EXECUTION COPY
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
May 21, 1997
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
c/o Chase Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs:
XXXXX XXXX PET FOODS COMPANY, INC., a Minnesota corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to issue and sell to you (the "Initial Purchasers"), upon
the terms set forth in a purchase agreement dated May 16, 1997 (the "Purchase
Agreement"), $120,000,000 principal amount of its 9-3/4% Senior Subordinated
Securities due 2007 (the "Securities") which Securities shall be unsecured and
will be subordinated to all existing and future Senior Indebtedness of the
Company and will be effectively subordinated to all obligations of each
subsidiary of the Company as may exist from time to time. Capitalized terms used
but not specifically defined herein have the respective meanings ascribed
thereto in the Purchase Agreement. As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to
enter into the Purchase Agreement and in satisfaction of a condition to your
obligations thereunder, the Company agrees with you, for the benefit of the
holders of the Securities (including the Initial Purchasers) (the "Holders"), as
follows:
1. Registered Exchange Offer. The Company shall prepare and, not
later than 60 days following the Issue Date (as hereinafter defined), shall file
with the Commission a registration statement (the "Exchange Offer Registration
Statement") on an appropriate form under the Securities Act with respect to a
proposed offer (the "Registered Exchange Offer") to the Holders to issue and
deliver to such Holders, in exchange for the Securities, a like aggregate
principal amount of debt securities of the Company (the "Exchange Securities")
identical in all material respects to the Securities, except for the transfer
restrictions relating to the Securities, shall use its reasonable best efforts
to cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective under the
Securities Act no later than 150 days after the Issue Date and to be consummated
no later than 180 days after the Issue Date, and shall keep the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement effective for not less than 30 days (or longer, if
required by applicable law) after the date notice of the Exchange Offer is
mailed to the Holders (such period being called the "Exchange Offer Registration
Period"). The Exchange Securities will be issued under the Indenture or an
indenture (the "Exchange Securities Indenture") between the Company and the
Trustee or such other bank or trust company reasonably satisfactory to you, as
trustee (the "Exchange Securities Trustee"), such indenture
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to be identical in all material respects to the Indenture except for the
transfer restrictions relating to the Securities (as described above).
Upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement,
the Company shall promptly commence the Registered Exchange Offer, it being the
objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to enable each Holder electing to
exchange Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such Holder (a) is
not (i) an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or
(ii) an Exchanging Dealer (as defined below) not complying with the requirements
of the next sentence, (b) acquires the Exchange Securities in the ordinary
course of such Holder's business and (c) has no arrangements or understandings
with any person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange Securities)
and to trade such Exchange Securities from and after their receipt without any
limitations or restrictions under the Securities Act and without material
restrictions under the securities laws of the several states of the United
States. The Company, the Initial Purchasers and each Exchanging Dealer (as
defined below) acknowledge that, pursuant to current interpretations by the
Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, (i) each Holder which is
a broker-dealer electing to exchange Securities, acquired for its own account as
a result of market making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange
Securities (an "Exchanging Dealer"), is required to deliver a prospectus
containing the information set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B
hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the
Exchange Offer" section, and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution"
section of such prospectus in connection with a sale of any such Exchange
Securities received by such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the Registered
Exchange Offer and (ii) if the Initial Purchasers elect to sell Exchange
Securities acquired in exchange for Securities constituting any portion of an
unsold allotment it is required to deliver a prospectus containing the
information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities
Act, as applicable, in connection with such a sale.
In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:
(a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter
of transmittal and related documents;
(b) keep the Registered Exchange offer open for not less than 30
days after the date notice of the Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders
(or longer if required by applicable law);
(c) utilize the services of a Depositary for the Registered Exchange
Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York;
(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time prior
to the close of business, New York time, on the last business day on which
the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and
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(e) otherwise comply in all respects with all laws applicable to the
Registered Exchange Offer.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange
Offer, the Company shall:
(a) accept for exchange all Securities tendered and not validly
withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer;
(b) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all Securities so
accepted for exchange; and
(c) cause the Trustee or the Exchange Securities Trustee, as the
case may be, promptly to authenticate and deliver to each Holder of
Securities, Exchange Securities equal in principal amount to the
Securities of such Holder so accepted for exchange.
The Company shall make available for a period of 90 days after the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, a copy of the prospectus forming
part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to any broker-dealer for use
in connection with any resale of any Exchange Securities.
Interest on each Exchange Security issued pursuant to the Registered
Exchange Offer will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest
was paid on the Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest
has been paid on the Securities, from the date of original issue of the
Securities.
Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be
required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities received by such Holder
will be acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) such Holder will have
no arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the
distribution of the Securities or the Exchange Securities within the meaning of
the Securities Act and (iii) such Holder is not an affiliate of the Company
within the meaning of the Securities Act, or if it is an affiliate, it will
comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act to the extent applicable.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure
that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus
forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to
such prospectus, does not include, as of the consummation of the Registered
Exchange Offer, an untrue statement of
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a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
2. Shelf Registration. If (i) applicable interpretations of the
staff of the Commission do not permit the Company to effect the Registered
Exchange Offer as contemplated by Section 1 hereof, or (ii) for any other reason
the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated within 180 days after the Issue
Date or (iii) any Holder either (A) is not eligible to participate in the
Registered Exchange Offer or (B) participates in the Registered Exchange Offer
and does not receive freely transferrable Exchange Securities in exchange for
tendered Securities the following provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to as promptly as
practicable file with the Commission and thereafter shall use its reasonable
best efforts to cause to be declared effective a shelf registration statement on
an appropriate form under the Securities Act relating to the offer and sale of
the Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined below) by the Holders from time
to time in accordance with the methods of distribution set forth in such
registration statement (hereafter, a "Shelf Registration Statement" and,
together with any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a "Registration
Statement"); provided, however, that no Holder of Securities or Exchange
Securities (other than the Initial Purchasers) shall be entitled to have
Securities or Exchange Securities held by it covered by such Shelf Registration
Statement unless such Holder agrees in writing to be bound by all the provisions
of this Agreement applicable to such Holder.
(b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the
Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the
prospectus forming part thereof to be usable by Holders for a period of three
years from the Issue Date or such shorter period that will terminate when all
the Securities and Exchange Securities covered by the Shelf Registration
Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement (in any
such case, such period being called the "Shelf Registration Period"). The
Company shall be deemed not to have used its reasonable best efforts to keep the
Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite period if it
voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of Securities or
Exchange Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such
Securities or Exchange Securities during that period, unless such action is
required by applicable law; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not
apply to actions taken by the Company in good faith and for valid business
reasons (not including avoidance of its obligations hereunder), including,
without limitation, the acquisition or divestiture of assets, so long as the
Company within 120 days thereafter complies with the requirements of Section
4(i) hereof. Any such period during which the Company fails to keep the
registration statement effective and usable for offers and sales of Securities
and Exchange Securities is referred to as a "Suspension Period." A Suspension
Period shall commence on and include the date that the Company gives notice that
the Shelf Registration Statement is no longer effective or the prospectus
included therein is no longer usable for offers and sales of Securities and
Exchange Securities and shall end on the date when each Holder of Securities and
Exchange Securities covered by such registration statement either receives the
copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 4(i)
hereof or is advised in
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writing by the Company that use of the prospectus may be resumed. If one or more
Suspension Periods occur, the three-year time period referenced above shall be
extended by the number of days included in each such Suspension Period.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will
ensure that (i) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto (in
either case, other than with respect to information included therein in reliance
upon or in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on
behalf of any Holder specifically for use therein (the "Holders' Information"))
does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus forming
part of any Shelf Registration Statement, and any supplement to such prospectus
(in either case, other than with respect to Holders' Information), does not
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
3. Liquidated Damages. (a) The parties hereto agree that the Holders
of Securities will suffer damages if the Company fails to fulfill its
obligations under Section 1 or Section 2, as applicable, and that it would not
be feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages. Accordingly, if (i) the
applicable Registration Statement is not filed with the commission on or prior
to 60 days after the Issue Date, (ii) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
or the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be, is not declared
effective within 150 days after the Issue Date (or in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement required to be filed in response to a change in law or
the applicable interpretations of Commission's Staff, if later, within 45 days
after publication of the change in law or interpretation), (iii) the Registered
Exchange Offer is not consummated on or prior to 180 days after the Issue Date,
or (iv) the Shelf Registration Statement is filed and declared effective within
150 days after the Issue Date (or in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement
required to be filed in response to a change in law or the applicable
interpretations of Commission's Staff, if later, within 45 days after
publication of the change in law or interpretation) but shall thereafter cease
to be effective (at any time that the Company is obligated to maintain the
effectiveness thereof) without being succeeded within 60 days by an additional
Registration Statement filed and declared effective (each such event referred to
in clauses (i) through (iv), a "Registration Default"), the Company will
generally be obligated to pay liquidated damages to each holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities (as defined below), during the period of such Registration
Default, in an amount equal to $0.192 per week per $1,000 principal amount of
the Securities constituting Transfer Restricted Securities held by such holder
until the applicable Registration Statement is filed or declared effective, the
Registered Exchange Offer is consummated or the Shelf Registration Statement
again becomes effective, as the case may be; provided, however, no liquidated
damages shall be payable for a Registration Default under clause (iii) above if
a Shelf Registration Statement covering resales of the Transfer Restricted
Securities for which the Exchange Offer was intended shall have been declared
effective. Following the cure of
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all Registration Defaults, the accrual of liquidated damages will cease.
"Transfer Restricted Securities" means each Security or Exchange Security until
(i) the date on which such Security or Exchange Security has been exchanged for
a freely transferrable Exchange Security in the Registered Exchange Offer, (ii)
the date on which such Security or Exchange Security has been effectively
registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf
Registration Statement or (iii) the date on which such Security or Exchange
Security is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities
Act or is salable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3(a), the Company shall
not be required to pay liquidated damages to the holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities if such holder: (a) failed to comply with its obligations to make the
representations in the second to last paragraph of Section 1; or (b) failed to
provide the information required to be provided by it, if any, pursuant to
Section 4(m).
(b) The Company shall notify the Trustee and the Paying Agent under
the Indenture immediately upon the happening of each and every Registration
Default. The Company shall pay the liquidated damages due on the Transfer
Restricted Securities by depositing with the Paying Agent (which may not be the
Company for these purposes), in trust, for the benefit of the Holders thereof,
prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time on the next interest payment date
specified by the Indenture and the Securities, sums sufficient to pay the
liquidated damages then due. The liquidated damages due shall be payable on each
interest payment date specified by the Indenture to the record holder entitled
to receive the interest payment to be made on such date. Each obligation to pay
liquidated damages shall be deemed to accrue from and including the applicable
Registration Default.
(c) The parties hereto agree that the liquidated damages provided
for in this Section 3 constitute a reasonable estimate of and are intended to
constitute the sole damages that will be suffered by holders of Transfer
Restricted Securities by reason of the failure of the Shelf Registration
Statement or the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, as the case may be, to
be filed, to be declared effective or to remain effective, or the Exchange Offer
to be consummated, as the case may be, to the extent required by this Agreement.
4. Registration Procedures. In connection with any Registration
Statement, the following provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to you, prior to the filing
thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Registration Statement and each
amendment thereof and each supplement, if any, to the prospectus included
therein and, in the event that the Initial Purchasers (with respect to any
portion of an unsold allotment from the original offering) is participating in
the Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration, shall use reasonable
efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the Commission,
such comments as you reasonably may propose; (ii) if applicable, include the
information set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the
"Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer"
section and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the
prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and
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include the information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal
delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; and (iii) if requested by
the Initial Purchasers, include the information required by Items 507 or 508 of
Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in the prospectus
forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement.
(b) The Company shall advise you and, if requested by the Holders,
but only as to events set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) below, the Holders and,
if requested by you, confirm such advice in writing (which advice pursuant to
clauses (ii)-(iv) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the
use of the prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):
(i) when any Registration Statement and any amendment thereto has
been filed with the Commission and when such Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements
to any Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein or for
additional information;
(iii) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect
to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities or the Exchange
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening
of any proceeding for such purpose; and
(iv) of the happening of any event that requires the making of any
changes in any Registration Statement or the prospectus so that, as of
such date, the statements therein are not misleading and do not omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading.
(c) The Company will furnish to each Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities included within the coverage of any Shelf Registration Statement,
without charge, at least one copy of such Shelf Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules,
and, if the Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits (including those
incorporated by reference).
(d) The Company will, during the Shelf Registration Period, promptly
deliver to each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities included within the
coverage of any Shelf Registration Statement, without charge, as many copies of
the prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in such Shelf
Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Holder
may reasonably request; and the Company consents to the use of the prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of Transfer
Restricted Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by the prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto.
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(e) The Company will furnish to each Exchanging Dealer or the
Initial Purchasers, as applicable, which so requests, without charge, at least
one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any post-effective
amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, and, if the
Exchanging Dealer or Initial Purchasers, as applicable, so requests in writing,
all exhibits (including those incorporated by reference).
(f) The Company will, during the Exchange Offer Registration Period,
promptly deliver to each Exchanging Dealer or the Initial Purchasers, as
applicable, without charge, as many copies of the prospectus included within the
coverage of Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment or
supplement thereto as such Exchanging Dealer or the Initial Purchasers, as
applicable, may reasonably request for delivery by (i) such Exchanging Dealer in
connection with a sale of Exchange Securities received by it pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer or (ii) the Initial Purchasers in connection with a
sale of Exchange Securities received by it in exchange for Securities
constituting any portion of an unsold allotment; and the Company consents to the
use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by any such
Exchanging Dealer or the Initial Purchasers, as applicable, as aforesaid.
(g) Prior to any public offering of Securities or Exchange
Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement, the Company will use its
reasonable best efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the Holders of
Securities included therein and its counsel in connection with the registration
or qualification of such securities for offer and sale under the securities or
blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any such Holder reasonably requests in
writing and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable
the offer and sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities or Exchange
Securities covered by such Registration Statement; provided, however, that the
Company will not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action which would
subject it to general service of process or to taxation in any such jurisdiction
where it is not then so subject.
(h) The Company will cooperate with the Holders of Securities or
Exchange Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing Securities or Exchange Securities to be sold pursuant
to any Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such
denominations and registered in such names as Holders may request in writing
prior to sales of Securities or Exchange Securities pursuant to such
Registration Statement.
(i) If (i) any event contemplated by paragraphs (b)(ii) through (iv)
above occurs during the period in which the Company is required to maintain an
effective Registration Statement or (ii) any Suspension Period remains in effect
more than 120 days after the occurrence thereof, the Company will promptly
prepare a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement
to the related prospectus or file any other required document so that, as
thereafter delivered to purchasers of the Securities or purchasers of Exchange
Securities from a Holder, the prospectus will not include an untrue statement of
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a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(j) Not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration
Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the Securities or
Exchange Securities, as the case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with
printed certificates for the Securities or Exchange Securities, as the case may
be, in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.
(k) The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to comply with
all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and will make generally
available to its security holders as soon as practicable after the effective
date of the applicable Registration Statement an earnings statement satisfying
the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act; provided that in no event
shall such earnings statement be delivered later than 45 days after the end of a
12-month period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the
first month of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective
date of the applicable Registration Statement, which statements shall cover such
12-month period.
(l) The Company will cause the Indenture or the Exchange Securities
Indenture, as the case may be, to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act as
required by applicable law in a timely manner.
(m) The Company may require each Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities to be sold pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to
the Company such information regarding the Holder and the distribution of such
Transfer Restricted Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably
require for inclusion in such Registration Statement, and the Company may
exclude from such registration the Transfer Restricted Securities of any Holder
that unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time
after receiving such request.
(n) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of
Transfer Restricted Securities to be registered pursuant thereto agrees by
acquisition of such Transfer Restricted Securities that, upon receipt of any
notice from the Company pursuant to Section 4(b)(ii) through (iv) hereof, such
Holder will discontinue disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities until
such Holder's receipt of copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus
contemplated by Section 4(i) hereof, or until advised in writing (the "Advice")
by the Company that the use of the applicable prospectus may be resumed. If the
Company shall give any notice under Section 4(b)(ii) through (iv) during the
period that the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration
Statement (the "Effectiveness Period"), such Effectiveness Period shall be
extended by the number of days during such period from and including the date of
the giving of such notice to and including the date when each seller of Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement shall have received
(x) the copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus contemplated by Section
4(i) (if an amended or supplemental prospectus is required) or (y) the Advice
(if no amended or supplemental prospectus is required).
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5. Registration Expenses. The Company will bear all expenses
incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations under Sections 1,
2, 3 and 4 hereof and the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the
Holders for the reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm of attorneys
chosen by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Securities and the Exchange Securities to be sold pursuant to each Registration
Statement (the "Special Counsel") acting for the Initial Purchasers or Holders
in connection therewith.
6. Indemnification. (a) In the event of a Shelf Registration
Statement or in connection with any prospectus delivery pursuant to an Exchange
Offer Registration Statement by an Exchanging Dealer or the Initial Purchasers,
as applicable, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, its
directors, officers, agents and employees and each person, if any, who controls
such Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20
of the Exchange Act and the directors, officers, agents and employees of such
controlling persons against any and all loss, liability, claim and damage, as
incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any such Registration Statement or any prospectus
forming part thereof or in any amendment or supplements thereto or the omission
or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; and shall reimburse each Holder promptly upon demand for
any and all expense (including, subject to Section 6(c) hereof, the fees and
disbursements of counsel chosen by the indemnified party), reasonably incurred
as such expenses are incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against
any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental or
regulatory agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim based upon any
such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or
omission; provided, however, that (i) this indemnity shall not apply to any
loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in
reliance upon and in conformity with Holders' Information and (ii) this
indemnity with respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission in any related preliminary prospectus shall not
enure to the benefit of any indemnified party from whom the person asserting any
such loss, claim, damage or liability received Securities or Exchange Securities
if such persons did not receive a copy of the final prospectus at or prior to
the confirmation of the sale of such Securities or Exchange Securities to such
person in any case where such delivery is required by the Securities Act and the
untrue statement or omission of material fact contained in the related
preliminary prospectus was corrected in the final prospectus unless such failure
to deliver the final prospectus was a result of noncompliance by the Company
with Sections 4(c), 4(d), 4(e) or 4(f).
(b) In the event of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder,
severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
its directors, officers, agents and employees and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act and the directors, officers, agents and employees
of such controlling persons against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 6(a) hereof, as
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incurred, arising out of or based upon any untrue statements or omissions, or
alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or
any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance on and in conformity with
Holders' Information furnished to the Company by such Holder; provided, however,
that no such Holder shall be liable for any indemnity claims hereunder in excess
of the amount of net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of
Securities or Exchange Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(c) Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as
reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any claim or action
commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder;
provided, however, that failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not
relieve such indemnifying party from any obligation that it may have pursuant to
this Section except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced
(through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure;
provided further, however, that the failure to notify an indemnifying party
shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party
otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. If any such claim or
action shall be brought against an indemnified party, the indemnified party
shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, and the indemnifying party shall be
entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with
any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof
with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from
the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the
defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to
the indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof; provided, however, that an indemnified party will have the right to
employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other
charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless
(1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in
writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably
concluded (based on the written advice of counsel) that there may be legal
defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or
in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or
potential conflict exists (based on the written advice of counsel to the
indemnified party) between the indemnified party and indemnifying party (in
which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense
of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party
has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a
reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in
each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of
counsel for the indemnified party will be at the expense of the indemnifying
party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall
not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges
of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel)
at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. Each indemnified
party, as a condition of the indemnity agreements contained in Sections 6(a) and
6(b), shall use all reasonable efforts to cooperate with the indemnifying party
in the defense of any such action or claim. No indemnifying party shall be
liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written
consent, but if settled with its written consent or if there be a final judgment
of the
12
plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by
reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the
prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any
pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or
could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such
indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of
such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter
of such proceeding.
(d) If a claim by an indemnified party for indemnification under
this Section 6 is unenforceable even though the express provisions hereof
provide for indemnification in such case, then each applicable indemnifying
party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the
indemnifying party and indemnified party in connection with the actions,
statements or omissions that resulted in such losses as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such indemnifying party
and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been
taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such indemnifying party
or indemnified party, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or
omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any losses shall
be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6(c)
herein, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in
connection with any investigation or proceeding.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, an indemnifying party that is a
holder of Transfer Restricted Securities or Exchange Securities shall not be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Transfer Restricted Securities or Exchange Securities sold by
such indemnifying party and distributed to the public were offered to the public
exceeds the amount of any damages that such indemnifying party would have
otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 10(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to any contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation.
7. Miscellaneous. (a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this
Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents
to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the Company
has obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Securities and the Exchange Securities, taken as a single class.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or
13
consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that
relates exclusively to the rights of the Holders of Securities or Exchange
Securities whose Securities or Exchange Securities are being sold pursuant to a
Registration Statement and that does not directly or indirectly affect the
rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities or Exchange Securities being sold by such
Holders pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail,
telecopier, or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:
(1) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder
to the Company in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7(b),
which address initially is, with respect to each Holder, the address of
such Holder maintained by the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy
in like manner to Chase Securities Inc.;
(2) if to you, initially at your address set forth in the Purchase
Agreement; and
(3) if to the Company, initially at the address of the Company set
forth in the Purchase Agreement.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been
duly given: when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; one business day
after being delivered to a next-day air courier; five business days after being
deposited in the mail; and when receipt is acknowledged by the recipient's
telecopier machine, if telecopied.
(c) Successors And Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts (which may be delivered in original form or by telecopies) and by
the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed
shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall
constitute one and the same agreement.
(e) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(f) Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction.
THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK BUT WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO
APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF
THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.
14
(g) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not and shall not,
on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement that is
inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.
The Company has not previously entered into any agreement which remains in
effect granting any registration rights with respect to any of its debt
securities to any person. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
without the written consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the then outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities, the Company shall
not grant to any person the right to request the Company to register any debt
securities of the Company under the Securities Act unless the rights so granted
are not in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of the Agreement.
(h) No Piggyback on Registrations. Neither the Company, nor any of
its security holders (other than the holders of Transfer Restricted Securities
in such capacity) shall have the right to include any securities of the Company
in any Shelf Registration or Registered Exchange Offer other than Transfer
Restricted Securities.
(i) Severability. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and
not exclusive of any remedies provided by law. If any term, provision, covenant
or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to
be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and
the parties hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an
alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that
contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby
stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have
executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without
including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or
unenforceable.
(j) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company, or by any
holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, of any of their obligations under this
Agreement, each holder of Transfer Restricted Securities or the Company, as the
case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by
law, including recovery of damages (other than the recovery of damages for a
breach by the Company of its obligations under Sections 1 or 2 hereof for which
liquidated damages have been paid pursuant to Section 3 hereof), will be
entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company
and each holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agree that monetary damages
would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach
by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agree that,
in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach,
it shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement
among the Company and you.
Very truly yours,
XXXXX XXXX PET FOODS COMPANY, INC.
By: /s/ Xxx Xxxxx
----------------------------------------
Name: Xxx Xxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President
Accepted in New York, New York
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Vice President
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X.X. Xxxxxx
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X.X. Xxxxxx
Title: Attorney-in-Fact
ANNEX A
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will
deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
The Letter of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a
prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it
may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer
in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for
Securities where such Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result
of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed
that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date (as defined herein), it
will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in connection
with any such resale. See "Plan of Distribution."
ANNEX B
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account in exchange for Securities, where such Securities were acquired by such
broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection
with any resale of such Exchange Securities. See "Plan of Distribution."
ANNEX C
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will
deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
This Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be
used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities
received in exchange for Securities where such Securities were acquired as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has
agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date, it will make
this Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for
use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until _______________,
199_, all dealers effecting transactions in the Exchange Securities may be
required to deliver a prospectus.(1)
The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange
Securities by broker-dealers. Exchange Securities received by broker-dealers for
their own account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer may be sold from
time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in
negotiated transactions, through the writing of options on the Exchange
Securities or a combination of such methods of resale, at market prices
prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market
prices or at negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made directly to
purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in
the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer or the
purchasers of any such Exchange Securities. Any broker-dealer that resells
Exchange Securities that were received by it for its own account pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a
distribution of such Exchange Securities may be deemed to be an "underwriter"
within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit on any such resale of
Exchange Securities and any commission or concessions received by any such
persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act.
The Letter of Transmittal states that, by acknowledging that it will deliver and
by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it
is an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.
For a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date the Company will
promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Registered Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel
for the Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or concessions of any
broker-dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including any
broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.
----------
(1) In addition, the legend required by Item 502(e) of Regulation S-K will
appear on the back cover page of the Exchange Offer prospectus.
ANNEX D
|_| CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10
ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS
OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.
Name: _______________________________________
Address: ____________________________________
____________________________________
If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange
Securities for its own account in exchange for Securities that were acquired as
a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it
acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a
prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.
