REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT by and among Berry Plastics Corporation (formerly Berry Plastics Holding Corporation), the subsidiaries of Berry Plastics Corporation parties hereto and Banc of America Securities LLC Goldman, Sachs & Co. Lehman Brothers...
by and
among
Xxxxx
Plastics Corporation
(formerly
Xxxxx Plastics Holding Corporation),
the
subsidiaries of Xxxxx Plastics Corporation parties hereto
and
Banc
of America Securities LLC
Xxxxxxx,
Sachs & Co.
Xxxxxx
Brothers Inc.
Dated as
of April 21, 2008
CG&R
DRAFT: 4/17/08 12:59 PM #923535 v5
(S5SF05_.DOC)
|
This
Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made
and entered into as of April 21, 2008, by and among Xxxxx Plastics Corporation
(formerly Xxxxx Plastics Holding Corporation), a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), the
subsidiaries of the Company listed on Schedule A hereto (collectively, the
“Guarantors”) and
Banc of America Securities LLC, Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and Xxxxxx Brothers
Inc. (collectively, the “Initial Purchasers”),
each of whom has agreed to purchase, pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as
defined below), the First Priority Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2015
(the “Initial
Notes”) issued by the Company. The Guarantors will fully and
unconditionally guarantee (the “Initial Guarantees”),
on a senior secured basis, the Company’s obligations under the Initial
Notes. The Initial Notes and the Initial Guarantees are herein
collectively referred to as the “Initial
Securities.”
This
Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 16, 2008
(the “Purchase
Agreement”), among the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial
Purchasers, for (i) the benefit of the Initial Purchasers and (ii) the benefit
of the holders from time to time of the Initial Securities, including the
Initial Purchasers. In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to
purchase the Initial Securities, the Company and the Guarantors have agreed to
provide the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the obligations of
the Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 6(g) of the Purchase
Agreement.
The
parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION
1. Definitions. As
used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the following
meanings:
Additional Interest Payment
Date: With respect to the Initial Securities, each Interest
Payment Date.
Broker-Dealer: Any
broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.
Business Day: Any
day other than a Saturday, Sunday or U.S. federal holiday or a day on which
banking institutions or trust companies located in New York, New York are
authorized or obligated to be closed.
Closing Date: The
date of this Agreement.
Commission: The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Consummate: A
registered Exchange Offer shall be deemed “Consummated” for purposes of this
Agreement upon the occurrence of (i) the filing and effectiveness under the
Securities Act of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement relating to the
Exchange Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (ii) the maintenance of
such Registration Statement continuously effective and the keeping of the
Exchange Offer open for a period not less than the minimum period required
pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, and (iii) the delivery by the Company to the
Registrar under the Indenture of Exchange Securities in the same aggregate
principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities that
were tendered by Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
1
Effectiveness Target
Date: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Exchange Act: The
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Exchange
Offer: The registration by the Company under the Securities
Act of the Exchange Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement pursuant to
which the Company offers the Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted
Securities the opportunity to exchange all such outstanding Transfer Restricted
Securities held by such Holders for Exchange Securities in an aggregate
principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Transfer
Restricted Securities tendered in such exchange offer by such
Holders.
Exchange Offer Effectiveness Target
Date: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Exchange Offer Registration
Statement: The Registration Statement relating to the Exchange
Offer, including the related Prospectus.
Exchange
Securities: The First Priority Senior
Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2015 of the same series under the Indenture as
the Initial Notes of such series and the guarantees of such notes, to be issued
to Holders in exchange for Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to this
Agreement.
Free Writing Prospectus: Any free writing
prospectus, as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act,
relating to any portion of the Initial Securities and the Exchange
Securities.
Holders: As
defined in Section 2(b) hereof.
Indemnified
Holder: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.
Indenture: The
Indenture dated as of April 21, 2008, by and among the Company, the Guarantors
and Xxxxx Fargo Bank, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), pursuant
to which the Initial Notes and the Exchange Securities are to be issued, as such
Indenture may be further amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance
with the terms thereof.
Initial
Guarantees: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Initial Notes: As
defined in the preamble hereto.
Initial
Placement: The issuance and sale by the Company of the Initial
Securities to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement.
Initial
Purchasers: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Initial Securities: As defined in the preamble
hereto.
Interest Payment
Date: As defined in the Securities.
2
NASD: NASD
Inc.
Person: An
individual, partnership, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a
government or agency or political subdivision thereof.
Prospectus: The
prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented by
any prospectus supplement and by all other amendments thereto, including
post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference into such
Prospectus.
Registration
Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Registration
Statement: Any registration statement of the Company relating
to (a) an offering of Exchange Securities pursuant to an Exchange Offer or (b)
the registration for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the
Shelf Registration Statement, which is filed pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement, in each case, including the Prospectus included therein, all
amendments and supplements thereto (including post-effective amendments) and all
exhibits and material incorporated by reference therein.
Securities: As
defined in the Indenture.
Securities
Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Shelf Filing
Deadline: As defined in Section 4(a) hereof.
Shelf Registration Effectiveness
Date: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Shelf Registration
Statement: As defined in Section 4(a) hereof.
Transfer Restricted
Securities: Each Initial Security, until the earliest to occur
of (a) the date on which such Initial Security is exchanged in the Exchange
Offer for an Exchange Security entitled to be resold to the public by the Holder
thereof without complying with the prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act, (b) the date on which such Initial Security has been effectively
registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with a Shelf
Registration Statement and (c) the date on which such Initial Security is
distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or by a
Broker-Dealer pursuant to the “Plan of Distribution” contemplated by the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement (including delivery of the Prospectus
contained therein).
Trust Indenture
Act: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
Underwritten Registration or
Underwritten Offering: A registration in which securities of
the Company are sold to an underwriter for reoffering to the
public.
SECTION
2. Securities Subject to this
Agreement.
(a) Transfer Restricted
Securities. The securities entitled to the benefits of this
Agreement are the Transfer Restricted Securities.
3
(b) Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities. A Person is deemed to be a holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities (each, a “Holder”) whenever
such Person owns Transfer Restricted Securities.
SECTION
3. Registered Exchange
Offer.
(a) Unless
the Exchange Offer shall not be permissible under applicable law or Commission
policy, each of the Company and the Guarantors shall (i) use its commercially
reasonable efforts to cause to be filed with the Commission as soon as
practicable after the Closing Date, the Exchange Offer Registration Statement,
(ii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration
Statement to become effective as promptly as possible (unless it becomes
effective automatically upon filing), but in no event later than 270 days after
the Closing Date (or if such 270th day is not a Business Day, the next
succeeding Business Day), (iii) in connection with the foregoing, file (A) all
pre-effective amendments to such Registration Statement as may be necessary in
order to cause such Registration Statement to become effective, (B) if
applicable, a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement pursuant
to Rule 430A under the Securities Act and (C) cause all necessary filings in
connection with the registration and qualification of the Exchange Securities to
be made under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as are
necessary to permit Consummation of the Exchange Offer, and (iv) upon the
effectiveness of such Registration Statement, commence the Exchange
Offer. The Exchange Offer Registration Statement shall be on the
appropriate form permitting registration of the Exchange Securities to be
offered in exchange for the Transfer Restricted Securities and to permit resales
of Initial Securities held by Broker-Dealers as contemplated by Section 3(c)
hereof.
(b) The
Company and the Guarantors shall cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
to be effective continuously and shall keep the Exchange Offer open for a period
of not less than the minimum period required under applicable federal and state
securities laws to Consummate the Exchange Offer; provided, however, that in no
event shall such period be less than 30 days after the date notice of the
Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders. The Company shall cause the
Exchange Offer to comply with all applicable federal and state securities
laws. No securities other than the Exchange Securities shall be
included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement. The Company
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Offer to be
Consummated on the earliest practicable date after the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement has become effective, but in no event later than 30 days
after the date notice of the Exchange Offer is required to be mailed to the
Holders (or if such 30th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business
Day).
(c) The
Company shall indicate in a “Plan of Distribution” section contained in the
Prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement that any
Broker-Dealer who holds Initial Securities that are Transfer Restricted
Securities and that were acquired for its own account as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities (other than Transfer
Restricted Securities acquired directly from the Company) may exchange such
Initial Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer; however, such Broker-Dealer
may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act
and must, therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act in connection with any resales of the Exchange Securities
received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer, which prospectus delivery
requirement may be satisfied by the delivery by such Broker-Dealer of the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement. Such “Plan of Distribution” section shall also contain all
other information with respect to such resales by Broker-Dealers that the
Commission may require in order to permit such resales pursuant thereto, but
such “Plan of Distribution” shall not name any such Broker-Dealer or disclose
the amount of Initial Securities held by any such Broker-Dealer except to the
extent required by the Commission.
4
Each of
the Company and the Guarantors shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to
keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective,
supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof to
the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Initial
Securities acquired by Broker-Dealers for their own accounts as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities, and to ensure that it
conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the
policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to
time, for a period ending on the earlier of (i) 180 days from the date on which
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective and (ii) the
date on which a Broker-Dealer is no longer required to deliver a prospectus in
connection with market-making or other trading activities.
The
Company shall provide sufficient copies of the latest version of such Prospectus
to Broker-Dealers promptly upon request at any time during such 180-day (or
shorter as provided in the foregoing sentence) period in order to facilitate
such resales.
SECTION
4. Shelf
Registration.
(a) Shelf
Registration. If with respect to the Initial Notes: (i) the
Company and the Guarantors are not permitted to consummate the Exchange Offer
because the Exchange Offer is not permitted by applicable law or Commission
policy, (ii) for any reason the Exchange Offer is not Consummated within 30 days
after the date notice of the Exchange Offer is required to be mailed to the
Holders (or if such 30th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business
Day), or (iii) with respect to any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (A)
such Holder is prohibited by applicable law or Commission policy from
participating in the Exchange Offer, or (B) such Holder may not resell the
Exchange Securities acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to the public without
delivering a prospectus (other than by reason of such Holder’s status as an
affiliate of the Company) and the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement is not appropriate or available for such resales by such
Holder, or (C) such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Initial Securities
acquired directly from the Company or one of its affiliates, then, upon such
Holder’s request prior to the 20th day following consummation of the Exchange
Offer, the Company and the Guarantors shall, with respect to the Initial
Notes:
(x) cause
to be filed a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the
Securities Act, which may be an amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement (in either event, the “Shelf Registration
Statement”) as soon as practicable but in any event on or prior to 90
days after such filing obligation arises (or if such 90th day is not a Business
Day, the next succeeding Business Day) (such date being the “Shelf Filing
Deadline”), which Shelf Registration Statement shall provide for resales
of all Transfer Restricted Securities the Holders of which shall have provided
the information required pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof; and
5
(y) use
their commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement
to be declared effective by the Commission as promptly as possible (unless it
becomes effective automatically upon filing), and in any event on or before the
270th day after the obligation to file such Shelf Registration Statement arises
(or if such 270th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business
Day).
Each of
the Company and the Guarantors shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to
keep such Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and
amended as required by the provisions of Sections 6(b) and (c) hereof to the
extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Initial
Securities by the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities entitled to the
benefit of this Section 4(a), and to ensure that it conforms with the
requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and
regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a period of at
least two years following the effective date of such Shelf Registration
Statement (or shorter period that will terminate when all the Initial Securities
covered by such Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to such
Shelf Registration Statement). During the period during which the
Company is required to maintain an effective Shelf Registration Statement
pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will, prior to the expiration of that
Shelf Registration Statement, file, and use its commercially reasonable efforts
to cause to be declared effective (unless it becomes effective automatically
upon filing) within a period that avoids any interruption in the ability of
Holders of Securities covered by the expiring Shelf Registration Statement to
make registered dispositions, a new registration statement relating to the
Securities, which shall be deemed the “Shelf Registration Statement” for
purposes of this Agreement.
(b) Provision by Holders of Certain
Information in Connection with the Shelf Registration
Statement. No Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities may
include any of its Transfer Restricted Securities in any Shelf Registration
Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder furnishes to
the Company in writing, within 20 Business Days after receipt of a request
therefor, such information as the Company may reasonably request for use in
connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary
Prospectus included therein or amendment or supplement thereto or Free Writing
Prospectus. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration Statement
is being effected agrees to furnish promptly to the Company all information
required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished
to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading.
SECTION
5. Additional
Interest. If (i) unless the Exchange Offer shall not be
permissible under applicable law or Commission policy, the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement has not been declared effective by the Commission (or
become automatically effective) on or prior to 270 days after the Closing Date
(the “Exchange Offer
Effectiveness Target Date”), (ii) in the event the Company and the
Guarantors are required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to
Section 4(a) hereof, the Shelf Registration Statement has not been declared
effective by the Commission (or become automatically effective) on or prior to
270 days after the obligation to file a Shelf Registration Statement arises (the
“Shelf Registration
Effectiveness Target Date” and, together with the Exchange Offer
Effectiveness Date, the “Effectiveness Target
Date”), (iii) the Exchange Offer has not been Consummated within 30
Business Days after the Exchange Offer Effectiveness Target Date with respect to
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, or (iv) any Registration Statement
required by this Agreement is filed and declared effective but shall thereafter
cease to be effective or fail to be usable for its intended purpose without
being succeeded immediately by a post-effective amendment to such Registration
Statement that cures such failure and that is itself immediately declared or
automatically effective (except in the case of a Registration Statement that
ceases to be effective or usable as specifically permitted by the last paragraph
of Section 6 hereof) (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iv), a
“Registration
Default”), the Company and the Guarantors hereby agree that the interest
rate borne by the affected series of Transfer Restricted Securities shall be
increased by 0.25% per annum during the 90-day period immediately following the
occurrence of any Registration Default and shall increase by 0.25% per annum at
the end of each subsequent 90-day period, but in no event shall such increase
exceed 1.00% per annum. Following the earliest of (x) the cure of all
Registration Defaults relating to any particular Transfer Restricted Securities,
(y) the date on which such Transfer Restricted Security ceases to be a Transfer
Restricted Security or otherwise becomes freely transferable by Holders other
than affiliates of the Company without further registration under the Securities
Act and (z) the date that is two years after the Closing Date, the interest rate
borne by the relevant Transfer Restricted Securities will be reduced to the
original interest rate borne by such Transfer Restricted Securities; provided, however, that, if after any
such reduction in interest rate, a different Registration Default occurs, the
interest rate borne by the relevant Transfer Restricted Securities shall again
be increased pursuant to the foregoing provisions.
6
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, (i) the amount of Additional Interest payable shall not increase
because more than one Registration Default has occurred and is pending and (ii)
a Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities that is not entitled to the benefits
of the Shelf Registration Statement (because, e.g., such Holder has not elected
to include information or has not timely delivered such information to the
Company pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof) shall not be entitled to Additional
Interest with respect to a Registration Default that pertains to the Shelf
Registration Statement.
All
obligations of the Company and the Guarantors set forth in the preceding
paragraph that are outstanding with respect to any Transfer Restricted Security
at the time such security ceases to be a Transfer Restricted Security shall
survive until such time as all such obligations with respect to such security
shall have been satisfied in full.
SECTION
6. Registration
Procedures.
(a) 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 commercially reasonable 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 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.
7
(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.
(b) Shelf Registration
Statement. In connection with the Shelf Registration
Statement, each of the Company and the Guarantors shall comply with all the
provisions of Section 6(c) hereof and shall use its commercially reasonable
efforts to effect such registration (unless automatically declared effective) to
permit the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in accordance
with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and pursuant
thereto each of the Company and the Guarantors will as expeditiously as is
commercially reasonable prepare and file with the Commission a Registration
Statement relating to the registration on any appropriate form under the
Securities Act, which form shall be available for the sale of the Transfer
Restricted Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of
distribution thereof.
(c) General
Provisions. In connection with any Registration Statement and
any Prospectus required by this Agreement to permit the sale or resale of
Transfer Restricted Securities and any Free Writing Prospectus (including,
without limitation, any Registration Statement and the related Prospectus
required to permit resales of Initial Securities by Broker-Dealers and any Free
Writing Prospectus related thereto), each of the Company and the Guarantors
shall:
8
(i) use its
commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously
effective during the period required by this Agreement and provide all requisite
financial statements (including, if required by the Securities Act or any
regulation thereunder, financial statements of the Guarantors for the period
specified in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable); upon the occurrence of any
event that would cause any such Registration Statement or the Prospectus
contained therein (A) to contain a material misstatement or omission or (B) not
to be effective and usable for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities during
the period required by this Agreement, the Company shall file promptly an
appropriate amendment to such Registration Statement, in the case of clause (A),
correcting any such misstatement or omission, and, in the case of either clause
(A) or (B), use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such amendment to
be declared effective (unless automatically declared effective) and such
Registration Statement and the related Prospectus to become usable for their
intended purpose(s) as soon as practicable thereafter;
(ii) prepare
and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to
the applicable Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the
Registration Statement effective for the applicable period set forth in Section
3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, or such shorter period as will terminate when all
Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been
sold; cause the Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus
supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the
Securities Act, and to comply fully with the applicable provisions of Rules 424
and 430A under the Securities Act in a timely manner; and comply with the
provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all
securities covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable period
in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the sellers
thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus;
(iii) advise
the underwriter(s), if any, and selling Holders promptly and, if requested by
such Persons, to confirm such advice in writing, (A) when the Prospectus, any
Prospectus supplement, any post-effective amendment or any Free Writing
Prospectus has been filed, and, with respect to any Registration Statement or
any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective, (B) of
any request by the Commission for amendments to the Registration Statement or
amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for additional information
relating thereto, (C) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities
Act, of the suspension by any state securities commission of the qualification
of the Transfer Restricted Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
or the initiation of any proceeding for any of the preceding purposes, of the
issuance by the Commission of a notification of objection to the use of the form
on which the Registration Statement has been filed, or of the happening of any
event that causes the Company to become an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in
Commission Rule 405, (D) of the existence of any fact or the happening of
any event that makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto or any document
incorporated by reference therein untrue, or that requires the making of any
additions to or changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order
to make the statements therein not misleading. If at any time the
Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or a notification of objection to the use of the form on
which the Registration Statement has been filed or if any state securities
commission or other regulatory authority shall issue an order suspending the
qualification or exemption from qualification of the Transfer Restricted
Securities under state securities or blue sky laws, each of the Company and the
Guarantors shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the
withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest practicable
time;
9
(iv) (A) (1)
furnish without charge to each of the Initial Purchasers, each selling Holder
named in any Registration Statement that has requested such copies, if any, and
each of the underwriter(s), if any, before filing with the Commission, copies of
any Registration Statement or any Prospectus included therein or any amendments
or supplements to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (including all
documents incorporated by reference after the initial filing of such
Registration Statement), which documents will be subject to the review and
comment of such requesting Holders and underwriter(s) in connection with such
sale, if any, for a period of at least five Business Days, and (2) not file any
such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any
such Registration Statement or Prospectus (including all such documents
incorporated by reference) to which an Initial Purchaser of Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by such Registration Statement or the underwriter(s), if any,
shall reasonably object in writing within five Business Days after the receipt
thereof (such objection to be deemed timely made upon confirmation of telecopy
transmission within such period). The objection of an Initial
Purchaser, or underwriter, if any, shall be deemed to be reasonable if such
Registration Statement, amendment, Prospectus or supplement, as applicable, as
proposed to be filed, contains a material misstatement or omission;
(B) (1)
furnish without charge to each of the Initial Purchasers before filing with the
Commission, a copy of any Free Writing Prospectus, which will be subject to the
consent of the Initial Purchasers, and (2) not file any such Free Writing
Prospectus to which the Initial Purchasers of Transfer Restricted Securities
covered by such Registration Statement have not consented (such consent not to be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed);
(v) promptly
prior to the filing of any document that is to be incorporated by reference into
a Registration Statement or Prospectus, provide copies of such document to the
Initial Purchasers, each selling Holder named in any Registration Statement that
has requested such documents, if any, and to the underwriter(s), if any, make
the Company’s and the Guarantors’ representatives available for discussion of
such document and other customary due diligence matters, subject to customary
confidentiality agreements, and include such information in such document prior
to the filing thereof as such selling Holders or underwriter(s), if any,
reasonably may request;
(vi) make
available, subject to customary confidentiality agreements, at reasonable times
for inspection by the Initial Purchasers, the managing underwriter(s), if any,
participating in any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement and any
attorney or accountant retained by such Initial Purchasers or any of the
underwriter(s), all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents
and properties of each of the Company and the Guarantors, and cause the
Company’s and the Guarantors’ officers, directors and employees to supply all
information, in each case as shall be reasonably necessary to enable any such
Holder, underwriter, attorney or accountant to exercise any applicable
responsibilities in connection with such Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto subsequent to the filing thereof and prior to
its effectiveness and to participate in meetings with investors to the extent
reasonably requested by the managing underwriter(s), if any;
10
(vii) if
requested by any selling Holders or the underwriter(s), if any, promptly
incorporate in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, pursuant to a
supplement or post-effective amendment if necessary, such information as such
selling Holders and underwriter(s), if any, may reasonably request to have
included therein, including, without limitation, information relating to the
“Plan of Distribution” of the Transfer Restricted Securities, information with
respect to the principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities being sold to
such underwriter(s), the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms
of the offering of the Transfer Restricted Securities to be sold in such
offering; and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Company is notified of
the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment;
(viii) cause the
Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be rated
with the appropriate rating agencies, if so requested by the Holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities covered thereby or the
underwriter(s), if any;
(ix) furnish
to each Initial Purchaser each selling Holder and each of the underwriter(s), if
any, without charge, at least one copy of the Registration Statement, as first
filed with the Commission, and of each amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, all documents incorporated by reference therein and
all exhibits (including exhibits incorporated therein by
reference);
(x) deliver
to each selling Holder and each of the underwriter(s), if any, without charge,
as many copies of the Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) and any
amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons reasonably may request; each of
the Company and the Guarantors hereby consents to the use of the Prospectus and
any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders and each of
the underwriter(s), if any, in connection with the offering and the sale of the
Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto;
(xi) enter
into such agreements (including an underwriting agreement), and make such
representations and warranties, and take all such other commercially reasonable
actions in connection therewith in order to expedite or facilitate the
disposition of the Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to any Registration
Statement contemplated by this Agreement, all to such extent as may be
reasonably requested by any Initial Purchaser or by any Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities or underwriter in connection with any sale or resale
pursuant to any Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement; and
whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered into and whether or not the
registration is an Underwritten Registration, each of the Company and the
Guarantors shall:
11
(A) furnish
to each Initial Purchaser, each selling Holder and each underwriter, if any, in
such substance and scope as they may reasonably request and as are customarily
made by issuers to underwriters in primary underwritten offerings, upon the date
of the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement:
(1) a
certificate, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration
Statement, as the case may be, signed by (y) the President or any Vice President
and (z) a principal financial or accounting officer of each of the Company and
the Guarantors, confirming, as of the date thereof, the matters set forth in
Section 6(c) of the Purchase Agreement and such other matters as such parties
may reasonably request;
(2) if
requested by a majority of selling Holders, an opinion, dated the date of
effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be, of
counsel for the Company and the Guarantors, covering the matters set forth in
the opinion delivered pursuant to Section 6(a)(i) of the Purchase Agreement and
such other matter as such parties may reasonably request, and in any event
including a statement to the effect that such counsel has participated in
conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company and the
Guarantors, representatives of the independent public accountants for the
Company and the Guarantors, representatives of the underwriter(s), if any, and
counsel to the underwriter(s), if any, in connection with the preparation of
such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus and have considered the
matters required to be stated therein and the statements contained therein,
although such counsel has not independently verified the accuracy, completeness
or fairness of such statements; and that such counsel advises that, on the basis
of the foregoing, no facts came to such counsel’s attention that caused such
counsel to believe that the applicable Registration Statement, (A) at the
date of the opinion and at the time such Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto became effective, (B) at the applicable
time identified by such Holders or managing underwriters, and (C) in the
case of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, as of the date of
Consummation, in the case of (A), (B) and (C) contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the
Prospectus contained in such Registration Statement as of its date and, in the
case of the opinion dated the date of Consummation of the Exchange Offer, as of
the date of Consummation, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein not misleading. Without limiting the foregoing, such counsel
may state further that such counsel assumes no responsibility for, and has not
independently verified, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the financial
statements, notes and schedules and other financial data included in any
Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement or the related Prospectus;
and
12
(3) a
customary comfort letter, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf
Registration Statement, from the Company’s independent accountants, in the
customary form and covering matters of the type customarily requested to be
covered in comfort letters by underwriters in connection with primary
underwritten offerings, and covering or affirming the matters set forth in the
comfort letters delivered pursuant to Section 6(d) of the Purchase Agreement,
without exception;
(B) set
forth in full or incorporate by reference in the underwriting agreement, if any,
the indemnification provisions and procedures of Section 8 hereof with respect
to all parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section; and
(C) deliver
such other documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by such
parties to evidence compliance with Section 6(c)(xi)(A) hereof and with any
customary conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other agreement
entered into by the Company or any of the Guarantors pursuant to this Section
6(c)(xi), if any.
If at any
time the representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantors
contemplated in Section 6(c)(xi)(A)(1) hereof cease to be true and correct, the
Company or the Guarantors shall so advise the Initial Purchasers and the
underwriter(s), if any, and each selling Holder promptly and, if requested by
such Persons, shall confirm such advice in writing;
(xii) prior to
any public offering of Transfer Restricted Securities, cooperate with the
selling Holders, the underwriter(s), if any, and their respective counsel in
connection with the registration and qualification of the Transfer Restricted
Securities under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as
the selling Holders or underwriter(s), if any, may request and do any and all
other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such
jurisdictions of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement; provided, however, that none of the
Company or the Guarantors shall be required to register or qualify as a foreign
corporation where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would
subject it to the service of process in suits or to taxation, other than as to
matters and transactions relating to the Registration Statement, in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;
(xiii) issue,
upon the request of any Holder of Initial Securities covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement, Exchange Securities having an aggregate principal amount
equal to the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities surrendered to the
Company by such Holder in exchange therefor or being sold by such Holder; such
Exchange Securities to be registered in the name of such Holder or in the name
of the purchaser(s) of such Securities, as the case may be; in return, the
Initial Securities held by such Holder shall be surrendered to the Company for
cancellation;
13
(xiv) subject
to the terms of the Indenture, cooperate with the selling Holders and the
underwriter(s), if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing Transfer Restricted Securities to be sold and not
bearing any restrictive legends; and enable such Transfer Restricted Securities
to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Holders or the
underwriter(s), if any, may request at least two Business Days prior to any sale
of Transfer Restricted Securities made by such Holders or
underwriter(s);
(xv) use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Transfer Restricted Securities
covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such
other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the
seller or sellers thereof or the underwriter(s), if any, to consummate the
disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities, subject to the proviso
contained in Section 6(c)(xii) hereof;
(xvi) if any
fact or event contemplated by Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof shall exist or have
occurred, prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by
reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered
to the purchasers of Transfer Restricted Securities, the Prospectus will not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading;
(xvii) provide a
CUSIP number for all Securities not later than the effective date of the
Registration Statement covering such Securities and provide the Trustee under
the applicable Indenture with printed certificates for such Securities which are
in a form eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company and take all
other action necessary to ensure that all such Securities are eligible for
deposit with the Depository Trust Company;
(xviii) cooperate
and assist in any filings required to be made with the NASD and in the
performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter (including any
“qualified independent underwriter”) that is required to be retained in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the NASD;
(xix) otherwise
use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission, and make generally available to its security
holders, as soon as practicable, a consolidated earning statement meeting the
requirements of Rule 158 (which need not be audited) for the twelve-month period
(A) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in which Transfer
Restricted Securities are sold to underwriters in a firm commitment or best
efforts Underwritten Offering or (B) if not sold to underwriters in such an
offering, beginning with the first month of the Company’s first fiscal quarter
commencing after the effective date of the Registration Statement;
14
(xx) cause the
Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act not later than the
effective date of the first Registration Statement required by this Agreement,
and, in connection therewith, cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders of
Securities to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for such
Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture
Act; and to execute, and to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the
Trustee to execute, all documents that may be required to effect such changes
and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the Commission to
enable such Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;
(xxi) maintain
the listing of all Securities covered by the Registration Statement on The
PORTALSM Market;
and
(xxii) provide
promptly to each Holder upon request each document filed with the Commission
pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 and Section 15 of the Exchange
Act.
Each
Holder agrees by acquisition of a Transfer Restricted Security that, upon
receipt of any notice from the Company of the existence of any fact of the kind
described in Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue
disposition of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the applicable
Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the
supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof, or
until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the
Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies
of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus. If so directed by the Company, each Holder will
deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than
permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus
covering such Transfer Restricted Securities that was current at the time of
receipt of such notice. In the event the Company shall give any such
notice, the time period regarding the effectiveness of such Registration
Statement set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, shall be extended
by the number of days (a “Delay Period”) during
the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice pursuant to
Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof to and including the date when each selling Holder
covered by such Registration Statement shall have received the copies of the
supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof or
shall have received the Advice; provided that there shall not
be more than 75 days of Delay Periods during any 12-month period; provided further, however, that (except as
provided in Section 5(iv) hereof) no such extension shall be taken into account
in determining whether Additional Interest is due pursuant to Section 5
hereof or the amount of such Additional Interest, it being agreed that the
Company’s option to suspend use of a Registration Statement pursuant to this
paragraph shall be treated as a Registration Default for purposes of Section 5
hereof.
SECTION
7. Registration
Expenses.
(a) All
expenses incident to the Company’s and the Guarantor’s performance of or
compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company and the Guarantors,
jointly and severally, regardless of whether a Registration Statement becomes
effective, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees
and expenses (including filings made by any Initial Purchaser or Holder with the
NASD (and, if applicable, the fees and expenses of any “qualified independent
underwriter”, and one counsel to such person, that may be required by the rules
and regulations of the NASD)); (ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with
federal securities and state securities or blue sky laws (including the
reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel to the Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities); (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing
certificates for the Exchange Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer and
printing of Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone; (iv)
all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and the Guarantors and,
subject to Section 7(b) hereof, one counsel to the Holders of Transfer
Restricted Securities; (v) all application and filing fees in connection with
listing the Exchange Securities on a securities exchange or automated quotation
system pursuant to the requirements thereof; and (vi) all fees and disbursements
of independent certified public accountants of the Company and the Guarantors
(including the expenses of any special audit and comfort letters required by or
incident to such performance).
15
Each of
the Company and the Guarantors will, in any event, bear its internal expenses
(including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and
employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual
audit and the fees and expenses of any Person, including special experts,
retained by the Company or the Guarantors.
(b) In
connection with any Registration Statement required by this Agreement
(including, without limitation, the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and
the Shelf Registration Statement), the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and
severally, will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders of Transfer
Restricted Securities being tendered in the Exchange Offer and/or resold
pursuant to the “Plan of Distribution” contained in the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement or registered pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement, as applicable, for the reasonable fees and disbursements of not more
than one counsel, who shall be Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx llp or such other
counsel as may be chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Transfer Restricted Securities for whose benefit such Registration Statement is
being prepared.
SECTION
8. Indemnification.
(a) The
Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold
harmless (i) each Holder and (ii) each Person, if any, who controls (within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act)
any Holder (any of the Persons referred to in this clause (ii) being hereinafter
referred to as a “controlling person”) and (iii) the respective officers,
directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of any Holder or any
controlling person (any Person referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) may
hereinafter be referred to as an “Indemnified Holder”),
to the fullest extent lawful, from and against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities, judgments, actions and expenses (including, without
limitation, and as incurred, reimbursement of all reasonable costs of
investigating, preparing, pursuing, settling, compromising, paying or defending
any claim or action, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental
agency or body, commenced or threatened, including the reasonable fees and
expenses of counsel to any Indemnified Holder), joint or several, directly or
indirectly caused by, related to, based upon, arising out of or in connection
with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Registration Statement, Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) or Free Writing Prospectus, or any omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are caused by an untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission that is made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any of the Holders
furnished in writing to the Company by any of the Holders expressly for use
therein. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any
liability that the Company or any of the Guarantors may otherwise
have.
16
In case
any action or proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation
or proceeding) shall be brought or asserted against any of the Indemnified
Holders with respect to which indemnity may be sought against the Company or the
Guarantors, such Indemnified Holder (or the Indemnified Holder controlled by
such controlling person) shall promptly notify the Company and the Guarantors in
writing; provided, however, that the failure to
give such notice shall not relieve any of the Company or the Guarantors of its
obligations pursuant to this Agreement. Such Indemnified Holder shall
have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action and the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be paid, as incurred, by the Company and the
Guarantors (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an
Indemnified Holder is not entitled to indemnification hereunder). The
Company and the Guarantors shall not, in connection with any one such action or
proceeding or separate but substantially similar or related actions or
proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations
or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than
one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at any time
for such Indemnified Holders, which firm shall be designated by the
Holders. The Company and the Guarantors shall be liable for any
settlement of any such action or proceeding effected with the Company’s and the
Guarantors’ prior written consent, which consent shall not be withheld
unreasonably, and each of the Company and the Guarantors agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless any Indemnified Holder from and against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense by reason of any settlement of any action effected with the
written consent of the Company and the Guarantors. The Company and
the Guarantors shall not, without the prior written consent of each Indemnified
Holder, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in or otherwise
seek to terminate any pending or threatened action, claim, litigation or
proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought
hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Holder is a party thereto), unless
such settlement, compromise, consent or termination includes an unconditional
release of each Indemnified Holder from all liability arising out of such
action, claim, litigation or proceeding.
(b) Each
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantors and their respective
directors, officers of the Company and the Guarantors who sign a Registration
Statement, and any Person controlling (within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) the Company or any of the
Guarantors, and the respective officers, directors, partners, employees,
representatives and agents of each such Person, to the same extent as the
foregoing indemnity from the Company and the Guarantors to each of the
Indemnified Holders, but only with respect to claims and actions based on
information relating to such Holder furnished in writing by such Holder
expressly for use in any Registration Statement. In case any action
or proceeding shall be brought against the Company, the Guarantors or their
respective directors or officers or any such controlling person in respect of
which indemnity may be sought against a Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities, such Holder shall have the rights and duties given the Company and
the Guarantors, and the Company, the Guarantors, their respective directors and
officers and such controlling person shall have the rights and duties given to
each Holder by the preceding paragraph.
17
(c) If the
indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified
party under Section 8(a) or (b) hereof (other than by reason of exceptions
provided in those Sections) in respect of any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses referred to therein, 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, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand,
from the Initial Placement (which in the case of the Company and the Guarantors
shall be deemed to be equal to the total gross proceeds to the Company and the
Guarantors from the Initial Placement), the amount of Additional Interest which
did not become payable as a result of the filing of the Registration Statement
resulting in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments actions or
expenses, and such Registration Statement, or if such allocation is not
permitted by applicable law, the relative fault of the Company and the
Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, in connection
with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors,
on the one hand, and of the Indemnified Holder on the other shall be determined
by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or any of the
Guarantors, on the one hand, or the Indemnified Holders, on the other hand, and
the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity
to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or
payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the
limitations set forth in the second paragraph of Section 8(a) hereof, any legal
or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with
investigating or defending any action or claim.
The
Company, the Guarantors and each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agree
that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
Section 8(c) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders
were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable
by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed
to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Xxxxxxx 0, xxxx of the Holders (and its related
Indemnified Holders) shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any
amount in excess of the amount by which the total discount received by such
Holder with respect to the Initial Securities exceeds the amount of any damages
which such Holder has 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 11(f) of
the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders’
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8(c) are several in
proportion to the respective principal amount of Initial Securities held by each
of the Holders hereunder and not joint.
18
SECTION
9. Rule 144A. Each of
the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees with each Holder, for so long as
any Transfer Restricted Securities remain outstanding, to make available to any
Holder or beneficial owner of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection with
any sale thereof and any prospective purchaser of such Transfer Restricted
Securities from such Holder or beneficial owner, the information required by
Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act in order to permit resales of such
Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities
Act.
SECTION
10. Participation in Underwritten
Registrations. No Holder may participate in any Underwritten
Registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder’s
Transfer Restricted Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting
arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such
arrangements and (b) completes and executes all reasonable questionnaires,
powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, lock-up letters and
other documents required under the terms of such underwriting
arrangements.
SECTION
11. Selection of
Underwriters. The Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities
covered by the Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such
Transfer Restricted Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any
such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s)
that will administer such offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority
in aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities included in
such offering; provided, however, that such
investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) must be reasonably satisfactory
to the Company.
SECTION
12. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. Each of
the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees that monetary damages would not be
adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the
provisions of this Agreement and hereby agree to waive the defense in any action
for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent
Agreements. Each of the Company and the Guarantors will not on
or after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its
securities that conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights
granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with the rights
granted to the holders of the Company’s or any of the Guarantors’ securities
under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c) Adjustments Affecting the
Securities. The Company will not effect any change, or permit
any change to occur, in each case, with respect to the terms of the Securities
that would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holders to
Consummate any Exchange Offer.
(d) Amendments
and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended,
modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures from the
provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company has (i) in the case of
Section 5 hereof and this Section 12(d)(i), obtained the written consent of
Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) in the case
of all other provisions hereof, obtained the written consent of Holders of a
majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities
(excluding any Transfer Restricted Securities held by the Company or their
Affiliates). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to
departure from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to the rights of
Holders whose securities are being tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and
that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights of other Holders whose
securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange Offer may be given
by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer
Restricted Securities being tendered or registered; provided, however, that, with respect
to any matter that directly or indirectly affects the rights of any Initial
Purchaser hereunder, the Company shall obtain the written consent of each such
Initial Purchaser with respect to which such amendment, qualification,
supplement, waiver, consent or departure is to be effective.
19
(e) Notices. All
notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be
made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail (registered or certified,
return receipt requested), telex, telecopier, or air courier guaranteeing
overnight delivery:
(i) if to a
Holder, at the address set forth on the records of the Registrar under the
Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under the Indenture; and
(ii) if to the
Company or the Guarantors:
Xxxxx
Plastics Corporation
000
Xxxxxx Xx.
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Telecopier
No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxxx
With a
copy to:
Wachtell,
Lipton, Xxxxx & Xxxx
00 Xxxx
00xx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Telecopier
No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxx
Xxxxx
All such
notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five
Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed;
when answered back, if telexed; when receipt acknowledged, if telecopied; and on
the next Business Day, if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing
overnight delivery.
Copies of
all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently
delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the address specified
in the Indenture.
(f) Successors and
Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including,
without limitation, and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent
Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; provided, however, that this Agreement
shall not inure to the benefit of or be binding upon a successor or assign of a
Holder unless and to the extent such successor or assign acquired Transfer
Restricted Securities from such Holder.
20
(g) Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts 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.
(h) Headings. The
headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not
limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(i) Governing
Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE
CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES THEREOF.
(j) Severability. In
the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the
application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision
in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall
not be affected or impaired thereby.
(k) Entire
Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a
final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive
statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of
the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions,
promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to
herein with respect to the registration rights granted by the Company and the
Guarantors with respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities. This
Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties
with respect to such subject matter.
21
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first
written above.
Very truly yours,
XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
XXXXX
PLASTICS TECHNICAL SERVICES, INC.
XXXXX
XXXXXXXX CORPORATION
CARDINAL
PACKAGING, INC.
CPI
HOLDING CORPORATION
KNIGHT
PLASTICS, INC.
PACKERWARE
CORPORATION
PESCOR,
INC.
VENTURE
PACKAGING, INC.
VENTURE
PACKAGING MIDWEST, INC.
XXXXX
PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION III
XXXXX
PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION V
XXXXX
PLASTICS OPCO, INC.
XXXXX
PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION VIII
XXXXX
PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION IX
XXXXX
PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION X
XXXXX
PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION XI
XXXXX
PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION XII
XXXXX
PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION XIII
ROLLPAK
ACQUISITION CORPORATION
ROLLPAK
CORPORATION
CAPTIVE
HOLDINGS, INC.
CAPTIVE
PLASTICS, INC.
CAPLAS
NEPTUNE, LLC
CAPLAS
LLC
By:
_____________________________________
Name:
Title:
COVALENCE
SPECIALTY ADHESIVES LLC
By: XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole
member
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
COVALENCE
SPECIALTY COATINGS LLC
By: XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole
member
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
AEROCON,
LLC
By: XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole member and
manager
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
XXXXX
IOWA, LLC
By: XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole member and
manager
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
XXXXX
PLASTICS DESIGN, LLC
By: XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole member and
manager
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
POLY-SEAL,
LLC
By: XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole member and
manager
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
XXXX
GROUP, LLC
By: XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole member and
manager
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
SAFFRON
ACQUISITION, LLC
By: XXXX
GROUP, LLC,
its sole member and
manager
By:
XXXXX PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole
member and manager
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
SUN COAST
INDUSTRIES, LLC
By:
SAFFRON ACQUISITION, LLC,
its sole member and
manager
By:
XXXX GROUP, LLC,
its sole
member and manager
By:
XXXXX PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole
member and manager
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
XXXXXX
PLASTICS, LLC
By: XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole member and
manager
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
SETCO,
LLC
By: XXXX
GROUP, LLC,
its sole
member
By:
XXXXX PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole
member and manager
By:
________________________________
Name:
Title:
TUBED
PRODUCTS, LLC
By: XXXX
GROUP, LLC
its sole
member
By:
XXXXX PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole
member and manager
By:
________________________________
Name:
Title:
GRAFCO
INDUSTRIES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
By:
Caplas Neptune, LLC
its General
Partner
By:
________________________________
Name:
Title:
XXXXX
PLASTICS ACQUISITION CORPORATION XV, LLC
By: XXXXX
PLASTICS CORPORATION,
its sole
member
By:
_________________________________
Name:
Title:
The
foregoing Registration Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of
the date first above written:
The
foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed
and accepted as of the
date
first above written.
BANC OF
AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
By: ___________________________
Managing Director
XXXXXXX,
SACHS & CO.
By: _____________________________
(Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx &
Co.)
XXXXXX
BROTHERS INC.
By
|
___________________________
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Schedule
A
Guarantors
1.
|
Xxxxx
Iowa, LLC
|
2.
|
Packerware
Corporation
|
3.
|
Knight
Plastics, Inc.
|
4.
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Corporation
|
5.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Design, LLC
|
6.
|
Poly-Seal,
LLC
|
7.
|
Venture
Packaging, Inc.
|
8.
|
Venture
Packaging Midwest, Inc.
|
9.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Technical Services, Inc.
|
10.
|
CPI
Holding Corporation
|
11.
|
Cardinal
Packaging, Inc.
|
12.
|
AeroCon,
LLC
|
13.
|
Pescor,
Inc.
|
14.
|
Xxxxxx
Plastics, LLC
|
15.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Acquisition Corporation
III
|
16.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Acquisition Corporation V
|
17.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Opco, Inc. (formerly Xxxxx Plastics Acquisition Corporation
VII)
|
18.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Acquisition Corporation
VIII
|
19.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Acquisition Corporation IX
|
20.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Acquisition Corporation X
|
21.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Acquisition Corporation XI
|
22.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Acquisition Corporation
XII
|
23.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Acquisition Corporation
XIII
|
24.
|
Xxxxx
Plastics Acquisition Corporation XV,
LLC
|
25.
|
Xxxx
Group, LLC
|
26.
|
Saffron
Acquisition, LLC
|
27.
|
Sun
Coast Industries, LLC
|
28.
|
Setco,
LLC
|
29.
|
Tubed
Products, LLC
|
30.
|
Covalence
Specialty Adhesives LLC
|
31.
|
Covalence
Specialty Coatings LLC
|
32.
|
Rollpak
Acquisition Corporation
|
33.
|
Rollpak
Corporation
|
34.
|
Captive
Plastics, Inc.
|
35.
|
Captive
Holdings, Inc.
|
36.
|
Caplas
Neptune, LLC
|
37.
|
Caplas
LLC
|
38.
|
Grafco
Industries Limited Partnership
|