Execution Copy
================================================================================
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of April 2, 1997
by and among
Anchor Advanced Products, Inc.
Anchor Holdings, Inc.
and
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx
Securities Corporation
CIBC Wood Gundy Securities Corp.
NationsBanc Capital Markets, Inc.
================================================================================
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and
entered into as of April 2, 1997 by and among Anchor Advanced Products, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), Anchor Holdings, Inc., a Delaware
Corporation ("Holdings"), and Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx Securities
Corporation, CIBC Wood Gundy Securities Corp. and NationsBanc Capital Markets,
Inc. (each a "Purchaser" and, collectively, the "Purchasers"), each of whom has
agreed to purchase the Company's 11 3/4% Senior Notes due 2004 (the "Senior
Notes") pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below). The obligations
of the Company under the Senior Notes and the Company's new 11 3/4% Senior Notes
due 2004 to be issued in exchange for the Senior Notes in accordance with this
agreement (the "New Senior Notes") will be unconditionally guaranteed on a
senior basis by (i) Holdings, the direct parent of the Company, and (ii) any
subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the Closing Date (as defined
below) that executes an additional guarantee in accordance with the provisions
of the Indenture (as defined below), and their respective successors and assigns
(collectively, the "Guarantors"), pursuant to their guarantees (the
"Guarantees").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated
March 26, 1997 (the "Purchase Agreement"), by and among the Company, Holdings
and the Purchasers. In order to induce the Purchasers to purchase the Senior
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 Purchasers set forth in Section 9 of the Purchase
Agreement.
The parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have
the following meanings:
Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Broker-Dealer: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange
Act.
Closing Date: The date of this Agreement.
Commission: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
Consummate: A Registered Exchange Offer shall be deemed "Consummated"
for purposes of this Agreement upon the occurrence of (i) the filing and
effectiveness under the Act of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
relating to the New Senior Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (ii) the
maintenance of such Registration Statement continuously effective and the
keeping of the Exchange Offer open for a period not less than the minimum period
required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, and (iii) the delivery by the Company
to the Registrar under the Indenture of the New Senior Notes in the same
aggregate principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes
that were tendered by Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
Damages Payment Date: With respect to the Senior Notes, each Interest
Payment Date.
Effectiveness Target Date: As defined in Section 5.
1
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Exchange Offer: The registration by the Company under the Act of the
New Senior Notes pursuant to a Registration Statement pursuant to which the
Company offers the Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities the
opportunity to exchange all such outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities held
by such Holders for New Senior Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to
the aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities tendered in
such exchange offer by such Holders.
Exchange Offer Registration Statement: The Registration Statement
relating to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.
Exempt Resales: The transactions in which the Purchasers propose to
sell the Senior Notes to certain "qualified institutional buyers," as such term
is defined in Rule 144A under the Act, and to certain institutional "accredited
investors," as such term is defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) and (7) of
Regulation D under the Act ("Accredited Institutions").
Holders: As defined in Section 2(b) hereof.
Indemnified Holder: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.
Indenture: The Indenture, dated as of April 2, 1997, among the
Company, Fleet National Bank, as trustee (the "Trustee"), and Holdings, pursuant
to which the Notes and the Guarantee are to be issued, as such Indenture is
amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
Interest Payment Date: As defined in the Indenture and the Notes.
Liquidated Damages: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
NASD: National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
New Senior Notes: The Company's 11 3/4% New Senior Notes due 2004 to
be issued pursuant to the Indenture in the Exchange Offer.
Notes: The Senior Notes and the New Senior Notes.
Person: An individual, partnership, corporation, trust or
unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision
thereof.
Prospectus: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as
amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement and by all other amendments
thereto, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by
reference into such Prospectus.
Purchaser: As defined in the preamble hereto.
2
Record Holder: With respect to any Damages Payment Date relating to
the Senior Notes, each Person who is a Holder of Senior Notes on the record date
with respect to the Interest Payment Date on which such Damages Payment Date
shall occur.
Registration Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Company
relating to (a) an offering of the New Senior Notes pursuant to an Exchange
Offer or (b) the registration for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, which is filed pursuant to the
provisions of this Agreement, in each case, including the Prospectus included
therein, all amendments and supplements thereto (including post-effective
amendments) and all exhibits and material incorporated by reference therein.
Shelf Filing Deadline: As defined in Section 4 hereof.
Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 4 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 (i) the date on which
such Note has been exchanged by a person other than a broker-dealer for a New
Note in the Exchange Offer, (ii) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in
the Exchange Offer of a Note for a New Note, the date on which such New Note is
sold to a purchaser who receives from such broker-dealer on or prior to the date
of such sale a copy of the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, (iii) the date on which such Note has been effectively
registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf
Registration Statement or (iv) the date on which such Note is distributed to the
public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Act.
Underwritten Registration or Underwritten Offering: A registration in
which securities of the Company are sold to an underwriter for reoffering to the
public.
SECTION 2. SECURITIES SUBJECT TO THIS AGREEMENT
(a) Transfer Restricted Securities. The securities entitled to the
benefits of this Agreement are the Transfer Restricted Securities.
(b) Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities. A Person is deemed to
be a holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (each, a "Holder") whenever such
Person owns Transfer Restricted Securities.
SECTION 3. REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER
(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permissible under
applicable law or Commission policy (after the procedures set forth in Section
6(a) below have been complied with), the Company and
3
Holdings shall (i) cause to be filed with the Commission on or prior to 45 days
after the Closing Date, a Registration Statement under the Act relating to the
New Senior Notes and the Exchange Offer, (ii) use their reasonable best efforts
to cause such Registration Statement to become effective on or prior to 135 days
after the Closing Date, (iii) in connection with the foregoing, file (A) all
pre-effective amendments to such Registration Statement as may be necessary in
order to cause such Registration Statement to become effective, (B) if
applicable, a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement pursuant
to Rule 430A under the Act and (C) cause all necessary filings in connection
with the registration and qualification of the New Senior 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 Registration
Statement, commence the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall be on the
appropriate form permitting registration of the New Senior Notes to be offered
in exchange for the Transfer Restricted Securities and to permit resales of New
Senior Notes held by Broker-Dealers as contemplated by Section 3(c) below.
(b) The Company shall cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
to be effective continuously and shall keep the Exchange Offer open for a period
of not less than the minimum period required under applicable federal and state
securities laws to Consummate the Exchange Offer; provided, however, that in no
event shall such period be less than 20 business days. The Company shall cause
the Exchange Offer to comply with all applicable federal and state securities
laws. No securities other than the New Senior Notes shall be included in the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement. The Company shall use its reasonable best
efforts to cause the Exchange Offer to be Consummated on or prior to 30 business
days after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has become effective.
(c) The Company shall indicate in a "Plan of Distribution" section
contained in the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement that any Broker-Dealer who holds Senior Notes that are Transfer
Restricted Securities and that were acquired for its own account as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities (other than Transfer
Restricted Securities acquired directly from the Company), may exchange such
Senior Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer; however, 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 any
resales of the New Senior Notes received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange
Offer, which prospectus delivery requirement may be satisfied by the delivery by
such Broker-Dealer of the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement. Such "Plan of Distribution" section shall also contain
all other information with respect to such resales by Broker-Dealers that the
Commission may require in order to permit such resales pursuant thereto, but
such "Plan of Distribution" shall not name any such Broker-Dealer or disclose
the amount of New Senior Notes held by any such Broker-Dealer except to the
extent required by the Commission as a result of a change in policy after the
date of this Agreement.
The Company and Holdings shall use their reasonable best efforts to
keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective,
supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Section 6(c) below to
the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of New Senior
Notes acquired by Broker-Dealers for their own accounts as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities, and to ensure that it
conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Act and the policies,
rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a
period of one year from the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement is declared effective.
4
The Company shall provide sufficient copies of the latest version of
such Prospectus to Broker- Dealers promptly upon request at any time during such
one-year period in order to facilitate such resales.
SECTION 4. SHELF REGISTRATION
(a) Shelf Registration. If (i) the Company is not required to file an
Exchange Offer Registration Statement or to consummate the Exchange Offer
because the Exchange Offer is not permitted by applicable law or Commission
policy (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a) below have been complied
with) or (ii) if any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities shall notify the
Company within 20 business days of the Consummation of the Exchange Offer (A)
that such Holder is prohibited by applicable law or Commission policy from
participating in the Exchange Offer, or (B) that such Holder may not resell the
New Senior Notes acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to the public without
delivering a prospectus and that the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement is not appropriate or available for such resales by such
Holder, or (C) that such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Senior Notes
acquired directly from the Company or one of its affiliates, then the Company
and Holdings shall
(x) cause to be filed a shelf registration statement pursuant to
Rule 415 under the Act, which may be an amendment to the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement (in either event, the "Shelf Registration
Statement") on or prior to the earliest to occur of (1) the 60th day after
the date on which the Company determines that it is not required to file
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and (2) the 60th day after the
date on which the Company receives notice from a Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities as contemplated by clause (ii) above, (such earliest
date being the "Shelf Filing Deadline"), which Shelf Registration
Statement shall provide for resales of all Transfer Restricted Securities
the Holders of which shall have provided the information required pursuant
to Section 4(b) hereof; and
(y) use their reasonable best efforts to cause such Shelf
Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission on or
prior to 165 days after the Closing Date.
The Company and Holdings shall use their reasonable best efforts to keep such
Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as
required by the provisions of Sections 6(b) and (c) hereof to the extent
necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Senior Notes by the
Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities entitled to the benefit of this
Section 4(a), and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this
Agreement, the Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as
announced from time to time, for a period of at least two years following the
Closing Date.
(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with
the Shelf Registration Statement. No Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
may include any of its Transfer Restricted Securities in any Shelf Registration
Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder furnishes to
the Company in writing, within 20 business days after receipt of a request
therefor, such information as the Company may reasonably request for use in
connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary
Prospectus included therein. No Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities shall
be entitled to Liquidated Damages pursuant to Section 5 hereof unless and until
such
5
Holder shall have used its best efforts to provide all such reasonably requested
information. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration Statement is being
effected agrees to furnish promptly to the Company all information required to
be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished to the
Company by such Holder not materially misleading.
SECTION 5. LIQUIDATED DAMAGES
If (i) any of the Registration Statements required by this Agreement
is not filed with the Commission on or prior to the date specified for such
filing in this Agreement, (ii) any of such Registration Statements has not been
declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date specified for such
effectiveness in this Agreement (the "Effectiveness Target Date"), (iii) the
Exchange Offer has not been Consummated within 30 business days after the
Effectiveness Target Date with respect to the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement or (iv) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is filed
and declared effective but shall thereafter cease to be effective or fail to be
usable for its intended purpose without being succeeded immediately by a
post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement that cures such failure
and that is itself immediately declared effective (each such event referred to
in clauses (i) through (iv), a "Registration Default"), the Company hereby
agrees to pay liquidated damages ("Liquidated Damages") to each Holder of
Transfer Restricted Securities with respect to the first 90-day period
immediately following the occurrence of such Registration Default, in an amount
equal to $.05 per week per $1,000 principal amount of Transfer Restricted
Securities held by such Holder for each week or portion thereof that the
Registration Default continues. 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 principal amount of Transfer
Restricted Securities. All accrued Liquidated Damages shall be paid to Record
Holders by the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds or by
federal funds check on each Damages Payment Date, as provided in the Indenture.
Following the cure of all Registration Defaults relating to any particular
Transfer Restricted Securities, the accrual of Liquidated Damages with respect
to such Transfer Restricted Securities will cease.
All obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding paragraph
that are outstanding with respect to any Transfer Restricted Security at the
time such security ceases to be a Transfer Restricted Security shall survive
until such time as all such obligations with respect to such Transfer Restricted
Security shall have been satisfied in full.
SECTION 6. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the
Exchange Offer, the Company and Holdings shall comply with all of the provisions
of Section 6(c) below, shall use their reasonable best efforts to effect such
exchange to permit the sale of Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in
accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and
shall comply with all of the following provisions:
6
(i) If in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Company there
is a question as to whether the Exchange Offer is permitted by applicable
law, the Company and Holdings hereby agree to seek a no-action letter or
other favorable decision from the Commission allowing the Company and
Holdings to Consummate an Exchange Offer for such Senior Notes. The
Company and Holdings each hereby agrees to pursue the issuance of such a
decision to the Commission staff level but shall not be required to take
commercially unreasonable action to effect a change of Commission policy.
The Company and Holdings each hereby agrees, however, to (A) participate
in telephonic conferences with the Commission, (B) deliver to the
Commission staff an analysis prepared by counsel to the Company setting
forth the legal bases, if any, upon which such counsel has concluded that
such an Exchange Offer should be permitted and (C) diligently pursue a
resolution (which need not be favorable) by the Commission staff of such
submission.
(ii) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities shall furnish, upon the request of the Company,
prior to the Consummation thereof, a written representation to the Company
(which may be contained in the letter of transmittal contemplated by the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an
affiliate of the Company, (B) it is not engaged in, and does not intend to
engage in, and has no arrangement or understanding with any person to
participate in, a distribution of the New Senior Notes to be issued in the
Exchange Offer and (C) it is acquiring the New Senior Notes in its
ordinary course of business. In addition, all such Holders of Transfer
Restricted Securities shall otherwise cooperate in the Company's
preparations for the Exchange Offer. Each Holder hereby acknowledges and
agrees that any Broker-Dealer and any such Holder using the Exchange Offer
to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired in the
Exchange Offer (1) could not under Commission policy as in effect on the
date of this Agreement rely on the position of the Commission enunciated
in Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital
Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the
Commission's letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar
no-action letters (including 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 should be
covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling
security holder information required by Item 507 or 508, as applicable, of
Regulation S-K if the resales are of New Senior Notes obtained by such
Holder in exchange for Senior Notes acquired by such Holder directly from
the Company.
(iii) Prior to effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, the Company and Holdings shall provide a supplemental letter to
the Commission (A) stating that the Company and Holdings 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) and, if applicable,
any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above and (B)
including a representation that neither the Company nor Holdings has
entered into any arrangement or understanding with any Person to
distribute the New Senior Notes to be received in the Exchange Offer and
that, to the best of the Company's information and belief, each Holder
participating in the Exchange Offer is acquiring the New Senior 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 Notes
received in the Exchange Offer.
7
(b) Shelf Registration Statement. In connection with the Shelf
Registration Statement, the Company and Holdings shall comply with all the
provisions of Section 6(c) below and shall use their 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, and pursuant thereto the Company 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.
(c) General Provisions. In connection with any Registration Statement
and any Prospectus required by this Agreement to permit the sale or resale of
Transfer Restricted Securities (including, without limitation, any Registration
Statement and the related Prospectus required to permit resales of Senior Notes
by Broker-Dealers), the Company shall:
(i) use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Registration
Statement continuously effective and provide all requisite financial
statements (including, if required by the Act or any regulation
thereunder, financial statements of Holdings) 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 a material misstatement or
omission or (B) not to be effective and usable for resale of Transfer
Restricted Securities during the period required by this Agreement, the
Company shall file promptly an appropriate amendment to such Registration
Statement, in the case of clause (A), correcting any such misstatement or
omission, and, in the case of either clause (A) or (B), use its reasonable
best efforts to cause such amendment to be declared effective and such
Registration Statement and the related Prospectus to become usable for
their intended purpose(s) as soon as practicable thereafter;
(ii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and
post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement as may be
necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective for the applicable
period set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, or such shorter
period as will terminate when all Transfer Restricted Securities covered
by such Registration Statement have been sold; cause the Prospectus to be
supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented
to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, and to comply fully with
the applicable provisions of Rules 424 and 430A 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 the underwriter(s), if any, and selling Holders
promptly and, if requested by such Persons, to confirm such advice in
writing, (A) when the Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to any
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the
same has become effective, (B) of any request by the Commission for
amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to
the Prospectus or for additional information relating thereto, (C) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement under the 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
8
makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto, or any document
incorporated by reference therein untrue, or that requires the making of
any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading. If at
any time the Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or 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 Guarantor shall use their best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or
lifting of such order at the earliest possible time;
(iv) furnish to each of the selling Holders and each of the
underwriter(s), if any, before filing with the Commission, copies of any
Registration Statement or any Prospectus included therein or any
amendments or supplements to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus
(including all documents incorporated by reference after the initial
filing of such Registration Statement), which documents will be subject to
the review of such Holders and underwriter(s), if any, for a period of at
least three 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 a selling Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement or the
underwriter(s), if any, shall reasonably object within three business days
after the receipt thereof. A selling Holder or underwriter, if any, 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 a material misstatement or omission;
(v) promptly prior to the filing of any document that is to be
incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or Prospectus,
provide copies of such document to the selling Holders and to the
underwriter(s), if any, make the Company's representatives available (and
representatives of Holdings) 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 or
underwriter(s), if any, reasonably may request;
(vi) make available at reasonable times for inspection by the
selling Holders, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant
to such Registration Statement, and any attorney or accountant retained by
such selling Holders or any of the underwriter(s), all financial and other
records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and
Holdings and cause the Company's and Holdings' officers, directors and
employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such
Holder, underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with such
Registration Statement subsequent to the filing thereof and prior to its
effectiveness;
(vii) if requested by any selling Holders or the underwriter(s),
if any, promptly incorporate in any Registration Statement or Prospectus,
pursuant to a supplement or post-effective amendment if necessary, such
information as such selling Holders and underwriter(s), if any, may
reasonably request to have included therein, including, without
limitation, information relating to the "Plan of Distribution" of the
Transfer Restricted Securities, information with respect to the principal
amount of Transfer Restricted Securities being sold to such
underwriter(s), the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms
of the offering of the Transfer Restricted Securities to be sold in such
9
offering; and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Company is
notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement
or post-effective amendment;
(viii) cause the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the
Registration Statement to be rated with the appropriate rating agencies,
if so requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount
of Senior Notes covered thereby or the underwriter(s), if any;
(ix) furnish to each selling Holder and each of the
underwriter(s), if any, without charge, at least one copy of the
Registration Statement, as first filed with the Commission, and of each
amendment thereto, including all documents incorporated by reference
therein and all exhibits (including exhibits incorporated therein by
reference);
(x) deliver to each selling Holder and each of the
underwriter(s), if any, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus
(including each preliminary prospectus) and any amendment or supplement
thereto as such Persons reasonably may request; the Company and Holdings
hereby consent to the use of the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders and each of the
underwriter(s), if any, in connection with the offering and the sale of
the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto;
(xi) enter into, and cause Holdings to enter into, such
agreements (including an underwriting agreement), and make, and cause
Holdings to 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
Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement, all to such extent
as may be requested by any Purchaser or by any Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities or underwriter in connection with any sale or resale
pursuant to any Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement; and
whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered into and whether or
not the registration is an Underwritten Registration, the Company and
Holdings shall:
(A) furnish to each Purchaser, each selling Holder and each
underwriter, if any, in such substance and scope as they may request
and as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in primary
underwritten offerings, upon the date of the Consummation of the
Exchange Offer and, if applicable, the effectiveness of the Shelf
Registration Statement:
(1) a certificate, dated the date of Consummation of the
Exchange Offer or the date of effectiveness of the Shelf
Registration Statement, as the case may be, signed by (y) the
President or any Vice President and (z) a principal financial or
accounting officer of each of the Company and Holdings,
confirming, as of the date thereof, the matters set forth in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 9 of the Purchase Agreement
and such other matters as such parties 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, covering the matters set forth in paragraph (d) of
Section 9 of the Purchase Agreement and such other matters as
such parties may reasonably request, and in any event
10
including a statement to the effect that such counsel has
participated in conferences with officers and other
representatives of the Company, representatives of the
independent public accountants for the Company, the Purchasers'
representatives and the Purchasers' counsel in connection with
the preparation of such Registration Statement and the related
Prospectus and have considered the matters required to be stated
therein and the statements contained therein, although such
counsel has not independently verified the accuracy,
completeness or fairness of such statements; and that such
counsel advises that, on the basis of the foregoing (relying as
to materiality to a large extent upon facts provided to such
counsel by officers and other representatives of the Company 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,
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, in light of the circumstances in
which they were made, 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 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 as of the date of
Consummation of the Exchange Offer or 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 by underwriters in connection with primary underwritten
offerings, and affirming the matters set forth in the comfort
letters delivered pursuant to Section (9)(f) of the Purchase
Agreement, without exception;
(B) set forth in full or incorporate by reference in the
underwriting agreement, if any, the indemnification provisions and
procedures of Section 8 hereof with respect to all parties to be
indemnified pursuant to said Section; and
(C) deliver such other documents and certificates as may be
reasonably requested by such parties to evidence compliance with
clause (A) above and with any customary conditions contained in the
underwriting agreement or other agreement entered into by the Company
pursuant to this clause (xi), if any.
If at any time the representations and warranties of the Company and
Holdings contemplated in clause (A)(1) above cease to be true and correct,
the Company or Holdings shall so advise the Purchasers and the
underwriter(s), if any, and each selling Holder promptly and, if requested
by such Persons, shall confirm such advice in writing;
11
(xii) prior to any public offering of Transfer Restricted
Securities, cooperate with, and cause Holdings to cooperate with, the
selling Holders, the underwriter(s), if any, and their respective counsel
in connection with the registration and qualification of the Transfer
Restricted Securities under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such
jurisdictions as the selling Holders or underwriter(s) may request and do
any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the
disposition in such jurisdictions of the Transfer Restricted Securities
covered by the Shelf Registration Statement; provided, however, that
neither the Company nor Holdings 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) shall issue, upon the request of any Holder of Senior
Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, New Senior Notes,
having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal
amount of Senior Notes surrendered to the Company by such Holder in
exchange therefor or being sold by such Holder; such New Senior Notes to
be registered in the name of such Holder or in the name of the
purchaser(s) of such Notes, as the case may be; in return, the Senior
Notes held by such Holder shall be surrendered to the Company for
cancellation;
(xiv) cooperate with, and cause Holdings to cooperate with, the
selling Holders and the underwriter(s), if any, to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Transfer Restricted
Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and enable
such Transfer Restricted Securities to be in such denominations and
registered in such names as the Holders or the underwriter(s), if any, may
request at least two business days prior to any sale of Transfer
Restricted Securities made by such underwriter(s);
(xv) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be
registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or
authorities as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or
the underwriter(s), if any, to consummate the disposition of such Transfer
Restricted Securities, subject to the proviso contained in clause (xii)
above;
(xvi) if any fact or event contemplated by clause (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 not misleading;
(xvii) provide a CUSIP number for all Transfer Restricted
Securities not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement
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 Depositary Trust Company;
(xviii) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made
with the NASD and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by
any underwriter (including any "qualified independent underwriter") that
is required to be retained in accordance with the rules and regulations
12
of the NASD, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such
Registration Statement to become effective and approved by such
governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the
Holders selling Transfer Restricted Securities to consummate the
disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities;
(xix) otherwise use its reasonable best efforts to comply with
all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally
available to its security holders, as soon as practicable, a consolidated
earnings statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 (which need not be
audited) for the twelve-month period (A) commencing at the end of any
fiscal quarter in which Transfer Restricted Securities are sold to
underwriters in a firm or best efforts Underwritten Offering or (B) if not
sold to underwriters in such an offering, beginning with the first month
of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date
of the Registration Statement;
(xx) 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, and cause
Holdings to cooperate, with the Trustee and the Holders of Notes 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
cause Holdings to 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;
(xxi) cause all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the
Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange on which
similar securities issued by the Company are then listed if requested by
the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes or
the managing underwriter(s), if any; and
(xxii) provide promptly to each Holder upon request each
document filed with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Section
13 and Section 15 of the Exchange Act.
(d) Each Holder agrees by acquisition of a Transfer Restricted
Security that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the existence of
any fact of the kind described in Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof, such Holder will
forthwith discontinue disposition of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to
the applicable Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies
of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi)
hereof, or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice") by the Company that the
use of the Prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional
or supplemental filings that are incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. If
so directed by the Company, each Holder will deliver to the Company (at the
Company's expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such
Holder's possession, of the Prospectus covering such Transfer Restricted
Securities that was current at the time of receipt of such notice. In the event
the Company shall give any such notice, the time period regarding the
effectiveness of such Registration Statement set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof,
as applicable, shall be extended by the number of days during the period from
and including the date of the giving of such notice pursuant to Section
6(c)(iii)(D) hereof to and including the date when each selling Holder covered
by such Registration Statement shall have received the copies of the
supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof or
shall have received the Advice.
13
SECTION 7. REGISTRATION EXPENSES
(a) All expenses incident to the Company's or Holdings' performance
of or compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company or Holdings,
regardless of whether a Registration Statement becomes effective, including
without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees and expenses (including
filings made by any Purchaser or Holder with the NASD (and, if applicable, the
fees and expenses of any "qualified independent underwriter" and its counsel
that may be required by the rules and regulations of the NASD)); (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 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, Holdings and, subject to Section 7(b)
below, the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; (v) all application and
filing fees in connection with listing New Senior 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 Holdings (including the expenses of any special audit and
comfort letters required by or incident to such performance); provided, however,
the foregoing shall exclude underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer
taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Notes by a Holder.
The Company will, in any event, bear its and Holdings' 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.
(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 will reimburse the
Purchasers and the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities being tendered in
the Exchange Offer and/or resold pursuant to the "Plan of Distribution"
contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or registered pursuant to
the Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable, for the reasonable fees and
disbursements of not more than one counsel, who shall be Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx or
such other counsel as may be chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities for whose benefit such Registration
Statement is being prepared.
SECTION 8. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) Each of the Company and Holdings jointly and severally agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each Holder and each person, if any, who controls
any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act (a "controlling person") and the respective officers, directors,
partners, employees, representatives and agents of any Holder or any controlling
person ("Agents" and, together with all Holders and controlling persons, the
"Indemnified Holders"), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages,
liabilities and judgments caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or
Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any
amendments or supplements thereto), 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 in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made,
14
not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
judgments are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission based upon information relating to such Holder furnished
in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein; provided,
however, that the indemnification contained in this paragraph (a) with respect
to any Registration Statement or Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the
Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) shall not
inure to the benefit of any Holder (or to the benefit of any controlling person)
on account of any such loss, claim, damage, liability or judgment (i) arising
from the sale of the Senior Notes by such Holder to any person if a copy of the
Registration Statement shall not have been delivered or sent to such person, at
or prior to the written confirmation of such sale, and the untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement or Prospectus was corrected in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus (as amended or supplemented), provided that
the Company has delivered the Registration Statement or Prospectus (as amended
or supplemented) to the Holders in requisite quantity on a timely basis to
permit such delivery or sending or (ii) resulting from the use by such Holder of
any registration statement or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto
when, under Section 6(d) of this Agreement, such Holder was not permitted to do
so; provided further, however, that the foregoing exceptions in clauses (i) and
(ii) shall not affect the indemnity with respect to any other Holder not
otherwise subject to such exceptions.
In case any action shall be brought against any of the Indemnified
Holders, based upon any Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto and
with respect to which indemnity may be sought against the Company and Holdings,
such Indemnified Holder shall promptly notify the Company and Holdings in
writing and the Company and Holdings shall assume the defense thereof, including
the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Holder and
payment of all fees and expenses. Any Indemnified Holder shall have the right to
employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense
thereof, but the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of such Indemnified Holder unless (i) the employment of such counsel has
been specifically authorized in writing by the Company, (ii) the Company has
failed to assume the defense and employ counsel or (iii) the named parties to
any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified
Holder and the Company, and such Indemnified Holder 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 Company (in which
case the Company and Holdings shall not have the right to assume the defense of
such action on behalf of such Indemnified Holder, it being understood, however,
that the Company and Holdings shall not, in connection with any one such 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 such Indemnified Holders, which firm
shall be designated in writing by the Holders, and that all such fees and
expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred). The Company shall not be
liable for any settlement of any such action effected without the written
consent of the Company but if settled with the Company's written consent, the
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any Indemnified Holder from and
against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the
immediately preceding sentence, if in any case where the fees and expenses of
counsel are at the expense of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party
shall have requested the indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party
for such fees and expenses of counsel as incurred, such indemnifying party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any action effected without
its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than ten
business days after the receipt by
15
such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying
party shall have failed to reimburse the indemnified party in accordance with
such request for reimbursement prior to the date of such settlement. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect
of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could
have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement
includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability
on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agrees, severally
and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and Holdings, and
their respective directors, officers, partners, employees, representatives and
agents and any person controlling them within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the "Company Indemnified
Parties") to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company and
Holdings to each Indemnified Holder, but only with reference to information
relating to such Holder furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use in
any Registration Statement. In case any action shall be brought against any
Company Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against a
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, such Holder shall have the rights and
duties given to the Company (except that if the Company shall have assumed the
defense thereof, such Holder shall not be required to do so, but may employ
separate counsel therein and participate in the defense thereof but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Holder), and the
Company Indemnified Parties shall have the rights and duties given to such
Holder by Section 8(a) hereof.
(c) If 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 and judgments (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company 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 (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the Company and the Holders 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 Holdings on the one hand and of the Indemnified Holder on the other shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or Holdings or by
the Indemnified Holder 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.
The Company, Holdings and each Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this paragraph 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
16
paragraph. The losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments of an
indemnified party referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be
deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 8, no Holders (and their related Indemnified Holders)
shall be required to contribute, any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total discounts and commissions received by it exceeds the amount of any damages
which such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 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 Senior Notes held by each of the Holders hereunder and not joint.
SECTION 9. RULE 144A
The Company hereby agrees with each Holder, for so long as any
Transfer Restricted Securities remain outstanding, to make available to any
Holder or beneficial owner of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection with
any sale thereof and any prospective purchaser of such Transfer Restricted
Securities from such Holder or beneficial owner, the information required by
Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Act in order to permit resales of such Transfer
Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144A.
SECTION 10. PARTICIPATION IN UNDERWRITTEN REGISTRATIONS
No Holder may participate in any Underwritten Registration hereunder
unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder's Transfer Restricted
Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by
the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes
and executes all reasonable questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities,
underwriting agreements, lock-up letters and other documents required under the
terms of such underwriting arrangements.
SECTION 11. SELECTION OF UNDERWRITERS
The Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Transfer Restricted
Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the
investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers that will
administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities included in
such offering; provided, that such investment bankers and managers must be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company.
SECTION 12. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) Remedies. The Company and Holdings agree that monetary damages
(including the Liquidated Damages contemplated hereby) would not be adequate
compensation for any loss incurred by
17
reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agree to
waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law
would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not, and will cause
Holdings not to, 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.
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
securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c) Adjustments Affecting the Senior Notes. The Company will not take
any action, or permit any change to occur, with respect to the Senior Notes that
would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holders to Consummate
any Exchange Offer.
(d) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not
be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures
from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company has obtained the
written consent of Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or
consent to depart from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to the
rights of Holders whose securities are being tendered pursuant to the Exchange
Offer and that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights of other
Holders whose securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange Offer
may be given by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities being tendered or registered.
(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:
Anchor Advanced Products, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx X-000
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: President
With a copy to:
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Esq.
18
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five business
days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when
answered back, if telexed; when receipt acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the
next business day, if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight
delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be
concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the
address specified in the Indenture.
(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties,
including without limitation and without the need for an express assignment,
subsequent Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; provided, however, that
this Agreement shall not inure to the benefit of or be binding upon a successor
or assign of a Holder unless and to the extent such successor or assign acquired
Transfer Restricted Securities from such Holder.
(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.
(k) Entire Agreement. This Agreement together with the other
Operative Documents (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) is intended by the
parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete
and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto
in respect of the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions,
promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to
herein with respect to the registration rights granted by the Company with
respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities. This Agreement supersedes all
prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such
subject matter.
19
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of
the date first written above.
Anchor Advanced Products, Inc.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xx.
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xx.
Title: CEO and President
Anchor Holdings, Inc.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xx.
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xx.
Title: CEO and President
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
CIBC WOOD GUNDY SECURITIES CORP.
NATIONSBANC CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.
Acting on behalf of
itself, CIBC Wood Gundy Securities Corp.
and Nationsbanc Capital Markets, Inc.
By: XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
20
