Redemption for Tax Reasons The Notes may be redeemed at the option of the Issuer in whole, but not in part, at any time (if this Note is neither a Floating Rate Note, an Index Linked Interest Note nor a Dual Currency Interest Note) or on any Interest Payment Date (if this Note is either a Floating Rate Note, an Index Linked Interest Note or a Dual Currency Interest Note), on giving not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice to the Principal Paying Agent and, in accordance with Condition 15, the Noteholders (which notice shall be irrevocable), if:
(i) on the occasion of the next payment due under the Notes, the Issuer has or will become obliged to pay additional amounts as provided or referred to in Condition 9 or the Guarantor would be unable for reasons outside its control to procure payment by the Issuer and in making payment itself would be required to pay such additional amounts, in each case as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws or regulations of a Tax Jurisdiction (as defined in Condition 9) or any political subdivision of, or any authority in, or of, a Tax Jurisdiction having power to tax, or any change in the application or official interpretation of such laws or regulations, which change or amendment becomes effective on or after the date on which agreement is reached to issue the first Tranche of the Notes; and
(ii) such obligation cannot be avoided by the Issuer or, as the case may be, the Guarantor taking reasonable measures available to it, provided that no such notice of redemption shall be given earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which the Issuer or, as the case may be, the Guarantor would be obliged to pay such additional amounts were a payment in respect of the Notes then due. Prior to the publication of any notice of redemption pursuant to this Condition, the Issuer shall deliver to the Principal Paying Agent a certificate signed by two Directors of the Issuer or, as the case may be, two Directors of the Guarantor stating that the Issuer is entitled to effect such redemption and setting forth a statement of facts showing that the conditions precedent to the right of the Issuer so to redeem have occurred, and an opinion of independent legal advisers of recognised standing to the effect that the Issuer or, as the case may be, the Guarantor has or will become obliged to pay such additional amounts as a result of such change or amendment. Notes redeemed pursuant to this Condition 8(b) will be redeemed at their Early Redemption Amount referred to in paragraph (e) below together (if appropriate) with interest accrued to (but excluding) the date of redemption.
Termination in Connection with a Change of Control If during the two (2) year period that begins on the date that is one (1) year prior to a Change of Control and ends on that date which is one (1) year following a Change of Control, Conn’s (or its successor) terminates Executive’s employment other than for Cause or as a result of Executive’s death or Disability, or Executive voluntarily terminates his employment for Good Reason, Conn’s will pay the following amounts and provide the following benefits:
(i) A lump-sum cash payment in an amount equal to three (3) times the Executive’s Base Salary, payable not later than ten (10) days following (A) Executive’s termination (if Executive’s employment terminates on or after the date of the Change of Control), or (B) the date of the Change of Control (if Executive’s employment terminates during the one-year period prior to the date of the Change of Control). Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3(c)(i)(B), the amount payable to Executive under this Section 3(c)(i) shall be reduced by the payments, if any, received by Executive pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
(ii) During the eighteen (18) month period following such termination (the “Change of Control Severance Period”), Executive shall receive continued coverage under the Conn’s medical, dental, life, disability, and other employee welfare benefit plans in which senior executives of Conn’s are eligible to participate, to the extent Executive is eligible under the terms of such plans immediately prior to Executive’s termination. For purposes of clarity, during the term of this Agreement Conn’s shall provide Executive coverage under a major medical plan. Conn’s obligation to provide the foregoing benefits shall terminate upon Executive’s becoming eligible for comparable employee welfare benefits under a plan or arrangement provided by a new employer. Executive agrees to promptly notify Conn’s of any such employment and the material terms of any employee welfare benefits offered to Executive in connection with such employment.
(iii) All awards held by Executive under the Conn’s Amended and Restated 2003 Incentive Stock Option Plan and/or the Conn’s 2011 Omnibus Incentive Plan shall immediately vest and, if applicable, continue to be exercisable during the Change of Control Severance Period as if Executive had remained an employee of Conn’s. The terms of this Section 3(c) are continuing in nature and shall survive until the one (1) year anniversary of the earlier of Executive’s termination of employment or termination of this Agreement.
Termination in Connection with a Change in Control a. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” means any of the following events:
Redemption for Taxation Reasons The Securities may be redeemed, at the Company’s option, in whole but not in part, upon giving not less than 30 days’ nor more than 60 days’ notice to the Holders (which notice will be irrevocable), at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional Amounts), if any, to the Tax Redemption Date if, as a result of:
(a) any change in, or amendment to, the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder) of a Relevant Jurisdiction affecting taxation; or
(b) any change in, or amendment to, an official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings (including a holding, judgment or order by a court of competent jurisdiction), which change or amendment becomes effective (i) in the case of the Company, on or after the Closing Date or (ii) in the case of any successor entity, on or after the date such successor entity becomes obligated under the Securities or the Indenture, with respect to any payment due or to become due under the Securities or the Indenture, the Company or its successor entity, as the case may be, is, or on the next Interest Payment Date would be, required to pay Additional Amounts, and such requirement cannot be avoided by the Company or its successor entity, as the case may be, taking reasonable measures available to it; provided that for the avoidance of doubt changing the jurisdiction of the Company or any successor entity is not a reasonable measure for the purposes of this section; and provided, further that no such notice of redemption will be given earlier than 60 days prior to the earliest date on which we, or any successor entity, as the case may be, would be obligated to pay such Additional Amounts if a payment in respect of the Securities were then due. Any Securities that are redeemed will be cancelled.
Termination without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason in Connection with a Change of Control If during the period commencing three (3) months before and ending twelve (12) months after a Change of Control, (1) Executive terminates his employment with the Company (or any Affiliate) for Good Reason or (2) the Company (or any Affiliate) terminates Executive’s employment for other than Cause, Executive becoming Disabled or Executive’s death, then, subject to Section 4, Executive will receive the following severance from the Company:
Involuntary Termination in Connection with a Change in Control Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in the event of an Involuntary Termination prior to a Change in Control, if the Involuntary Termination (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect such Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of such Change in Control, then the Executive shall, in lieu of the payments described in Section 4 hereof, be entitled to the Post-Change in Control Severance Payment and the additional benefits described in this Section 5 as if such Involuntary Termination had occurred within two (2) years following the Change in Control. The amounts specified in Section 5 that are to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be reduced by any amount previously paid under Section 4. The amounts to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be paid within sixty (60) days after the Change in Control Date of such Change in Control.
Termination in Connection with Change of Control If Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason within sixty (60) days prior to or twelve (12) months following a Change of Control, Executive shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of any severance benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled under any severance plan or program of the Company, the benefits provided below:
(A) the Company shall pay to Executive his or her fully earned but unpaid base salary, when due, through the date of termination at the rate then in effect, plus all other amounts to which Executive is entitled under any compensation plan or practice of the Company at the time of termination;
(B) on the first scheduled payment date pursuant to the usual payroll practices of the Company (or successor entity, as applicable) immediately after the 60th day following the date of termination or Change of Control, in the event the date of termination precedes a Change of Control, with respect to those payments the amount of which is not administratively practicable by the foregoing date because it is not yet known whether a Change of Control will occur within sixty (60) days following the date of termination, as applicable, Executive shall be entitled to receive a lump sum severance payment equal to the sum of:
(1) twelve (12) months of Executive’s monthly base salary as in effect immediately prior to the date of termination, plus
(2) an amount equal to Executive’s Bonus;
(C) The vesting and/or exercisability of all of Executive’s outstanding unvested Stock Awards shall be automatically accelerated on the date of termination;
(D) for the period beginning on the date of termination and ending on the date which is twelve (12) full months following the date of termination (or, if earlier, the date on which Executive accepts employment with another employer that provides comparable benefits in terms of cost and scope of coverage), the Company shall pay for and provide Executive and his or her dependents with healthcare and life insurance benefits which are substantially the same as the benefits provided to Executive immediately prior to the date of termination, including, if necessary, paying the costs associated with continuation coverage pursuant to COBRA;
(E) Executive shall be entitled to executive-level outplacement services at the Company’s expense, not to exceed $15,000. Such services shall be provided by a firm selected by Executive from a list compiled by the Company; and
(F) The payments and benefits provided for in this Section 4(d)(ii) shall only be payable in the event Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason within sixty (60) days prior to or twelve (12) months following a Change of Control. If Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason prior to a Change of Control and such Change of Control is not consummated within sixty (60) days following such termination, then Executive shall receive the payments and benefits described in Section 4(d)(i) and shall not be eligible to receive any of the payments and benefits described in this Section 4(d)(ii).
Withdrawal of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice (a) A Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice may be withdrawn (in whole or in part) by means of a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the Paying Agent in accordance with this Section 14.03 at any time prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, specifying:
(i) the aggregate principal amount of the Notes with respect to which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted, which must be $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof,
(ii) if Physical Notes have been issued, the certificate number of the Note in respect of which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted, and
(iii) the aggregate principal amount, if any, of such Note that remains subject to the original Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice, which portion must be in principal amounts of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000; provided, however, that if the Notes are Global Notes, the notice must comply with appropriate procedures of the Depositary.
Redemption for Changes in Withholding Taxes (a) The Issuers are entitled to redeem the Notes, at the option of the Issuers, at any time in whole but not in part, upon not less than 15 nor more than 45 days’ notice (which notice shall be irrevocable) to the Holders (with a copy to the Trustee) mailed by first-class mail to each Holder’s registered address (or delivered electronically if held by DTC), at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the date of redemption (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date) and Additional Amounts, if any, in the event the Issuers have become or would become obligated to pay, on the next date on which any amount would be payable with respect to the Notes, any Additional Amounts with respect to the Notes as a result of:
(i) a change in or an amendment to the laws (including any regulations, rulings or protocols promulgated and treaties enacted thereunder) of any Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction affecting taxation; or
(ii) any change in or amendment to, or the introduction of, any official position regarding the application, administration or interpretation of such laws, regulations, rulings, protocols or treaties (including a holding, judgment or order by a court of competent jurisdiction), which change or amendment is announced or becomes effective on or after the date on which the Notes are issued (or, in the case of a jurisdiction that becomes a Relevant Taxing Jurisdiction after such date, on or after such later date), and where the Issuers cannot avoid such obligation by taking reasonable measures available to the Issuers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such notice of redemption will be given (x) earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which the Issuers would be obliged to make such payment of Additional Amounts and (y) unless at the time such notice is given, such obligation to pay such Additional Amounts remains in effect.
(b) Before the Issuers publish or mail or deliver notice of redemption of the Notes as described above, the Issuers will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the Issuers cannot avoid their obligation to pay Additional Amounts by taking reasonable measures available to them and that all conditions precedent to the redemption have been complied with. The Issuers will also deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel from outside counsel stating that the Issuers would be obligated to pay Additional Amounts as a result of a change or amendment described above and that all conditions precedent to the redemption have been complied with.
(c) This Section will apply mutatis mutandis to any jurisdiction in which any successor Person to an Issuer is incorporated or organized or any political subdivision or taxing authority or agency thereof or therein.
Increased Conversion Rate Applicable to Certain Notes Surrendered in Connection with Make-Whole Fundamental Changes (a) If the Effective Date of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change occurs prior to the Maturity Date and a Holder elects to convert its Notes in connection with such Make-Whole Fundamental Change, the Company shall, under the circumstances described below, increase the Conversion Rate for the Notes so surrendered for conversion by a number of additional shares of Common Stock (the “Additional Shares”), as described below. A conversion of Notes shall be deemed for these purposes to be “in connection with” such Make-Whole Fundamental Change if the relevant Notice of Conversion is received by the Conversion Agent from, and including, the Effective Date of the Make-Whole Fundamental Change up to, and including, the Business Day immediately prior to the related Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (or, in the case of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change that would have been a Fundamental Change but for subclause (i) of the proviso in clause (b) of the definition thereof, the 35th Trading Day immediately following the Effective Date of such Make-Whole Fundamental Change).
(b) Upon surrender of Notes for conversion in connection with a Make-Whole Fundamental Change, the Company shall, at its option, satisfy the related Conversion Obligation by Physical Settlement, Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement in accordance with Section 13.02 based on the Conversion Rate as increased to reflect the Additional Shares pursuant to the table below; provided, however, that if, at the effective time of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change described in clause (b) of the definition of Fundamental Change, the Reference Property following such Make-Whole Fundamental Change is composed entirely of cash, for any conversion of Notes following the Effective Date of such Make-Whole Fundamental Change, the Conversion Obligation shall be calculated based solely on the Stock Price for the transaction and shall be deemed to be an amount of cash per $1,000 principal amount of converted Notes equal to the Conversion Rate (including any adjustment for Additional Shares), multiplied by such Stock Price. In such event, the Conversion Obligation shall be determined and paid to Holders in cash on the second Business Day following the Conversion Date. The Company shall notify the Holders of Notes, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) of the Effective Date of any Make-Whole Fundamental Change no later than five Business Days after such Effective Date.
(c) The number of Additional Shares, if any, by which the Conversion Rate shall be increased shall be determined by reference to the table below, based on the date on which the Make-Whole Fundamental Change occurs or becomes effective (the “Effective Date”) and the price (the “Stock Price”) paid (or deemed to be paid) per share of the Common Stock in the Make-Whole Fundamental Change. If the holders of the Common Stock receive in exchange for their Common Stock only cash in a Make-Whole Fundamental Change described in clause (b) of the definition of Fundamental Change, the Stock Price shall be the cash amount paid per share. Otherwise, the Stock Price shall be the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the five Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Effective Date of the Make-Whole Fundamental Change. The Board of Directors shall make appropriate adjustments to the Stock Price, in its good faith determination, to account for any adjustment to the Conversion Rate that becomes effective, or any event requiring an adjustment to the Conversion Rate where the Ex-Dividend Date, Effective Date (as such term is used in Section 13.04) or expiration date of the event occurs, during such five consecutive Trading Day period.
(d) The Stock Prices set forth in the column headings of the table below shall be adjusted as of any date on which the Conversion Rate of the Notes is otherwise adjusted. The adjusted Stock Prices shall equal the Stock Prices applicable immediately prior to such adjustment, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Conversion Rate immediately prior to such adjustment giving rise to the Stock Price adjustment and the denominator of which is the Conversion Rate as so adjusted. The number of Additional Shares set forth in the table below shall be adjusted in the same manner and at the same time as the Conversion Rate as set forth in Section 13.04.
(e) The following table sets forth the number of Additional Shares of Common Stock by which the Conversion Rate shall be increased per $1,000 principal amount of Notes pursuant to this Section 13.03 for each Stock Price and Effective Date set forth below: Effective Date $33.46 $40.00 $41.50 $45.00 $50.00 $53.95 $60.00 $70.00 $80.00 $90.00 March 12, 2020 5.7900 3.2905 2.8889 2.1284 1.3680 0.9587 0.5487 0.2047 0.0603 0.0000 March 15, 2021 5.7900 3.1500 2.7227 1.9171 1.1254 0.7170 0.3408 0.0854 0.0106 0.0000 March 15, 2022 5.7900 2.9820 2.5369 1.6964 0.8416 0.3527 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 March 15, 2023 5.7900 2.7203 2.2689 1.4511 0.6842 0.2795 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 March 15, 2024 5.7900 2.2100 1.7414 0.9687 0.3828 0.1429 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 March 15, 2025 5.7900 0.9038 0.0002 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 The exact Stock Prices and Effective Dates may not be set forth in the table above, in which case:
(i) if the Stock Price is between two Stock Prices in the table above or the Effective Date is between two Effective Dates in the table above, the number of Additional Shares by which the Conversion Rate shall be increased shall be determined by a straight-line interpolation between the number of Additional Shares set forth for the higher and lower Stock Prices and the earlier and later Effective Dates, as applicable, based on a 365-day year;
(ii) if the Stock Price is greater than $90.00 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Stock Prices set forth in the column headings of the table above pursuant to subsection (d) above), no Additional Shares shall be added to the Conversion Rate; and
(iii) if the Stock Price is less than $33.46 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Stock Prices set forth in the column headings of the table above pursuant to subsection (d) above), no Additional Shares shall be added to the Conversion Rate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Conversion Rate per $1,000 principal amount of Notes exceed 29.8864 shares of Common Stock, subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 13.04.
(f) Nothing in this Section 13.03 shall prevent an adjustment to the Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 13.04 in respect of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change.
