EXHIBIT 4.4
SPECIALTY RETAILERS, INC.
8 1/2% Senior Notes Due 2005
9% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2007
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
June 11, 1997
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Bear, Xxxxxxx & Co. Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx
Securities Corporation
c/o Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Specialty Retailers, Inc., a Texas corporation (the "Company"), and
a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stage Stores, Inc., a Delaware corporation
("Stage") proposes to issue and sell to Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation,
Bear, Xxxxxxx & Co. Inc. and Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation
(collectively, the "Initial Purchasers"), upon the terms set forth in a purchase
agreement of even date herewith (the "Purchase Agreement"), (i) $200,000,000
aggregate principal amount of its 8 1/2% Senior Notes Due 2005 (the "Senior
Notes") and (ii) $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 9% Senior
Subordinated Notes Due 2007 (the "Senior Subordinated Notes," and together with
the Senior Notes, the "Notes"). The Notes will be issued pursuant to two
Indentures, each dated as of June 17, 1997 (collectively, the "Indentures"),
between the Company, Stage and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the
"Trustee"). As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers, the Company and Stage
agree with the Initial Purchasers, for the benefit of the holders of the Notes
(including, without limitation, the Initial Purchasers), the Exchange Notes (as
defined below) and the Private Exchange Notes (as defined below) (collectively
the "Holders"), as follows:
1. REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER. The Company shall, at its cost,
prepare and, not later than 60 days after (or if the 60th day is not a business
day, the first business day thereafter) the date of original issue of the Notes
(the "Issue Date"), file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement (the "Exchange Offer Registration
Statement") on an appropriate form under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Securities Act"), with respect to a proposed offer (the "Registered
Exchange Offer") to
the Holders of Transfer Restricted Notes (as defined in Section 6 hereof), who
are not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from participating in
the Registered Exchange Offer, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange
for the Notes, a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities (the
"Exchange Notes") of the Company issued under the Indentures and identical in
all material respects to the Notes (except for the transfer restrictions
relating to the Notes). The Company shall use its best efforts to cause such
Exchange Offer Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities
Act within 150 days (or if the 150th day is not a business day, the first
business day thereafter) after the Issue Date of the Notes and shall keep the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective for not less than 30 days (or
longer, if required by applicable law) after the date notice of the Registered
Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders (such period being called the "Exchange
Offer Registration Period").
If the Company effects the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company
will be entitled to close the Registered Exchange Offer 30 days after the
commencement thereof provided that the Company has accepted all the Notes
theretofore validly tendered in accordance with the terms of the Registered
Exchange Offer.
Following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered
Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to
enable each Holder of Transfer Restricted Notes (as defined in Section 6 hereof)
electing to exchange the Notes for Exchange Notes (assuming that such Holder is
not an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act,
acquires the Exchange Notes in the ordinary course of such Xxxxxx's business and
has no arrangements with any person to participate in the distribution of the
Exchange Notes and is not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission from
participating in the Registered Exchange Offer) to trade such Exchange Notes
from and after their receipt without any limitations or restrictions under the
Securities Act and without material restrictions under the securities laws of
the several states of the United States.
The Company acknowledges that, pursuant to current interpretations
by the Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, in the absence of
an applicable exemption therefrom, (i) each Holder which is a broker-dealer
electing to exchange Notes, acquired for its own account as a result of market
making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange Notes (an
"Exchanging Dealer"), is required to deliver a prospectus containing the
information set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the
"Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer"
section, and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of such
prospectus in connection with a sale of any such Exchange Notes received by such
Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and (ii) an Initial
Purchaser that elects to sell Exchange Notes acquired in exchange for Notes
constituting any portion of an unsold allotment is required to deliver a
prospectus containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation
S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in connection with such sale.
The Company shall use its 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 such period of time as such persons must comply with such requirements
in order to resell the Exchange Notes; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
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(i) in the case where such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto
must be delivered by an Exchanging Dealer or an Initial Purchaser, such period
shall be the lesser of 180 days and the date on which all Exchanging Dealers and
the Initial Purchasers have sold all Exchange Notes held by them (unless such
period is extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) and (ii) the Company shall
make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, available to any
broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of any Exchange Notes for a
period not less than 180 days after the consummation of the Registered Exchange
Offer.
If, upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, any Initial
Purchaser holds Notes acquired by it as part of its initial distribution, the
Company, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Notes pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer, shall issue and deliver to such Initial Purchaser
upon the written request of such Initial Purchaser, in exchange (the "Private
Exchange") for the Notes held by such Initial Purchaser, a like principal amount
of debt securities of the Company issued under the Indentures and identical in
all material respects (including the existence of restrictions on transfer under
the Securities Act and the securities laws of the several states of the United
States) to the Notes (the "Private Exchange Notes"). The Notes, the Exchange
Notes and the Private Exchange Notes are herein collectively called the
"Securities."
In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:
(a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter of
transmittal and related documents;
(b) keep the Registered Exchange offer open for not less than 30
days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date notice thereof is
mailed to the Holders;
(c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered Exchange
Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, which
may be the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee;
(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Notes at any time prior to
the close of business, New York time, on the last business day on which the
Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and
(e) otherwise comply with all applicable laws.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange
Offer or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:
(i) accept for exchange all the Notes validly tendered and not
withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private Exchange;
(ii) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all the Notes so
accepted for exchange; and
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(iii) cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly to
each Holder of the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes, as the case
may be, equal in principal amount to the Notes of such Holder so accepted for
exchange.
The Indentures will provide that the Exchange Notes will not be
subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indentures and that all
the Securities will vote and consent together on all matters as one class and
that none of the Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a class
separate from one another on any matter.
Interest on each Exchange Note and Private Exchange Note issued
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private Exchange will
accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on the
Notes surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid on the
Notes, from the date of original issue of the Notes.
Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be
required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Notes received by such Holder will be
acquired in the ordinary course of business, (ii) such Holder will have no
arrangements or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution
of the Notes or the Exchange Notes within the meaning of the Securities Act,
(iii) such Holder is not an "affiliate," as defined in Rule 405 of the
Securities Act, of the Company or if it is an affiliate, such Holder will comply
with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act
to the extent applicable, (iv) if such Holder is not a broker-dealer, that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the distribution of the
Exchange Notes and (v) if such Holder is a broker-dealer, that it will receive
Exchange Notes for its own account in exchange for Notes that were acquired as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities and that it will
be required to acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with
any resale of such Exchange Notes.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure
that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any prospectus
forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to
such prospectus, does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
2. SHELF REGISTRATION. If, (i) because of any change in law or in
applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission, the Company
is not permitted to effect a Registered Exchange Offer, as contemplated by
Section 1 hereof, (ii) the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated within
180 days of the Issue Date, (iii) any Initial Purchaser so requests with respect
to the Notes (or the Private Exchange Notes) not eligible under applicable law
or Commission policy to be exchanged for Exchange Notes in the Registered
Exchange Offer and held by it following consummation of the Registered Exchange
Offer or (iv) any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) is not eligible under
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applicable law or Commission policy to participate in the Registered Exchange
Offer or, in the case of any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer) that
participates in the Registered Exchange Offer, such Holder does not, in
accordance with applicable law or Commission policy, receive freely tradeable
Exchange Notes on the date of the exchange, the Company shall take the following
actions:
(a) The Company shall, at its cost, as promptly as practicable (but
in no event more than 30 days after so required or requested pursuant to this
Section 2) file with the Commission and thereafter shall use its best efforts to
cause to be declared effective a registration statement (the "Shelf Registration
Statement" and, together with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a
"Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the Securities Act
relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Notes by the Holders
thereof from time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution set
forth in the Shelf Registration Statement and Rule 415 under the Securities Act
(hereinafter, the "Shelf Registration"); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no Holder
(other than an Initial Purchaser) shall be entitled to have the Securities held
by it covered by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees in
writing to be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such
Holder.
(b) The Company shall use its best efforts to keep the Shelf
Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the prospectus
included therein to be lawfully delivered by the Holders of the relevant
Securities, for a period of two years (or for such longer period if extended
pursuant to Section 3(j) below) from the date of its effectiveness or such
shorter period that will terminate when the Notes covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement can be sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act
without any limitations under clauses (c), (e), (f) and (h) of Rule 144 (or any
successor rule thereof). The Company shall be deemed not to have used its best
efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective during the requisite
period if it voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of
Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such securities
during that period, unless such action is required by applicable law.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement and the
related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of the effective
date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or supplement, (i) to comply
in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission and (ii) not to contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
3. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. In connection with any Shelf
Registration contemplated by Section 2 hereof and, to the extent applicable, any
Registered Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following
provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser, prior
to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Registration Statement
and each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any, to the prospectus
included therein and, in the event that an Initial Purchaser (with respect to
any portion of an unsold allotment from the original offering) is participating
in the Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement,
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shall use its best efforts to reflect in each such document when so filed with
the Commission, such comments as such Initial Purchaser reasonably may propose;
(ii) include the information set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex
B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the
Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution"
section of the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and include the information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter
of Transmittal delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; (iii) if
requested by an Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507
or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in the
prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement; (iv)
include within the prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement a section entitled "Plan of Distribution," reasonably acceptable to
the Initial Purchasers, which shall contain a summary statement of the positions
taken or policies made by the staff of the Commission with respect to the
potential "underwriter" status of any broker-dealer that is the beneficial owner
(as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act")) of Exchange Notes received by such broker-dealer in the
Registered Exchange Offer (a "Participating Broker-Dealer"), whether such
positions or policies have been publicly disseminated by the staff of the
Commission or such positions or policies, in the reasonable judgment of the
Initial Purchasers based upon advice of counsel (which may be in-house counsel),
represent the prevailing views of the staff of the Commission; and (v) in the
case of a Shelf Registration Statement, include the names of the Holders, who
propose to sell Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, as
selling securityholders.
(b) The Company shall give notice to the Initial Purchasers, the
selling Holders of the Securities and any Participating Broker-Dealer from whom
the Company has received prior written notice that it will be a Participating
Broker-Dealer in the Registered Exchange Offer (which notice pursuant to clauses
(ii)-(v) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the
prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) and, if requested by such
persons, confirm such notice in writing:
(i) when the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto has been filed with the Commission and when the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become
effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or
supplements to the Registration Statement or the prospectus included
therein or for additional information;
(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose;
(iv) of the receipt by the Company or its legal counsel
of any notification with respect to the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and
(v) of the happening of any event that requires the
Company to make changes in the Registration Statement or the
prospectus in order that the
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Registration Statement or the prospectus do not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact nor omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein (in the case of the prospectus, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.
(c) The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain the
withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
(d) The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Securities included
within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge, at least one copy
of the Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto,
including financial statements and schedules, and, if the Holder so requests in
writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by
reference).
(e) The Company shall deliver to each Exchanging Dealer and each
Initial Purchaser, and to any other Holder who so requests, without charge, at
least one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules,
and, if any Initial Purchaser or any such Holder requests, all exhibits thereto
(including those incorporated by reference).
(f) The Company shall, during the Shelf Registration Period, deliver
to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of the Shelf
Registration, without charge, as many copies of the prospectus (including each
preliminary prospectus) included in the Shelf Registration Statement and any
amendment or supplement thereto as such person may reasonably request. The
Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the
prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders
of the Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities
covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in
the Shelf Registration Statement.
(g) The Company shall deliver to each Initial Purchaser, any
Exchanging Dealer, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other persons
required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange Offer,
without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus included in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such
persons may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to the provisions
of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto by any Initial Purchaser, if necessary, any Participating Broker-Dealer
and such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered
Exchange Offer in connection with the offering and sale of the Exchange Notes
covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, included in
such Exchange Offer Registration Statement.
(h) Prior to any public offering of the Securities, pursuant to any
Registration Statement, the Company shall register or qualify or cooperate with
the Holders of the Securities included therein and their respective counsel in
connection with the registration or qualification of the Securities for offer
and sale under the securities or "blue sky" laws of such states of the United
States as any Holder of the Securities reasonably requests in writing and do any
and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale
in such jurisdictions of the Securities covered by such Registration Statement;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
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that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify generally to do business
in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or (ii) take any action
which would subject it to general service of process or to taxation in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(i) The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the Securities
to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing
the Securities to be sold pursuant to any Registration Statement free of any
restrictive legends and in such denominations and registered in such names as
the Holders may request a reasonable period of time prior to sales of the
Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by paragraphs (ii)
through (v) of Section 3(b) above during the period for which the Company is
required to maintain an effective Registration Statement, the Company shall
promptly prepare and file a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the related prospectus and any other required
document so that, as thereafter delivered to Holders of the Notes or purchasers
of Securities, the prospectus will not contain an 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 light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Initial
Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known Participating
Broker-Dealer in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b)
above to suspend the use of the prospectus until the requisite changes to the
prospectus have been made, then the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the
Securities and any such Participating Broker-Dealers shall suspend use of such
prospectus, and the period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement
provided for in Section 2(b) above and the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
provided for in Section 1 above shall each be extended by the number of days
from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the
date when the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known
Participating Broker-Dealer shall have received such amended or supplemented
prospectus pursuant to this Section 3(j).
(k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable Registration
Statement, the Company will obtain a CUSIP number for the Notes, the Exchange
Notes or the Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, and provide the
applicable trustee with printed certificates for the Notes, the Exchange Notes
or the Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, in a form eligible for
deposit with The Depository Trust Company.
(l) The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of the
Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the Registered
Exchange Offer or the Shelf Registration and will make generally available to
its security holders (or otherwise provide in accordance with Section 11(a) of
the Securities Act) an earnings statement satisfying the provisions of Section
11(a) of the Securities Act, no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month
period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first
month of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date
of the Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such 12-month period.
(m) The Company shall cause the Indentures to be qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in a timely manner and containing such
changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such qualification. In the event that
such qualification would
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require the appointment of a new trustee under either Indenture, the Company
shall appoint a new trustee thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions of
such Indenture.
(n) The Company may require each Holder of Securities to be sold
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the Company such
information regarding the Holder and the distribution of the Securities as the
Company may from time to time reasonably require for inclusion in the Shelf
Registration Statement, and the Company may exclude from such registration the
Securities of any Holder that unreasonably fails to furnish such information
within a reasonable time after receiving such request.
(o) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements
(including if requested an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take
all such other action, if any, as any Holder of the Securities shall reasonably
request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Securities pursuant to any
Shelf Registration.
(p) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company shall (i)
make reasonably available for inspection during normal business hours by the
selling Holders of the Securities, any underwriter participating in any
disposition pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and any attorney,
accountant or other agent retained by the selling Holders of the Securities or
any such underwriter all relevant financial and other records, pertinent
corporate documents and properties of the Company and (ii) cause the Company's
officers, directors, employees, accountants and auditors to supply all relevant
information reasonably requested by the Holders of the Securities or any such
underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the Shelf
Registration Statement, in each case, as shall be reasonably necessary to enable
such persons, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of
Section 11 of the Securities Act; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the foregoing
inspection and information gathering shall be coordinated on behalf of the
Initial Purchasers by you and on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel
designated by and on behalf of such other parties as described in Section 4
hereof.
(q) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company, if requested
by any Holder of Securities covered thereby, shall cause (i) its counsel to
deliver an opinion and updates thereof relating to the Securities in customary
form addressed to such Holders and the managing underwriters, if any, thereof
and dated, in the case of the initial opinion, the effective date of such Shelf
Registration Statement (it being agreed that the matters to be covered by such
opinion shall include, without limitation, the due incorporation and good
standing of the Company and its subsidiaries; the qualification of the Company
and its subsidiaries to transact business as foreign corporations; the due
authorization, execution and delivery of the relevant agreement of the type
referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the due authorization, execution,
authentication and issuance, and the validity and enforceability, of the
applicable Securities; the absence of material legal or governmental proceedings
involving the Company and its subsidiaries; the absence of governmental
approvals required to be obtained in connection with the Shelf Registration
Statement, the offering and sale of the applicable Securities, or any agreement
of the type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the compliance as to form of
such Shelf Registration Statement and any documents incorporated by reference
therein and of the Indentures with the requirements of the Securities Act and
the Trust Indenture Act, respectively; and, as of the date of the opinion and as
of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most recent
post-effective amendment thereto, as the case may be, the absence from such
Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus included
9
therein, as then amended or supplemented, and from any documents incorporated by
reference therein of an untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading (in the case of any such documents, in the
light of the circumstances existing at the time that such documents were filed
with the Commission under the Exchange Act); (ii) its officers to execute and
deliver all customary documents and certificates and updates thereof requested
by any underwriters of the applicable Securities and (iii) its independent
public accountants and the independent public accountants with respect to any
other entity for which financial information is provided in the Shelf
Registration Statement to provide to the selling Holders of the applicable
Securities and any underwriter therefor a comfort letter in customary form and
covering matters of the type customarily covered in comfort letters in
connection with primary underwritten offerings, subject to receipt of
appropriate documentation as contemplated, by Statement of Auditing Standards
No. 72.
(r) In the case of the Registered Exchange Offer, if requested by
any Initial Purchaser or any known Participating Broker-Dealer, the Company
shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such
Participating Broker-Dealer signed opinions in the form set forth in Sections
6(d) and (e) of the Purchase Agreement with such changes as are customary in
connection with the preparation of a Registration Statement and (ii) its
independent public accountants and the independent public accountants with
respect to any other entity for which financial information is provided in the
Registration Statement to deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such
Participating Broker-Dealer a comfort letter, in customary form, meeting the
requirements as to the substance thereof as set forth in Sections 6(a) and (b)
of the Purchase Agreement, with appropriate date changes.
(s) If a Registered Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to be
consummated, upon delivery of the Notes by Holders to the Company (or to such
other Person as directed by the Company) in exchange for the Exchange Notes or
the Private Exchange Notes, as the case may be, the Company shall mark, or
caused to be marked, on the Notes so exchanged that such Notes are being
cancelled in exchange for the Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes, as
the case may be; in no event shall the Notes be marked as paid or otherwise
satisfied.
(t) The Company will use its best efforts to either (i) confirm that
the ratings obtained for the Notes prior to the initial sale of such Notes will
apply to the Securities covered by a Registration Statement or (ii), cause the
Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be rated with the appropriate
rating agencies, if so requested by Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of Securities covered by such Registration Statement, or by the managing
underwriters, if any.
(u) In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the
Exchange Act shall underwrite any Securities or participate as a member of an
underwriting syndicate or selling group or "participate in the distribution,"
(within the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the "Rules") of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD")) thereof, whether as a Holder
of such Securities or as an underwriter, a placement or sales agent or a broker
or dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, assist such broker-dealer in
complying with the requirements of the Rules, including, without limitation, by
(i) if such Rules, including Rule 2720 thereto, shall so require, engaging a
"qualified independent underwriter" (as defined in Rule 2720) to participate in
the preparation of the Registration Statement relating to such
10
Securities, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in respect thereto and,
if any portion of the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement is an
underwritten offering or is made through a placement or sales agent, to
recommend the yield of such Securities, (ii) indemnifying any such qualified
independent underwriter to the extent of the indemnification of underwriters
provided in Section 5 hereof and (iii) providing such information to such
broker-dealer as may be required in order for such broker-dealer to comply with
the requirements of the Rules.
(v) The Company shall use its best efforts to take all other steps
necessary to effect the registration of the Securities covered by a Registration
Statement contemplated hereby.
4. REGISTRATION EXPENSES. Stage shall bear all fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the performance of the Company's obligations under
Sections 1 through 3 hereof (including the reasonable fees and expenses, if any,
of Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, incurred in connection
with the Registered Exchange Offer), whether or not the Registered Exchange
Offer or a Shelf Registration is filed or becomes effective, and, in the event
of a Shelf Registration, shall bear or reimburse the Holders of the Securities
covered thereby for the reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm of counsel
designated by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities
covered thereby to act as counsel for the Holders of the Securities in
connection therewith; PROVIDED that the fees and disbursements of counsel for
which Stage shall be responsible pursuant to this Section 4 shall not exceed
$30,000 other than in connection with an underwritten Shelf Registration, in
which case Stage shall be responsible for reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel designated by the Holders.
5. INDEMNIFICATION. (a) The Company and Stage shall jointly and
severally indemnify and hold harmless each Holder of the Securities, any
Participating Broker-Dealer and each person, if any, who controls such Holder or
such Participating Broker-Dealer within the meaning of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act (each Holder, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such controlling
persons are referred to collectively as the "Indemnified Parties") from and
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, or any
actions in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or actions relating to purchases and sales of the
Securities) to which each Indemnified Party may become subject under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out
of, or are based upon, the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement
not misleading, and shall reimburse, as incurred, the Indemnified Parties for
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in
respect thereto; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) the Company and Stage shall not be
liable in any such case to the extent that such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission made in a Registration Statement or prospectus
or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus
relating to a Shelf Registration in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information pertaining to such Xxxxxx and furnished to the Company by or on
behalf
11
of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein and (ii) with respect to any
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in any
preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration Statement, the indemnity
agreement contained in this subsection (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any
Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer from whom the person asserting any such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Securities concerned, to
the extent that a prospectus relating to such Securities was required to be
delivered by such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer under the Securities Act
in connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability
of such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer results from the fact that there
was not sent or given to such person, at, or prior to the written confirmation
of the sale of such Securities to such person, a copy of the revised final
prospectus (exclusive of any material included therein but not attached thereto)
containing a correction of such alleged misstatements or omissions if the
Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer; PROVIDED FURTHER, HOWEVER, that this indemnity agreement will be
in addition to any liability which the Company and Stage may otherwise have to
such Indemnified Party. The Company and Stage shall also jointly and severally
indemnify underwriters, selling brokers, dealer-managers and similar securities
industry professionals participating in the distribution (as described in such
Registration Statement) their officers and directors and each person who
controls such persons within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of
the Holders of the Securities if requested by such Holders.
(b) Each Holder of the Securities, severally and not jointly, shall
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, Stage and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities or any actions
in respect thereof, to which the Company, Stage or any such controlling person
may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or
are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or
supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf
Registration, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to such Holder and
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for
inclusion therein; and, subject to the limitation set forth immediately
preceding this clause, shall reimburse, as incurred, the Company and Stage for
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company, Stage or any
such controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any loss,
claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof. This indemnity agreement
will be in addition to any liability which such Holder may otherwise have to the
Company, Stage or any such controlling persons.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 5 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including a
governmental investigation), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 5,
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the omission so
to notify the indemnifying party will not, in any event, relieve the
indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than
12
the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. In case
any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be
entitled to participate therein and, except as provided in the next sentence, to
the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to
such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the
indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from
the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume
the defense thereof the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified party under this Section 5 for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof, except as provided in the next sentence, other than reasonable costs of
investigation. The indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate
counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnified party
unless (i) the employment of such counsel has been specifically authorized in
writing by the indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying party shall have failed
to assume the defense and employ counsel or (iii) the named parties to any such
action (including any impleaded parties) include both such indemnified party and
an indemnifying party, and such indemnified party shall have been advised by
such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it which
are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party
(in which case the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the
defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified person, it being
understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with
any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in
the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate
firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified
parties, which firm shall be designated in writing by Credit Suisse First Boston
Corporation, in the case of subsection (a) above, or by Stage, in the case of
subsection (b) above, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as
they are incurred). An indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement
of any such action effected without the written consent of such indemnifying
party but if settled with the written consent of such indemnifying party, such
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified person
from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement.
Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, if in any case where the
fees and expenses of counsel are at the expense of the indemnifying party and an
indemnified party shall have requested the indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for such fees and expenses of counsel as incurred, such
indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any
action effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered
into more than ten business days after the receipt by such indemnifying party of
the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall have failed to
reimburse the indemnified party in accordance with such request for
reimbursement 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 action in respect of which any
indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been
sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims
that are the subject matter of such action.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsections (a) or (b) above, then
13
each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by
the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on
the other from the exchange of the Notes, pursuant to the Registered Exchange
Offer, or (ii) if the allocation provided by the foregoing clause (i) is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative
fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified
party on the other in connection with the 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 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
or Stage on the one hand or such Holder or such other indemnified person, as the
case may be, on the other, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access
to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d)
shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action
or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding any other
provision of this subsection (d), the Holders of the Securities shall not be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net
proceeds received by such Holders from the sale of the Securities pursuant to a
Registration Statement exceeds the amount of damages which such Holders have
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. For purposes of this subsection (d), each person,
if any, who controls such indemnified party within the meaning of the Securities
Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such
indemnified party and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company.
(e) The agreements contained in this Section 5 shall survive the
sale of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement and shall remain in
full force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this
Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
6 ADDITIONAL INTEREST UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. (a) Additional
interest (the "Additional Interest") with respect to the Securities shall be
assessed as follows if any of the following events occur (each such event in
clauses (i) through (iii) below a "Registration Default"):
(i) If by August 18, 1997, neither the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement nor a Shelf Registration Statement has been
filed with the Commission;
(ii) If by December 15, 1997, neither the Registered
Exchange Offer is consummated nor, if required in lieu thereof, the
Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective by the
Commission; or
14
(iii) If after either the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective
(A) such Registration Statement thereafter ceases to be effective;
or (B) such Registration Statement or the related prospectus ceases
to be usable (except as permitted in paragraph (b)) in connection
with resales of Transfer Restricted Notes during the periods
specified herein because either (1) any event occurs as a result of
which the related prospectus forming part of such Registration
Statement would include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements
therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made
not misleading, or (2) it shall be necessary to amend such
Registration Statement or supplement the related prospectus, to
comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the respective
rules thereunder.
Additional Interest shall accrue on the Notes over and above the interest set
forth in the title of the Notes from and including the date on which any such
Registration Default shall occur to but excluding the date on which all such
Registration Defaults have been cured, at a rate of 0.50% per annum.
(b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 6(a)(iii)(B)
hereof shall be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a
Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration
Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective
amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited
financial information with respect to the Company where such post-effective
amendment is not yet effective and needs to be declared effective to permit
Holders to use the related prospectus or (y) other material events with respect
to the Company that would need to be described in such Shelf Registration
Statement or the related prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the
Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement such
Shelf Registration Statement and related prospectus to describe such events;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in any case if such Registration Default occurs for a
continuous period in excess of 30 days, Additional Interest shall be payable in
accordance with the above paragraph from the day such Registration Default
occurs until such Registration Default is cured.
(c) Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to clause (i),
(ii) or (iii) of Section 6(a) above will be payable in cash on the regular
interest payment dates with respect to the Notes. The amount of Additional
Interest will be determined by multiplying the applicable Additional Interest
rate by the principal amount of the Notes, multiplied by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of days such Additional Interest rate was
applicable during such period (determined on the basis of a 360-day year
comprised of twelve 30-day months), and the denominator of which is 360.
(d) "Transfer Restricted Notes" means each Security until (i) the
date on which such Transfer Restricted Note has been exchanged by a person other
than a broker-dealer for a freely transferrable Exchange Note in the Registered
Exchange Offer, (ii) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the Registered
Exchange Offer of a Transfer Restricted Note for an Exchange Note, the date on
which such Exchange Note is sold to a purchaser who receives from such
broker-dealer on or prior to the date of such sale a copy of the prospectus
contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (iii) the date on which
such Transfer Restricted Note has been effectively registered under the
Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration
Statement or (iv) the date on which such
15
Transfer Restricted Note is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under
the Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities
Act.
7 RULES 144 AND 144A. The Company shall use its best efforts to file
the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act 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 Transfer Restricted
Notes, make publicly available other information so long as necessary to permit
sales of their securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A. The Company covenants
that it will take such further action as any Holder of Transfer Restricted Notes
may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable
such Holder to sell Transfer Restricted Notes without registration under the
Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and
144A (including the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). The Company will provide a
copy of this Agreement to prospective purchasers of Notes identified to the
Company by the Initial Purchasers upon request. Upon the request of any Holder
of Transfer Restricted Notes, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written
statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, nothing in this Section 7 shall be deemed to require the Company
to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.
8 UNDERWRITTEN REGISTRATIONS. If any of the Transfer Restricted
Notes covered by any Shelf Registration are to be sold in an underwritten
offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers
that will administer the offering ("Managing Underwriters") will be selected by
the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer
Restricted Notes to be included in such offering.
No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder
unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer Restricted Notes on
the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the
persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and
executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting
agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such
underwriting arrangements.
9 MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. The provisions of this Agreement may not
be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company, Stage and the
written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or
consents.
(b) NOTICES. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail,
facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:
(1) if to a Holder of the Securities, at the most
current address given by such Holder to the Company;
16
(2) if to the Initial Purchasers, at its address as
follows:
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Fax No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Investment Banking Department --
Transactions Advisory Group
with a copy to:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Fax No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
(3) if to the Company or Stage, at its address as
follows:
Specialty Retailers, Inc.
c/o Stage Stores, Inc.
00000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Fax No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxx
with a copy to:
Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx
000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Fax No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxx, Esq.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been
duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three
business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed;
when receipt is acknowledged by recipient's facsimile machine operator, if sent
by facsimile transmission; and on the day delivered, if sent by overnight air
courier guaranteeing next day delivery.
(c) NO INCONSISTENT AGREEMENTS. Neither the Company nor Stage has as
of the date hereof, entered into, nor shall either of them, on or after the date
hereof, enter into, any agreement with respect to its securities that is
inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders herein or otherwise
conflicts with the provisions hereof.
(d) SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company, Stage and their successors and assigns.
17
(e) 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.
(f) HEADINGS. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(g) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD
TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
(h) SEVERABILITY. If 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.
(i) SECURITIES HELD BY THE COMPANY. Whenever the consent or approval
of Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is
required hereunder, Securities held by the Company, Stage or their affiliates
(other than subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders are
deemed to be affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities)
shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given
by the Holders of such required percentage.
18
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
between the several Initial Purchasers, the Company and Stage in accordance with
its terms.
Very truly yours,
SPECIALTY RETAILERS, INC.
By: /s/ XXXXX XXXXXX
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President &
Chief Financial Officer
STAGE STORES, INC.
By: /s/ XXXXX XXXXXX
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President &
Chief Financial Officer
The foregoing Registration Rights
Agreement is hereby confirmed and
accepted as of the date first above
written.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
BEAR, XXXXXXX & CO. INC.
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX SECURITIES CORPORATION
By CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
By: /s/ XXXXX XXXXXXX
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Managing Director
19
ANNEX A
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account pursuant to
the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in
connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes. The Letter of Transmittal
states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer
will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the meaning of
the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from
time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of
Exchange Notes received in exchange for Notes where such Notes were acquired by
such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading
activities. The Company has agreed that, for a period of 180 days after the
Expiration Date (as defined herein), it will make this Prospectus available to
any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale. See "Plan of
Distribution."
20
ANNEX B
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account
in exchange for Notes, where such Notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge
that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange
Notes. See "Plan of Distribution."
21
ANNEX C
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes. This
Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used
by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Notes received in
exchange for Existing Notes where such Existing Notes were acquired as a result
of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed
that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date, it will make this
prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use
in connection with any such resale. In addition, until , 199 , all dealers
effecting transactions in the Exchange Notes may be required to deliver a
prospectus.*
The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange
Notes by broker-dealers. Exchange Notes received by broker-dealers for their own
account pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be sold from time to time in one or
more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions,
through the writing of options on the Exchange Notes or a combination of such
methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices
related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated prices. Any such resale
may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may
receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such
broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange Notes. Any broker-dealer
that resells Exchange Notes that were received by it for its own account
pursuant to the Exchange Offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a
distribution of such Exchange Notes may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within
the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit on any such resale of Exchange
Notes and any commission or concessions received by any such persons may be
deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. The Letter of
Transmittal states that, by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering
a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.
For a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date the Company will
promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Exchange Offer (including the reasonable expenses of one counsel
for the Holders of the Notes) other than commissions or concessions of any
brokers or dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including
any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.
--------
* In addition, the legend required by Item 502(e) of Regulation S-K will appear
on the back cover page of the Exchange Offer prospectus.
22
ANNEX D
[ ] CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL
COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS
THERETO.
Name:______________________________________________
Address:___________________________________________
___________________________________________
If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Notes. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Notes
for its own account in exchange for Notes that were acquired as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities, it acknowledges that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes;
however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, the undersigned
will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the meaning of
the Securities Act.
23
