Tender Offers or Exchange Offers If the Company or any of its Subsidiaries makes a payment in respect of a tender offer or exchange offer for shares of Common Stock (other than solely pursuant to an odd-lot tender offer pursuant to Rule 13e-4(h)(5) under the Exchange Act), and the value (determined as of the Expiration Time by the Company in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner) of the cash and other consideration paid per share of Common Stock in such tender or exchange offer exceeds the Last Reported Sale Price per share of Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately after the last date (the “Expiration Date”) on which tenders or exchanges may be made pursuant to such tender or exchange offer (as it may be amended), then the Conversion Rate will be increased based on the following formula: where: CR0 = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately before the Close of Business on the last Trading Day of the Tender/Exchange Offer Valuation Period for such tender or exchange offer; CR1 = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the Close of Business on the last Trading Day of the Tender/Exchange Offer Valuation Period; AC = the aggregate value (determined as of the time (the “Expiration Time”) such tender or exchange offer expires by the Company in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner) of all cash and other consideration paid for shares of Common Stock purchased or exchanged in such tender or exchange offer; OS0 = the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before the Expiration Time (including all shares of Common Stock accepted for purchase or exchange in such tender or exchange offer); OS1 = the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after the Expiration Time (excluding all shares of Common Stock accepted for purchase or exchange in such tender or exchange offer); and SP = the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices per share of Common Stock over the ten (10) consecutive Trading Day period (the “Tender/Exchange Offer Valuation Period”) beginning on, and including, the Trading Day immediately after the Expiration Date; provided, however, that the Conversion Rate will in no event be adjusted down pursuant to this Section 5.05(A)(v), except to the extent provided in the immediately following paragraph. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5.05(A)(v), (i) if any VWAP Trading Day of the Observation Period for a Note whose conversion will be settled pursuant to Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement occurs during the Tender/Exchange Offer Valuation Period for such tender or exchange offer, then, solely for purposes of determining the Conversion Rate for such VWAP Trading Day for such conversion, such Tender/Exchange Offer Valuation Period will be deemed to consist of the Trading Days occurring in the period from, and including, the Trading Day immediately after the Expiration Date for such tender or exchange offer to, and including, such VWAP Trading Day; and (ii) if the Conversion Date for a Note whose conversion will be settled pursuant to Physical Settlement occurs during the Tender/Exchange Offer Valuation Period for such tender or exchange offer, then, solely for purposes of determining the Conversion Consideration for such conversion, such Tender/Exchange Offer Valuation Period will be deemed to consist of the Trading Days occurring in the period from, and including, the Trading Day immediately after the Expiration Date to, and including, such Conversion Date. To the extent such tender or exchange offer is announced but not consummated (including as a result of the Company being precluded from consummating such tender or exchange offer under applicable law), or any purchases or exchanges of shares of Common Stock in such tender or exchange offer are rescinded, the Conversion Rate will be readjusted to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect had the adjustment been made on the basis of only the purchases or exchanges of shares of Common Stock, if any, actually made, and not rescinded, in such tender or exchange offer.
Exchange Offer (a) Parent and the Company shall (and shall cause each other Guarantor to) (i) prepare and file with the SEC promptly after the date hereof, but in no event later than the Filing Date, a registration statement (the “Exchange Registration Statement”) on an appropriate form under the Securities Act with respect to an offer (the “Exchange Offer”) to the Holders of Notes to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange for the Notes, a like principal amount of Exchange Notes, (ii) use their commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Registration Statement to become effective as promptly as practicable after the filing thereof, but in no event later than the Effectiveness Date, (iii) use their commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Exchange Registration Statement effective until the consummation of the Exchange Offer in accordance with its terms, and (iv) commence the Exchange Offer and use their commercially reasonable efforts to issue on or prior to 30 days after the date on which the Exchange Registration Statement is declared effective, Exchange Notes in exchange for all Notes tendered prior thereto in the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that (i) the Exchange Offer does not violate any law or applicable rule, regulation or interpretation of the staff of the SEC, (ii) no action, suit or proceeding shall have been instituted or threatened in any court or by any governmental agency which might materially impair the ability of the Company to proceed with the Exchange Offer, and no material adverse development shall have occurred in any existing action, suit or proceeding with respect to the Company and (iii) all governmental approvals shall have been obtained, which approvals the Company reasonably deems necessary for the consummation of the Exchange Offer.
(b) The Exchange Notes shall be issued under, and entitled to the benefits of, (i) the Indenture or a trust indenture that is identical to the Indenture (other than such changes as are necessary to comply with any requirements of the SEC to effect or maintain the qualifications thereof under the TIA) and (ii) the Collateral Agreements.
Registered Exchange Offer (a) Unless the Registered Exchange Offer would not be permitted by applicable law or Commission policy, the Issuers and the Guarantors will:
(i) use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be filed with the Commission, after the Closing Date, a Registration Statement; and
(ii) use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective under the Act within 300 days of the Closing Date.
(b) Upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement , unless the Registered Exchange Offer would not be permitted by applicable law or Commission policy, the Issuers shall promptly commence the Registered Exchange Offer.
(c) In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Issuers shall:
(i) 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;
(ii) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than 20 Business Days and not more than 30 Business Days after the date notice thereof is mailed to the Holders (or, in each case, longer if required by applicable law);
(iii) use their best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required, under the Act in order to ensure that it is available for sales of New Securities by Exchanging Dealers during the Exchange Offer Registration Period;
(iv) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, which may be the Trustee, the New Securities Trustee or an Affiliate of either of them;
(v) 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 is open;
(vi) prior to effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, provide a supplemental letter to the Commission (A) stating that the Issuers are conducting the Registered Exchange Offer in reliance on the position of the Commission in Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (pub. avail. May 13, 1988) and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Co., Inc. (pub. avail. June 5, 1991); and (B) including a representation that the Issuers have not entered into any arrangement or understanding with any person to distribute the New Securities to be received in the Registered Exchange Offer and that, to the best of the Issuers’ information and belief, each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer is acquiring the New Securities in the ordinary course of business and has no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the New Securities; and
(vii) comply in all respects with all applicable laws.
(d) As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange Offer, the Issuers shall:
(i) accept for exchange all Securities tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer;
(ii) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation in accordance with Section 4(s) all Securities so accepted for exchange; and
(iii) cause the New Securities Trustee promptly to authenticate and deliver to each Holder of Securities a principal amount of New Securities equal to the principal amount of the Securities of such Holder so accepted for exchange.
(e) Each Holder hereby acknowledges and agrees that any Broker-Dealer and any such Holder using the Registered Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the New Securities (x) could not under Commission policy as in effect on the date of this Agreement rely on the position of the Commission in Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (pub. avail. May 13, 1988) and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Co., Inc. (pub. avail. June 5, 1991), as interpreted in the Commission’s letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993 and similar no-action letters; and (y) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Act in connection with any secondary resale transaction, which must be covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling security holder information required by Item 507 or 508, as applicable, of Regulation S-K under the Act if the resales are of New Securities obtained by such Holder in exchange for Securities acquired by such Holder directly from any Issuer or one of its Affiliates. Accordingly, each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be required to represent to the Issuers that, at the time of the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer:
(i) any New Securities received by such Holder will be acquired in the ordinary course of business;
(ii) such Holder will have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the Securities or the New Securities within the meaning of the Act; and
(iii) such Holder is not an Affiliate of any Issuer.
(f) If any Initial Purchaser determines that it is not eligible to participate in the Registered Exchange Offer with respect to the exchange of Securities constituting any portion of an unsold allotment, at the request of such Initial Purchaser, the Issuers shall issue and deliver to such Initial Purchaser or the person purchasing New Securities registered under a Shelf Registration Statement as contemplated by Section 3 hereof from such Initial Purchaser, in exchange for such Securities, a like principal amount of New Securities. The Issuers shall use their best efforts to cause the CUSIP Service Bureau to issue the same CUSIP number for such New Securities as for New Securities issued pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer.
Exchange Offer Registration Statement In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Company and the Guarantors shall comply with all of the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof, shall use their reasonable best efforts to effect such exchange to permit the sale of Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and shall comply with all of the following provisions:
(i) If in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Company there is a question as to whether the Exchange Offer is permitted by applicable law, each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees to seek a no-action letter or other favorable decision from the Commission allowing the Company and the Guarantors to Consummate an Exchange Offer for such Initial Securities. Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees to pursue the issuance of such a decision to the Commission staff level but shall not be required to take commercially unreasonable action to effect a change of Commission policy. Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees, however, to (A) participate in telephonic conferences with the Commission, (B) deliver to the Commission staff an analysis prepared by counsel to the Company setting forth the legal bases, if any, upon which such counsel has concluded that such an Exchange Offer should be permitted and (C) diligently pursue a favorable resolution by the Commission staff of such submission.
(ii) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities shall furnish, upon the request of the Company, prior to the Consummation thereof, a written representation to the Company (which may be contained in the letter of transmittal contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an affiliate of the Company, (B) it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in, a distribution of the Exchange Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer and (C) it is acquiring the Exchange Securities in its ordinary course of business. In addition, all such Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities shall otherwise cooperate in the Company’s preparations for the Exchange Offer. Each Holder hereby acknowledges and agrees that any Broker-Dealer and any such Holder using the Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired in the Exchange Offer (1) could not under Commission policy as in effect on the date of this Agreement rely on the position of the Commission enunciated in Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the Commission’s letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters (which may include any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above), and (2) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a secondary resale transaction should be covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling security holder information required by Item 507 or 508, as applicable, of Regulation S-K if the resales are of Exchange Securities obtained by such Holder in exchange for Initial Securities acquired by such Holder directly from the Company.
Exchange Offer Registration The Company shall (A) file with the SEC on or prior to the 90th day after the Closing Time an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering the offer by the Company to the Holders to exchange all of the Registrable Securities for a like aggregate principal amount of Exchange Securities, (B) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be declared effective by the SEC no later than the 180th day after the Closing Time, (C) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to remain effective until the closing of the Exchange Offer and (D) use its reasonable best efforts to consummate the Exchange Offer no later than 210 days after the Closing Time. Upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Exchange Offer to enable each Holder eligible and electing to exchange Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such Holder is not an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act, acquires the Exchange Securities in the ordinary course of such Holder’s business and has no arrangements or understandings with any Person to participate in the Exchange Offer for the purpose of distributing such Exchange Securities) to trade such Exchange Securities from and after their receipt without any limitations or restrictions under the 1933 Act or under the securities or blue sky laws of the States of the United States. In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Company shall:
(i) promptly 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;
(ii) keep the Exchange Offer open for not less than 30 days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date notice thereof is mailed to the Holders and, during the Exchange Offer, offer to all Holders who are legally eligible to participate in the Exchange Offer the opportunity to exchange their Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities;
(iii) use the services of a depositary with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Exchange Offer;
(iv) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Registrable Securities at any time prior to the close of business, New York City time, on the last business day on which the Exchange Offer shall remain open, by sending to the institution specified in the Prospectus or the related letter of transmittal or related documents a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered for exchange, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its election to have such Securities exchanged;
(v) notify each Holder that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest, but will not retain any rights under this Agreement (except in the case of the Initial Purchasers and Participating Broker-Dealers as provided herein); and
(vi) otherwise comply in all material respects with all applicable laws relating to the Exchange Offer. If, at or prior to the consummation of the Exchange Offer, any of the Initial Purchasers holds any Securities acquired by it and having the status of an unsold allotment in the initial distribution, the Company shall, upon the request of any such Initial Purchaser, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Securities in the Exchange Offer, issue and deliver to such Initial Purchaser in exchange for such Securities a like principal amount of debt securities of the Company that are identical (except that such debt securities shall be subject to transfer restrictions, minimum purchase requirements and shall bear a legend relating to restrictions on ownership and transfer identical to those applicable to the Securities as a result of the issuance thereof without registration under the 1933 Act and shall provide for the payment of Additional Interest) to the Exchange Securities (the “Private Exchange Securities”). The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to have the Private Exchange Securities bear the same CUSIP number as the Exchange Securities and, if unable to do so, the Company will, at such time as any Private Exchange Security ceases to be a “restricted security” within the meaning of Rule 144 under the 1933 Act, permit any such Private Exchange Security to be exchanged for a like principal amount of Exchange Securities. The Company shall not have any liability under this Agreement solely as a result of any such Private Exchange Securities not bearing the same CUSIP number as the Exchange Securities. The Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities (if any) shall be issued under the Indenture, which shall be qualified under the TIA. The Indenture shall provide that the Exchange Securities, the Private Exchange Securities (if any) and the Securities shall vote and consent together on all matters as a single class and shall constitute a single series of debt securities issued under the Indenture. As soon as practicable after the close of the Exchange Offer, the Company shall:
(i) accept for exchange all Registrable Securities duly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and the letter of transmittal which is an exhibit thereto;
(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all Registrable Securities so accepted for exchange by the Company; and
(iii) cause the Trustee promptly to authenticate and deliver Exchange Securities to each Holder of Registrable Securities so accepted for exchange equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities of such Holder so accepted for exchange. Interest on each Exchange Security and such Private Exchange Security (if any) will accrue from the last date on which interest was paid or duly provided for on the Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid or duly provided for on such Securities, from the Interest Accrual Date. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than (i) that the Exchange Offer, or the making of any exchange by a Holder, does not violate any applicable law or any applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC, (ii) that no action or proceeding shall have been instituted or threatened in any court or by or before any governmental agency with respect to the Exchange Offer which, in the Company’s judgment, would reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Company to proceed with the Exchange Offer, and (iii) that the Holders tender the Registrable Securities to the Company in accordance with the Exchange Offer. Each Holder of Registrable Securities (other than Participating Broker-Dealers) who wishes to exchange such Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities in the Exchange Offer will be required to represent that (i) it is not an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the 0000 Xxx) of the Company, (ii) any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of business and (iii) it has no arrangement with any Person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the 0000 Xxx) of the Exchange Securities, and shall be required to make such other representations as may be reasonably necessary under applicable SEC rules, regulations or interpretations to render the use of Form S-4 or another appropriate form under the 1933 Act available. To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall inform, upon the Initial Purchasers’ request, the Initial Purchasers of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities to whom the Exchange Offer is made and, to the extent such information is available to the Company, the names and addresses of the beneficial owners of such Securities, and the Initial Purchasers shall have the right to contact such Holders and beneficial owners and otherwise facilitate the tender of Registrable Securities in the Exchange Offer.
Private Offering It is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or it is not a “U.S. Person” as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S (“Regulation S”) under the Securities Act. It acknowledges that the sale contemplated hereby is being made in reliance on a private placement exemption to “Accredited Investors” within the meaning of Section 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act and similar exemptions under state law or a non-U.S. Person under Regulation S.
REGISTRATION OF E-BIDDERS Bidders shall provide true, current and accurate information to register as a member.
Initial Public Offering (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein but subject to Section 4.01(d), in connection with any Initial Public Offering approved in accordance with this Agreement, the Members hereby agree to discuss in good faith whether any of the rights and obligations of the parties hereto and the Company under this Agreement should be amended, restructured or terminated, including, without limitation, whether any of the rights set forth in Section 4.01(d) or 8.04 hereof should be terminated or made subject to any time limitations (or time and volume limitations in the case of Section 5.04 hereof), in order to permit the Initial Public Offering to be effected in a manner consistent with applicable Law, market custom and the recommendations of the Global Coordinators in light of market conditions at such time and the listing requirements of the exchange or market on which the Initial Public Offering is to be effected, taking into account, among other things, the rights of the Preferred Members hereunder and their goal and expectation that the Preferred Payment be effected as promptly as practicable after the date hereof; provided, however, that this sentence shall not in any way either (x) obligate any of the Members or the Company to agree to any amendment, restructuring or termination of any such rights or (y) affect or nullify any rights or obligations of the Members or the Company under this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein but subject to Section 4.01(d), in connection with any Initial Public Offering of the Company (or its successor corporation) or any newly formed corporation as described below, approved in accordance with this Agreement, and upon the request of the Board of Managers, each of the Members hereby agrees that it will, at the expense of the Entity subject to such Public Offering, take such action and execute such documents as may reasonably be necessary to effect such Public Offering as expeditiously as possible, including, without limitation, taking all such actions and executing such documents as may reasonably be necessary to convert the Company into a corporation or to contribute its respective Securities to a newly formed corporation, in each case substantially concurrently with the closing of such Public Offering; provided, however, that in connection with any such conversion or contribution (i) each Preferred Member shall be entitled to receive preferred stock of the corporation whose shares of common stock are being sold in connection with such Public Offering with the same economic rights as such Preferred Member was entitled to prior to such conversion or contribution, including with an aggregate liquidation preference equal to the amount such Preferred Member would be entitled to receive, in respect of the Preferred Units which such Preferred Member held in the Company immediately prior to such conversion or contribution, under Section 5.02 hereof if a liquidation of the Company had occurred immediately prior to the consummation of such Public Offering with the proceeds in such liquidation equal in amount to the implied aggregate equity valuation of the Company (as reasonably determined by the Board of Managers in good faith with the reasonable agreement of a Majority in Interest of the Preferred Members) immediately prior to the consummation of such
The Exchange (a) The Company agrees, promptly upon the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2 below, to repay the Subordinated Notes by delivering to the Note Holders the following (the “Exchange Consideration”):
(i) a number of shares of Preferred Stock having an aggregate liquidation preference equal to $12.8 million (the “Exchange Preferred Shares”); and
(ii) a number of shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value (as defined below), rounded to the nearest whole number of shares, equal to (x) the outstanding principal amount of the Subordinated Notes on the date of closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing Date”), plus (y) all accrued and unpaid interest on the Subordinated Notes on the Closing Date, minus (z) $12.8 million (the “Exchange Common Shares” and, together with the Exchange Preferred Shares, the “Exchange Shares”).
(b) The Note Holders agree to accept the Exchange Consideration as full repayment of all amounts outstanding on the Subordinated Notes. Upon the payment of the Exchange Consideration, the Note Holders will xxxx the Subordinated Notes “Paid in Full” and surrender the Subordinated Notes to the Company. Furthermore, upon the payment of the Exchange Consideration, any security interest held by the Note Holders to secure the repayment of the Subordinated Notes will automatically be released, and the Note Holders hereby irrevocably designate the Company as their attorney-in-fact for the purpose of executing and filing any UCC-3 termination statements in connection with such release.
(c) Nothing in this Agreement will be deemed to modify or amend the terms of the Subordinated Notes, and, until the Subordinated Notes have been repaid in full in accordance with Section 1(a), the Company will, subject to any applicable subordination provisions, continue to comply with its obligations under the Subordinated Notes in accordance with its terms. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, subject to any applicable subordination provisions, the Company will continue to pay interest on the Subordinated Notes and will make any mandatory prepayments required to be made under the terms of the Subordinated Notes.
(d) The Exchange Consideration to be delivered to the Note Holders will be allocated between the Note Holders in proportion to the respective outstanding principal amounts of the Subordinated Notes held by such Note Holders. At the Closing, the Company will deliver the Exchange Consideration to the Note Holders, free and clear of any liens or security interests.
(e) For purposes of this Agreement, the “Fair Market Value” of one share of Common Stock is equal to the volume weighted average price per share of the Common Stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market during the last ten trading days immediately preceding the Effective Date.
(f) For the avoidance of doubt, neither of the Note Holders will be entitled to receive any of the Exchange Shares or any beneficial ownership thereof at any time until all of the conditions set forth in Section 2 have been satisfied or waived by the applicable Party.
(g) The Exchange Preferred Shares will have rights and preferences substantially similar to the rights and preferences set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto. The Company may, but is not required to, issue additional shares of preferred stock of the same preferred stock series as the Exchange Preferred Shares in one or more public offerings or private placements. In connection with the first such offering for cash of the same series of preferred stock as the Exchange Preferred Shares to occur after the date hereof, the Company will modify (without being required to obtain the consent of the holders of the Exchange Preferred Shares) the provisions of the Exchange Preferred Shares to be appropriate for that type of offering, and the holders of the Exchange Preferred Shares will be entitled to comparable and proportionate rights, together with the subsequent purchasers of such new shares in such offering. There is no assurance that any additional shares of preferred stock (or any Public Preferred Stock, as defined below) will be issued or that a trading market will develop for such shares. Furthermore, there is no assurance that shares of preferred stock issued by the Company in a different series of preferred stock will have rights and preferences similar to the Exchange Preferred Shares. Depending upon market conditions and other factors at the time that any shares of Public Preferred Stock are issued, the rights, designations and preferences of shares of Public Preferred Stock may differ from the rights, designations and preferences of the Exchange Preferred Shares.
Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer (a) The Staff has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”), may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. The Issuer understands that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the Securities Act.
(b) In light of the above, notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Issuer agrees that the provisions of this Agreement as they relate to a Shelf Registration shall also apply to an Exchange Offer Registration to the extent, and with such reasonable modifications thereto as may be, reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers, in each case as provided in clause (ii) below, in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited in Section 4(a) above; provided that:
(i) the Issuer shall not be required to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, as would otherwise be contemplated by Section 3(i), for a period exceeding 180 days after the last Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to the penultimate paragraph of Section 3 of this Agreement) and Participating Broker-Dealers shall not be authorized by the Issuer to deliver and shall not deliver such Prospectus after such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4; and
(ii) the application of the Shelf Registration procedures set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement to an Exchange Offer Registration, to the extent not required by the positions of the Staff or the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, will be in conformity with the reasonable request to the Issuer by the Initial Purchasers or with the reasonable request in writing to the Issuer by one or more broker-dealers who certify to the Initial Purchasers and the Issuer in writing that they anticipate that they will be Participating Broker-Dealers; and provided further that, in connection with such application of the Shelf Registration procedures set forth in Section 3 to an Exchange Offer Registration, the Issuer shall be obligated (x) to deal only with the Representatives as representatives of the Participating Broker-Dealers, (y) to pay the fees and expenses of only one counsel representing the Participating Broker-Dealers, which shall be counsel to the Initial Purchasers unless such counsel elects not to so act and (z) to cause to be delivered only one, if any, “cold comfort” letter with respect to the Prospectus in the form existing on the last Exchange Date and with respect to each subsequent amendment or supplement, if any, effected during the period specified in clause (i) above.
(c) The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Issuer or any Holder with respect to any request that it may make pursuant to Section 4(b) above.
