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EXHIBIT 4.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of May 8, 1998
by and among
GREY WOLF, INC.
THE GUARANTORS
and
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "AGREEMENT") is made and entered
into as of May 8, 1998, by and among Grey Wolf, Inc., a Texas corporation (the
"COMPANY"), each of the subsidiaries listed on Schedule A attached hereto (each
a "GUARANTOR" and, collectively, the "GUARANTORS"), and Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation, Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. and Prudential Securities
Incorporated (each an "INITIAL PURCHASER" and, collectively, the "INITIAL
PURCHASERS"), each of whom has agreed to purchase the Company's 8 7/8% Senior
Notes due 2007, Series B (the "NOTES") pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as
defined below).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated May
5, 1998 (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), by and among the Company, the Guarantors
and the Initial Purchasers. In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to
purchase the Notes, the Company has agreed to provide the registration rights
set forth in this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions herein
set forth. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is the condition to
the obligations of the Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 9(k) of the
Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined
shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Indenture, dated May 8, 1998,
between the Company and Chase Bank of Texas, N.A., as Trustee, relating to the
Notes and the Exchange Notes (the "INDENTURE").
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.
AFFILIATE: As defined in Rule 144 of the Act.
BROKER-DEALER: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange
Act.
BUSINESS DAY: Any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or day that
commercial banks in New York are required or permitted to be closed.
CERTIFICATED SECURITIES: Definitive Notes, as defined in the
Indenture.
CLOSING DATE: The date hereof.
COMMISSION: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONSUMMATE: An Exchange Offer shall be deemed "Consummated" for
purposes of this Agreement upon the occurrence of (a) the filing and
effectiveness under the Act of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
relating to the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (b) the
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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 (as such term is defined therein)
of Exchange Notes in the same aggregate principal amount as the aggregate
principal amount of Notes tendered by Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange
Offer.
CONSUMMATION DEADLINE: As defined in Section 3(b) hereof.
EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE: As defined in Section 3(a) and 4(a) hereof.
EXCHANGE ACT: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
EXCHANGE NOTES: The Company's 8 7/8% Exchange Notes due 2007, Series
B to be issued pursuant to the Indenture in the Exchange Offer.
EXCHANGE OFFER: The exchange and issuance by the Company of a
principal amount of Exchange Notes (which shall be registered pursuant to the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement) equal to the outstanding principal
amount of Notes that are tendered by such Holders in connection with such
exchange and issuance.
EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT: The Registration Statement
relating to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.
EXEMPT RESALES: The transactions in which the Initial Purchasers
propose to sell the 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.
HOLDERS: As defined in Section 2 hereof.
PROSPECTUS: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement at
the time 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.
REGISTRATION DEFAULT: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
REGISTRATION STATEMENT: Any registration statement of the Company
and the Guarantors relating to (a) an offering of Exchange 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.
RULE 144: Rule 144 promulgated under the Act.
SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT: As defined in Section 4 hereof.
SUSPENSION NOTICE: As defined in Section 6(d) hereof.
TIA: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. Section 77aaa-77bbbb)
as in effect on the date of the Indenture.
TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES: Each Note, until the earliest to
occur of (a) the date on which such Note is exchanged in the Exchange Offer for
a Exchange Note which is entitled to be resold to the public by the Holder
thereof without complying with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Act,
(b) the date on which such Note has been disposed of in accordance with a Shelf
Registration Statement (and the purchasers thereof have been issued Exchange
Notes), or (c) the date on which such Note is distributed to the public
pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act (and purchasers thereof have been issued
Exchange Notes), and each Exchange Note until the date on which such Exchange
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.
SECTION 3. REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER
(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permitted by applicable
federal law or interpretations of the staff of the Commission (after the
procedures set forth in Section 6(a)(i) below have been complied with), the
Company and the 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 reasonable best efforts to
cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective at the
earliest possible time, but in no event later than 120 days after the Closing
Date (such 120th day being the "EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE"), (iii) in 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 Exchange 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,
commence and Consummate the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall be on the
appropriate form permitting (i) registration of the Exchange Notes to be
offered in exchange for the Notes that are Transfer Restricted Securities and
(ii) resales of Exchange Notes by Broker- Dealers that tendered into the
Exchange Offer Notes that such Broker-Dealer acquired for its own account as a
result of market making activities or other trading
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activities (other than Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its
Affiliates) as contemplated by Section 3(c) below.
(b) The Company and the Guarantors shall use their respective
reasonable 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
Guarantors shall cause the Exchange Offer to comply with all applicable federal
and state securities laws. No securities other than the Exchange Notes shall
be included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement. The Company and the
Guarantors shall use their respective reasonable 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 days thereafter (such 30th day being the "CONSUMMATION
DEADLINE").
(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 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. See the Shearman & Sterling no-
action letter (available July 2, 1993).
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 Exchange
Notes received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer, the Company and
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 Exchange Notes by Broker-Dealers, the Company and the 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, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to
time, for a period of one year 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 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 three Business Days after such request, at any time during such period.
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SECTION 4. SHELF REGISTRATION
(a) Shelf Registration. If (i) the Exchange Offer is not permitted
by applicable law or interpretations of the staff of the Commission (after the
Company and the 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 30 days following the Consummation Deadline
that (A) such Holder was prohibited by law or Commission policy from
participating in the Exchange Offer and stating the reason for the application
of such prohibition to the Holder or (B) such Holder may not resell the
Exchange 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 legally unavailable for such resales by such Holder
or (C) such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Notes acquired directly from
the Company or any of its Affiliates, then the Company and the Guarantors
shall:
(x) cause to be filed as promptly as practicable but no later than 45 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 Rule 415 under the Act (which may be
an amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (the "SHELF
REGISTRATION STATEMENT")), relating to all Transfer Restricted Securities, and
(y) shall use their respective reasonable best efforts to cause such Shelf
Registration Statement to become effective on or prior to 60 days after the
Filing Deadline for the Shelf Registration Statement (such 60th day, the
"EFFECTIVENESS DEADLINE").
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 Guarantors shall use their respective reasonable
best efforts to keep any Shelf Registration Statement required by this Section
4(a) continuously effective, supplemented, 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 ending the earlier of (i) the time when the Notes covered thereby can be
sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act without any limitations under clause
(c), (e), (f) and (h) thereof and (ii) 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.
(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with
the Shelf Registration Statement. No Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
may include any of its Transfer Restricted Securities in any Shelf Registration
Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder furnishes to
the Company in writing, 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
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included therein, such information to be provided within 10 days after a
request therefor in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement to be filed as a
consequence of Section 4(a)(i) or, in the case of a Shelf Registration
Statement filed as a consequence of a Holder's notification under Section
4(a)(ii), within 10 days after such notice. No Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities shall be entitled to special interest (as defined herein) pursuant
to Section 5 hereof unless and until such Holder shall have provided all such
information. Each selling Holder agrees to promptly furnish in writing
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. SPECIAL INTEREST
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 (for reasons other than those permitted by
Section 6(c) or 6(d)) without being succeeded by a post-effective amendment to
such Registration Statement that cures such failure and that is itself declared
effective (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iv), a
"REGISTRATION DEFAULT"), then the Company and the Guarantors hereby jointly and
severally agree to pay to each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
affected thereby additional interest ("SPECIAL INTEREST") 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 special interest
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
special interest of $.25 per week per $1,000 in principal amount of Transfer
Restricted Securities; provided that the Company and the Guarantors shall in no
event be required to pay special interest 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 special interest payable with respect to the Transfer Restricted
Securities as a result of such clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), as applicable,
shall cease. The right of each Holder to receive Special Interest shall be the
exclusive remedy and liquidated damages for any and all Registration Defaults.
All accrued special interest 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 special interest
are due cease to be Transfer Restricted Securities, all obligations of the
Company and the Guarantors to pay special interest with respect to securities
shall survive until such time as such obligations with respect to such
securities shall have been satisfied in full.
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SECTION 6. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the
Exchange Offer, the Company and the Guarantors shall (x) comply with all
applicable provisions of Section 6(c) below, (y) use their respective
reasonable best efforts to effect such exchange and to permit the resale of
Exchange Notes by Broker-Dealers that tendered in the Exchange Offer Notes that
such Broker-Dealer acquired for its own account as a result of its market
making activities or other trading activities (other than 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 Guarantors hereby
agree to seek a no-action letter or other favorable decision from the
Commission allowing the Company and the Guarantors to Consummate an
Exchange Offer for such Transfer Restricted Securities. The Company and
the Guarantors hereby agree to pursue the issuance of such a decision to
the Commission staff level. In connection with the foregoing, the Company
and the Guarantors hereby agree to take all such other 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 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 Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer
and (C) it is acquiring the Exchange 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
Exchange Notes shall acknowledge and agree that, if the resales are of
Exchange Notes obtained by such Holder in exchange for 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.
(available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available
May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the Commission's letter to Shearman &
Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters (including, if
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.
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(iii) Prior to effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, the Company and the Guarantors shall provide a supplemental
letter to the Commission (A) stating that the Company and the Guarantors
are registering the Exchange Offer in reliance on the position of the
Commission enunciated in Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May
13, 1988), Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) as
interpreted in the Commission's letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July
2, 1993, and, if applicable, any no-action letter obtained pursuant to
clause (i) above, (B) including a representation that neither the Company
nor any Guarantor has entered into any arrangement or understanding with
any Person to distribute the Exchange Notes to be received in the Exchange
Offer and that (if true) to the best of the Company's and each Guarantor's
information and belief, each Holder participating in the Exchange Offer is
acquiring the Exchange Notes in its ordinary course of business and has no
arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the
distribution of the Exchange 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
Registration Statement, the Company and the Guarantors shall (i) comply with
all the provisions of Section 6(c) below and use their respective reasonable
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 Guarantors will prepare and file with the Commission a Registration
Statement relating to the registration on any appropriate form under the Act
(which may include an amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement),
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 covered by any Shelf
Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement, Exchange Notes having an
aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Notes
sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and surrendered to the
Company for cancellation; and the Company shall register Exchange Notes on the
Shelf Registration Statement for this purpose.
(c) General Provisions. In connection with any Registration
Statement and any related Prospectus required by this Agreement, the Company
and the Guarantors shall:
(i) use their respective reasonable 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 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 Guarantors shall file promptly (unless excused by Section 6(d) with
respect to an event or circumstance contemplated by Section 6(c)(iii)(E))
an appropriate amendment or Prospectus Supplement to such Registration
Statement curing such defect, and, if Commission review is required, use
their respective reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment to be
declared effective as soon as practicable.
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(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 post-effective amendments to the
Registration Statement or post-effective 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 or (E) if a material condition or event contemplated by the
immediately preceding clause (D) exists, has occurred or is anticipated,
but that the disclosure in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
necessary to supplement or correct the Registration Statement or
Prospectus as required by clause (D) would be detrimental to the Company
and the Guarantors, taken as a whole. 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 Guarantors shall use
their respective reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or
lifting of such order at the earliest possible time;
(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 Initial Purchaser in connection with such
exchange or 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
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documents incorporated by reference after the initial filing of such
Registration Statement), which documents will be subject to the review and
comment of such Initial Purchasers 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 Holders shall
reasonably object within five Business Days after the receipt thereof. An
Initial Purchaser 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 in any
material respect 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 prior to its
effectiveness, provide copies of such document to each Initial Purchaser
in connection with such exchange or sale, if any, make the Company's and
the 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 Initial Purchasers may
reasonably request;
(vii) in connection with such Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto subsequent to the filing thereof and
prior to its effectiveness, 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 Guarantors and cause the Company's and the Guarantors'
officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably
requested by any such Holder, attorney or accountant; provided, however,
that such Persons shall first agree in writing with the Company that any
information that is reasonably and in good faith designated by the Company
in writing as confidential at the time of delivery of such information
shall be kept confidential by such Persons, unless (i) disclosure of such
information is required by court or administrative order or is necessary
to respond to inquiries or regulatory authorities, (ii) disclosure of such
information is required by law (including any disclosure requirements
pursuant to federal securities laws in connection with the filing of any
Registration Statement or the use of any prospectus referred to in this
Agreement), (iii) such information becomes generally available to the
public other than as a result of a disclosure or failure to safeguard by
such Person or (iv) such information becomes lawfully available to such
Person from a source other than the Company and such source lawfully
obtained such information and is not otherwise bound by a confidentiality
agreement;
(viii) if requested by any Initial Purchasers in connection
with such sale, promptly include in any Registration Statement or
Prospectus, pursuant to a supplement or post-effective amendment if
necessary, such information as such Initial Purchasers may reasonably
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 Initial Purchaser 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);
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(x) deliver to each Initial Purchaser and 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 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) in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, upon
the request of any Holder, enter into such agreements (including
underwriting agreements in form, scope and substance as is customary in
underwritten offerings) and take such other reasonable 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 Guarantors shall:
(A) upon request of any Initial Purchaser or Holder, furnish
(or in the case of paragraphs (2) and (3), use its reasonable best
efforts to cause to be furnished) to each Initial Purchaser or
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 Guarantor by (x) the President or any Vice
President and (y) a principal financial or accounting officer of
the Company and such 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) an opinion, 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 Guarantors covering matters similar to those set
forth in Exhibit B of the Purchase Agreement and such other
matters as such Initial Purchaser or Holder may reasonably
request, and in any event including a statement to the effect
that such counsel has participated in conferences with officers
and other representatives of the Company and the Guarantors,
representatives of the independent public accountants for the
Company and the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers at which
the contents of the Registration Statement and Prospectus were
discussed, although such counsel is not passing upon and has not
independently verified or assumed responsibility for 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 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
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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 expresses no opinion or belief with respect
to, 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 or with respect to that part
of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement Of
Eligibility (Form T-1) under the TIA;
(3) an opinion, dated the date of the Consummation of the
Exchange Offer or the date of the effectiveness of the Shelf
Registration Statement, as the case may be, of Venezuelan
counsel of the Company covering matters similar to those set
forth in paragraph (f) of Section 9 of the Purchase Agreement;
and
(4) 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 Guarantors pursuant to this clause (xi);
(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 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 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;
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(xiv) use their respective reasonable 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 reasonable 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 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 or circumstance of the kind described in Section 6(c)(iii)(D) or Section
6(c)(iii)(E) 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 (B) 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. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
if the Company shall issue a Suspension Notice based on an event or
circumstances contemplated by Section 1(c)(iii)(E), the Company and the
Guarantors may delay any filing with the Commission that would otherwise be
required by this Agreement to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, to
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amend the Registration Statement or to correct or Supplement the Prospectus,
for a period of time not to exceed 30 consecutive days from the date of the
Suspension Notice or a maximum of 60 days in any twelve-month period. Promptly
after the Company determines that the event or circumstance contemplated by
Section 6(c)(iii)(E) no longer exists, and in any event promptly after the
expiration of any delay permitted by the preceding sentence, the Company shall
prepare and file with the Commission the amendments to the Registration
Statement and supplements to the Prospectus required by Section 6(c)(i) and
Section 6(c)(ii). 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 Guarantor(s)'
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 Exchange 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 Guarantors and the
Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; (v) all application and filing fees
in connection with listing the Exchange 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 Guarantors (including the expenses of any special audit and
comfort letters required by or incident to such performance).
The Company will, in any event, bear its and the 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 Guarantors.
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement (including, without limitation, the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and the Shelf Registration Statement), the Company and the Guarantors
will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities who are tendering Notes into in the Exchange Offer and/or selling or
reselling Notes or Exchange 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 to be selected by the Initial
Purchasers.
SECTION 8. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) The Company and the 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 legal or other 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
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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 Exchange Notes or
registered 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.
(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agrees, severally
and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the 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 Guarantors to the same extent as the
foregoing indemnity from the Company and the Guarantors set forth in Section
8(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 and that, as a matter of professional responsibility, such
counsel is unable to represent both the indemnifying and indemnified 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 majority of the Holders, in the case of the parties indemnified pursuant
to Section 8(a), and by the Company and
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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 written consent or
(ii) effected in good faith without its written consent if the settlement is
entered into more than 20 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 unless within 30 days after such reimbursement request is received, the
indemnifying party shall have made a good faith written challenge to the
reasonableness of the amount or nature of the reimbursement requested or
sufficiency of the documentation supporting the reimbursement requested (which
challenge shall set forth the amount or nature of the requested reimbursement
which the indemnifying party in good faith believes to be reasonable or the
basis for the good faith claims as to the insufficiency of any supporting
documentation), in which event this clause (ii) shall apply only if, and to the
extent that, such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified
party for the amount which is not being so challenged. 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 threatend 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 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 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
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
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 amount paid or payable by a
party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments
referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set
forth in the second paragraph of Section 8(a), any legal or other fees or
expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or
defending any action or claim.
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The Company, the 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 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 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 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 Guarantors acknowledge and agree
that any failure by the Company and/or the Guarantors to comply with their
respective obligations under Sections 3 and 4 hereof may result in material
irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers 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
Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to
specifically enforce the Company's and the Guarantor's obligations under
Sections 3 and 4 hereof. The Company and the 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
Guarantor will, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any
agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the
provisions hereof. Neither the Company nor any Guarantor has previously
entered into any agreement granting any registration rights
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with respect to its debt 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 Guarantors' debt
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, and vice
versa.
(d) Third Party Beneficiary. The Holders shall be third party
beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company and the
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), telex, telecopier, or air
courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:
(i) if to a Holder, at the address set forth on the records of
the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under the
Indenture; and
(ii) if to the Company or the Guarantors:
Grey Wolf, Inc.
00000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
With a copy to:
Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx, L.L.P.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
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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, 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.
(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.
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.
[Remainder of page is intentionally left blank.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights
Agreement as of the date first written above.
GREY WOLF, INC.
By: /s/ XXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
---------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
GREY WOLF DRILLING COMPANY
By: /s/ XXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
---------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
DI ENERGY, INC.
By: /s/ XXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
---------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
GREY WOLF INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By: /s/ XXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
---------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
MURCO DRILLING CORPORATION
By: /s/ XXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
---------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Xxxxxxxxx
00
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
By: XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
By: /s/ XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
--------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Title: Vice President
23
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF FILING OF
EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT
To: Xxxxxxxxx, Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx (Compliance Department)
Fax: (000) 000-0000
From: Grey Wolf, Inc.
8 7/8% Senior Notes due 2007, Series B
Date: _______________, 1998
For your information only (NO ACTION REQUIRED):
Today, ___________, 199__, we filed [an Exchange Registration Statement/a
Shelf Registration Statement] with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We
currently expect this registration statement to be declared effective within
_____ business days of the date hereof.
Exhibit A
24
SCHEDULE A
INITIAL GUARANTORS
NAME OF GUARANTOR STATE OF INCORPORATION
----------------------------------------- ----------------------
Grey Wolf Drilling Company Texas
Murco Drilling Corporation (a wholly- Delaware
owned subsidiary of Grey Wolf
Drilling Company)
Grey Wolf International, Inc. Texas
DI Energy, Inc. Texas
Schedule A
