Trustee) shall, upon demand of the Company, be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee, and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

 

Section 4.07.                          Return of Unclaimed Amounts. Any amounts deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any Paying Agent or then held by the Company, in trust for payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities and not applied but remaining unclaimed by the Holders of such Securities for two years after the date upon which the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities, as the case may be, shall have become due and payable, shall be repaid to the Company by the Trustee on Company Request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of any of such Securities shall thereafter look only to the Company for any payment which such Holder may be entitled to collect (subject to applicable escheat laws) and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee or Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once a week for two successive weeks (in each case on any day of the week) in a newspaper printed in the English language and customarily published at least once a day at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, in the City and State of New York, a notice that said amounts have not been so applied and that after a date named therein any unclaimed balance of said amounts then remaining will be promptly returned to the Company.

 

ARTICLE 5
REMEDIES

 

Section 5.01.                          Events of Default. “Event of Default”, wherever used herein, means with respect to any series of Securities any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is either inapplicable to a particular series or it is specifically deleted or modified in the manner contemplated by Section 3.01:

 

(a)                                 default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

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(b)                                 default in the payment of the principal amount of (or premium, if any, on) any Security of such series as and when the same shall become due, either at Maturity, upon redemption, by declaration, or otherwise; or

 

(c)                                  default in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due by the terms of the Securities of such series and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

(d)                                 default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture in respect of the Securities of such series (other than a covenant or warranty in respect of the Securities of such series a default in the performance of which or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

 

(e)                                  the entry of an order for relief against the Company under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code by a court having jurisdiction in the premises or a decree or order by a court having jurisdiction in the premises adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent under any other applicable Federal or State law, or the entry of a decree or order approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

 

(f)                                   the consent by the Company to the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under the U.S Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by it to the filing of any such petition or to the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any such action; or

 

(g)                                  any other Event of Default provided for with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with Section 3.01.

 

A default under any indebtedness of the Company other than the Securities will not constitute an Event of Default under this Indenture, and a default under one series of Securities will not constitute a default under any other series of Securities. The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of an Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer at the Corporate Trust Office has actual knowledge thereof.

 

Section 5.02.                          Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission, and Annulment. If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or 5.01(f)) occurs, so long as such Event of Default with respect to such series shall not have been remedied or waived, unless the principal of all Securities of such series shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee for such series or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount at maturity of the Securities of such series then Outstanding hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by such Holders), may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable, anything in this Indenture or in the Securities of such series contained to the contrary notwithstanding.  If an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or Section 5.01(f) occurs, the principal amount of the Securities of such series and any and all accrued interest thereon shall immediately become and be due and payable without any declaration or other act on the party of the Trustee or any Holder. No declaration of acceleration by the Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall constitute a declaration of acceleration by the Trustee with respect to any other series of Securities, and no declaration of acceleration by the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall constitute a declaration of acceleration or other action by any of the Holders of any other series of Securities, in each case whether or not the

 

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Event of Default on which such declaration is based shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to more than one series of Securities, and whether or not any Holders of the Securities of any such affected series shall also be Holders of Securities of any other such affected series.

 

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration has been made with respect to the Securities of any series and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to such series of Securities, other than the nonpayment of the principal of the Securities of such series which have become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13, if such cure or waiver does not conflict with any judgment or decree set forth in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f) and if all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 have been paid.

 

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

 

Section 5.03.                          Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if:

 

(a)                                 default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on any Security of any series when such interest becomes due and payable, or

 

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

 

(c)                                  default is made in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due by the terms of the Securities of any series, and

 

(d)                                 any such default continues for any period of grace provided in relation to such default pursuant to Section 5.01, then, with respect to the Securities of such series, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holder of any such Security (or the Holders of any such series in the case of clause (c) above), the whole amount then due and payable on any such Security (or on the Securities of any such series in the case of clause (c) above) for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, with interest (to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable) upon the overdue principal (and premium, if any) and upon overdue installments of interest, if any, at such rate or rates as may be prescribed therefor by the terms of any such Security (or of Securities of any such series in the case of clause (c) above); and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07.

 

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

 

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

 

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Section 5.04.                          Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition, or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise,

 

(a)                                 to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal (or, with respect to Original Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities), premium, if any, and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities, and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary and advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements, and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07) and of the Securityholders allowed in such judicial proceedings, and

 

(b)                                 to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Securityholder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and its agent and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 hereof.

 

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

 

Section 5.05.                          Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities of any series may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities of such series or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities, of the series in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

Section 5.06.                          Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee with respect to a series of Securities pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, upon presentation of the Securities of such series and the notation thereon of the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof, if fully paid:

 

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee (acting in any capacity hereunder) under Section 6.07 hereof.

 

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities of that series for principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and additional amounts, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind.

 

Third: The balance, if any, to the Company or other persons entitled thereto.

 

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Section 5.07.                          Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

 

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

 

(b)                                 the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

 

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

 

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

 

(e)                                  no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series; it being understood and intended that no one or more Holders of Securities of such series shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Holders of Securities of such series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and proportionate benefit of all the Holders of all Securities of such series.

 

Section 5.08.                          Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Receive Principal, Premium, and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal, premium, if any, and (subject to Section 3.07) interest, if any, (and additional amounts, if any) on such Security on or after the respective payment dates expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on the Redemption Date or Repayment Date, as the case may be) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective date, and such right shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

 

Section 5.09.                          Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Securityholder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Securityholders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

Section 5.10.                          Rights and Remedies Cumulative. No right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Securityholders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right or remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

Section 5.11.                          Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Securityholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Securityholders, as the case may be.

 

Section 5.12.                          Control by Securityholders. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any

 

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proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that

 

(a)                                 the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that the action so directed may not lawfully be taken or would conflict with this Indenture or if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer, determine that the proceedings so directed would involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders not taking part in such direction (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such directions are unduly prejudicial to such Holders),

 

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

 

(c)                                  prior to taking any such action hereunder, the Trustee shall be entitled to indemnification satisfactory to it against all fees, losses, liabilities and expenses (including attorney’s fees and expenses) caused by or that might be caused by taking or not taking such action.

 

Section 5.13.                          Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series, waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default not theretofore cured:

 

(a)                                 in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security of such series, or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation with respect to the Securities of such series, or

 

(b)                                 in respect of a covenant or provision in this Indenture which, under Article Nine hereof, cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series.

 

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

Section 5.14.                          Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Securityholder or group of Securityholders holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series to which the suit relates, or to any suit instituted by any Securityholder for the enforcement of the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security on or after the respective payment dates expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or Repayment Date).

 

Section 5.15.                          Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law (other than any bankruptcy law) wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

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ARTICLE 6
THE TRUSTEE

 

Section 6.01.                          Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.

 

(a)                                 Except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities,

 

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

 

(ii)                                  in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may, with respect to Securities of such series, conclusively rely upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform on their face to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of calculations or other facts stated therein).

 

(b)                                 If an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise, with respect to the Securities of such series, such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

 

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

 

(i)                                     this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsection (a) of this Section;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 6.02.                          Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after receipt of notice in accordance with Section 6.03(l) of the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Securityholders of such series, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, notice of such default hereunder actually known to the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on

 

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any Security of such series or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund installment or analogous obligation with respect to Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Securityholders of such series and; provided, further, that, in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Securityholders of such series shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default”, with respect to Securities of any series, means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

 

Section 6.03.                          Certain Rights of Trustee. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.01 above:

 

(a)                                 the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties and need not investigate any fact or matter stated therein;

 

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

 

(c)                                  whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) shall be entitled to receive and conclusively rely upon an Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel or both, and shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith reliance on such certificate or opinion;

 

(d)                                 the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice or opinion of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel as to matters of law shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

 

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

 

(f)                                   the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

 

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

 

(h)                                 in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action;

 

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

 

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(j)                                    the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture;

 

(k)                                 before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting it may require an Opinion of Counsel or an Officers’ Certificate;

 

(l)                                     the Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any default (as defined in Section 6.02) or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any Series unless a Responsible Officer has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of such default or Event of Default is received by a Responsible Officer at the office of the Trustee, and such notice references such Securities and this Indenture and states that it is a “Notice of Default”;

 

(m)                             the Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder;

 

(n)                                 the Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Indenture arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control, including acts of God; earthquakes; fire; flood; terrorism; wars and other military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions; loss or malfunctions of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communication services; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority and governmental action;

 

(o)                                 under no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable in its individual capacity for the obligations evidenced by the Securities; and

 

(p)                                 the Trustee shall not be liable or responsible for any action or inaction of the Depositary or any other clearinghouse or depositary.

 

Section 6.04.                          Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

 

Section 6.05.                          May Hold Securities. The Trustee or any Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, or other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 6.08 and 6.13 hereof, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, or such other agent.

 

Section 6.06.                          Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. Neither the Trustee nor any Paying Agent shall be under any liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Company.

 

Section 6.07.                          Compensation and Reimbursement. The Company covenants and agrees

 

(a)                                 to pay the Trustee (acting in any capacity hereunder or in connection herewith) from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

 

(b)                                 except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee (acting in any capacity hereunder or in connection herewith) upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the

 

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reasonable compensation and the reasonable expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its gross negligence or willful misconduct; and

 

(c)                                  to indemnify the Trustee (acting in any capacity hereunder or in connection herewith and any predecessor of each of them as the case may be) and its officers, directors, employees, counsel and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, claim or expense (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of its agents, legal counsel, accountants and experts) and including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred without gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, or in connection with enforcing the provisions of this Section 6.07.

 

Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f) above, such expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or other similar law.

 

The Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by it as such for any amount owing to it or any predecessor Trustee pursuant to this Section 6.07, except with respect to funds held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of particular Securities.

 

Any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee after a default specified by Section 5.01(e) or (f) is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “Trustee” for purposes of this Section 6.07 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or willful misconduct of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.07. The provisions of this Article (including this Section 6.07) shall, to the extent permitted by law, survive any termination or satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture (including, without limitation, termination pursuant to any Bankruptcy Laws) and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

 

Section 6.08.                          Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. If the Trustee has or shall acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it shall either eliminate such interest or resign as Trustee with respect to one or more series of Securities, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. To the extent permitted by such Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series.

 

Section 6.09.                          Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder with respect to each series of Securities that shall be a corporation, national association or other legal entity organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

Section 6.10.                          Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

 

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

 

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(b)                                 The Trustee may resign with respect to any one or more series of Securities at any time by giving at least 30 days’ written notice thereof to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction, at the expense of the Company, for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

(c)                                  The Trustee may be removed upon at least 30 days’ written notice with respect to any series of Securities at any time by Act of the Holders of 66 2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.

 

(d)                                 If at any time:

 

(i)                                     the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 6.08 above with respect to any series of Securities after written request therefor by the Company or by any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of that series for at least six months, or

 

(ii)                                  the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.09 above with respect to any series of Securities and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Securityholder, or

 

(iii)                               the Trustee shall become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or

 

(iv)                              the Trustee shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then, in any such case (A) the Company may remove the Trustee, with respect to the series or, in the case of clause (iv), with respect to all series, or (B) subject to Section 5.14, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the series or, in the case of clause (iv), with respect to all series.

 

(e)                                  If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee with respect to any series of Securities for any cause, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee for that series of Securities. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to such series of Securities shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with respect to such series and supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company with respect to such series. If no successor Trustee with respect to such series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Securityholders of such series and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Securityholder who has been bona fide Holder of a Security of that series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

 

(f)                                   The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Securities of that series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register or in accordance with the procedures of the applicable Depositary for such Securities. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its principal Corporate Trust Office.

 

Section 6.11.                          Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. Every successor Trustee appointed hereunder with respect to all series of Securities shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the predecessor Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the predecessor

 

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Trustee shall become effective, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to any such series; but, on request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such predecessor Trustee shall, upon payment of its reasonable charges and any amounts outstanding under Section 6.07, if any, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the predecessor Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such predecessor Trustee hereunder. The retiring or removed Trustee shall have no responsibility or liability for the action or inaction of any successor Trustee.

 

In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the predecessor Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any applicable series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to transfer and to conform to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and (2) if the predecessor Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the predecessor Trustee is not being succeeded shall continue to be vested in the predecessor Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be Trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; and, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

 

Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may be.

 

No successor Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible with respect to that series under this Article.

 

Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations under Section 6.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

 

Section 6.12.                          Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Person into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such Person shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor Trustee by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

 

Section 6.13.                          Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. If and when the Trustee shall be or shall become a creditor of the Company (or of any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or against any such other obligor, as the case may be).

 

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Section 6.14.                          Appointment of Authenticating Agent. At any time when any of the Securities remain Outstanding the Trustee, with the approval of the Company, may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as an Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

 

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

 

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and, if other than the Company, to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and, if other than the Company, to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee, with the approval of the Company, may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section 6.14.

 

The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section 6.14.

 

If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section 6.14, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in the following form:

 

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

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, not in
its individual capacity but solely as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

 

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ARTICLE 7
SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

 

Section 7.01.                          Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders. The Company covenants and agrees that it will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of all information in the possession or control of the Company as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities of a particular series specified by the Trustee which list may be conclusively relied upon by the Trustee; provided, that if and so long as the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar with respect to such series, such list shall not be required to be furnished.

 

Section 7.02.                          Preservation of Information; Communications to Securityholders.

 

(a)                                 The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders of Securities contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 7.01 and the names and addresses of Holders of Securities received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 7.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

 

(b)                                 If three or more Holders of Securities of any series (hereinafter referred to as “applicants”) apply in writing to the Trustee, and furnish to the Trustee reasonable proof that each such applicant has owned a Security of such series for a period of at least six months preceding the date of such application, and such application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other Holders of Securities of such series or with the Holders of all Securities with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under such Securities and is accompanied by a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then the Trustee shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, at its election, either:

 

(i)                                     afford such applicants access to the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), or

 

(ii)                                  inform such applicants as to the approximate number of Holders of Securities of such series or all Securities, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), and as to the approximate cost of mailing to such Securityholders the form of proxy or other communication, if any, specified in such application.

 

If the Trustee shall elect not to afford such applicants access to such information, the Trustee shall, upon the written request of such applicants, mail to each Holder of a Security of such series or to all Securityholders, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02 (a), a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which is specified in such request, with reasonable promptness after a tender to the Trustee of the material to be mailed and of payment, or provision for the payment, of the reasonable expenses of mailing, unless within five days after such tender, the Trustee shall mail to such applicants and file with the Commission, together with a copy of the material to be mailed, a written statement to the effect that, in the opinion of the Trustee, such mailing would be contrary to the best interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or all Securityholders, as the case may be, or would be in violation of applicable law. Such written statement shall specify the basis of such opinion. If the Commission, after opportunity for a hearing upon the objections specified in the written statement so filed, shall enter an order refusing to sustain any of such objections or if, after the entry of an order sustaining one or more of such objections, the Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that all the objections so sustained have been met and shall enter an order so declaring, the Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all Securityholders of such series or all Securityholders, as the case may be, with reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the renewal of such tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be relieved of any obligation or duty to such applicants respecting their application.

 

(c)                                  Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of

 

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any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 7.02(b), regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 7.02(b).

 

Section 7.03.                          Reports by Trustee.

 

(a)                                 The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within 60 days after each June 1 following the date of this Indenture, deliver to each Holder, as provided in Trust Indenture Act Section 313(c), a brief report dated as of such June 1, which complies with the provisions of such Section 313(a).

 

(b)                                 A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company as required by Trust Indenture Act Section 313(d). The Company will promptly notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.

 

Section 7.04.                          Reports by Company. The Company will:

 

(a)                                 file with the Trustee, within 30 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it will file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations; and

 

(b)                                 transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission;

 

provided that any such information, documents or reports filed or furnished with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (including any successor thereto, “EDGAR”) system shall be deemed to be filed with the Trustee and transmitted to the Holders as of the time such information, documents or reports are filed or furnished by EDGAR.

 

Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under this Section 7.04 is for informational purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of the foregoing shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates). The Trustee shall have no responsibility for the filing, timeliness or content of reports or to determine whether any information or reports have been filed with the Commission.

 

ARTICLE 8
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER

 

Section 8.01.                          Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or convey or transfer all or substantially all of its properties and assets and the properties and assets of the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person, unless:

 

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(a)                                 either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State or the District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

 

(b)                                 immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and

 

(c)                                  the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and any assumption permitted or required by this Article complies with the provisions of this Article, that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with, and, if any supplement indenture is required in connection with such transaction, that such supplemental Indenture complies with the applicable provisions of this Indenture, that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with and that such supplemental Indenture is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the successor corporation enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.

 

Section 8.02.                          Successor Corporation Substituted. Upon any consolidation or merger, or any conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person to which such conveyance or transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor corporation had been named as the Company herein and the Company shall thereupon be released from all obligations hereunder and under the Securities. Such successor corporation thereupon may cause to be signed and may issue any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor corporation, instead of the Company, and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor corporation thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All of the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

 

In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

 

ARTICLE 9
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

Section 9.01.                          Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders. Without notice to or the consent of the Holders of any Securities, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as in force at the date of execution thereof), in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

 

(a)                                 to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company pursuant to Article 8 hereof; or

 

(b)                                 to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions or conditions for the protection of the Holders of the Securities of any or all series as the Company shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of the Securities of any or all series or to surrender any right or power herein conferred

 

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upon the Company (and if such covenants or the surrender of such right or power are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included or such surrenders are expressly being made solely for the benefit of one or more specified series); or

 

(c)                                  to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein or in any supplemental indenture or under any supplemental indenture which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein or in any supplemental indenture, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture that do not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect as set forth in an Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee; or

 

(d)                                 to add to this Indenture such provisions as may be expressly permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, excluding, however, the provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act as in effect at the date as of which this instrument is executed or any corresponding provision in any similar federal statute hereafter enacted; or

 

(e)                                  to add guarantors or co-obligors with respect to any series of Securities; or

 

(f)                                   to secure any series of Securities; or

 

(g)                                  to establish any form of Security, as provided in Article 2 hereof, and to provide for the issuance of any series of Securities, as provided in Article 3 hereof, and to set forth the terms thereof, and/or to add to the rights of the Holders of the Securities of any series; or

 

(h)                                 to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee hereunder with respect to one or more series of Securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to Section 6.11 hereof; or

 

(i)                                     to add any additional Events of Default in respect of the Securities of any or all series (and if such additional Events of Default are to be in respect of less than all series of Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of one or more specified series); or

 

(j)                                    to comply with the requirements of the Commission in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

 

(k)                                 to make any change in any series of Securities that does not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the Holders of such Securities as set forth in an Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee; or

 

(l)                                     to delete, modify or add provisions of this Indenture; provided that, such deletion, modification or addition does not apply to any Outstanding Security created prior to the date of such supplemental indenture.

 

Section 9.02.                          Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture or indentures, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each such series under this Indenture; provided, however , that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby:

 

(a)                                 change the Scheduled Maturity Date or the stated payment date of any payment of premium or interest payable on any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or any amount of interest or premium payable thereon, or

 

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(b)                                 change the method of computing the amount of principal of any Security or any interest payable thereon on any date, or change the coin or currency in which any Security or any payment of premium or interest thereon is payable, or

 

(c)                                  impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment described in clauses (a) or (b) on or after the same shall become due and payable, whether at Maturity or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or the Repayment Date, as the case may be; or

 

(d)                                 change or waive the redemption or repayment provisions of any series;

 

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

 

(f)                                   modify any of the provisions of this Section or Section 5.13, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided, however , that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 6.11 and 9.01(h); or

 

(g)                                  adversely affect the ranking or priority of any series;

 

(h)                                 release any guarantor or co-obligor from any of its obligations under its guarantee of the Securities or this Indenture, except in compliance with the terms of this Indenture; or

 

(i)                                     waive any Event of Default pursuant to Section 5.01(a), Section 5.01(b) or Section 5.01(c) hereof with respect to such Security.

 

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

 

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Securityholders under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

 

Section 9.03.                          Execution of Supplemental Indentures. Upon request of the Company and, if applicable, upon filing with the Trustee of evidence of an Act of Securityholders as aforementioned, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, powers, trusts, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture, with respect to Section 9.01(k), does not adversely affect in any materials respects the interests of the Holders, and that such supplemental indenture is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.

 

Section 9.04.                          Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and the respective rights, limitation

 

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of rights, duties, powers, trusts and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company, and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be determined, exercised and enforced thereunder to the extent provided therein.

 

Section 9.05.                          Conformity With Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

 

Section 9.06.                          Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Company, bear a notation in form approved by the Company as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities.

 

ARTICLE 10
COVENANTS

 

Section 10.01.                   Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest. With respect to each series of Securities, the Company will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities in accordance with their terms and this Indenture, and will duly comply with all the other terms, agreements and conditions contained in the Indenture for the benefit of the Securities of such series.

 

Section 10.02.                   Maintenance of Office or Agency. So long as any of the Securities remain outstanding, the Company will maintain for each series an office or agency in each Place of Payment (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee) where Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and of any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain such office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

 

Section 10.03.                   Money or Security Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent for any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Holders of such Securities or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will notify the Trustee 15 Business Days prior of its action or failure so to act. Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, on or prior to each due date of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities of such series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities entitled to the same and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will notify the Trustee 15 Business Days prior of its action or failure so to act.

 

The Company will cause each Paying Agent other than the Trustee for any series of Securities to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will:

 

(a)                                 hold all sums held by it for the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Holders of such Securities or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;

 

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(b)                                 give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any such payment or delivery of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series; and

 

(c)                                  at any time during the continuance of any such Event of Default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay or deliver to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

 

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

 

Section 10.04.                   Certificate to Trustee. The Company will deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each calendar year, commencing with the first calendar year following the issuance of securities of any series under this Indenture, an Officers’ Certificate, which need not comply with Section 1.02, one of whose signatories shall be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal accounting officer or principal financial officer, stating that in the course of the performance by the signers of their duties as officers of the Company they would normally have knowledge of any default by the Company in the performance of any of its covenants, conditions or agreements contained herein (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder), stating whether or not they have knowledge of any such default and, if so, specifying each such default of which the signers have knowledge and the nature thereof.

 

Section 10.05.                   Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 8 the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.

 

ARTICLE 11
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

Section 11.01.                   Applicability of Article. The Company may reserve the right to redeem and pay before the Scheduled Maturity Date all or any part of the Securities of any series, either by optional redemption, sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation or otherwise, by provision therefor in the form of Security for such series established and approved pursuant to Section 2.02 and 2.03 or as otherwise provided in Section 3.01, and on such terms as are specified in such form or in the indenture supplemental hereto with respect to Securities of such series as provided in Section 3.01. Redemption of Securities of any series shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and, to the extent that this Article does not conflict with such terms, the succeeding Sections of this Article.

 

Section 11.02.                   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company, the Company shall, at least 30 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities (a) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

 

Section 11.03.                   Selection of Securities to be Redeemed. If fewer than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate (provided that, in the case of Securities issued in global form such selection shall be based on the method required by the Depositary), which method may include provision for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal of Securities of

 

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such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series. Unless otherwise provided in the terms of a particular series of Securities, the portions of the principal of Securities so selected for partial redemption shall be equal to the minimum authorized denomination of the Securities of such series, or an integral multiple thereof, and the principal amount which remains outstanding shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series.

 

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Security selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

 

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

 

Section 11.04.                   Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed (or in the case of Securities issued in global form, by electronic delivery in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures) not fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his or her address appearing in the Security Register on the applicable Record Date.

 

All notices of redemption shall state:

 

(a)                                 the Redemption Date;

 

(b)                                 the Redemption Price, or if not then ascertainable, the manner of calculation thereof;

 

(c)                                  if fewer than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the respective principal amounts) of the Securities to be redeemed, from the Holder to whom the notice is given and that on and after the date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of the same series in the aggregate principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in accordance with Section 11.07;

 

(d)                                 that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Security, and that interest, if any, thereon shall cease to accrue from and after said date;

 

(e)                                  the place where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price, which shall be the office or agency maintained by the Company in the Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof; and

 

(f)                                   that the redemption is on account of a sinking or purchase fund, or other analogous obligation, if that be the case.

 

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s Request, made at least five Business Days prior to the date on which notice is to be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company. The notice if mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, a failure to give such notice by mail or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Security designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Security.

 

Section 11.05.                   Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money, in immediately available funds, sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date.

 

Section 11.06.                   Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of Redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the

 

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Redemption Price therein specified and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of such Securities for redemption in accordance with the notice, such Securities shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price. Any installment of interest due and payable on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities registered as such on the relevant Record Date according to the terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 above; unless, with respect to an Interest Payment Date that falls on a Redemption Date, such Securities provide that interest due on such date is to be paid to the Person to whom principal is payable.

 

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Security, or as otherwise provided in such Security.

 

Section 11.07.                   Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Security that is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at the office or agency maintained by the Company in the Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof with respect to that series (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same series, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holders in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

 

Section 11.08.                   Provisions with Respect to any Sinking Funds. Unless the form or terms of any series of Securities shall provide otherwise, in lieu of making all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to such series of Securities in cash, the Company may at its option (a) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities of such series theretofore acquired by the Company, or (b) receive credit for any Securities of such series (not previously so credited) acquired or redeemed by the Company (other than through operation of a mandatory sinking fund) and theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, and if it does so then (i) Securities so delivered or credited shall be credited at the applicable sinking fund Redemption Price with respect to Securities of such series, and (ii) on or before the 60th day next preceding each sinking fund Redemption Date with respect to such series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee (A) an Officers’ Certificate specifying the portions of such sinking fund payment to be satisfied by payment of cash and by the delivery or credit of Securities of such series acquired or redeemed by the Company, and (B) such Securities, to the extent not previously surrendered. Such Officers’ Certificate shall also state the basis for any such credit and that the Securities for which the Company elects to receive credit have not been previously so credited and were not acquired by the Company through operation of the mandatory sinking fund, if any, provided with respect to such Securities and shall also state that no Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series has occurred and is continuing. All Securities so delivered to the Trustee shall be canceled by the Trustee and no Securities shall be authenticated in lieu thereof.

 

If the sinking fund payment or payments (mandatory or optional) with respect to any series of Securities made in cash plus any unused balance of any preceding sinking fund payments with respect to Securities of such series made in cash shall exceed $50,000 (or a lesser sum if the Company shall so request), unless otherwise provided by the terms of such series of Securities, that cash shall be applied by the Trustee on the sinking fund Redemption Date with respect to Securities of such series next following the date of such payment to the redemption of Securities of such series at the applicable sinking fund Redemption Price with respect to Securities of such series, together with accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption, with the effect provided in Section 11.06. The Trustee shall select, in the manner provided in Section 11.03, for redemption on such sinking fund Redemption Date a sufficient principal amount of Securities of such series to utilize that cash and shall thereupon cause notice of redemption of the Securities of such series for the sinking fund to be given in the manner provided in Section 11.04 (and with the effect provided in Section 11.06) for the redemption of Securities in part at the option of the Company. Any sinking fund moneys not so applied or allocated by the Trustee to the redemption of Securities of such series shall be added to the next cash sinking fund payment with respect to Securities of such series received by the Trustee and, together with such payment, shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of this Section 11.08. Any and all sinking fund moneys with respect to Securities of any series held by the Trustee at the Maturity of Securities of such series, and not held for the payment or redemption of particular Securities of such series, shall be applied by the Trustee, together with other moneys, if necessary, to be deposited sufficient for the purpose, to the

 

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payment of the principal of the Securities of such series at Maturity. On or before each sinking fund Redemption Date provided with respect to Securities of any series, the Company shall pay to the Trustee in cash a sum equal to all accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption on Securities to be redeemed on such sinking fund Redemption Date pursuant to this Section 11.08.

 

The Trustee shall not redeem any Securities with sinking fund moneys or give any notice of redemption of Securities by operation of the applicable sinking fund during the continuance of a default in payment of interest on Securities of such series or of any Event of Default with respect to such series, except that if the notice of redemption of any Securities shall theretofore have been mailed in accordance with the provisions hereof, the Trustee shall redeem such Securities if cash sufficient for that purpose shall be deposited with the Trustee for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this Article 11. Except as aforesaid, any moneys in the sinking fund with respect to Securities of any series at the time when any such default or Event of Default with respect to such series shall occur, and any moneys thereafter paid into such sinking fund shall, during the continuance of such default or Event of Default with respect to such series, be held as security for the payment of all Securities of such series; provided, however, that in case such default or Event of Default with respect to such series shall have been cured or waived as provided herein, such moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next sinking fund payment date on which such moneys may be applied pursuant to the provisions of this Section 11.08.

 

ARTICLE 12
REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDERS

 

Section 12.01.                   Applicability of Article. Repayment of Securities of any series which are repayable before their Scheduled Maturity Date at the option of Holders thereof shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

 

Section 12.02.                   Repayment of Securities. Securities of any series subject to repayment in whole or in part at the option of the Holders thereof will, unless otherwise provided in the terms of such Securities, be repaid at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest thereon accrued to the Repayment Date specified in the terms of such Securities. On or before the Repayment Date, the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money, in immediately available funds, sufficient to pay the Repayment Price of all the Securities which are to be repaid on such date.

 

Section 12.03.                   Exercise of Option. Securities of any series subject to repayment at the option of the Holders thereof will contain an “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Securities. To be repaid at the option of the Holder, any Security so providing for such repayment, with the “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Security duly completed by the Holder, must be received by the Company at the Place of Payment therefor specified in the terms of such Security (or at such other place or places of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holders of such Securities) not earlier than 30 days nor later than 15 days prior to the Repayment Date. If less than the entire principal amount of such Security is to be repaid in accordance with the terms of such Security, the principal amount of such Security to be repaid, in increments of $1,000 unless otherwise specified in the terms of such Security, and the denomination or denominations of the Security or Securities to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the principal amount of such Security surrendered that is not to be repaid must be specified. The principal amount of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof may not be repaid in part, if, following such repayment, the unpaid principal amount of such Security would be less than the minimum authorized denomination of Securities of the series of which such Security to be repaid is a part. Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof, exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable unless waived by the Company.

 

Section 12.04.                   When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable. If Securities of any series providing for repayment at the option of the Holders thereof shall have been surrendered as provided in this Article and as provided by the terms of such Securities, such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid shall become due and payable and shall be paid by the Company on the Repayment Date therein specified, and on and after such Repayment Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such

 

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Securities on such Repayment Date) interest on such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, shall cease to accrue.

 

Section 12.05.                   Securities Repaid in Part. Upon surrender of any Security which is to be repaid in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same series, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, of any authorized denomination specified by the Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the portion of the principal of such Security so surrendered which is not to be repaid.

 

(signature page follows)

 

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

 

 

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Todd A. Gipple

 

 

Name:

Todd A. Gipple

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating

 

 

 

Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

WILMINGTON TRUST,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael H. Wass

 

 

Name:

Michael H. Wass

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page – Indenture]

 


EX-4.2 4 a19-3454_6ex4d2.htm EX-4.2

Exhibit 4.2

 

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

and

 

Wilmington Trust, National Association

 

as Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar

 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of February 12, 2019

 

to

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of February 12, 2019

 

5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029

 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “First Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of February 12, 2019, between QCR HOLDINGS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association, organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, as trustee (the “Trustee”), Registrar and Paying Agent.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee have heretofore executed and delivered the Indenture, dated as of February 12, 2019 (the “Base Indenture” and, as hereby supplemented and amended, the “Indenture”), providing for the establishment from time to time of series of the Company’s unsecured debt securities, which may be debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “Securities”) and the issuance from time to time of Securities under the Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, Section 9.01(g) of the Base Indenture provides that the Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture to the Base Indenture to establish the form or terms of Securities of a series thereunder as permitted by Article II and Article III of the Base Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Base Indenture, the Company desires to establish a new series of Securities under the Indenture to be known as its “5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029” (the “Notes”), to establish the form and terms and conditions of the Notes, as provided in this First Supplemental Indenture, and to provide for the initial issuance of Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $65,000,000; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this First Supplemental Indenture; and all requirements necessary to make (i) this First Supplemental Indenture a valid, binding and enforceable instrument in accordance with its terms, and (ii) the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture, the valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company, have been satisfied; and the execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized in all respects; and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

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ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1. Relation to Base Indenture. This First Supplemental Indenture constitutes an integral part of the Base Indenture.

 

Section 1.2. Definition of Terms. For all purposes of this First Supplemental Indenture:

 

(a) Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings set forth in the Base Indenture, provided that, if the definition of a capitalized term defined in this First Supplemental Indenture conflicts with the definition of that capitalized term in the Base Indenture, the definition of that capitalized term in this First Supplemental Indenture shall control for purposes of this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes and (in respect of the Notes but not any other series of Securities) the Base Indenture;

 

(b) a term defined anywhere in this First Supplemental Indenture has the same meaning throughout;

 

(c) the singular includes the plural and vice versa;

 

(d) headings are for convenience of reference only and do not affect interpretation;

 

(e) unless otherwise specified or unless the context requires otherwise, (i) all references in this First Supplemental Indenture to Sections refer to the corresponding Sections of this First Supplemental Indenture, and (ii) the terms “herein,” “hereof,” “hereunder” and any other word of similar import refer to this First Supplemental Indenture; and

 

(f) for purposes of this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes, the following terms have the meanings given to them in this Section 1.2(f):

 

1940 Act Event” means an event requiring the Company to register as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday or Sunday that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation, or executive order to be closed; provided, however, that in the case of any Floating Rate Interest Payment Date, such day is also a London Banking Day.

 

Calculation Agent” means Wilmington Trust, National Association, or any other successor appointed by the Company, acting as calculation agent. The Company may appoint itself, or any of its affiliates, as the Calculation Agent.

 

Corporate Trust Office” means the corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time this Indenture is administered, which office, at the date of the execution of this First Supplemental Indenture, is located at 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890, Attention: QCR Holdings, Inc. Administrator.

 

DTC” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3 hereof.

 

Designated LIBOR Page” means the display on Bloomberg Page BBAM1 (or any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to such service selected by the Company), for the purpose of displaying the London interbank rates for U.S. dollars.

 

Determination Date” means the second London Banking Day immediately preceding the first day of each applicable interest period commencing on the first Floating Rate Interest Payment Date.

 

Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any successor regulatory authority with jurisdiction over bank holding companies.

 

Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b)(i) hereof.

 

Fixed Rate Interest Record Date” means, with respect to each Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date, the close of business on the February 1 or August 1 (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding such Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date, through February 15, 2024.

 

Fixed Rate Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b)(i) hereof.

 

Floating Rate Interest Payment Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b)(ii) hereof.

 

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Floating Rate Interest Record Date” means, with respect to each Floating Rate Interest Payment Date, the close of business on the February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date.

 

Floating Rate Period” has the meaning set forth in section 2.5(b)(ii) hereof.

 

Global Note” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4 hereof.

 

Independent Bank Regulatory Counsel” means a law firm, a member of a law firm or an independent practitioner that is experienced in matters of federal bank holding company and banking regulatory law, including the laws, rules and the guidelines of the Federal Reserve Board relating to regulatory capital, and shall include any Person who, under the standards of professional conduct then prevailing and applicable to such counsel, would not have a conflict of interest in representing the Company or the Trustee in connection with providing the legal opinion contemplated by the definition of the term “Tier 2 Capital Event.”

 

Independent Tax Counsel” means a law firm, a member of a law firm or an independent practitioner that is experienced in matters of federal income taxation law, including the deductibility of interest payments made with respect to corporate debt instruments, and shall include any Person who, under the standards of professional conduct then prevailing and applicable to such counsel, would not have a conflict of interest in representing the Company or the Trustee in connection with providing the legal opinion contemplated by the definition of the term “Tax Event.”

 

Interest Payment Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5(b)(ii) hereof.

 

London Banking Day” means any date on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in U.S. dollars) in London, England.

 

Representative” means the indenture trustee or other trustee, agent or representative for an issue of Senior Indebtedness.

 

Senior Indebtedness” means:

 

(a) any of the Company’s indebtedness (including the principal of and premium, if any, and unpaid interest on such indebtedness) for borrowed or purchased money including overdrafts, foreign exchange contracts, currency exchange agreements, interest rate protection agreements, and any loans or advances from banks, whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, or other written instruments, including any obligations of the Company to general creditors, depositors or trade creditors;

 

(b) the Company’s obligations under letters of credit, bank guarantees or bankers’ acceptances;

 

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

 

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

 

(e) all obligations and liabilities in respect of leases required in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles to be accounted for as capitalized lease obligations on the Company’s balance sheet;

 

(f) all obligations and other liabilities under any lease or related document in connection with the lease of real property which provides that the Company is contractually obligated to purchase or cause a third party to purchase the leased property and thereby guarantee a minimum residual value of the leased property to the lessor;

 

(g) all direct or indirect guarantees or similar agreements in respect of, and the Company’s obligations or liabilities to purchase, acquire or otherwise assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of others of the type described in clauses (a) through (f) above; and

 

(h) any and all refinancings, replacements, deferrals, renewals, extensions and refundings of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, any indebtedness, obligation or liability of the kind described in

 

3


 

clauses (a) through (g) above, other than obligations ranking on a parity with the Notes or ranking junior to the Notes.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Federal Reserve Board (or other competent regulatory agency or authority) promulgates any rule or issues any interpretation that defines general creditor(s), the main purpose of which is to establish a criteria for determining whether the subordinated debt of a bank holding company is to be included in its capital, then the term “general creditors” as used herein the definition of Senior Indebtedness will have the meaning as described in that rule or interpretation.

 

The term “Senior Indebtedness” does not include: (i) any indebtedness of the Company which when incurred, and without respect to any election under Section 1111(b) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, was without recourse to the Company; (ii) any indebtedness of the Company to any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) indebtedness to any employee of the Company; (iv) any liability for taxes; (v) any indebtedness of the Company which is expressly subordinate in right of payment to any other indebtedness of the Company; or (vi) renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any such indebtedness.

 

Stated Maturity Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2 hereof.

 

Tax Event” means the receipt by the Company of an opinion of Independent Tax Counsel to the effect that, as a result of:

 

(a) an amendment to or change (including any announced prospective amendment or change) in any law or treaty, or any regulation thereunder, of the United States or any of its political subdivisions or taxing authorities;

 

(b) a judicial decision, administrative action, official administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure, regulation, notice or announcement, including any notice or announcement of intent to adopt or promulgate any ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation (any of the foregoing, an “administrative or judicial action”);

 

(c) an amendment to or change in any official position with respect to, or any interpretation of, an administrative or judicial action or a law or regulation of the United States that differs from the previously generally accepted position or interpretation; or

 

(d) a threatened challenge asserted in writing in connection with an audit of the Company’s federal income tax returns or positions or a similar audit of any of its Subsidiaries, or a publicly known threatened challenge asserted in writing against any other taxpayer that has raised capital through the issuance of securities that are substantially similar to the Notes, in each case, occurring or becoming publicly known on or after the original issue date of the Notes, there is more than an insubstantial risk that interest payable by the Company on the Notes is not, or, within 90 days of the date of such opinion, will not be, deductible by the Company, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax purposes.

 

Three-month LIBOR” means, for any Floating Rate Period, the offered rate for deposits in U.S. dollars having a maturity of three months that appears on the Designated LIBOR Page as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on the Determination Date related to such Floating Rate Period. If such rate does not appear on such page at such time, then the Calculation Agent will request the principal London office of each of four major reference banks in the London interbank market, selected by the Company for this purpose and whose names and contact information will be provided by the Company to the Calculation Agent, to provide such bank’s offered quotation to prime banks in the London interbank market for deposits in U.S. dollars with a term of three months as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on such Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to an amount for a single transaction in U.S. dollars in the relevant market at the relevant time as determined by the Company and provided to the Calculation Agent (a “Representative Amount”). If at least two such quotations are so provided, Three-Month LIBOR for the Floating Rate Period related to such Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of such quotations. If fewer than two such quotations are provided, the Calculation Agent will request each of three major banks in the City of New York selected by the Company for this purpose and whose names and contact information will be provided by the Company to the Calculation Agent, to provide such bank’s rate for loans in U.S. dollars to leading European banks with a term of three months as of approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Determination Date and in a Representative Amount. If at least two such rates are so provided, Three-Month LIBOR for the Floating Rate Period related to such Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of such quotations. If fewer than two such rates are so provided, then Three-Month LIBOR for the Floating Rate Period related to such Determination Date

 

4


 

will be set to equal the Three-Month LIBOR for the immediately preceding Floating Rate Period or, in the case of the Floating Rate Period commencing on the first Floating Rate Interest Payment Date, 2.555%, resulting in a coupon rate of 5.375%. All percentages used in or resulting from any calculation of Three-Month LIBOR will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, with 0.000005% rounded up to 0.00001%. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that Three-Month LIBOR as determined in accordance with this definition is less than zero, Three-Month LIBOR for such Floating Rate Period shall be deemed to be zero.

 

In addition, if the Calculation Agent determines that three-month LIBOR is not published on the Designated LIBOR Page, then the Company may determine and provide to the Calculation Agent in writing whether to calculate the relevant interest rate using a substitute or successor base rate that it has determined in its sole discretion is most comparable to three-month LIBOR or is an industry-accepted substitute or successor base rate, and the Calculation Agent will use that substitute or successor base rate as directed by the Company in writing. If a substitute or successor base rate has been determined in accordance with the foregoing, the Company in its sole discretion may determine what business day convention to use, the definition of business day, the Determination Date to be used and any other relevant methodology for calculating such substitute or successor base rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such substitute or successor base rate comparable to the LIBOR base rate, in a manner that is consistent with industry-accepted practices for such substitute or successor base rate.

 

Tier 2 Capital Event” shall mean the receipt by the Company of an opinion of Independent Bank Regulatory Counsel to the effect that, as a result of:

 

(a) any amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective amendment or change) in, the laws or any regulations thereunder of the United States or any rules, guidelines or policies of an applicable regulatory authority for the Company; or

 

(b) any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations, which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the original issue date of the Notes,

 

the Notes do not constitute, or within 90 days of the date of such opinion will not constitute, Tier 2 capital (or its then-equivalent if the Company were subject to such capital requirement) for purposes of capital adequacy guidelines of the Federal Reserve Board, as then in effect and applicable to the Company.

 

The terms “Company,” “Trustee,” “Base Indenture,” “First Supplemental Indenture,” “Indenture,” “Securities” and “Notes” shall have the respective meanings set forth in the recitals to this First Supplemental Indenture and the paragraph preceding such recitals.

 

ARTICLE 2

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NOTES AND

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE NOTES

 

Section 2.1. Establishment of the Series of the Notes and Designation. There is hereby authorized and established a series of Securities designated as the “5.375% Fixed to Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029.” The Securities that are a part of such series shall be in the form and have the terms, provisions and conditions as set forth in the Base Indenture, this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

Section 2.2. Payment of Principal; Issue Price. Except as earlier redeemed in accordance with this First Supplemental Indenture, the date upon which the entire principal amount of the Notes shall become due and payable, together with any accrued and unpaid interest then owing, shall be February 15, 2029 (the “Stated Maturity Date”). The Notes issued on the date hereof will be issued at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof.

 

Section 2.3. Form, Payment and Appointment. Except as provided in Section 3.05 of the Base Indenture, the Notes will be issued only in book-entry form, will be represented by one or more Global Notes registered in the name of or held by The Depository Trust Company or any successor thereto (“DTC”) or its nominee as the Depositary therefor. So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of Global Notes, DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the Holder of the Notes represented by such Global Notes for all purposes under

 

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the Indenture. The Company will make payments of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on the Global Notes to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered Holder of the Notes. The principal of any Notes in the form of Individual Securities will be payable at the place of payment set forth below.

 

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

 

The Security Registrar and Paying Agent for the Notes shall initially be the Trustee.

 

The Place of Payment for the Notes shall be an office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose, which shall initially be the Corporate Trust Office.

 

The Notes will be issuable and may be transferred only in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The amounts payable with respect to the Notes shall be payable in U.S. Dollars.

 

Section 2.4. Global Note. The Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more fully registered Global Securities (each such Global Security, a “Global Note”) registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with DTC or its designated custodian or such other Depositary as any officer of the Company may from time to time designate. Unless and until a Global Note is exchanged for Notes in certificated form, such Global Note may be transferred, in whole but not in part, and any payments on the Notes shall be made, only to DTC or a nominee of DTC, or to a successor Depositary selected or approved by the Company or to a nominee of such successor Depositary as provided in the Indenture.

 

Section 2.5. Interest.

 

(a) Interest payable on any Interest Payment Date, the Stated Maturity Date or the Redemption Date, if any, with respect to the Notes shall be the amount of interest accrued from, and including, the immediately preceding Interest Payment Date in respect of which interest has been paid or duly provided for (or from and including the original issue date of Notes if no interest has previously been paid or duly provided for with respect to the Notes) to, but excluding, such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity Date or the Redemption Date, if any, as the case may be.

 

(b) (i) From, and including, the original issue date of the Notes to, but excluding, February 15, 2024, unless redeemed prior to such date pursuant to Article 3 hereof, the Notes will bear interest at the annual rate of 5.375%, computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months, and payable semi-annually in arrears on each February 15 and August 15, beginning on August 15, 2019 and ending on February 15, 2024  (each such payment date, a “Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date,” with the period from, and including, the original issue date of the Notes to, but excluding, the first Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date and each successive period from, and including, a Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date being a “Fixed Rate Period”). In the event that any scheduled Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date for the Notes falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment of interest payable on such Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date will be postponed to the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and no interest on such payment will accrue for the period from and after such scheduled Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date).

 

(ii) From, and including February 15, 2024  to, but excluding, the Stated Maturity Date, unless redeemed subsequent to February 15, 2024 but prior to the Stated Maturity Date pursuant to Article 3 hereof, the Notes will bear interest at an annual rate equal to Three-month LIBOR, reset quarterly, plus 282 basis points (2.82%), payable quarterly in arrears on each February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15, beginning on February 15, 2024 (each such payment date, a “Floating Rate Interest Payment Date,” and, together with the Fixed Rate Interest Payment Dates, collectively the “Interest Payment Dates,” with the period from, and including, February 15, 2024 to, but excluding, the first Floating Rate Interest Payment Date and each successive period from, and including, a Floating Rate Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Floating Rate Interest Payment Date being a “Floating Rate Period”). Interest payable on the Notes for a Floating Rate Period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual

 

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number of days in such Floating Rate Period. The Calculation Agent shall notify the Trustee (if the Trustee is not the Calculation Agent) in writing of the interest rate for each Floating Rate Period on the applicable Determination Date. In the event that any scheduled Floating Rate Interest Payment Date for the Notes falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment of interest payable on such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date will be postponed to the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, unless such day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, in which case such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date will be accelerated to the immediately preceding day that is a Business Day, and, in each such case, the amounts payable on such Business Day will include interest accrued to, but excluding, such Business Day.

 

(c) Interest due on the Stated Maturity Date (whether or not an Interest Payment Date) of the Notes will be paid to the Person to whom principal of the Notes is payable, subject to DTC’s applicable procedures.

 

Section 2.6. Subordination.

 

(a) Except as otherwise specified, the Company agrees, and each Holder of the Notes by accepting the Notes agrees, that the indebtedness evidenced by the Notes is subordinated in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner provided in this Section 2.6, to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness and that the subordination is for the benefit of the holders of Senior Indebtedness.

 

(b) In the event of (a) any insolvency or bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or proceeding in connection therewith, relative to the Company or to its creditors, as such, or to its assets, or (b) any liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary and whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, or (c) any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Company:

 

(i) holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive payment in full in cash of the principal thereof, premium, if any, additional amounts owing in respect thereof, if any, and interest (including interest accruing after the commencement of any such proceeding) to the date of payment on the Senior Indebtedness before Holders shall be entitled to receive any payment of principal of or interest on Notes;

 

(ii) until the Senior Indebtedness is paid in full in cash, any indebtedness to which Holders of the Notes or the Trustee would be entitled but for this Section 2.6 shall be made to holders of Senior Indebtedness as their interests may appear for the application to the payment thereof, except that Holders of the Notes may receive securities that are subordinated to Senior Indebtedness to at least the same extent as the Notes; and

 

(iii) the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely upon an order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction or a certificate of a bankruptcy trustee or other similar official for the purpose of ascertaining the persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and other Company debt, the amount thereof or payable thereon and all other pertinent facts relating to the Trustee’s obligations under this Section 2.6.

 

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, the Trustee or the Holder of any of the Notes shall have received any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, including by way of set-off or any such payment or distribution which may be payable or deliverable by reason of the payment of any other indebtedness of the Company being subordinated to the payment of the Notes, before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full or payment thereof provided for, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment or distribution, have been made known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee in writing or, as the case may be, such Holder of the Notes, then and in such event such payment or distribution shall be paid over or delivered forthwith to the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee, agent or other Person making payment or distribution of assets of the Company for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Indebtedness. Any taxes that have been withheld or deducted from any payment or distribution in respect of the Notes, or any taxes that ought to have been withheld or deducted from any such payment or distribution that have been remitted to the relevant taxing authority, shall not be considered to be an amount that the Trustee or the Holder of any of the Notes receives for purposes of this Section.

 

7


 

(c) The Company may not pay principal, premium, interest or additional amounts owing with respect to the Notes and may not acquire any Notes for cash or property other than capital stock of the Company if:

 

(i) any default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on any Senior Indebtedness beyond any applicable grace period with respect thereto occurs and is continuing;

 

(ii) a default on Senior Indebtedness occurs and is continuing that permits holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee on their behalf) to accelerate its maturity, or

 

(iii) a default under any Senior Indebtedness is the subject of judicial proceedings or the Company receives a notice of the default from a person who may give it pursuant to Section 2.6(k) hereof.

 

The Company may resume payments on the Notes and may acquire them when:

 

(i) the default is cured or waiver; or

 

(ii) this Section 2.6 otherwise permits the payments or acquisition at that time.

 

(d) In the event that any Notes are declared due and payable before their Stated Maturity Date, then and in such event the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of all Senior Indebtedness or provision shall be made for such payment in cash, before the Holders of the Notes are entitled to receive any payment (including any payment which may be payable by reason of the payment of any other indebtedness of the Company being subordinated to the payment of the Notes) by the Company on account of the principal of, premium, if any, additional amounts owing in respect thereof, if any or interest on the Notes or on account of the purchase or other acquisition of Notes; provided, that any money deposited pursuant to Article IV of the Base Indenture not in violation of the Indenture shall not be subject to the claims of holders of Senior Indebtedness.

 

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall make any payment to the Trustee or the Holder of any Note prohibited by the foregoing provisions of this Section, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment, have been made known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee in writing or, as the case may be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment shall be paid over and delivered forthwith to the Representative with respect to such Senior Indebtedness.

 

(e) If payment or distribution on account of the Notes of any character or security, whether in cash, securities or other property, is received by Holder, including any applicable Trustee, in contravention of any of the terms of this Section 2.6 and before all Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full, such payment or distribution or security will be received in trust for the benefit of, and must be paid over or delivered and transferred to the Representative with respect to such Senior Indebtedness for application, in accordance with the priorities then existing among those holders of Senior Indebtedness for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full.

 

(f) The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee, in writing, and any Paying Agent of any facts known to the Company that would cause a payment on the Notes to violate this Section 2.6. The Company shall provide all relevant contact, wiring and other information as the Trustee may require in order to pay over or deliver to the Representative representing the Senior Indebtedness any funds or other payment or distribution in accordance with this Section 2.6.  The Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely on any such information provided by the Company.

 

(g) After all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full and until the Notes are paid in full, Holders shall be subrogated to the rights of holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions applicable to Senior Indebtedness to the extent that distributions otherwise payable to the Holders have been applied to the payment of Senior Indebtedness. A payment or distribution made under this Section 2.6 to holders of Senior Indebtedness which otherwise would have been made to Holders is not, as among the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness and Holders, a payment or distribution by the Company on account of the Senior Indebtedness.

 

(h) This Section 2.6 is intended solely to define the relative rights of Holders on the one hand and the holders of Senior Indebtedness on the other hand. Nothing in the Indenture or in the Notes shall:

 

(i) impair, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Notes, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the

 

8


 

Holders of the Notes the principal of, premium, if any, additional amounts in respect thereof, if any, and interest on the Notes as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms;

 

(ii) affect the relative rights of Holders and creditors of the Company other than holders of Senior Indebtedness; or

 

(iii) prevent the Trustee or any Holder from exercising its available remedies upon an Event of Default, subject to the rights of holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions otherwise payable to Holders or the Trustee.

 

If the Company fails because of this Section 2.6 to pay principal, premium, if any, additional amounts in respect thereof, if any, or interest on any of the Notes on the due date, such failure shall constitute a default hereunder.

 

(i) No right of any holder of Senior Indebtedness to enforce the subordination of the indebtedness evidenced by the Notes shall be impaired by any act or failure to act by the Company or by its failure to comply with the Indenture.

 

(j) Whenever a distribution is to be made or a notice given to holders of Senior Indebtedness, the distribution may be made and the notice given to their Representative.

 

(k) The Trustee or any Paying Agent may continue to make payments on the Notes until it receives written notice of facts that would cause a payment of principal of or interest on the Notes to violate this Section 2.6. Only the Company, a Representative or a holder of an issue of Senior Indebtedness that has no Representative may give the written notice.

 

The Trustee has no fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness other than as created under this Indenture. The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may hold Senior Indebtedness with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company’s obligation to pay, and the Company’s payment of, the amounts required by Section 6.07 of the Base Indenture are excluded from the operation of this Section 2.6. For the sake of clarity, such payments are not subordinated to the Company’s Senior Indebtedness.

 

(l) Nothing contained in this Section 2.6 or elsewhere in the Indenture or in any of the Notes shall prevent (a) the Company, at any time except during the pendency of any case, proceeding, dissolution, liquidation or other winding up, assignment for the benefit of creditors or other marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Company referred to in Section 2.6(b) hereof or under the conditions described in Section 2.6(c) or 2.6(d) hereof, from making payments at any time of or on account of the principal of, premium, if any, additional amounts owing in respect thereof, if any or interest on the Notes or on account of the purchase or other acquisition of the Notes, or (b) the application by the Trustee of any money deposited with it hereunder to the payment of or on account of the principal of, premium, if any, additional amounts owing in respect thereof, if any, or interest on the Notes or the retention of such payment by the Holders, if, at the time of such application by the Trustee, it did not have knowledge (in accordance with Section 2.6(f) hereof) that such payment would have been prohibited by the provisions of this Section 2.6.

 

(m) Each Holder of a Note by his acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Section 2.6 and appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

(n) Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Section 2.6, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 6.02 of the Base Indenture, and the Holders of the Notes shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Notes, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Section 2.6.

 

9


 

(o) In case at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term “Trustee” as used in this Section 2.6 shall in such case (unless the context otherwise requires) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were named in this Section 2.6 in addition to or in place of the Trustee.

 

Section 2.7. Events of Default; Acceleration. Neither the Trustee nor the Holders of the Notes shall have the right to accelerate the maturity of the Notes unless there is an Event of Default specified under clause (e) or (f) of Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture. If an Event of Default specified in clause (e) or (f) of Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture occurs, then the principal amount of all of the Outstanding Notes, including any accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes and premium, if any, shall become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or the Holders of the Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.02 of the Base Indenture.

 

Section 2.8. No Sinking Fund. The Notes are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

 

Section 2.9. No Conversion or Exchange Rights. The Notes shall not be convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities or property of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.

 

Section 2.10. Defeasance; No Covenant Defeasance. Section 4.02 of the Base Indenture shall be applicable to the Notes. Section 4.03 of the Base Indenture shall not be applicable to the Notes.

 

ARTICLE 3

REDEMPTION OF THE NOTES

 

Section 3.1. Optional Redemption. The Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, on any Interest Payment Date on or after February 15, 2024, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date fixed by the Company; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the payment of such accrued and unpaid interest paid as a part of the Redemption Price shall satisfy in full the obligation of the Company to pay accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes redeemed from and including the most recent Interest Payment Date on which all accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes was paid or provided for to, but excluding, the Redemption Date. Any partial redemption will be made in accordance with the Base Indenture. The Company’s election to redeem any Notes shall be provided to the Trustee in the form of an Officers’ Certificate at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, or such shorter notice as may be acceptable to the Trustee.

 

Section 3.2. Redemption Upon Special Events. The Company may also, at its option, redeem the Notes before the Stated Maturity Date in whole, but not in part, at any time, upon the occurrence of a Tier 2 Capital Event, a Tax Event or a 1940 Act Event. Any such redemption will be at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date fixed by the Company; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the payment of such accrued and unpaid interest paid as a part of the Redemption Price shall satisfy in full the obligation of the Company to pay accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes redeemed from and including the most recent Interest Payment Date on which all accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes was paid or provided for through, but excluding, the Redemption Date. The Company’s election to redeem any Notes shall be provided to the Trustee in the form of an Officers’ Certificate at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, or such shorter notice as may be acceptable to the Trustee. If any conditions precedent to such optional redemption have not been satisfied, the Company shall provide written notice to the Trustee and each Holder of the Notes prior to the close of business prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company in the same manner in which the notice of redemption was given. Upon receipt of such notice, the notice of redemption shall be rescinded or delayed as provided in such notice. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible to satisfy any such conditions precedent, including making a deposit of money required to effectuate the redemption.

 

Section 3.3. Redemption Approval. No redemption of the Notes by the Company prior to the Stated Maturity Date pursuant to this Article 3 shall be made without the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board if such prior

 

10


 

approval is or will be required at the scheduled Redemption Date. To the extent that the approval of the Federal Reserve Board is required for the Company’s redemption of the Notes pursuant to this Article 3, the Trustee shall not have any duty or obligation to determine whether such approval is required or any duty or obligation to obtain such approval. Prior to the delivery of the notice of redemption to the Holders of the Notes, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating (i) whether or not the approval of the Federal Reserve Board is required for the Company’s redemption of the Notes and (ii) if such approval is required, whether or not such approval has been obtained by the Company.

 

Section 3.4. Redemption Procedures. Notice of redemption must be provided to the Holders of the Notes to be redeemed not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the applicable Redemption Date. The provisions of Article XI of the Base Indenture shall apply to any redemption of the Notes pursuant to this Article 3.

 

ARTICLE 4

FORM OF NOTES

 

The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication thereon are to be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto, with such changes therein as the officers of the Company executing the Notes (by manual or facsimile signature) may approve, such approval to be conclusively evidenced by their execution thereof.

 

ARTICLE 5

ISSUE OF NOTES

 

Section 5.1. Additional Issues of Notes. The Company may, from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue an unlimited amount of additional subordinated Securities of the same series as the Notes, which Securities will rank pari passu with the Notes and be identical in all respects to the Notes previously issued except for their issuance date, the offering price, the interest commencement date and the first payment of interest following the issue date of such additional subordinated Securities in order that such additional subordinated Securities may be consolidated and form a single series with the Notes outstanding immediately prior to the issuance of such additional subordinated Securities and have the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise as the Notes; provided that, if any additional subordinated Securities are not fungible with the initial Notes for U.S. income tax purposes, such additional subordinated Securities will have a separate CUSIP number.

 

ARTICLE 6

IMMUNITY OF STOCKHOLDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

 

No director, officer, employee or shareholder of the Company, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes or this First Supplemental Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting the Notes, each Holder waives and releases all such liability.

 

ARTICLE 7

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 7.1. Ratification of Base Indenture. The Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and this First Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Base Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided; provided that the provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture apply solely with respect to the Notes.

 

Section 7.2. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as statements of the Company and not those of the Trustee, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness thereof. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture or of the Notes. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Notes or of the proceeds thereof.

 

11


 

Section 7.3. Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial. THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE AND EACH NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. THE ISSUER, THE TRUSTEE AND THE HOLDERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

Section 7.4. Separability Clause. In case any provision in this First Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby

 

Section 7.5. Counterparts Originals. This First Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this First Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile transmission or by transmission as a PDF e-mail attachment shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original First Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF e-mail attachment shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

 

Section 7.6. Benefits of First Supplemental Indenture. Nothing in this First Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties to this First Supplemental Indenture and their successors under this First Supplemental Indenture and the Persons in whose names the Notes are registered from time to time, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this First Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 7.7. Conflict with Base Indenture. To the extent that any provision of this First Supplemental Indenture relating to the Notes is inconsistent with any provision of the Base Indenture, such provision of this First Supplemental Indenture shall control with respect to the Notes.

 

Section 7.8. Trust Indenture Act Controls. This First Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions. If any provision of this First Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision that is required or deemed to be included in this First Supplemental Indenture by the Trust Indenture Act, such required or deemed provision shall control.

 

Section 7.9. Rights, Protections and Immunities of the Trustee. All of the rights, protections, benefits, immunities and indemnities afforded or given to the Trustee, the Security Registrar and the Paying Agent pursuant to the Base Indenture shall apply to and be enforceable by the Trustee, the Security Registrar and the Paying Agent acting in their respective capacities relating to the Notes and pursuant to this First Supplemental Indenture mutatis mutandi as if set forth and incorporated herein. The Trustee, the Security Registrar and the Paying Agent is acting hereunder, not in its individual capacity, but solely in its capacity as Trustee, Security Registrar or Paying Agent, as applicable, for the Notes under the Indenture.

 

Section 7.10. USA PATRIOT Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account. The parties to this agreement agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request to satisfy the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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

 

 

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Todd A. Gipple

 

Name: Todd A. Gipple

 

Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee, Registrar and Paying Agent

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael H. Wass

 

Name: Michael H. Wass

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to First Supplemental Indenture]

 


 

EXHIBIT A

 

THIS SECURITY AND THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED HEREIN) AS EVIDENCED HEREBY (1) ARE NOT DEPOSITS WITH OR HELD BY THE COMPANY AND ARE NOT INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY ANY FEDERAL AGENCY OR INSTRUMENTALITY, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION AND (2) ARE SUBORDINATE IN THE RIGHT OF PAYMENT TO THE SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE IDENTIFIED HEREIN).

 

GLOBAL NOTE

 

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, WHICH MAY BE TREATED BY THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND ANY AGENT THEREOF AS OWNER AND HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY FOR ALL PURPOSES.

 

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY, THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE (I) BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR (II) BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR THE DEPOSITARY TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.

 

A-1


 

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Note due February 15, 2029

 

No. R-1
$65,000,000

 

CUSIP: 74727AAA2
ISIN: US74727AAA25

 

QCR Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the “Company,” which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or its registered assigns, the principal sum of sixty-five million and 0/100 dollars ($65,000,00.00) (or such other amount as set forth in the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Note attached hereto) on February 15, 2029 (such date is hereinafter referred to as the “Stated Maturity Date”), unless redeemed prior to such date, and to pay interest thereon (i) from, and including, February 12, 2019, to, but excluding, February 15, 2024 or any early redemption date, at a rate of 5.375% per annum, semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing August 15, 2019 (each such date, a “Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date,” with the period from, and including, February 12, 2019 to, but excluding, the first Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date and each successive period from, and including, a Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date being a “Fixed Rate Period”) and (ii) from, and including, February 15, 2024 to, but excluding, the Stated Maturity Date or any early redemption date, at a rate equal to Three-month LIBOR, reset quarterly, plus 282 basis points (2.82%), payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing February 15, 2024 through the Stated Maturity Date or earlier redemption date (each, a “Floating Rate Interest Payment Date,” and together with the Fixed Rate Interest Payment Dates, the “Interest Payment Dates,” with the period from, and including, February 15, 2024 to, but excluding, the first Floating Rate Interest Payment Date and each successive period from, and including a Floating Rate Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Floating Rate Interest Payment Date being a “Floating Rate Period”). Interest payable on this Note during any Fixed Rate Period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30- day months. In the event that any scheduled Fixed Rate Interest Payment date on this Note falls on a day that is not a Business Day (as defined in the Indenture), then payment of interest payable on such Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date will be postponed to the next succeeding day that is a Business Day and no additional interest shall accrue. Interest payable on this Note during any Floating Rate Period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days in such Floating Rate Period. All percentages used in or resulting from any calculation of Three-month LIBOR shall be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, with 0.000005% rounded up to 0.00001%. In the event that any scheduled Floating Rate Interest Payment Date on this Note falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment of interest payable on such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date will be postponed to the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, unless such day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, in which case such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date will be accelerated to the immediately preceding day that is a Business Day, and, in each case, the amounts payable on such Business Day will include interest accrued to, but excluding, such Business Day.

 

Any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the applicable rate set forth in the previous paragraph (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on the Fixed Rate Interest Record Date for such interest, which shall be the close of business on the February 1 or August 1 (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding such Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date, through February 15, 2024, and thereafter, on any Floating Rate Interest Payment Date, on the Floating Rate Interest Record Date for such interest, which shall be the close of business on the February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date.

 

Payment of the principal of and interest on this Note will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose, which shall initially be the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

 

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

 

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

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officer.

 

 

 

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name: Todd A. Gipple

 

Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

 

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TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

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

 

 

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

       Authorized Officer

 

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REVERSE OF NOTE

 

QCR HOLDINGS, INC.

 

5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029

 

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company of a series designated as the “5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029” (herein called the “Notes”) initially issued in an aggregate principal amount of $65,000,000 on February 12, 2019. Such series of Securities has been established pursuant to, and is one of an indefinite number of series of subordinated debt securities of the Company issued or issuable under and pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of February 12, 2019 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee), as supplemented and amended by the First Supplemental Indenture between the Company and the Trustee, dated as of February 12, 2019 (the “First Supplemental Indenture,” and the Base Indenture as supplemented and amended by the First Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), to which Indenture and any other indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Persons in whose names Notes are registered from time to time and of the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. The terms, conditions and provisions of the Notes are those stated in the Indenture, those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), and those set forth in this Note. To the extent that the terms, conditions and provisions of this Note modify, supplement or are inconsistent with those of the Indenture, then the terms, conditions and other provisions of this Note shall govern to the extent that such terms, conditions and other provisions of this Note are not inconsistent with the terms, conditions and provisions made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act.

 

All capitalized terms used in this Note and not defined herein that are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture. To the extent that any capitalized term used in this Note and defined herein is also defined in the Indenture but conflicts with the definition provided in the Indenture, the definition of the capitalized term in this Note shall control.

 

The indebtedness of the Company evidenced by the Notes, including the principal thereof, premium, if any, and interest thereon, is, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Indenture, subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date hereof or hereafter incurred, and on the terms and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture, and shall rank pari passu in right of payment with all other Securities and with all other unsecured subordinated indebtedness of the Company and not by its terms subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of types that include the Notes. Each Holder of this Note, by the acceptance hereof, agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions of the Indenture and authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided.

 

The Notes are intended to be treated as Tier 2 capital (or its then-equivalent if the Company were subject to such capital requirement) for purposes of capital adequacy guidelines of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor regulatory authority with jurisdiction over bank holding companies) (the “Federal Reserve Board”) as then in effect and applicable to the Company. If an Event of Default with respect to Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal and interest owed on the Notes shall only become due and payable in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Sections 5.01(e) and (f) of the Base Indenture and Section 2.7 of the First Supplemental Indenture. Accordingly, the Holder of this Note has no right to accelerate the maturity of this Note in the event that the Company fails to pay interest on any of the Notes, or fails to perform any other obligations under the Notes or in the Indenture that are applicable to the Notes.

 

The Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, on any Interest Payment Date on or after February 15, 2024. The Company may also, at its option, redeem the Notes before the Stated Maturity Date, in whole, but not in part, at any time, upon the occurrence of a Tier 2 Capital Event, a Tax Event or a 1940 Act Event. Any such redemption will be at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be

 

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redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date fixed by the Company. No redemption of the Notes by the Company prior to the Stated Maturity Date shall be made without the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board if such prior approval is or will be required at the scheduled Redemption Date. The provisions of Article XI of the Base Indenture and Article 3 of the First Supplemental Indenture shall apply to the redemption of any Notes by the Company.

 

The Notes are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund. The Notes are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities or property of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.

 

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

 

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Security Register described in Section 3.05 of the Base Indenture, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

 

The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

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

 

This Security is a global note, represented by one or more permanent global certificates registered in the name of the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (each a “Global Note” and collectively, the “Global Notes”). Accordingly, unless and until it is exchanged for individual certificates, this Note may not be transferred except as a whole by The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”) to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary or by the Depositary or any nominee to a successor Depositary or any nominee of such successor. Ownership of beneficial interests in this Security will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be effected only through, records maintained by the applicable Depositary or its nominee (with respect to interest of persons that have accounts with the Depositary (“Participants”)) and the records of Participants (with respect to interests of persons other than Participants). Beneficial interests in Notes owned by persons that hold through Participants will be evidenced only by, and transfers of such beneficial interests with such Participants will be effected only through, records maintained by such Participants. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in this Note will not be entitled to have any individual certificates and will not be considered the owners or Holders thereof under the Indenture.

 

Except in the limited circumstances set forth in the Base Indenture, Participants and owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will not be entitled to receive Notes in the form of Individual Securities and will not be considered Holders of Notes. None of the Company, the Trustee, the Security Registrar, the Paying Agent or any of their respective agents will be liable for any delay by the Depositary, its nominee or any direct or indirect Participant in identifying the beneficial owners of the related Notes. The Company, the Trustee, the Security Registrar, the Paying Agent and each of their respective agents may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from the Depositary or its nominee for all purposes,

 

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including with respect to the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the Notes to be issued.

 

Except as provided in Section 3.05 of the Base Indenture, beneficial owners of Global Notes will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Notes in the form of Individual Securities, and no Global Note will be exchangeable except for another Global Note of like denomination and tenor to be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a Global Note must rely on the procedures of the Depositary and, if such person is not a Participant, on the procedures of the Participant through which such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a Holder under the Notes.

 

The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of those securities in definitive form. Accordingly, the ability to transfer interests in the Notes represented by a Global Note to those persons may be limited. In addition, because the Depositary can act only on behalf of its Participants, who in turn act on behalf of persons who hold interests through Participants, the ability of a person having an interest in Notes represented by a Global Note to pledge or transfer such interest to persons or entities that do not participate in the Depositary’s system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of such interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical definitive security in respect of such interest. None of the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of Notes by the Depositary, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of the Depositary relating to the Notes.

 

Wilmington Trust, National Association will act as the Company’s Paying Agent with respect to the Notes through its Corporate Trust Office presently located at 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890. The Company may at any time rescind the designation of a Paying Agent, appoint a successor Paying Agent, or approve a change in the office through which any Paying Agent acts.

 

Notices to the Holders of registered Notes in the form of Individual Securities will be given to such Holders at their respective addresses in the Security Register, or in the case of Global Notes, electronic delivery in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures. The Indenture contains provisions setting forth certain conditions to the institution of proceedings by the Holders of Notes with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy under the Indenture.

 

THIS NOTE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

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ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

To assign the within Security, fill in the form below: I or we assign and transfer the within Security to:

 

 

(Insert assignee’s legal name)

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. no.)

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

 

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

 

Your Signature:

 

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

 

Your Name:

 

Date:

 

Signature Guarantee:

 

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

 

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

 

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SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE

 

The initial principal amount of this Global Note is $65,000,000. The following increases or decreases in the principal amount of this Global Note have been made:

 

Date

 

Amount of increase in
principal amount of
this Global Note

 

Amount of decrease
in principal amount
of this Global Note

 

Principal amount of
This Global Note
following such
increase or decrease

 

Signature of authorized
signatory of Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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EX-5.1 5 a19-3454_6ex5d1.htm EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

February 12, 2019

 

QCR Holdings, Inc.

3551 Seventh Street

Moline, Illinois 61265

 

Re:                             $65,000,000 5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We refer to the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-214283 (the “Registration Statement”), filed by QCR Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on October 27, 2016, as amended on January 11, 2017, pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).  The Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission on January 31, 2017.  Pursuant to the Registration Statement, the Company is issuing $65,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029 (the “Securities”). The Securities are being issued under an Indenture dated as of February 12, 2019, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of February 12, 2019 (as so amended and supplemented, the “Indenture”), each between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee (the “Trustee”). The Securities are to be sold by the Company pursuant to an underwriting agreement dated February 7, 2019 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between the Company and Keefe Bruyette & Woods, Inc.

 

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

 

We have made such legal and factual investigations as we deemed necessary for purposes of this opinion. We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of: (a) the Registration Statement; (b) the Indenture; (c) the Underwriting Agreement; (d) the Securities in global form; and (e) the resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Company and the executive committee of the board of directors relating to the Registration Statement, the Indenture, the Underwriting Agreement and the issuance of the Securities by the Company  In our investigation, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the proper execution of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to the original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. As to matters of fact, we have relied upon representations of officers of the Company.

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations set forth herein, it is our opinion that the Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations

 

200 West Madison Street, Suite 3900   |   Chicago, Illinois 60606   |   T. 312.984.3100   |   F. 312.984.3150   |   bfkn.com

 


 

of the Company when the Securities are duly executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee, all in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, and delivered to the purchaser thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Our opinion set forth above is subject to the following exceptions: (a) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; and (b) the effect of general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought; and we express no opinion as to waivers of broadly or vaguely stated rights.

 

We express no opinion concerning the laws of any jurisdiction other than the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and the laws of the State of New York (excluding the securities laws of the State of New York). We express no opinion as to the laws, rules or regulations of any other jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the federal laws of the United States of America or any state securities or blue sky laws.

 

We express no opinion with respect to any specific legal issues other than those explicitly addressed herein. We assume no obligation to update this opinion letter after the date that the Registration Statement is initially declared effective or otherwise advise you with respect to any facts or circumstances or changes in law that may occur or come to our attention after such date (even though the change may affect the legal conclusions stated in this opinion letter).

 

We hereby consent to the reference to our firm in the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters” and to the inclusion of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K on the date hereof, which exhibit will be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement.  In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum &

 

Nagelberg LLP

 

2


EX-99.1 6 a19-3454_6ex99d1.htm EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

QCR Holdings, Inc. Completes Subordinated Notes Offering

 

Moline, IL, February 12, 2019 — QCR Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: QCRH) (the “Company”) today announced that it has completed an underwritten public offering of $65.0 million in aggregate principal amount of its 5.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due February 15, 2029 (the “Notes”).  The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for the repayment of the Company’s senior debt obligations and for general corporate purposes, including the pursuit of possible opportunistic acquisitions and other strategic opportunities that may arise in the future.

 

The Notes will bear interest at a fixed rate of 5.375% per year from and including February 12, 2019 to but excluding February 15, 2024, and from and including February 15, 2024 to but excluding February 15, 2029 (or earlier redemption date) the interest rate will reset quarterly to then current three-month LIBOR plus 282 basis points.

 

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, acted as sole book-running manager for the offering.

 

The Notes were offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement and a prospectus supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the offering can be obtained without charge by visiting www.sec.gov, or from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, at 787 Seventh Avenue, Fourth Floor, New York, NY 10019 or by calling (800) 966-1559.

 

About Us

 

QCR Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Moline, Illinois, is a relationship-driven, multi-bank holding company serving the Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Valley, Des Moines/Ankeny, Springfield and Rockford communities through its wholly owned subsidiary banks which provide full-service commercial and consumer banking and trust and wealth management services. Quad City Bank & Trust Company, based in Bettendorf, Iowa, commenced operations in 1994, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Company, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, commenced operations in 2001, Community State Bank, based in Ankeny, Iowa, was acquired by the Company in 2016, and Rockford Bank & Trust Company, based in Rockford, Illinois, commenced operations in 2005. In 2018, the Company acquired the Bates Companies, a wealth management firm. Quad City Bank & Trust Company also provides correspondent banking services. In addition, Quad City Bank & Trust Company engages in commercial leasing through its wholly owned subsidiary, m2 Lease Funds, LLC, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Additionally, the Company serves the Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa community through Community Bank & Trust, a division of Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Company. In July 2018, the Company completed a merger with Springfield Bancshares, Inc., the holding company of Springfield First Community Bank of Springfield, Missouri. With this addition of Springfield First Community Bank, the Company has 27 locations in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Missouri. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had approximately $4.9 billion in assets, $3.7 billion in loans and $4.0 billion in deposits. For additional information, please visit our website at www.qcrh.com.

 

Disclaimer About this Release

 

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The Notes are not deposits or savings accounts or other obligations of our bank or non-bank subsidiaries and will not be insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency or instrumentality.

 

Contacts:

 

Todd A. Gipple

Executive Vice President

Chief Operating Officer

Chief Financial Officer

(309) 743-7745

tgipple@qcrh.com

 


 

Christopher J. Lindell

Executive Vice President

Corporate Communications

(319) 743-7006

clindell@qcrh.com

 

2


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