1
EXHIBIT 4.1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated December 16, 1998
between
PRIMARK CORPORATION
and
XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
X.X. XXXXXXX & SONS, INC.
BT ALEX. XXXXX INCORPORATED
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made
and entered into December 16, 1998, between PRIMARK CORPORATION, a Michigan
corporation (the "Company"), and XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED, X.X. XXXXXXX
& SONS, INC., BT ALEX. XXXXX INCORPORATED, CHASE SECURITIES INC., and
NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC (the "Placement Agents").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Placement Agreement
dated December 16, 1998, between the Company and the Placement Agents (the
"Placement Agreement"), which provides for the sale by the Company to the
Placement Agents of an aggregate of $150,000,000 principal amount of the
Company's 9 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2008 (the "Securities"). In order
to induce the Placement Agents to enter into the Placement Agreement, the
Company has agreed to provide to the Placement Agents and their direct and
indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The
execution of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Placement
Agreement.
In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined
terms shall have the following meanings:
"1933 ACT" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
from time to time.
"1934 ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended from time to time.
"CLOSING DATE" shall mean the Closing Date as defined in the
Placement Agreement.
"COMPANY" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and
shall also include the Company's successors.
"EXCHANGE OFFER" shall mean the exchange offer by the Company
of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section
2(a) hereof.
"EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION" shall mean a registration under
the 1933 Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
3
2
"EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall mean an exchange
offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another
appropriate form) and all amendments and supplements to such
registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained
therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by
reference therein.
"EXCHANGE SECURITIES" shall mean securities issued by the
Company under the Indenture containing terms identical to the
Securities (except that the Exchange Securities will not contain
restrictions on transfer) and to be offered to Holders of Securities in
exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
"HOLDER" shall mean the Placement Agents, for so long as they
own any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns
and direct and indirect transferees who become registered owners of
Registrable Securities under the Indenture; PROVIDED that for purposes
of Sections 4 and 5 of this Agreement, the term "Holder" shall include
Participating Broker-Dealers (as defined in Section 4(a)).
"INDENTURE" shall mean the Indenture relating to the
Securities dated as of December 21, 1998 between the Company and State
Street Bank and Trust Company, as trustee, and as the same may be
amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
"MAJORITY HOLDERS" shall mean the Holders of a majority of the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding Registrable Securities;
PROVIDED that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a
specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder,
Registrable Securities held by the Company or any of its affiliates (as
such term is defined in Rule 405 under the 0000 Xxx) (other than the
Placement Agents or subsequent Holders of Registrable Securities if
such subsequent holders are deemed to be such affiliates solely by
reason of their holding of such Registrable Securities) shall not be
counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by
the Holders of such required percentage or amount.
"PERSON" shall mean an individual, partnership, limited
liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization,
or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.
"PLACEMENT AGENTS" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble.
"PLACEMENT AGREEMENT" shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble.
4
3
"PROSPECTUS" shall mean the prospectus included in a
Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any
such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus
supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms
of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by
a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and
supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including all material
incorporated by reference therein.
"REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" shall mean the Securities; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities
(i) when a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities shall
have been declared effective under the 1933 Act and such Securities
shall have been disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement,
(ii) when such Securities have been sold to the public pursuant to Rule
144(k) (or any similar provision then in force, but not Rule 144A)
under the 1933 Act or (iii) when such Securities shall have ceased to
be outstanding.
"REGISTRATION EXPENSES" shall mean any and all expenses
incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this
Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. registration and
filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with
compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel for any underwriters or Holders in
connection with blue sky qualification of any of the Exchange
Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any
Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing,
printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus,
any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements,
securities sales agreements and other documents relating to the
performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating
agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the
qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi)
the fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel, (vii) the
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and, in the case of a
Shelf Registration Statement, the fees and disbursements of one counsel
for the Holders (which counsel shall be selected by the Majority
Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Placement Agent)
and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public
accountants of the Company, including the expenses of any special
audits or "cold comfort" letters required by or incident to such
performance and compliance, but excluding fees and expenses of counsel
to the underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause
(ii) above) or the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions
and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of
Registrable Securities by a Holder.
5
4
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall mean any registration statement
of the Company that covers any of the Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and
all amendments and supplements to any such Registration Statement,
including post-effective amendments, in each case including the
Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material
incorporated by reference therein.
"SEC" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"SHELF REGISTRATION" shall mean a registration effected
pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.
"SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall mean a "shelf"
registration statement of the Company pursuant to the provisions of
Section 2(b) of this Agreement which covers all of the Registrable
Securities (but no other securities unless approved by the Holders
whose Registrable Securities are covered by such Shelf Registration
Statement) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the 1933 Act, or
any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and
supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective
amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein,
all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference
therein.
"TRUSTEE" shall mean the trustee with respect to the
Securities under the Indenture.
"UNDERWRITER" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.
"UNDERWRITTEN REGISTRATION" or "UNDERWRITTEN OFFERING" shall
mean a registration in which Registrable Securities are sold to an
Underwriter for reoffering to the public.
2. REGISTRATION UNDER THE 1933 ACT.
(a) To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or
applicable interpretation of the Staff of the SEC, the Company shall use its
best efforts to cause to be filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement
covering the offer by the Company to the Holders to exchange all of the
Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities and to have such Registration
Statement remain effective until the closing of the Exchange Offer. The Company
shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement has been declared effective by the SEC and use its best efforts to
have the Exchange Offer consummated not later than 60 days after such effective
date. The Company shall
6
5
commence the Exchange Offer by mailing the related exchange offer Prospectus and
accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other
disclosures as are required by applicable law:
(i) that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to
this Registration Rights Agreement and that all Registrable Securities
validly tendered will be accepted for exchange;
(ii) the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be
a period of at least 20 business days from the date such notice is
mailed) (the "Exchange Dates");
(iii) that any Registrable Security not tendered will
remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest, but will not retain
any rights under this Registration Rights Agreement;
(iv) that Holders electing to have a Registrable Security
exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to surrender
such Registrable Security, together with the enclosed letters of
transmittal, to the institution and at the address (located in the
Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York) specified in the notice
prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and
(v) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their
election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange
Date, by sending to the institution and at the address (located in the
Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York) specified in the notice a
telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the
name of such Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities
delivered for exchange and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing
his election to have such Securities exchanged.
As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the
Company shall:
(i) accept for exchange Registrable Securities or
portions thereof tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the
Exchange Offer; and
(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for
cancellation all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted
for exchange by the Company and issue, and cause the Trustee to
promptly authenticate and mail to each Holder, an Exchange Security
equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable
Securities surrendered by such Holder.
7
6
The Company shall use its best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as
provided above and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the 1933
Act, the 1934 Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with
the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions,
other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate applicable law or any
applicable interpretation of the Staff of the SEC. The Company shall inform the
Placement Agents of the names and addresses of the Holders to whom the Exchange
Offer is made, and the Placement Agents shall have the right, subject to
applicable law, to contact such Holders and otherwise facilitate the tender of
Registrable Securities in the Exchange Offer.
(b) In the event that (i) the Company determines that the
Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) above is not available
or may not be consummated as soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date
because it would violate applicable law or the applicable interpretations of the
Staff of the SEC, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason
consummated by June 21, 1999 or (iii) the Exchange Offer has been completed and
in the opinion of counsel for the Placement Agents a Registration Statement must
be filed and a Prospectus must be delivered by the Placement Agents in
connection with any offering or sale of Registrable Securities, the Company
shall use its best efforts to cause to be filed as soon as practicable after
such determination, date or notice of such opinion of counsel is given to the
Company, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the
sale by the Holders of all of the Registrable Securities and to have such Shelf
Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC. In the event the Company
is required to file a Shelf Registration Statement solely as a result of the
matters referred to in clause (iii) of the preceding sentence, the Company shall
use its best efforts to file and have declared effective by the SEC both an
Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) with respect to
all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a
combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement)
with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Placement
Agents after completion of the Exchange Offer. The Company agrees to use its
best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective
until the expiration of the period referred to in Rule 144(k) with respect to
the Registrable Securities or such shorter period that will terminate when all
of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have
been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement. The Company further
agrees to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement if required by
the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used
by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the 1933 Act or by
any other rules and regulations thereunder for shelf registration or if
reasonably requested by a Holder with respect to information relating to such
Holder, and to use its best efforts to cause any such amendment to become
effective and such Shelf Registration Statement to become usable as soon as
thereafter practicable. The Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of
Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after
its being used or filed with the SEC.
8
7
(c) The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in
connection with the registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b). Each
Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes,
if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder's Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.
(d) An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to
Section 2(a) hereof or a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b)
hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared
effective by the SEC; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, if, after it has been declared
effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf
Registration Statement is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other
order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court, such
Registration Statement will be deemed not to have become effective during the
period of such interference until the offering of Registrable Securities
pursuant to such Registration Statement may legally resume. As provided for in
the Indenture, in the event the Exchange Offer is not consummated and the Shelf
Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to June 21, 1999,
the interest rate on the Securities will be increased by .5% per annum until the
Exchange Offer is consummated or the Shelf Registration Statement is declared
effective by the SEC.
(e) Without limiting the remedies available to the
Placement Agents and the Holders, the Company acknowledges that any failure by
the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b)
hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Placement Agents or the
Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be
possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event
of any such failure, the Placement Agents or any Holder may obtain such relief
as may be required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under
Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof.
3. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES.
In connection with the obligations of the Company with respect
to the Registration Statements pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof,
the Company shall as expeditiously as possible:
(a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration
Statement on the appropriate form under the 1933 Act, which form (x)
shall be selected by the Company and (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf
Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities
by the selling Holders thereof and (z) shall comply as to form in all
material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and
include all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed
therewith, and use its best efforts
9
8
to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain
effective in accordance with Section 2 hereof;
(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be
necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the
applicable period and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any
required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed
pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act; to keep each Prospectus
current during the period described under Section 4(3) and Rule 174
under the 1933 Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or
dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange
Securities;
(c) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each
Holder of Registrable Securities, to counsel for the Placement Agents,
to counsel for the Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten
Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many
copies of each Prospectus, including each preliminary Prospectus, and
any amendment or supplement thereto and such other documents as such
Holder or Underwriter may reasonably request, in order to facilitate
the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities; and
the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the
selling Holders of Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in
connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities
covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;
(d) use its best efforts to register or qualify the
Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or "blue
sky" laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities
covered by a Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing
by the time the applicable Registration Statement is declared effective
by the SEC, to cooperate with such Holders in connection with any
filings required to be made with the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. and do any and all other acts and things which may be
reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Holder to consummate
the disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Registrable
Securities owned by such Holder; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company
shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a
dealer in securities in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise
be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (ii) file any general
consent to service of process or (iii) subject itself to taxation in
any such jurisdiction if it is not so subject;
(e) in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each
Holder of Registrable Securities, counsel for the Holders and counsel
for the Placement Agents promptly and,
10
9
if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in
writing (i) when a Registration Statement has become effective and when
any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes
effective, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any state securities
authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement
and Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration
Statement has become effective, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any
state securities authority of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any
proceedings for that purpose, (iv) if, between the effective date of a
Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable
Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the
Company contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales
agreement or other similar agreement, if any, relating to the offering
cease to be true and correct in all material respects or if the Company
receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the
qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (v)
of the happening of any event during the period a Shelf Registration
Statement is effective which makes any statement made in such
Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue in any material
respect or which requires the making of any changes in such
Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the statements
therein not misleading and (vi) of any determination by the Company
that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would be
appropriate;
(f) make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal
of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement
at the earliest possible moment and provide immediate notice to each
Holder of the withdrawal of any such order;
(g) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each
Holder of Registrable Securities, without charge, at least one
conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective
amendment thereto (without documents incorporated therein by reference
or exhibits thereto, unless requested);
(h) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with
the selling Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable
Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and
enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations
(consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) and registered in
such names as the selling Holders may reasonably request at least one
business day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable
Securities;
(i) in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the
occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(e)(v) hereof, use its
best efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or
post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or the
11
10
related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or
file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to
the purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company
agrees to notify the Holders to suspend use of the Prospectus as
promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and the
Holders hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus until the Company
has amended or supplemented the Prospectus to correct such misstatement
or omission;
(j) a reasonable time prior to the filing of any
Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration
Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus, provide copies of
such document to the Placement Agents and their counsel (and, in the
case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders and their counsel)
and make such of the representatives of the Company as shall be
reasonably requested by the Placement Agents or their counsel (and, in
the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders or their
counsel) available for discussion of such document, and shall not at
any time file or make any amendment to the Registration Statement, any
Prospectus or any amendment of or supplement to a Registration
Statement or a Prospectus or any document which is to be incorporated
by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus, of which
the Placement Agents and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement, the Holders and their counsel) shall not have
previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Placement
Agents or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration
Statement, the Holders or their counsel) shall reasonably object;
(k) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the
effective date of a Registration Statement;
(l) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "TIA"), in connection with the
registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as
the case may be, cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect
such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to
be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the TIA and execute,
and use its best efforts to cause the 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 SEC to enable the Indenture to
be so qualified in a timely manner;
(m) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available
for inspection by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable
Securities, any Underwriter
12
11
participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration
Statement, and attorneys and accountants designated by the Holders, at
reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all financial and other
records, pertinent documents and properties of the Company, and cause
the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company to
supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative,
Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf
Registration Statement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any information that is
designated in writing by the Company, in good faith, as confidential at
the time of delivery of such information shall be kept confidential by
the Holders or any such Underwriter, attorney, accountant or other
agent, unless such disclosure is made in connection with a court
proceeding or required by law, or such information becomes available to
the public generally or through a third party without an accompanying
obligation of confidentiality.
(n) in the case of a Shelf Registration, use its best
efforts to cause all Registrable Securities to be listed on any
securities exchange or any automated quotation system on which similar
securities issued by the Company are then listed if requested by the
Majority Holders, to the extent such Registrable Securities satisfy
applicable listing requirements;
(o) use its best efforts to cause the Exchange Securities
or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, to be rated by two
nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (as such term is
defined in Rule 436(g)(2) under the 0000 Xxx);
(p) if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable
Securities covered by a Registration Statement, (i) promptly
incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such
information with respect to such Holder as such Holder reasonably
requests to be included therein and (ii) make all required filings of
such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as
the Company has received notification of the matters to be incorporated
in such filing; and
(q) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such
customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection
therewith (including those requested by the Holders of a majority of
the Registrable Securities being sold) in order to expedite or
facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including,
but not limited to, an Underwritten Offering and in such connection,
(i) to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to
the Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with
respect to the business of the Company and its material subsidiaries,
the Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents incorporated by
reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in
form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to
underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when
requested, (ii) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company (which
13
12
counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Holders and such Underwriters and their respective
counsel) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of
Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in
opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (iii) obtain "cold
comfort" letters from the independent certified public accountants of
the Company (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant
of any subsidiary of the Company, or of any business acquired by the
Company for which financial statements and financial data are or are
required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to
each selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, 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 (iv) deliver such documents and
certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a
majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold
or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in
underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the
representations and warranties of the Company made pursuant to clause
(i) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions
contained in an underwriting agreement.
In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may
require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such
information regarding the Holder and the proposed distribution by such Holder of
such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably
request in writing; and the Company may exclude from such registration the
Securities of any Holder that fails to furnish such information within a
reasonable time after receiving such request.
In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder
agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any
event of the kind described in Section 3(e)(v) hereof, such Holder will
forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a
Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the
supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(i) hereof, and, if
so directed by the Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at its
expense) all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in
such Holder's possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities
current at the time of receipt of such notice. If the Company shall give any
such notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a
Registration Statement, the Company shall extend the period during which the
Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement
by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the
giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders shall have
received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus necessary to resume
such dispositions. The Company may give any such notice only twice during any
365 day period and any such suspensions may not exceed 30 days
14
13
for each suspension and there may not be more than two suspensions in effect
during any 365 day period.
The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf
Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities
in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment
banker or investment bankers and manager or managers (the "Underwriters") that
will administer the offering will be selected by the Majority Holders of the
Registrable Securities included in such offering.
4. PARTICIPATION OF BROKER-DEALERS IN EXCHANGE OFFER.
(a) The Staff of the SEC has taken the position that any
broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the
Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such
broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a
"Participating Broker-Dealer"), may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the 1933 Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements
of the 1933 Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
The Company understands that it is the Staff's position that
if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and
the means by which Participating Broker- Dealers may resell the Exchange
Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the
amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by
Participating Broker-Dealers to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation
under the 1933 Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their
own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the
1933 Act.
(b) In light of the above, notwithstanding the other
provisions of this Agreement, the Company agrees that the provisions of this
Agreement as they relate to a Shelf Registration shall also apply to an Exchange
Offer Registration to the extent, and with such reasonable modifications thereto
as may be, reasonably requested by the Placement Agents or by one or more
Participating Broker-Dealers, in each case as provided in clause (ii) below, in
order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by
Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited
in Section 4(a) above; PROVIDED that:
(i) the Company shall not be required to amend or
supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, as would otherwise be contemplated by Section 3(i), for a
period exceeding 180 days after the last Exchange Date (as such period
may be extended pursuant to the penultimate paragraph of Section 3 of
this Agreement) and Participating Broker-Dealers shall not be
15
14
authorized by the Company to deliver and shall not deliver such
Prospectus after such period in connection with the resales
contemplated by this Section 4; and
(ii) the application of the Shelf Registration procedures
set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement to an Exchange Offer
Registration, to the extent not required by the positions of the Staff
of the SEC or the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder,
will be in conformity with the reasonable request to the Company by the
Placement Agents or with the reasonable request in writing to the
Company by one or more broker-dealers who certify to the Placement
Agents and the Company in writing that they anticipate that they will
be Participating Broker-Dealers; and PROVIDED FURTHER that, in
connection with such application of the Shelf Registration procedures
set forth in Section 3 to an Exchange Offer Registration, the Company
shall be obligated (x) to deal only with one entity representing the
Participating Broker-Dealers, which shall be Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co.
Incorporated unless it elects not to act as such representative, (y) to
pay the fees and expenses of only one counsel representing the
Participating Broker-Dealers, which shall be counsel to the Placement
Agents unless such counsel elects not to so act and (z) to cause to be
delivered only one, if any, "cold comfort" letter with respect to the
Prospectus in the form existing on the last Exchange Date and with
respect to each subsequent amendment or supplement, if any, effected
during the period specified in clause (i) above.
(c) The Placement Agents shall have no liability to the
Company or any Holder with respect to any request that it may make pursuant to
Section 4(b) above.
5. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Placement Agents, each Holder and each Person, if any, who controls any
Placement Agent or any Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, or is under common control with, or is
controlled by, any Placement Agent or any Holder, from and against all losses,
claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Placement Agent, any Holder or any
such controlling or affiliated Person in connection with defending or
investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto) pursuant to which Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities were registered under the 1933 Act, including all
documents incorporated therein by reference, 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 not misleading, or caused by any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any
amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged
16
15
omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading,
except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any
such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based
upon information relating to the Placement Agents or any Holder furnished to the
Company in writing through Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated or any selling
Holder expressly for use therein; PROVIDED that the foregoing indemnity with
respect to any preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any
Holder from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities purchased Securities, or any person controlling such Holder, if a
copy of the final Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented if the Company
shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) was not sent or
given by or on behalf of such Holder to such person, if required by law so to
have been delivered, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the
Securities to such person, and if the final Prospectus (as so amended or
supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim,
damage or liability. In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by
Section 3, the Company will also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, selling
brokers, dealers and similar securities industry professionals participating in
the distribution, their officers and directors and each Person who controls such
Persons (within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the 0000 Xxx) to the same extent
as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if
requested in connection with any Registration Statement.
(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Placement Agents and the other
selling Holders, and each of their respective directors, officers who sign the
Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, any
Placement Agent and any other selling Holder within the meaning of either
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the same extent as
the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Placement Agents and the
Holders, but only with reference to information relating to such Holder
furnished to the Company in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any Person in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) above,
such Person (the "indemnified party") shall promptly notify the Person against
whom such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing and the
indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified
party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and
shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.
In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its
own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense
of such indemnified party unless (i) the
17
16
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the
retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding
(including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would
be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It
is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any
proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (a)
the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local
counsel) for the Placement Agents and all Persons, if any, who control any
Placement Agent within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Xxxxxxx 00 xx xxx 0000 Xxx, (x) the fees and expenses of more than one separate
firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its
officers who sign the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (c) the fees
and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel)
for all Holders and all Persons, if any, who control any Holders within the
meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be
reimbursed as they are incurred. In such case involving the Placement Agents and
Persons who control the Placement Agents, such firm shall be designated in
writing by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated. In such case involving the Holders
and such Persons who control Holders, such firm shall be designated in writing
by the Majority Holders. In all other cases, such firm shall be designated by
the Company. The indemnifying party 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
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or
liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the
foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an
indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of
counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the
indemnifying party 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 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the
aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the
indemnified party for such fees and expenses of counsel in accordance with such
request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which such
indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been
sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a)
or paragraph (b) of this Section 5 is unavailable to an indemnified party or
insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, then each
indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or
18
17
payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault
of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified
party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or
omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the
Company and the Holders shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or by the Holders and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission. The Holders' respective obligations to contribute
pursuant to this Section 5(d) are several in proportion to the respective
principal amount of Registrable Securities of such Holder that were registered
pursuant to a Registration Statement.
(e) The Company and each Holder agree that it would not
be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined
by PRO RATA allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be
deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 5, no Holder shall be required to indemnify or
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which
Registrable Securities were sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any
damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this
Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may
otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this
Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i)
any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf
of the Placement Agents, any Holder or any Person controlling any Placement
Agent or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or
directors or any Person controlling the Company, (iii) acceptance of any of the
Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a
Shelf Registration Statement.
19
18
6. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) NO INCONSISTENT AGREEMENTS. The Company has not
entered into, and on or after the date of this Agreement will not enter into,
any agreement which is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of
Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the
provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way
conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of
the Company's other issued and outstanding securities under any such agreements.
(b) AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. The provisions of this
Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, 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 at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification,
supplement, waiver or consent; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no amendment,
modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions
of Section 5 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable
Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder.
(c) NOTICES. All notices and other communications
provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery,
registered first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing
overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such
Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the
Placement Agents, the address set forth in the Placement Agreement; and (ii) if
to the Company, initially at the Company's address set forth in the Placement
Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in
accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c).
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have
been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five
business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed;
when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and
on the next business day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing
overnight delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands, or other communications
shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at
the address specified in the Indenture.
20
19
(d) SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall inure to
the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of
each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an
express assignment, subsequent Holders; PROVIDED that nothing herein shall be
deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable
Securities in violation of the terms of the Placement Agreement. If any
transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner,
whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be
held subject to all of the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding
such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have
agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this
Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The
Placement Agents (in their capacity as Placement Agents) shall have no liability
or obligation to the Company with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply
with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder
under this Agreement.
(e) PURCHASES AND SALES OF SECURITIES. The Company shall
not, and shall use its best efforts to cause its affiliates (as defined in Rule
405 under the 0000 Xxx) not to, purchase and then resell or otherwise transfer
any Securities.
(f) THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY. The Holders shall be third
party beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the
one hand, and the Placement Agents, on the other hand, and shall have the right
to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement
necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of Holders hereunder.
(g) COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each
of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which
taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(h) HEADINGS. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
(i) GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by
the laws of the State of New York.
(j) SEVERABILITY. In the event that any one or more of
the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance,
is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and
enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining
provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
21
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement
as of the date first written above.
PRIMARK CORPORATION
By: /s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXX
-----------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary
Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:
XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
X.X. XXXXXXX & SONS, INC.
BT ALEX. XXXXX INCORPORATED
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
By: XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
By:
----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
22
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement
as of the date first written above.
PRIMARK CORPORATION
By: /s/
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:
XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
X.X. XXXXXXX & SONS, INC.
BT ALEX. XXXXX INCORPORATED
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
By: XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
By: /s/ XXXXX X. SUN
----------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Sun
Title: Vice President
