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Exhibit 4.4
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
HERMES EUROPE RAILTEL B.V.
AND
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX SECURITIES CORPORATION,
UBS SECURITIES LLC
AND
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") is dated
as of August 19, 1997, by and between HERMES EUROPE RAILTEL B.V., a company
incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands (the "Company"), and XXXXXXXXX,
XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX SECURITIES CORPORATION, UBS SECURITIES LLC and XXXXXX BROTHERS
INC. (the "Initial Purchasers").
This Agreement is entered into in connection with the Purchase
Agreement, dated as of August 14, 1997, between the Company and the Initial
Purchasers (the "Purchase Agreement") relating to the sale by the Company to the
Initial Purchasers of $265,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 11-1/2%
Senior Notes due 2007 (the "Notes"). In order to induce the Initial Purchasers
to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide the
registration rights set forth in this Agreement for the equal benefit of the
Initial Purchasers and its direct and indirect transferees. The execution and
delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the Initial Purchasers' obligation
to purchase the Notes under the Purchase Agreement.
The parties hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
Additional Interest: See Section 4(a).
Advice: See the last paragraph of Section 5.
Applicable Period: See Section 2(b).
Commission: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
Company: See the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
Effectiveness Date: The 135th day after the Issue Date;
provided, however, that, with respect to the Initial Shelf Registration
Statement, (i) if the Filing Date in respect thereof is fewer than 60 days prior
to the 135th day after the Issue Date, then the Effectiveness Date in respect
thereof shall be the 60th day after such Filing Date and (ii) if the Filing Date
is after the filing of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement with the
Commission, then the Effectiveness Date in respect thereof shall be the 60th day
after such Filing Date.
Effectiveness Period: See Section 3(a).
Event Date: See Section 4(b).
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Exchange Offer: See Section 2(a).
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Exchange Offer Registration Statement: See Section 2(a).
Exchange Securities: See Section 2(a).
Expiration Date: See Section 2(a).
Filing Date: The 90th day after the Issue Date; provided,
however, that, with respect to the Initial Shelf Registration Statement, (i) if
a Shelf Registration Event shall have occurred fewer than 30 days prior to the
30th day after the Issue Date, then the Filing Date in respect thereof shall be
the 30th day after such Shelf Registration Event and (ii) if a Shelf
Registration Event shall have occurred after the filing of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement with the Commission, then the Filing Date in respect
thereof shall be the 30th day after such Shelf Registration Event.
Guarantors: See Section 10(d).
Holder: Any record holder of Registrable Securities.
Indemnified Person: See the third paragraph of Section 7.
Indemnifying Person: See the third paragraph of Section 7.
Indenture: The Indenture, dated as of August 19, 1997, among
the Company, Global TeleSystems Group, Inc. and The Bank of New York, as
trustee, pursuant to which the Notes are being issued, as amended or
supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
Initial Purchasers: See the introductory paragraph to this
Agreement.
Initial Shelf Registration Statement: See Section 3(a).
Inspectors: See Section 5(o).
Issue Date: The date of original issuance of the Notes.
NASD: See Section 5(t).
Notes: See the second introductory paragraph to this
Agreement.
Participant: See the first paragraph of Section 7.
Participating Broker-Dealer: See Section 2(b).
Person: An individual, corporation, limited or general
partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint stock
company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or
political subdivision thereof.
Private Exchange: See Section 2(b).
Private Exchange Securities: See Section 2(b).
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Prospectus: The prospectus included in any Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any
information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective
registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the
Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with
respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable
Securities covered by such Registration Statement, and all other amendments and
supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all
material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in
such Prospectus.
Purchase Agreement: See the second introductory paragraph to
this Agreement.
Records: See Section 5(o).
Registrable Securities: The Notes upon original issuance
thereof and at all times subsequent thereto, each Exchange Security as to which
Section 2(c)(v) hereof is applicable upon original issuance and at all times
subsequent thereto and, if issued, the Private Exchange Securities, until in the
case of any such Notes, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as
the case may be, (i) a Registration Statement (other than, with respect to any
Exchange Security as to which Section 2(c)(v) hereof is applicable, the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement) covering such Notes, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities has been declared effective by the Commission and
such Notes, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the case may
be, have been disposed of in accordance with such effective Registration
Statement, (ii) such Notes, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities,
as the case may be, are sold in compliance with Rule 144, (iii) such Note has
been exchanged for an Exchange Note pursuant to the Exchange Offer and Section
2(c)(v) is not applicable thereto, or (iv) such Notes, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, cease to be outstanding.
Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the
Company, including, but not limited to, the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, that covers any of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the
provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus, amendments and
supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments,
all exhibits, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
Rule 144: Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, as
such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule (other than Rule
144A) or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission providing for offers and
sales of securities made in compliance therewith resulting in offers and sales
by subsequent holders that are not affiliates of an issuer of such securities
being free of the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act.
Rule 144A: Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act, as
such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule (other than Rule
144) or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission.
Rule 415: Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act, as
such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation
hereafter adopted by the Commission.
Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Shelf Notice: See Section 2(c).
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Shelf Registration Statement: See Section 3(b).
Shelf Registration Event: See Section 2(c).
Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement: See Section 3(b).
TIA: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
Trustee: The trustee under the Indenture and, if applicable,
the trustee under any indenture governing the Exchange Securities and Private
Exchange Securities (if any).
Underwritten registration or underwritten offering: A
registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an underwriter for
reoffering to the public.
2. EXCHANGE OFFER
(a) The Company agrees to file with the Commission on or
before the Filing Date an offer to exchange (the "Exchange Offer") any and all
of the Registrable Securities for a like aggregate principal amount of senior
debt securities of the Company that are identical to the Notes (the "Exchange
Securities") (and that are entitled to the benefits of the Indenture or a trust
indenture that is substantially identical to the Indenture (other than such
changes as are necessary to comply with any requirements of the Commission to
effect or maintain the qualification of such trust indenture under the TIA) and
that has been qualified under the TIA), except that the Exchange Securities
shall have been registered pursuant to an effective Registration Statement under
the Securities Act and shall contain no restrictive legend thereon. The Exchange
Offer will be registered under the Securities Act on the appropriate form (the
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement") and will comply with all applicable
tender offer rules and regulations under the Exchange Act. The Company agrees to
use its reasonable best efforts (i) to cause the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement to become effective and to commence the Exchange Offer on or prior to
the Effectiveness Date, (ii) to keep the Exchange Offer open for 30 days (or
longer if required by applicable law) (the last day of such period, the
"Expiration Date") and (iii) to exchange Exchange Securities for all Notes
validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer on or prior to
the fifth day following the Expiration Date.
Each Holder who participates in the Exchange Offer will be
deemed to represent that any Exchange Securities received by it will be acquired
in the ordinary course of its business, that at the time of the consummation of
the Exchange Offer such Holder will have no arrangement with any person to
participate in the distribution of the Exchange Securities in violation of the
provisions of the Securities Act, and that such Holder is not an affiliate of
the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act.
Upon consummation of the Exchange Offer in accordance with
this Section 2, the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply,
mutatis mutandis, solely with respect to Registrable Securities that are Private
Exchange Securities, Exchange Securities to which Section 2(c)(v) is applicable
and Exchange Securities held by Participating Broker-Dealers, and the Company
shall have no further obligation to register Registrable Securities (other than
Private Exchange Securities and other than Exchange Securities as to which
Section 2(c)(v) hereof applies) pursuant to Section 3 of this Agreement. No
Securities other than the Exchange Securities shall be included in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement.
(b) The Company shall include within the Prospectus contained
in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement a Section entitled "Plan of
Distribution," reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchasers, which
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shall contain a summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by the
Staff of the Commission (and publicly disseminated) with respect to the
potential "underwriter" status of any broker-dealer that is the beneficial owner
(as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of Exchange Securities
received by such broker-dealer in the Exchange Offer (a "Participating
Broker-Dealer"). Such "Plan of Distribution" section shall also allow the use of
the prospectus by all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of
the Securities Act, including all Participating Broker-Dealers, and include a
statement describing the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell
the Exchange Securities.
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 lawfully
delivered by all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act for at least 180 days following the first bona fide offering of
securities under such Registration Statement (or such shorter time as such
persons must comply with such requirements in order to resell the Exchange
Securities) (the "Applicable Period").
If, prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer, the Initial
Purchasers hold any Notes acquired by them and having, or which are reasonably
likely to be determined to have, the status of an unsold allotment in the
initial distribution, the Company upon the request of the Initial Purchasers
shall, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Securities in the
Exchange Offer, issue and deliver to the Initial Purchasers, in exchange (the
"Private Exchange") for the Notes held by the Initial Purchasers, a like
principal amount of debt securities of the Company that are identical to the
Exchange Securities (the "Private Exchange Securities") (and which are issued
pursuant to the same indenture as the Exchange Securities) (except for the
placement of a restrictive legend on such Private Exchange Securities). The
Private Exchange Securities shall bear the same CUSIP number as the Exchange
Securities. Interest on the Exchange Securities and Private Exchange Securities
will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on
the Notes surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid on
the Notes, from the Issue Date.
Any indenture under which the Exchange Securities or the
Private Exchange Securities will be issued shall provide that the holders of any
of the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities will vote and
consent together on all matters to which such holders are entitled to vote or
consent as one class and that none of the holders of the Exchange Securities and
the Private Exchange Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a
separate class on any matter.
(c) If, (i) because of any change in law or in currently
prevailing interpretations of the Staff of the Commission, the Company is not
permitted to effect the Exchange Offer, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not commenced
on or prior to the Effectiveness Date, (iii) the Exchange Offer is, for any
reason, not consummated on or prior to the 165th day after the Issue Date, (iv)
any Holder of Private Exchange Securities so requests, or (v) in the case of any
Holder that participates in the Exchange Offer, such Holder does not receive
Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange that may be sold without
restriction under state and federal securities laws (the occurrence of any such
event, a "Shelf Registration Event"), then, in the case of each of clauses (i)
to and including (v) of this sentence, the Company shall promptly deliver to the
Holders and the Trustee notice thereof (the "Shelf Notice") and shall thereafter
file an Initial Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 3.
3. SHELF REGISTRATION
If a Shelf Registration Event has occurred (and whether or not
an Exchange Offer Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission or
has become effective, or the Exchange Offer has been consummated), then:
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(a) Initial Shelf Registration Statement. The Company shall
promptly prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement for an
offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 covering all of
the Registrable Securities (the "Initial Shelf Registration Statement"). The
Company shall file with the Commission the Initial Shelf Registration Statement
on or prior to the Filing Date. The Initial Shelf Registration Statement shall
be on Form S-1 or another appropriate form, if available, permitting
registration of such Registrable Securities for resale by such holders in the
manner designated by them (including, without limitation, in one or more
underwritten offerings). The Company shall not permit any securities other than
the Registrable Securities to be included in the Initial Shelf Registration
Statement or any Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement. The Company shall use
its reasonable best efforts to cause the Initial Shelf Registration Statement to
be declared effective under the Securities Act on or prior to the Effectiveness
Date, and to keep the Initial Shelf Registration Statement continuously
effective under the Securities Act until the date which is 24 months from the
Issue Date (or such shorter period under Rule 144 under the Securities Act then
in effect after which non-affiliates of the issuer are permitted to resell
securities without registration), or such shorter period ending when (i) all
Registrable Securities covered by the Initial Shelf Registration Statement have
been sold in the manner set forth and as contemplated in the Initial Shelf
Registration Statement or (ii) a Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement
covering all of the Registrable Securities has been declared effective under the
Securities Act (such period, the "Effectiveness Period").
(b) Subsequent Shelf Registration Statements. If the Initial
Shelf Registration Statement or any Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement
ceases to be effective for any reason at any time during the Effectiveness
Period (other than because of the sale of all of the securities registered
thereunder), the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the
prompt withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness thereof, and in any
event the Company shall within 45 days of such cessation of effectiveness amend
the Shelf Registration Statement in a manner reasonably expected to obtain the
withdrawal of the order suspending the effectiveness thereof, or file an
additional "shelf" Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 415 covering all of
the Registrable Securities (a "Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement"). If a
Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement is filed, the Company shall use its
reasonable best efforts to cause the Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement to
be declared effective as soon as reasonably practicable after such filing and to
keep such Registration Statement continuously effective until the end of the
Effectiveness Period. As used herein the term "Shelf Registration Statement"
means the Initial Shelf Registration Statement and any Subsequent Shelf
Registration Statement.
(c) Supplements and Amendments. The Company shall promptly
supplement and amend the Shelf Registration Statement if required by the rules,
regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used for such
Shelf Registration Statement, if required by the Securities Act, or if
reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement or by any
underwriter of such Registrable Securities.
(d) Hold-Back Agreements.
(i) Restrictions on Public Sale by Holders of Registrable
Securities. Each Holder of Registrable Securities whose Registrable
Securities are covered by a Shelf Registration Statement (which
Registrable Securities are not being sold in the underwritten offering
described below) agrees, if requested (pursuant to a timely written
notice) by the Company or by the managing underwriter or underwriters
in an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, not to effect
any public sale or distribution of any securities within the class of
securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement or any similar
class of securities of the Company, including a sale pursuant to Rule
144 or Rule 144A (except as part of such underwritten offering), during
the period beginning 10 days prior to, and ending 60 days after, the
Issue Date of each underwritten offering made pursuant to each Shelf
Registration Statement, to the
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extent timely notified in writing by the Company or by the managing
underwriter or underwriters; provided, however, that each holder of
Registrable Securities shall be subject to the hold-back restrictions
of this Section 3(d)(i) only once during the term of this Agreement.
The foregoing provisions shall not apply to any Holder of
Registrable Securities if such Holder is prevented by applicable
statute or regulation from entering into any such agreement; provided,
however, that any such Holder shall undertake, in its request to
participate in any such underwritten offering, not to effect any public
sale or distribution of the class of securities covered by such Shelf
Registration Statement (except as part of such underwritten offering)
during such period unless it has provided 45 days' prior written notice
of such sale or distribution to the Company or the managing underwriter
or underwriters, as the case may be.
(ii) Restrictions on the Company and Others. The Company
agrees (A) not to effect any public or private sale or distribution
(including, without limitation, a sale pursuant to Regulation D under
the Securities Act) of any securities the same as or similar to those
covered by a Shelf Registration Statement or any securities convertible
into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities, during the 10
days prior to, and during the 60-day period beginning on, the
commencement of an underwritten public distribution of Registrable
Securities, where the managing underwriter or underwriters so requests
pursuant to timely written notice; (B) to include in any agreements
entered into by the Company on or after the date of this Agreement
(other than any underwriting agreement relating to a public offering
registered under the Securities Act) pursuant to which the Company
issues or agrees to issue securities the same as or similar to the
Notes a provision substantially identical to Section 3(d)(i); and (C)
not to grant or agree to grant any "piggy-back registration" or other
similar rights to any holder of the Company's or any of its
subsidiaries' securities issued on or after the date of this Agreement
with respect to any Registration Statement.
4. ADDITIONAL INTEREST
(a) The Company and the Initial Purchasers agree that the
Holders of Notes will suffer damages if the Company fails to fulfill its
obligations under Section 2 or Section 3 hereof and that it would not be
feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages with precision. Accordingly,
the Company agrees to pay, as liquidated damages, additional interest on the
Notes ("Additional Interest") under the circumstances and to the extent set
forth below (each of which shall be given independent effect):
(i) if either the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Initial
Shelf Registration Statement has not been filed on or prior to the
Filing Date (unless, with respect to the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, a Shelf Registration Event described in Section 2(c)(i)
shall have occurred prior to the Filing Date), Additional Interest
shall accrue on the Notes over and above the stated interest on the
principal of a rate equal to 50 basis points for the first 90 days
(or any part thereof) immediately following such date, such
Additional Interest rate increasing by an additional 50 basis points
for each subsequent 90-day period (or any part thereof);
(ii) if either the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or
the Initial Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective by
the Commission on or prior to the Effectiveness Date (unless, with
respect to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a Shelf
Registration Event described in Section 2(c)(i) shall have occurred),
Additional Interest shall accrue on the Notes included or which
should have been included in such Registration Statement over and
above the stated interest on the principal at a rate equal to 50
basis points for the first 90 days (or any part thereof) immediately
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lowing the day after such date, such Additional Interest rate
increasing by an additional 50 basis points for each subsequent 90-day
period (or any part thereof); and
(iii) if (A) the Company has not exchanged Exchange Securities
for all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn in accordance with the
terms of the Exchange Offer on or prior to the fifth day after the
Expiration Date, or (B) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
ceases to be effective at any time prior to the Expiration Date, or (C)
if applicable, any Shelf Registration Statement has been declared
effective and such Shelf Registration Statement ceases to be effective
at any time during the Effectiveness Period, then Additional Interest
shall accrue on the Notes (over and above any interest otherwise
payable on principal of the Notes) at a rate equal to 50 basis points
for the first 90 days (or any part thereof) commencing on (x) the sixth
day after the Expiration Date, in the case of (A) above, or (y) the day
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement ceases to be effective in the
case of (B) above, or (z) the day such Shelf Registration Statement
ceases to be effective in the case of (C) above, such Additional
Interest rate increasing by an additional 50 basis points for each such
subsequent 90-day period (or any part thereof);
provided, however, that the Additional Interest rate on the Notes may not exceed
at any one time in the aggregate 150 basis points; provided, further, that (1)
upon the filing of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or a Shelf
Registration Statement as required hereunder (in the case of clause (i) of this
Section 4(a)), (2) upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement as required hereunder (in the case
of clause (ii) of this Section 4(a)) or (3) upon the exchange of Exchange
Securities for all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn (in the case of
clause (iii)(A) of this Section 4(a)), or upon the effectiveness of the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement which had ceased to remain effective (in the case
of clause (iii)(B) of this Section 4(a)), or upon the effectiveness of the Shelf
Registration Statement which had ceased to remain effective (in the case of
clause (iii)(C) of this Section 4(a)), Additional Interest on the Notes as a
result of such clause (or the relevant subclause thereof), as the case may be,
shall cease to accrue (but any accrued amount shall be payable).
(b) The Company shall notify the Trustee within one business
day after each and every date on which an event occurs in respect of which
Additional Interest is required to be paid (an "Event Date"). The Company shall
pay the Additional Interest due on the Registrable Securities by depositing with
the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders thereof, on or before the
applicable semi-annual interest payment date, immediately available funds in
sums sufficient to pay the Additional Interest then due to Holders of
Registrable Securities. Each obligation to pay Additional Interest shall be
deemed to accrue immediately following the occurrence of the applicable Event
Date. Any accrued Additional Interest amount shall be due and payable on each
interest payment date immediately after the applicable Event Date to the record
Holder of Registrable Securities entitled to receive the interest payment to be
made on such date as set forth in the Indenture. The parties hereto agree that
the Additional Interest provided for in this Section 4 constitutes a reasonable
estimate of the damages that may be incurred by Holders of Registrable
Securities by reason of the failure of a Shelf Registration Statement or
Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be filed or declared effective, or a
Shelf Registration Statement to remain effective, as the case may be, in
accordance with this Section 4.
5. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
In connection with the registration of any Registrable
Securities pursuant to Sections 2 or 3 hereof, the Company shall use its
reasonable best efforts to effect such registrations to permit the sale of such
Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of
disposition thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall:
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(a) prepare and file with the Commission on or before the
Filing Date, a Registration Statement or Registration Statements as prescribed
by Section 2 or 3, and to use its reasonable best efforts to cause each such
Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective as provided
herein; provided, however, that, if (1) such filing is pursuant to Section 3, or
(2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration Statement filed
pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the Securities Act by
any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange Securities during the
Applicable Period, before filing any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any
amendments or supplements thereto, the Company shall furnish to and afford the
Holders of the Registrable Securities and each such Participating Broker-Dealer,
as the case may be, covered by such Registration Statement, their counsel and
the managing underwriters, if any, a reasonable opportunity to review copies of
all such documents (including copies of any documents to be incorporated by
reference therein) proposed to be filed; the Company shall not file any
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto in
respect of which the Holders must be afforded a reasonable opportunity to review
prior to the filing of such document, if the Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration
Statement, or such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, their
counsel, or the managing underwriters, if any, shall not have been afforded such
opportunity or shall reasonably object, except for any amendment or supplement
or document that counsel to the Company shall advise the Company in writing is
required in order to comply with applicable law;
(b) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and
post-effective amendments to each Shelf Registration Statement or Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, as the case may be, as may be necessary to keep such
Registration Statement continuously effective for the Effectiveness Period, in
the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, or until the later of the Expiration
Date and the Applicable Period (if applicable), in the case of the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement; cause the related Prospectus to be supplemented by
any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant
to Rule 424 (or any similar provisions then in force) under the Securities Act;
and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder applicable to it
with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such Registration
Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented and with
respect to the subsequent resale of any securities being sold by a Participating
Broker-Dealer covered by any such Prospectus;
(c) if (1) a Shelf Registration Statement is filed pursuant to
Section 3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange
Securities during the Applicable Period, notify the selling Holders of
Registrable Securities, or each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case
may be, their counsel and the managing underwriters, if any, promptly, and
confirm such notice in writing, (i) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to a
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become
effective (including in such notice a written statement that any Holder may,
upon request, obtain, without charge, one conformed copy of such Registration
Statement or post-effective amendment including financial statements and
schedules, but without documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference or exhibits unless specifically requested); (ii) of the issuance by
the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration
Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
prospectus or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) if at
any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act to be delivered in
connection with sales of the Registrable Securities the representations and
warranties of the Company contained in any agreement (including any underwriting
agreement) contemplated by Section 5(n) below cease to be true and correct; (iv)
of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension
of the qualification or exemption from qualification of a Registration Statement
or any of the Registrable Securities or the Exchange Securities to be sold by
any Participating Broker-Dealer for offer or sale in any
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jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such
purpose; (v) of the happening of any event or any information becoming known
that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or related
Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any
changes in such Registration Statement, Prospectus or documents so that, in the
case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and that in the case
of the Prospectus, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; provided, however, that such notification need not
specifically identify such event if notification of the occurrence thereof would
in the Company's reasonable judgment, involve the disclosure of confidential
non-public information; and (vi) of the Company's reasonable determination that
a post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement would be appropriate;
(d) if (1) a Shelf Registration Statement is filed pursuant to
Section 3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange
Securities during the Applicable Period, use its reasonable best efforts to
prevent the issuance of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration
Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of a Prospectus or
suspending the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the
Registrable Securities or the Exchange Securities to be sold by any
Participating Broker-Dealer, for sale in any jurisdiction, and, if any such
order is issued, to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of
any such order at the earliest possible moment;
(e) if a Shelf Registration Statement is filed pursuant to
Section 3 and if requested by the managing underwriters, if any, or the Holders
of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Securities being
sold in connection with an underwritten offering, (i) promptly incorporate in a
prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the
managing underwriters, if any, or such Holders or their respective counsel
reasonably request to be included therein; and (ii) make all required filings of
such prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as
reasonably practicable after the Company has received notification of the
matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment;
(f) if (1) a Shelf Registration Statement is filed pursuant to
Section 3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange
Securities during the Applicable Period, furnish to each selling Holder of
Registrable Securities and to each such Participating Broker-Dealer who so
requests and upon request to their respective counsel and each managing
underwriter, if any, without charge, one conformed copy of the Registration
Statement or Statements and each post-effective amendment thereto, including
financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits;
(g) if (1) a Shelf Registration Statement is filed pursuant to
Section 3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange
Securities during the Applicable Period, deliver to each selling Holder of
Registrable Securities, or each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case
may be, their counsel, and the underwriters, if any, without charge, as many
copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of preliminary
prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto and any documents
incorporated by reference therein as such Persons may reasonably request; and,
sub-
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ject to the last paragraph of this Section 5, the Company hereby consents to
the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of
the selling holders of Registrable Securities or each such Participating
Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, and the underwriters or agents, if any, and
dealers (if any), in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable
Securities covered by or the sale by Participating Broker-Dealers of the
Exchange Securities pursuant to such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto provided such use complies with all applicable laws and regulations;
(h) prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities or
any delivery of a Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange
Securities during the Applicable Period, use its reasonable best efforts to
register or qualify, and to cooperate with the selling Holders of Registrable
Securities or each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, the
underwriters, if any, and their respective counsel in connection with the
registration or qualification (or exemption from such registration or
qualification) of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as
any selling Holder, Participating Broker-Dealer, or the managing underwriters
reasonably request in writing; provided, however, that where Exchange Securities
held by Participating Broker-Dealers or Registrable Securities are offered other
than through an underwritten offering, the Company shall cause its counsel to
(i) perform Blue Sky investigations and file registrations and qualifications
required to be filed pursuant to this Section 5(h); (ii) use its reasonable best
efforts to keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom)
effective during the period such Registration Statement is required to be kept
effective; and (iii) do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable
to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Exchange Securities held
by Participating Broker-Dealers or the Registrable Securities covered by the
applicable Registration Statement; provided, further, that the Company shall not
in any case be required to (A) qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, (B) take any action that would
subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is
not then so subject, (C) subject itself to taxation in excess of a nominal
dollar amount in any such jurisdiction;
(i) if a Shelf Registration Statement is filed pursuant to
Section 3, cooperate with the selling Holders of Registrable Securities and the
managing underwriters, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery
of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold, which
certificates shall not bear any restrictive legends and shall be in a form
eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company; and enable such
Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names
as the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, or Holders may reasonably
request;
(j) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable
Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or
approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary
to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriters, if any, to
consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities, except as may be
required solely as a consequence of the nature of such selling Holder's
business, in which case the Company will cooperate in all reasonable respects
with the filing of such Registration Statement and the granting of such
approvals; provided, further, that the Company shall not in any case be required
to (A) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then
so qualified, (B) take any action that would subject it to general service of
process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject, (C) subject
itself to taxation in excess of a nominal dollar amount in any such
jurisdiction;
(k) if (1) a Shelf Registration Statement is filed pursuant to
Section 3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange
Securities during the Applicable Period, upon the occurrence of any event
contemplated by paragraph 5(c)(v) or 5(c)(vi) above, as
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promptly as practicable prepare and (subject to Section 5(a) above) file with
the Commission, solely at the expense of the Company, a supplement or
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the
related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference, or file any other required document so that, as thereafter
delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities being sold thereunder
or to the purchasers of the Exchange Securities to whom such Prospectus will be
delivered by a Participating Broker-Dealer, any such Prospectus will 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, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company
agrees to notify the Holders to suspend use of any such Prospectus as promptly
as practicable after the occurrence of such event, and the Holders agree, upon
receipt of such notice, to suspend use of any such Prospectus until the Company
has amended or supplemented such Prospectus to correct such misstatement or
omission;
(l) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable
Securities covered by a Registration Statement or the Exchange Securities, as
the case may be, to be rated with the appropriate rating agencies, if so
requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement or the Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, or the managing underwriters, if any;
(m) prior to the effective date of the first Registration
Statement relating to the Registrable Securities, (i) provide the Trustee with
certificates for the Registrable Securities in a form eligible for deposit with
The Depository Trust Company; and (ii) provide a CUSIP number for the
Registrable Securities;
(n) in connection with an underwritten offering of Registrable
Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, enter into an
underwriting agreement as is customary in underwritten offerings, provided such
agreement is reasonably acceptable to the Company and provided that the
underwriters are reasonably acceptable to the Company, and take all such other
actions as are reasonably requested by the managing underwriters in order to
expedite or facilitate the registration or the disposition of such Registrable
Securities, and in such connection if reasonably requested, (i) make such
representations and warranties to the underwriters, with respect to the business
of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus
and documents, if any, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
therein, in each case, as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in
underwritten offerings, and confirm the same if and when reasonably requested;
(ii) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain opinions of counsel to the
Company and updates thereof in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
managing underwriters, addressed to the underwriters covering the matters
customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings and such
other matters as may be reasonably requested by underwriters; (iii) use its
reasonable best efforts to obtain "cold comfort" letters and updates thereof in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the managing underwriters from the
independent certified public accountants of the Company (and, if necessary, any
other independent certified public accountants of any subsidiary of the Company
or of any business acquired by the Company or any of its subsidiaries for which
financial statements and financial data are, or are required to be, included in
the Registration Statement), addressed to each of the underwriters, such letters
to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in
"cold comfort" letters in connection with underwritten offerings and such other
matters as reasonably requested by underwriters; and (iv) if an underwriting
agreement is entered into, the same shall contain indemnification provisions and
procedures comparable to those set forth in Section 7 hereof (or such other
provisions and procedures reasonably acceptable to the Company and the Holders
of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Registrable Securities covered by
such Registration Statement and the managing underwriters or agents) with
respect to all parties to be indemnified pursuant to said section, all of which
shall be done at each closing under such underwriting agreement, or as and to
the extent required thereunder;
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(o) if (1) a Shelf Registration Statement is filed pursuant to
Section 3, or (2) a Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement filed pursuant to Section 2 is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act by any Participating Broker-Dealer who seeks to sell Exchange
Securities during the Applicable Period, subject to the prior receipt by the
Company of undertakings to use commercially reasonable best efforts to preserve
the confidentiality of any information disclosed by the Company pursuant hereto
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, make available for
inspection by any selling Holder of such Registrable Securities being sold, or
each such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, any underwriter
participating in any such disposition of Registrable Securities, if any, and any
attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such selling holder or each
such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, or underwriter
(collectively, the "Inspectors"), at the offices where normally kept, during
reasonable business hours, all relevant financial and other records, pertinent
corporate documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries
(collectively, the "Records") as shall be necessary to enable them to exercise
any applicable due diligence responsibilities, and cause the officers, directors
and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries to supply all information in
each case requested by any such Inspector in connection with such Registration
Statement; however, records which the Company determines, in good faith, to be
confidential and any Records which the Company notifies the Inspectors are
confidential shall not be disclosed by the Inspectors unless (i) the disclosure
of such Records is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in
such Registration Statement; (ii) the release of such Records is ordered
pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction;
(iii) the information in such Records has been made generally available to the
public; or (iv) release thereof is necessary or advisable in connection with any
action, suit or proceeding involving any Holder or other Inspector;
(p) provide for an indenture trustee for the Registrable
Securities or the Exchange Securities, as the case may be, and cause the
Indenture or the trust indenture provided for in Section 2(a), as the case may
be, to be qualified under the TIA not later than the effective date of the
Exchange Offer or the first Registration Statement relating to the Registrable
Securities; and in connection therewith, cooperate with the trustee under any
such indenture and the holders of the Registrable Securities, to effect such
changes to such indenture as may be required for such indenture to be so
qualified in accordance with the terms of the TIA; and execute, and use its
reasonable best efforts to cause such trustee to execute, all documents as may
be required to effect such changes, and all other forms and documents required
to be filed with the Commission to enable such indenture to be so qualified in a
timely manner;
(q) comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement and make
generally available to their Securityholders earning statements satisfying the
provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or
any similar rule promulgated under the Securities Act) no later than 45 days
after the end of any 12-month period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month
period if such period is a fiscal year) (i) commencing at the end of any fiscal
quarter in which Registrable Securities are sold to underwriters in a firm
commitment or best efforts underwritten offering; and (ii) if not sold to
underwriters in such an offering, commencing on the first day of the first
fiscal quarter of the Company after the effective date of a Registration
Statement, which statements shall cover said 12-month periods;
(r) upon consummation of an Exchange Offer or a Private
Exchange, obtain an opinion of counsel to the Company in customary form,
relating to the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as
the case may be, addressed to the Trustee for the benefit of all Holders of
Registrable Securities participating in the Exchange Offer or the Private
Exchange, as the case may be, and which includes an opinion that (i) the Company
has duly authorized, executed and delivered the Exchange Securities and Private
Exchange Securities and the related indenture; and (ii) each of the Exchange
Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as
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the case may be, and related indenture constitute valid and legally binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their respective terms (with customary exceptions);
(s) if an Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to be
consummated, upon delivery of the Registrable Securities by Holders to the
Company (or to such other Person as directed by the Company) in exchange for the
Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be,
xxxx, or caused to be marked, on such Registrable Securities that such
Registrable Securities are being canceled in exchange for the Exchange
Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be; in no event
shall such Registrable Securities be marked as paid or otherwise satisfied;
(t) cooperate with each seller of Registrable Securities
covered by any Registration Statement and each underwriter, if any,
participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their
respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"); and
(u) use its reasonable best efforts to take all other steps
necessary to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities covered by a
Registration Statement contemplated hereby.
The Company may require each seller of Registrable Securities
or Participating Broker-Dealer as to which any registration is being effected to
furnish to the Company such information regarding such seller or Participating
Broker-Dealer and the distribution of such Registrable Securities or Exchange
Securities to be sold by such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be,
as the Company may, from time to time, reasonably request. The Company may
exclude from such registration the Registrable Securities of any seller or
Participating Broker-Dealer who unreasonably fails to furnish such information
within a reasonable time after receiving such request.
Each Holder of Registrable Securities and each Participating
Broker-Dealer agrees by acquisition of such Registrable Securities or Exchange
Securities to be sold by such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be,
that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event
of the kind described in Section 5(c)(ii), 5(c)(iv), 5(c)(v), or 5(c)(vi), such
Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities
covered by such Registration Statement or Prospectus or Exchange Securities to
be sold by such Participating Broker-Dealer, as the case may be, until such
holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus
contemplated by Section 5(k), or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice")
by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and has
received copies of any amendments or supplements thereto.
6. REGISTRATION EXPENSES
(a) All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or
compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company
whether or not the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or a Shelf Registration
Statement is filed or becomes effective, including, without limitation, (i) all
registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, (A) fees with
respect to filings required to be made with the NASD in connection with an
underwritten offering and (B) fees and expenses of compliance with state
securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without limitation, reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel) in such jurisdictions (x) where the holders of
Registrable Securities are located, in the case of the Exchange Securities, or
(y) as provided in Section 5(h), in the case of Registrable Securities to be
sold in a public offering or Exchange Securities to be sold by a Participating
Broker-Dealer during the Applicable Period)); (ii) printing expenses (including,
without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities
or Exchange Securities in a form eligible
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for deposit with The Depository Trust Company and of printing prospectuses if
the printing of prospectuses is requested by the managing underwriters, if any,
or, in respect of Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities to be sold by
any Participating Broker-Dealer during the Applicable Period, by the Holders of
a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Securities included
in any Registration Statement or of such Exchange Securities, as the case may
be); (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses incurred by the Company;
(iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and all documentation
related thereto, including any underwriting agreement and all related
documentation (subject to the provisions of Section 6(b)); (v) fees and
disbursements of all independent certified public accountants referred to in
Section 5(n)(iii) (including, without limitation, the expenses of any special
audit and "cold comfort" letters required by or incident to such performance);
(vi) the reasonable fees and expenses of any "qualified independent underwriter"
or other independent appraiser participating in an offering pursuant to the
Conduct Rules of the NASD; (vii) rating agency fees; (viii) Securities Act
liability insurance, if the Company desires such insurance; (ix) fees and
expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company; (x) internal expenses of
the Company (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of
officers and employees of the Company performing legal or accounting duties);
(xi) the expense of any annual audit of the Company; (xii) the fees and expenses
incurred by the Company in connection with the listing of the Registrable
Securities on any Securities exchange; and (xiii) the expenses relating to
printing, word processing and distributing all Registration Statements,
underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements, indentures and any other
documents necessary in order to comply with this Agreement. Anything contained
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not have any
obligation whatsoever in respect of any fees or expenses of counsel to any
underwriters, underwriters' discounts or commissions, brokerage commissions,
dealers' selling concessions, transfer taxes or any other selling expenses
(other than those expressly enumerated in clauses (i) through (xiii) above)
incurred in connection with the underwriting, offering or sale of Registrable
Securities or Exchange Securities by or on behalf of any Person.
(b) In connection with any Shelf Registration Statement
hereunder, the Company shall reimburse the Holders of the Registrable Securities
being registered in such registration for the reasonable fees and disbursements
of not more than one counsel (in addition to appropriate local counsel) chosen
by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable
Securities to be included in such Registration Statement and other reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses of the Holders of Registrable Securities incurred in
connection with the registration of the Registrable Securities.
7. INDEMNIFICATION
The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder
of Registrable Securities and each Participating Broker-Dealer selling Exchange
Securities during the Applicable Period, the officers and directors of each such
person, and each person, if any, who controls any such person within the meaning
of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act
(each, a "Participant"), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages
and liabilities (including, without limitation, the reasonable legal fees and
other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any
claim asserted) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto)
or Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished
any amendments or supplements thereto) or any preliminary prospectus, or caused
by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any untrue statement
or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information relating to such Participant furnished to the
Company in writing by such Participant (or, if such Participant is not a Holder
or a Participating Broker-Dealer, furnished in writing by the Holder or
Participating Broker-Dealer in respect of which such person is a Participant
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relating to such Participant) expressly for use therein; provided, however, that
the foregoing indemnity with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not
inure to the benefit of any Participant (or, if such Participant is not a Holder
or a Participating Broker-Dealer, furnished in writing by the Holder or
Participating Broker-Dealer in respect of which such person is a Participant
relating to such Participant) from whom the person asserting any such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities purchased Registrable Securities to the extent
that such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission
made in such preliminary prospectus is eliminated or remedied in the related
Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any
amendments or supplements thereto) and a copy of the related Prospectus (as so
amended or supplemented) shall not have been furnished to such person at or
prior to the sale of such Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities, as the
case may be, to such person .
Each Participant will be required to agree, severally and not
jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Company, its directors, its
officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company
to each Participant, but only with reference to information relating to such
Participant furnished to the Company in writing by such Participant expressly
for use in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, any amendment or supplement
thereto, or any preliminary prospectus. The liability of any Participant under
this paragraph shall in no event exceed the proceeds received by such
Participant from sales of Registrable Securities giving rise to such
obligations.
If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or
regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against
any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either of the
two preceding paragraphs, such person (the "Indemnified Person") shall promptly
notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "Indemnifying
Person") in writing, and the Indemnifying Person, upon request of the
Indemnified Person, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others the
Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding; and shall pay the
reasonable fees and expenses incurred by such counsel related to such
proceeding, provided, however, that the failure to so notify the Indemnifying
Person shall not relieve it of any obligation or liability which it may have
hereunder or otherwise (unless and only to the extent that such failure actually
prejudices the Indemnifying Person). In any such proceeding, any Indemnified
Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but, other than in
circumstances involving a conflict among Indemnified Persons, the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person
unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have agreed
to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable
time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; or
(iii) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties)
include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and
representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to
an actual or potential conflict of interest. It is understood that, other than
in circumstances involving a conflict among Indemnified Persons, the
Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related
proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more
than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified
Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are
incurred. Any such separate firm for the Participants shall be designated in
writing by Participants who sold a majority in interest of Registrable
Securities sold by all such Participants and any such separate firm for the
Company, its directors, its officers and such control persons of the Company
shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not
be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for
the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify any Indemnified
Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or
judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified
Person shall have requested an Indemnifying Person to reimburse the Indemnified
Person for reasonable fees and expenses
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incurred by counsel as contemplated by the third sentence of this paragraph, the
Indemnifying Person agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any
proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such Indemnifying Person of the
aforesaid request and (ii) such Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed
the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the prior written consent of
the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened
proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a
party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional written release of such
Indemnified Person in form and substance satisfactory to the Indemnified Persons
from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
If the indemnification provided for in the first and second
paragraphs of this Section 7 is for any reason unavailable to, or insufficient
to hold harmless, an Indemnified Person in respect of any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under
such paragraphs, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder and
in order to provide for just and equitable contribution, shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
(i) the relative benefits received by the Indemnifying Person or Persons on the
one hand and the Indemnified Person or Persons on the other from the initial
offering of the Notes or (ii) if the allocation provided by the foregoing clause
(i) is not permitted by applicable law, not only such relative benefits but also
the relative fault of the Indemnifying Person or Persons on the one hand and the
Indemnified Person or Persons on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions or alleged statements or omissions that resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Participants on the other shall be deemed to be
in the same proportion as the total proceeds from the initial offering (net of
discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) of the Notes received
by the Company bears to the total proceeds received by such Participant from the
sale of Registrable Securities. The relative fault of the parties shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand,
or such Participant or such other Indemnified Person, as the case may be, on the
other, the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission, and any other
equitable considerations appropriate in the circumstances.
The parties shall agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Participants were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The
amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses,
claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding
paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth
above, any reasonable legal or other expenses actually incurred by such
Indemnified Person in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall a
Participant be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
which proceeds received by such Participant from sales of Registrable Securities
exceeds the amount of any damages that such Participant has otherwise been
required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within
the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this
Section 7 will be in addition to any liability which the Indemnifying Persons
may otherwise have to the Indemnified Persons referred to above.
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8. RULE 144 AND RULE 144A
The Company covenants that it will file the reports required
to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules
and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder in a timely manner and, if
at any time the Company is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the
request of any Holder of Registrable Securities, make publicly available other
information so long as necessary to permit sales pursuant to Rule 144 and Rule
144A under the Securities Act. The Company further covenants that it will take
such further action as any Holder of Registrable Securities may reasonably
request, to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell
Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the
limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 and Rule 144A under the
Securities Act.
9. UNDERWRITTEN REGISTRATIONS
If any of the Registrable 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 manage
the offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of such Registrable Securities included in such offering and
reasonably acceptable to the Company.
No Holder of Registrable Securities may participate in any
underwritten registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such
Holder's Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting
arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such
arrangements (however the terms applicable to each Holder shall be identical in
all respects) and (b) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of
attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required
under the terms of such underwriting arrangements applicable to all Holders.
10. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company of any
of its obligations under this Agreement, each Holder of Registrable Securities,
in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein, in the
Indenture or, in the case of the Initial Purchasers, in the Purchase Agreement
or granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific
performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees 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
agrees 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.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not, as of the
date hereof, entered into and shall not, after the date of this Agreement, enter
into any agreement with respect to any of its Securities that is inconsistent
with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this
Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The Company has not
entered into and will not enter into any agreement with respect to any of its
securities which will grant to any Person "piggy-back" rights with respect to a
Registration Statement.
(c) Adjustments Affecting Registrable Securities. The Company
shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action with respect to the
Registrable Securities as a class that would adversely affect the ability of the
Holders of Registrable Securities to include such Registrable Securities in a
registration undertaken pursuant to this Agreement.
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(e) Amendments and Waivers. Except as provided in paragraph
(d) above, 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, otherwise than by an instrument executed and delivered by (A)
the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
then outstanding Registrable Securities and (B) in circumstances that would
adversely affect the Participating Broker-Dealers, the Participating
Broker-Dealers holding not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the Exchange Securities held by all Participating Broker-Dealers; provided,
however, that Section 7 and this Section 10(e) may not be amended, modified or
supplemented except by an instrument executed and delivered by each Holder and
each Participating Broker-Dealer (including any person who was a Holder or
Participating Broker-Dealer of Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities, as
the case may be, disposed of pursuant to any Registration Statement) affected by
any such amendment, modification or supplement. 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 of Registrable Securities
whose Securities are being sold pursuant to a Registration Statement and that
does not directly or indirectly affect, impair, limit or compromise the rights
of other Holders of Registrable Securities may be given pursuant to an
instrument executed and delivered by Holders of at least a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold by such Holders
pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(f) Notices. All notices and other communications (including
without limitation any notices or other communications to the Trustee) provided
for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered
first-class mail, next-day air courier or telecopier:
(i) if to a Holder of Registrable Securities, at the most
current address given by the Trustee to the Company; and
(ii) if to the Company, at Hermes Europe Railtel X.X.,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 0X, 0000 Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Attention: Chief Financial
Officer with a copy to Global TeleSystems Group, Inc., 0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, XxXxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Chief Executive Officer.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have
been duly given: when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five business
days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; one business
day after being timely delivered to a next-day air courier; and when receipt is
acknowledged by the addressee, if telecopied.
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications
shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the trustee
under the Indenture at the address specified in such Indenture.
(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the
parties, including without limitation and without the need for an express
assignment, subsequent Holders of Registrable Securities.
(h) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of
which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(i) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
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(j) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AS APPLIED TO
CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO
PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES TO SUBMIT TO
THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN ANY ACTION OR
PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.
(k) Severability. 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 commercially reasonable best efforts to find and employ
an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as
that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby
stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have
executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without
including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or
unenforceable.
(l) Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the
Purchase Agreement, is intended by the parties as a final expression of their
agreement, and is intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the
agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject
matter contained herein and therein.
(m) Securities Held by the Company or Its Affiliates. Whenever
the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable
Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company or
its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act)
shall not be deemed to be not outstanding for purposes of determining whether
such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.
(n) Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of
Immunities. By the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company (i)
acknowledges that it has, by separate written instruments, designated and
appointed CT Corporation System, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 ("CT
Corporation System") (and any successor entity), as its authorized agent upon
which process may be served in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating
to this Agreement that may be instituted in any federal or state court in the
Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, State of New York or brought under
federal or state securities laws, and represent and warrant that CT Corporation
System has accepted such designation, (ii) submit to the jurisdiction of any
such court in any such suit or proceeding and (iii) agree that service of
process upon CT Corporation System and written notice of said service to the
Company in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed in
every respect effective service of process upon the Company in any such suit or
proceeding. The Company further agrees to take any and all action, including the
execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be
necessary to continue such designation and appointment of CT Corporation System
in full force and effect for as long as any of the Notes remain outstanding
(subject to the limitation set forth in clause (i)); provided, however, that the
Company may, and to the extent CT Corporation System ceases to be able to be
served on the basis contemplated herein shall, by written notice to the Initial
Purchasers, designate such additional or alternative agent for service of
process that (i) maintains an office located in the Borough of Manhattan, City
of New York, State of New York, and (ii) is either (x) United States counsel for
the Company or (y) a corporate service company which acts as agent for service
of process for other persons in the ordinary course of its business. Such
written notice shall identify the name of such agent for service of process and
the address of the office of such agent for service of process in the Borough of
Manhattan, City of New York, State of New York.
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To the extent that the Company has or hereafter may acquire
any immunity from jurisdiction of any court of (i) any jurisdiction in which the
Company owns or leases property or assets, (ii) the United States or the State
of New York or (iii) the Netherlands or from any legal process (whether through
service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution,
execution or otherwise) with respect to itself or its property and assets or
this Agreement or any of the Notes or actions to enforce judgments in respect of
any thereof, the Company hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of
its obligations under the above-referenced documents, to the extent permitted by
law.
(o) Judgment Currency. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify
each Participant against any loss incurred by such person as a result of any
judgment or order being given or made against the Company for any U.S. dollar
amount due under this Agreement and such judgment or order being expressed and
paid in a currency (the "Judgment Currency") other than United States dollars
and as a result of any variation as between (i) the rate of exchange at which
the United States dollar amount is converted into the Judgment Currency for the
purpose of such judgment or order and (ii) the spot rate of exchange in The City
of New York at which such party on the date of payment of such judgment or order
is able to purchase United States dollars with the amount of the Judgment
Currency actually received by such party. The foregoing indemnity shall continue
in full force and effect notwithstanding any such judgment or order as
aforesaid. The term "spot rate of exchange" shall include any premiums and costs
of exchange payable in connection with the purchase of, or conversion into,
United States dollars.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement
as of the date first written above.
HERMES EUROPE RAILTEL B.V.
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
-----------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Attorney-in-Fact
XXXXXXXXX, LUFKIN & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
UBS SECURITIES LLC
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
By: XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Title: Managing Director
