0000922224-11-000159.txt : 20110930 0000922224-11-000159.hdr.sgml : 20110930 20110930155257 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000922224-11-000159 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20110930 ITEM INFORMATION: Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20110930 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20110930 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: PPL Corp CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000922224 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: ELECTRIC SERVICES [4911] IRS NUMBER: 232758192 FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-11459 FILM NUMBER: 111116948 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: TWO N NINTH ST CITY: ALLENTOWN STATE: PA ZIP: 18101-1179 BUSINESS PHONE: 610-774-5151 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: TWO N NINTH ST CITY: ALLENTOWN STATE: PA ZIP: 18101-1179 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: PPL CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20000214 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: PP&L RESOURCES INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19941123 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: LG&E & KU Energy LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001518339 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: ELECTRIC & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED [4931] IRS NUMBER: 200523163 STATE OF INCORPORATION: KY FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-173665 FILM NUMBER: 111116949 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 220 WEST MAIN STREET CITY: LOUISVILLE STATE: KY ZIP: 40202 BUSINESS PHONE: 502-672-2000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 220 WEST MAIN STREET CITY: LOUISVILLE STATE: KY ZIP: 40202 8-K 1 form8k.htm FORM8K form8k.htm
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):  September 29, 2011

Commission File
Number
Registrant; State of Incorporation;
Address and Telephone Number
IRS Employer
Identification No.
     
1-11459
PPL Corporation
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
(Pennsylvania)
Two North Ninth Street
Allentown, PA  18101-1179
(610) 774-5151
23-2758192
     
333-173665
 
LG&E and KU Energy LLC
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
(Kentucky)
220 West Main Street
Louisville, KY  40202-1377
(502) 627-2000
20-0523163
     

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

[  ]
 
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[  ]
 
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[  ]
 
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[  ]
 
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


 
 

 

Section 2 - Financial Information

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

and

Section 8 - Other Events

Item 8.01 Other Events

On September 29, 2011, LG&E and KU Energy LLC (“LKE”), a wholly owned subsidiary of PPL Corporation (“PPL”), issued $250 million of 4.375% senior notes (“Notes”) due 2021 under its Indenture dated as of November 1, 2010 to The Bank of New York Mellon as trustee, as previously supplemented and supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 2 thereto (the “Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of September 1, 2011 (collectively, the “Indenture”).

The Notes were offered in a transaction exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), only to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in accordance with Regulation S under the Act.  In connection with the issuance, LKE entered into a Registration Rights Agreement dated as of September 29, 2011 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with representatives of the initial purchasers of the Notes, pursuant to which LKE agreed to file a registration statement to exchange the Notes for securities containing substantially identical terms (except for certain transfer restrictions), or in certain cases to file a registration statement covering resales of the Notes.  Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, LKE may be required to pay liquidated damages if it does not meet certain requirements under the Registration Rights Agreement.  Liquidated damages will generally accrue on the subject securities at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90 days from and including the date on which a default specified under the Registration Rights Agreement occurs, and increase by an additional 0.25% per annum thereafter, provided that the liquidated damages rate shall not at any time exceed 0.50% per annum.  Liquidated damages will cease to accrue when all registration defaults under the Registration Rights Agreement have been cured.

The net proceeds from the sale of the Notes were used to make a return of capital in the form of a distribution of $248 million to PPL.  In connection with PPL’s acquisition of LKE from E.ON AG on November 1, 2010, PPL made an equity contribution to LKE of approximately $1.5 billion, together with certain loans from a PPL subsidiary, in order for LKE to repay certain loans from subsidiaries of E.ON AG.  Later in November 2010, LKE used the proceeds of an $875 million notes offering to repay a portion of such intercompany loans and make a return of capital to PPL of $100 million.

Copies of the Supplemental Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement are filed with this report as Exhibits 4(a) and 4(b), respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.

Section 9 - Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

 
(d)
 
Exhibits
 
         
     
4(a) -
Supplemental Indenture No. 2, dated as of September 1, 2011,  between LG&E and KU Energy LLC and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee.
         
     
4(b) -
Registration Rights Agreement, dated September 29, 2011, between LG&E and KU Energy LLC and the Initial Purchasers.

 
 

 
 

 


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrants have duly caused this report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


 
PPL Corporation
       
 
By:
/s/ James E. Abel
 
   
James E. Abel
Senior Vice President – Finance and Treasurer
 


 
LG&E and KU Energy LLC
       
 
By:
/s/ S. Bradford Rives
 
   
S. Bradford Rives
Chief Financial Officer
 




Dated:  September 30, 2011
EX-4.A 2 form8k_exhibit4a.htm EXHIBIT 4A form8k_exhibit4a.htm
Exhibit 4(a)

 

 
LG&E AND KU ENERGY LLC
 
TO
 
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
 
Trustee


 
_____________________________
 
 
Supplemental Indenture No. 2
Dated as of September 1, 2011

 
_____________________________
 
Supplemental to the Indenture
dated as of November 1, 2010

 
_____________________________
 
Establishing

 
Senior Notes, 4.375% Series due 2021
 

 





 


 
 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE NO. 2
 
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE No. 2, dated as of the 1st day of September, 2011, made and entered into by and between LG&E AND KU ENERGY LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, having its principal corporate offices at 200 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202 (hereinafter sometimes called the “Company”), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York banking corporation, having its corporate trust office at 101 Barclay Street, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10286 (hereinafter sometimes called the “Trustee”), as Trustee under the Indenture, dated as of November 1, 2010, between the Company and said Trustee (hereinafter called the “Original Indenture”), this Supplemental Indenture No. 2 being supplemental thereto.  The Original Indenture and any and all indentures and instruments supplemental thereto are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to herein as the “Indenture.”
 
Recitals of the Company
 
The Original Indenture was authorized, executed and delivered by the Company to provide for the issuance from time to time of its Securities (such term and all other capitalized terms used herein without definition having the meanings assigned to them in the Original Indenture), to be issued in one or more series as contemplated therein.
 
Pursuant to Article Three of the Original Indenture, the Company wishes to establish a third series of Securities, such series of Securities to be hereinafter sometimes called the “Securities of Series No. 3.”
 
As contemplated in Section 301 of the Original Indenture, the Company further wishes to establish the designation and terms of the Securities of Series No. 3.  The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture No. 2 to establish the designation and terms of the Securities  of Series No. 3 and has duly authorized the issuance of such Securities; and all acts necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture No. 2 a valid agreement of the Company, and to make the Securities of Series No. 3 valid obligations of the Company, have been performed.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE NO. 2 WITNESSETH, that, for and in consideration of the premises and of the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as follows:
 
ARTICLE ONE
 
SECURITIES OF SERIES NO. 3
 
Section 101. Creation of the Securities of Series No. 3
 
There is hereby created a series of Securities designated “Senior Notes, 4.375% Series due 2021,” and the Securities of such series shall:
 
(a) be issued initially in the aggregate principal amount of $250,000,000 and shall be limited to such aggregate principal amount (except as contemplated in Section 301(b) of the Original Indenture); provided, however, that, as contemplated in the last paragraph of Section 301 of the Original Indenture, additional Securities of such series may be subsequently issued from time to time, without any consent of Holders of the Securities of such series, if and to the extent that, prior to each such subsequent issuance, the aggregate principal amount of the additional Securities then to be issued shall have been set forth in a Supplemental Indenture or an Officer’s
 
 

 
 

 

Certificate, and, thereupon, the Securities of such series shall be limited to such aggregate principal amount as so increased (except as aforesaid and subject to further such increases);
 
(b) have such terms as are established in an Officer’s Certificate as contemplated in Section 301 of the Original Indenture; and
 
(c) be in substantially the form or forms established therefor in an Officer’s Certificate, as contemplated by Section 201 of the Original Indenture.
 
ARTICLE TWO
 
COVENANTS
 
Section 201. Satisfaction and Discharge.
 
The Company hereby agrees that, if the Company shall make any deposit of money and/or Eligible Obligations with respect to any Securities of Series No. 3, or any portion of the principal amount thereof, as contemplated by Section 701 of the Indenture, the Company shall not deliver an Officer’s Certificate described in clause (z) in the first paragraph of said Section 701 unless the Company shall also deliver to the Trustee, together with such Officer’s Certificate, either:
 
(a) an instrument wherein the Company, notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of its indebtedness in respect of such Securities, shall retain the obligation (which shall be absolute and unconditional) to irrevocably deposit with the Trustee or Paying Agent such additional sums of money, if any, or additional Eligible Obligations (meeting the requirements of Section 701), if any, or any combination thereof, at such time or times, as shall be necessary, together with the money and/or Eligible Obligations theretofore so deposited, to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest due and to become due on such Securities or portions thereof, all in accordance with and subject to the provisions of said Section 701; provided, however, that such instrument may state that the obligation of the Company to make additional deposits as aforesaid shall be subject to the delivery to the Company by the Trustee of a notice asserting the deficiency accompanied by an opinion of an independent public accountant of nationally recognized standing, selected by the Trustee, showing the calculation thereof (which opinion shall be obtained at the expense of the Company); or
 
(b) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Securities, or portions of the principal and amount thereof, will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the satisfaction and discharge of the Company’s indebtedness in respect thereof and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, at the same times and in the same manner as if such satisfaction and discharge had not been effected.
 
Section 202. Negative Pledge.
 
(a) The Company agrees that for so long as any Securities of Series No. 3 shall remain Outstanding, without consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, the Company shall not create, incur or assume any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) upon the common stock of Kentucky Utilities Company or Louisville Gas and Electric Company, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in order to secure any Debt of the Company.  The foregoing agreement shall not restrict the ability of
 

 
2

 

Subsidiaries or Affiliates of the Company to create, incur or assume any Lien upon their properties or assets.
 
(b) The provisions of subsection (a) above shall not prohibit the creation, issuance, incurrence or assumption of any Lien if either:
 
(1) the Company shall make effective provision whereby all Securities of Series No. 3 then Outstanding shall be secured equally and ratably with all other Debt then outstanding under such Lien; or
 
(2) the Company shall deliver to the Trustee bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness secured by the Lien which secures such Debt (hereinafter called “Secured Obligations”) (A) in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of Series No. 3 then Outstanding, (B) maturing (or being subject to mandatory redemption) on such dates and in such principal amounts that, at Stated Maturity of the Outstanding Securities of Series No. 3, there shall mature (or be redeemed) Secured Obligations equal in principal amount to such Securities then to mature and (C) containing, in addition to any mandatory redemption provisions applicable to all Secured Obligations outstanding under such Lien and any mandatory redemption provisions contained therein pursuant to clause (B) above, mandatory redemption provisions correlative to the provisions, if any, for the mandatory redemption (pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise) of the Securities of Series No. 3 or for the redemption thereof at the option of the Holder, as well as a provision for mandatory redemption upon an acceleration of the maturity of all Outstanding Securities of Series No. 3 following an Event of Default (such mandatory redemption to be rescinded upon the rescission of such acceleration); it being expressly understood that such Secured Obligations (X) may, but need not, bear interest, (Y) may, but need not, contain provisions for the redemption thereof at the option of the issuer, any such redemption to be made at a redemption price or prices not less than the principal amount thereof and (Z) shall be held by the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of all Securities of Series No. 3, as applicable, from time to time Outstanding subject to such terms and conditions relating to surrender to the Company, transfer restrictions, voting, application of payments of principal and interest and other matters as shall be set forth in an indenture supplemental hereto specifically providing for the delivery to the Trustee of such Secured Obligations.
 
(c) If the Company shall elect either of the alternatives described in subsection (b) above, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee:
 
(1) an indenture supplemental to the Original Indenture (A) together with any appropriate inter-creditor arrangements, whereby such Securities of Series No. 3 then Outstanding shall be secured by the Lien referred to in subsection (b) above equally and ratably with all other indebtedness secured by such Lien or (B) providing for the delivery to the Trustee of Secured Obligations;
 
(2) an Officer’s Certificate (A) stating that, to the knowledge of the signer, (i) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (ii) no event has occurred and is continuing which entitles the secured party under such Lien to accelerate the maturity of the indebtedness outstanding thereunder and (B) stating the aggregate principal amount of indebtedness issuable, and then proposed to be issued, under and secured by such Lien; and
 

 
3

 

(3) an Opinion of Counsel (A) if the Securities of Series No. 3 then Outstanding are to be secured by such Lien, to the effect that all such Securities then Outstanding are entitled to the benefit of such Lien equally and ratably with all other indebtedness outstanding under such Lien or (B) if Secured Obligations are to be delivered to the Trustee, to the effect that such Secured Obligations constitute valid obligations and are secured by such Lien equally and ratably with all other indebtedness then secured by such Lien.
 
(d) For the purposes of this Section 202, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
 
(1) Debt”, with respect to any Person, means (A) indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money evidenced by a bond, debenture, note or other similar written instrument or agreement by which such Person is obligated to repay such borrowed money and (B) any guaranty by such Person of any such indebtedness of another Person.  “Debt” does not include, among other things, (W) indebtedness of such Person under any installment sale or conditional sale agreement or any other agreement relating to indebtedness for the deferred purchase price of property or services, (X) any trade obligations (including obligations under agreements relating to the purchase and sale of any commodity, including power purchase or sale agreements, and any commodity hedges or derivatives regardless or whether such transaction is a “financial” or physical transaction) or other obligations of such Person in the ordinary course of business, (Y) obligations of such Person under any lease agreement (including any lease intended as security), whether or not such obligations are required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of such Person under United States generally accepted accounting principles, or (Z) liabilities secured by any Lien on any property owned by such Person if and to the extent that such Person has not assumed or otherwise become liable for the payment thereof.
 
(2) Lien” means any lien, mortgage, deed of trust, pledge or security interest, in each case, intended to secure the repayment of Debt, except for any Permitted Lien.
 
(3) Permitted Liens” means
 
(A) any Liens existing at September 29, 2011;
 
(B) any Liens securing Debt which matures less than one year from the date of issuance or incurrence thereof and is not extendible at the option of the issuer, and any refundings, refinancings and/or replacements of any such Debt by or with similar secured Debt;
 
(C) other Liens securing Debt the principal amount of which does not exceed 10% of the total assets of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as shown on the Company’s most recent audited consolidated balance sheet; and
 
(D) any Liens granted in connection with extending, renewing, replacing or refinancing, in whole or in part, the Debt secured by liens described in the foregoing clauses (A) through (C), to the extent of such Debt so extended, renewed, replaced or refinanced.
 

 
4

 


 
Section 203. Financial Statements.
 
So long as any Securities of Series No. 3 are Outstanding under the Indenture, during such periods as the Company shall not be subject to the periodic reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Company shall make available to Holders of such Securities by means of posting on its website or other similar means:
 
(a) as soon as reasonably available and in any event within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Company’s audited consolidated balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement for such fiscal year prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (with notes to such financial statements), together with an audit report thereon by an independent accounting firm of established national reputation, and a management’s narrative analysis of the results of operations explaining the reasons for material changes in the amount of revenue and expense items between the most recent fiscal year presented and the fiscal year immediately preceding it, as described in Instruction I(2)(a) of Form 10-K.
 
(b) as soon as reasonably available and in any event within 60 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, the Company’s unaudited consolidated balance sheet, unaudited consolidated income statement and unaudited consolidated cash flow statement for such fiscal quarter prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (with notes to such financial statements) and a management’s narrative analysis of the results of operations explaining the reasons for material changes in the amount of revenue and expense items between the most recent fiscal year-to-date period presented and the corresponding year-to-date period in the preceding fiscal year, as described in Instruction H(2)(a) to Form 10-Q.
 
If the Company is unable, for any reason, to post the financial statements on its website, it shall furnish the financial statements to the Trustee, who, at the expense of the Company, will furnish them to the Holders of such Securities, subject to the protections made available to the Trustee by the last paragraph of Section 1002 of the Original Indenture.  In addition, for so long as any of such Securities remain Outstanding, the Company will furnish to prospective purchasers of such Securities, upon their request, the information described above as well as any other information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for compliance with Rule 144A.
 

 
5

 
 
ARTICLE THREE
 
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
 
Section 301. Single Instrument.
 
This Supplemental Indenture No. 2 is a supplement to the Original Indenture.  As supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture No. 2, the Original Indenture, as heretofore amended and supplemented, is in all respects ratified, approved and confirmed, and the Original Indenture, as heretofore amended and supplemented, and this Supplemental Indenture No. 2 shall together constitute the Indenture.
 
Section 302. Effect of Headings.
 
The Article and Section headings in this Supplemental Indenture No. 2 are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
 

 
6

 

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture No. 2 to be duly executed as of the day and year first written above.
 
LG&E AND KU ENERGY LLC
 
By: /s/ DANIEL K. ARBOUGH
   Name:  Daniel K. Arbough
   Title:    Treasurer
 
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
 
By: /s/ TEISHA WRIGHT
   Name:  Teisha Wright
   Title:    Senior Associate
 

 
7 

 
 
EX-4.B 3 form8-k_exhibit4b.htm EXHIBIT 4B form8-k_exhibit4b.htm
Exhibit 4(b)



LG&E and KU ENERGY LLC

$250,000,000 4.375% Senior Notes Due 2021


REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 September 29, 2011

BNP Paribas Securities Corp.
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019

RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Three World Financial Center
200 Vesey Street
New York, NY 10281

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
214 N. Tryon Street, 26th Floor
Charlotte, NC 28202

     As Representatives of the several Purchasers
     listed in the Purchase Agreement referred to below

Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
LG&E and KU Energy LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to BNP Paribas Securities Corp. (“BNP Paribas”), RBC Capital Markets, LLC (“RBC”), U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. (“US Bank”) and the other several purchasers named in Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below) (collectively, the "Initial Purchasers"), for whom BNP Paribas, RBC and US Bank are acting as representatives, upon the terms set forth in a purchase agreement dated September 26, 2011 (the "Purchase Agreement"), U.S. $250,000,000 principal amount of its Senior Notes, 4.375% Series due 2021 (the "Initial Securities"). The Initial Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of November 1, 2010, as heretofore supplemented and to be further supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 2 thereto, dated as of September 1, 2011 (the "Supplemental Indenture" and the indenture as so supplemented, the “Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the "Trustee").  As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers, the Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers, for the benefit of the holders of the Initial Securities (including, without limitation, the Initial Purchasers), the Exchange Securities (as defined below) and the Private Exchange Securities (as defined below) (collectively the "Holders"), as follows:

1.  Registered Exchange Offer.  The Company shall, at its own cost, prepare and, not later than 210 days after (or if the 210th day is not a business day, the first business day thereafter) the date of original issue of the Initial Securities (the "Issue Date"), file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement (the "Exchange Offer Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect
 
 

 
to a proposed offer (the "Registered Exchange Offer") to the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in Section 6 hereof), who are not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in the Registered Exchange Offer, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange for the Initial Securities, a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities (the "Exchange Securities") of the Company issued under the Indenture and identical in all material respects to the Initial Securities (except for the transfer restrictions relating to the Initial Securities and the provisions relating to the matters described in Section 6 hereof) that would be registered under the Securities Act.  The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act not later than 300 days (or if the 300th day is not a business day, the first business day thereafter) after the Issue Date of the Initial Securities and shall keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than 20 business days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date notice of the Registered Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders (such period being called the "Exchange Offer Registration Period").

If the Company commences the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company will be entitled to close the Registered Exchange Offer 30 days after the commencement thereof provided that the Company has accepted all the Initial Securities theretofore validly tendered in accordance with the terms of the Registered Exchange Offer.

Following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to enable each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in Section 6 hereof) electing to exchange the Initial Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such Holder is not an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, acquires the Exchange Securities in the ordinary course of such Holder's business and has no arrangements with any person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange Securities and is not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in the Registered Exchange Offer) to trade such Exchange Securities from and after their receipt without any limitations or restrictions under the Securities Act and without material restrictions under the securities laws of the several states of the United States.

The Company acknowledges that, pursuant to current interpretations by the Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, in the absence of an applicable exemption therefrom, (i) each Holder that is a broker-dealer electing to exchange Initial Securities, acquired for its own account as a result of market making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange Securities (an "Exchanging Dealer"), is required to deliver a prospectus containing the information set forth in (a) Annex A hereto on the cover, (b) Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section, and (c) Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of such prospectus in connection with a sale of any such Exchange Securities received by such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and (ii) an Initial Purchaser that elects to sell Exchange Securities acquired in exchange for Initial Securities constituting any portion of an unsold allotment is required to deliver a prospectus containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in connection with such sale.

The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the prospectus contained therein, in
 
2

 
order to permit such prospectus to be lawfully delivered by all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such requirements in order to resell the Exchange Securities; provided, however, that (i) in the case where such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must be delivered by an Exchanging Dealer or an Initial Purchaser, such period shall be the lesser of 180 days and the date on which all Exchanging Dealers and the Initial Purchasers have sold all Exchange Securities held by them (unless such period is extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) and (ii) the Company shall make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of any Exchange Securities for a period of not less than 90 days after the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer.

If, upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, any Initial Purchaser holds Initial Securities acquired by it as part of its initial distribution, the Company, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, shall issue and deliver to such Initial Purchaser upon the written request of such Initial Purchaser, in exchange (the "Private Exchange") for the Initial Securities held by such Initial Purchaser, a like principal amount of debt securities of the Company issued under the Indenture and identical in all material respects (including the existence of restrictions on transfer under the Securities Act and the securities laws of the several states of the United States, but excluding provisions relating to the matters described in Section 6 hereof) to the Initial Securities (the "Private Exchange Securities").  The Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities are herein collectively called the "Securities".

In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:

(a)  mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter of transmittal and related documents;

(b)  keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than 20 business days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date notice thereof is mailed to the Holders;

(c)  utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, which may be the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee;

(d)  permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time prior to the close of business, New York time, on the last business day on which the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and

(e)  otherwise comply with all applicable laws.

As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange Offer or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:

(x)  accept for exchange all the Initial Securities validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private Exchange;

 
3

 
(y)  deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all the Initial Securities so accepted for exchange; and

(z)  cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly to each Holder of the Initial Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, equal in principal amount to the Initial Securities of such Holder so accepted for exchange.

The Indenture will provide that the Exchange Securities will not be subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture and that all the Securities will vote and consent together on all matters as one class and that none of the Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a class separate from one another on any matter (except as may be provided in the Indenture with respect to votes and matters involving only certain but not all tranches of the Securities).

Interest on each Exchange Security and Private Exchange Security issued pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on the Initial Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid on the Initial Securities, from the Issue Date.

Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities received by such Holder will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (ii) such Holder will have no arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the Initial Securities or the Exchange Securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, (iii) such Holder is not an "affiliate," as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, of the Company or if it is an affiliate, such Holder will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable, (iv) if such Holder is not a broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the distribution of the Exchange Securities and (v) if such Holder is a broker-dealer, that it will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities and that it will be required to acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to such prospectus, does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

2.  Shelf Registration.  If, (i) because of any change in law or in applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission, the Company is not permitted to effect a Registered Exchange Offer, as contemplated by Section 1 hereof, (ii) the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated within 345 days of the Issue Date, (iii) any Initial Purchaser so requests with respect to the Initial Securities (or the Private Exchange Securities) not eligible to be exchanged for Exchange Securities
 
4

 

in the Registered Exchange Offer and held by it following consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer or (iv) any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) notifies the Company in writing during the 20 business days following consummation of the Exchange Offer that it was not eligible to participate in the Registered Exchange Offer or, in the case of any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) that participates in the Registered Exchange Offer, such Holder does not receive freely tradeable Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange, the Company shall take the following actions:

(a)  The Company shall, at its cost, as promptly as practicable, but not later than the later of (i) 210 days (or if the 210th day is not a business day, the first business day thereafter) after such obligation arises and (ii) 300 days (or if the 300th day is not a business day, the first business day thereafter) after the Issue Date of the Initial Securities, file with the Commission and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be declared effective (unless it becomes effective automatically upon filing) a registration statement (the "Shelf Registration Statement" and, together with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a "Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the Securities Act relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in Section 6 hereof) by the Holders thereof from time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution set forth in the Shelf Registration Statement and Rule 415 under the Securities Act (hereinafter, the "Shelf Registration"); provided, however, that no Holder (other than an Initial Purchaser) shall be entitled to have the Securities held by it covered by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees in writing to be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Holder.

(b)  The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the prospectus included therein to be lawfully delivered by the Holders of the relevant Securities, for a period of one year (or for such longer period if extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) from the Issue Date or such shorter period that will terminate upon the earlier of the date (i) when all the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant thereto, (ii) when all the Securities covered by the Registration Statement are distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any successor rule thereof, are saleable pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any successor rule thereof, or are otherwise no longer restricted securities (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any successor rule thereof) and (iii) when all the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement cease to be outstanding.  The Company shall be deemed not to have used its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite period if it voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Securities during that period, unless such action is required by applicable law.

(c)  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its respective effective date, (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission and (ii) not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 
5

 
 
3.  Registration Procedures.  In connection with any Shelf Registration contemplated by Section 2 hereof and, to the extent applicable, any Registered Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following provisions shall apply:

(a)  The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser, prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any, to the prospectus included therein and, in the event that an Initial Purchaser (with respect to any portion of an unsold allotment from the original offering) is participating in the Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the Commission, such comments as such Initial Purchaser reasonably may propose; (ii) include the information set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and include the information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; (iii) if requested by an Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement; (iv) include within the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement a section entitled "Plan of Distribution," reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchasers, which shall contain a summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by the staff of the Commission with respect to the potential "underwriter" status of any broker-dealer that is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) of Exchange Securities received by such broker-dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (a "Participating Broker-Dealer"), whether such positions or policies have been publicly disseminated by the staff of the Commission or such positions or policies, in the reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers based upon advice of counsel (which may be in-house counsel), represent the prevailing views of the staff of the Commission; and (v) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, include in the prospectus included in the Shelf Registration Statement (or, if permitted by Commission Rule 430B(b), in a prospectus supplement that becomes a part thereof pursuant to Commission Rule 430B(f)) that is delivered to any Holder pursuant to Section 3(d) and (f), the names of the Holders, who propose to sell Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, as selling securityholders.

(b)  The Company shall give written notice to the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any Participating Broker-Dealer from whom the Company has received prior written notice that it will be a Participating Broker-Dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (which notice pursuant to clauses (ii)-(v) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):

(i)  when the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed with the Commission and when the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;

 
6

 
 
(ii)  of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein or for additional information;

(iii)  of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, of the issuance by the Commission of a notification of objection to the use of the form on which the Registration Statement has been filed, and of the happening of any event that causes the Company to become an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Commission Rule 405;

(iv)  of the receipt by the Company or its legal counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and

(v)  of the happening of any event that requires the Company to make changes in the Registration Statement or the prospectus in order that the Registration Statement or the prospectus do not contain an untrue statement of a material fact nor omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.

(c)  The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

(d)  The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, at least one copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or supplement thereto, including financial statements and schedules, and, if the Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by reference).  The Company shall not, without the prior consent of the Initial Purchasers, make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Commission Rule 405.

(e)  The Company shall deliver to each Exchanging Dealer and each Initial Purchaser, and to any other Holder who so requests, without charge, at least one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, and, if any Initial Purchaser or any such Holder requests, all exhibits thereto (including those incorporated by reference).

(f)  The Company shall, during the period that the Shelf Registration Statement is effective, deliver to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, as many copies of the prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such person may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of the Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in the Shelf Registration Statement.

 
7

 


(g)  The Company shall deliver to each Initial Purchaser, any Exchanging Dealer, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange Offer, without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such persons may reasonably request.  The Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by any Initial Purchaser, if necessary, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange Offer in connection with the offering and sale of the Exchange Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in such Exchange Offer Registration Statement.

(h)  Prior to any public offering of the Securities, pursuant to any Registration Statement, the Company shall register or qualify or cooperate with the Holders of the Securities included therein and their respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or "blue sky" laws of such states of the United States as any Holder of the Securities reasonably requests in writing and do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities covered by such Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or  (ii) take any action which would subject it to general service of process or to taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or to comply with any other requirements reasonably deemed by the Company to be unduly burdensome.

(i)  The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing the Securities to be sold pursuant to any Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such denominations and registered in such names as the Holders may request a reasonable period of time prior to sales of the Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.

(j)  Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above during the period for which the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly prepare and file a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus and any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to Holders of the Securities or purchasers of Securities, the prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  If the Company notifies the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known Participating Broker-Dealer in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above to suspend the use of the prospectus until the requisite changes to the prospectus have been made, then the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any such Participating Broker-Dealers shall suspend use of such prospectus, and the period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement provided for in Section 2(b) above and the Exchange Offer Registration Statement provided for in Section 1 above shall each be extended by the number of days from and including the date of the giving of such notice to

 
8

 

 and including the date when the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known Participating Broker-Dealer shall have received such amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to this Section 3(j).  During the period during which the Company is required to maintain an effective Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will prior to the three-year expiration of that Shelf Registration Statement file, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be declared effective (unless it becomes effective automatically upon filing) within a period that avoids any interruption in the ability of Holders of Securities covered by the expiring Shelf Registration Statement to make registered dispositions, a new registration statement relating to the Securities, which shall be deemed the “Shelf Registration Statement” for purposes of this Agreement.

(k)  Not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with printed certificates for the Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.

(l)  The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of the Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration and will make generally available to its security holders (or otherwise provide in accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) an earnings statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act, no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first month of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such 12-month period.

(m)  The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in a timely manner and containing such changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such qualification.  In the event that such qualification would require the appointment of a new trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall appoint a new trustee thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture.

(n)  The Company may require each Holder of Securities to be sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the Company such information regarding the Holder and the distribution of the Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably require for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement, and the Company may exclude from such registration the Securities of any Holder that unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such request.

(o)  The Company shall enter into such customary agreements (including, if requested, an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all such other action, if any, as any Holder of the Securities shall reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration.
 
(p)  In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company shall (i) make reasonably available for inspection by the Holders of the Securities, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and any attorney, accountant or other

 
9

 
 
agent retained by the Holders of the Securities or any such underwriter all relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and (ii) cause the Company's officers, directors, employees, accountants and auditors to supply all relevant information reasonably requested by the Holders of the Securities or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, as shall be reasonably necessary to enable such persons, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act; provided, however, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall be coordinated on behalf of the Initial Purchasers by you and on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel designated by and on behalf of such other parties as described in Section 4 hereof.

(q)  In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company, if requested by any Holder of Securities covered thereby, shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver an opinion and updates thereof relating to the Securities in customary form addressed to such Holders and the managing underwriters, if any, thereof and dated, in the case of the initial opinion, the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (it being agreed that the matters to be covered by such opinion shall include, without limitation, the due organization and good standing of the Company; the due authorization, execution and delivery of the relevant agreement of the type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the due authorization, execution, authentication and issuance, and the validity and enforceability, of the applicable Securities; the absence of governmental approvals required to be obtained in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, the offering and sale of the applicable Securities, or any agreement of the type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the compliance as to form of such Shelf Registration Statement and any documents incorporated by reference therein and of the Indenture with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, respectively; as of the date of the opinion and as of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most recent post-effective amendment thereto or most recent prospectus supplement thereto that is deemed to establish a new effective date, as the case may be, the absence from such Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus and any prospectus supplement included therein, as then amended or supplemented and including any documents incorporated by reference therein, of an untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of an applicable time identified by such Holders or managing underwriters, the absence from the prospectus included in the Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented at such applicable time and including any documents incorporated by reference therein, taken together with any other documents identified by such Holders or managing underwriters, of an untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (ii) its officers to execute and deliver all customary documents and certificates and updates thereof requested by any underwriters of the applicable Securities and (iii) its independent public accountants and the independent public accountants with respect to any other entity for which financial information is provided in the Shelf Registration Statement to provide to the selling Holders of the applicable Securities and any underwriter therefor a comfort letter in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in comfort letters in connection with primary underwritten offerings, subject to receipt of appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72.

 
10

 


(r)  In the case of the Registered Exchange Offer, if requested by any Initial Purchaser or any known Participating Broker-Dealer, the Company shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer a signed opinion in the forms set forth in the Purchase Agreement with such changes as are customary in connection with the preparation of a Registration Statement and (ii) its independent public accountants and the independent public accountants with respect to any other entity for which financial information is provided in the Registration Statement to deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer a comfort letter, in customary form, meeting the requirements as to the substance thereof as set forth in the Purchase Agreement, with appropriate date changes.

(s)  If a Registered Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to be consummated, upon delivery of the Initial Securities by Holders to the Company (or to such other Person as directed by the Company) in exchange for the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall mark, or caused to be marked, on the Initial Securities so exchanged that such Initial Securities are being canceled in exchange for the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be; in no event shall the Initial Securities be marked as paid or otherwise satisfied.

(t)  The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to (a) if the Initial Securities have been rated prior to the initial sale of such Initial Securities, confirm such ratings will apply to the Securities covered by a Registration Statement, or (b) if the Initial Securities were not previously rated, cause the Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be rated with the applicable rating agencies, if so requested by Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities covered by such Registration Statement, or by the managing underwriters, if any.

(u)  In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act shall underwrite any Securities or participate as a member of an underwriting syndicate or selling group or "assist in the distribution" (within the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the “Rules”) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.) thereof, whether as a Holder of such Securities or as an underwriter, a placement or sales agent or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, the Company will assist such broker-dealer in complying with the requirements of such Rules, including, without limitation, by (i) if such Rules, including Rule 5121, shall so require, engaging a "qualified independent underwriter" (as defined in Rule 5121) to participate in the preparation of the Registration Statement relating to such Securities, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in respect thereto and, if any portion of the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement is an underwritten offering or is made through a placement or sales agent, to recommend the yield of such Securities, (ii) indemnifying any such qualified independent underwriter to the extent of the indemnification of underwriters provided in Section 5 hereof and (iii) providing such information to such broker-dealer as may be required in order for such broker-dealer to comply with the requirements of the Rules.

(v)  The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration of the Securities covered by a Registration Statement contemplated hereby.

 
11

 

4.  Registration Expenses.  The Company shall bear all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations under Sections 1 through 3 hereof (including the reasonable fees and expenses, if any, of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, incurred in connection with the Registered Exchange Offer), whether or not the Registered Exchange Offer or a Shelf Registration is filed or becomes effective, and, in the event of a Shelf Registration, shall bear or reimburse the Holders of the Securities covered thereby for the reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm of counsel designated by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Initial Securities covered thereby to act as counsel for the Holders of the Initial Securities in connection therewith.

5.  Indemnification.  (a)  The Company agrees that it will indemnify and hold harmless each Holder of the Securities, any Participating Broker-Dealer and the officers, directors, partners, members, employees, agents and affiliates of such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer and each person, if any, who controls such Holder or such Participating Broker-Dealer within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act (each an “indemnified party”), against any loss, expense, claim, damage or liability to which, jointly or severally, such Purchaser or such controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, expense, claim, damage or liability (or actions in respect thereof) arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus or “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (“Issuer FWP”), relating to a Shelf Registration, or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, except as hereinafter in this Section provided, the Company agrees to reimburse each indemnified party as aforesaid for any reasonable legal or other expenses as incurred by such Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer or such controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, expense, claim, damage or liability; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, expense, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based on an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any such document in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in any such document.
 
(b)  Each Holder of the Securities, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its officers and directors, and each of them, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, against any loss, expense, claim, damage or liability to which it or they may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, expense, claim, damage or liability (or actions in respect thereof) arises out of or is based on any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus or Issuer FWP relating to a Shelf Registration, or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, and only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any such documents in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in any such document; and, except as hereinafter in this Section provided, each Holder, severally and not
 

 
12

 
jointly, shall reimburse the Company and its officers and directors, and each of them, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, for any reasonable legal or other expenses incurred by it or them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, expense, claim, damage or liability.
 
(c)  Upon receipt of notice of the commencement of any action against an indemnified party, the indemnified party shall, with reasonable promptness, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under its agreement contained in this Section 5, notify such indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to the indemnified party otherwise than under its agreement contained in this Section 5.  In the case of any such notice to an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense, or if it so elects, to assume the defense, of any such action, but, if it elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and satisfactory to the indemnified party and to any other indemnifying party that is a defendant in the suit.  In the event that any indemnifying party elects to assume the defense of any such action and retain such counsel, the indemnified party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and the representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  No indemnifying party shall be liable in the event of any settlement of any such action effected without its consent.  Each indemnified party agrees promptly to notify each indemnifying party of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it in connection with the issue and sale of the Offered Securities.
 
(d)  If any Holder of the Securities or person entitled to indemnification by the terms of subsection (a) of this Section 5 shall have given notice to the Company of a claim in respect thereof pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section 5, and if such claim for indemnification is thereafter held by a court to be unavailable for any reason other than by reason of the terms of this Section 5 or if such claim is unavailable under controlling precedent, such Holder or person shall be entitled to contribution from the Company for liabilities and expenses.  In determining the amount of contribution to which such Holder or person is entitled, there shall be considered the relative benefits received by such Holder or person and the Company from the exchange of the Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer that were the subject of the claim for indemnification (taking into account the portion of the proceeds of the offering realized by each), the Holder’s or person’s relative knowledge and access to information concerning the matter with respect to which the claim was asserted, the opportunity to correct and prevent any statement or omission, and any other equitable considerations appropriate under the circumstances.  The parties hereto agree that it would not be equitable if the amount of such contribution were determined by pro rata or per capita allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose).
 
(e)  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
 

 
13

 

claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 5 (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 and 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 the failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
 
(f)  The indemnity and contribution provided for in this Section 5 and the representations and warranties of the Company and the Holders set forth in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Holder or any person controlling any Holder or the Company or its directors or officers and (ii) any termination of this Agreement.
 
6.  Liquidated Damages Under Certain Circumstances.  (a)  Liquidated damages (the "Liquidated Damages ") with respect to the Initial Securities shall be assessed as follows if any of the following events occur (each such event in clauses (i) through (iii) below a "Registration Default"):

(i)  If (a) neither the Exchange Offer Registration Statement nor a Shelf Registration Statement (if required) has been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods specified in Section 1 or Section 2 hereof or (b) neither the Exchange Offer Registration Statement nor a Shelf Registration Statement (if required) has been declared effective by the Commission within the applicable time periods specified in Section 1 or Section 2 hereof;

(ii)  If the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated on or before the date that is 345 days (or if the 345th day is not a business day, the first business day thereafter) after the Issue Date of the Initial Securities;

(iii)  If after either the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective (A) such Registration Statement thereafter ceases to be effective; or (B) such Registration Statement or the related prospectus ceases to be usable (except as permitted in paragraph (b)) in connection with resales of Transfer Restricted Securities during the periods specified herein because either (1) any event occurs as a result of which the related prospectus forming part of such Registration Statement would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, (2) it shall be necessary to amend such Registration Statement or supplement the related prospectus, to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, or (3) such Registration Statement is a Shelf Registration Statement that has expired before a replacement Shelf Registration Statement has become effective.

Liquidated Damages shall be payable with respect to the principal amount of the Initial Securities at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90 days from and including the date on which any Registration Default occurs, and such Liquidated Damages rate shall increase by an additional 0.25% per annum thereafter; provided, however, that the Liquidated Damages rate on the Initial Securities shall not exceed at any time 0.5% per annum; and provided further that Liquidated Damages shall cease to accrue on and after the date on which all such Registration Defaults have been cured (which shall not, however, affect the Company’s obligations hereunder to pay Liquidated Damages that have accrued to such date and that remain unpaid).

 
14

 


(b)  A Registration Default referred to in Section 6(a)(iii)(B) hereof shall be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited financial information with respect to the Company where such post-effective amendment is not yet effective and needs to be declared effective to permit Holders to use the related prospectus or (y) other material events, with respect to the Company that would need to be described in such Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement such Shelf Registration Statement and related prospectus to describe such events; provided, however, that in any case if such Registration Default occurs for a continuous period in excess of 30 days, Liquidated Damages shall be payable in accordance with the above paragraph from the day such Registration Default occurs until such Registration Default is cured.

(c)  Any amounts of Liquidated Damages due pursuant to clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 6(a) above will be payable in cash on the regular interest payment dates with respect to the Initial Securities and shall be payable to the same persons and in the same manner as regular interest. The amount of Liquidated Damages will be determined by multiplying the applicable Liquidated Damages rate by the principal amount of the Initial Securities, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days such Liquidated Damages rate was applicable during such period (determined on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months), and the denominator of which is 360.  The Company agrees to provide the Trustee prompt written notice of the occurrence or cure of any Registration Default.

(d)  "Transfer Restricted Securities" means each Security until (i) the date on which such Transfer Restricted Security has been exchanged by a person other than a broker-dealer for a freely transferable Exchange Security in the Registered Exchange Offer, (ii) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer of a Initial Security for an Exchange Note, the date on which such Exchange Note is sold to a purchaser who receives from such broker-dealer on or prior to the date of such sale a copy of the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (iii) the date on which such Initial Security has been effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement or (iv) the date on which such Initial Securities is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

7.  Rules 144 and 144A.  The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder of Initial Securities, make publicly available other information so long as necessary to permit sales of their securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A.  The Company covenants that it will take such further action as any Holder of Initial Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Initial Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)).  The Company will provide a copy of this Agreement to prospective purchasers of Initial Securities identified to the Company by the Initial Purchasers upon request.  Upon the request of any Holder of Initial Securities, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 7 shall be deemed to require the Company to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.

 
15

 


8.  Underwritten Registrations.  If any of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by any Shelf Registration are to be sold in an underwritten offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers that will administer the offering ("Managing Underwriters") will be selected by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer Restricted Securities to be included in such offering, subject to the consent of the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld).

No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer Restricted Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

9.  Miscellaneous.

(a)  Amendments and Waivers.  The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company and the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consents.

(b)  Notices.  All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail, facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:

(1)  if to a Holder of the Securities, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company.

(2)  if to the Initial Purchasers;

BNP Paribas Securities Corp.
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019
Facsimile: (917) 472-4745
Attention: Syndicate Desk

and

RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Three World Financial Center
200 Vesey Street
New York, NY 10281
Facsimile: (212) 658-6137
Attention: Debt Capital Markets Transaction Manager

and

 
16

 
 
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
214 N. Tryon Street, 26th Floor
Charlotte, NC 28202
Facsimile: (877) 219-0512
Attention: High Grade Fixed Income – Debt Capital Markets

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY  10017
Fax No.:  (212) 701-5111
Attention:  Michael Kaplan, Esq.

(3)           if to the Company, at its address as follows:

LG&E and KU Energy LLC
220 West Main Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202

with a copy to:

Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
1301 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY  10019
Attention: Catherine C. Hood, Esq.

All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given:  at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged by recipient's facsimile machine operator, if sent by facsimile transmission; and on the day delivered, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.

(c)  No Inconsistent Agreements.  The Company has not, as of the date hereof, entered into, nor shall it, on or after the date hereof, enter into, any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders herein or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

(d)  Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.

(e)  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

(f)  Headings.  The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 
17

 
 
(g)  Governing Law.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.

(h)  Severability.  If any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

(i)  Securities Held by the Company.  Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is required hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (other than subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.



[Signature Pages Follow]

 
18

 

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 several Initial Purchasers and the Company in accordance with its terms.

Very truly yours,

LG&E AND KU ENERGY LLC


By: /s/ DANIEL K. ARBOUGH                                                  
   Name: Daniel K. Arbough
   Title: Treasurer


 
19

 

The foregoing Registration
Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed
and accepted as of the date first
above written.

BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP.
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
U.S. BANCORP INVESTMENTS, INC.

Acting on behalf of themselves and as
representatives of the several Initial Purchasers


By:  BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP.


By: /s/ JIM TURNER                                                                              
   Name: Jim Turner
   Title: Managing Director

By:  RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC


By: /s/ SCOTT G. PRIMROSE                                                                
   Name: Scott G. Primrose
   Title: Authorized Signatory

By:  U.S. BANCORP INVESTMENTS, INC.


By: /s/ CRAIG ANDERSON                                                                
   Name: Craig Anderson
   Title: Managing Director


 
20

 

ANNEX A


Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.  The Letter of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.  This Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for Initial Securities where such Initial Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities.  The Company has agreed that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date (as defined herein), it will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale.  See "Plan of Distribution."

 
 

 

ANNEX B


Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities, where such Initial Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.  See "Plan of Distribution."

 
 

 

ANNEX C


PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.  This Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for Initial Securities where such Initial Securities were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities.  The Company has agreed that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date, it will make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale.  In addition, until                   , 2012, all dealers effecting transactions in the Exchange Securities may be required to deliver a prospectus.(1)

The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange Securities by broker-dealers.  Exchange Securities received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of options on the Exchange Securities or a combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated prices.  Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange Securities.  Any broker-dealer that resells Exchange Securities that were received by it for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a distribution of such Exchange Securities may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit on any such resale of Exchange Securities and any commission or concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act.  The Letter of Transmittal states that, by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.

For a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date the Company will promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents in the Letter of Transmittal.  The Company has agreed to pay all expenses incident to the Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers or dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.


 
(1)  In addition, the legend required by Item 502(e) of Regulation S-K will appear on the back cover page of the Exchange Offer prospectus.

 
 

 

ANNEX D


           CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.

Name:  ____________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________
              ___________________________________________





If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange Securities.  If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.