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EXHIBIT 10.2
EXECUTION COPY
XXXXXXX INDUSTRIES INC.
$175,000,000
9 1/2% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007
EXCHANGE AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
------------------------------------------
September 23, 1997
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
c/o Chase Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
XxXxxxx Industries Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to issue and sell to Chase Securities Inc. ("CSI") and
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation (together with CSI, the
"Initial Purchasers"), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
a purchase agreement dated September 18, 1997 (the "Purchase Agreement"),
$175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 9 1/2% Senior Subordinated Notes
due 2007 (the "Notes"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have
the meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement.
As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the
Purchase Agreement and in satisfaction of a condition to the obligations of the
Initial Purchasers thereunder, the Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers,
for the benefit of the holders (including the Initial Purchasers) of the Notes,
the Exchange Notes (as defined herein) and the Private Exchange Notes (as
defined herein) (collectively, the "Holders"), as follows:
1. Registered Exchange Offer. The Company shall (i) prepare
and, not later than 45 days following the date of original issuance of the Notes
(the "Issue Date"), file with the Commission a registration statement (the
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the
Securities Act with respect to a proposed offer to the Holders of the Notes (the
"Registered Exchange Offer") to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange
for the Notes, a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities of the
Company (the "Exchange Notes") that are identical in all material respects to
the Notes, except for the transfer restrictions relating to the Notes, (ii) use
its reasonable best efforts to cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
to become effective under the Securities Act no later than 165 days after the
Issue Date and the Registered Exchange Offer to be consummated no later than 195
days after the Issue Date and (iii) keep the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement effective for not less than 30 days (or longer, if required by
applicable law) after the date on which notice of the Registered Exchange Offer
is mailed to the Holders (such period being called the "Exchange Offer
Registration Period"). The Exchange Notes will be issued under the Indenture or
an indenture (the "Exchange Notes Indenture") between the Company and the
Trustee or such other bank or trust company that is reasonably satisfactory to
the Initial Purchasers, as trustee (the "Exchange Notes Trustee"), such
indenture to be identical in all material respects to the Indenture, except for
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the transfer restrictions relating to the Notes (as described above).
Upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered Exchange Offer, it
being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to enable each Holder
electing to exchange Notes for Exchange Notes (assuming that such Holder (a) is
not an affiliate of the Company or an Exchanging Dealer (as defined herein) not
complying with the requirements of the next sentence, (b) acquires the Exchange
Notes in the ordinary course of such Holder's business and (c) has no
arrangements or understandings with any person to participate in the
distribution of the Exchange Notes) and 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, the Initial Purchasers and each
Exchanging Dealer acknowledge that, pursuant to current interpretations by the
Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, each Holder that 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
substantially the information set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex
B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the
Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution"
section of such prospectus in connection with a sale of any such Exchange Notes
received by such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer.
If, prior to the consummation of the Registered Exchange
Offer, any Holder holds any Notes acquired by it that have, or that are
reasonably likely to be determined to have, the status of an unsold allotment in
an initial distribution, or any Holder is not entitled to participate in the
Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall, upon the request of any such
Holder, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange Notes in the Registered
Exchange Offer, issue and deliver to any such Holder, in exchange for the Notes
held by such Holder (the "Private Exchange"), a like aggregate principal amount
of debt securities of the Company (the "Private Exchange Notes") that are
identical in all material respects to the Exchange Notes, except for the
transfer restrictions relating to such Private Exchange Notes. The Private
Exchange Notes will be issued under the same indenture as the Exchange Notes,
and the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Private
Exchange Notes to bear the same CUSIP number as the Exchange Notes.
In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company
shall:
(a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part
of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an
appropriate letter of transmittal and related documents;
(b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than
30 days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the date on
which notice of the Registered Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders;
(c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered
Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
New York;
(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Notes at any time
prior to the close of business, New York City time, on the last
business day on which the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open;
and
(e) otherwise comply in all material respects with all laws
that are applicable to the Registered Exchange Offer.
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As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered
Exchange Offer and any Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:
(a) accept for exchange all Notes tendered and not validly
withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the Private
Exchange;
(b) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all Notes so
accepted for exchange; and
(c) cause the Trustee or the Exchange Notes Trustee, as the
case may be, promptly to authenticate and deliver to each Holder,
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 Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the
prospectus contained therein in order to permit such prospectus to be used by
all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such requirements
in order to resell the Exchange Notes; provided that (i) in the case where such
prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must be delivered by an
Exchanging Dealer, such period shall be the lesser of 195 days and the date on
which all Exchanging Dealers have sold all Exchange Notes held by them and (ii)
the Company shall make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto
available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of any
Exchange Notes for a period of not less than 90 days after the consummation of
the Registered Exchange Offer.
The Indenture or the Exchange Notes Indenture, as the case may
be, shall provide that the Notes, the Exchange Notes and the Private Exchange
Notes shall vote and consent together on all matters as one class and that none
of the Notes, the Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes will have the
right to vote or consent as a separate class 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 Issue Date.
Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer
shall be required to represent to the Company that at the time of the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange 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 and (iii) such Holder is not an affiliate of the Company or, if
it is such an affiliate, such Holder will comply with the registration and
prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company
covenants that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto and any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto will
comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto will 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, will not, as of the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, include an untrue statement of a
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material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
2. Shelf Registration. If (i) because of any change in law or
applicable interpretations thereof by the Commission's staff the Company is not
permitted to effect the Registered Exchange Offer as contemplated by Section 1
hereof, or (ii) for any other reason the Registered Exchange Offer is not
consummated within 195 days after the Issue Date, or (iii) any Initial Purchaser
so requests with respect to Notes or Private Exchange Notes not eligible to be
exchanged for Exchange Notes in the Registered Exchange Offer and held by it
following the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, or (iv) any
applicable law or interpretations do not permit any Holder to participate in the
Registered Exchange Offer, or (v) any Holder that participates in the Registered
Exchange Offer does not receive freely transferable Exchange Notes in exchange
for tendered Notes, or (vi) the Company so elects, then the following provisions
shall apply:
(a) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to file
as promptly as practicable (but in no event more than 45 days after so required
or requested pursuant to this Section 2) with the Commission, and thereafter
shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be declared effective, a shelf
registration statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act relating
to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities (as hereinafter
defined) by the Holders thereof from time to time in accordance with the methods
of distribution set forth in such registration statement (hereafter, a "Shelf
Registration Statement" and, together with any Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, a "Registration Statement").
(b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep
the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the
prospectus forming part thereof to be used by Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities for a period of two years from the Issue Date or such shorter period
that will terminate when all the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the
Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant thereto (in any such case,
such period being called the "Shelf Registration Period"). The Company shall be
deemed not to have used its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf
Registration Statement effective during the requisite period if it voluntarily
takes any action that would result in Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities
covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Transfer Restricted
Securities during that period, unless such action is required by applicable law
or is taken by the Company in good faith and for valid business reasons (but not
including avoidance of the Company's obligations hereunder) such as a material
corporate transaction or other event referred to in Section 4(b)(v) hereof so
long as the Company promptly complies with the requirements of Section 4(o)
hereof.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company
covenants that (i) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto
and any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto will comply
in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto (in either case, other than with respect to information
included therein in reliance upon or in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Holder specifically for use
therein (the "Holders' Information")) will 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 Shelf Registration
Statement, and any supplement to such prospectus (in either case, other than
with respect to Holders' Information), will not include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
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3. Liquidated Damages. (a) The parties hereto agree that the
Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities will suffer damages if the Company
fails to fulfill its obligations under Section 1 or Section 2, as applicable,
and that it would not be feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages.
Accordingly, if (i) the applicable Registration Statement is not filed with the
Commission on or prior to 45 days after the Issue Date, (ii) the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be,
is not declared effective within 165 days after the Issue Date (or in the case
of a Shelf Registration Statement required to be filed in response to a change
in law or the applicable interpretations of the Commission's staff, if later,
within 45 days after publication of the change in law or interpretation), (iii)
the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated on or prior to 195 days after
the Issue Date, or (iv) the Shelf Registration Statement is filed and declared
effective within 165 days after the Issue Date (or in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement required to be filed in response to a change in law or
the applicable interpretations of Commission's staff, if later, within 45 days
after publication of the change in law or interpretation) but shall thereafter
cease to be effective (at any time that the Company is obligated to maintain the
effectiveness thereof) without being succeeded within 30 days by an additional
Registration Statement filed and declared effective (each such event referred to
in clauses (i) through (iv), a "Registration Default"), the Company will be
obligated to pay liquidated damages to each Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities, during the period of one or more such Registration Defaults, in an
amount equal to $0.192 per week per $1,000 principal amount of Transfer
Restricted Securities held by such Holder until (i) the applicable Registration
Statement is filed, (ii) the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared
effective and the Registered Exchange Offer is consummated, (iii) the Shelf
Registration Statement is declared effective or (iv) the Shelf Registration
Statement again becomes effective, as the case may be. On the day following the
cure of all Registration Defaults, the accrual of liquidated damages will cease.
As used herein, the term "Transfer Restricted Securities" means (i) each Note
until the date on which such Note has been exchanged for a freely transferable
Exchange Note in the Registered Exchange Offer, (ii) each Note or Private
Exchange Note until the date on which it has been effectively registered under
the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration
Statement or (iii) each Note or Private Exchange Note until the date on which it
is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or is
saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Section 3(a), the Company shall not be required
to pay liquidated damages to a Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities if such
Holder failed to comply with its obligations under the representations set forth
in the second to last paragraph of Section 1 or failed to provide the
information required to be provided by it, if any, pursuant to Section 4(n).
(b) The Company shall notify the Trustee and the Paying Agent
under the Indenture immediately upon the happening of each and every
Registration Default. The Company shall pay the liquidated damages due on the
Transfer Restricted Securities by depositing with the Paying Agent (which may
not be the Company for these purposes), in trust, for the benefit of the Holders
thereof, prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next interest payment
date specified by the Indenture and the Notes, sums sufficient to pay the
liquidated damages then due. The liquidated damages due shall be payable on each
interest payment date specified by the Indenture and the Notes to the record
holder entitled to receive the interest payment to be made on such date. Each
obligation to pay liquidated damages shall be deemed to accrue from and include
the date of the applicable Registration Default and shall cease on the day
following the day such Registration Default is cured.
(c) The parties hereto agree that the liquidated damages
provided for in this Section 3 constitute a reasonable estimate of and are
intended to constitute the sole damages that will be suffered by Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities by reason of the failure of (i) the Shelf
Registration Statement or the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be filed,
(ii) the Shelf Registration Statement to remain effective or (iii) the Exchange
Offer Registration
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Statement to be declared effective and the Registered Exchange Offer to be
consummated, in each case to the extent required by this Agreement.
4. Registration Procedures. In connection with any
Registration Statement, the following
provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser,
prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Registration
Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any, to the
prospectus included therein and shall use its reasonable best efforts to reflect
in each such document, when so filed with the Commission, such comments as any
Initial Purchaser may reasonably propose; (ii) include the information set forth
in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer
Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex
C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the prospectus forming a part
of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and include the information set
forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal delivered pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer; and (iii) if requested by any Initial Purchaser,
include the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K, as
applicable, in the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement.
(b) The Company shall advise each Initial Purchaser, each
Exchanging Dealer and the Holders (if applicable) and, if requested by any such
person, confirm such advice in writing (which advice pursuant to clauses
(ii)-(v) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the
prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):
(i) when any Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto has been filed with the Commission and when such Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or
supplements to any Registration Statement or the prospectus included
therein or for additional information;
(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement or the
initiation of any proceedings for that purpose;
(iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Notes, the
Exchange Notes or the Private Exchange Notes 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 making
of any changes in any Registration Statement or the prospectus included
therein in order that the statements therein are not misleading and do
not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(c) The Company will make every reasonable effort to obtain
the withdrawal at the earliest possible time of any order suspending the
effectiveness of any Registration Statement.
(d) The Company will furnish to each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities included within the coverage of any Shelf Registration
Statement, without charge, at least one conformed copy of such Shelf
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including
financial statements and schedules and, if any such Holder so requests in
writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by
reference).
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(e) The Company will, during the Shelf Registration Period,
promptly deliver to each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities included
within the coverage of any Shelf Registration Statement, without charge, as many
copies of the prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in
such Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as
such Holder may reasonably request; and the Company consents to the use of such
prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders
of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection with the offer and sale of the
Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto.
(f) The Company will furnish to each Initial Purchaser and
each Exchanging Dealer, and to any other Holder who so requests, without charge,
at least one conformed copy of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules
and, if any Initial Purchaser or Exchanging Dealer or any such Holder so
requests in writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated
by reference).
(g) The Company will, during the Exchange Offer Registration
Period or the Shelf Registration Period, as applicable, promptly deliver to each
Initial Purchaser, each Exchanging Dealer and such other persons that are
required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered Exchange Offer,
without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus included in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement and any
amendment or supplement thereto as such Initial Purchaser, Exchanging Dealer or
other persons may reasonably request; and the Company consents to the use of
such prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by any such Initial
Purchaser, Exchanging Dealer or other persons, as applicable, as aforesaid.
(h) Prior to the effective date of any Registration
Statement, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to register or
qualify, or cooperate with the Holders of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private
Exchange Notes included therein and their respective counsel in connection with
the registration or qualification of, such Notes, Exchange Notes or Private
Exchange Notes for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such
jurisdictions as any such Holder reasonably requests in writing and do any and
all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale in
such jurisdictions of the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes
covered by such Registration Statement; provided that the Company will not be
required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not
then so qualified or to take any action which would subject it to general
service of process or to taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then
so subject.
(i) The Company will cooperate with the Holders of Notes,
Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes to facilitate the timely preparation
and delivery of certificates representing Notes, Exchange Notes or Private
Exchange Notes to be sold pursuant to any Registration Statement free of any
restrictive legends and in such denominations and registered in such names as
the Holders thereof may request in writing prior to sales of Notes, Exchange
Notes or Private Exchange Notes pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(j) If any event contemplated by Section 4(b)(ii) through
(v) occurs during the period for which the Company is required to maintain an
effective Registration Statement, the Company will promptly prepare and file
with the Commission a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or
a supplement to the related prospectus or file any other required document so
that, as thereafter delivered to purchasers of the Notes, Exchange Notes or
Private Exchange Notes from a Holder, the prospectus will not include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.
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(k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the Notes,
the Exchange Notes and 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 in all material respects with
all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and will make generally
available to its security holders as soon as practicable after the effective
date of the applicable Registration Statement an earning statement satisfying
the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act; provided, that in no
event shall such earning statement be delivered later than 45 days after the end
of a 12-month period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning
with the first month of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the
effective date of the applicable Registration Statement, which statement shall
cover such 12-month period.
(m) The Company will cause the Indenture or the Exchange
Notes Indenture, as the case may be, to be qualified under the Trust Indenture
Act as required by applicable law in a timely manner.
(n) The Company may require each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities to be registered pursuant to any Shelf Registration
Statement to furnish to the Company such information concerning the Holder and
the distribution of such Transfer Restricted Securities as the Company may from
time to time reasonably require for inclusion in such Shelf Registration
Statement, and the Company may exclude from such registration the Transfer
Restricted Securities of any Holder that fails to furnish such information
within a reasonable time after receiving such request.
(o) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities to be registered pursuant thereto
agrees by acquisition of such Transfer Restricted Securities that, upon receipt
of any notice from the Company pursuant to Section 4(b)(ii) through (v), such
Holder will discontinue disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities until
such Holder's receipt of copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus
contemplated by Section 4(j) or until advised in writing (the "Advice") by the
Company that the use of the applicable prospectus may be resumed. If the Company
shall give any notice under Section 4(b)(ii) through (v) during the period that
the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration Statement (the
"Effectiveness Period"), such Effectiveness Period shall be extended by the
number of days during such period from and including the date of the giving of
such notice to and including the date when each seller of Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by such Registration Statement shall have received (x) the
copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 4(j)
(if an amended or supplemental prospectus is required) or (y) the Advice (if no
amended or supplemental prospectus is required).
(p) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall enter into such customary agreements (including, if requested, an
underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all such other action, if
any, as Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes,
Exchange Notes and Private Exchange Notes being sold or the managing
underwriters (if any) shall reasonably request in order to facilitate any
disposition of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes pursuant to such
Shelf Registration Statement.
(q) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall (i) make reasonably available for inspection by a representative
of, and Special Counsel (as defined below) acting for, Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Notes, Exchange Notes and Private Exchange
Notes being sold and any underwriter participating in any
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disposition of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes pursuant to such
Shelf Registration Statement, all relevant financial and other records,
pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries
and (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to have its officers, directors,
employees, accountants and counsel supply all relevant information reasonably
requested by such representative, Special Counsel or any such underwriter (an
"Inspector") in connection with such Shelf Registration Statement.
(r) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall, if requested by Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Notes, Exchange Notes and Private Exchange Notes being sold, their
Special Counsel or the managing underwriters (if any) in connection with such
Shelf Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts to cause (i) their
counsel to deliver an opinion relating to the Shelf Registration Statement and
the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes, as applicable, in customary
form, (ii) their officers to execute and deliver all customary documents and
certificates requested by Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the Notes, Exchange Notes and Private Exchange Notes being sold, their Special
Counsel or the managing underwriters (if any) and (iii) their independent public
accountants to provide a comfort letter in customary form, subject to receipt of
appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by Statement
of Auditing Standards No. 72.
5. Registration Expenses. The Company will bear all expenses
incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations under Sections 1,
2, 3 and 4, and the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the
Holders for the reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm of attorneys
chosen by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes,
the Exchange Notes and the Private Exchange Notes to be sold pursuant to each
Registration Statement (the "Special Counsel") acting for the Initial Purchasers
or Holders in connection therewith.
6. Indemnification. (a) In the event of a Shelf Registration
Statement or in connection with any prospectus delivery pursuant to an Exchange
Offer Registration Statement by an Initial Purchaser or Exchanging Dealer, as
applicable, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Holder
(including, without limitation, any such Initial Purchaser or Exchanging
Dealer), its affiliates, their respective officers, directors, employees,
representatives and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such Holder
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively
referred to for purposes of this Section 6 and Section 7 as a Holder) from and
against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in
respect thereof (including, without limitation, any loss, claim, damage,
liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Notes, Exchange Notes or
Private Exchange Notes), to which that Holder may become subject, whether
commenced or threatened, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other
federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is
based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any such Registration Statement or any prospectus forming part
thereof or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall reimburse
each Holder promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by that Holder in connection with investigating or defending or
preparing to defend against or appearing as a third party witness in connection
with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are
incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises
out of, or is based upon, an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or
omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in
conformity with any Holders' Information; and provided, further, that with
respect to any such untrue statement in or omission from any related
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preliminary prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(a)
shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder from whom the person asserting any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action received Notes, Exchange Notes or
Private Exchange Notes to the extent that such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action of or with respect to such Holder results from the fact that both (A) a
copy of the final prospectus was not sent or given to such person at or prior to
the written confirmation of the sale of such Notes, Exchange Notes or Private
Exchange Notes to such person and (B) the untrue statement in or omission from
the related preliminary prospectus was corrected in the final prospectus unless,
in either case, such failure to deliver the final prospectus was a result of
non-compliance by the Company with Section 4(d), 4(e), 4(f) or 4(g).
(b) In the event of a Shelf Registration Statement, each
Holder shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its affiliates,
each of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and
agents, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of
the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively referred to for purposes of
this Section 6(b) and Section 7 as the Company), from and against any loss,
claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof,
to which the Company may become subject, whether commenced or threatened, under
the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory law
or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any such Registration
Statement or any prospectus forming part thereof or in any amendment or
supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made
in reliance upon and in conformity with any Holders' Information furnished to
the Company by such Holder, and shall reimburse the Company for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as a
third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that no such Holder
shall be liable for any indemnity claims hereunder in excess of the amount of
net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Notes, Exchange Notes or
Private Exchange Notes pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 6 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party pursuant to Section 6(a) or 6(b), notify the indemnifying
party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided,
however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it
from any liability which it may have under this Section 6 except to the extent
that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive
rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to
notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it
may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 6. If any
such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall
notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled
to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other
similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the
indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the
defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to
the indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof other than the reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however,
that an indemnified party shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any
such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel for the
indemnified party will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1)
the employment of counsel by the
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indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2)
the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based upon advice of counsel to
the indemnified party) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other
indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to
the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based upon
advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and
the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the
right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party)
or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action
within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the
action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other
charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties.
It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection
with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable
for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one
separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at any one time
for all such indemnified party or parties. Each indemnified party, as a
condition of the indemnity agreements contained in Sections 6(a) and 6(b), shall
use all reasonable efforts to cooperate with the indemnifying party in the
defense of any such action or claim. No indemnifying party shall be liable for
any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with its written
consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action,
the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified
party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or
judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), effect any
settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any
indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been
sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in
Section 6 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party
under Section 6(a) or 6(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of
indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or
action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company from the offering and sale
of the Notes, on the one hand, and a Holder with respect to the sale by such
Holder of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes, on the other, or
(ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the Company on the one hand and such Holder on the other with respect to the
statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability,
or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and a Holder on the other with respect to such offering and such sale shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering
of the Notes (before deducting expenses) received by or on behalf of the Company
as set forth in the table on the cover of the Offering Memorandum, on the one
hand, bear to the total proceeds received by such Holder with respect to its
sale of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes, on the other. The
relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact relates to the Company or information
supplied by the Company on the one hand or to any Holders' Information supplied
by such Holder on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
untrue statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 7 were to be determined
by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take
into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The
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amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim,
damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this
Section 7 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 7, any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection
with investigating or defending or preparing to defend any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, an indemnifying party that is
a Holder of Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes shall not be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Notes, Exchange Notes or Private Exchange Notes sold by such
indemnifying party to any purchaser exceeds the amount of any damages which such
indemnifying party has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
8. Rules 144 and 144A. The Company shall use its reasonable
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 written request of any
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, make publicly available other
information so long as necessary to permit sales of such Holder's securities
pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A. The Company covenants that it will take such
further action as any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities may reasonably
request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to
sell Transfer Restricted Securities without registration under the Securities
Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A
(including, without limitation, the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). Upon the
written request of any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, the Company
shall deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied
with such requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 8
shall be deemed to require the Company to register any of its securities
pursuant to the Exchange Act.
9. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by any Shelf Registration Statement are to be sold
in an underwritten offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and
manager or managers that will administer the offering will be selected by the
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer Restricted
Securities included in such offering, subject to the consent of the Company
(which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and such Holders shall be
responsible for all underwriting commissions and discounts in connection
therewith.
No person may participate in any underwritten registration
hereunder unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer
Restricted Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting
arrangements approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such
arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of
attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably
required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
10. Miscellaneous. (a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions
of this Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or
consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the
Company has obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes, the Exchange Notes and the Private Exchange
Notes, taken as a single class. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or
consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that
relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose Notes, Exchange Notes or
Private Exchange Notes are being sold pursuant to a Registration Statement and
that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be
given by Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes, the
Exchange Notes and the Private Exchange Notes being sold by such
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Holders pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications provided
for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery,
first-class mail, telecopier or air courier guaranteeing next-day delivery:
(1) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such
Holder to the Company in accordance with the provisions of this Section
10(b), which address initially is, with respect to each Holder, the
address of such Holder maintained by the Registrar under the Indenture,
with a copy in like manner to Chase Securities Inc. and Xxxxxxxxx,
Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation;
(2) if to an Initial Purchaser, initially at its address set
forth in the Purchase Agreement; and
(3) if to the Company, initially at the address of the
Company set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have
been duly given: when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; one business
day after being delivered to a next-day air courier; five business days after
being deposited in the mail; and when receipt is acknowledged by the recipient's
telecopier machine, if sent by telecopier.
(c) Successors And Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding
upon the Company and its successors and assigns.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts (which may be delivered in original form or by
telecopier) and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(e) Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a)
the term "business day" means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
is open for trading, (b) the term "subsidiary" has the meaning set forth in
Rule 405 under the Securities Act and (c) except where otherwise expressly
provided, the term "affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the
Securities Act.
(f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
(g) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(h) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by
any Holder of any of its obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the
Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all
rights granted by law, including recovery of damages (other than the recovery of
damages for a breach by the Company of its obligations under Sections 1 or 2
hereof for which liquidated damages have been paid pursuant to Section 3
hereof), will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this
Agreement. The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not be
adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of any
of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agree that, in the event
of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive
the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
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(i) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents,
warrants and agrees that (i) it has not entered into, shall not, on or after the
date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement that is inconsistent with the
rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the
provisions hereof, (ii) it has not previously entered into any agreement which
remains in effect granting any registration rights with respect to any of its
debt securities to any person and (iii) without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, without the written consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the then outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities, it
shall not grant to any person the right to request the Company to register any
debt securities of the Company under the Securities Act unless the rights so
granted are not in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of this
Agreement.
(j) No Piggyback on Registrations. Neither the Company nor
any of its security holders (other than the Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities in such capacity) shall have the right to include any securities of
the Company in any Shelf Registration or Registered Exchange Offer other than
Transfer Restricted Securities.
(k) Severability. The remedies provided herein are cumulative
and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law. If any term, provision,
covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated,
and the parties hereto shall use their reasonable best efforts to find and
employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result
as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is
hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they
would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions
without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal,
void or unenforceable.
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Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the
agreement among the Company and the Initial Purchasers.
Very truly yours,
XXXXXXX INDUSTRIES INC.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
----------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted:
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
By: CHASE SECURITIES INC.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
----------------------------
Authorized Signatory
16
ANNEX A
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own
account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will
deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale by it 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 195 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."
17
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."
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18
ANNEX C
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own
account pursuant to the Registered 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 Notes where such Notes were acquired as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed that, for a
period of up to 195 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.(1/)
-
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 Registered Exchange Offer may be sold from
time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in
negotiated transactions, through the writing of options on the Exchange 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 at negotiated
prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through
brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or
concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange
Notes. Any broker-dealer that resells Exchange Notes that were received by it
for its own account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and any broker or
dealer that participates in a distribution of such Exchange 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 up to 195 days after the Expiration Date, the
Company will promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests
such documents in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all
expenses incident to the Registered Exchange Offer (including the reasonable
expenses of one counsel for the Holders of the Notes) other than commissions or
concessions of any broker-dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Notes
(including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act.
------------------------------
(1/) In addition, the legend required by Item 502(e) of Regulation S-K will
- appear on the back cover page of the Registered Exchange Offer
prospectus.
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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.
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