Pier 1 Imports, Inc. Registration Rights Agreement
EXHIBIT 4.3
EXECUTION VERSION
$165,000,000
Pier 1 Imports, Inc.
6.375% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2036
February 14, 2006
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This Registration Rights Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of February
14, 2006, by and among Pier 1 Imports, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Guarantors
(as defined below) and X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. (the “Initial Purchaser”) to that certain
Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 8, 2006 (the “Purchase Agreement”) among the Company, the
Guarantors and the Initial Purchaser.
As an inducement to the Initial Purchaser to enter into the Purchase Agreement and in
satisfaction of a condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchaser thereunder, the Company
agrees with the Initial Purchaser, for the benefit of the holders (including the Initial Purchaser)
of the Notes and the Shares (as defined below) (collectively, the “Holders”), as follows:
1. Certain Definitions.
For purposes of this Registration Rights Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(a) “Additional Interest” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(d).
(b) “Additional Interest Payment Date” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section
2(d).
(c) “Agreement” means this Registration Rights Agreement, as the same may be amended
from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof.
(d) “Closing Date” means the date on which any Notes are initially issued.
(e) “Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any other federal
agency at the time administering the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, whichever is the
relevant statute for the particular purpose.
(f) “Company” has the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Agreement.
(g) “Deferral Notice” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3(b).
(h) “Deferral Period” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3(b).
(i) “Effective Period” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(a).
(j) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(k) “Guarantors” means all of the domestic subsidiaries of the Company that are
signatories hereto and all of the direct and indirect future domestic subsidiaries of the
Company who execute a supplemental indenture in order to become Guarantors in accordance
with the terms of the Indenture.
(l) “Guarantees” means the full and unconditional unsecured senior guarantees by the
Guarantors of the Notes in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.
(m) “Holder” means each holder, from time to time, of Registrable Securities (including
the Initial Purchaser).
(n) “Indenture” means the Indenture dated as of February 14, 2006 among the Company,
the Guarantors and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Trustee, pursuant to which
the Notes are being issued.
(o) “Initial Purchaser” has the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this
Agreement.
(p) “Material Event” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3(a)(iv).
(q) “Majority Holders” shall mean, on any date, holders of the majority of the Shares
constituting Registrable Securities; for the purposes of this definition, Holders of Notes
constituting Registrable Securities shall be deemed to be the Holders of the number of
Shares into which such Notes are or would be convertible as of such date.
(r) “NASD” shall mean the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(s) “NASD Rules” shall mean the Conduct Rules and the By-Laws of the NASD.
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(t) “Notes” mean the 6.375% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2036, to be issued under the
Indenture and sold by the Company to the Initial Purchaser.
(u) “Notice and Questionnaire” means a written notice delivered to the Company
containing substantially the information called for by the Form of Selling Securityholder
Notice and Questionnaire attached as Annex A to the Offering Memorandum.
(v) “Notice Holder” means, on any date, any Holder that has delivered a Notice and
Questionnaire to the Company on or prior to such date.
(w) “Offering Memorandum” means the Offering Memorandum dated February 8, 2006 relating
to the offer and sale of the Securities.
(x) “Person” means a corporation, association, partnership, organization, business,
individual, government or political subdivision thereof or governmental agency.
(y) “Prospectus” means the prospectus included in any Shelf Registration Statement, as
amended or supplemented by any amendment or prospectus supplement, including post-effective
amendments, and all materials incorporated by reference or explicitly deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
(z) “Purchase Agreement” has the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this
Agreement.
(aa) “Registrable Securities” means
(a) | the Notes, including the Guarantees, until the earliest of (i) their effective registration under the Securities Act and the resale of all such Notes in accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement, (ii) the expiration of the holding period applicable to such Notes under Rule 144(k) or any successor provision or similar provisions then in effect or (iii) the date on which all such notes have been converted or otherwise cease to be outstanding; | ||
(b) | the Shares, if any, issuable upon conversion of the Notes, until the earliest of (i) their effective registration under the Securities Act and the resale of all such Shares in accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement, (ii) the expiration of the holding period applicable to such Shares under Rule 144(k), (iii) the date on which all such Shares are freely transferable by persons who are not Affiliates of the Company without registration under the Securities Act, or (iv) the date on which all such shares of common stock cease to be outstanding. |
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(bb) “Registration Default” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(d).
(cc) “Registration Expenses” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.
(dd) “Rule 144,” “Rule 405” and “Rule 415” mean, in each case, such rule as promulgated
under the Securities Act.
(ee) “Securities” means, collectively, the Notes, the Guarantees and the Shares.
(ff) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
(gg) “Shares” means the shares of common stock of the Company, par value $1.00 per
share, into which the Notes are convertible or that have been issued upon any conversion
from Notes into common stock of the Company.
(hh) “Shelf Registration Statement” means the shelf registration statement referred to
in Section 2(a), as amended or supplemented by any amendment or supplement, including
post-effective amendments, and all materials incorporated by reference or explicitly deemed
to be incorporated by reference in such Shelf Registration Statement.
(ii) “Special Counsel” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.
(jj) “Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or any
successor thereto, and the rules, regulations and forms promulgated thereunder, all as the
same shall be amended from time to time.
(kk) “Trustee” shall have the meaning assigned such term in the Indenture.
Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference herein to a “Section” or “clause” refers
to a Section or clause, as the case may be, of this Agreement, and the words “herein,” “hereof” and
“hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular Section or other subdivision. Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to a
statute, rule or regulation refers to the same (including any successor statute, rule or regulation
thereto) as it may be amended from time to time.
2. Registration Under the Securities Act.
(a) The Company and the Guarantors agree to file under the Securities Act as promptly
as practicable but in any event within 120 days after the Closing Date a shelf registration
statement providing for the registration of, and the sale on a continuous or delayed basis
by the Holders of, all of the Registrable Securities, and, if necessary by the Company of
all of the Shares, pursuant to Rule 415 or any similar rule that may be adopted by the
Commission. The Company and the Guarantors agree to use their reasonable best efforts to
cause the Shelf Registration Statement to become or be declared effective within 210 days
after the Closing Date and to keep such Shelf
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Registration Statement continuously effective
until each of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement ceases
to be a Registrable Security (the “Effective Period”). None of the Company’s or any
Guarantor’s securityholders (other than Holders of Registrable Securities) shall have the
right to include any of the Company’s securities in the Shelf Registration Statement.
(b) The Company and each Guarantor further agrees that they shall cause the Shelf
Registration Statement and the related Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto,
as of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or such amendment or
supplement, (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the
Securities Act; and (ii) not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made) not misleading, and the Company and each Guarantor agrees to furnish
to the Holders of the Registrable Securities copies of any supplement or amendment prior to
its being used or promptly following its filing with the Commission; provided, however, that
the Company and each Guarantor shall have no obligation to deliver to Holders of Registrable
Securities copies of any amendment consisting exclusively of an Exchange Act report or other
Exchange Act filing otherwise publicly available on the Company’s website. If the Shelf
Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented from time to time, ceases to be effective
for any reason at any time during the Effective Period (other than because all Registrable
Securities registered thereunder shall have been sold pursuant thereto or shall have
otherwise ceased to be Registrable Securities), the Company and each Guarantor shall use
their reasonable best efforts to obtain the prompt withdrawal of any order suspending the
effectiveness thereof.
(c) Each Holder of Registrable Securities agrees that if such Holder wishes to sell
Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and related Prospectus,
it will do so only in accordance with this Section 2(c) and Section 3(b). From and after
the date the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective, the Company and each
Guarantor shall, as promptly as is practicable after the date a Notice and Questionnaire is
delivered, and in any event within five (5) Business Days after such date,
(i) if required by applicable law, file with the Commission a post-effective
amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement or prepare and, if required by
applicable law, file a supplement to the related Prospectus or a supplement or
amendment to any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other
required document so that the Holder delivering such Notice and Questionnaire is
named as a selling security holder in the Shelf Registration Statement and the
related Prospectus in such a manner as to permit such Holder to deliver such
Prospectus to purchasers of the Registrable Securities in accordance with applicable
law and, if the Company and each Guarantor shall file a post-effective amendment to
the Shelf Registration Statement, use their reasonable best efforts to cause such
post-effective amendment to be declared effective under the Securities Act as
promptly as is practicable;
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(ii) provide such Holder copies of any documents filed pursuant to Section
2(c)(i); and
(iii) notify such Holder as promptly as practicable after the effectiveness
under the Securities Act of any post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Section
2(c)(i);
provided, that if such Notice and Questionnaire is delivered during a Deferral Period, the
Company shall so inform the Holder delivering such Notice and Questionnaire and shall take
the actions set forth in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above upon expiration of the Deferral
Period in accordance with Section 3(b). Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the
contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to name any Holder that is not a Notice
Holder as a selling securityholder in any Shelf Registration Statement or related
Prospectus; provided, however, that any Holder that becomes a Notice Holder pursuant to the
provisions of this Section 2(c) (whether or not such Holder was a Notice Holder at the time
the Shelf Registration Statement was declared effective) shall be named as a selling
securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement or related Prospectus in accordance with
the requirements of this Section 2(c).
(d) If any of the following events (any such event a “Registration Default”) shall
occur, then additional interest (the “Additional Interest”) shall become payable by the
Company and each Guarantor to Holders in respect of the Notes as follows:
(i) if the Shelf Registration Statement is not filed with the Commission within
120 days following the Closing Date, then commencing on the 121st day after the
Closing Date, Additional Interest shall accrue on the principal amount of the
outstanding Notes at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90 days following such
121st day and at a rate of 0.5% per annum thereafter; or
(ii) if the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective by the
Commission within 210 days following the Closing Date, then commencing on the
211th day after the Closing Date, Additional Interest shall accrue on the
principal amount of the outstanding Notes at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first
90 days following such 211th day and at a rate of 0.5% per annum
thereafter; or
(iii) if the Company or any Guarantor has failed to perform its obligations set
forth in Section 2(c) hereof within the time periods required therein, then
commencing on the first day after the date by which the Company or any Guarantor was
required to perform such obligations, Additional Interest shall accrue on the
principal amount of the outstanding Notes at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first
90 days and at a rate of 0.5% per annum thereafter;
(iv) if the Shelf Registration Statement has been declared effective but such
Shelf Registration Statement ceases to be effective at any time during the
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Effective Period (other than pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof), then commencing on the day such
Shelf Registration Statement ceases to be effective, Additional Interest shall
accrue on the principal amount of the outstanding Notes at a rate of 0.25% per annum
for the first 90 days following such date on which the Shelf Registration Statement
ceases to be effective and at a rate of 0.5% per annum thereafter; or
(v) if the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in any period exceeds the
number of days permitted in respect of such period pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof,
then commencing on the day the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in any period
exceeds the number of days permitted in respect of such period (and again on the
first day of any subsequent Deferral Period during such period), Additional Interest
shall accrue on the principal amount of the outstanding Notes that are Registrable
Securities at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90 days and at a rate of 0.5%
per annum thereafter;
provided, however, that the Additional Interest rate on the Notes shall not exceed in the
aggregate 0.5% per annum and shall not be payable under more than one clause above for any
given period of time, except that if Additional Interest would be payable under more than
one clause above, but at a rate of 0.25% per annum under one clause and at a rate of 0.5%
per annum under the other, then the Additional Interest rate shall be the higher rate of
0.5% per annum; provided further, however, that (1) upon the filing of the Shelf
Registration Statement (in the case of clause (i) above), (2) upon the effectiveness of the
Shelf Registration Statement (in the case of clause (ii) above), (3) upon the performance by
the Company and each Guarantor of their obligations set forth in Section 2(c) hereof within
the time periods required therein (in the case of clause (iii) above), (4) upon the
effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement which had ceased to remain effective (in
the case of clause (iv) above), (5) upon the termination of the Deferral Period that caused
the limit on the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in a period set forth in Section
3(b) to be exceeded (in the case of clause (v) above), (6) upon the termination of certain
transfer restrictions on the Securities as a result of the application of Rule 144(k) or any
successor provision or (7) for any period after the second anniversary from the Closing
Date, Additional Interest on the Notes as a result of such clause, as the case may be, shall
cease to accrue.
Additional Interest on the Notes, if any, will be payable in cash on February 15 and
August 15 of each year (the “Additional Interest Payment Date”) to holders of record of
outstanding Notes that are Registrable Securities at the close of business on February 1 or
August 1, as the case may be, immediately preceding the relevant interest payment date,
provided that in the case of an event of the type described in clause (iii) above, such
Additional Interest shall be paid only to the Holders that have delivered Notice and
Questionnaires that caused the Company and the Guarantors to incur the obligations set forth
in Section 2(c), the non-performance of which is the basis of such Registration Default;
provided further that any Additional Interest accrued with respect to any Notes or portion
thereof called for redemption on a redemption date or
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converted into Shares on a conversion
date prior to the Registration Default shall, in any such event, be paid instead to the
Holder who submitted such Notes or portion thereof for redemption or conversion on the
applicable redemption date or conversion date, as the case may be, on such date (or promptly
following the conversion date, in the case of conversion). Following the cure of all
Registration Defaults requiring the payment of Additional Interest to the Holders of Notes
that are Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section, the accrual of Additional Interest
will cease (without in any way limiting the
effect of any subsequent Registration Default requiring the payment of Additional Interest).
The Company and each Guarantor shall notify the Trustee immediately upon the happening
of each and every Registration Default. The Trustee shall be entitled, on behalf of Holders
of Securities, to seek any available remedy for the enforcement of this Agreement, including
for the payment of any Additional Interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties
agree that the sole monetary damages payable for a violation of the terms of this Agreement
with respect to which additional monetary amounts are expressly provided shall be as set
forth in this Section 2(d). Nothing shall preclude a Notice Holder or Holder of Registrable
Securities from pursuing or obtaining specific performance or other equitable relief with
respect to this Agreement.
3. Registration Procedures.
The following provisions shall apply to the Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to
Section 2:
(a) The Company and each Guarantor shall:
(i) prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement with respect
to the shelf registration on any form which may be utilized by the Company and which
shall permit the disposition of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the
intended method or methods thereof, as specified in writing by the Holders of the
Registrable Securities, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such
registration statement to become effective in accordance with Section 2(a) above;
(ii) before filing any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or any
amendments or supplements thereto with the Commission, furnish to the Initial
Purchaser copies of all such documents proposed to be filed and use reasonable best
efforts to reflect in each such document when so filed with the Commission such
comments as the Initial Purchaser reasonably shall propose within three (3) Business
Days of the delivery of such copies to the Initial Purchaser;
(iii) use its reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the Commission
such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Shelf Registration Statement
and file with the Commission any other required document as may be necessary to keep
such Shelf Registration Statement continuously
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effective until the expiration of the
Effective Period; cause the related Prospectus to be supplemented by any required
prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (or
any similar provisions then in force) under the Securities Act; and comply with the
provisions of the Securities Act applicable to it with respect to the disposition of
all Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement during the Effective
Period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the sellers thereof
set forth in such Shelf Registration Statement as so amended or such Prospectus as
so supplemented;
(iv) promptly notify the Notice Holders of Registrable Securities (A) when such
Shelf Registration Statement or the Prospectus included therein or any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus or post-effective amendment has been filed with the
Commission, and, with respect to such Shelf Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective, (B) of any request,
following the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, by the Commission
or any other Federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements
to the Shelf Registration Statement or related Prospectus or for additional
information, (C) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of such Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation or written
threat of any proceedings for that purpose, (D) of the receipt by the Company or any
Guarantor of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of
the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or written
threat of any proceeding for such purpose, (E) of the occurrence of (but not the
nature of or details concerning) any event or the existence of any fact (a “Material
Event”) as a result of which any Shelf Registration Statement shall contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or any
Prospectus shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any 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, not
misleading (provided, however, that no notice by the Company shall be required
pursuant to this clause (E) in the event that the Company either promptly files a
prospectus supplement to update the Prospectus or a Form 8-K or other appropriate
Exchange Act report that is incorporated by reference into the Shelf Registration
Statement, which, in either case, contains the requisite information with respect to
such Material Event that results in such Shelf Registration Statement no longer
containing any untrue statement of material fact or omitting to state a material
fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading), (F) of the
determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to the Shelf
Registration Statement will be filed with the Commission, which notice may, at the
discretion of the Company (or as required pursuant to Section 3(b)), state that it
constitutes a Deferral Notice, in which event the provisions of Section 3(b) shall
apply or (G) at any time when a Prospectus is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act, that the Shelf Registration
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Statement, Prospectus, Prospectus
amendment or supplement or post-effective amendment does not conform in all material
respects to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust
Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(v) prior to any public offering of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Shelf Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts to register or
qualify, or cooperate with the Notice Holders of Securities included therein and
their respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification of,
such Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such
jurisdictions as any such Notice Holders reasonably requests in writing and do
any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale
in such jurisdictions of the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement;
prior to any public offering of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts to keep each such
registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the
Effective Period in connection with such Notice Holder’s offer and sale of
Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration or qualification (or exemption
therefrom) and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable
the disposition in such jurisdictions of such Registrable Securities in the manner
set forth in the Shelf Registration Statement and the related Prospectus; provided
that the Company will not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action which would
subject it to general service of process or to taxation in any such jurisdiction
where it is not then so subject;
(vi) use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of, and if issued,
to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Shelf
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, and to lift any
suspension of the qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction in which they have been qualified for sale, in each case at the
earliest practicable date;
(vii) upon reasonable notice, for a reasonable period prior to the filing of
the Shelf Registration Statement, and throughout the Effective Period, (i) make
reasonably available for inspection by a representative of, and Special Counsel
acting for, Majority Holders of the Securities being sold and any underwriter (and
its counsel) participating in any disposition of Securities pursuant to such Shelf
Registration Statement, all relevant financial and other records, pertinent
corporate documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries and (ii) use
reasonable best efforts to have their officers, directors, employees, accountants
and counsel supply all relevant information reasonably requested by such
representative, Special Counsel or any such underwriter in connection with such
Shelf Registration Statement;
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(viii) if requested by Majority Holders of the Securities being sold in an
underwriting, its Special Counsel or the managing underwriters (if any) in
connection with such Shelf Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts
to cause (i) its counsel to deliver an opinion relating to the Shelf Registration
Statement and the Securities in customary form, (ii) its officers to execute and
deliver all customary documents and certificates requested by the Majority Holders
of the Securities being sold, their Special Counsel or the managing underwriters (if
any) and (iii) its independent public accountants to provide a comfort letter or
letters in customary form, subject to receipt of appropriate documentation as
contemplated, and only if permitted, by Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72;
(ix) if reasonably requested by the Initial Purchaser or any Notice Holder,
promptly incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the
Shelf Registration Statement such information as the Initial Purchaser or such
Notice Holder shall, on the basis of a written opinion of nationally-recognized
counsel experienced in such matters, determine to be required to be included therein
by applicable law and make any required filings of such prospectus supplement or
such post-effective amendment; provided, that the Company shall not be required to
take any actions under this Section 3(a)(ix) that are not, in the reasonable opinion
of counsel for the Company, in compliance with applicable law;
(x) promptly furnish to each Notice Holder and the Initial Purchaser, upon
their request and without charge, at least one (1) conformed copy of the Shelf
Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, including financial statements
but excluding schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference and all exhibits; provided, however, that the Company shall
have no obligation to deliver to Notice Holders or the Initial Purchaser a copy of
any amendment consisting exclusively of an Exchange Act report or other Exchange Act
filing otherwise publicly available on the Company’s website;
(xi) during the Effective Period, deliver to each Notice Holder in connection
with any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus relating to such
Registrable Securities (including each preliminary prospectus) and any amendment or
supplement thereto as such Notice Holder may reasonably request; and the Company
hereby consents (except during such periods that a Deferral Notice is outstanding
and has not been revoked) to the use of such Prospectus or each amendment or
supplement thereto by each Notice Holder in connection with any offering and sale of
the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto in the manner set forth therein; and
(xii) cooperate with the Notice Holders of Securities to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Securities to be sold
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pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Holders thereof may request in
writing at least two business days prior to sales of Securities pursuant to such
Shelf Registration Statement.
(b) Upon (A) the issuance by the Commission of a stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation of proceedings with
respect to the Shelf Registration Statement under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities
Act, (B) the occurrence of any event or the existence of any Material Event as a result of
which the Shelf Registration Statement shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, or any Prospectus shall contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any 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, not misleading, or (C) the occurrence or existence of any corporate
development that, in the discretion of the Company, makes it appropriate to suspend the
availability of the Shelf Registration Statement and the related Prospectus, the Company
will (i) in the case of clause (B) above, subject to the third sentence of this provision,
as promptly as practicable prepare and file a post-effective amendment to such Shelf
Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document
incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document that would be
incorporated by reference into such Shelf Registration Statement and Prospectus so that such
Shelf Registration Statement does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and such Prospectus does not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any 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, not misleading, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable
Securities being sold thereunder, and, in the case of a post-effective amendment to the
Shelf Registration Statement, subject to the third sentence of this provision, use
reasonable best efforts to cause it to be declared effective as promptly as is practicable,
and (ii) give notice to the Notice Holders that the availability of the Shelf Registration
Statement is suspended (a “Deferral Notice”). Upon receipt of any Deferral Notice, each
Notice Holder agrees not to sell any Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement until such Notice Holder’s receipt of copies of the supplemented or
amended Prospectus provided for in clause (i) above, or until it is advised in writing by
the Company that the Prospectus may be used, and has received copies of any additional or
supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in such
Prospectus. The Company and each Guarantor will use its reasonable best efforts to ensure
that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed (x) in the case of clause (A) above, as
promptly as practicable, (y) in the case of clause (B) above, as soon as, in the sole
judgment of the Company, public disclosure of such Material Event would not be prejudicial
to or contrary to the interests of the Company or, if necessary to avoid unreasonable burden
or expense, as soon as practicable thereafter and (z) in the case of clause (C) above, as
soon as, in the discretion of the Company, such
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suspension is no longer appropriate;
provided that the period during which the availability of the Shelf Registration Statement
and any Prospectus is suspended (the “Deferral Period”), without the Company incurring any
obligation to pay Additional Interest pursuant to Section 2(d), shall not exceed one hundred
and twenty (120) days in the aggregate in any twelve (12) month period.
(c) Each Holder of Registrable Securities agrees that upon receipt of any Deferral
Notice from the Company, such Holder shall forthwith discontinue (and cause any placement or
sales agent or underwriters acting on their behalf to discontinue) the disposition of
Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement applicable to such Registrable
Securities until such Holder (i) shall have received copies of such amended or supplemented
Prospectus and, if so directed by the Company, such Holder shall 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 Registrable
Securities at the time of receipt of such notice or (ii) shall have received notice
from the Company that the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf
Registration may continue.
(d) The Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities as to which any
registration pursuant to Section 2(a) is being effected to furnish to the Company such
information regarding such Holder and such Holder’s intended method of distribution of such
Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing,
but only to the extent that such information is required in order to comply with the
Securities Act. Each such Holder agrees to notify the Company as promptly as practicable of
any inaccuracy or change in information previously furnished by such Holder to the Company
or of the occurrence of any event in either case as a result of which any Prospectus
relating to such registration contains or would contain an untrue statement of a material
fact regarding such Holder or such Holder’s intended method of disposition of such
Registrable Securities or omits to state any material fact regarding such Holder or such
Holder’s intended method of disposition of such Registrable Securities required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and promptly to furnish
to the Company any additional information required to correct and update any previously
furnished information or required so that such Prospectus shall not contain, with respect to
such Holder or the disposition of such Registrable Securities, an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading.
(e) The Company and each Guarantor shall comply with all applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission and make generally available to its securityholders earning
statements (which need not be audited) satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the
Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any similar rule promulgated under the Securities
Act) no later than 40 days after the end of any 12-month period (or 75 days after the end of
any 12-month period if such period is a fiscal year) commencing on the first day of the
first fiscal quarter of the Company commencing after the effective date of the Shelf
Registration Statement, which statements shall cover said 12-month periods.
13
(f) The Company shall provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities covered by
the Shelf Registration Statement not later than the effective date of such Shelf
Registration Statement and provide the Trustee for the Notes and the transfer agent for the
Shares with printed certificates for the Registrable Securities that are in a form eligible
for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.
(g) The Company and each Guarantor shall use its reasonable best efforts to provide
such information as is required for any filings required to be made with the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(h) Until the expiration of the Effectiveness Period, the Company will not, and will
not permit any of its “affiliates” (as defined in Rule 144) to, resell any of the Securities
that have been reacquired by any of them except pursuant to an effective registration
statement under the Securities Act.
(i) The Company and each of the Guarantors shall cause the Indenture to be qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act in a timely manner.
(j) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements and take all such other
necessary and lawful actions in connection therewith (including those requested by the
Majority Holders of the Registrable Securities being sold) in order to expedite or
facilitate disposition of such Registrable Securities.
4. Holder’s Obligations.
Each Holder agrees, by acquisition of the Registrable Securities, that no Holder of
Registrable Securities shall be entitled to sell any of such Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Shelf Registration Statement or to receive a Prospectus relating thereto, unless such Holder has
furnished the Company with a Notice and Questionnaire as required pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof
(including the information required to be included in such Notice and Questionnaire) and the
information set forth in the next sentence. Each Notice Holder agrees promptly to furnish to the
Company all information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously
furnished to the Company by such Notice Holder not misleading and any other information regarding
such Notice Holder and the distribution of such Registrable Securities as may be required to be
disclosed in the Shelf Registration Statement under applicable law or pursuant to Commission
comments. Each Holder further agrees not to sell any Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf
Registration Statement without delivering, or causing to be delivered, a Prospectus to the
purchaser thereof and, following termination of the Effective Period, to notify the Company, within
10 Business Days of a request by the Company, of the amount of Registrable Securities sold pursuant
to the Shelf Registration Statement and, in the absence of a response, the Company may assume that
all of the Holder’s Registrable Securities were so sold.
14
5. Registration Expenses.
The Company and each Guarantor agrees to bear and to pay or cause to be paid promptly upon
request being made therefor all expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance
with this Agreement, including, but not limited to, (a) all Commission and any NASD registration
and filing fees and expenses, (b) all fees and expenses in connection with the qualification of the
Securities for offering and sale under the State securities and Blue Sky laws referred to in
Section 3(a)(v) hereof, including reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the
placement agent or underwriters, if any, in connection with such qualifications, (c) all expenses
relating to the preparation, printing, distribution and reproduction of the Shelf Registration
Statement, the related Prospectus, each amendment or supplement to each of the foregoing, the
certificates representing the Securities and all other documents relating hereto, (d) fees and
expenses of the Trustee under the Indenture, any escrow agent or custodian, and of the registrar
and transfer agent for the Shares, (e) fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel and independent
certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any reports required by the
Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder to be included or incorporated by reference
in the Shelf Registration Statement or “cold comfort” letters required by or incident to such
performance and compliance) and (f) reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of one counsel for
the Holders of Registrable Securities retained in connection with the
Shelf Registration Statement, as selected by the Company (unless reasonably objected to by the
Majority Holders of the Registrable Securities being registered, in which case the Majority Holders
shall select such counsel for the Holders)(“Special Counsel”), and fees, expenses and disbursements
of any other Persons, including special experts, retained by the Company in connection with such
registration (collectively, the “Registration Expenses”). To the extent that any Registration
Expenses are incurred, assumed or paid by any Holder of Registrable Securities or any underwriter
or placement agent therefor, the Company shall reimburse such Person for the full amount of the
Registration Expenses so incurred, assumed or paid promptly after receipt of a documented request
therefor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Holders of the Registrable Securities being
registered shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions and placement agent fees and
commissions attributable to the sale of such Registrable Securities and the fees and disbursements
of any counsel or other advisors or experts retained by such Holders (severally or jointly), other
than the counsel and experts specifically referred to above.
6. Indemnification.
(a) The Company and each Guarantor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder
(including, without limitation, the Initial Purchaser), the directors, officers, employees
and Affiliates of the Initial Purchaser and each person who controls such Holder within the
meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the
Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law
or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in any such Registration Statement or any prospectus forming part
thereof or in any amendment or
15
supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the
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, not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as
incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided,
however, that neither the Company nor any Guarantor will not be liable in any such case to
the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any
such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission from any
such document, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information provided by a
Holder in its most recent Notice and Questionnaire; provided further, that with respect to
any untrue statement or omission of material fact from any related preliminary prospectus,
the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any
Holder from whom the Person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability purchased
the securities concerned, to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability of
such Holder occurs under the circumstance that (y) the untrue statement or omission of a
material fact from the related preliminary prospectus was corrected in the final prospectus
unless, in either case, such failure to deliver the final Prospectus was a result of
non-compliance by the Company with Section 3 and (z) there was not sent or given to such
Person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of
such securities to such Person, a copy of the final prospectus. This indemnity
agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company or any Guarantor may
otherwise have.
(b) Each Holder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each Guarantor, each
of its directors, each of its officers, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or
any Guarantor within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Company or any
Guarantor may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state
statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any such
Registration Statement or any prospectus forming part thereof or in any amendment or
supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the 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, not
misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
any information furnished to the Company by such Holder in its most recent Notice and
Questionnaire, and agrees to reimburse the Company, as incurred, for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any such
loss, claim, damage, liability or action provided, however, that no such Holder shall be
liable for any indemnity claims hereunder in excess of the amount of net proceeds received
by such Holder from the sale of Securities pursuant to such Shelf
16
Registration Statement.
This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any such Holder may
otherwise have.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of notice of
the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof
is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 6, notify the indemnifying
party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying
party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to
the extent it has been materially prejudiced through the forfeiture by the indemnifying
party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the
indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the
indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b). If any action shall be brought
against an indemnified party and it shall have notified the indemnifying party thereof, the
indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel (including local counsel) of the
indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified
party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying
party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel,
other than local counsel if not appointed by the indemnifying party, retained by the
indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such
counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the
indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel (including local counsel) to represent the
indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and
the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate
counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the
indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest; (ii) the actual or
potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party
and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that
there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties that are
different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party; (iii) the
indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice
of the institution of such action; or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the
indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An
indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties,
settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or
threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or
contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or
potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent
includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out
of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
17
(d) The provisions of this Section 6 and Section 7 shall remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Holder, the Company, or
any of the indemnified Persons referred to in this Section 6 and Section 7, and shall
survive the sale by a Holder of securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement.
7. Contribution.
If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 is unavailable or insufficient to hold
harmless an indemnified party under Section 6(a) or 6(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in
lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect
thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company from the offering and sale of the Notes, on the one hand, and a Holder with respect
to the sale by such Holder of Securities, on the other, 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 Guarantors on the one hand and such Holder on the other with respect to the
statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in
respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and a Holder on the other with respect
to such offering and such sale shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net
proceeds from the offering of the Notes (excluding discounts and commissions, but before deducting
expenses) received by or on behalf of the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the
total net proceeds (excluding discounts and commissions, but before deducting expenses) received by
such Holder upon a resale of the Securities, on the other, bear to the total gross
proceeds from the sale all Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in the offering
of the Securities from which the contribution claim arises. The relative fault 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 the Company and the
Guarantors or information supplied by the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand or to any
information contained in the relevant Notice and Questionnaire supplied by such Holder on the
other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that
it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 7 were to be
determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into
account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect
thereof, referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this
Section 7, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection
with investigating or defending or preparing to defend any such action or claim. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Section 7, an indemnifying party that is a Holder of Securities shall not be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the
Securities sold by such indemnifying party to any purchaser exceeds the amount of any damages which
such indemnifying party has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
18
fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
8. Rule 144A and Rule 144.
So long as any Registrable Securities remain outstanding, the Company and each of the
Guarantors shall use its reasonable best efforts to file the reports required to be filed by it
under Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act in a timely manner and, if at
any time the Company and each of the Guarantors is not required to file such reports, it will, upon
the written request of any Holder of Restricted Securities, make publicly available other
information so long as necessary to permit sales of such Holder’s securities pursuant to Rules 144
and 144A. The Company and each of the Guarantors covenants that it will take such further action
as any Holder of Restricted Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time
to time to enable such Holder to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the
Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including,
without limitation, the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). Upon the written request of any Holder
of Registrable Securities, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written statement as to
whether it and each of the Guarantors has complied with such requirements. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, nothing in this Section 8 shall be deemed to require the Company or any of the
Guarantors to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.
9. Miscellaneous.
(a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended,
modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not
be given, unless the Company has obtained the written consent of the Majority
Holders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions
hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose Securities
are being sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and that does not directly or
indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of a majority in aggregate
amount of the Securities being sold by such Holders pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder
shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail, telecopier or air courier guaranteeing
next-day delivery:
(1) If to the Company, initially at the address set forth in the Purchase
Agreement;
(2) If to the Initial Purchaser, initially at the address set forth in the
Purchase Agreement; and
(3) If to a Holder, to the address of such Holder set forth in the security
register, the Notice and Questionnaire or other records of the Company.
19
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: when delivered by
hand, if personally delivered; one business day after being delivered to a next-day air courier;
five business days after being deposited in the mail; and when receipt is acknowledged by the
recipient’s telecopier machine, if sent by telecopier.
(c) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company, each
Guarantor and each of their respective successors and assigns.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (which
may be delivered in original form or by telecopier) 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.
(e) Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) the term “business day”
means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. is open for trading, (b) the term
“subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and (c) except where
otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the
Securities Act.
(f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only
and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(g) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York.
(h) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by any Holder of any of
their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be,
in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery
of damages (other than the recovery of damages for a breach by the Company of its obligations
under Section 3 hereof for which Additional Interest have been paid pursuant to Section 2 hereof),
will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each
Holder agree that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by
reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agree that,
in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the
defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(i) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company and each of the Guarantors represents,
warrants and agrees that (i) it has not entered into, shall not, on or after the date of this
Agreement, enter into any agreement that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in
this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof, (ii) it has not previously
entered into any agreement which remains in effect granting any registration rights with respect to
any of its debt securities to any person and (iii) without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, without the written consent of the Majority Holders, it shall not grant to any Person
the right to request the Company to register any securities of the Company under the Securities Act
unless the rights so granted are not in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of this
Agreement.
20
(j) No Piggyback on Registrations. Neither the Company nor any of its security
holders (other than the Holders of Restricted Securities in such capacity) shall have the right to
include any securities of the Company in any Shelf Registration Statement other than Registrable
Securities.
(k) Severability. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of
any remedies provided by law. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is
held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto shall use their reasonable best efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve
the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or
restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they
would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including
any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(l) Survival. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and
each other provision set forth in this Agreement or made pursuant hereto shall remain in full force
and effect regardless of any investigation (or statement as to the results thereof) made by or on
behalf of any Holder of Registrable Securities, any director, officer or partner of such Holder,
any agent or underwriter or any director, officer or partner thereof, or any controlling person of
any of the foregoing, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Registrable Securities
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and the transfer and registration of Registrable Securities by
such Holder.
(m) Securities Held by the Company, etc. Whenever the consent or approval of Holders
of a specified percentage of Securities is required hereunder, Securities held by the Company or
its affiliates (other than subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders
are deemed to be affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities) shall not
be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such
required percentage.
21
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and
return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument will become a binding agreement among
the Company and the Initial Purchaser in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||||||
THE COMPANY | ||||||
PIER 1 IMPORTS, INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Title: | Executive Vice President - Finance,
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |
|||||
THE GUARANTORS |
PIER 1 ASSETS, INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||||
Title: Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |
||||||
PIER 1 KIDS, INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||||
Title: Executive Vice President | ||||||
PIER 1 LICENSING, INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||||
Title: Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |
PIER 1 IMPORTS (U.S.), INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||||
Title: Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer |
||||||
PIER 1 VALUE SERVICES, LLC |
By: | Pier 1 Imports (U.S.), Inc., | |||||||
its sole member and manager | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||||||
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
PIER 1 HOLDINGS, INC. | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||||
Title: Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer |
||||||
PIER 1 SERVICES COMPANY, | ||||||
a Delaware statutory trust |
By: | Pier 1 Holdings, Inc., | |||||||
its managing trustee | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||||||
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Accepted: February 14, 2006
By: X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx | |||||||
Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx | |||||||
Title: | Vice President |