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EXHIBIT 10.27
Viasystems, Inc.
$100,000,000
9 3/4% Series B Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007
EXCHANGE AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
February 17, 1998
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
NATWEST CAPITAL MARKETS LIMITED
c/o Chase Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Viasystems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to issue and sell to Chase Securities Inc. ("CSI"), and NatWest
Capital Markets Limited (together with CSI, the "Initial Purchasers"), upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in a purchase agreement dated
February 9, 1998 (the "Purchase Agreement"), $100,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of its 9 3/4% Series B Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007 (the
"Securities"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the
meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement.
In satisfaction of a condition to the obligations of the
Initial Purchasers to purchase the Securities under the Purchase Agreement, the
Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers, for the benefit of the holders
(including the Initial Purchasers) of the Transfer Restricted Securities and
the Exchange Securities (as defined herein) (collectively, the "Holders"), as
follows:
1. Registered Exchange Offer. The Company shall (i) prepare and, not
later than 60 days following the date of original issuance of the Securities
(the "Issue Date"), file with the Commission a registration statement (the
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the
Securities Act with respect to a proposed offer to the Holders of the Transfer
Restricted Securities (the "Registered Exchange Offer") to issue and deliver to
such Holders, in exchange for the Transfer Restricted Securities, a like
aggregate principal amount of debt securities of the Company (the "Exchange
Securities") that are identical in all material respects to the Transfer
Restricted Securities, except for the transfer restrictions relating to the
Securities, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act no later
than 160 days
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after the Issue Date and the Registered Exchange Offer to be consummated no
later than 25 business days after the effective date of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement and (iii) keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
effective for not less than 20 business days (or longer, if required by
applicable law) after the date on which notice of the Registered Exchange Offer
is first mailed to the Holders (such period being called the "Exchange Offer
Registration Period"). The Exchange Securities and Private Exchange Securities
(as defined below, if any) will be issued under the Indenture or an indenture
(the "Exchange Securities Indenture") between the Company and the Trustee or
such other bank or trust company that is reasonably satisfactory to the Initial
Purchasers, as trustee (the "Exchange Securities Trustee"), such indenture to
be identical in all material respects to the Indenture, except for the transfer
restrictions relating to the Transfer Restricted Securities.
Upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement,
the Company shall promptly commence the Registered Exchange Offer, it being the
objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to enable each Holder electing to
exchange Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such Holder (a) is
not an affiliate of the Company or an Exchanging Dealer (as defined herein) not
complying with the requirements of the next sentence, (b) is not an Initial
Purchaser with Securities that have the status of an unsold allotment in an
initial distribution, (c) acquires the Exchange Securities in the ordinary
course of such Holder's business and (d) has no arrangements or understandings
with any person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange Securities)
and to trade such Exchange Securities from and after their receipt without any
limitations or restrictions under the Securities Act and without material
restrictions under the securities laws of the several states of the United
States. The Company, the Initial Purchasers and each Exchanging Dealer
acknowledge that, pursuant to current interpretations by the Commission's staff
of Section 5 of the Securities Act, (i) each Holder that is a broker-dealer
electing to exchange Securities, acquired for its own account as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange Securities
(an "Exchanging Dealer"), is required to deliver a prospectus containing
substantially the information set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in
Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of
the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution"
section of such prospectus in connection with a sale of any such Exchange
Securities received by such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the Registered
Exchange Offer and (ii) if any Initial Purchaser elects to sell Private
Exchange Securities acquired in exchange for Securities constituting any
portion of an unsold allotment, it is required to deliver a prospectus
containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K under
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act ("Regulation S-K").
Upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer in accordance with
this Section 1, the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply,
mutatis mutandis, solely with respect to Transfer Restricted Securities that
are Private Exchange Securities, Exchange Securities as to which clause (v) of
the first paragraph of Section 2 is applicable and Exchange Securities held by
Participating Broker-Dealers (as defined), and the Company shall have no
further obligations to register Transfer Restricted Securities (other than
Private Exchange
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Securities and other than in respect of any Exchange Securities as to which
clause (v) of the first paragraph of Section 2 hereof applies) pursuant to
Section 2 hereof.
If, prior to the consummation of the Registered Exchange
Offer, any Holder holds any Securities acquired by it that have, or that are
reasonably likely to be determined to have, the status of an unsold allotment
in the initial distribution of the Securities, or any Holder is not entitled to
participate in the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall, upon the
request of any such Holder, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange
Securities in the Registered Exchange Offer, issue and deliver to any such
Holder, in exchange for the Securities held by such Holder (the "Private
Exchange"), a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities of the Company
(the "Private Exchange Securities") that are identical in all material respects
to the Exchange Securities, except for the transfer restrictions relating to
such Private Exchange Securities. The Private Exchange Securities will be
issued under the same indenture as the Exchange Securities, and the Company
shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Private Exchange Securities
to bear the same CUSIP number as the Exchange Securities.
In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company
shall:
(a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter of
transmittal and related documents;
(b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than 30 days (or
longer, if required by applicable law) after the date on which notice of the
Registered Exchange Offer is first mailed to the Holders;
(c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered Exchange Offer
with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York;
(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time prior to
the close of business, New York City time, on the last business day on which
the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and
(e) otherwise comply in all respects with all laws that are applicable to
the Registered Exchange Offer.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered
Exchange Offer and any Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:
(a) accept for exchange all Securities tendered and not
validly withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the
Private Exchange;
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(b) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all
Securities so accepted for exchange; and
(c) cause the Trustee or the Exchange Securities Trustee,
as the case may be, promptly to authenticate and deliver to each
Holder, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the
case may be, equal in principal amount to the Securities of such
Holder so accepted for exchange.
The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the
prospectus contained therein in order to permit such prospectus to be used by
all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such requirements
in order to resell the Exchange Securities; provided that (i) in the case where
such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must be delivered by an
Exchanging Dealer, such period shall be the lesser of 180 days and the date on
which all Exchanging Dealers have sold all Exchange Securities held by them and
(ii) the Company shall make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto available to any broker- dealer for use in connection with any resale
of any Exchange Securities for a period of not less than 90 days after the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer.
The Indenture or the Exchange Securities Indenture, as the
case may be, shall provide that the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the
Private Exchange Securities shall vote and consent together on all matters as
one class and that none of the Securities, the Exchange Securities or the
Private Exchange Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a
separate class on any matter.
Interest on each Exchange Security and Private Exchange
Security issued pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private
Exchange will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was
paid on the Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has
been paid on the Securities, from the Issue Date.
Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer
shall be required to represent to the Company that at the time of the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities
received by such Holder will be acquired in the ordinary course of business,
(ii) such Holder will have no arrangements or understanding with any person to
participate in the distribution of the Securities or the Exchange Securities
within the meaning of the Securities Act, (iii) such Holder is not an affiliate
of the Company or, if it is such an affiliate, such Holder will comply with the
registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the
extent applicable and (iv) if an Exchanging Dealer, such person shall comply
with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will
ensure that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto and any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto
complies in all material respects with the
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Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii)
any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto does not,
when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus forming
part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to such
prospectus, does not, as of the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer,
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
2. Shelf Registration. If (i) because of any change in law or applicable
interpretations thereof by the Commission's staff the Company is not permitted
to effect the Registered Exchange Offer as contemplated by Section 1 hereof, or
(ii) any Securities validly tendered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer
are not exchanged for Exchange Securities within 25 business days after the
effective date of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, or (iii) any
Initial Purchaser so requests with respect to Securities or Private Exchange
Securities not eligible to be exchanged for Exchange Securities in the
Registered Exchange Offer and held by it following the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer, or (iv) any applicable law or interpretations do not
permit any Holder to participate in the Registered Exchange Offer, or (v) any
Holder that participates in the Registered Exchange Offer does not receive
freely transferable Exchange Securities in exchange for tendered Securities
(the obligation to comply with a prospectus delivery requirement being
understood not to constitute a restriction on transferability), then the
following provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to
file as promptly as practicable (but in no event more than 30 days after so
required or requested pursuant to this Section 2) with the Commission, and
thereafter shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be declared
effective, a shelf registration statement on an appropriate form under the
Securities Act relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted
Securities (as defined) by the Holders thereof from time to time in accordance
with the methods of distribution set forth in such registration statement
(hereafter, a "Shelf Registration Statement" and, together with any Exchange
Offer Registration Statement, a "Registration Statement"); provided, however,
that no Holder of Securities or Exchange Securities (other than any Initial
Purchaser) shall be entitled to have Securities or Exchange Securities held by
it covered by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees in
writing to be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such
Holder.
(b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to
keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit
the prospectus forming part thereof to be used by Holders of Transfer
Restricted Securities for a period ending on the earlier of (i) two years from
the Issue Date or such shorter period that will terminate when all the Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been
sold pursuant thereto and (ii) the date all of the Securities become eligible
for resale without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act (in any such case, such
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period being called the "Shelf Registration Period"). The Company shall be
deemed not to have used its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf
Registration Statement effective during the requisite period if it voluntarily
takes any action that would result in Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities
covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Transfer Restricted
Securities during that period, unless such action is required by applicable
law; provided however, that the foregoing shall not apply to actions taken by
the Company in good faith and for valid business reasons (not including
avoidance of their obligations hereunder), including, without limitation, the
acquisition or divestiture of assets, so long as the Company within 30 days
thereafter complies with the requirements of Section 4(j) hereof. Any such
period during which the Company fails to keep the registration statement
effective and usable for offers and sales of Securities and Exchange Securities
is referred to as a "Suspension Period." A Suspension Period shall commence on
and include the date that the Company gives notice that the Shelf Registration
Statement is no longer effective or the prospectus included therein is no
longer usable for offers and sales of Securities and Exchange Securities and
shall end on the date when each Holder of Securities and Exchange Securities
covered by such registration statement either receives the copies of the
supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 4(j) hereof or is
advised in writing by the company that use of the prospectus may be resumed.
If one or more Suspension Periods occur, the two-year time period referenced
above shall be extended by the aggregate of the number of days included in each
such Suspension Period.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the
Company will ensure that (i) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto and any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto
complies in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement
and any amendment thereto (in either case, other than with respect to
information included therein in reliance upon or in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Holder specifically
for use therein (the "Holders' Information")) does not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and
(iii) any prospectus forming part of any Shelf Registration Statement, and any
supplement to such prospectus (in either case, other than with respect to
Holders' Information), does not include an untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
3. Liquidated Damages. (a) The parties hereto agree that the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities will suffer damages if the Company fails to
fulfill its obligations under Section 1 or Section 2, as applicable, and that
it would not be feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages. Accordingly,
if (i) the applicable Registration Statement is not filed with the Commission
on or prior to 60 days after the Issue Date, (ii) the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be,
is not declared effective within 160 days after the Issue Date (or in the case
of a Shelf Registration Statement required to be filed in response to a change
in law or the applicable interpretations of Commission's
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staff, if later, within 45 days after publication of the change in law or
interpretation), (iii) the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated within
25 business days after the effective date of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, or (iv) the Shelf Registration Statement is filed and declared
effective within 160 days after the Issue Date (or in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement required to be filed in response to a change in law or
the applicable interpretations of Commission's staff, if later, within 45 days
after publication of the change in law or interpretation) but shall thereafter
cease to be effective (at any time that the Company is obligated to maintain
the effectiveness thereof) without being succeeded within 60 days by an
additional Registration Statement filed and declared effective (each such event
referred to in clauses (i) through (iv), a "Registration Default"), the Company
will be obligated to pay liquidated damages to each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities, during the period of one or more such Registration
Defaults, in an amount equal to $0.10 per week per $1,000 principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities held by such Holder until (i) the applicable
Registration Statement is filed, (ii) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
is declared effective and the Registered Exchange Offer is consummated, (iii)
the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective or (iv) the Shelf
Registration Statement again becomes effective, as the case may be. Following
the cure of all Registration Defaults, the accrual of liquidated damages will
cease. As used herein, the term "Transfer Restricted Securities" means (i)
each Security until the date on which such Security has been exchanged for a
freely transferable Exchange Security (the obligation to comply with a
prospectus delivery requirement being understood not to constitute a
restriction on transferability) in the Registered Exchange Offer, (ii) each
Security or Private Exchange Security until the date on which it has been
effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance
with the Shelf Registration Statement or (iii) each Security or Private
Exchange Security until the date on which it is distributed to the public
pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule
144(k) under the Securities Act. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
this Section 3(a), the Company shall not be required to pay liquidated damages
to a Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities if such Holder failed to comply
with its obligations to make the representations set forth in the second to
last paragraph of Section 1 or failed to provide the information required to be
provided by it, if any, pursuant to Section 4(n).
(b) The Company shall notify the Trustee and the Paying
Agent under the Indenture immediately upon the happening of each and every
Registration Default. The Company shall pay the liquidated damages due on the
Transfer Restricted Securities by depositing with the Paying Agent (which may
not be the Company for these purposes), in trust, for the benefit of the
Holders thereof, prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next interest
payment date specified by the Indenture and the Securities, sums sufficient to
pay the liquidated damages then due. The liquidated damages due shall be
payable on each interest payment date specified by the Indenture and the
Securities to the record holder of the Transfer Restricted Securities entitled
to receive the interest payment to be made on such date. Each obligation to
pay liquidated damages shall be deemed to accrue from and including the date of
the applicable Registration Default.
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(c) The parties hereto agree that the liquidated damages
provided for in this Section 3 constitute a reasonable estimate of and are
intended to constitute the sole damages that will be suffered by Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities by reason of the failure of (i) the Shelf
Registration Statement or the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be
filed, (ii) the Shelf Registration Statement to remain effective or (iii) the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be declared effective and the
Registered Exchange Offer to be consummated, in each case to the extent
required by this Agreement.
4. Registration Procedures. In connection with any Registration
Statement, the following provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial
Purchaser, prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the
Registration Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any,
to the prospectus included therein and shall use its reasonable best efforts to
reflect in each such document, when so filed with the Commission, such comments
as any Initial Purchaser may reasonably propose; (ii) include the information
set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange
Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and
in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the prospectus
forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and include the
information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal delivered
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; and (iii) if requested by any
Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507 or 508 of
Regulation S-K, as applicable, in the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement.
(b) The Company shall advise each Initial Purchaser, each
Exchanging Dealer and the Holders (if applicable) and, if requested by any such
person, confirm such advice in writing (which advice pursuant to clauses
(ii)-(v) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of
the prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):
(i) when any Registration Statement and any amendment thereto
has been filed with the Commission and when such Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or
supplements to any Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein or
for additional information;
(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement or the initiation of
any proceedings for that purpose;
(iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities, the Exchange
Securities or the Private Exchange Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or
the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and
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(v) of the happening of any event that requires the making of
any changes in any Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein in
order that the statements therein (in light of the circumstances in which made,
in the case of the prospectus) are not misleading and do not omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading.
(c) The Company will make every reasonable effort to
obtain the withdrawal at the earliest possible time of any order suspending the
effectiveness of any Registration Statement.
(d) The Company will furnish to each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities included within the coverage of any Shelf Registration
Statement, without charge, at least one conformed copy of such Shelf
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including
financial statements and schedules and, if any such Holder so requests in
writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by
reference).
(e) The Company will, during the Shelf Registration
Period, promptly deliver to each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
included within the coverage of any Shelf Registration Statement, without
charge, as many copies of the prospectus (including each preliminary
prospectus) included in such Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or
supplement thereto as such Holder may reasonably request; and the Company
consents to the use of such prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
by each of the selling Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection
with the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such
prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.
(f) The Company will furnish to each Initial Purchaser
and each Exchanging Dealer, and to any other Holder who so requests, without
charge, at least one conformed copy of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules and, if any Initial Purchaser or Exchanging Dealer or
any such Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits thereto (including those,
if any, incorporated by reference).
(g) The Company will, during the Exchange Offer
Registration Period or the Shelf Registration Period, as applicable, promptly
deliver to each Initial Purchaser, each Exchanging Dealer and such other
persons that are required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered
Exchange Offer, without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus included
in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration
Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Initial Purchaser,
Exchanging Dealer or other persons may reasonably request; and the Company
consents to the use of such prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
by any such Initial Purchaser, Exchanging Dealer or other persons, as
applicable, as aforesaid.
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(h) Prior to the effective date of any Registration
Statement, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to register or
qualify, or cooperate with the Holders of Securities, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities included therein and their respective counsel in
connection with the registration or qualification of, such Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities for offer and sale under the
securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any such Holder reasonably
requests in writing and do any and all other acts or things necessary or
advisable to enable the offer and sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities,
Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities covered by such Registration
Statement; provided that the Company will not be required to qualify generally
to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take
any action which would subject it to general service of process or to taxation
in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(i) The Company will cooperate with the Holders of
Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities to facilitate
the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Securities,
Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities to be sold pursuant to any
Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Holders thereof may request
in writing prior to sales of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
Exchange Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(j) If (i) any event contemplated by Section 4(b)(ii)
through (v) occurs during the period for which the Company is required to
maintain an effective Registration Statement or (ii) any Suspension Period
remains in effect more than 30 days after the occurrence thereof, the Company
will promptly prepare and file with the Commission a post-effective amendment
to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus or file
any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to purchasers of
the Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities from a
Holder, the prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the
Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities, as the
case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with certificates for the
Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the
case may be, in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.
(l) The Company will comply with all applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission and will make generally available to its security
holders as soon as practicable after the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement an earning statement satisfying the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Securities Act; provided that in no event shall such
earning statement be delivered later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month
period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first
month of the Company's first
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fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such 12-month period.
(m) The Company will cause the Indenture or the Exchange
Securities Indenture, as the case may be, to be qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act as required by applicable law in a timely manner.
(n) The Company may require each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities to be registered pursuant to any Shelf Registration
Statement to furnish to the Company such information concerning the Holder and
the distribution of such Transfer Restricted Securities as the Company may from
time to time reasonably require for inclusion in such Shelf Registration
Statement, and the Company may exclude from such registration the Transfer
Restricted Securities of any Holder that fails to furnish such information
within a reasonable time after receiving such request.
(o) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities to be registered pursuant thereto
agrees by acquisition of such Transfer Restricted Securities that, upon receipt
of any notice from the Company pursuant to Section 4(b)(ii) through (v), such
Holder will discontinue disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities
until such Holder's receipt of copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus
contemplated by Section 4(j) or until advised in writing (the "Advice") by the
Company that the use of the applicable prospectus may be resumed. If the
Company shall give any notice under Section 4(b)(ii) through (v) during the
period that the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration
Statement (the "Effectiveness Period"), such Effectiveness Period shall be
extended by the number of days during such period from and including the date
of the giving of such notice to and including the date when each seller of
Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement shall
have received (x) the copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus
contemplated by Section 4(j) (if an amended or supplemental prospectus is
required) or (y) the Advice (if no amended or supplemental prospectus is
required).
(p) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall enter into such customary agreements (including, if requested, an
underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all such other action, if
any, as Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities,
Exchange Securities and Private Exchange Securities being sold or the managing
underwriters (if any) shall reasonably request in order to facilitate any
disposition of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities
pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.
(q) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall (i) make reasonably available for inspection by a representative
of, and Special Counsel (as defined below) acting for, Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Securities, Exchange Securities and Private
Exchange Securities being sold and any underwriter participating in any
disposition of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
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Exchange Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, all relevant
financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of
the Company and its subsidiaries and (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to
have its officers, directors, employees, accountants and counsel supply all
relevant information reasonably requested by such representative, Special
Counsel or any such underwriter (an "Inspector") in connection with such Shelf
Registration Statement.
(r) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall, if requested by the managing underwriters (if any) in connection
with such Shelf Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts to
cause (i) its counsel to deliver an opinion relating to the Shelf Registration
Statement and the Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange
Securities, as applicable, in customary form, (ii) its officers to execute and
deliver all customary documents and certificates requested by Holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities, Exchange Securities
and Private Exchange Securities being sold, their Special Counsel or the
managing underwriters (if any) and (iii) its independent public accountants to
provide a comfort letter or letters in customary form, subject to receipt of
appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by Statement
of Auditing Standards No. 72.
5. Registration Expenses. The Company will bear all expenses incurred in
connection with the performance of its obligations under Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4
and the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders for the
reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm of attorneys (in addition to any
local counsel) chosen by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange
Securities to be sold pursuant to each Registration Statement (the "Special
Counsel") acting for the Initial Purchasers or Holders in connection therewith.
6. Indemnification. (a) In the event of a Shelf Registration Statement
or in connection with any prospectus delivery pursuant to an Exchange Offer
Registration Statement by an Initial Purchaser or Exchanging Dealer, as
applicable, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Holder
(including, without limitation, any such Initial Purchaser or Exchanging
Dealer), its affiliates, their respective officers, directors, employees,
representatives and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such Holder
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively
referred to for purposes of this Section 6 and Section 7 as a Holder) from and
against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action
in respect thereof (including, without limitation, any loss, claim, damage,
liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities), to which that Holder may become
subject, whether commenced or threatened, under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common
law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action
arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any such Registration Statement or
any prospectus forming part thereof or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
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statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, and shall reimburse each Holder promptly upon demand for
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Holder in connection
with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as
a third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from
any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with any Holders'
Information; and provided, further, that with respect to any such untrue
statement in or omission from any related preliminary prospectus, the indemnity
agreement contained in this Section 6(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any
Holder from whom the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action received Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange
Securities to the extent that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action of
or with respect to such Holder results from the fact that both (A) a copy of
the final prospectus was not sent or given to such person at or prior to the
written confirmation of the sale of such Securities, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities to such person and (B) the untrue statement in or
omission from the related preliminary prospectus was corrected in the final
prospectus unless, in either case, such failure to deliver the final prospectus
was a result of non-compliance by the Company with Section 4(d), 4(e), 4(f) or
4(g).
(b) In the event of a Shelf Registration Statement, each
Holder, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, its affiliates, their respective officers, directors, employees,
representatives and agents, and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively
referred to for purposes of this Section 6(b) and Section 7 as the Company),
from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any
action in respect thereof, to which the Company may become subject, whether
commenced or threatened, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other
federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is
based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any such Registration Statement or any prospectus forming
part thereof or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, but in each case only
to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with any
Holders' Information, and shall reimburse the Company for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or
defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as a third party witness
in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such
expenses are incurred; provided, however, that no such Holder shall be liable
for any indemnity claims hereunder in excess of the amount of net proceeds
received by such Holder from the sale of Securities, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.
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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
this Section 6 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against
the indemnifying party pursuant to Section 6(a) or 6(b), notify the
indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action;
provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 6 except to
the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of
substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that
the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 6. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified
party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it
wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume
the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of
its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying
party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 6 for any
legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in
connection with the defense thereof other than the reasonable costs of
investigation; provided, however, that an indemnified party shall have the
right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and
other charges of such counsel for the indemnified party will be at the expense
of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the
indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2)
a conflict or potential conflict exists (based upon advice of counsel to
the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party
(in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the
defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (3) the
indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to
the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable
time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which
cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be
at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the
indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or
related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable
fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm of
attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at any one time for all such
indemnified party or parties. Each indemnified party, as a condition of the
indemnity agreements contained in Sections 6(a) and 6(b), shall use all
reasonable efforts to cooperate with the indemnifying party in the defense of
any such action or claim. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any
settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with its written
consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action,
the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified
party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or
judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of
the indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld),
effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of
which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could
have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement
(i) does not contain an admission of fault or wrongdoing and (ii)
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includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability
on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section
6(a) or 6(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in
respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company from the offering and sale of the
Securities, on the one hand, and a Holder with respect to the sale by such
Holder of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, on
the other, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and such Holder on the other with
respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim,
damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations.. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and a Holder on the other with respect to such offering
and such sale shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net
proceeds from the offering of the Securities (before deducting expenses)
received by or on behalf of the Company as set forth in the table on the cover
of the Offering Memorandum, on the one hand, bear to the total proceeds
received by such Holder with respect to its sale of Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities, on the other. The relative fault
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission
to state a material fact relates to the Company or information supplied by the
Company on the one hand or to any Holders' Information on the other, the intent
of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The
parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions
pursuant to this Section 7 were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even
if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other
method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable
considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or
action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed
to include, for purposes of this Section 7, any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
Section 7, an indemnifying party that is a Holder of Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities shall not be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the
Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities sold by such
indemnifying party to any purchaser exceeds the amount of any damages which
such indemnifying party has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of
any untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders'
obligations to
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contribute as provided in this Section 7 are several in proportion to their
respective obligations and not joint.
8. Rules 144 and 144A. If at any time the Company is not required to
file such reports, it will, upon the written request of any Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities, make publicly available other information so long as
necessary to permit sales of such Holder's securities pursuant to Rules 144 and
144A. The Company covenants that it will take such further action as any
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities may reasonably request, all to the
extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Transfer
Restricted Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the
limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including, without
limitation, the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). Upon the written request of
any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, the Company shall deliver to such
Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such
requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 8 shall
be deemed to require the Company to register any of its securities pursuant to
the Exchange Act.
9. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by any Shelf Registration Statement are to be sold in an
underwritten offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager
or managers that will administer the offering will be selected by the Company,
subject to the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of such Transfer Restricted Securities included in such offering (which
shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and such Holders shall be
responsible for all underwriting commissions and discounts in connection
therewith.
No person may participate in any underwritten registration
hereunder unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer
Restricted Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting
arrangements approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such
arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of
attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably
required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
10. Miscellaneous. (a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this
Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents
to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the Company
has obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private
Exchange Securities, taken as a single class. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a
waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter
that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities are being sold pursuant to a
Registration Statement and that does not directly or indirectly affect the
rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private
Exchange Securities being sold by such Holders pursuant to such Registration
Statement.
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(b) Notices. All notices and other communications
provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery,
first-class mail, telecopier or air courier guaranteeing next-day delivery:
(1) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by
such Holder to the Company in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 10(b), which address initially is, with respect to each
Holder, the address of such Holder maintained by the Registrar under
the Indenture, with a copy in like manner to Chase Securities Inc. and
NatWest Capital Markets Limited;
(2) if to an Initial Purchaser, initially at its address
set forth in the Purchase Agreement; and
(3) if to the Company, initially at the address of the
Company set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have
been duly given: when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; one business
day after being delivered to a next-day air courier; five business days after
being deposited in the mail; and when receipt is acknowledged by the
recipient's telecopier machine, if sent by telecopier.
(c) Successors And Assigns. This Agreement shall be
binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts (which may be delivered in original form or by
telecopier) and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(e) Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Agreement,
(a) the term "business day" means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange,
Inc. is open for trading, (b) the term "subsidiary" has the meaning set forth
in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and (c) except where otherwise expressly
provided, the term "affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the
Securities Act.
(f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
(g) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without
regard to the conflicts of law provisions thereof to the extent the application
of the laws of another jurisdiction would be required thereby.
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(h) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or
by any holder of Transfer Restricted Securities of any of their obligations
under this Agreement, each holder of Transfer Restricted Securities or the
Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all
rights granted by law, including recovery of damages (other than the recovery
of damages for a breach by the Company of its obligations under Sections 1 or 2
hereof for which liquidated damages have been paid pursuant to Section 3
hereof), will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this
Agreement. The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not
be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of
any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agree that, in the
event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it
shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(i) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents,
warrants and agrees that (i) it has not entered into, shall not, on or after
the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement that is inconsistent with
the rights granted to the holders of Transfer Restricted Securities in this
Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof, (ii) it has not
previously entered into any agreement which remains in effect granting any
registration rights with respect to any of its debt securities to any person
and (iii) without limiting the generality of the foregoing, without the written
consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then
outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities, it shall not grant to any person
the right to request the Company to register any debt securities of the Company
under the Securities Act unless the rights so granted are not in conflict or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement.
(j) No Piggyback on Registrations. Neither the Company
nor any of its security holders (other than the Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities in such capacity) shall have the right to include any securities of
the Company in any Shelf Registration or Registered Exchange Offer other than
Transfer Restricted Securities.
(k) Severability. The remedies provided herein are
cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law. If any term,
provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein
shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their reasonable best efforts
to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially
the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or
restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the
parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter
declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
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Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the
agreement among the Company and the Initial Purchasers.
Very truly yours,
VIASYSTEMS, INC.
By
------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted:
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
By
-------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
NATWEST CAPITAL MARKETS LIMITED
By
-------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
20
ANNEX A
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its
own account in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange
Offer, where such Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange
Securities. The Letter of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by
delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is
an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as
it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-
dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange
for Securities where such Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company
has agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date (as defined
herein), it will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in
connection with any such resale. See "Plan of Distribution."
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ANNEX B
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its
own account in exchange for Securities, where such Securities were acquired by
such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection
with any resale of such Exchange Securities. See "Plan of Distribution."
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ANNEX C
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its
own account in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange
Offer, where such Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of
market making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange
Securities. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to
time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange
Securities received in exchange for Securities where such Securities were
acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities.
The Company has agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date,
it will make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any
broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale.
The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of
Exchange Securities by broker-dealers. Exchange Securities received by
broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer
may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the
over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of
options on the Exchange Securities or a combination of such methods of resale,
at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made
directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive
compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such
broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange Securities. Any
broker-dealer that resells Exchange Securities that were received by it for its
own account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and any broker or dealer
that participates in a distribution of such Exchange Securities may be deemed
to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit
on any such resale of Exchange Securities and any commission or concessions
received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation
under the Securities Act. The Letter of Transmittal states that, by
acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within
the meaning of the Securities Act.
For a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date the Company
will promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Registered Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one
counsel for the Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or
concessions of any broker-dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the
Securities (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act.
23
ANNEX D
CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10
ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR
SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.
Name:
-----------------------------------------------
Address:
--------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it
is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents
that it will receive Exchange Securities for its own account, in exchange for
Securities that it represents and warrants were acquired as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities, and it acknowledges that
it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange
Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, the
undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act.
