EXHIBIT 4.02
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF AUGUST 19, 1998
BY AND AMONG
GREAT LAKES DREDGE & DOCK CORPORATION
THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS SET FORTH HEREIN
AND
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
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This Registration Rights Agreement (this "AGREEMENT") is made and entered
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into as of August 19, 1998, by and among Great Lakes Dredge and Dock
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), the Subsidiary Guarantors
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set forth on the signature pages hereto (each, a "SUBSIDIARY GUARANTOR" and,
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collectively, the "SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS"), and Xxxxxxxxx, Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx
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Securities Corporation (the "INITIAL PURCHASER"), who has agreed to purchase the
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Company's 11 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008 (the "SENIOR SUBORDINATED
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NOTES") pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below).
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This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated August 14,
1998, (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), by and among the Company, the Subsidiary
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Guarantors and the Initial Purchaser. In order to induce the Initial Purchaser
to purchase the Senior Subordinated Notes, the Company has 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 Purchaser set
forth in Section 2 of the Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms used herein and
not otherwise defined shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Indenture,
dated August 19, 1998, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and The Bank
of New York, as Trustee, relating to the Senior Subordinated Notes and the New
Senior Subordinated Notes (the "INDENTURE").
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The parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the
following meanings:
ACT: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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AFFILIATE: As defined in Rule 144 of the Act.
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BROKER-DEALER: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.
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CERTIFICATED SECURITIES: Definitive Notes, as defined in the Indenture.
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CLOSING DATE: The date hereof.
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COMMISSION: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
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CONSUMMATE: An Exchange Offer shall be deemed "Consummated" for purposes of
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this Agreement upon the occurrence of (a) the filing and effectiveness under the
Act of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement relating to the New Senior
Subordinated Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (b) the maintenance of
such Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective and the
keeping of the Exchange Offer open for a period not less than the period
required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof and (c) the delivery by the Company to
the Registrar under the Indenture of New Senior Subordinated Notes in the same
aggregate principal
amount as the aggregate principal amount of Senior Subordinated Notes tendered
by Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
CONSUMMATION DEADLINE: As defined in Section 3(b) hereof.
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EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE: As defined in Section 3(a) and 4(a) hereof.
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EXCHANGE ACT: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
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EXCHANGE OFFER: The exchange and issuance by the Company of a principal
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amount of New Senior Subordinated Notes (which shall be registered pursuant to
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) equal to the outstanding principal
amount of Senior Subordinated Notes that are tendered by such Holders in
connection with such exchange and issuance.
EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT: The Registration Statement relating
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to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.
EXEMPT RESALES: The transactions in which the Initial Purchaser proposes to
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sell the Senior Subordinated Notes to certain "qualified institutional buyers,"
as such term is defined in Rule 144A under the Act and pursuant to Regulation S
under the Act.
FILING DEADLINE: As defined in Sections 3(a) and 4(a) hereof.
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HOLDERS: As defined in Section 2 hereof.
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NEW SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES: The Company's 11 1/4% Senior Subordinated
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Notes due 2008 to be issued pursuant to the Indenture: (i) in the Exchange
Offer or (ii) as contemplated by Section 4 hereof.
PROSPECTUS: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement at the time
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such Registration Statement is declared effective, 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.
RECOMMENCEMENT DATE: As defined in Section 6(d) hereof.
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REGISTRATION DEFAULT: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT: Any registration statement of the Company and the
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Subsidiary Guarantors relating to (a) an offering of New Senior Subordinated
Notes pursuant to an Exchange Offer or (b) the registration for resale of
Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, in
each case, (i) that is filed pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and
(ii) including the Prospectus included therein, all amendments and supplements
thereto (including post-effective amendments) and all exhibits and material
incorporated by reference therein.
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REGULATION S: Regulation S promulgated under the Act.
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RULE 144: Rule 144 promulgated under the Act.
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SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT: As defined in Section 4 hereof.
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SUSPENSION NOTICE: As defined in Section 6(d) hereof.
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TIA: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as
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in effect on the date of the Indenture.
TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES: Each (A) Senior Subordinated Note, until
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the earliest to occur of (i) the date on which such Senior Subordinated Note is
exchanged in the Exchange Offer for a New Senior Subordinated Note which is
entitled to be resold to the public by the Holder thereof without complying with
the prospectus delivery requirements of the Act, (ii) the date on which such
Senior Subordinated Note has been disposed of in accordance with a Shelf
Registration Statement (and the purchasers thereof have been issued New Senior
Subordinated Notes), or (iii) the date on which such Senior Subordinated Note is
distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act and each (B) New
Senior Subordinated Note held by a Broker Dealer until the date on which such
New Senior Subordinated Note is disposed of by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the
"Plan of Distribution" contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
(including the delivery of the Prospectus contained therein).
SECTION 2. HOLDERS
A Person is deemed to be a holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (each, a
"HOLDER") whenever such Person owns Transfer Restricted Securities.
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SECTION 3. REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER
(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permitted by applicable federal
law (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a)(i) below have been complied
with), the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall (i) cause the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement to be filed with the Commission as soon as
practicable after the Closing Date, but in no event later than 60 days after the
Closing Date (such 60th day being the "FILING DEADLINE"), (ii) use its best
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efforts to cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective
at the earliest possible time, but in no event later than 180 days after the
Closing Date (such 180th day being the "EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE"), (iii) in
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connection with the foregoing, (A) file all pre-effective amendments to such
Exchange Offer Registration Statement as may be necessary in order to cause it
to become effective, (B) file, if applicable, a post-effective amendment to such
Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act and
(C) cause all necessary filings, if any, in connection with the registration and
qualification of the New Senior Subordinated Notes to be made under the Blue Sky
laws of such jurisdictions as are necessary to permit Consummation of the
Exchange Offer, and (iv) upon the effectiveness of such Exchange Offer
Registration Statement,
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commence and Consummate the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall be on the
appropriate form permitting (i) registration of the New Senior Subordinated
Notes to be offered in exchange for the Senior Subordinated Notes that are
Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) resales of New Senior Subordinated Notes
by Broker-Dealers that tendered into the Exchange Offer Senior Subordinated
Notes that such Broker-Dealer acquired for its own account as a result of market
making activities or other trading activities (other than Senior Subordinated
Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its Affiliates) as
contemplated by Section 3(c) below.
(b) The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall use their respective
best efforts to 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 20 Business Days. The Company and the Subsidiary
Guarantors shall cause the Exchange Offer to comply with all applicable federal
and state securities laws. No securities other than the New Senior Subordinated
Notes shall be included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement. The
Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall use their respective best 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 business days thereafter (such 30/th/ day being the
"CONSUMMATION DEADLINE").
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(c) The Company shall include a "Plan of Distribution" section in the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and indicate
therein that any Broker-Dealer who holds Transfer Restricted Securities that
were acquired for the account of such Broker-Dealer as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities (other than Senior Subordinated Notes
acquired directly from the Company or any Affiliate of the Company), may
exchange such Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
Such "Plan of Distribution" section shall also contain all other information
with respect to such sales by such Broker-Dealers that the Commission may
require in order to permit such sales pursuant thereto, but such "Plan of
Distribution" shall not name any such Broker-Dealer or disclose the amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities held by any such Broker-Dealer, except to the
extent required by the Commission as a result of a change in policy, rules or
regulations after the date of this Agreement.
Because such Broker-Dealer may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Act and must, therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting the
requirements of the Act in connection with its initial sale of any New Senior
Subordinated Notes received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer, the
Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall permit the use of the Prospectus
contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement by such Broker-Dealer to
satisfy such prospectus delivery requirement. To the extent necessary to ensure
that the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is
available for sales of New Senior Subordinated Notes by Broker-Dealers, the
Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors agree to use their respective reasonable
best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously
effective, supplemented, amended and current as required by and subject to the
provisions of Section 6(a) and (c) hereof and in conformity with the
requirements of this Agreement, the Act and the policies,
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rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a
period of 180 days from the Consummation Deadline or such shorter period as will
terminate when all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration
Statement have been sold pursuant thereto. The Company and the Subsidiary
Guarantors shall provide sufficient copies of the latest version of such
Prospectus to such Broker-Dealers, promptly upon request, and in no event later
than two business days after such request, at any time during such period.
SECTION 4. SHELF REGISTRATION
(a) Shelf Registration. If (i) the Exchange Offer is not permitted by
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applicable law (after the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors have complied
with the procedures set forth in Section 6(a)(i) below) or (ii) if any Holder of
Transfer Restricted Securities shall notify the Company within 20 Business Days
following the Consummation Deadline that (A) such Holder was prohibited by law
or Commission policy from participating in the Exchange Offer or (B) such Holder
may not resell the New Senior Subordinated Notes acquired by it in the Exchange
Offer to the public without delivering a prospectus 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
Senior Subordinated Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its
Affiliates, then the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall:
(x) cause to be filed, on or prior to 60 days after the earlier of (i) the
date on which the Company determines that the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement cannot be filed as a result of clause (a)(i) above and (ii) the date
on which the Company receives the notice specified in clause (a)(ii) above (such
earlier date, the "FILING DEADLINE"), a shelf registration statement pursuant to
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Rule 415 under the Act (which may be an amendment to the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement) (in either case, the "SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT"),
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relating to all Transfer Restricted Securities, and
(y) use their respective best efforts to cause such Shelf Registration
Statement to become effective on or prior to 180 days after the Filing Deadline
for the Shelf Registration Statement (such 180th day the "EFFECTIVENESS
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DEADLINE").
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If, after the Company has filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement
that satisfies the requirements of Section 3(a) above, the Company is required
to file and make effective a Shelf Registration Statement solely because the
Exchange Offer is not permitted under applicable federal law (i.e., clause
(a)(i) above), then the filing of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of clause (x) above; provided that,
in such event, the Company shall remain obligated to meet the Effectiveness
Deadline set forth in clause (y).
To the extent necessary to ensure that the Shelf Registration Statement is
available for sales of Transfer Restricted Securities by the Holders thereof
entitled to the benefit of this Section 4(a) and the other securities required
to be registered therein pursuant to Section 6(b)(ii) hereof, the Company and
the Subsidiary Guarantors shall use their respective best efforts to keep any
Shelf Registration Statement required by this Section 4(a) continuously
effective, supplemented,
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amended and current as required by and subject to the provisions of Sections
6(b) and (c) hereof and in conformity with the requirements of this Agreement,
the Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced
from time to time, for a period of at least two years (as extended pursuant to
Section 6(c)(i)) following the Closing Date, or such shorter period as will
terminate when all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Shelf
Registration Statement have been sold pursuant thereto. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, following the date on which such Shelf Registration Statement first
becomes effective under the Act, the Company may suspend the effectiveness of
the Shelf Registration Statement by prior written notice to the Holders for a
period not to exceed 30 days in any twelve month period if (i) an event occurs
and is continuing as a result of which the Shelf Registration Statement would,
in the reasonable good faith judgment of the Company's Board of Directors,
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading and (ii)(A) the
Company's Board of Directors reasonably determines in good faith that the
disclosure of such event at such time would have a material adverse effect on
the business, operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, or (B) the disclosure otherwise relates to a previously undisclosed
pending material business transaction, the disclosure of which would, in the
reasonable good faith judgment of the Company's Board of Directors, impede the
Company's ability to consummate such transaction.
(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with the Shelf
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Registration Statement. No Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities may include
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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 15 days after receipt of a request therefor, the information
specified in Item 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K, as applicable, of the Act for
use in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or
preliminary Prospectus included therein. No Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities shall be entitled to liquidated damages pursuant to Section 5 hereof
unless and until such Holder shall have provided all such information. Each
selling Holder agrees to promptly furnish additional information required to be
disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished to the Company
by such Holder not materially misleading.
SECTION 5. LIQUIDATED DAMAGES
If (i) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not filed
with the Commission on or prior to the applicable Filing Deadline, (ii) any such
Registration Statement has not been declared effective by the Commission on or
prior to the applicable Effectiveness Deadline, (iii) the Exchange Offer has not
been Consummated on or prior to the Consummation Deadline 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 within 5 days by a post-effective
amendment to such Registration Statement that cures such failure and that is
itself declared effective within 5 days of filing such post-effective amendment
to such Registration Statement (each such event referred to in clauses (i)
through (iv), a "REGISTRATION DEFAULT"), then the Company and the Subsidiary
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Guarantors hereby jointly and severally agree to
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pay to each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities affected thereby liquidated
damages in an amount equal to $.05 per week per $1,000 in principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities held by such Holder for each week or portion
thereof that the Registration Default continues for the first 90-day period
immediately following the occurrence of such Registration Default. The amount of
the liquidated damages shall increase by an additional $.05 per week per $1,000
in principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities with respect to each
subsequent 90-day period until all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to
a maximum amount of liquidated damages of $.50 per week per $1,000 in principal
amount of Transfer Restricted Securities; provided that the Company and the
Subsidiary Guarantors shall in no event be required to pay liquidated damages
for more than one Registration Default at any given time. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth herein, (1) upon filing of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement (and/or, if applicable, the Shelf Registration
Statement), in the case of (i) above, (2) upon the effectiveness of the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement (and/or, if applicable, the Shelf Registration
Statement), in the case of (ii) above, (3) upon Consummation of the Exchange
Offer, in the case of (iii) above, or (4) upon the filing of a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or an additional Registration Statement
that causes the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (and/or, if applicable,
the Shelf Registration Statement) to again be declared effective or made usable
in the case of (iv) above, the liquidated damages payable with respect to the
Transfer Restricted Securities as a result of such clause (i), (ii), (iii) or
(iv), as applicable, shall cease.
All accrued liquidated damages shall be paid to the Holders entitled
thereto, in the manner provided for the payment of interest in the Indenture, on
each Interest Payment Date, as more fully set forth in the Indenture and the
Notes. Notwithstanding the fact that any securities for which liquidated
damages are due cease to be Transfer Restricted Securities, all obligations of
the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors to pay liquidated damages with respect
to securities shall survive until such time as such obligations with respect to
such securities shall have been satisfied in full.
SECTION 6. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the Exchange
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Offer, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall (x) comply with all
applicable provisions of Section 6(c) below, (y) use their respective best
efforts to effect such exchange and to permit the resale of New Senior
Subordinated Notes by Broker-Dealers that tendered in the Exchange Offer Senior
Subordinated Notes that such Broker-Dealer acquired for its own account as a
result of its market making activities or other trading activities (other than
Senior Subordinated Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its
Affiliates) being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of
distribution thereof, and (z) comply with all of the following provisions:
(i) If, following the date hereof there has been announced a change
in Commission policy with respect to exchange offers such as the Exchange
Offer, that in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Company raises a
substantial question as to whether the Exchange Offer is permitted by
applicable federal law, the Company and the Subsidiary
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Guarantors hereby agree to seek a no-action letter or other favorable
decision from the Commission allowing the Company and the Subsidiary
Guarantors to Consummate an Exchange Offer for such Transfer Restricted
Securities. The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agree to
pursue the issuance of such a decision to the Commission staff level, but
shall not be required to take commercially unreasonable actions to effect a
change in Commission policy. In connection with the foregoing, the Company
and the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agree to take all such other
reasonable actions as may be requested by the Commission or otherwise
required in connection with the issuance of such decision, including
without limitation (A) participating in telephonic conferences with the
Commission, (B) delivering 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 pursuing a resolution (which need not be favorable) by
the Commission staff.
(ii) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer, each
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (including, without limitation,
any Holder who is a Broker Dealer) shall furnish, upon the request of the
Company, prior to the Consummation of the Exchange Offer, a written
representation to the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors (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 New Senior Subordinated Notes to be issued in the
Exchange Offer and (C) it is acquiring the New Senior Subordinated Notes in
its ordinary course of business. As a condition to its participation in
the Exchange Offer each Holder using the Exchange Offer to participate in a
distribution of the New Senior Subordinated Notes shall acknowledge and
agree that, if the resales are of New Senior Subordinated Notes obtained by
such Holder in exchange for Senior Subordinated Notes acquired directly
from the Company or an Affiliate thereof, it (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.
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(available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available
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May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the Commission's letter to Shearman &
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Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters (including, if
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applicable, any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above),
and (2) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery
requirements of the Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction
and that such a secondary resale transaction must be covered by an
effective registration statement containing the selling security holder
information required by Item 507 or 508, as applicable, of Regulation S-K.
(iii) Prior to effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall provide a
supplemental letter to the Commission (A) stating that the Company and the
Subsidiary Guarantors are registering the Exchange Offer in reliance on the
position of the Commission enunciated in Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation
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(available May 13, 1988), Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Co., Inc. (available
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June 5, 1991) as interpreted in the Commission's letter to Shearman &
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Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and, if applicable, any no-action letter
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obtained pursuant to clause (i) above, (B) including a representation that
neither the Company nor any Subsidiary Guarantor has entered into any
arrangement or understanding with any Person to distribute the New Senior
Subordinated Notes to be received in the Exchange Offer and that, to the
best of the Company's and each Subsidiary Guarantor's information and
belief, each Holder participating in the Exchange Offer is acquiring the
New Senior Subordinated Notes in its ordinary course of business and has no
arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the
distribution of the New Senior Subordinated Notes received in the Exchange
Offer and (C) any other undertaking or representation required by the
Commission as set forth in any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause
(i) above, if applicable.
(b) Shelf Registration Statement. In connection with the Shelf
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Registration Statement, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall
(i) comply with all the provisions of Section 6(c) below and use
their respective best efforts to effect such registration to permit the sale of
the Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in accordance with the intended
method or methods of distribution thereof (as indicated in the information
furnished to the Company pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof), and pursuant thereto
the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors will prepare and file with the
Commission a Registration Statement relating to the registration on any
appropriate form under the 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 within the time periods and otherwise in
accordance with the provisions hereof, and
(ii) issue, upon the request of any Holder or purchaser of Senior
Subordinated Notes covered by any Shelf Registration Statement contemplated by
this Agreement, New Senior Subordinated Notes having an aggregate principal
amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Senior Subordinated Notes sold
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and surrendered to the Company for
cancellation; the Company shall register New Senior Subordinated Notes on the
Shelf Registration Statement for this purpose and issue the New Senior
Subordinated Notes to the purchaser(s) of securities subject to the Shelf
Registration Statement in the names as such purchaser(s) shall designate.
(c) General Provisions. In connection with any Registration Statement and
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any related Prospectus required by this Agreement, the Company and the
Subsidiary Guarantors shall:
(i) use their respective best efforts to keep such Registration
Statement continuously effective and provide all requisite financial
statements for the period specified in Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement, as
applicable. Upon the occurrence of any event that would cause any such
Registration Statement or the Prospectus contained therein (A) to contain
an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary to
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make the statements therein not misleading or (B) not to be effective and
usable for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities during the period
required by this Agreement, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall
file promptly an appropriate amendment to such Registration Statement
curing such defect, and, if Commission review is required, use their
respective best efforts to cause such amendment to be declared effective as
soon as practicable.
(ii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-
effective amendments to the applicable Registration Statement as may be
necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable
period set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as the case may be; cause the
Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as
so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, and to
comply fully with Rules 424, 430A and 462, as applicable, under the Act in
a timely manner; and comply with the provisions of the 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 each Holder promptly and, if requested by such Holder,
confirm such advice in writing, (A) when the Prospectus or any Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to
any applicable 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 Act or 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, (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 in order to make
the statements therein not misleading, or that requires the making of any
additions to or changes in the Prospectus in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or 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, the
Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall use their respective best
efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest
possible time;
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(iv) subject to Section 6(c)(i), if any fact or event contemplated
by Section 6(c)(iii)(D) above 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 to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(v) furnish to each selling Holder in connection with such sale, 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 Holders in connection with such sale, if any, for a period
of at least five business days, and the Company will 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 such selling Holders shall reasonably
object within five business days after the receipt thereof. A selling
Holder shall be deemed to have reasonably objected to such filing if such
Registration Statement, amendment, Prospectus or supplement, as applicable,
as proposed to be filed, contains an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading or fails to comply with the applicable requirements of the
Act;
(vi) 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 each selling Holder in connection with
such sale, if any, make the Company's and the Subsidiary Guarantors'
representatives available for discussion of such document and other
customary due diligence matters, and include such information in such
document prior to the filing thereof as such selling Holders may reasonably
request;
(vii) make available, at reasonable times, for inspection by each
Holder and any attorney or accountant retained by such Holders, all
financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents of the Company
and the Subsidiary Guarantors and cause the Company's and the Subsidiary
Guarantors' officers, directors and employees to supply all information
reasonably requested by any such Holder, attorney or accountant in
connection with such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment
thereto subsequent to the filing thereof and prior to its effectiveness;
(viii) if requested by any Holders in connection with such exchange or
sale, promptly include in any Registration Statement or Prospectus,
pursuant to a supplement or post-effective amendment if necessary, such
information as such Holders may reasonably
11
request to have included therein, including, without limitation,
information relating to the "Plan of Distribution" of the Transfer
Restricted Securities; 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 included in such Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment;
(ix) furnish to each Holder in connection with such exchange or sale,
without charge, at least one copy of the Registration Statement, as first
filed with the Commission, and of each amendment thereto, including all
documents incorporated by reference therein and all exhibits (including
exhibits incorporated therein by reference);
(x) deliver to each Holder without charge, as many copies of the
Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) and any amendment or
supplement thereto as such Persons reasonably may request; the Company and
the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby consent to the use (in accordance with
law) of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto by each
selling Holder in connection with the offering and the sale of the Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto;
(xi) upon the request of any Holder, enter into such agreements
(including underwriting agreements) and make such representations and
warranties and take all such other actions in connection therewith in order
to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Transfer Restricted
Securities pursuant to any applicable Registration Statement contemplated
by this Agreement as may be reasonably requested by any Holder in
connection with any sale or resale pursuant to any applicable Registration
Statement. In such connection, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors
shall:
(A) upon request of any Holder, furnish (or in the case of
paragraphs (2) and (3), use its best efforts to cause to be furnished) to
each Holder, upon Consummation of the Exchange Offer or upon the
effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be:
(1) a certificate, dated such date, signed on behalf of the
Company and each Subsidiary Guarantor by (x) the President or any
Vice President and (y) a principal financial or accounting
officer of the Company and such Subsidiary Guarantor, confirming,
as of the date thereof, the matters set forth in Sections 6(y),
9(a) and 9(b) of the Purchase Agreement and such other similar
matters as such Holders may reasonably request;
(2) opinions, dated the date of Consummation of the
Exchange Offer or the date of effectiveness of the Shelf
Registration Statement, as the case may be, of counsel for the
Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors covering matters similar to
those set forth in paragraphs (e) and (f) of Section 9 of the
Purchase Agreement and such other matter as such Holder may
reasonably
12
request, and in any event including a statement (which may be
provided in a letter separate from the opinion) to the effect
that such counsel has participated in conferences with officers
and other representatives of the Company and the Subsidiary
Guarantors, representatives of the independent public accountants
for the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors 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 (relying as to materiality to the extent such
counsel deems appropriate upon the statements of officers and
other representatives of the Company and the Subsidiary
Guarantors) and without independent check or verification), no
facts came to such counsel's attention that caused such counsel
to believe that the applicable Registration Statement, at the
time such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment
thereto became effective and, in the case of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, as of the date of Consummation of the
Exchange Offer, 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, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, 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
(3) a customary comfort letter, dated the date of
Consummation of the Exchange Offer, or as of the date of
effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case
may be, from the Company's independent accountants, in the
customary form and covering matters of the type customarily
covered in comfort letters to underwriters in connection with
underwritten offerings, and affirming the matters set forth in
the comfort letters delivered pursuant to Section 9(h) of the
Purchase Agreement; and
(B) deliver such other documents and certificates as may be
reasonably requested by the selling Holders to evidence compliance with
the matters covered in clause (A) above and with any customary conditions
contained in the any agreement entered into by the Company and the
Subsidiary Guarantors pursuant to this clause (xi);
13
(xii) prior to any public offering of Transfer Restricted Securities,
cooperate with the selling Holders and their counsel in connection with the
registration and qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities under
the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the selling
Holders 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 applicable Registration Statement;
provided, however, that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary Guarantor
shall be required to register or qualify as a foreign corporation where it
is not now 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 now so subject;
(xiii) in connection with any sale of Transfer Restricted Securities
that will result in such securities no longer being Transfer Restricted
Securities, cooperate with the selling Holders to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Transfer Restricted
Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and to
register such Transfer Restricted Securities in such denominations and such
names as the selling Holders may request at least two business days prior
to such sale of Transfer Restricted Securities;
(xiv) use their respective best efforts to cause the disposition of
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 to
consummate the disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities, subject
to the proviso contained in clause (xii) above;
(xv) provide a CUSIP number for all Transfer Restricted Securities
not later than the effective date of a Registration Statement covering such
Transfer Restricted Securities and provide the Trustee under the Indenture
with printed certificates for the Transfer Restricted Securities which are
in a form eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company;
(xvi) otherwise use their respective best efforts to comply with all
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally
available to its security holders with regard to any applicable
Registration Statement, as soon as practicable, a consolidated earnings
statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 (which need not be audited)
covering a twelve-month period beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement (as such term is defined in paragraph (c) of Rule
158 under the Act);
(xvii) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the TIA 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 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 TIA; and
execute and use its best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all
documents that may be required to effect such changes and all other forms
and documents
14
required to be filed with the Commission to enable such Indenture to be so
qualified in a timely manner; and
(xviii) provide promptly to each Holder, upon request, each document
filed with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(d) Restrictions on Holders. Each Holder agrees by acquisition of a
-----------------------
Transfer Restricted Security that, upon receipt of the notice referred to in
Section 6(c)(iii)(C) or any notice from the Company of the existence of any fact
of the kind described in Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof (in each case, a
"SUSPENSION NOTICE"), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of
-----------------
Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement
until (i) such Holder has received copies of the supplemented or amended
Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(iv) hereof, or (ii) such Holder is
advised in writing 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 (in each case, the "RECOMMENCEMENT
--------------
DATE"). Each Holder receiving a Suspension Notice hereby agrees that it will
----
either (i) destroy any Prospectuses, other than permanent file copies, then in
such Holder's possession which have been replaced by the Company with more
recently dated Prospectuses or (ii) 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 the Suspension 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 a number of days equal to the
number of days in the period from and including the date of delivery of the
Suspension Notice to the date of delivery of the Recommencement Date.
SECTION 7. REGISTRATION EXPENSES
(a) All expenses incident to the Company's and the Subsidiary Guarantors'
performance of or compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company,
regardless of whether a Registration Statement becomes effective, including
without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees and expenses; (ii) all
fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and state Blue Sky or
securities laws; (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing certificates
for the New Senior Subordinated Notes 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, the Subsidiary Guarantors
and, subject to Section 7(b) below, the Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities; (v) all application and filing fees in connection with listing the
New Senior Subordinated Notes on a national securities exchange or automated
quotation system pursuant to the requirements hereof; and (vi) all fees and
disbursements of independent certified public accountants of the Company and the
Subsidiary Guarantors (including the expenses of any special audit and comfort
letters required by or incident to such performance).
15
The Company will, in any event, bear its and the Subsidiary Guarantors'
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 Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary Guarantors
will reimburse the Initial Purchaser and the Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities who are tendering Senior Subordinated Notes into in the Exchange
Offer and/or selling or reselling Senior Subordinated Notes or New Senior
Subordinated Notes pursuant to the "Plan of Distribution" contained in the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as
applicable, for the reasonable fees and disbursements of not more than one
counsel, who shall be Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx, unless another firm shall 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 Subsidiary Guarantors agree, jointly and severally,
to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, its directors, officers and each
Person, if any, who controls such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), from and against any and all losses,
claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, (including without limitation, any
reasonable legal or other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with
investigating or defending any matter, including any action that could give rise
to any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments) caused by any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus or Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto) provided by the Company to any Holder or any prospective
purchaser of New Senior Subordinated Notes or registered Senior Subordinated
Notes, or caused by 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
judgments are caused by an untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission that is based upon information relating to any of the
Holders furnished in writing to the Company by any of the Holders; provided,
however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any Registration
Statement, preliminary prospectus or Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit
of any Holder who failed to deliver a final Prospectus (as then amended or
supplemented, provided by the Company to the several Holders in the requisite
quantity and on a timely basis to permit proper delivery on or prior to written
confirmation of such sale) to the person asserting any losses, claims, damages
and liabilities and judgments caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, or caused
by 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, if
such material misstatement or omission or alleged material misstatement or
omission was cured in the final
16
Prospectus and it shall have been determined that such person would not have
incurred such losses, claims, damages and liabilities and judgments had the
final Prospectus been delivered.
(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, and their
respective directors and officers, and each person, if any, who controls (within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) the
Company, or the Subsidiary Guarantors to the same extent as the foregoing
indemnity from the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors set forth in section
(a) above, but only with reference to information relating to such Holder
furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use in any
Registration Statement. In no event shall any Holder, its directors, officers
or any Person who controls such Holder be liable or responsible for any amount
in excess of the amount by which the total amount received by such Holder with
respect to its sale of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to a Registration
Statement exceeds (i) the amount paid by such Holder for such Transfer
Restricted Securities and (ii) the amount of any damages that such Holder, its
directors, officers or any Person who controls such Holder has otherwise been
required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission.
(c) In case any action shall be commenced involving any person in respect of
which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b) (the "INDEMNIFIED
-----------
PARTY"), the indemnified party shall promptly notify the person against whom
-----
such indemnity may be sought (the "INDEMNIFYING PERSON") in writing and the
-------------------
indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such action, including the
employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party and the
payment of all fees and expenses of such counsel, as incurred (except that in
the case of any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to
both Sections 8(a) and 8(b), a Holder shall not be required to assume the
defense of such action pursuant to this Section 8(c), but may employ separate
counsel and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of
such counsel, except as provided below, shall be at the expense of the Holder).
Any indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any
such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of
such counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnified party unless (i) the
employment of such counsel shall have been specifically authorized in writing by
the indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume
the defense of such action or employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party or (iii) the named parties to any such action (including any
impleaded parties) include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying
party, and the indemnified party shall have been advised by such counsel that
there may be one or more legal defenses available to it which are different from
or additional to those available to the indemnifying party (in which case the
indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action
on behalf of the indemnified party). In any such case, the indemnifying party
shall not, in connection with any one action or separate but substantially
similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of
more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) for
all indemnified parties and all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as
they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by a
17
majority of the Holders, in the case of the parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 8(a), and by the Company and Subsidiary Guarantors, in the case of
parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall
indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments by reason of any settlement
of any action (i) effected with its prior written consent or (ii) effected
without its prior written consent if the settlement is entered into more than
thirty business days after the indemnifying party shall have received a request
from the indemnified party for reimbursement for the fees and expenses of
counsel (in any case where such fees and expenses are at the expense of the
indemnifying party) and, prior to the date of such settlement, the indemnifying
party shall have failed to comply with such reimbursement request for the fees
and expenses of counsel (unless the reasonableness of such fees and expenses of
counsel is being contested in good faith). No indemnifying party shall, without
the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement or
compromise of, or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to, any pending
or threatened action in respect of which the indemnified party is or could have
been a party and indemnity or contribution may be or could have been sought
hereunder by the indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or
judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all
liability on claims that are or could have been the subject matter of such
action 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 the indemnified party.
(d) To the extent that the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or judgments referred to therein, then each 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 judgments (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Subsidiary
Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, from their sale
of Transfer Restricted Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause
8(d)(i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 8(d)(i) above
but also the relative fault of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, on the
one hand, and of the Holder, on the other hand, in connection with the
statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or judgments, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Subsidiary
Guarantors, on the one hand, and of the Holder, 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 such
Subsidiary Guarantor, on the one hand, or by the Holder, on the other hand, and
the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity
to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and each Holder agree that it would
not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(d) 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
18
of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments 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 matter,
including any action that could have given rise to such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or judgments. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no
Holder, its directors, its officers or any Person, if any, who controls such
Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess
of the amount by which the total received by such Holder with respect to the
sale of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement
exceeds (i) the amount paid by such Holder for such Transfer Restricted
Securities and (ii) 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 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
Transfer Restricted Securities held by each Holder hereunder and not joint.
SECTION 9. RULE 144A AND RULE 144
The Company and each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees with each Holder, for so
long as any Transfer Restricted Securities remain outstanding and during any
period in which the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor (i) is not subject to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to make available, upon request of any
Holder, to such Holder or beneficial owner of Transfer Restricted Securities in
connection with any sale thereof and any prospective purchaser of such Transfer
Restricted Securities designated by such Holder or beneficial owner, the
information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Act in order to permit resales
of such Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144A, and (ii) is
subject to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Exchange Act, to make all filings
required thereby in a timely manner in order to permit resales of such Transfer
Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144.
SECTION 10. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) Remedies. The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors acknowledge and
--------
agree that any failure by the Company and/or the Subsidiary Guarantors to comply
with their respective obligations under Sections 3 and 4 hereof may result in
material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchaser or the Holders for which
there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to measure
damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure,
the Initial Purchaser or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to
specifically enforce the Company's and the Subsidiary Guarantors' obligations
under Sections 3 and 4 hereof. The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors
further agree to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a
remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary
--------------------------
Guarantor will, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement
with respect to its securities
19
that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or
otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. Except as disclosed in the
Offering Memorandum of the Company dated August 14, 1998 with respect to the
Senior Subordinated Notes, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary Guarantor has
previously entered into any agreement granting any registration rights with
respect to its securities to any Person. 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 and the Subsidiary Guarantors'
securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c) 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 (i) in the case of Section 5
hereof and this Section 10(c)(i), the Company has obtained the written consent
of Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) in the
case of all other provisions hereof, the Company has obtained the written
consent of Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer
Restricted Securities (excluding Transfer Restricted Securities held by the
Company or its Affiliates). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent
to departure from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to the rights
of Holders whose Transfer Restricted Securities are being tendered pursuant to
the Exchange Offer, and that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights
of other Holders whose Transfer Restricted 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 subject to
such Exchange Offer.
(d) Third Party Beneficiary. The Holders shall be third party beneficiaries
-----------------------
to the agreements made hereunder between the Company and the Subsidiary
Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and
shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent they may
deem such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights
of Holders hereunder.
(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), 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 Subsidiary Guarantors:
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company
0000 Xxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
20
With a copy to:
Dechert Price & Xxxxxxx
4000 Xxxx Atlantic Tower
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: G. Xxxxxx X'Xxxxxxx, Esq.
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 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; 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 acquired Transfer Restricted Securities directly from such
Holder, and that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment,
transfer or other disposition of Transfer Restricted Securities in violation of
the terms hereof or of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture. If any
transferee of any Holder shall acquire Transfer Restricted Securities in any
manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Transfer Restricted
Securities shall be held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, and by
taking and holding such Transfer Restricted 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, including the restrictions on resale set
forth in this Agreement and, if applicable, the Purchase Agreement, and such
Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof.
(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
CONFLICT OF LAW RULES THEREOF.
21
(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 with respect to the Transfer
Restricted Securities. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.
22
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date
first written above.
GREAT LAKES DREDGE & DOCK CORPORATION
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------
Name:
Title:
GREAT LAKES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------
Name:
Title:
GREAT LAKES DREDGE & DOCK COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------
Name:
Title:
XXXXXX DREDGING COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------
Name:
Title:
FIFTY-THREE DREDGING CORPORATION
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------
Name:
Title:
GATES CONSTRUCTION CORP.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------
Name:
Title:
XXXXXXXXX, LUFKIN & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
By:/s/ Xxxxxxx X.X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X.X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
