EX-4.8
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED JANUARY 27, 1997
AMONG
INTERPOOL, INC.
INTERPOOL CAPITAL TRUST
AND
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
XXXXXXXXXXX & CO., INC.
XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
AS INITIAL PURCHASERS
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "AGREEMENT") is made and entered
into as of January 27, 1997 among Interpool, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY"), Interpool Capital Trust, a business trust formed under the laws of
the state of Delaware (the "TRUST"), and XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED ("XXXXXXX XXXXX") and XXXXXXXXXXX & CO., INC. and XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
(together with Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, the "INITIAL PURCHASERS").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement dated January 22,
1997 (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), among the Company, as issuer of 97/8% Junior
Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due February 15, 2027 (the
"SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES"), the Trust and the Initial Purchasers, which provides
for among other things, the sale by the Trust to the Initial Purchasers of
75,000 of the Trust's 97/8% Capital Securities, liquidation amount $1,000 per
Capital Security (the "CAPITAL SECURITIES") the pro- ceeds of which will be used
by the Trust to purchase Subordinated Debentures. The Capital Securities,
together with the Subordi- nated Debentures and the Company's guarantee of the
Capital Securities (the "CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE"), are collectively
referred to as the "SECURITIES." In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to
enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company and the Trust have agreed to
provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees the
registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of
this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agree- ment.
In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized
defined terms shall have the following meanings:
"ADVICE" shall have the meaning set forth in the last paragraph of Section
3 hereof.
"APPLICABLE PERIOD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(t)
hereof.
"BUSINESS DAY" means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on
which banking institutions in the City of New York or Wilmington, Delaware are
authorized or required by law or executive order to close.
"CLOSING TIME" shall mean the Closing Time as defined in the Purchase
Agreement.
"COMPANY" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this
Agreement and also includes the Company's successors and permitted assigns.
"DECLARATION" or "DECLARATION OF TRUST" shall mean the Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust, dated as of January 27, 1997, by the trustees named
therein and the Company as sponsor.
"DEPOSITARY" shall mean The Depository Trust Company, or any other
depositary appointed by the Trust; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such depositary must
have an address in the Borough of Manhattan, in the City of New York.
"EFFECTIVENESS PERIOD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b)
hereof.
"EXCHANGE ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
from time to time.
"EXCHANGE OFFER" shall mean the offer by the Company and the Trust to the
Holders to exchange all of the Registrable Securities (other than Private
Exchange Securities) for a like principal amount of Exchange Securities pursuant
to Section 2(a) hereof.
"EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION" shall mean a registration under the
Securities Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
"EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall mean an exchange offer
registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate
form), and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in
each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and
all material incorporated by reference therein.
"EXCHANGE PERIOD" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a) hereof.
"EXCHANGE SECURITIES" shall mean (i) with respect to the Subordinated
Debentures, the Series B 97/8% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest
Debentures due February 15, 2027 (the "EXCHANGE DEBENTURES") containing terms
identical to the Subordinated Debentures (except that they will not contain
terms with respect to the transfer restrictions under the Securities Act, will
not require transfers thereof to be in minimum blocks of $100,000 principal
amount and will not provide for payment of Liquidated Damages thereon), (ii)
with respect to the Capital Securities, the Trust's Series B 97/8% Capital
Securities, liquida- tion amount $1,000 per Capital Security (the "EXCHANGE
CAPITAL SECURITIES") which will have terms identical to the Capital Securities
(except they will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions under
the Securities Act, will not require minimum transfers thereof to be in blocks
of $100,000 liquidation amount and will not provide for payment of Liquidated
Damages thereon) and (iii) with respect to the Capital Securities Guarantee, the
Company's guarantee (the "EXCHANGE CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE") of the
Exchange Capital Securities which will have terms identical to the Capital
Securities Guarantee (except that the Exchange Capital Securities Guarantee will
not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions under the Securities
Act).
"HOLDER" shall mean the Initial Purchasers, for so long as they own any
Registrable Securities, and each of their respective successors, assigns and
direct and indirect transferees who become registered owners of Registrable
Securities under the Indenture or Declaration of Trust.
"INDENTURE" shall mean the Indenture relating to the Subordinated
Debentures and the Exchange Debentures dated as of January 27, 1997 as
supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of January 27, 1997,
among the Company, as issuer, and IBJ Xxxxxxxx Bank and Trust Company, as
trustee, as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time in
accordance with the terms thereof.
"INITIAL PURCHASERS" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to
this Agreement.
"INSPECTORS" shall have the meaning set forth in Sec- tion 3(n) hereof.
"ISSUE DATE" shall mean the date of original issuance of the Securities.
"LIQUIDATED DAMAGES" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(e)
hereof.
"MAJORITY HOLDERS" shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate
liquidation amount of outstanding Capital Securities.
"PARTICIPATING BROKER-DEALER" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3(t) hereof.
"PERSON" shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation, trust or
unincorporated organization, limited liability company, or a government or
agency or political subdivision thereof.
"PRIVATE EXCHANGE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a) hereof.
"PRIVATE EXCHANGE SECURITIES" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2(a) hereof.
"PROSPECTUS" shall mean the prospectus included in a Registration
Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as
amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus
supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the
Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all
other amendments and supplements to a prospectus, including post-effective
amendments, and in each case including all material incorporated by reference
therein.
"PURCHASE AGREEMENT" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to
this Agreement.
"RECORDS" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(n) hereof.
"REGISTRATION DEFAULT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(e)
hereof.
"REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" shall mean the Securities and, if issued, the
Private Exchange Securities; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Securities or Private
Exchange Securities, as the case may be, shall cease to be Registrable
Securities when (i) a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities or
Private Exchange Securities for the exchange or resale thereof, as the case may
be, shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act and such
Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, shall have been
disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) such Securities or
Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, shall have been sold to the
public pursuant to Rule 144(k) (or any similar provision then in force, but not
including Rule 144A) under the Securities Act, (iii) such Securities or Private
Exchange Securities, as the case may be, shall have ceased to be outstanding or
(iv) with respect to the Securities, such Securities have been exchanged for
Exchange Securities upon consummation of the Exchange Offer and are thereafter
freely tradeable by the holder thereof (other than an affiliate of the Company).
"REGISTRATION EXPENSES" shall mean any and all expenses incident to
performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, including
without limitation: (i) all SEC or National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. (the "NASD") registration and filing fees, including, if applicable, the
fees and expenses of any "qualified independent underwriter" (and its counsel)
that is required to be retained by any Holder of Registrable Securi- ties in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the NASD, (ii) all fees and
expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue
sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any
underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any of the
Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities) and compliance with the rules of
the NASD, (iii) all expenses of any Persons in preparing or assisting in
preparing, word processing, printing and distrib- uting any Registration
Statement, any Prospectus and any amend- ments or supplements thereto, and in
preparing or assisting in preparing, printing and distributing any underwriting
agreements, securities sales agreements and other documents relating to the
performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees,
(v) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of the independent
certified public accountants of the Company, including the expenses of any "cold
comfort" letters required by or incident to such performance and compli- ance,
(vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustees, and any ex- change agent or
custodian, (vii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing,
if any, of any of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange or
exchanges, and (viii) the reasonable fees and expenses of any special experts
retained by the Company in connection with any Registration Statement.
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall mean any registration statement of the
Company and the Trust which covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable
Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, and all amendments and
supplements to any such Registration Statement, including post-effective
amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all
exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein.
"RULE 144(K) PERIOD" shall mean the period of three years (or such shorter
period as may hereafter be referred to in Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act
(or similar successor rule)) commencing on the Issue Date.
"SEC" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"SECURITIES" shall have the meaning set forth in the xxxxx- ble to this
Agreement.
"SECURITIES ACT" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from
time to time.
"SHELF REGISTRATION" shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section
2(b) hereof.
"SHELF REGISTRATION EVENT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b)
hereof.
"SHELF REGISTRATION EVENT DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2(b) hereof.
"SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall mean a "shelf" registration statement
of the Company and the Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 2(b) hereof
which covers all of the Regis- trable Securities or all of the Private Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the
Securities Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all
amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including
post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained
therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference
therein.
"TIA" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(l) hereof.
"TRUSTEES" shall mean any and all trustees with respect to (i) the Capital
Securities under the Declaration, (ii) the Subordinated Debentures under the
Indenture and (iii) the Capital Securities Guarantee.
2. REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.
(a) EXCHANGE OFFER. To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or
applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC, the Company and the Trust
shall, for the benefit of the Holders, at the Company's cost, use their best
efforts to (i) cause to be filed with the SEC within 150 days after the Issue
Date an Exchange Offer Registration Statement on an appropriate form under the
Securities Act covering the Exchange Offer, (ii) cause such Exchange Offer
Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act by the
SEC not later than the date which is 180 days after the Issue Date, and (iii)
keep such Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective for not less than 30
calendar days (or longer if required by applicable law) after the date notice of
the Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders. Upon the effectiveness of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, the Company and the Trust shall promptly
commence the Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Exchange Offer to
enable each Holder eligible and electing to exchange Registrable Securities for
a like principal amount of Exchange Debentures or a like liquidation amount of
Exchange Capital Securities, together with the Exchange Guarantee, as applicable
(assuming that such Holder is not an affiliate of the Company within the meaning
of Rule 405 under the Securities Act and is not a broker-dealer tendering
Registrable Securities acquired directly from the Company for its own account,
acquires the Exchange Securities in the ordinary course of such Holder's
business and has no arrangements or understandings with any Person to
participate in the Exchange Offer for the purpose of distributing the Exchange
Securities), to transfer such Exchange Securities from and after their receipt
without any limitations or restrictions under the Securities Act and under state
securities or blue sky laws.
In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Company and the Trust shall:
(i) mail to each Holder a copy of the Prospectus forming part of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter of
transmittal and related documents;
(ii) keep the Exchange Offer open for acceptance for a period of not less
than 30 days after the date notice thereof is mailed to the Holders (or longer
if required by applicable law) (such period referred to herein as the "EXCHANGE
PERIOD");
(iii) utilize the services of the Depositary for the Ex- change Offer;
(iv) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time prior to
the close of business, New York time, on the last Business Day of the Exchange
Period, by sending to the institution specified in the notice, a telegram,
telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder,
the principal amount of Securities delivered for exchange, and a statement that
such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Securities exchanged;
(v) notify each Holder that any Security not tendered by such Holder in the
Exchange Offer will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest or
accumulate distributions, as the case may be, but will not retain any rights
under this Agreement (except in the case of the Initial Purchasers and
Participating Broker-Dealers as provided herein); and
(vi) otherwise comply in all respects with all applicable laws relating to
the Exchange Offer.
If any Initial Purchaser determines upon advice of its outside counsel that
it is not eligible to participate in the Exchange Offer with respect to the
exchange of Securities constituting any portion of an unsold allotment in the
initial distribution, as soon as practicable upon receipt by the Company and the
Trust of a written request from such Initial Purchaser, the Company and the
Trust, as applicable, shall issue and deliver to such Initial Purchaser in
exchange (the "PRIVATE EXCHANGE") for the Securities held by such Initial
Purchaser, a like liquidation amount of Capital Securities of the Trust,
together with the Exchange Guarantee, or a like principal amount of the
Subordinated Debentures of the Company, as applicable, that are identical
(except that such securities may bear a customary legend with respect to
restrictions on transfer pursuant to the Securities Act) to the Exchange
Securities (the "PRIVATE EXCHANGE SECURITIES") and which are issued pursuant to
the Indenture, the Declaration or the Guarantee (which provides that the
Exchange Securities will not be subject to the transfer restrictions set forth
in the Indenture or the Declaration, as applicable, and that the Exchange
Securities, the Private Exchange Securities and the Securities will vote and
consent together on all matters as one class and that neither the Exchange
Securities, the Private Exchange Securities nor the Securities will have the
right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter). The Private
Exchange Securities shall be of the same series as the Exchange Securities and
the Company and the Trust will seek to cause the CUSIP Service Bureau to issue
the same CUSIP Numbers for the Private Exchange Securities as for the Exchange
Securities issued pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Exchange Offer and, if
applicable, the Private Exchange, the Company and the Trust, as the case
requires, shall:
(i) accept for exchange all Securities or portions thereof tendered and not
validly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer or the Private Exchange;
(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the applicable Trustee for
cancellation all Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the
Company; and
(iii) issue, and cause the applicable Trustee under the Indenture, the
Declaration or the Guarantee, as applicable, to promptly authenticate and
deliver to each Holder, new Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities,
as applicable, equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the
Subordinated Debentures or equal in liquidation amount to the liquidation amount
of the Capital Securities (together with the guarantee thereof) as are
surrendered by such Holder.
Distributions on each Exchange Capital Security and interest on each
Exchange Debenture and Private Exchange Security issued pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange will accrue from the last
date on which a Distribution or interest was paid on the Capital Security or the
Subordinated Debenture surrendered in exchange therefore or, if no Distribution
or interest has been paid on such Capital Security or Subordinated Debenture,
from the Issue Date. To the extent not prohibited by any law or applicable
interpretation of the staff of the SEC, the Company and the Trust shall use
their best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above, and shall
comply with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act
and other applicable laws in connection with the Exchange Offer. The Exchange
Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer
does not violate applicable law or any applicable interpretation of the staff of
the SEC. Each Holder of Registrable Securities who wishes to exchange such
Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities in the Exchange Offer will be
required to make certain customary representations in connection therewith,
including, in the case of any Holder of Capital Securities, representations that
(i) it is not an affiliate of the Trust or the Company, (ii) the Exchange
Securities to be received by it were acquired in the ordinary course of its
business and (iii) at the time of the Exchange Offer, it has no arrangement with
any person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the
Securities Act) of the Exchange Capital Securities. The Company and the Trust
shall inform the Initial Purchasers, after consultation with the Trustee, of the
names and addresses of the Holders to whom the Exchange Offer is made, and the
Initial Purchasers shall have the right to contact such Holders and otherwise
facilitate the tender of Registrable Securities in the Exchange Offer.
Upon consummation of the Exchange Offer in accordance with this Section
2(a), the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply, MUTATIS
MUTANDIS, solely with respect to Registrable Securities that are Private
Exchange Securities and Exchange Securities held by Participating
Broker-Dealers, and the Company and the Trust shall have no further obligation
to register the Registrable Securities (other than Private Exchange Securities)
pursuant to Section 2(b) of this Agreement.
(b) SHELF REGISTRATION. In the event that (i) the Company, the Trust or the
Majority Holders reasonably determine, after conferring with counsel (which may
be in-house counsel), that the Exchange Offer Registration provided in Section
2(a) above is not available because of any change in law or in currently
prevailing interpretations of the staff of the SEC, (ii) the Company shall
determine in good faith that there is a reasonable likelihood that, or a
material uncertainty exists as to whether, consummation of the Exchange Offer
would result in a material adverse tax consequence to the Company, (iii) the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not declared effective within 180 days
of the Issue Date or (iv) upon the request of any Initial Purchaser with respect
to any Registrable Securities held by it, if such Initial Purchaser is not
permitted, in the reason- able opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx
LLP or such other counsel experienced in such matters, pursuant to applicable
law or applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC, to participate in the
Exchange Offer and thereby receive securities that are freely tradeable without
restriction under the Securi- ties Act and applicable blue sky or state
securities laws (any of the events specified in (i)-(iv) being a "SHELF
REGISTRATION EVENT" and the date of occurrence thereof, the "SHELF REGISTRA-
TION EVENT DATE"), the Trust shall (x) promptly deliver to the Holders and the
Delaware Trustee written notice thereof and (y), at the Company's sole expense,
the Company and the Trust will use their best efforts to cause to be filed as
promptly as practi- cable after such Shelf Registration Event Date, and, in any
event, within 45 days after such Shelf Registration Event Date (which shall be
no earlier than 75 days after the Closing Time), a Shelf Registration Statement
providing for the sale by the Holders of all of the Registrable Securities, and
shall use their best efforts to have such Shelf Registration Statement declared
effective by the SEC as soon as practicable. No Holder of Registrable Securities
shall be entitled to include any of its Registrable Securities in any Shelf
Registration pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder agrees in
writing to be bound by all of the provisions of this Agreement applicable to
such Holder and furnishes to the Company and the Trust in writ- ing, within 15
days after receipt of a request therefor, such information as the Company and
the Trust may, after conferring with counsel with regard to information relating
to Holders that would be required by the SEC to be included in such Shelf Regis-
tration Statement or Prospectus included therein, reasonably request for
inclusion in any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus included therein.
Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration is being effected agrees to
furnish to the Company and the Trust all information with respect to such Holder
neces- sary to make the information previously furnished to the Company by such
Holder not materially misleading.
The Company and the Trust agree to use their best efforts to keep the Shelf
Registration Statement continuously effective for the Rule 144(k) Period
(subject to extension pursuant to the last paragraph of Section 3 hereof) (90
days in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement filed at the request of an
Initial Purchaser under Section 2(b)(iv) hereof) or for such shorter period
which will terminate when all of the Regis- trable Securities covered by the
Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement or cease to be outstanding (the "EFFECTIVENESS PERIOD"). The Company
and the Trust shall not permit any securities other than Registrable Securities
to be included in the Shelf Registration. The Company and the Trust will, in the
event a Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective, provide to each
Holder a reason- able number of copies of the Prospectus which is a part of the
Shelf Registration Statement, notify each such Holder when the Shelf
Registration has become effective and use its best efforts to take certain other
actions as are required to permit certain unrestricted resales of the
Registrable Securities. The Company and the Trust further agree, if necessary,
to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, if required by the
rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by
the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or by
any other rules and regulations thereun- der for shelf registrations, and the
Company and the Trust agree to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities
copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or
filed with the SEC.
(c) EXPENSES. The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection
with the registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or 2(b) hereof and will reimburse
the Initial Purchasers for the reasonable fees and disbursements of Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, incurred in
connection with the Exchange Offer and, if applicable, the Private Exchange
Offer, and any one other counsel designated in writing by the Majority Holders
to act as counsel for the Holders of the Registrable Securities in connection
with a Shelf Registration Statement, which other counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Company. Except as provided herein, each Holder shall pay
all expenses of its counsel, underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer
taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder's Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.
(d) EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT. An Exchange Offer Registration
Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or a Shelf Registration Statement
pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective
unless it has been de- clared effective by the SEC; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if,
after it has been declared effective, the offering of Registrable Securi- ties
pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement is interfered with by any stop order,
injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental
agency or court, such Registration Statement will be deemed not to have been
effective during the period of such interference, until the offering of
Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement may legally
resume. The Company and the Trust will be deemed not to have used their best
efforts to cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf
Registration Statement, as the case may be, to become, or to remain, effective
during the requisite period if either of them voluntarily take any action that
would result in any such Registration Statement not being declared effective or
in the Holders of Registrable Securities covered thereby not being able to
exchange or offer and sell such Registrable Securities during that period unless
such action is required by applicable law.
(e) LIQUIDATED DAMAGES. In the event that (i) (A) neither the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement nor a Shelf Registration Statement is filed with
the SEC on or prior to the 150th day after the Issue Date or (B) notwithstanding
that the Company and the Trust have consummated or will consummate an Exchange
Offer, the Company and the Trust are required to file a Shelf Registration
Statement and such Shelf Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to the
date required by Section 2(b) hereof, then commencing on the day after the
applicable required filing date, liquidated damages shall be payable on the
principal amount of the Subordinated Debentures, and additional distributions
shall accumulate on the liquidation amount of the Capital Securities, each at a
rate of 0.25% per annum; or
(ii) (A) neither the Exchange Offer Registration Statement nor a Shelf
Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC on or prior to the 30th
day after the applicable required filing date or (B) notwithstanding that the
Company and the Trust have consummated or will consummate an Exchange Offer, the
Company and the Trust are required to file a Shelf Registration Statement and
such Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective by the SEC on or
prior to the 30th day after the date such Shelf Registration Statement was
required to be filed, then, commencing on the 31st day after the applicable
required filing date, liquidated damages shall be payable on the principal
amount of the Subordinated Debentures, and additional distributions shall
accumulate on the liquidation amount of the Capital Securities, each at a rate
of 0.25% per annum; or
(iii) (A) the Trust has not exchanged Exchange Capital Securities for all
Capital Securities or the Company has not exchanged Exchange Guarantees or
Exchange Subordinated Debentures for all Guarantees or Subordinated Debentures
validly tendered, in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer on or prior
to the 45th day after the date on which the Exchange Offer Registra- tion
Statement was declared effective or (B) if applicable, the Shelf Registration
Statement has been declared effective and such Shelf Registration Statement
ceases to be available to a Holder of Registrable Securities for use in
connection with the sale of such Registrable Securities at any time prior to the
expiration of the Rule 144(k) Period (or prior to the expiration of 90 days from
the effective date of such registration statement in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement filed at the request of an Initial Purchaser) (other than
after such time as all Capital Securities have been disposed of thereunder or
otherwise cease to be Registrable Securities), and such event continues for a
period exceeding 45 consecutive days or 90 days in any 360 day period whether or
not consecutive, then liquidated damages shall be payable on the principal
amount of Subordinated Debentures, and additional distributions shall accumulate
on the liquidation amount of the Capital Securities, each at a rate of 0.25% per
annum commencing on (x) the 46th day after such effective date, in the case of
(A) above, or (y) the 46th consecutive day or 91st day in any 360 day period
following the day such Shelf Registration Statement ceases to be available in
the case of (B) above;
provided, however, that neither the liquidated damages rate on the
Subordinated Debentures, nor the additional distribution rate on the liquidation
amount of the Capital Securities, may exceed in the aggregate 0.25% per annum;
provided, further, however, that (1) upon the filing of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement or a Shelf Registration Statement (in the case of clause
(i) above), (2) upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement or a Shelf Registration Statement (in the case of clause (ii) above),
or (3) upon the exchange of Exchange Capital Securities, Exchange Guarantees and
Exchange Subordinated Debentures for all Capital Securities, Guarantees and
Subordinated Debentures tendered (in the case of clause (iii)(A) above), or upon
the availability of the Shelf Registration Statement which had ceased to remain
available (in the case of clause (iii)(B) above), liquidated damages on the
Subordinated Debentures, and additional distributions on the liquidation amount
of the Capital Securities as a result of such clause (or the relevant subclause
thereof), as the case may be, shall cease to accrue or accumulate, as the case
may be.
Any amounts of liquidated damages and additional distributions due pursuant
to Section 2(e)(i), (ii) or (iii) above ("LIQUIDATED DAMAGES") will be payable
in cash on the next succeeding February 15 or August 15, as the case may be, to
Holders on the February 1 or August 1 immediately preceding such payment date
for the payment of interest and Distributions pursu- ant to the Indenture and
the Declaration, respectively.
(f) SPECIFIC ENFORCEMENT. Without limiting the remedies available to the
Holders, the Company and the Trust acknowledge that any failure by the Company
or the Trust to comply with its obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b)
hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Holders for which there
is no adequate remedy at law, that it would not be possible to measure damages
for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, any
Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the
Company's and the Trust's obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b)
hereof.
3. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. In connection with the obligations of the
Company and the Trust with respect to the Registration Statements pursuant to
Sections 2(a) and 2(b) hereof, the Company and the Trust shall use their best
efforts to:
(a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement or
Registration Statements as prescribed by Sections 2(a) and 2(b) hereof
within the relevant time period specified in Section 2 hereof on the
appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (i) shall be
selected by the Company and the Trust, (ii) shall, in the case of a
Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable
Securities by the selling Holders thereof and (iii) shall comply as to
form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable
form and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be
filed therewith; and use its best efforts to cause such Registration
Statement to become effective and remain effective in accordance with
Section 2 hereof; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if (1) such filing is
pursuant to Section 2(b), or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange
Offer Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) is required
to be delivered under the Securities Act by any Participating
Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange Securities, before filing any
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendments or supplements
thereto, the Company and the Trust shall furnish to and afford the
Holders of the Registrable Securities and each such Participating
Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, covered by such Registration
Statement, their counsel and the managing underwriters, if any, a
reasonable opportunity to review copies of all such documents
(including copies of any documents to be incorporated by reference
therein and all exhibits thereto) proposed to be filed. The Company and
the Trust shall not file any Registration Statement or Prospectus or
any amendments or supplements thereto in respect of which the Holders
must be afforded an opportunity to review prior to the filing of such
document if the Majority Holders or such Participating Broker-Dealer,
as the case may be, their counsel or the managing underwriters, if any,
shall reasonably object;
(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be
necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the
Effectiveness Period or the Applicable Period, as the case may be; and
cause each Prospectus to be supplemented, if so determined by the
Company or the Trust or requested by the SEC, by any required
prospectus supplement and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to
Rule 424 (or any similar provision then in force) under the Securities
Act, and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act, the Exchange
Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to
it with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by each
Registration Statement during the Effectiveness Period or the
Applicable Period, as the case may be, in accordance with the intended
method or methods of distribution by the selling Holders thereof
described in this Agreement (including sales by any Participating
Broker-Dealer);
(c) in the case of a Shelf Registration, (i) notify each
Holder of Registrable Securities included in the Shelf Registration
Statement, at least three Business Days prior to filing, that a Shelf
Registration Statement with respect to the Registrable Securities is
being filed and advising such Holder that the distribution of
Registrable Securities will be made in accordance with the method
selected by the Majority Holders; and (ii) furnish to each Holder of
Regis- trable Securities included in the Shelf Registration Statement
and to each underwriter of an underwritten offering of Registrable
Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus,
including each preliminary Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement
thereto and such other documents as such Holder or underwriter may
reasonably request, in order to facilitate the public sale or other
disposition of the Registrable Securities; and (iii) consent to the use
of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the
selling Holders of Registrable Securities included in the Shelf
Registration Statement in connection with the offering and sale of the
Registrable Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto;
(d) in the case of a Shelf Registration, use its best efforts
to register or qualify the Registrable Securities by the time the
applicable Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC
under all applicable state securities or "blue sky" laws of such
jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a
Registration Statement and each underwriter of an underwritten offering
of Regis- trable Securities shall reasonably request in writing in
advance of such date of effectiveness, and do any and all other acts
and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable
such Holder and underwriter to consummate the disposition in each such
jurisdiction of such Registrable Securities owned by such Holder;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company and the Trust shall not be required
to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in
any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify
but for this Section 3(d), (ii) file any general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be subject to
such service of process or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such
jurisdiction if it is not then so subject;
(e) in the case of (1) a Shelf Registration or (2)
Participating Broker-Dealers from whom the Company or the Trust has
received prior written notice that they will be utilizing the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement as
provided in Section 3(t) hereof, are seeking to sell Exchange
Securities and are required to deliver Prospectuses, notify each Holder
of Registrable Securities, or such Participating Broker-Dealers, as the
case may be, their counsel and the managing underwriters, if any,
promptly and promptly confirm such notice in writing (i) when a
Registration Statement has become effective and when any post-effective
amendments and supplements thereto become effective, (ii) of any
request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and
supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional
information after the Registration Statement has become effective,
(iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement
or the qualification of the Registrable Securities or the Exchange
Securities to be offered or sold by any Participating Broker-Dealer in
any jurisdiction described in paragraph 3(d) hereof or the initiation
of any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) in the case of a Shelf
Registration, if, between the effective date of a Registration
Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered
thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company and the
Trust contained in any purchase agreement, securities sales agreement
or other similar agreement, if any, cease to be true and correct in all
material respects, and (v) of the happening of any event or the failure
of any event to occur or the discovery of any facts or otherwise,
during the Effectiveness Period which makes any statement made in such
Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material
respect or which causes such Registration Statement or Prospectus to
omit to state a material fact necessary to make the state- ments
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, and (vi) the Company and the Trust's reasonable
determination that a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement would be appropri- ate;
(f) make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of
any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement at
the earliest possible moment;
(g) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each
Holder of Registrable Securities included within the coverage of such
Shelf Registration Statement, without charge, at least one conformed
copy of each Registration Statement relating to such Shelf Registration
and any post-effective amendment thereto (without documents
incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless
requested);
(h) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the
selling Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable
Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and in
such denominations (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture and
the Declaration) and registered in such names as the selling Holders or
the underwriters may reasonably request at least two Business Days
prior to the closing of any sale of Regis- trable Securities pursuant
to such Shelf Registration Statement;
(i) in the case of a Shelf Registration or an Exchange Offer
Registration, upon the occurrence of any circumstance contemplated by
Section 3(e)(ii), 3(e)(iii), 3(e)(v) or 3(e)(vi) hereof, use its best
efforts to prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to a
Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document
incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document
so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable
Securities, such Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and to notify each Holder to suspend use of
the Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such
an event, and each Holder hereby agrees to suspend use of the
Prospectus until the Company has amended or supplemented the Prospectus
to correct such misstatement or omission;
(j) in the case of a Shelf Registration, a reasonable time
prior to the filing of any document which is to be incorporated by
reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus after the
initial filing of a Registration State- ment, provide a reasonable
number of copies of such document to the Holders; and make such of the
representatives of the Company and the Trust as shall be reasonably
requested by the Holders of Registrable Securities or the Initial Pur-
chasers on behalf of such Holders available for discussion of such
document;
(k) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Capital Securities
and the Capital Securities (and if the Trust has made a distribution of
the Subordinated Debentures to the Holders of the Capital Securities,
the Subordinated Debentures or the Exchange Subordinated Debentures) as
the case may be, not later than the effective date of a Registration
Statement, and provide the Trustee with printed certificates for the
Exchange Securities or the Registrable Securities, as the case may be,
in a form eligible for deposit with the Depositary;
(l) cause the Indenture, the Declaration, the Guarantee and
the Exchange Guarantee to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of
1939 (the "TIA") in connection with the registration of the Exchange
Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, and effect
such changes to such documents as may be required for them to be so
qualified in accordance with the terms of the TIA and execute, and use
its best efforts to cause the relevant trustee to execute, all
documents as may be required to effect such changes, and all other
forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable such
documents to be so qualified in a timely manner;
(m) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such
agreements (including underwriting agreements) as are customary in
underwritten offerings and take all such other appropriate actions as
are reasonably requested in order to expedite or facilitate the
registration or the disposition of such Registrable Securities, and in
such connection, whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered
into and whether or not the registration is an underwritten registra-
tion, if requested by (x) any Initial Purchaser, in the case where an
Initial Purchaser holds Securities acquired by it as part of its
initial distribution and (y) other Holders of Securities covered
thereby: (i) make such representations and warranties to Holders of
such Registrable Securities and the underwriters (if any), with respect
to the business of the Trust, the Company and its subsidiaries as then
con- ducted and the Registration Statement, Prospectus and docu- ments,
if any, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein,
in each case, as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in
underwritten offerings, and confirm the same if and when requested;
(ii) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and the Trust and
updates thereof (which may be in the form of a reliance letter) in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the managing underwrit- ers
(if any) and the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Registrable Securities being sold, addressed to each selling Holder and
the underwriters (if any) cover- ing the matters customarily covered in
opinions requested in underwritten offerings and such other matters as
may be reasonably requested by such underwriters (it being agreed that
the matters to be covered by such opinion may be sub- ject to customary
qualifications and exceptions); (iii) obtain "cold comfort" letters and
updates thereof in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
managing underwriters from the independent certified public accoun-
tants of the Company and the Trust (and, if necessary, any other
independent certified public accountants of any sub- sidiary of the
Company and the Trust or of any business acquired by the Company and
the Trust for which financial statements and financial data are, or are
required to be, included in the Registration Statement), addressed to
each of the underwriters, such letters to be in customary form and
covering matters of the type customarily covered in "cold comfort"
letters in connection with underwritten offerings and such other
matters as reasonably requested by such underwriters in accordance with
Statement on Auditing Standards No. 72; and (iv) if an underwriting
agreement is entered into, the same shall contain indemnification
provi- sions and procedures no less favorable than those set forth in
Section 4 hereof (or such other provisions and procedures acceptable to
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Registrable
Securities covered by such Registration Statement and the managing
underwriters or agents) with respect to all parties to be indemnified
pursuant to said Section (including, without limitation, such
underwriters and selling Holders). The above shall be done at each
closing under such underwriting agreement, or as and to the extent
required thereunder;
(n) if (1) a Shelf Registration is filed pursuant to Section
2(b) or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) is required to be delivered
under the Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks
to sell Exchange Securities during the Applicable Period, make
reasonably available for inspection by any selling Holder of such
Registrable Securities being sold, or each such Participating
Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, any underwriter participating in any
such disposition of Registrable Securities, and any attorney,
accountant or other agent retained by any such selling Holder or each
such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, or underwriter
(collectively, the "INSPECTORS"), at the offices where normally kept,
during reasonable business hours, all financial and other records,
pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Trust, the Company
and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "RECORDS") as shall be
reasonably necessary to enable them to exercise any applicable due
diligence responsibilities, and cause the officers, directors and
employees of the Trust, the Company and its subsidiaries to supply all
relevant information in each case reasonably requested by any such
Inspector in connection with such Registration Statement PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall
be coordinated on behalf of the Purchasers by the Representatives and
on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel designated by the
Representatives and on behalf of such other parties as described in
Section 2(c) hereof. Records which the Company and the Trust determine,
in good faith, to be confidential and any records which it notifies the
Inspectors are confidential shall not be disclosed by the Inspectors
unless (i) the disclosure of such Records is necessary to avoid or
correct a material misstatement or omission in such Registration
Statement, (ii) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a
subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction or is
necessary in connection with any action, suit or proceeding or (iii)
the information in such Records has been made generally available to
the public. Each selling Holder of such Registrable Securities and each
such Participating Broker-Dealer will be required to agree in writing
that information obtained by it as a result of such inspections shall
be deemed confidential and shall not be used by it as the basis for any
market transactions in the securities of the Trust or the Company
unless and until such is made generally available to the public. Each
selling Holder of such Registrable Securities and each such
Participating Broker-Dealer will be required to further agree in
writing that it will, upon learning that disclosure of such Records is
sought in a court of competent jurisdiction, give notice to the Company
and allow the Company at its expense to undertake appropriate action to
prevent disclosure of the Records deemed confidential;
(o) comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
SEC so long as any provision of this Agreement shall be applicable and
make generally available to its security- holders earning statements
satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and
Rule 158 thereunder (or any similar rule promulgated under the
Securities Act) no later than 45 days after the end of any 12-month
period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month period if such period
is a fiscal year) (i) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in
which Registrable Securities are sold to underwriters in a firm
commitment or best efforts underwritten offering and (ii) if not sold
to underwriters in such an offering, commencing on the first day of the
first fiscal quarter of the Company after the effective date of a
Registration Statement, which statements shall cover said 12- month
periods;
(p) upon consummation of an Exchange Offer or a Private
Exchange, if requested by a Trustee, obtain an opinion of counsel to
the Company addressed to the Trustee for the benefit of all Holders of
Registrable Securities participating in the Exchange Offer or the
Private Exchange, as the case may be, and which includes an opinion
that (i) the Company and the Trust, as the case requires, have duly
authorized, executed and delivered the Exchange Securities and Private
Exchange Securities, and (ii) each of the Ex- change Securities or the
Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, constitutes a legal,
valid and binding obliga- tion of the Company or the Trust, as the case
requires, enforceable against the Company or the Trust, as the case
requires, in accordance with its respective terms (in each case, with
customary exceptions);
(q) if an Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to be
consummated, upon delivery of the Registrable Securities by Holders to
the Company or the Trust, as applicable (or to such other Person as
directed by the Company or the Trust, respectively), in exchange for
the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case
may be, the Company or the Trust, as applicable, shall xxxx, or cause
to be marked, on such Registrable Securities delivered by such Holders
that such Registrable Securities are being cancelled in exchange for
the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case
may be; in no event shall such Registrable Securities be marked as paid
or otherwise satisfied;
(r) cooperate with each seller of Registrable Securities
covered by any Registration Statement and each underwriter, if any,
participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and
their respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be
made with the NASD;
(s) use its best efforts to take all other steps necessary to
effect the registration of the Registrable Securities covered by a
Registration Statement contemplated hereby;
(t) (A) in the case of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement (i) include in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement a
section entitled "Plan of Distribution," which section shall be
reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchasers or another
representative of the Participating Broker-Dealers, and which shall
contain a summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by
the staff of the SEC with respect to the potential "underwriter" status
of any broker-dealer (a "PARTICIPATING BROKER-DEALER") that holds
Registrable Securities acquired for its own account as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activ- ities and that will be
the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act)
of Exchange Securities to be received by such broker-dealer in the
Exchange Offer, whether such positions or policies have been publicly
disseminated by the staff of the SEC or such positions or policies, in
the reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers or such other
representative, represent the prevailing views of the staff of the SEC,
including a statement that any such broker-dealer who receives Exchange
Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer
may be deemed a statutory underwriter and must deliver a prospectus
meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any
resale of such Exchange Securities, (ii) furnish to each Participating
Broker-Dealer who has delivered to the Company the notice referred to
in Section 3(e), without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus
included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, including any
prelim- inary prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, as
such Participating Broker-Dealer may reasonably request (each of the
Company and the Trust hereby consents to the use of the Prospectus
forming part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or any
amendment or supplement there- to by any Person subject to the
prospectus delivery require- ments of the Securities Act, including all
Participating Broker-Dealers, in connection with the sale or transfer
of the Exchange Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto), (iii) use its best efforts to keep the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the
Prospectus contained therein in order to permit such Prospectus to be
lawfully delivered by all Persons subject to the prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act for such period of time as such
Persons must comply with such requirements under the Securities Act and
applicable rules and regulations in order to resell the Exchange
Securities; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such period shall not be required
to exceed 180 days (or such longer period if extended pursuant to the
last sentence of Section 3 hereof) (the "APPLICABLE PERIOD"), and (iv)
include in the transmittal letter or similar documentation to be
executed by an exchange offeree in order to participate in the Exchange
Offer (x) the following provision:
"If the exchange offeree is a broker-dealer holding
Registrable Securities acquired for its own account as a
result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, it will deliver a prospectus meeting the
requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any
resale of Exchange Securities received in respect of such
Registrable Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer";
and (y) a statement to the effect that by a broker-dealer making the
acknowledgment described in clause (x) and by delivering a Prospectus
in connection with the exchange of Registrable Securities, the
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an underwriter
within the meaning of the Securities Act; and
(B) in the case of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement,
the Company and the Trust agree to deliver to the Initial Purchasers or
to another representative of the Participating Broker-Dealers, if
requested by any such Initial Purchasers or such other representative
of the Participating Broker-Dealers, on behalf of the Participating
Broker-Dealers upon consummation of the Exchange Offer (i) an opinion
of counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial
Purchasers or such other representative of the Participating
Broker-Dealers, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions
requested in connection with Exchange Offer Registration Statements and
such other matters as may be reasonably requested (it being agreed that
the matters to be covered by such opinion may be subject to customary
qualifications and exceptions), (ii) an officers' certificate
containing certifications substantial- ly similar to those set forth in
Section 5(g) of the Pur- chase Agreement and such additional
certifications as are customarily delivered in a public offering of
debt securi- ties and (iii) as well as upon the effectiveness of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a comfort letter, in each case,
in customary form if permitted by Statement on Auditing Standards No.
72.
The Company or the Trust may require each seller of Registrable Securities
as to which any registration is being effected to furnish to the Company or the
Trust, as applicable, such information regarding such seller as may be required
by the staff of the SEC to be included in a Registration Statement. The Company
or the Trust may exclude from such registration the Registrable Securities of
any seller who unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a
reasonable time after receiving such request. The Company shall have no
obligation to register under the Securities Act the Registrable Securities of a
seller who so fails to furnish such information.
In the case of (1) a Shelf Registration Statement or (2) Participating
Broker-Dealers who have notified the Company and the Trust that they will be
utilizing the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
as provided in Section 3(t) hereof, are seeking to sell Exchange Securities and
are required to deliver Prospectuses, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of
any notice from the Company or the Trust of the happening of any event of the
kind described in Section 3(e)(ii), 3(e)(iii), 3(e)(v) or 3(e)(vi) hereof, such
Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant
to a Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the
supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(i) hereof or until
it is advised in writing (the "ADVICE") by the Company and the Trust that the
use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, if so directed by the
Company and the Trust, such Holder will deliver to the Company or the Trust (at
the Company's or the Trust's expense, as the case requires) all copies in such
Holder's possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder's
possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities or Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, current at the time of receipt of such notice.
If the Company or the Trust shall give any such notice to suspend the
disposition of Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities, as the case may
be, pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company and the Trust shall use
their best efforts to file and have declared effective (if an amendment) as soon
as practicable an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and
shall extend the period during which such Registration Statement shall be
maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days in the
period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including
the date when the Company and the Trust shall have made available to the Holders
(x) copies of the supplemented or amended Prospec- tus necessary to resume such
dispositions or (y) the Advice.
4. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION. (a) In connec- tion with any
Registration Statement, the Company and the Trust shall, jointly and severally,
indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, each Holder, each
underwriter who participates in an offering of the Registrable Securities, each
Participating Broker-Dealer, each Person, if any, who controls any of such
parties within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act and each of their respective directors, officers, employees and
agents, as follows:
(i) from and against any and all loss, liability, claim,
damage and expense whatsoever, joint or several, as incurred, arising
out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), covering Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities,
including all documents incorporated therein by reference, or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements there- in not
misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement 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;
(ii) from and against any and all loss, liability, claim,
damage and expense whatsoever, joint or several, as incurred, to the
extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or
any investigation or proceeding by any court or governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon
any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
statement or omission, if such settlement is effected with the prior
written consent of the Company; and
(iii) from and against any and all expenses whatsoever, as
incurred (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen
by such Holder, such Participating Broker-Dealer, or any underwriter
(except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in Section 4(b)
hereof)), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending
against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any court
or governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any
such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such
expense is not paid under subparagraph (i) or (ii) of this Section
4(a);
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) this indemnity does not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of an untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished in writing to the
Company or the Trust by such Holder, such Participating Broker-Dealer or any
underwriter with respect to such Holder, Participating Broker- Dealer or any
underwriter, as the case may be, expressly for use in the Registration Statement
(or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) and (ii) the Company and the Trust shall not be liable to any such
Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer, any underwriter or controlling person, with
respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission in any preliminary Prospectus to the extent that any such loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense of any Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer,
any underwriter or controlling person results from the fact that such Holder,
any underwriter or Participating Broker-Dealer sold Securities to a person to
whom there was not sent or given, at or prior to the written confirmation of
such sale, a copy of the final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented if the
Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Holder, underwriter or
Participating Broker-Dealer and the loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of
such Holder, underwriter, Participating Broker-Dealer or controlling person
results from an untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in the
preliminary Prospectus which was corrected in the final Prospectus. Any amounts
advanced by the Company or the Trust to an indemnified party pursuant to this
Section 4 as a result of such losses shall be returned to the Company or the
Trust if it shall be finally determined by such a court in a judgment not
subject to appeal or final review that such indemnified party was not entitled
to indemnification by the Company or the Trust.
(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, the Trust, any underwriter and the other selling Holders
and each of their respective directors, officers (including each officer of the
Company and the Trust who signed the Registration Statement), employees and
agents and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, the Trust, any
underwriter or any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all
loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever described in the indemnity
contained in Section 4(a) hereof, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue
statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company or the Trust by such selling Holder with
respect to such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto), or any such Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, in the case of a Shelf Registration
Statement, no such Holder shall be liable for any amount hereunder in excess of
the amount by which the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of
Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement 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 omis-
sion.
(c) Each indemnified party shall give prompt notice to each indemnifying
party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be
sought hereunder, enclosing a copy of all papers properly served on such
indemnified party, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not
relieve such indemnifying party from any liability which it may have under this
Section 4, except to the extent that it is materially prejudiced by such
failure. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense
of such action. If an indemnifying party so elects within a reasonable time
after receipt of such notice, an indemnifying party, severally or jointly with
any other indemnifying parties receiving such notice, may assume the defense of
such action with counsel chosen by it and reasonably acceptable to the
indemnified parties defendant in such action, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if (i)
representation of such indemnified party by the same counsel would present a
conflict of interest or (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets
of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying
party and any such indemnified party reasonably determines that there may be
legal defenses available to such indemnified party which are different from or
in addition to those available to such indemnifying party, then in the case of
clauses (i) and (ii) of this Section 4(c) such indemnifying party and counsel
for each indemnifying party or parties shall not be entitled to assume such
defense. If an indemnifying party is not entitled to assume the defense of such
action as a result of the proviso to the preceding sentence, counsel for such
indemnifying party and counsel for each indemni- fied party or parties shall be
entitled to conduct the defense of such indemnified party or parties. If an
indemnifying party assumes the defense of such action, in accordance with and as
permitted by the provisions of this paragraph, such indemnifying parties shall
not be liable for any fees and expenses of counsel for the indemnified parties
incurred thereafter in connection with such action. In no event shall the
indemnifying parties be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one
counsel (in addition to local counsel), separate from its own counsel, for all
indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or
related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior
written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation
or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could
be sought under this Section 4 (whether or not the indemnified parties are
actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or
consent (i) includes an unconditional written release in form and substance
satisfactory to the indemnified parties of each indem- nified party from all
liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and
(ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Notwithstanding the last sentence of Section 4(c), if at any time an
indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel pursuant to
Section 4(a)(iii) above, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable
for any settlement effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement
is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of
the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice
of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being
entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such
indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement; PROVIDED that an indemnify- ing party shall not be liable for any
such settlement effected without its consent if such indemnifying party (1)
reimburses such indemnified party in accordance with such request to the extent
it considers reasonable and (2) provides written notice to the indemnified party
substantiating the unpaid balance as unreasonable, in each case prior to the
date of such settlement.
(e) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances under which any of the indemnity provisions set forth in this
Section 4 is for any reason held to be unavailable to the indemnified parties
although applicable in accordance with its terms, the Company, the Trust, and
the Holders shall contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims,
damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by such indemnity agreement
incurred by the Company, the Trust and the Holders, as incurred; PROVIDED that
no Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person that
was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. As between the Company, the
Trust and the Holders, such parties shall contribute to such aggregate losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by such
indemnity agreement in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the
relative fault of the Company and Trust, on the one hand, and the Holders, on
the other hand, with respect to the statements or omissions which resulted in
such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense, or action in respect thereof, as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the
Company and the Trust, on the one hand, and of the Holders, on the other hand,
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 the
Trust, on the one hand, or by or on behalf of the Holders, on the other, and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Trust and the
Holders of the Registrable Securities agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4 were to be determined by
pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into
account the relevant equitable considerations. For purposes of this Section 4,
each affiliate of a Holder, and each director, officer, employee, agent and
Person, if any, who controls a Holder or such affiliate within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have
the same rights to contribution as such Holder, and each director of each of the
Company or the Trust, each officer of each of the Company or the Trust who
signed the Registration Statement, and each Person, if any, who controls each of
the Company and the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as
each of the Company or the Trust.
5. PARTICIPATION IN UNDERWRITTEN REGISTRATIONS. No Holder may participate
in any underwritten registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell
such Holder's Registrable 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 reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting
arrangements.
6. SELECTION OF UNDERWRITERS. The Holders of Regis- trable Securities
covered by the Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell the
securities covered by such Shelf Registration in an underwritten offering. In
any such underwritten offering, the underwriter or underwriters and manager or
managers that will administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Securities included in
such offering; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such underwriters and managers must be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Trust.
7. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) RULE 144 AND RULE 144A. For so long as the Company or the Trust is
subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15 of the Exchange Act
and any Registrable Securities remain outstanding, the Company and the Trust, as
the case may be, will use its best efforts to file the reports required to be
filed by it under the Securities Act and Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the SEC thereunder, or, if it
ceases to be so required to file such reports, it will, upon the request of any
Holder of Regis- trable Securities (a) make publicly available such information
as is necessary to permit sales of securities of the Company and the Trust
pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, (b) deliver such information to a
prospective purchaser as is necessary to permit sales of securities of the
Company and the Trust pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and it will
take such further action as any Holder of Registrable Securities may reasonably
request, and (c) take such further action that is reasonable in the
circumstances, in each case, to the extent required from time to time to enable
such Holder to sell its Registrable Securities without registration under the
Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (i) Rule 144
under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, (ii)
Rule 144A under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to
time, or (iii) any similar rules or regulations hereafter adopted by the SEC.
Upon the request of any Holder of Registrable Securities, the Company and the
Trust will deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether they have
complied with such requirements.
(b) NO INCONSISTENT AGREEMENTS. The Company or the Trust has not entered
into nor will the Company or the Trust on or after the date of this Agreement
enter into any agreement which is inconsistent with the rights granted to the
Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with
the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any
way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the
holders of the Company's or the Trust's other issued and outstanding securities
under any such agreements.
(c) AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. The provisions of this Agreement, including the
provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and
waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given
unless the Company and the Trust has obtained the written consent of Holders of
at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the out- standing
Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement,
waiver or departure; PROVIDED no amendment, modification or supplement or waiver
or consent to the departure with respect to the provisions of Section 4 hereof
shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securi- ties unless
consented to in writing by such Holder of Registrable Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, (i) this Agreement may be amended,
without the consent of any Holder of Registrable Securities, by written
agreement signed by the Company, the Trust and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, to cure any
ambiguity, correct or supplement any provision of this Agreement that may be
inconsistent with any other provision of this Agreement or to make any other
provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement
which shall not be inconsistent with other provisions of this Agreement, (ii)
this Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers and
consents to departures from the provisions hereof may be given, by written
agreement signed by the Company, the Trust and Xxxxxxx Xxxxx to the extent that
any such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent is, in their
reasonable judgment, necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable law
(including any inter- pretation of the Staff of the SEC) or any change therein
and (iii) to the extent any provision of this Agreement relates to the Initial
Purchasers, such provision may be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers
or consents to departures from such provisions may be given, by written
agreement signed by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, the Company and the Trust.
(d) NOTICES. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted
hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class
mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if
to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company or
the Trust by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 7(d), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial
Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; and (ii) if to the
Company or the Trust, initially at the Company's address set forth in the
Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is
given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7(d).
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 is 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.
(e) SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of the Initial
Purchasers, including, without limitation and without the need for an express
assignment, subsequent Holders; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that nothing herein shall be
deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable
Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture.
If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any
manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities
shall be held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and
holding such Registrable Securities, such Person shall be conclusively deemed to
have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of
this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof.
(f) THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY. Each of the Initial Purchasers shall be a
third party beneficiary of the agreements made hereunder between the Company and
the Trust, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, and shall have
the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such
enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of
Holders hereunder.
(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 DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK. THE VALIDITY AND INTERPRETATION OF THIS AGREEMENT, AND THE
TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH HEREIN, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY
PROVISIONS RELATING TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES TO
SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN ANY ACTION
OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.
(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) SECURITIES HELD BY THE COMPANY, THE TRUST OR ITS AFFILIATES. Whenever
the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable
Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company,
the Trust or its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the
Securities Act) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or
approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date
first written above.
INTERPOOL, INC.
By:/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President
INTERPOOL CAPITAL TRUST
By:/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Regular Trustee
Confirmed and accepted as of
the date first above
written:
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED
XXXXXXXXXXX & CO., INC.
XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
By: XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED,
as Representatives of the
Several Initial Purchasers
By:/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Director
