FORM OF CONTINGENT VALUE RIGHTS AGREEMENT by and between COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC. and [TRUSTEE] Dated as of [—]
Exhibit 10.1
FORM OF
CONTINGENT VALUE RIGHTS AGREEMENT
by and between
COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC.
and
[TRUSTEE]
Dated as of [—]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION |
1 | |||||
SECTION 1.1 |
Definitions |
1 | ||||
SECTION 1.2 |
Compliance and Opinions |
7 | ||||
SECTION 1.3 |
Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee |
8 | ||||
SECTION 1.4 |
Acts of Holders |
8 | ||||
SECTION 1.5 |
Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company |
10 | ||||
SECTION 1.6 |
Notice to Holders; Waiver |
10 | ||||
SECTION 1.7 |
Conflict with the Trust Indenture Act |
10 | ||||
SECTION 1.8 |
Effect of Headings and Table of Contents |
10 | ||||
SECTION 1.9 |
Benefits of Agreement |
10 | ||||
SECTION 1.10 |
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial |
11 | ||||
SECTION 1.11 |
Legal Holidays |
12 | ||||
SECTION 1.12 |
Separability Clause |
12 | ||||
SECTION 1.13 |
No Recourse Against Others |
12 | ||||
SECTION 1.14 |
Counterparts |
12 | ||||
SECTION 1.15 |
Acceptance of Trust |
12 | ||||
SECTION 1.16 |
Termination |
12 | ||||
ARTICLE 2 SECURITY FORMS | 13 | |||||
SECTION 2.1 |
Forms Generally |
13 | ||||
ARTICLE 3 THE SECURITIES | 13 | |||||
SECTION 3.1 |
Title and Payment Terms |
13 | ||||
SECTION 3.2 |
Registrable Form |
15 | ||||
SECTION 3.3 |
Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating |
15 | ||||
SECTION 3.4 |
Intentionally Omitted |
16 | ||||
SECTION 3.5 |
Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange |
16 | ||||
SECTION 3.6 |
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities |
17 | ||||
SECTION 3.7 |
Payments with Respect to CVR Certificates |
17 | ||||
SECTION 3.8 |
Persons Deemed Owners |
17 | ||||
SECTION 3.9 |
Cancellation |
17 | ||||
SECTION 3.10 |
CUSIP Numbers |
18 | ||||
ARTICLE 4 THE TRUSTEE | 18 | |||||
SECTION 4.1 |
Certain Duties and Responsibilities |
18 | ||||
SECTION 4.2 |
Certain Rights of Trustee |
19 | ||||
SECTION 4.3 |
Notice of Breach |
20 | ||||
SECTION 4.4 |
Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities |
20 | ||||
SECTION 4.5 |
May Hold Securities |
20 | ||||
SECTION 4.6 |
Money Held in Trust |
20 | ||||
SECTION 4.7 |
Compensation and Reimbursement |
21 |
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SECTION 4.8 |
Disqualification; Conflicting Interests |
21 | ||||
SECTION 4.9 |
Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility |
22 | ||||
SECTION 4.10 |
Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor |
22 | ||||
SECTION 4.11 |
Acceptance of Appointment of Successor |
23 | ||||
SECTION 4.12 |
Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business |
23 | ||||
SECTION 4.13 |
Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company |
24 | ||||
ARTICLE 5 HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE TRUSTEE AND COMPANY |
24 | |||||
SECTION 5.1 |
Company to Furnish Trustee with Names and Addresses of Holders |
24 | ||||
SECTION 5.2 |
Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders |
24 | ||||
SECTION 5.3 |
Reports by Trustee |
25 | ||||
SECTION 5.4 |
Reports by Company |
25 | ||||
ARTICLE 6 AMENDMENTS |
26 | |||||
SECTION 6.1 |
Amendments without Consent of Holders |
26 | ||||
SECTION 6.2 |
Amendments with Consent of Holders |
26 | ||||
SECTION 6.3 |
Execution of Amendments |
27 | ||||
SECTION 6.4 |
Effect of Amendments; Notice to Holders |
27 | ||||
SECTION 6.5 |
Conformity with Trust Indenture Act |
27 | ||||
SECTION 6.6 |
Reference in Securities to Amendments |
27 | ||||
ARTICLE 7 COVENANTS |
28 | |||||
SECTION 7.1 |
Payment of Amounts, if any, to Holders |
28 | ||||
SECTION 7.2 |
Maintenance of Office or Agency |
28 | ||||
SECTION 7.3 |
Money for Security Payments to Be Held in Trust |
29 | ||||
SECTION 7.4 |
Certain Purchases and Sales |
29 | ||||
SECTION 7.5 |
Books and Records |
29 | ||||
SECTION 7.6 |
Listing of CVRs |
29 | ||||
SECTION 7.7 |
Existing Litigation |
30 | ||||
SECTION 7.8 |
Notice of Breach |
30 | ||||
SECTION 7.9 |
Non-Use of Name |
30 | ||||
ARTICLE 8 REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND HOLDERS IN THE EVENT OF BREACH |
30 | |||||
SECTION 8.1 |
Breach Defined; Waiver of Breach |
30 | ||||
SECTION 8.2 |
Collection by the Trustee; the Trustee May Prove Payment Obligations |
31 | ||||
SECTION 8.3 |
Application of Proceeds |
33 | ||||
SECTION 8.4 |
Suits for Enforcement |
33 | ||||
SECTION 8.5 |
Restoration of Rights on Abandonment of Proceedings |
33 | ||||
SECTION 8.6 |
Limitations on Suits by Holders |
34 | ||||
SECTION 8.7 |
Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Payment |
34 | ||||
SECTION 8.8 |
Powers and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver of Breach |
34 | ||||
SECTION 8.9 |
Control by Holders |
35 |
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SECTION 8.10 |
Waiver of Past Breaches |
35 | ||||
SECTION 8.11 |
The Trustee to Give Notice of Breach, But May Withhold in Certain Circumstances |
35 | ||||
SECTION 8.12 |
Right of Court to Require Filing of Undertaking to Pay Costs |
36 | ||||
ARTICLE 9 CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE |
36 | |||||
SECTION 9.1 |
Successor Person Substituted |
36 | ||||
SECTION 9.2 |
Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee |
37 | ||||
SECTION 9.3 |
Successors |
37 | ||||
ARTICLE 10 SUBORDINATION |
38 | |||||
SECTION 10.1 |
Agreement to Subordinate |
38 | ||||
SECTION 10.2 |
Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy |
38 | ||||
SECTION 10.3 |
When Distribution Must be Paid Over |
38 | ||||
SECTION 10.4 |
Notice by the Company |
39 | ||||
SECTION 10.5 |
Subrogation |
39 | ||||
SECTION 10.6 |
Relative Rights |
39 | ||||
SECTION 10.7 |
Subordination May Not be Impaired by the Company |
39 | ||||
SECTION 10.8 |
Distribution or Notice to the Representative |
39 | ||||
SECTION 10.9 |
Rights of the Trustee |
40 | ||||
SECTION 10.10 |
Authorization to Effect Subordination |
40 | ||||
SECTION 10.11 |
Amendments |
40 | ||||
SECTION 10.12 |
Subordination Language to be Included in the Securities |
40 |
Annex A – Form of CVR Certificate
Note: This table of contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of this CVR Agreement.
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Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Contingent Value Rights Agreement, dated as of [—].
Trust Indenture Act Section |
Agreement Section | |
Note: This reconciliation table shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of this CVR Agreement.
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THIS CONTINGENT VALUE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of [—]1 (this “CVR Agreement”), by and between Community Health Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [—], a [—], as trustee (the “Trustee”), in favor of each person who from time to time holds one or more Contingent Value Rights (the “Securities” or “CVRs” and, each individually, a “Security” or a “CVR”) to receive cash payments in the amounts and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, this CVR Agreement is entered into pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 29, 2013 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, FWCT-2 Acquisition Corporation, a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), and Health Management Associates, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“HMA”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub shall merge with and into HMA (the “Merger”), with HMA being the surviving corporation in the Merger and becoming a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company;
WHEREAS, the CVRs shall be issued in accordance with and pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement; and
WHEREAS, a registration statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-[—]) (the “Registration Statement”) with respect to the CVRs has been prepared and filed by the Company with the Commission (as defined below) and has become effective in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, it is covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities, as follows:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions. For all purposes of this CVR Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) the terms defined in this ARTICLE1 have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;
(b) all accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined herein shall, except as otherwise noted, have the meanings assigned to such terms in accordance with applicable Accounting Standards, where “Accounting Standards” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, consistently applied;
1 | Note to Draft: To be dated as of the closing date of the merger. |
(c) all capitalized terms used in this CVR Agreement without definition shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement;
(d) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act (as defined herein), either directly or by reference therein, have the respective meanings assigned to them therein; and
(e) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this CVR Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.
“Act” shall have the meaning set forth in SECTION 1.4 of this CVR Agreement.
“Acting Holders” means, at the time of determination, Holders of at least thirty percent (30%) of the Outstanding Securities.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company or any other body performing similar functions, or any duly authorized committee of that board.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary to the Board of Directors, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Breach” shall have the meaning set forth in SECTION 8.1 of this CVR Agreement.
“Breach Interest Rate” means a per annum rate equal to the prime rate of interest quoted by Bloomberg, or a similar reputable data source, plus three percent (3%), calculated daily on the basis of a three hundred sixty-five (365) day year or, if lower, the highest rate permitted under applicable Law.
“Business Day” means any day (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) on which banking institutions in The City of New York, New York are not authorized or obligated by Law or executive order to close and, if the CVRs are listed on a national securities exchange, electronic trading network or other suitable trading platform, such exchange, electronic network or other trading platform is open for trading.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.
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“Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this CVR Agreement, until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this CVR Agreement, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.
“Company Group” means the Company and its Subsidiaries.
“Company Request” or “Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, a president or any vice president, the General Counsel, or any other person duly authorized to act on behalf of the Company for such purpose or for any general purpose, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date of execution of this CVR Agreement is located at [—].
“CVRs” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this CVR Agreement.
“CVR Agreement” means this instrument as originally executed and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof.
“CVR Certificate” means a certificate representing any of the CVRs.
“CVR Payment Amount” means $1.00 in cash per CVR; provided, however, that if the aggregate amount of Losses as of the Payment Event Date exceeds $18,000,000 (the “Deductible”), the CVR Payment Amount shall be reduced by an amount equal to the quotient obtained by dividing: (a) the product of (i) all Losses in excess of the Deductible and (ii) 90%; by (b) the number of Outstanding Securities on the Payment Event Date; provided, that the CVR Payment Amount shall not be reduced to an amount below zero. All payments of the CVR Payment Amount shall be made without interest thereon and less any applicable withholding of Taxes. In no event shall the Company be obligated to pay the CVR Payment Amount on more than one occasion.
“CVR Payment Date” means the date on which the CVR Payment Amount is payable by the Paying Agent to the Holders, which date shall be established pursuant to SECTION 3.1(e).
“DOJ” means the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Existing Litigation” means any litigation, investigation (whether formal or informal, including subpoenas), or other action or proceeding involving the HHS-OIG, the DOJ, the Commission or any other Governmental Entity, relating to whether HMA or any of its Affiliates violated any Law, and any civil litigation or other action or proceeding, including any shareholder or derivative action or proceeding, arising out of or relating to the foregoing, in each
3
case existing on or prior to the date of the Merger Agreement; provided that Existing Litigation shall not include any such litigation, investigation or other action or proceeding involving only individuals or entities other than HMA unless HMA is required to indemnify Losses incurred by such individuals or entities. For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of this definition, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be considered Affiliates of HMA.
“Final Resolution” means (i) receipt of written confirmation from each applicable Governmental Entity that it has closed its investigation into HMA with respect to the Existing Litigation; or (ii) resolution of the Existing Litigation pursuant to a written settlement agreement, consent decree or other final non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Governmental Entity” means any domestic (federal or state), or foreign court, commission, governmental body, regulatory or administrative agency or other political subdivision thereof.
“HHS-OIG” means the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
“HMA” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this CVR Agreement.
“Holder” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.
“Junior Obligations” shall have the meaning set forth in SECTION 10.1.
“Law” means any foreign, federal, state, local or municipal laws, rules, judgments, orders, regulations, statutes, ordinances, codes, decisions, injunctions, decrees, international treaties and conventions or requirements of any Governmental Entity.
“Losses” means the amount of all losses, damages, costs, fees and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys fees and expenses), and all fines, penalties, settlement amounts, indemnification obligations and other liabilities, in each case arising out of or relating to the Existing Litigation that are paid by the Company or any of its Affiliates (including HMA) prior to the Payment Event Date; provided that Losses shall not include (i) the costs associated with any change to HMA’s policies, procedures or practices, or (ii) the loss of any (A) licenses or (B) rights and privileges to participate in government sponsored programs even if required under a settlement agreement, consent decree or other final non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that in each case, the amount of any Losses shall be net of any amounts actually recovered by the Company or any of its wholly owned Subsidiaries under insurance policies.
“Majority Holders” means, at the time of determination, Holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Securities.
“Merger” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this CVR Agreement.
“Merger Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this CVR Agreement.
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“Merger Sub” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this CVR Agreement.
“NASDAQ” shall have the meaning set forth in SECTION 7.6.
“NYSE” shall have the meaning set forth in SECTION 7.6.
“Officer’s Certificate” when used with respect to the Company means a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, a president or any vice president, the Chief Financial Officer or any other person duly authorized to act on behalf of the Company for such purpose or for any general purpose.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company.
“Outstanding” when used with respect to Securities (“Outstanding Securities”) means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this CVR Agreement, except: (a) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation and (b) Securities in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this CVR Agreement, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands the Securities are valid obligations of the Company; provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, consent, waiver or other action hereunder, Securities owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company, whether held as treasury securities or otherwise, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, consent, waiver or other action, only Securities that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded (but the Trustee need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated in such request, demand, authorization, direction, consent, waiver or other action).
“Party” shall mean the Trustee and the Company, as applicable.
“Paying Agent” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the amount determined pursuant to SECTION 3.1, if any, on any Securities on behalf of the Company.
“Payment Certificate” has the meaning set forth in SECTION 3.1(c).
“Payment Event Date” means the date on which Final Resolution occurs.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, jointstock company, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Permitted Junior Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in SECTION 10.2(a).
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“Registration Statement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this CVR Agreement.
“Responsible Officer” when used with respect to the Trustee means any officer assigned to the Corporate Trust Office and also means, with respect to any particular corporate trust matter, any other officer of the Trustee to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
“Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this CVR Agreement.
“Securities Act” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this CVR Agreement.
“Security Register” shall have the meaning set forth in SECTION 3.5(a) of this CVR Agreement.
“Security Registrar” shall have the meaning set forth in SECTION 3.5(a) of this CVR Agreement.
“Senior Obligations” means (a) the principal of, and premium (if any) and interest (including, without limitation, any interest accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition of bankruptcy at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable Law) on, the following existing or future obligations of the Company, and all other amounts owing thereon, (i) with respect to borrowed money, (ii) evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar debt instruments, (iii) with respect to the net obligations owed under interest rate swaps or similar agreements or currency exchange transactions, (iv) reimbursement obligations in respect of letters of credit and similar obligations, (v) in respect of capital leases, or (vi) guarantees in respect of obligations referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above; unless, in any case, the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding provides that such obligations are pari passu to or subordinate in right of payment to the Securities and (b) any Losses.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Senior Obligations” shall not include:
(a) Junior Obligations;
(b) trade debt incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(c) any intercompany indebtedness between the Company and any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates;
(d) indebtedness of the Company that is subordinated in right of payment to Senior Obligations;
(e) indebtedness or other obligations of the Company that by its terms ranks equal or junior in right of payment to the Junior Obligations;
(f) indebtedness of the Company that, by operation of Law, is subordinate to any general unsecured obligations of the Company;
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(g) indebtedness evidenced by any guarantee of indebtedness ranking equal or junior in right of payment to the Junior Obligations;
(h) indebtedness consisting of the deferred purchase price for property or services, including earn-out and milestone payments and contingent value rights; or
(i) indebtedness that is contractually non-recourse to the general credit of the Company.
“Series A Contingent Value Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in SECTION 3.1(b) of this CVR Agreement.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, association, partnership or other business entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of shares of Voting Securities is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by: (a) such Person; (b) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; or (c) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.
“Tax” means any U.S. federal, state or local tax, assessment, levy or other governmental charge of any kind, including any income, profits, gross receipts, license, payroll, employment, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, windfall profits, environmental, customs duty, capital stock, franchise, sales, social security, unemployment, disability, use, property, withholding, excise, transfer, registration, production, value added, alternative minimum, occupancy, estimated or any other tax of any kind whatsoever, whether disputed or not, together with any interest, penalty or addition thereto.
“Tax Return” means any return, report, declaration, claim or other statement (including attached schedules) relating to Taxes.
“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time.
“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this CVR Agreement, until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this CVR Agreement, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean such successor Trustee.
“Voting Securities” means securities or other interests having voting power, or the right, to elect or appoint directors, or any Persons performing similar functions, irrespective of whether or not stock or other interests of any other class or classes shall have or might have voting power or any right by reason of the happening of any contingency.
SECTION 1.2 Compliance and Opinions.
(a) Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this CVR Agreement, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the xxxxxx, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this CVR Agreement relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating, subject to customary exceptions, that in the opinion of such
7
counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that, in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this CVR Agreement relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.
(b) Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this CVR Agreement shall include: (i) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto; (ii) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based; (iii) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him or her to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and (iv) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
SECTION 1.3 Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.
(a) In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
(b) Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company.
(c) Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Company or of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to accounting matters, upon a certificate or opinion of or representations by an accountant or firm of accountants in the employ of the Company. Any certificate or opinion of any independent firm of public accountants filed with the Trustee shall contain a statement that such firm is independent.
(d) Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this CVR Agreement, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.
SECTION 1.4 Acts of Holders.
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this CVR Agreement to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered
8
to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this CVR Agreement and (subject to SECTION 4.1) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this SECTION 1.4. The Company may set a record date for purposes of determining the identity of Holders entitled to vote or consent to any action by vote or consent authorized or permitted under this CVR Agreement, which date shall be no greater than ninety (90) days and no less than ten (10) days prior to the date of such vote or consent to any action by vote or consent authorized or permitted under this CVR Agreement. If not previously set by the Company, (i) the record date for determining the Holders entitled to vote at a meeting of the Holders shall be the date preceding the date notice of such meeting is mailed to the Holders, or if notice is not given, on the day next preceding the day such meeting is held, and (ii) the record date for determining the Holders entitled to consent to any action in writing without a meeting shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Company. If a record date is fixed, those Persons who were Holders of Securities at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to take such action by vote or consent or, except with respect to clause (d) below, to revoke any vote or consent previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such vote or consent shall be valid or effective for more than one hundred twenty (120) days after such record date.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved in any reasonable manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.
(c) The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security Register. Neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
(d) At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in this SECTION 1.4, of the taking of any action by the Holders of the Securities specified in this CVR Agreement in connection with such action, any Holder of a Security the serial number of which is shown by the evidence to be included among the serial numbers of the Securities the Holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice at the Corporate Trust Office and upon proof of holding as provided in this SECTION 1.4, revoke such action so far as concerns such Security. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security or the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof, in respect of anything done, suffered or omitted to be done by the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
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SECTION 1.5 Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this CVR Agreement to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with:
(a) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed, in writing, to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office; or
(b) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at Community Health Systems, Inc., 0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel, or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.
SECTION 1.6 Notice to Holders; Waiver.
(a) Where this CVR Agreement provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at the Holder’s address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders. Where this CVR Agreement provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.
(b) In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause, it shall be impracticable to mail notice of any event as required by any provision of this CVR Agreement, then any method of giving such notice as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee shall be deemed to be a sufficient giving of such notice.
SECTION 1.7 Conflict with the Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required to be included in this CVR Agreement by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control.
SECTION 1.8 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 1.9 Benefits of Agreement. Nothing in this CVR Agreement or in the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person (other than the Parties hereto and their successors and permitted assigns and, solely in accordance with the express terms of this CVR Agreement and subject to SECTIONS 1.13, 3.1(g) and 8.6, the Holders) any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this CVR Agreement or under any covenant or provision herein contained.
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SECTION 1.10 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial.
(a) THIS CVR AGREEMENT AND ALL CLAIMS OR CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT) THAT MAY BE BASED UPON, ARISE OUT OF OR RELATE TO THIS CVR AGREEMENT, OR THE NEGOTIATION, EXECUTION OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS CVR AGREEMENT (INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY MADE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CVR AGREEMENT OR AS AN INDUCEMENT TO ENTER INTO THIS CVR AGREEMENT) OR THE SECURITIES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
(b) EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND EACH OF THE HOLDERS BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY NEW YORK STATE COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK OR ANY FEDERAL COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN RESPECT OF ALL CLAIMS OR CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT) THAT MAY BE BASED UPON, ARISE OUT OF OR RELATE TO THIS CVR AGREEMENT, OR THE NEGOTIATION, EXECUTION OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS CVR AGREEMENT (INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY MADE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CVR AGREEMENT OR AS AN INDUCEMENT TO ENTER INTO THIS CVR AGREEMENT), OR THE SECURITIES, AND IRREVOCABLY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE AGREES THAT PROCESS MAY BE SERVED UPON THEM IN ANY MANNER AUTHORIZED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK FOR SUCH PERSONS. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT, BY WAY OF MOTION, AS A DEFENSE, COUNTERCLAIM OR OTHERWISE, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS CVR AGREEMENT (A) ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE ABOVE-NAMED COURTS FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN THE FAILURE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION 1.10, (B) THAT IT OR ITS PROPERTY IS EXEMPT OR IMMUNE FROM JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT OR FROM ANY LEGAL PROCESS COMMENCED IN SUCH COURTS (WHETHER THROUGH SERVICE OF NOTICE, ATTACHMENT PRIOR TO JUDGMENT, ATTACHMENT IN AID OF EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT, EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT OR OTHERWISE), AND (C) TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW THAT (I) THE SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH COURT IS BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM, (II) THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER AND (III) THIS CVR AGREEMENT, OR THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF, MAY NOT BE ENFORCED IN OR BY SUCH COURTS.
(c) EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND EACH OF THE HOLDERS BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES, HEREBY AGREES THAT ANY
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CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS CVR AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE EACH SUCH PERSON HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT SUCH PERSON MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS CVR AGREEMENT OR THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF.
(d) EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND EACH OF THE HOLDERS BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES, HEREBY AGREES THAT NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY HEREIN, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COMPANY BE RESPONSIBLE TO THE TRUSTEE OR ANY HOLDER FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES.
SECTION 1.11 Legal Holidays. In the event that the CVR Payment Date shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any provision of this CVR Agreement or the Securities to the contrary) payment on the Securities need not be made on such date, but may be made, without the accrual of any interest thereon, on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the CVR Payment Date.
SECTION 1.12 Separability Clause. In the event any provision in this CVR Agreement or in the CVRs shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
SECTION 1.13 No Recourse Against Others. A past or present director, officer or employee, as such, of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company or the Trustee shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Trustee under the Securities or this CVR Agreement or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Security, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.
SECTION 1.14 Counterparts. This CVR Agreement shall be signed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if the signatures to each counterpart were upon a single instrument, and all such counterparts together shall be deemed an original of this CVR Agreement.
SECTION 1.15 Acceptance of Trust. [—], the Trustee named herein, hereby accepts the trusts in this CVR Agreement declared and provided, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.
SECTION 1.16 Termination. This CVR Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force or effect, and the parties hereto shall have no liability hereunder, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the CVR Payment Date; provided, that the obligations of the Parties to this CVR Agreement set forth in Section 4.7 and the obligation of the Company to pay the CVR Payment Amount that is due in accordance with the terms of this CVR Agreement shall survive termination of this CVR Agreement in accordance with its terms, and provided further that no termination of this CVR Agreement shall be deemed to affect the rights of the parties set forth in ARTICLE 8 of this CVR Agreement to bring suit in the case of a Breach occurring prior to such CVR Payment Date.
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ARTICLE 2
SECURITY FORMS
SECTION 2.1 Forms Generally.
(a) The Securities and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in the forms set forth in Annex A, attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this CVR Agreement and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may be required by Law or any rule or regulation pursuant thereto, all as may be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities. Any portion of the text of any Security may be set forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the face of the Security.
(b) The Securities shall be typewritten, printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or produced by any combination of these methods or may be produced in any other manner permitted by the rules of any securities exchange on which the Securities may be listed, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
ARTICLE 3
THE SECURITIES
SECTION 3.1 Title and Payment Terms.
(a) The aggregate number of CVRs in respect of which CVR Certificates may be authenticated and delivered under this CVR Agreement is limited to a number equal to [—],2 except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities pursuant to SECTION 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 or 6.6. From and after the Effective Time, the Company shall not be permitted to issue any CVRs, except as provided and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement or as otherwise expressly permitted by this CVR Agreement.
(b) The Securities shall be known and designated as the “Series A Contingent Value Rights” of the Company.
(c) Promptly following the Payment Event Date, but in no event later than thirty (30) days after such date, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee and provide notice to the Holders of a certificate (the “Payment Certificate”) setting forth in reasonable detail the Company’s calculation of the CVR Payment Amount.
2 | Note to Draft: To equal total number of CVRs to be issued pursuant to the Merger Agreement on the Closing Date. |
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(d) All determinations with respect to the calculation of the CVR Payment Amount shall be reasonably made by the Company in good faith, and such determinations shall be binding on the Holders absent manifest error; provided that (i) the Company may and, at the written request of the Trustee, shall, at the Company’s sole cost and expense, reasonably select an independent third-party financial, accounting, valuation, appraisal or other advisor (an “Independent Advisor”) to assist it in calculating the amount of the CVR Payment Amount. The Company shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the reports of any Independent Advisor for purposes of making its determination hereunder and all such calculations of the Independent Advisor shall be binding on the Holders absent manifest error. In the event that a Final Resolution involves a settlement which includes claims that are not included in the Existing Litigation, the Company or the Independent Advisor, as the case may be, will calculate in good faith the amount of Losses that are properly attributed to the Existing Litigation, on the one hand, and such other claims, on the other hand.
(e) If the CVR Payment Amount reflected on the Payment Certificate is greater than zero, the Company shall establish a CVR Payment Date that is not later than sixty (60) days after the Payment Event Date. On or prior to the CVR Payment Date, the Company shall cause an amount in cash equal to the CVR Payment Amount multiplied by the number of Outstanding Securities to be delivered to the Paying Agent. On the CVR Payment Date, the Paying Agent shall (in accordance with such exchange procedures as the Paying Agent and the Company may reasonably agree and subject to SECTION 7.1) pay to each Holder as of the CVR Payment Date an amount in cash equal to the CVR Payment Amount multiplied by the number of CVRs held by such Holder, as reflected in the Security Register.
(f) The Holders of the CVR Certificates, by acceptance thereof, agree that no joint venture, partnership or other fiduciary relationship is created hereby or by the Securities.
(g) Other than in the case of interest on amounts due and payable after the occurrence of a Breach, no interest or dividends shall accrue on any amounts payable in respect of the CVRs.
(h) Except to the extent any portion of any CVR Payment Amount is required to be treated as interest pursuant to applicable Law, the Parties hereto agree to treat the CVRs issued pursuant to this CVR Agreement in connection with the Merger Agreement for all Tax purposes as consideration for the shares of Company Common Stock, Company Stock Options, Company Restricted Stock Awards, Company Deferred Stock Awards and Company Performance Cash Awards, and none of the Parties hereto will take any position to the contrary on any Tax Return or for other Tax purposes except as required by applicable Law. Except to the extent otherwise required pursuant to a “determination” within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Code, the Company shall determine the portion of any CVR Payment Amount required to be treated as interest for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 483 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
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(i) The Holder of any CVR or CVR Certificate is not, and shall not, by virtue thereof, be entitled to any rights of a holder of any Voting Securities or other equity security or other ownership interest of the Company, in any constituent company to the Merger or in any of such companies’ Affiliates or other subsidiaries, either at Law or in equity, and the rights of the Holders are limited to those contractual rights expressed in this CVR Agreement.
(j) Except as provided in this CVR Agreement, none of the Company or any of its Affiliates shall have any right to set off any amounts owed or claimed to be owed by any Holder to any of them against such Holder’s Securities or any CVR Payment Amount or other amount payable to such Holder in respect of such Securities.
(k) In the event that (i) all of the CVR Certificates not previously cancelled shall have become due and payable pursuant to the terms hereof, (ii) all disputes with respect to amounts payable to the Holders brought pursuant to the terms and conditions of this CVR Agreement have been resolved, and (iii) the Company has paid or caused to be paid or deposited with the Trustee all amounts payable to the Holders under this CVR Agreement, then this CVR Agreement shall cease to be of further effect and shall be deemed satisfied and discharged. Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this CVR Agreement, the obligations of the Company under SECTION 4.7(c) shall survive.
(l) The Company and the Paying Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any amount payable pursuant to this CVR Agreement such amounts as they reasonably determine are required to be deducted and withheld under applicable Tax law. Amounts withheld pursuant to this SECTION 3.1(l) and timely paid to the appropriate Tax authority shall be treated for all purposes of this CVR Agreement as having been paid to the Person in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made.
SECTION 3.2 Registrable Form. The Securities shall be issuable only in registered form.
SECTION 3.3 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.
(a) The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer or any other person duly authorized to act on behalf of the Company for such purpose or any general purpose, but need not be attested. The signature of any of these persons on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.
(b) Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were, at the time of execution, the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.
(c) At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this CVR Agreement, the Company may deliver Securities executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities; and the Trustee, in accordance with such Company Order, shall authenticate and deliver such Securities as provided in this CVR Agreement and not otherwise.
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(d) Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.
(e) No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this CVR Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein duly executed by the Trustee, by manual or facsimile signature of an authorized officer, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the Holder is entitled to the benefits of this CVR Agreement.
SECTION 3.4 Intentionally Omitted.
SECTION 3.5 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.
(a) The Company shall cause to be kept at the office of the Trustee a register (the register maintained in such office and in any other office or agency designated pursuant to SECTION 7.2 being herein sometimes referred to as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities and of transfers of Securities. The Trustee is hereby initially appointed “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided.
(b) Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security at the office or agency of the Company designated pursuant to SECTION 7.2, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new CVR Certificates representing the same aggregate number of CVRs represented by the CVR Certificate so surrendered that are to be transferred and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the transferor, one or more new CVR Certificates representing the aggregate number of CVRs represented by such CVR Certificate that are not to be transferred.
(c) At the option of the Holder, CVR Certificates may be exchanged for other CVR Certificates that represent in the aggregate the same number of CVRs as the CVR Certificates surrendered at such office or agency. Whenever any CVR Certificates are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the CVR Certificates which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
(d) All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same rights, and entitled to the same benefits under this CVR Agreement, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
(e) Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar) be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
(f) No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any documentary, stamp or similar tax or other similar governmental charge payable in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to SECTIONS 3.4, 3.6 or 6.6 not involving any transfer.
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SECTION 3.6 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.
(a) If (i) any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, or (ii) the Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security, and there is delivered to the Company and the Trustee an affidavit of loss in respect of such Security, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon delivery of a Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for any such mutilated Security or in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new CVR Certificate of like tenor and amount of CVRs, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
(b) In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is to become finally due and payable within fifteen (15) days, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new CVR Certificate, pay to the Holder of such Security on the CVR Payment Date all amounts due and payable with respect thereto.
(c) Every new Security issued pursuant to this SECTION 3.6 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all benefits of this CVR Agreement equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities duly issued hereunder.
(d) The provisions of this SECTION 3.6 are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
SECTION 3.7 Payments with Respect to CVR Certificates. Payment of any amounts pursuant to the CVRs shall be made in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts. The Company may, at its option, pay such amounts by wire transfer or check payable in such money.
SECTION 3.8 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to the time of due presentment for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name any Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
SECTION 3.9 Cancellation. All Securities surrendered for payment, registration of transfer or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by it. The Company shall promptly deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company has acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this SECTION 3.9, except as expressly permitted by
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this CVR Agreement. All cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be destroyed and a certificate of destruction shall be issued by the Trustee to the Company, unless otherwise directed by a Company Order.
SECTION 3.10 CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in any notice provided for in this CVR Agreement as a convenience to Holders; provided, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any such notice and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such notice shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the “CUSIP” numbers.
ARTICLE 4
THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Certain Duties and Responsibilities.
(a) With respect to the Holders, the Trustee, prior to the occurrence of a Breach (as defined in SECTION 8.1) with respect to the Securities and after the curing or waiving of all Breaches which may have occurred, undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this CVR Agreement and no implied covenants shall be read into this CVR Agreement against the Trustee. In case a Breach with respect to the Securities has occurred (which has not been cured or waived), the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this CVR Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a reasonably prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(b) In the absence of bad faith on its part, prior to the occurrence of a Breach and after the curing or waiving of all such Breaches which may have occurred, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of this CVR Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this CVR Agreement.
(c) No provision of this CVR Agreement shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that (i) this Subsection (c) shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsections (a) and (b) of this SECTION 4.1; (ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and (iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders pursuant to SECTION 8.9 relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this CVR Agreement.
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(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this CVR Agreement relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this SECTION 4.1.
SECTION 4.2 Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to the provisions of SECTION 4.1, including without limitation, the duty of care that the Trustee is required to exercise upon the occurrence of a Breach:
(a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties and the Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document;
(b) any request or direction or order of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution and the Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith reliance thereon;
(c) whenever in the administration of this CVR Agreement the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officer’s Certificate and the Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith reliance thereon or an Opinion of Counsel;
(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or Opinion of Counsel;
(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this CVR Agreement at the request or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this CVR Agreement, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;
(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, appraisal, bond, debenture, note, coupon, security, or other paper or document, but the Trustee in its discretion may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney, as necessary for such inquiry or investigation;
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(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;
(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this CVR Agreement;
(i) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Paying Agent, the Security Registrar, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;
(j) in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action; and
(k) certain of the Trustee’s duties hereunder may be performed by the Paying Agent or Security Registrar.
SECTION 4.3 Notice of Breach. If a breach occurs hereunder with respect to the Securities, the Trustee shall give the Holders notice of any such breach actually known to it as and to the extent applicable and provided by the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that in the case of any breach of the character specified in SECTION 8.1(b) with respect to the Securities, no notice to Holders shall be given until at least ninety (90) days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this SECTION 4.3, the term “breach” means any event that is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, a Breach with respect to the Securities.
SECTION 4.4 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this CVR Agreement or of the Securities.
SECTION 4.5 May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Paying Agent, Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities, and, subject to SECTIONS 4.8 and 4.13, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.
SECTION 4.6 Money Held in Trust. Except as expressly provided in this CVR Agreement, money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by Law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder, except as otherwise agreed by the Trustee in writing with the Company.
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SECTION 4.7 Compensation and Reimbursement. The Company agrees:
(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder in such amount as the Company and the Trustee shall agree from time to time (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of Law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);
(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this CVR Agreement (including the reasonable compensation and the reasonable expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to the Trustee’s negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct; and
(c) to indemnify the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee and each of their respective agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense (including attorneys fees and expenses) incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust and the performance of its duties hereunder, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder. The Company’s payment obligations pursuant to this SECTION 4.7 shall survive the termination of this CVR Agreement. When the Trustee incurs expenses after the occurrence of a Breach specified in SECTION 8.1(c) or 8.1(d) with respect to the Company, the expenses are intended to constitute expenses of administration under bankruptcy Laws.
SECTION 4.8 Disqualification; Conflicting Interests.
(a) If applicable, to the extent that the Trustee or the Company determines that the Trustee has a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall immediately notify the Company of such conflict and, within ninety (90) days after ascertaining that it has such conflicting interest, either eliminate such conflicting interest or resign to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this CVR Agreement. The Company shall take prompt steps to have a successor appointed in the manner provided in this CVR Agreement.
(b) In the event the Trustee shall fail to comply with the foregoing subsection 4.8(a), the Trustee shall, within ten (10) days of the expiration of such ninety (90) day period, transmit a notice of such failure to the Holders in the manner and to the extent provided in the Trust Indenture Act and this CVR Agreement.
(c) In the event the Trustee shall fail to comply with the foregoing subsection 4.8(a) after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder, any Holder of any Security who has been a bona fide Holder for at least six (6) months may on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of such Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
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SECTION 4.9 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which satisfies the applicable requirements of Sections 310(a)(1) and (5) of the Trust Indenture Act and has a combined capital and surplus of at least one hundred fifty million dollars ($150,000,000). If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to Law or to the requirements of a supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this SECTION 4.9, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this SECTION 4.9, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this ARTICLE 4.
SECTION 4.10 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.
(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this ARTICLE 4 shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee under SECTION 4.11.
(b) The Trustee, or any trustee or trustees hereafter appointed, may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within thirty (30) days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time by a demand in writing by the Majority Holders delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.
(d) If at any time:
(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with SECTION 4.8 after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six (6) months; or
(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under SECTION 4.9 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder; or
(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed, or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
then, in any case, (A) the Company, by a Board Resolution or action of the Chief Executive Officer, may remove the Trustee, or (B) the Holder of any Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six (6) months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, the Company, by a Board Resolution
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and/or action of the Chief Executive Officer, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. If, within one (1) year after any removal by the Majority Holders, a successor Trustee shall be appointed by act of the Majority Holders delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with SECTION 4.11, become the successor Trustee and supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of the Securities and accepted appointment within sixty (60) days after the retiring Trustee tenders its resignation or is removed, the retiring Trustee may, or, the Holder of any Security who has been a bona fide Holder for at least six (6) months may on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee and each appointment of a successor Trustee by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Securities as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office. If the Company fails to send such notice within ten (10) days after acceptance of appointment by a successor Trustee, it shall not be a breach hereunder but the successor Trustee shall cause the notice to be mailed at the expense of the Company.
SECTION 4.11 Acceptance of Appointment of Successor.
(a) Every successor Trustee appointed hereunder shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, upon request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder. Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts.
(b) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this ARTICLE 4.
SECTION 4.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, by sale or otherwise shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this ARTICLE 4, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the Parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion, sale or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated
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with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities; and such certificate shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Securities or in this CVR Agreement provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have; provided that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.
SECTION 4.13 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. If and when the Trustee shall be or shall become a creditor, directly or indirectly, secured or unsecured, of the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), excluding any creditor relationship set forth in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable, the Trustee shall be subject to the applicable provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or any such other obligor).
ARTICLE 5
HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
SECTION 5.1 Company to Furnish Trustee with Names and Addresses of Holders. The Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee (a) promptly after the issuance of the Securities, and semi-annually thereafter, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders as of a recent date, and (b) at such times as the Trustee may request in writing, within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of any such request, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders as of a date not more than fifteen (15) days prior to the time such list is furnished; provided, however, that if and so long as the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar, no such list need be furnished.
SECTION 5.2 Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.
(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of the Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in SECTION 5.1 and the names and addresses of Holders received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in SECTION 5.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
(b) The rights of the Holders to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this CVR Agreement and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee shall be as provided by Section 312(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable.
(c) Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee shall be deemed to be in violation of Law or held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act (if applicable) regardless of the source from which such information was derived.
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SECTION 5.3 Reports by Trustee.
(a) Within sixty (60) days after December 31 of each year commencing with the December 31 following the date of this CVR Agreement, the Trustee shall transmit to all Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this CVR Agreement as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to the extent and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. The Trustee shall also comply with Section 313(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable. The Trustee shall also transmit by mail all reports as required by Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable.
(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to the Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange, if any, upon which the Securities are listed, with the Commission and also with the Company. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when the Securities are listed on any stock exchange.
SECTION 5.4 Reports by Company.
(a) The Company shall: (a) file with the Trustee, (i) within fifteen (15) days after the Company files the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports filed on Form 10-K and quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company is required to file with the Commission, pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (such annual and quarterly reports and required information, documents and other reports, together the “Exchange Act Documents”), (ii) if the Company does not file such annual reports on Form 10-K or quarterly reports on Form 10-Q with the Commission, within forty-five (45) days after the end of first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, quarterly information, and, within ninety (90) days after each fiscal year, annual financial information, in each case calculated in accordance with Accounting Standards applied consistently with the application of such standards in either the Company’s prior quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or annual reports on Form 10-K, as applicable, and (iii) copies of any quarterly financial information or earnings reports made public by the Company or made available on the Company’s website, within fifteen (15) days after such information or reports are furnished or otherwise made public or available; (b) file with the Trustee such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants of this CVR Agreement as may be required from time to time by the rules and regulations of the Commission; and (c) make available to the Holders on the Company’s website as of an even date with the filing of such materials with the Trustee, the information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to subsections (a) or (b) of this SECTION 5.4. If the Company has timely electronically filed with the Commission’s Next-Generation XXXXX system (or any successor system) the reports described above, the Company shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of this Section 5.4.
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ARTICLE 6
AMENDMENTS
SECTION 6.1 Amendments without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more amendments hereto or to the Securities, for any of the following purposes:
(a) to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge to the Trustee as security for the Securities any property or assets;
(b) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Securities;
(c) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as the Board of Directors and/or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Trustee shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of Securities, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a breach of any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions a Breach permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies provided in this CVR Agreement as herein set forth; provided, that in respect of any such additional covenant, restriction, condition or provision, such amendment may provide for a particular period of grace after breach (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other breaches) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such a Breach or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such a Breach or may limit the right of the Acting Holders to waive such a Breach;
(d) to cure any ambiguity, or to correct or supplement any provision herein or in the Securities which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein; provided that such amendment shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders;
(e) to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this CVR Agreement; provided that such provisions shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders;
(f) to make any amendments or changes necessary to comply or maintain compliance with the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable; or
(g) to make any change that does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders.
Promptly following any amendment of this CVR Agreement or the Securities in accordance with this SECTION 6.1, the Trustee shall notify the Holders of the Securities of such amendment; provided that any failure so to notify the Holders shall not affect the validity of such amendment.
SECTION 6.2 Amendments with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Majority Holders, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, the Securities), the Company (when authorized by a Board Resolution and/or
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the Chief Executive Officer) and the Trustee may enter into one or more amendments hereto or to the Securities for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this CVR Agreement or to the Securities or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders under this CVR Agreement or to the Securities; provided, however, that no such amendment shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby:
(a) modify in a manner adverse to the Holders (i) any provision contained herein with respect to the termination of this CVR Agreement or the Securities, (ii) the time for payment or amount of any CVR Payment Amount, or otherwise extend the time for payment of the Securities or reduce the amounts payable in respect of the Securities or modify any other payment term or CVR Payment Date;
(b) reduce the number of CVRs; or
(c) modify any of the provisions of this SECTION 6.2, except to increase the percentage of Holders from whom consent is required or to provide that certain other provisions of this CVR Agreement cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Security affected thereby.
SECTION 6.3 Execution of Amendments. In executing any amendment permitted by this ARTICLE 6, the Trustee (subject to SECTION 4.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such amendment is authorized or permitted by this CVR Agreement. The Trustee shall execute any amendment authorized pursuant to this ARTICLE 6 if the amendment does not adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this CVR Agreement or otherwise. Otherwise, the Trustee may, but need not, execute such amendment.
SECTION 6.4 Effect of Amendments; Notice to Holders.
(a) Upon the execution of any amendment under this ARTICLE 6, this CVR Agreement and the Securities shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such amendment shall form a part of this CVR Agreement and the Securities for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.
(b) Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any amendment pursuant to the provisions of this ARTICLE 6, the Company shall mail a notice thereof by first-class mail to the Holders of Securities at their addresses as they shall appear on the Security Register, setting forth in general terms the substance of such amendment. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such amendment.
SECTION 6.5 Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every amendment executed pursuant to this ARTICLE 6 shall conform to the applicable requirements of the Trust Indenture Act, if any.
SECTION 6.6 Reference in Securities to Amendments. If an amendment changes the terms of a Security, the Trustee may require the Holder of the Security to deliver it to the
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Trustee. Securities authenticated and delivered after the execution of any amendment pursuant to this ARTICLE 6 may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such amendment. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee on the one hand and the Board of Directors and/or the Chief Executive Officer on the other hand, to any such amendment may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities. Failure to make the appropriate notation or to issue a new Security shall not affect the validity of such amendment.
ARTICLE 7
COVENANTS
SECTION 7.1 Payment of Amounts, if any, to Holders. The Company shall duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the amounts, if any, on the Securities in accordance with the terms of the Securities and this CVR Agreement. Such amounts shall be considered paid on the CVR Payment Date if on such date the Trustee or the Paying Agent holds in accordance with this CVR Agreement money sufficient to pay all such amounts then due.
SECTION 7.2 Maintenance of Office or Agency.
(a) As long as any of the Securities remain Outstanding, the Company shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York an office or agency (i) where Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment, (ii) where Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and (iii) where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this CVR Agreement may be served. The Corporate Trust Office shall be such office or agency of the Company, unless the Company shall designate and maintain some other office or agency for one or more of such purposes. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent, registrar or transfer agent; provided that such Person shall take appropriate actions to avoid the commingling of funds. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any change in the location of any such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
(b) The Company may from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies (in the City of New York) where the Securities may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes, and may from time to time rescind such designation; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and any change in the location of any such office or agency.
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SECTION 7.3 Money for Security Payments to Be Held in Trust.
(a) If the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall at any time act as the Paying Agent, it shall, on or before the CVR Payment Date, as the case may be, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders all sums held by such Paying Agent for payment on the Securities until such sums shall be paid to the Holders as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee of any failure of the Company to make payment on the Securities.
(b) Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for the Securities, it shall, on or before a CVR Payment Date, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum in same day funds sufficient to pay the amount, if any, so becoming due; such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such amount, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of such action or any failure so to act.
(c) The Company shall cause each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this SECTION 7.3, that (i) such Paying Agent shall hold all sums held by it for the payment of any amount payable on Securities in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and shall notify the Trustee of the sums so held and (ii) that it shall give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Company (or by any other obligor on the Securities) to make any payment on the Securities when the same shall be due and payable.
(d) Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment on any Security and remaining unclaimed for one (1) year after the CVR Payment Date shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money shall thereupon cease.
SECTION 7.4 Certain Purchases and Sales. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates may at any time acquire in open market transactions, private transactions or otherwise, some or all of the Securities; provided that prior to any acquisition of any Securities, the Company must publicly disclose the amount of Securities which it has been authorized to acquire and the Company must report in its quarterly reports the amount of Securities it has been authorized to acquire as well as the amount of Securities it has acquired as of the end of such quarterly period reported in such quarterly report.
SECTION 7.5 Books and Records. The Company shall keep, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to keep records in sufficient detail to enable the amounts payable under this CVR Agreement to be determined for a period ending on the CVR Payment Date.
SECTION 7.6 Listing of CVRs. The Company hereby covenants and agrees it shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain a listing for trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) or NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”), or if unable to be listed on the NYSE or NASDAQ, on another national securities exchange, the OTC Markets Group (f/k/a Pink Sheets) or the OTC Bulletin Board, as designated by the Company, for so long as any CVRs remain Outstanding.
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SECTION 7.7 Existing Litigation. The Company shall be entitled to fully control the management and disposition of any Existing Litigation, including with respect to the defense, negotiation or settlement thereof, and all decisions relating thereto. In addition, the Company shall keep the Trustee and Holders reasonably informed, on a timely basis and in no event less than on a quarterly basis, with respect to the status of the Existing Litigation (including the reports, documents and other information described in Section 5.4); provided that so long as Parent is a person subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the foregoing requirements shall be deemed satisfied by satisfying the applicable disclosure requirements of Part I, Item 3 “Legal Proceedings” in Parent’s annual report on Form 10-K and Part II, Item 1 “Legal Proceedings” in Parent’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Solely for purposes of this Section 7.7, “Existing Litigation” shall not include any such litigation, investigation or other proceeding involving individuals or entities other than HMA even if HMA is required to indemnify Losses incurred by such individuals or entities or Losses arising out of any such litigation, investigation or other proceeding that occurs after the date of the Merger Agreement.
SECTION 7.8 Notice of Breach. The Company shall file with the Trustee written notice of the occurrence of any Breach or other breach under this CVR Agreement within five (5) Business Days of its becoming aware of any such Breach or other breach.
SECTION 7.9 Non-Use of Name. Neither the Trustee nor the Holders shall use the name, trademark, trade name or logo of the Company, its Affiliates, or their respective employees in any publicity or news release relating to this CVR Agreement or its subject matter, without the prior express written permission of the Company.
ARTICLE 8
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND HOLDERS IN THE EVENT OF BREACH
SECTION 8.1 Breach Defined; Waiver of Breach. “Breach” with respect to the Securities, means each one of the following events which shall have occurred and be continuing (whatever the reason for such Breach and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of Law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):
(a) failure to pay all or any part of any CVR Payment Amount after a period of ten (10) Business Days after such CVR Payment Amount shall become due and payable on the CVR Payment Date or otherwise;
(b) material breach in the performance, or breach in any material respect, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in respect of the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty in respect of the Securities, a breach in whose performance or other breach is specifically dealt with elsewhere in this SECTION 8.1), and continuance of such breach for a period of ninety (90) days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the
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Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Acting Holders, a written notice specifying such breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Breach” hereunder;
(c) a court of competent jurisdiction shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar Law now or hereafter in effect, or shall appoint a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) for the Company or for any substantial part of its property or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of ninety (90) consecutive days; or
(d) the Company shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar Law now or hereafter in effect, or consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such Law, or consent to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any substantial part of its property, or make any general assignment for the benefit of creditors.
Except where authorization and/or appearance of each of the Holders is required by applicable Law, if a Breach described above occurs and is continuing, then either the Trustee may, by notice in writing to the Company, or the Trustee shall, upon the written request of the Acting Holders by notice in writing to the Company and to the Trustee, bring suit to protect the rights of the Holders, including to obtain payment for any amounts then due and payable; which amounts shall bear interest at the Breach Interest Rate from the date such amounts were due and payable until payment is made to the Trustee.
SECTION 8.2 Collection by the Trustee; the Trustee May Prove Payment Obligations. The Company covenants that in the case of any failure to pay all or any part of the Securities when the same shall have become due and payable, then upon demand of the Trustee, the Company shall pay to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on all Securities (with interest from the date due and payable to the date of such payment upon the overdue amount at the Breach Interest Rate); and in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including reasonable compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and any expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, except as a result of its negligence or bad faith.
The Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this CVR Agreement or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other remedy.
In case the Company shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any action or proceedings at Law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and
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unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceedings to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Company or other obligor upon such Securities and collect in the manner provided by Law out of the property of the Company or other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated, the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable.
In any judicial proceedings relative to the Company or other obligor upon the Securities, irrespective of whether any amount is then due and payable with respect to the Securities, the Trustee is authorized:
(a) to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities, and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for reasonable compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and for reimbursement of all expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, except as a result of negligence or bad faith) and of the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company or other obligor upon the Securities, or to their respective property;
(b) unless prohibited by and only to the extent required by applicable Law, to vote on behalf of the Holders in any election of a trustee or a standby trustee in arrangement, reorganization, liquidation or other bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings or Person performing similar functions in comparable proceedings; and
(c) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute all amounts received with respect to the claims of the Holders and of the Trustee on their behalf; and any trustee, receiver, or liquidator, custodian or other similar official is hereby authorized by each of the Holders to make payments to the Trustee, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Trustee, each predecessor Trustee and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, except as a result of its negligence or bad faith, and all other amounts due to the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee pursuant to SECTION 4.7. To the extent that such payment of reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements, advances and other amounts out of the estate in any such proceedings shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, moneys, securities and other property which the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceedings, whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or safeguard arrangement or otherwise.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or vote for or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, safeguard arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities, or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding except, as aforesaid, to vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar person.
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All rights of action and of asserting claims under this CVR Agreement, or under any of the Securities, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof and any trial or other proceedings instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment, subject to the payment of the expenses, disbursements and compensation of the Trustee, each predecessor Trustee and their respective agents and attorneys, shall be for the ratable benefit of the Holders.
In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and also any proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this CVR Agreement to which the Trustee shall be a party) the Trustee shall be held to represent all the Holders, and it shall not be necessary to make any Holders of such Securities parties to any such proceedings (unless required by applicable Law).
SECTION 8.3 Application of Proceeds. Any monies collected by the Trustee pursuant to this ARTICLE 8 in respect of any Securities shall be applied in the following order at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee upon presentation of the several Securities in respect of which monies have been collected and stamping (or otherwise noting) thereon the payment in exchange for the presented Securities if only partially paid or upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
FIRST: To the payment of costs and expenses in respect of which monies have been collected, including reasonable compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee and their respective agents and attorneys and of all expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, except as a result of its negligence or willful misconduct, and all other amounts due to the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee pursuant to SECTION 4.7;
SECOND: To the payment of the whole amount then owing and unpaid upon all the Securities, with interest at the Breach Interest Rate on all such amounts, and, in case such monies shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amount so due and unpaid upon the Securities, then to the payment of such amounts without preference or priority of any security over any other Security, ratably to the aggregate of such amounts due and payable; and
THIRD: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company or any other Person lawfully entitled thereto.
SECTION 8.4 Suits for Enforcement. In case a Breach has occurred, has not been waived and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion (subject to SECTION 1.10) proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this CVR Agreement by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any of such rights (unless authorization and/or appearance of each of the Holders is required by applicable Law), either at Law or in equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this CVR Agreement or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this CVR Agreement or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this CVR Agreement or by Law.
SECTION 8.5 Restoration of Rights on Abandonment of Proceedings. In case the Trustee or any Holder shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this CVR Agreement and
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such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company and the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored respectively to their former positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceedings had been taken.
SECTION 8.6 Limitations on Suits by Holders. Subject to the rights of the Holders under Section 8.7, no Holder of any Security shall have any right by virtue or by availing itself of any provision of this CVR Agreement to institute any action or proceeding at Law or in equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise upon or under or with respect to this CVR Agreement, or for the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official or for any other remedy hereunder, unless such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of breach and of the continuance thereof, as hereinbefore provided, and unless also the Acting Holders shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action or proceedings in its own name as trustee hereunder and shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby, and the Trustee for thirty (30) days after its receipt of such notice and request shall have failed to institute any such action or proceeding and no direction inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee pursuant to SECTION 8.9; it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by the taker and Holder of every Security with every other taker and Holder and the Trustee, that no one or more Holders of Securities shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue or by availing itself of any provision of this CVR Agreement to effect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holder of Securities, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such Holder or to enforce any right under this CVR Agreement, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all Holders of Securities. For the protection and enforcement of the provisions of this Section 8.6, each and every Holder and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given either at Law or in equity.
SECTION 8.7 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding any other provision in this CVR Agreement and any provision of any Security, the right of any Holder of any Security to receive payment of the amounts payable in respect of such Security on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.
SECTION 8.8 Powers and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver of Breach.
(a) Except as provided in SECTION 8.6, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by Law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at Law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
(b) No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any right or power accruing upon any Breach occurring and continuing as aforesaid shall impair any such right or power or shall be construed to be a waiver of any such Breach or an acquiescence therein; and, subject to SECTION 8.6, every power and remedy given by this CVR Agreement or by Law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders.
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SECTION 8.9 Control by Holders.
(a) The Majority Holders shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities by this CVR Agreement; provided that such direction shall not be otherwise than in accordance with Law and the provisions of this CVR Agreement; and provided further that (subject to the provisions of SECTION 4.1) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, shall determine that the action or proceeding so directed may not lawfully be taken or if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors, the executive committee, or a committee of directors or Responsible Officers of the Trustee shall determine that the action or proceedings so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability or if the Trustee in good faith shall so determine that the actions or forbearances specified in or pursuant to such direction would be unduly prejudicial to the interests of Holders of the Securities not joining in the giving of said direction.
(b) Nothing in this CVR Agreement shall impair the right of the Trustee in its discretion to take any action deemed proper by the Trustee and which is not inconsistent with such direction or directions by Holders.
SECTION 8.10 Waiver of Past Breaches.
(a) In the case of a breach or a Breach specified in clause (b), (c) or (d) of SECTION 8.1, the Majority Holders may waive any such Breach, and its consequences except a breach in respect of a covenant or provisions hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Security affected. In the case of any such waiver, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other breach or impair any right consequent thereon.
(b) Upon any such waiver, such breach shall cease to exist and be deemed to have been cured and not to have occurred, and any Breach arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, and not to have occurred for every purpose of this CVR Agreement; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Breach or other breach of any kind or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 8.11 The Trustee to Give Notice of Breach, But May Withhold in Certain Circumstances. The Trustee shall transmit to the Holders, as the names and addresses of such Holders appear on the Security Register (as provided under Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable), notice by mail of all breaches which have occurred and are known to the
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Trustee, such notice to be transmitted within ninety (90) days after the occurrence thereof, unless such breaches shall have been cured before the giving of such notice (the term “breach” for the purposes of this SECTION 8.11 being hereby defined to mean any event or condition which is, or with notice or lapse of time or both would become, a Breach); provided that, except in the case of a failure to pay the amounts payable in respect of any of the Securities, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors or trustees and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith reasonably determines that the withholding of such notice is in the best interests of the Holders.
SECTION 8.12 Right of Court to Require Filing of Undertaking to Pay Costs. All Parties to this CVR Agreement agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this CVR Agreement or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as the Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this SECTION 8.12 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder or group of Holders holding in the aggregate more than ten percent (10%) of the Outstanding Securities or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of any Security on or after the due date expressed in such Security.
ARTICLE 9
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE
SECTION 9.1 Successor Person Substituted.
(a) The Company covenants that it shall not merge or consolidate with or into any other Person (other than a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company), split-off, or sell or convey all or substantially all of its assets to any Person (including in connection with a spin-off transaction), unless (i) the Company shall be the continuing Person, or the successor Person or the Person which acquires by sale or conveyance all or substantially all the assets of the Company shall be a Person organized under the Laws of the United States of America or any State thereof and shall expressly assume by an instrument supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the Securities, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this CVR Agreement to be performed or observed by the Company, including, without limitation, the provisions concerning governing law and consent to jurisdiction set forth in Section 1.10 hereof, and (ii) the Company, or such successor Person, as the case may be, shall not, immediately after such merger or consolidation, split-off, or such sale or conveyance, be in breach in the performance of any such covenant or condition.
(b) In case of any such consolidation, merger, split-off, spin-off, sale or conveyance, and following such an assumption by the successor Person, such successor Person shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company with the same effect as if it had been named herein. Such
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successor Person may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Company prior to such succession any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor Person instead of the Company and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this CVR Agreement prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor Person thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All of the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this CVR Agreement as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this CVR Agreement as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.
(c) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.
(d) In the event of any such sale, transfer or conveyance (other than a conveyance by way of lease) the Company or any Person which shall theretofore have become such in the manner described in this ARTICLE 9 shall be discharged from all obligations and covenants under this CVR Agreement and the Securities and may be liquidated and dissolved.
SECTION 9.2 Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 4.1 and 4.2, shall receive an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel, prepared in accordance with Sections 1.2 and 1.3, as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance, and any such assumption, and any such liquidation or dissolution, complies with the applicable provisions of this CVR Agreement, and if a supplemental agreement is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental agreement complies with this ARTICLE 9 and that there has been compliance with all conditions precedent herein provided for or relating to such transaction.
SECTION 9.3 Successors. All covenants, provisions and agreements in this CVR Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company, the Trustee or the Holders shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors, assigns, heirs and personal representatives, whether so expressed or not. Neither this CVR Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by any of the Parties without the prior written consent of each other Party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may assign this CVR Agreement without the prior written consent of the other Parties to this CVR Agreement to one or more of its direct or indirect Subsidiaries, provided, however, that in the event of any such assignment the Company shall remain subject to its obligations and covenants hereunder, including, but not limited to, its obligation to make any payments under the CVRs (including the CVR Payment Amount).
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ARTICLE 10
SUBORDINATION
SECTION 10.1 Agreement to Subordinate. The Company agrees, and each Holder by accepting a Security hereunder agrees, that all payments under the CVRs, all other obligations under this CVR Agreement and the Securities and any rights or claims relating thereto (collectively, the “Junior Obligations”) are subordinated in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner provided in this ARTICLE 10 to the prior payment in full in money or money’s worth of all Senior Obligations of the Company (whether outstanding on the date hereof or hereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed), and that the subordination is for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Obligations.
SECTION 10.2 Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. Upon any distribution to creditors of the Company in a liquidation or dissolution of the Company or in a bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, receivership or similar proceeding relating to the Company or its property, in an assignment for the benefit of creditors or any marshaling of the Company’s assets and liabilities:
(a) holders of Senior Obligations will be entitled to receive payment in full in money or money’s worth of all Senior Obligations of the Company (including interest after the commencement of any bankruptcy proceeding at the rate specified in the applicable Senior Obligation, whether or not permitted under such bankruptcy proceedings) before the Holders will be entitled to receive any payment of any kind with respect to the Junior Obligations (other than securities of the Company or debt of the Company that is subordinated to the Senior Obligations on terms at least as favorable to holders of Senior Obligations as this ARTICLE 10 (“Permitted Junior Securities”)); and
(b) until all Senior Obligations of the Company (as provided in clause (a) above) are paid in full in money or money’s worth, any distribution to which Holders would be entitled but for this ARTICLE 10 (other than Permitted Junior Securities) will be made to holders of Senior Obligations of the Company, as their interests may appear.
SECTION 10.3 When Distribution Must be Paid Over.
(a) In the event that the Trustee or any Holder receives any payment of any Junior Obligations (other than Permitted Junior Securities) at a time when the Trustee or such Holder has actual knowledge that such payment is prohibited by this ARTICLE 10, such payment will be held by the Trustee or such Holder, in trust for the benefit of, and will be paid forthwith over and delivered, upon written request, to, the holders of Senior Obligations of the Company as their interests may appear or their representative under the agreement, indenture or other document (if any) pursuant to which such Senior Obligations may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, for application to the payment of all such Senior Obligations remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Obligations in full in accordance with their terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Obligations.
(b) With respect to the holders of Senior Obligations, the Trustee undertakes to perform only those obligations on the part of the Trustee as are specifically set forth in this ARTICLE 10, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Obligations will be read into this CVR Agreement against the Trustee. The Trustee will not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Obligations, and will not be liable to any such holders if the Trustee pays over or distributes to or on behalf of Holders or the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holders of Senior Obligations are then entitled by virtue of this ARTICLE 10, except if such payment is made as a result of the willful misconduct or negligence of the Trustee.
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SECTION 10.4 Notice by the Company. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any facts known to the Company that would cause a payment of any Junior Obligations to violate this ARTICLE 10, but failure to give such notice will not affect the subordination of the Junior Obligations to the Senior Obligations as provided in this ARTICLE 10.
SECTION 10.5 Subrogation. After all Senior Obligations are paid in full in money or money’s worth and until the Junior Obligations are paid in full, Holders will be subrogated to the rights of holders of Senior Obligations to receive distributions applicable to Senior Obligations to the extent that distributions otherwise payable to the Holders have been applied to the payment of Senior Obligations. The Holders by accepting the Securities acknowledge that to the extent that the Senior Obligations are determined to be unenforceable, or the Senior Obligations are subordinated to other obligations of the Company, such subrogation rights may be impaired.
SECTION 10.6 Relative Rights. This ARTICLE 10 defines the relative rights of Holders and holders of Senior Obligations. Nothing in this CVR Agreement will:
(a) impair, as between the Company and Holders, the obligations of the Company under this CVR Agreement and the Securities;
(b) affect the relative rights of Holders and creditors of the Company other than their rights in relation to holders of Senior Obligations; or
(c) prevent the Trustee or any Holder from exercising its available remedies upon a Breach, subject to the rights of holders of Senior Obligations to receive distributions and payments otherwise payable to Holders under this ARTICLE 10.
If the Company fails because of this ARTICLE 10 to pay any amounts due in respect of the Securities on a due date in violation of SECTION 3.1(e), the failure is still a Breach.
SECTION 10.7 Subordination May Not be Impaired by the Company. No right of any holder of Senior Obligations to enforce the subordination of the Junior Obligations may be impaired by any act or failure to act by the Company or any Holder or by the failure of the Company or any Holder to comply with this CVR Agreement.
SECTION 10.8 Distribution or Notice to the Representative. Whenever a distribution is to be made or a notice given to holders of Senior Obligations, the distribution may be made and the notice given to their representative in accordance with the terms of the instrument or
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other agreement governing such Senior Obligations. Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this ARTICLE 10, the Trustee and the Holders will be entitled to rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction or upon any certificate of such representative or of the liquidating trustee or agent or other Person making any distribution to the Trustee or to the Holders for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior Obligations and other obligations of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this ARTICLE 10.
SECTION 10.9 Rights of the Trustee. Notwithstanding the provisions of this ARTICLE 10 or any other provision of this CVR Agreement, the Trustee will not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment or distribution by the Trustee, and the Trustee may continue to make payments on the Securities, unless the Trustee has received at its address for notice specified in SECTION 1.5 at least five (5) Business Days prior to the date of such payment written notice of facts that would cause the payment of any Junior Obligations to violate this ARTICLE 10. Only the Company or a representative of Senior Obligations may give the notice. Nothing in this ARTICLE 10 will impair the claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to SECTION 4.7 hereof. The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may hold Senior Obligations with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee.
SECTION 10.10 Authorization to Effect Subordination. Each Holder, by the Holder’s acceptance of the Securities, authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination as provided in this ARTICLE 10, and appoints the Trustee to act as such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. If the Trustee (or any other Person acting on behalf of and at the direction of the Majority Holders) does not file a proper proof of claim or proof of debt in the form required in any proceeding referred to in SECTION 8.2 hereof at least thirty (30) days before the expiration of the time to file such claim, the representatives of the Senior Obligations are hereby authorized to file an appropriate claim for and on behalf of the Holders of the Securities.
SECTION 10.11 Amendments. The provisions of this ARTICLE 10 are expressly made for the benefit of the holders from time to time of the Senior Obligations, and may not be amended or modified without the written consent of the representatives of the holders of all Senior Obligations.
SECTION 10.12 Subordination Language to be Included in the Securities. Each Security shall contain a subordination provision which will be substantially in the following form:
“The Securities of this series are subordinated in right of payment, in the manner and to the extent set forth in the CVR Agreement, to the prior payment in full of all Senior Obligations of the Company (as defined in the CVR Agreement). Each Holder by accepting a Security agrees to such subordination and authorizes the Trustee to give it effect.”
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this CVR Agreement to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC. | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
[TRUSTEE], as the Trustee | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
ANNEX A
THE SECURITIES OF THIS SERIES ARE SUBORDINATED IN RIGHT OF PAYMENT, IN THE MANNER AND TO THE EXTENT SET FORTH IN THE CVR AGREEMENT, TO THE PRIOR PAYMENT IN FULL OF ALL SENIOR OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED IN THE CVR AGREEMENT). EACH HOLDER BY ACCEPTING A SECURITY AGREES TO SUCH SUBORDINATION AND AUTHORIZES THE TRUSTEE TO GIVE IT EFFECT.
COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC.
No. Certificate for Contingent Value Rights
This certifies that [ ], or registered assigns (the “Holder”), is the registered holder of the number of Contingent Value Rights (“CVRs” or “Securities”) set forth above. Each CVR entitles the Holder, subject to the provisions contained herein and in the CVR Agreement referred to on the reverse hereof, to payments from Community Health Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in the amounts and in the forms determined pursuant to the provisions set forth on the reverse hereof and as more fully described in the CVR Agreement referred to on the reverse hereof. Such payments shall be made on a CVR Payment Date, as defined in the CVR Agreement referred to on the reverse hereof.
Payment of any amounts pursuant to this CVR Certificate shall be made only to the registered Holder (as defined in the CVR Agreement) of this CVR Certificate. Such payment shall be made in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York, or at any other office or agency maintained by the Company outside of the City of New York, New York for such purpose, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts; provided, however, the Company may pay such amounts by wire transfer or check payable in such money. [TRUSTEE] has been initially appointed as Paying Agent at its office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this CVR Certificate set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been duly executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this CVR Certificate shall not be entitled to any benefit under the CVR Agreement, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.
COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC. | ||||||||
By: |
| |||||||
Name: | ||||||||
Title: | ||||||||
Dated: | ||||||||
Attest: |
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Authorized Signature |
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[Form of Reverse of CVR Certificate]
1. This CVR Certificate is issued under and in accordance with the Contingent Value Rights Agreement, dated as of [—], 2013 (the “CVR Agreement”), by and between the Company and [—], a [—], as trustee (the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor Trustee under the CVR Agreement), and is subject to the terms and provisions contained in the CVR Agreement, to all of which terms and provisions the Holder of this CVR Certificate consents by acceptance hereof. The CVR Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. Reference is hereby made to the CVR Agreement for a full statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties, obligations and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the CVRs. All capitalized terms used in this CVR Certificate without definition shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the CVR Agreement. Copies of the CVR Agreement can be obtained by contacting the Trustee.
2. In the event of any conflict between this CVR Certificate and the CVR Agreement, the CVR Agreement shall govern and prevail.
3. Subject to the terms and conditions of the CVR Agreement, on the CVR Payment Date, the Company shall pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holder hereof as of the applicable record date, for each CVR represented hereby, the CVR Payment Amount.
4. Payment of any amounts pursuant to the CVRs, if any, shall be payable by the Company in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts; provided, however, the Company may pay such amounts by its check or wire transfer payable in such money. [TRUSTEE] has been initially appointed as Paying Agent at its office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.
5. If a Breach occurs and is continuing, either the Trustee may or the Acting Holders, by notice in writing to the Company and to the Trustee shall, bring suit in accordance with the terms and conditions of the CVR Agreement to protect the rights of the Holders, including to obtain payment of all amounts then due and payable, with interest at the Breach Interest Rate from the date of the Breach through the date payment is made or duly provided for.
6. No reference herein to the CVR Agreement and no provision of this CVR Certificate or of the CVR Agreement shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay any amounts determined pursuant to the terms hereof and of the CVR Agreement at the times, place and amount, and in the manner, herein prescribed.
7. As provided in the CVR Agreement and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of the CVRs represented by this CVR Certificate is registrable on the Security Register, upon surrender of this CVR Certificate for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new CVR Certificates, for the same amount of CVRs, shall be issued to the designated transferee or transferees. The Company hereby initially designates the office of [TRUSTEE] at [—] as the office for registration of transfer of this CVR Certificate.
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8. As provided in the CVR Agreement and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, this CVR Certificate is exchangeable for one or more CVR Certificates representing the same number of CVRs as represented by this CVR Certificate as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.
9. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of CVRs, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any documentary, stamp or similar tax or other similar governmental charge payable in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Sections 3.4, 3.6 or 6.6 of the CVR Agreement not involving any transfer.
10. Prior to the time of due presentment of this CVR Certificate for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this CVR Certificate is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
11. Neither the Company nor the Trustee has any duty or obligation to the Holder of this CVR Certificate, except as expressly set forth herein or in the CVR Agreement.
12. As provided in the CVR Agreement and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the rights of the Holder of this CVR Certificate shall terminate on the CVR Payment Date.
13. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial. THIS CVR CERTIFICATE AND THE CVR AGREEMENT AND ALL CLAIMS OR CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT) THAT MAY BE BASED UPON, ARISE OUT OF OR RELATE TO THIS CVR CERTIFICATE AND THE CVR AGREEMENT, OR THE NEGOTIATION, EXECUTION OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS CVR CERTIFICATE AND THE CVR AGREEMENT (INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY MADE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CVR CERTIFICATE AND THE CVR AGREEMENT OR AS AN INDUCEMENT TO ACCEPT THIS CVR CERTIFICATE) OR THE SECURITIES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND EACH OF THE HOLDERS BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY NEW YORK STATE COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK OR ANY FEDERAL COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN RESPECT OF ALL CLAIMS OR CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT) THAT MAY BE BASED UPON, ARISE OUT OF OR RELATE TO THIS CVR CERTIFICATE AND THE CVR AGREEMENT, OR THE NEGOTIATION, EXECUTION OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS CVR CERTIFICATE AND THE CVR AGREEMENT
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(INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY MADE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CVR CERTIFICATE AND THE CVR AGREEMENT OR AS AN INDUCEMENT TO ACCEPT THIS CVR CERTIFICATE), OR THE SECURITIES, AND IRREVOCABLY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THE CVR AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE EACH OF THE HOLDERS BY ACCEPTANCE OF THIS CVR CERTIFICATE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT SUCH PERSON MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE CVR AGREEMENT OR THE SUBJECT MATTER THEREOF. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY CONTAINED IN THIS CVR AGREEMENT, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COMPANY BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANY HOLDER FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES.
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TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the CVR Certificates referred to in the within-mentioned CVR Agreement.
[—], as the Trustee | ||
By: |
| |
Authorized Signatory |
Dated:
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