Trustees, Shareholders, etc Not Personally Liable; Notice. All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trust or any Series or class shall look only to the assets of the Trust, or, to the extent that the liability of the Trust may have been expressly limited by contract to the assets of a particular Series or attributable to a particular class, only to the assets belonging to the relevant Series or attributable to the relevant class, for payment under such credit, contract or claim; and neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees, nor any of the Trust's officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall protect any Trustee against any liability to which such Trustee would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee. Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made or issued on behalf of the Trust by the Trustees, by any officer or officers or otherwise shall give notice that this Declaration of Trust is on file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and shall recite that the same was executed or made by or on behalf of the Trust or by them as Trustee or Trustees or as officer or officers or otherwise and not individually and that the obligations of such instrument are not binding upon any of them or the Shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust or upon the assets belonging to the Series or attributable to the class for the benefit of which the Trustees have caused the note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking to be made or issued, and may contain such further recital as he or she or they may deem appropriate, but the omission of any such recital shall not operate to bind any Trustee or Trustees or officer or officers or Shareholders or any other person individually.
Holders Meetings Section 9.01 Purpose of Meetings. 71 Section 9.02 Call of Meetings by Trustee. 72 Section 9.03 Call of Meetings by Company or Holders. 72 Section 9.04 Qualifications for Voting. 72 Section 9.05 Regulations. 72 Section 9.06 Voting. 73 Section 9.07 No Delay of Rights by Meeting. 73
Securityholders Meetings SECTION 8.01.
Meetings of Holders of Notes (1) The Fiscal Agent shall, on receipt of a written request of the Issuer or a written request signed in one or more counterparts by the beneficial holders of not less than 10% of the principal amount of the Notes then outstanding and upon being indemnified to its satisfaction by the Issuer or the beneficial holders of Notes signing such request against the costs which may be incurred in connection with the calling and holding of such meeting, convene a meeting of the holders of Notes for any lawful purpose affecting their interests. If the Fiscal Agent fails to give notice convening such meeting within 30 days after receipt of such request and indemnity satisfactory to it, the Issuer or such beneficial holders of Notes, as the case may be, may convene such meeting. Every such meeting shall be held in New York or such other place as may be approved or determined by the Fiscal Agent.
(2) At least 21 days’ notice of any meeting shall be given to the holders of the Global Notes or Certificated Notes, as the case may be, in the manner provided pursuant to the provisions under “Notices” in the terms and conditions of the Notes, and a copy thereof shall be sent by post to the Fiscal Agent unless the meeting has been called by it, and to the Issuer, unless the meeting has been called by the Issuer. Such notice shall state the day, time, place and purpose of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted thereat, and shall include a statement to the effect that, prior to 48 hours prior to the time fixed for the meeting, (i) in the limited circumstances in which Certificated Notes have been issued, those holders of Certificated Notes who deposit such Notes with the Fiscal Agent, or any other person authorized for such purpose by the Fiscal Agent or the Issuer or (ii) in the case of Notes being represented by the Global Notes, those persons recorded in the Register, shall be entitled to obtain voting certificates for appointing proxies, but it shall not be necessary for any such notice to set out the terms of any resolution to be proposed at such meeting or any other provisions.
(3) A holder of Notes may appoint any person by instrument in writing as the holder’s proxy in respect of a meeting of the holders of Notes or any adjournment of such meeting, and such proxy shall have all rights of the holder of Notes in respect of such meeting. All notices of meetings to the holder of a Global Note shall contain a requirement that the Clearing Systems must notify Clearing Systems participants and, if known, owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes of the meeting in accordance with procedures established from time to time by the Clearing Systems. The registered holders of Notes shall seek voting instructions on the matters to be raised at such meeting from the Clearing Systems participants or, if known, from the owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes in accordance with the applicable procedure of the Clearing Systems. For greater certainty, it is acknowledged that none of the Issuer, the Fiscal Agent, any clearing agency or any intermediary or participant shall be required to comply with the time limits set out in the applicable procedure of the Clearing Systems but shall use all reasonable efforts to otherwise comply with such procedure and attempt to provide non-registered holders of the Notes with meeting materials and voting rights as if such non-registered holders of Notes were registered holders thereof.
(4) Some person, who need not be a holder of Notes, nominated in writing by the Fiscal Agent shall be chairman of the meeting and if no person is so nominated or if the person so nominated is not present within 15 minutes from the time fixed for the holding of the meeting, the holders of the Notes present in person or by proxy shall choose some person present to be chairman, and, failing such choice, the Issuer may appoint a chairman.
(5) At a meeting of holders of Notes, a quorum shall consist of two or more holders of Notes present in person or by proxy who represent at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding. If a quorum of the holders of Notes shall not be present within one-half hour after the time fixed for holding any meeting, the meeting, if convened by or at the request of holders of Notes, shall be dissolved, but if otherwise convened, the meeting shall stand adjourned without notice to the same day in the next week (unless such day is not a business day in the place where the meeting is to take place in which case it shall stand adjourned until the next such business day following thereafter) at the same time and place unless the chairman shall appoint some other place, day or time of which not less than seven days’ notice shall be given in the manner provided above. At any adjourned meeting called by the Issuer or the Fiscal Agent, two or more holders of Notes present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum and may transact the business for which the meeting was originally convened notwithstanding that they may not represent at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding.
(6) The chairman of any meeting at which a quorum of the holders of Notes is present may, with the consent of the holder(s) of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented thereat, adjourn any such meeting and no notice of such adjournment need be given except such notice, if any, as the meeting may prescribe.
(7) Every motion or question submitted to a meeting shall be decided by Extraordinary Resolution (as hereinafter defined) and in the first place by the votes given on a show of hands. At any such meeting, unless a poll is duly demanded as herein provided, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried or carried unanimously or by a particular majority or lost or not carried by a particular majority shall be conclusive of the fact. On any question submitted to a meeting when ordered by the chairman or demanded by a show of hands by one or more holders of Notes acting in person or by proxy and holding at least 2% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, a poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairman shall direct.
(8) In a poll, each holder of Notes present in person or represented by a proxy duly appointed by an instrument in writing shall be entitled to one vote in respect of each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes then held by such holder. A proxy need not be a holder of Notes. In the case of Notes held jointly, any one of the joint holders present in person or by proxy may vote in the absence of the other or others; but in case more than one of them is present in person or by proxy, only one of them may vote in respect of each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes of which they are joint holders.
(9) The Issuer and the Fiscal Agent by their respective officers, directors and representatives, and the legal advisors of the Issuer and the Fiscal Agent may attend any meeting of the holders of Notes, but shall have no vote as such.
(10) Subject to Section 16 (Amendments), in addition to all other powers conferred upon them by any other provision of this Agreement or by law, holders of Notes at a meeting shall have the following powers, any one or combination of which may be exercised from time to time by Extraordinary Resolution:
(a) power to confirm any modification or amendment of this Agreement or the terms and conditions of the Notes proposed by the Issuer; provided that, to the extent that such modification or amendment may affect the rights, duties, protections, indemnities and immunities of the Fiscal Agent, the Issuer shall not propose such modification or amendment and such power shall not be exercised, without the prior written consent of the Fiscal Agent;
(b) power to exercise any power, right, remedy or authority given to it by this Agreement or the Notes in any manner specified in such Extraordinary Resolution or to refrain from exercising any such power, right, remedy or authority;
(c) power to waive any default on the part of the Issuer in complying with any provisions of this Agreement or the Notes or to waive future compliance with any provision or provisions of this Agreement or the Notes; and
(d) power to repeal, modify or amend any Extraordinary Resolution previously passed by the holders of Notes; provided, however, that no such modification nor amendment to this Agreement or to the terms and conditions of the Notes or any other action taken may, (a) without the consent of the holder of each such Note affected thereby: (i) change the stated maturity or interest payment date(s) of any such Note; (ii) reduce the principal amount of or rate of interest on any such Note; (iii) change the currency of payment of any such Note; (iv) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Note; (v) reduce the percentage of the holders of Notes necessary to modify or amend this Agreement or the terms and conditions of the Notes or reduce the percentage of votes required for the taking of action or the quorum required at any meeting of holders of Notes; or (vi) reduce the percentage of outstanding Notes necessary to waive any future compliance or past default; or (b) without the consent of the Fiscal Agent, alter the rights, duties, protections, indemnities or immunities of the Fiscal Agent.
(11) All actions that may be taken and all powers that may be exercised by the holders of Notes at a meeting held as hereinbefore provided may also be taken and exercised by the holders of not less than 66 2/3% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding by an instrument in writing signed in one or more counterparts, and the expression “Extraordinary Resolution” when used in this Agreement shall include an instrument so signed.
(12) The term “Extraordinary Resolution” means a resolution proposed to be passed at a meeting of holders of the Notes duly convened for the purpose and held in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and passed by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 66 2/3% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented at the meeting in person or by proxy or as an instrument in writing signed by the holders of not less than 66 2/3% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.
Meetings of Holders of the Preferred Securities (a) No annual meeting of Holders is required to be held. The Property Trustee, however, shall call a meeting of the Holders of the Preferred Securities to vote on any matter upon the written request of the Holders of at least twenty five percent (25%) in aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Preferred Securities and the Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee may, at any time in their discretion, call a meeting of the Holders of the Preferred Securities to vote on any matters as to which such Holders are entitled to vote.
(b) The Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(c) If a quorum is present at a meeting, an affirmative vote by the Holders present, in person or by proxy, holding Preferred Securities representing at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities held by the Holders present, either in person or by proxy, at such meeting shall constitute the action of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, unless this Trust Agreement requires a lesser or greater number of affirmative votes.
Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes (a) Within 60 days after each May 15 beginning with the May 15 following the date of this Indenture, and for so long as Notes remain outstanding, the Trustee will mail to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such reporting date that complies with TIA § 313(a) (but if no event described in TIA § 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the reporting date, no report need be transmitted). The Trustee also will comply with TIA § 313(b)(2). The Trustee will also transmit by mail all reports as required by TIA § 313(c).
(b) A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to the Holders of Notes will be mailed by the Trustee to the Company and filed by the Trustee with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Notes are listed in accordance with TIA § 313(d). The Company will promptly notify the Trustee when the Notes are listed on any stock exchange.
Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes Holders may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).
Repurchase at Option of Holders Upon a Fundamental Change (a) If a Fundamental Change occurs at any time prior to the Maturity Date, each Holder shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to require the Company to repurchase for cash all of such Holder’s Notes, or any portion of the principal amount thereof that is equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000, on the date (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Date”) specified by the Company that is not less than 20 Business Days or more than 35 Business Days following the date of the Fundamental Change Company Notice at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Price”), unless the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date falls after a Regular Record Date but on or prior to the Interest Payment Date to which such Regular Record Date relates, in which case the Company shall instead pay the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest to Holders of record as of such Regular Record Date, and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased pursuant to this Article XIV.
(b) Repurchases of Notes under this Section 14.01 shall be made, at the option of the Holder thereof, upon:
(i) delivery to the Paying Agent by a Holder of a duly completed notice (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice”) in the form set forth in Attachment 2 to the Form of Note attached to this Indenture as Exhibit A, if the Notes are Physical Notes, or in compliance with the Depositary’s procedures for surrendering interests in Global Notes, if the Notes are Global Notes, in each case on or before the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (subject to postponement to comply with changes in applicable law after the date of this Indenture); and
(ii) delivery of the Notes to be repurchased, if the Notes are Physical Notes, to the Paying Agent at any time after delivery of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice (together with all necessary endorsements for transfer) at the Corporate Trust Office of the Paying Agent, or book-entry transfer of the Notes, if the Notes are Global Notes, in compliance with the procedures of the Depositary, in each case such delivery being a condition to receipt by the Holder of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price therefor. The Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice in respect of any Notes to be repurchased shall state:
(iii) the certificate numbers of the Notes to be delivered for repurchase;
(iv) the portion of the principal amount of Notes to be repurchased, which must be $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof; and
(v) that the Notes are to be repurchased by the Company pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Notes and this Indenture. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the two preceding sentences, if the Notes are Global Notes, then the Holder must instead comply with the applicable Depositary procedures to exercise the Fundamental Change repurchase right. Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary, a Holder that has exercised its Fundamental Change repurchase right with respect to any Note may withdraw such exercise in accordance with Section 14.02. The Paying Agent shall promptly notify the Company of the receipt by it of any Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice or written notice of withdrawal thereof or any corresponding exercise or withdrawal pursuant to the applicable Depositary procedures.
(c) On or before the 20th calendar day after the occurrence of a Fundamental Change, the Company shall provide to all Holders and the Trustee and the Paying Agent (in the case of a Paying Agent other than the Trustee) a written notice (the “Fundamental Change Company Notice”) of the occurrence of the Fundamental Change and of the repurchase right at the option of the Holders arising as a result thereof. In the case of Physical Notes, such notice shall be by first class mail or, in the case of Global Notes, such notice shall be delivered in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary. Each Fundamental Change Company Notice shall specify:
(i) the events causing the Fundamental Change;
(ii) the effective date of the Fundamental Change;
(iii) the last date on which a Holder may exercise the repurchase right pursuant to this Article XIV;
(iv) the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price;
(v) the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date;
(vi) the name and address of the Paying Agent and the Conversion Agent, if applicable;
(vii) if applicable, the Conversion Rate and any adjustments to the Conversion Rate as a result of the Fundamental Change;
(viii) that the Notes with respect to which a Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice has been delivered by a Holder may be converted only if the Holder withdraws the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; and
(ix) the procedures that Holders must follow to require the Company to repurchase their Notes. No failure of the Company to give the foregoing notices and no defect therein shall limit the Holders’ repurchase rights or affect the validity of the proceedings for the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to this Section 14.01. At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give such notice in the Company’s name and at the Company’s expense; provided, however, that, in all cases, the text of such Fundamental Change Company Notice shall be prepared by the Company.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Notes may be repurchased by the Company on any date at the option of the Holders upon a Fundamental Change if the principal amount of the Notes has been accelerated, and such acceleration has not been rescinded, on or prior to such date (except in the case of an acceleration resulting from a Default by the Company in the payment of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price with respect to such Notes). The Paying Agent will promptly return to the respective Holders thereof any Physical Notes held by it during the acceleration of the Notes (except in the case of an acceleration resulting from a Default by the Company in the payment of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price with respect to such Notes), or any instructions for book-entry transfer of the Notes in compliance with the procedures of the Depositary shall be deemed to have been canceled, and, upon such return or cancellation, as the case may be, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice with respect thereto shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.
Right of Holders to Require the Company to Repurchase Notes Upon a Fundamental Change Subject to the other terms of this Section 4.02, if a Fundamental Change occurs, then each Holder will have the right (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Right”) to require the Company to repurchase such Holder’s Notes (or any portion thereof in an Authorized Denomination) on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date for such Fundamental Change for a cash purchase price equal to the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price.
Stockholders Meetings (a) If the Company Stockholder Approval (as hereinafter defined) is required by law, the Company will, at Parent's request, subject to the fiduciary duties of the Board of Directors of the Company under applicable law, as soon as practicable following the expiration of the Offer, duly call, give notice of, convene and hold a meeting of its stockholders (the "Stockholders Meeting") for the purpose of approving and adopting this Agreement and the Transactions (the "Company Stockholder Approval"). The Company will, through its Board of Directors, recommend to its stockholders that the Company Stockholder Approval be given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) if Merger Sub or any other Subsidiary of Parent shall acquire at least a majority of the outstanding Shares, the parties shall, at the request of Parent, take all necessary and appropriate action to cause the Merger to be approved by a written consent of stockholders pursuant to Section 228 of the DGCL, the Company Charter and the Company Bylaws (the "Written Consent") and for the Merger to become effective as soon as practicable as permitted by applicable law after purchase of such Shares in the Offer without a Stockholders Meeting in accordance with Sections 228 and 251 of the DGCL, and (2) if Merger Sub or any other subsidiary of Parent shall acquire at least 90% of the outstanding Shares, the parties shall, at the request of Parent, take all necessary and appropriate action to cause the Merger to become effective as soon as practicable after the expiration of the Offer without a Stockholders Meeting in accordance with Section 253 of the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company agrees that its obligations pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 6.1(a) shall not be affected by (i) the commencement, public proposal, public disclosure or communication to the Company of any Acquisition Proposal or (ii) the withdrawal or modification by the Board of Directors of the Company of its approval or recommendation of the Offer, this Agreement or the Merger.
(b) If the Company Stockholder Approval is required by law, the Company will, at Parent's request, as soon as practicable following the expiration of the Offer, prepare and file a preliminary Proxy Statement with the Commission and will use its best efforts to respond to any comments of the Commission and to cause the Proxy Statement to be mailed to the Company's stockholders as promptly as practicable after responding to all such comments to the satisfaction of the Commission. The Company will notify Parent promptly of the receipt of any comments from the Commission and of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Proxy Statement or for additional information and will supply Parent with copies of all correspondence between the Company or any of its representatives, on the one hand, and the Commission, on the other hand, with respect to the Proxy Statement or the Merger. If at any time prior to the Stockholders Meeting there shall occur any event that should be set forth in an amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement, the Company will promptly prepare and mail to its stockholders such an amendment or supplement. The Company will not mail any Proxy Statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, to which Parent reasonably objects after being afforded the opportunity to review the same.
(c) Parent agrees to cause all Shares purchased pursuant to the Offer and all other Shares owned by Parent or any Subsidiary of Parent to be voted in favor of the Company Stockholder Approval.
(d) If Merger Sub or any other Subsidiary of Parent shall acquire at least a majority of the outstanding Shares, the Company will, at Parent's request, as soon as practicable following purchase of such Shares in the Offer, prepare and file a preliminary Section 14(c) Information Statement with the Commission and will use its best efforts to respond to any comments of the Commission and to cause the Section 14(c) Information Statement to be mailed to the Company's stockholders as promptly as practicable after responding to all such comments to the satisfaction of the Commission. The Company will notify Parent promptly of the receipt of any comments from the Commission and of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Section 14(c) Information Statement or for additional information and will supply Parent with copies of all correspondence between the Company or any of its representatives, on the one hand, and the Commission, on the other hand, with respect to the Section 14(c) Information Statement or the Merger. If at any time prior to the effective date of the Written Consent there shall occur any event that should be set forth in an amendment or supplement to the Section 14(c) Information Statement, the Company will promptly prepare and mail to its stockholders such an amendment or supplement. The Company will not mail any Section 14(c) Information Statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, to which Parent reasonably objects after being afforded the opportunity to review the same.
