Delivery of Securities Sold Notwithstanding Section 4.03 above or any other provision of this Agreement, the Custodian, when instructed to deliver Securities against payment, shall be entitled, if in accordance with generally accepted market practice, to deliver such Securities prior to actual receipt of final payment therefor. In any such case, the Fund shall bear the risk that final payment for such Securities may not be made or that such Securities may be returned or otherwise held or disposed of by or through the person to whom they were delivered, and the Custodian shall have no liability for any for the foregoing.
Delivery of Securities The Custodian shall release and deliver domestic securities owned by a Portfolio held by the Custodian, in a U.S. Securities System account of the Custodian or in an account at the Underlying Transfer Agent, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, and only in the following cases:
1) Upon sale of such securities for the account of the Portfolio in accordance with customary or established market practices and procedures, including, without limitation, delivery to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent of such purchaser or dealer) against expectation of receiving later payment;
2) Upon the receipt of payment in connection with any repurchase agreement related to such securities entered into by the Portfolio;
3) In the case of a sale effected through a U.S. Securities System, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.8 hereof;
4) To the depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for securities of the Portfolio;
5) To the issuer thereof or its agent when such securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable; provided that, in any such case, the cash or other consideration is to be delivered to the Custodian;
6) To the issuer thereof, or its agent, for transfer into the name of the Portfolio or into the name of any nominee or nominees of the Custodian or into the name or nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Section 2.7 or into the name or nominee name of any sub-custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1; or for exchange for a different number of bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units; provided that, in any such case, the new securities are to be delivered to the Custodian;
7) Upon the sale of such securities for the account of the Portfolio, to the broker or its clearing agent, against a receipt, for examination in accordance with “street delivery” custom; provided that in any such case, the Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such securities prior to receiving payment for such securities except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct;
8) For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the securities of the issuer of such securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian;
9) In the case of warrants, rights or similar securities, the surrender thereof in the exercise of such warrants, rights or similar securities or the surrender of interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive securities; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian;
10) For delivery in connection with any loans of securities made by the Portfolio (a) against receipt of collateral as agreed from time to time by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, except that in connection with any loans for which collateral is to be credited to the Custodian’s account in the book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Custodian will not be held liable or responsible for the delivery of securities owned by the Portfolio prior to the receipt of such collateral or (b) to the lending agent, or the lending agent’s custodian, in accordance with written Proper Instructions (which may not provide for the receipt by the Custodian of collateral therefor) agreed upon from time to time by the Custodian and the Fund;
11) For delivery as security in connection with any borrowing by a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requiring a pledge of assets by the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio;
12) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA,” formerly known as The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.), relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio;
13) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian, and a futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and/or any contract market, or any similar organization or organizations, regarding account deposits in connection with transactions by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio;
14) Upon the sale or other delivery of such investments (including, without limitation, to one or more (a) Special Sub-Custodians or (b) additional custodians appointed by the Fund, and communicated to the Custodian from time to time via a writing duly executed by an authorized officer of the Fund, for the purpose of engaging in repurchase agreement transactions(s), each a “Repo Custodian”), and prior to receipt of payment therefor, as set forth in written Proper Instructions (such delivery in advance of payment, along with payment in advance of delivery made in accordance with Section 2.6(7), as applicable, shall each be referred to herein as a “Free Trade”), provided that such Proper Instructions shall set forth (a) the securities of the Portfolio to be delivered and (b) the person(s) to whom delivery of such securities shall be made;
15) Upon receipt of instructions from the Fund’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) for delivery to such Transfer Agent or to the holders of Shares in connection with distributions in kind, as may be described from time to time in the currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information of the Fund related to the Portfolio (the “Prospectus”), in satisfaction of requests by holders of Shares for repurchase or redemption;
16) In the case of a sale processed through the Underlying Transfer Agent of Underlying Shares, in accordance with Section 2.10 hereof;
17) For delivery as initial or variation margin in connection with futures or options on futures contracts entered into by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio; and
18) For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions from the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio specifying (a) the securities of the Portfolio to be delivered and (b) the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made.
Delivery of Securities After Closing The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, the respective Securities purchased by each Purchaser to such Purchaser within 3 Trading Days of the Closing Date.
Execution of Securities The Securities shall be signed on behalf of the Issuer by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the president, any vice president or the treasurer of the Issuer, under its corporate seal which may, but need not, be attested by its secretary or one of its assistant secretaries. Such signatures may be the manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such officers. The seal of the Issuer may be in the form of a facsimile thereof and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Securities. Typographical and other minor errors or defects in any such reproduction of the seal or any such signature shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any Security that has been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee. In case any officer of the Issuer who shall have signed any of the Securities shall cease to be such officer before the Security so signed shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or disposed of by the Issuer, such Security nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though the person who signed such Security had not ceased to be such officer of the Issuer; and any Security may be signed on behalf of the Issuer by such persons as, at the actual date of the execution of such Security, shall be the proper officers of the Issuer, although at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture any such person was not such an officer.
Authorization of Securities The Securities to be sold by the Company under this Agreement have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; no holder of the Securities is or will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance and sale of the Securities to be sold by the Company under this Agreement are not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company or any other person.
Reservation of Securities The Company shall maintain a reserve from its duly authorized shares of Common Stock for issuance pursuant to the Transaction Documents in such amount as may be required to fulfill its obligations in full under the Transaction Documents. In the event that at any time the then authorized shares of Common Stock are insufficient for the Company to satisfy its obligations in full under the Transaction Documents, the Company shall promptly take such actions as may be required to increase the number of authorized shares.
Authorization and Description of Securities The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.
Cancellation of Securities All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange, or for credit against any payment in respect of a sinking or analogous fund, if surrendered to the Issuer or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee, shall be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or, if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be cancelled by it; and no Securities shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture. The Trustee shall dispose of cancelled Securities held by it in accordance with its procedures for the disposition of cancelled Securities and deliver a certificate of disposition to the Issuer upon request. If the Issuer shall acquire any of the Securities, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Sale and Delivery of Securities (a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell through the Sales Agent, as sales agent, and the Sales Agent agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell, as sales agent for the Company, the Shares on the following terms.
(i) The Shares are to be sold on a daily basis or otherwise as shall be agreed to by the Company and the Sales Agent on any day that (A) is a trading day for the NYSE (other than a day on which the NYSE is scheduled to close prior to its regular weekday closing time), (B) the Company has instructed the Sales Agent by telephone (confirmed promptly by electronic mail) (or as otherwise agreed to by the Company and the Sales Agent) from any of the individuals listed as authorized representatives of the Company on Schedule B hereto (the “Authorized Company Representatives”) to make such sales and (C) the Company has satisfied its obligations under Section 8 of this Agreement. The Company will designate the maximum amount of the Shares to be sold by the Sales Agent daily as agreed to by the Sales Agent and in any event not in excess of the amount available for issuance under the currently effective Registration Statement relating to the sale of up to $1,500,000,000 of Shares as described in the prospectus supplement dated September 20, 2024, or any Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 5(g), or in a number in excess of the number of Shares authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Sales Agent in writing (a “Placement Notice”). Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Sales Agent shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to offer and sell all of the Shares designated; provided, however, that the Sales Agent shall have no obligation to offer or sell any Shares, and the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Sales Agent shall have no such obligation, in the event an offer or sale of the Shares on behalf of the Company may in the judgment of the Sales Agent constitute the sale of a “block” under Rule 10b-18(a)(5) under the Exchange Act or a “distribution” within the meaning of Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act or the Sales Agent reasonably believes it may be deemed an “underwriter” under the Act in a transaction that is other than by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions between members of the NYSE that qualify for delivery of a Prospectus to the NYSE in accordance with Rule 153 under the Act (such transactions are hereinafter referred to as “At-the-Market Offerings”).
(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company, through any of the Authorized Company Representatives, may instruct the Sales Agent by telephone (confirmed promptly by electronic mail) (or as otherwise agreed to by the Company and the Sales Agent) not to sell the Shares if such sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by the Company in any such instruction. In addition, the Company or the Sales Agent may, upon notice to the other party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by electronic mail) (or as otherwise agreed to by the Company and the Sales Agent), suspend the offering of the Shares; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.
(iii) The Sales Agent hereby covenants and agrees not to make any sales of the Shares on behalf of the Company, pursuant to this Section 4(a), other than (A) by means of At-the-Market Offerings and (B) such other sales of the Shares on behalf of the Company in its capacity as agent of the Company as shall be agreed by the Company and the Sales Agent.
(iv) The compensation to the Sales Agent, as an agent of the Company, for sales of the Shares shall be up to 1.25% of the gross sales price of the Shares sold pursuant to this Section 4(a) or such lower amount as otherwise mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Sales Agent from time to time. The remaining proceeds, after further deduction for any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales, shall constitute the net proceeds to the Company for such Shares (the “Net Proceeds”).
(v) The Sales Agent shall provide written confirmation to the Company following the close of trading on the NYSE each day in which the Shares are sold under this Section 4(a) setting forth the amount of the Shares sold on such day, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Sales Agent with respect to such sales.
(vi) Settlement for sales of the Shares pursuant to this Section 4(a) will occur on the first business day following the date on which such sales are made or such other date as may be agreed by the Company and the Sales Agent (each such date, a “Settlement Date”). On each Settlement Date, the Shares sold through the Sales Agent for settlement on such date shall be issued and delivered by the Company to the Sales Agent against payment of the Net Proceeds for the sale of such Shares. Settlement for all such Shares shall be effected by free delivery of the Shares by the Company or its transfer agent to the Sales Agent’s account, or to the account of the Sales Agent’s designee, at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System (“DWAC”) or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto, which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form, in return for payments in same day funds delivered to the account designated by the Company. If the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), shall default on its obligation to deliver the Shares on any Settlement Date, the Company shall (A) indemnify and hold the Sales Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default by the Company and (B) pay the Sales Agent any commission to which it would otherwise be entitled absent such default. The Authorized Company Representatives shall be the contact persons for the Company for all matters related to the settlement of the transfer of the Shares through DWAC for purposes of this Section 4(a)(vi).
(vii) At each Time of Sale, Settlement Date and Representation Date (as defined in Section 5(q)), the Company shall be deemed to have affirmed each of their respective representations and warranties contained in this Agreement. Any obligation of the Sales Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Shares on behalf of the Company shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the continuing satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 8 of this Agreement.
(i) If the Company wishes to issue and sell the Shares other than as set forth in Section 4(a) of this Agreement (each, a “Placement”), it will notify the Sales Agent of the proposed terms of such Placement. If the Sales Agent, acting as principal, wishes to accept such proposed terms (which it may decline to do for any reason in its sole discretion) or, following discussions with the Company, wishes to accept amended terms, the Sales Agent and the Company will enter into a Terms Agreement setting forth the terms of such Placement. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of any Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement will control.
(i) Under no circumstances shall the aggregate number of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement exceed the number of Shares authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Sales Agent in writing.
(ii) If either party has reason to believe that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are not satisfied with respect to the Shares, it shall promptly notify the other party and sales of the Shares under this Agreement shall be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each party.
(d) Each sale of the Shares to or through the Sales Agent shall be made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or, if applicable, a Terms Agreement.
(e) Any offer, solicitation or sale of the Shares shall be effected by or through only one of the Agents on any single trading day.
(f) Subject to the limitations set forth herein and as may be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Sales Agent, sales pursuant to this Agreement may not be requested by the Company and need not be made by the Sales Agent during any period in which the Company is or could be deemed to be, in possession of material non-public information.
(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not offer, sell or deliver, or request the offer or sale, of any Shares pursuant to this Agreement at any time during the period from and including the time the Company issues a press release containing, or shall otherwise publicly announce, its earnings, revenues or other operating results for a fiscal period or periods (each, an “Earnings Announcement”) through and including the Representation Date that occurs in connection with the Company filing a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K (a “Filing Time”) that includes consolidated financial statements as of and for the same fiscal period or periods, as the case may be, covered by such Earnings Announcement, unless the Company shall first (i) prepare and deliver to the Sales Agent (with a copy to counsel for the Sales Agent) a Current Report on Form 8-K that includes substantially the same financial and related information that was included in such Earnings Announcement (other than any earnings projections and similar forward-looking data and officers’ quotations) (each, an “Earnings 8-K”), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Sales Agent, and, prior to its filing, obtain the written consent of the Sales Agent to such filing (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), (ii) provide the Sales Agent with the officers’ certificates, opinions and letters of counsels and accountants’ letter specified in Sections 5(q) through 5(u), inclusive, hereof, (iii) afford the Sales Agent the opportunity to conduct a due diligence review in accordance with Section 5(v) hereof prior to filing such Earnings 8-K and (iv) file (rather than furnish) such Earnings 8-K with the Commission. For purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that (A) the delivery of any officers’ certificates, opinions or letters of counsel or accountants’ letter pursuant to this Section 4(g) shall not relieve the Company from any of its obligations under this Agreement with respect to any Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K, as the case may be, including, without limitation, the obligation to deliver officers’ certificates, opinions and letters of counsel and accountants’ letters as provided in Sections 5(q) through 5(u), inclusive, hereof, and (B) this Section 4(g) shall in no way affect or limit the operation of Section 4(d) hereof, which shall have independent application.
(h) The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Sales Agent will be successful in selling the Shares, (B) the Sales Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Sales Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and (C) the Sales Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the Sales Agent and the Company.
Purchase of Securities Promptly upon each purchase of Securities for the Fund, Written Instructions shall be delivered to the Custodian, specifying (i) the name of the issuer or writer of such Securities, and the title or other description thereof, (ii) the number of shares, principal amount (and accrued interest, if any) or other units purchased, (iii) the date of purchase and settlement, (iv) the purchase price per unit, (v) the total amount payable upon such purchase, and (vi) the name of the person to whom such amount is payable. The Custodian shall upon receipt of such Securities purchased by the Fund pay out of the moneys held for the account of the Fund the total amount specified in such Written Instructions to the person named therein. The Custodian shall not be under any obligation to pay out moneys to cover the cost of a purchase of Securities for the Fund, if in the Fund Custody Account there is insufficient cash available to the Fund for which such purchase was made.
