EXHIBIT 4.1
EXECUTION
VERSION
FERRELLGAS, L.P.
FERRELLGAS FINANCE CORP.
6 3/4 % SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014
INDENTURE
Dated as of
August 4, 2008
U.S. Bank National
Association
1
CROSS-REFERENCE
TABLE*
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Trust Indenture Act Section
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Indenture
Section
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7.10
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7.10
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N.A.
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N.A.
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7.10
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7.10
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N.A.
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7.11
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7.11
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N.A.
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2.05
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11.03
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11.03
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7.06
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N.A.
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7.06; 7.07
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7.06; 11.02
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7.06
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4.03;11.02; 11.05
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N.A.
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11.04
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11.04
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N.A.
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N.A.
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11.05
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N.A.
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7.01
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7.05, 11.02
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7.01
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7.01
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6.11
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2.09
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6.05
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6.04
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N.A.
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6.07
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2.12
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6.08
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6.09
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2.04
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11.01
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N.A.
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11.01
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N.A. means not applicable.
* This Cross Reference Table is not part of the
Indenture.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE 1.
DEFINITIONS AND
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
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Section 1.01
Section 1.02
Section 1.03
Section 1.04
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Definitions.
Other Definitions.
Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
Rules of Construction.
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ARTICLE 2.
THE NOTES
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Section 2.01
Section 2.02
Section 2.03
Section 2.04
Section 2.05
Section 2.06
Section 2.07
Section 2.08
Section 2.09
Section 2.10
Section 2.11
Section 2.12
Section 2.13
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Form and Dating.
Execution and Authentication.
Registrar and Paying Agent.
Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
Holder Lists.
Transfer and Exchange.
Replacement Notes.
Outstanding Notes.
Treasury Notes.
Temporary Notes.
Cancellation.
Defaulted Interest.
CUSIP Numbers.
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ARTICLE 3.
REDEMPTION AND
PREPAYMENT
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Section 3.01
Section 3.02
Section 3.03
Section 3.04
Section 3.05
Section 3.06
Section 3.07
Section 3.08
Section 3.09
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Notices to Trustee.
Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased.
Notice of Redemption.
Effect of Notice of Redemption.
Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price.
Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part.
Optional Redemption.
Mandatory Redemption.
Offer to Purchase by Application of Excess Proceeds.
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ARTICLE 4.
COVENANTS
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Section 4.01
Section 4.02
Section 4.03
Section 4.04
Section 4.05
Section 4.06
Section 4.07
Section 4.08
Section 4.09
Section 4.10
Section 4.11
Section 4.12
Section 4.13
Section 4.14
Section 4.15
Section 4.16
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Payment of Notes.
Maintenance of Office or Agency.
Reports.
Compliance Certificate.
Taxes.
Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.
Restricted Payments.
Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries.
Incurrence of Indebtedness.
Asset Sales.
Transactions with Affiliates.
Liens.
Corporate Existence.
Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control.
Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions.
Limitation on Finance Corp.
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ARTICLE 5.
SUCCESSORS
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Section 5.01
Section 5.02
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Merger, Consolidation, or Sale of Assets.
Successor Corporation Substituted.
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ARTICLE 6.
DEFAULTS AND
REMEDIES
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Section 6.01
Section 6.02
Section 6.03
Section 6.04
Section 6.05
Section 6.06
Section 6.07
Section 6.08
Section 6.09
Section 6.10
Section 6.11
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Events of Default.
Acceleration.
Other Remedies.
Waiver of Past Defaults.
Control by Majority.
Limitation on Suits.
Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment.
Collection Suit by Trustee.
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
Priorities.
Undertaking for Costs.
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ARTICLE 7.
TRUSTEE
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Section 7.01
Section 7.02
Section 7.03
Section 7.04
Section 7.05
Section 7.06
Section 7.07
Section 7.08
Section 7.09
Section 7.10
Section 7.11
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Duties of Trustee.
Rights of Trustee.
Individual Rights of Trustee.
Trustee’s Disclaimer.
Notice of Defaults.
Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes.
Compensation and Indemnity.
Replacement of Trustee.
Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.
Eligibility; Disqualification.
Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuers.
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ARTICLE 8.
LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND
COVENANT DEFEASANCE
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Section 8.01
Section 8.02
Section 8.03
Section 8.04
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Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant
Defeasance.
Legal Defeasance and Discharge.
Covenant Defeasance.
Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance.
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Section 8.05 Deposited Money and
Government Securities to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous
Provisions.
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Section 8.06
Section 8.07
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Repayment to the Issuers.
Reinstatement.
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ARTICLE 9.
AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT
AND WAIVER
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Section 9.01
Section 9.02
Section 9.03
Section 9.04
Section 9.05
Section 9.06
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Without Consent of Holders of Notes.
With Consent of Holders of Notes.
Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.
Revocation and Effect of Consents.
Notation on or Exchange of Notes.
Trustee to Sign Amendments, etc.
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ARTICLE 10.
SATISFACTION AND
DISCHARGE
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Section 10.01
Section 10.02
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Satisfaction and Discharge.
Application of Trust Money.
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ARTICLE 11.
MISCELLANEOUS
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Section 11.01
Section 11.02
Section 11.03
Section 11.04
Section 11.05
Section 11.06
Section 11.07
Section 11.08
Section 11.09
Section 11.10
Section 11.11
Section 11.12
Section 11.13
Section 11.14
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Trust Indenture Act Controls.
Notices.
Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes.
Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
Rules by Trustee and Agents.
Non-Recourse.
No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and
Stockholders.
Governing Law.
Successors.
Severability.
Counterpart Originals.
Table of Contents, Headings, etc.
Force Majeure.
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EXHIBITS
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Exhibit A1
Exhibit A2
Exhibit B
Exhibit C
Exhibit D
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FORM OF
NOTE
FORM OF REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF ACQUIRING INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED
INVESTOR
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3
This INDENTURE dated as of August 4, 2008 among Ferrellgas,
L.P., a Delaware limited liability partnership (the “
Company ”), Ferrellgas Finance Corp., a Delaware
corporation (“ Finance Corp. ,” and together
with the Company, the “ Issuers ”), and U.S.
Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee
”).
The Issuers and the Trustee agree as
follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable
benefit of the Holders (as defined below) of the 6 3/4 % Senior Notes due 2014 (the “
Notes ”):
ARTICLE 1.
DEFINITIONS AND
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
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Section 1.01 Definitions.
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“144A Global Note”
means a Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A1
hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement
Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the
name of, the Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a
denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes
sold in reliance on Rule 144A.
“Accounts Receivable
Securitization” means a financing arrangement involving
the transfer or sale of accounts receivable of the Partnership and
its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business
through one or more SPEs, the terms of which arrangement do not
impose (a) any recourse or repurchase obligations upon the
Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries or any Affiliate of the
Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than any such
SPE) except to the extent of the breach of a representation or
warranty by the Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries in
connection therewith or (b) any negative pledge or Lien on any
accounts receivable not actually transferred to any such SPE in
connection with such arrangement.
“Additional Notes”
means additional notes (other than the Initial Notes and the
Exchange Notes) issued from time to time under this Indenture in
accordance with Sections 2.02 and 4.09 hereof, as part of the
same series as the Initial Notes.
“Affiliate” of any
specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly
controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For purposes of this
definition, “control,” as used with respect to any
Person, will mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management or
policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by agreement or otherwise; provided that
beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the voting securities of a
Person shall be deemed to be control. For purposes of this
definition, the terms “ controlling, ” "
controlled by ” and “ under common control
with ” will have correlative meanings.
“Agent” means any
Registrar, co-registrar, Paying Agent or additional paying
agent.
“Applicable
Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or
exchange of, or for beneficial interests in, any Global Note, the
rules and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream
that apply to such transfer or exchange.
“Asset
Acquisition” means the following (in all cases, including
assets acquired through a Flow-Through Acquisition):
(1) an
Investment by the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary of the
Partnership in any other Person pursuant to which the Person shall
become a Restricted Subsidiary of the Partnership, or shall be
merged with or into the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary of
the Partnership;
(2) the
acquisition by the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary of the
Partnership of the assets of any Person, other than a Restricted
Subsidiary of the Partnership, which constitute all or
substantially all of the assets of such Person; or
(3) the
acquisition by the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary of the
Partnership of any division or line of business of any Person,
other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Partnership.
“Asset Sale” means
either of the following, whether in a single transaction or a
series of related transactions:
(1) the
sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of any assets other
than (a) sales, leases or transfers of assets in the ordinary
course of business (including but not limited to the sales of
inventory in the ordinary course of business), and (b) sales
of accounts receivable under any Accounts Receivable
Securitization; or
(2) the
issuance or sale of Capital Stock of any direct Subsidiary.
Notwithstanding the preceding, none
of the following items will be deemed to be an Asset Sale:
(1) any
sale, lease or transfer of assets or Capital Stock by the
Partnership or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the Issuers or
a Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) any sale
or transfer of assets or Capital Stock by the Partnership or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries to any entity in exchange for other
assets used in a related business and/or cash ( provided ,
that such cash portion is at least 75% of the difference between
the value of the assets being transferred and the value of the
assets being received) and having a fair market value, as
determined in good faith by an authorized financial officer of the
General Partner, reasonably equivalent to the fair market value of
the assets so transferred;
(3) any
sale, lease or transfer of assets in accordance with Permitted
Investments;
(4) the
sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Partnership; provided
, that the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Partnership will be governed
by Section 4.14 hereof and/or Section 5.01 hereof and not
Section 4.10 hereof;
(5) the
transfer or disposition of assets that are permitted Restricted
Payments;
(6) any
sale, lease or transfer of assets pursuant to a Sale and Leaseback
Transaction otherwise permitted by this Indenture; and
(7) sales or
transfers of accounts receivable under an Accounts Receivable
Securitization.
“Attributable
Debt” means, with respect to any Sale and Leaseback
Transactions not involving a Capital Lease, as of any date of
determination, the total obligation, discounted to present value at
the rate of interest implicit in the lease included in the
transaction, of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining
portion of the term of the lease, including extensions which are at
the sole option of the lessor, of the lease included in the
transaction. For purposes of this definition, the rental payments
shall not include amounts required to be paid on account of
property taxes, maintenance, repairs, insurance, assessments,
utilities, operating and labor costs and other items which do not
constitute payments for property rights. In the case of any lease
which is terminable by the lessee upon the payment of a penalty,
the rental obligation shall also include the amount of the penalty,
but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid under such
lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so
terminated.
“Available Cash”
as to any quarter means:
(1) the sum
of:
(a) all
cash receipts of the Partnership during such quarter from all
sources (including, without limitation, distributions of cash
received from Subsidiaries of the Partnership, cash proceeds from
Interim Capital Transactions, but excluding cash proceeds from
Termination Capital Transactions, and borrowings made under the
Credit Facilities); and
(b) any
reduction with respect to such quarter in a cash reserve previously
established pursuant to clause (2)(b) below (either by reversal or
utilization) from the level of such reserve at the end of the prior
quarter;
(2) less the
sum of:
(a) all
cash disbursements of the Partnership during such quarter,
including, without limitation, disbursements for operating
expenses, taxes, if any, debt service (including, without
limitation, the payment of principal, premium and interest),
redemption of Capital Stock of the Partnership, capital
expenditures, contributions, if any, to a Subsidiary and cash
distributions to partners of the Partnership (but only to the
extent that such cash distributions to partners exceed Available
Cash for the immediately preceding quarter); and
(b) any
cash reserves established with respect to such quarter, and any
increase with respect to such quarter in a cash reserve previously
established pursuant to this clause (2)(b) from the level of such
reserve at the end of the prior quarter, in such amounts as the
General Partner determines in its reasonable discretion to be
necessary or appropriate (i) to provide for the proper conduct
of the business of the Partnership (including, without limitation,
reserves for future capital expenditures), (ii) to provide
funds for distributions with respect to Capital Stock of the
Partnership in respect of any one or more of the next four quarters
or (iii) because the distribution of such amounts would be
prohibited by applicable law or by any loan agreement, security
agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or
obligation to which the Partnership is a party or by which it is
bound or its assets are subject;
(3) plus the
lesser of (a) an amount as calculated in accordance with
clauses (1) and (2) above for the Partnership or its
Restricted Subsidiaries for the first 45 days of the quarter
during which such Restricted Payment is made (rather than the
quarter for which clauses (1) and (2) were calculated)
and (b) an amount of working capital Indebtedness that the
Partnership or its Restricted Subsidiaries could have incurred on
or before the 45th day after the last day of the quarter used to
calculate clauses (1) and (2) above;
provided, however , that Available Cash attributable to
any Restricted Subsidiary of the Partnership will be excluded to
the extent dividends or distributions of Available Cash by the
Restricted Subsidiary are not at the date of determination
permitted by the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument,
judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or other regulation.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(x) disbursements (including, without limitation,
contributions to a Subsidiary or disbursements on behalf of a
Subsidiary) made or reserves established, increased or reduced
after the end of any quarter but on or before the date on which any
Restricted Payment requiring a determination of Available Cash for
such quarter is made shall be deemed to have been made,
established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining
Available Cash, with respect to such quarter if the General Partner
so determines, and (y) “Available Cash” shall not
include any cash receipts or reductions in reserves or take into
account any disbursements made or reserves established in each case
after the date of liquidation of the Partnership. Taxes paid by the
Partnership on behalf of, or amounts withheld with respect to, all
or less than all of the partners shall not be considered cash
disbursements of the Partnership that reduce Available Cash, but
the payment or withholding thereof shall be deemed to be a
distribution of Available Cash to the partners. Alternatively, in
the discretion of the General Partner, such taxes (if pertaining to
all partners) may be considered to be cash disbursements of the
Partnership which reduce Available Cash, but the payment or
withholding thereof shall not be deemed to be a distribution of
Available Cash to such partners.
“Bankruptcy Law”
means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for
the relief of debtors.
“ Beneficial Owner
” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3
and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in
calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular
“Person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3)
of the Exchange Act), such “Person” will be deemed to
have beneficial ownership of all securities that such
“Person” has the right to acquire by conversion or
exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently
exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a
subsequent condition. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and
“Beneficially Owned” have a corresponding meaning.
“ Board of Directors
” means:
(1) with
respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the
corporation;
(2) with
respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the general
partner of the partnership; and
(3) with
respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person
serving a similar function.
“ Borrowing Base
” means, as of any date, an amount equal to:
(1) 80% of
the face amount of all accounts receivable owned by the Partnership
and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent month
preceding such date that were not more than 90 days past due;
plus
(2) 70% of
the value of all inventory owned by the Partnership and its
Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent month preceding such
date,
in each case, calculated on a consolidated basis and in
accordance with GAAP.
“ Business Day”
means any day other than a Legal Holiday.
“Capital Stock”
means of any Person any capital stock, partnership interest,
membership interest, or equity interest of any kind.
“ Change of
Control” means
(1) the
sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Partnership to any entity
other than to a Related Party;
(2) the
liquidation or dissolution of the Partnership or the General
Partner, or a successor to the General Partner; or
(3) any
transaction or series of transactions that results in a Person
other than a Related Party beneficially owning in the aggregate,
directly or indirectly, more than 35% of the voting stock of the
General Partner or a successor to the General Partner and such
percentage is more than the percentage of voting stock that is
owned by the Related Party or a successor to the Related Party.
“ Consolidated Cash Flow
Available for Fixed Charges” means, with respect to the
Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries, for any period, the
sum of, without duplication, the amounts for the period, taken as
single accounting, of:
(1) Consolidated Net Income;
(2) Consolidated Non-cash Charges;
(3) Consolidated Interest Expense; and
(4) Consolidated Income Tax Expense.
“Consolidated Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio” means, with respect to the Partnership
and its Restricted Subsidiaries, the ratio of (y) the
aggregate amount of Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed
Charges of the Person for the four full fiscal quarters immediately
preceding the date of the transaction (the “Transaction
Date”) giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (the “Four Quarter
Period”), to (z) the aggregate amount of Consolidated
Fixed Charges of the Person for the Four Quarter Period. In
addition to and without limitation of the foregoing, for purposes
of this definition, “Consolidated Cash Flow Available for
Fixed Charges” and “Consolidated Fixed Charges”
shall be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis for
the period of the calculation to, without duplication:
(1) the
incurrence or repayment of any Indebtedness, excluding the
incurrence of revolving credit borrowings and repayments of
revolving credit borrowings (other than the incurrence and
repayment of any revolving credit borrowings the proceeds of which
are used for Asset Acquisitions or Growth Related Capital
Expenditures of the Partnership or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries and, in the case of any incurrence or revolving credit
borrowings, the application of the net proceeds thereof) during the
period commencing on the first day of the Four Quarter Period to
and including the Transaction Date (the “Reference
Period”), including, without limitation, the incurrence of
the Indebtedness giving rise to the need to make the calculation
(and the application of the net proceeds thereof), as if the
incurrence (and application) occurred on the first day of the
Reference Period; and
(2) any
Asset Sales or Asset Acquisitions (including, without limitation,
any Asset Acquisition giving rise to the need to make the
calculation as a result of the Partnership or one of its Restricted
Subsidiaries, including any Person who becomes a Restricted
Subsidiary as a result of the Asset Acquisition, incurring,
assuming or otherwise being liable for Acquired Indebtedness)
occurring during the Reference Period, as if the Asset Sale or
Asset Acquisition occurred on the first day of the Reference
Period; provided, however , that:
(a) Consolidated Fixed Charges will be reduced by amounts
attributable to businesses or assets that are so disposed of only
to the extent that the obligations giving rise to such Consolidated
Fixed Charges would no longer be obligations contributing to the
Consolidated Fixed Charges subsequent to the date of determination
of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio;
(b) Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges
generated by an acquired business or asset shall be determined by
the actual gross profit, which is equal to revenues minus cost of
goods sold, of the acquired business or asset during the
immediately available preceding four full fiscal quarters occurring
in the Reference Period, minus the pro forma expenses that would
have been incurred by the Partnership and its Restricted
Subsidiaries in the operation of the acquired business or asset
during the period computed on the basis of personnel expenses for
employees retained or to be retained by the Partnership and its
Restricted Subsidiaries in the operation of the acquired business
or asset and non-personnel costs and expenses incurred by or to be
incurred by the Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries based
upon the operation of the Partnership’s business, all as
determined in good faith by an authorized financial officer of the
General Partner; and
(c) Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges shall
not include the impact of any nonrecurring cash charges incurred in
connection with a restructuring, reorganization or other similar
transaction, as determined in good faith by an authorized financial
officer of the General Partner.
Furthermore, subject to the following
paragraph, in calculating “Consolidated Fixed Charges”
for purposes of determining the “Consolidated Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio”:
(1) interest
on outstanding Indebtedness, other than Indebtedness referred to in
the point below, determined on a fluctuating basis as of the last
day of the Four Quarter Period and which will continue to be so
determined thereafter shall be deemed to have accrued at a fixed
rate per annum equal to the rate of interest on such Indebtedness
in effect on that date;
(2) only
actual interest payments associated with Indebtedness incurred in
accordance with clause (4) of the definition of Permitted
Indebtedness and all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in respect
thereof, during the Four Quarter Period shall be included in the
calculation; and
(3) if
interest on any Indebtedness actually incurred on the date may
optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of
a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or
other rates, then the interest rate in effect on the last day of
the Four Quarter Period will be deemed to have been in effect
during the period.
“ Consolidated Fixed
Charges ” means, with respect to the Partnership and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the sum of, without
duplication:
(1) the
amounts for such period of Consolidated Interest Expense; and
(2) the
product of:
(a) the
aggregate amount of dividends and other distributions paid or
accrued during the period in respect of Preferred Stock and
Redeemable Capital Stock of the Partnership and its Restricted
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; and
(b) a
fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of
which is one less the then applicable current combined federal,
state and local statutory tax rate, expressed as a percentage.
“ Consolidated Income Tax
Expense ” means, with respect to the Partnership and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the provision for federal,
state, local and foreign income taxes of the Partnership and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for the period as determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“ Consolidated Interest
Expense ” means, with respect to the Partnership and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, for any period, without duplication, the
sum of:
(1) the
interest expense of the Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries
for the period as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance
with GAAP, including, without limitation:
(2) any
amortization of debt discount;
(3) the net
cost under Interest Rate Agreements;
(4) the
interest portion of any deferred payment obligation;
(5) all
commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect
to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing;
(6) all
accrued interest for all instruments evidencing Indebtedness;
and
(7) the
interest component of Capital Leases paid or accrued or scheduled
to be paid or accrued by the Partnership and its Restricted
Subsidiaries during the period as determined on a consolidated
basis in accordance with GAAP.
“ Consolidated Net
Income ” means the net income of the Partnership and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, as determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP and as adjusted to exclude:
(1) net
after-tax extraordinary gains or losses;
(2) net
after-tax gains or losses attributable to Asset Sales or sales of
receivables under any Accounts Receivable Securitization;
(3) the net
income or loss of any Person which is not a Restricted Subsidiary
and which is accounted for by the equity method of accounting;
provided , that Consolidated Net Income shall include the
amount of dividends or distributions actually paid to the
Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(4) the net
income or loss prior to the date of acquisition of any Person
combined with the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary in a
pooling of interest;
(5) the net
income of any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that dividends or
distributions of that net income are not at the date of
determination permitted by the terms of its charter or any
judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or other regulation; and
(6) the
cumulative effect of any changes in accounting principles.
“ Consolidated Non-Cash
Charges ” means, with respect to the Partnership and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the aggregate
(1) depreciation, (2) amortization, (3) non-cash
employee compensation expenses of the Partnership or its Restricted
Subsidiaries for such period, and (4) any non-cash charges
resulting from writedowns of non-current assets, in each case which
reduces the Consolidated Net Income of the Partnership and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for the period, as determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“ Corporate Trust Office of
the Trustee” will be at the address of the Trustee
specified in Section 11.02 hereof or such other address as to
which the Trustee may give notice to the Issuers.
“Credit Agreement”
means that Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as
of December 10, 2002, among the Partnership, the General
Partner, Bank of America N.A., as agent, and the other financial
institutions party thereto.
“Credit
Facilities” means, one or more debt facilities
(including, without limitation, the facilities evidenced by the
Credit Agreement) or commercial paper facilities, in each case with
banks or other institutional lenders providing for revolving credit
loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the
sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities
formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables) or
letters of credit, in each case, as amended, restated, modified,
renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced in whole or in part from
time to time.
“Custodian” means
the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes in global form,
or any successor entity thereto.
“Default” means
any event that is, or after notice or with the passage of time or
both would be, an Event of Default.
“Definitive Note”
means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder
thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.06 hereof,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such
Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the
“Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note”
attached thereto.
“Depositary”
means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in
part in global form, the Person specified in Section 2.03
hereof as the Depositary with respect to the Notes, and any and all
successors thereto appointed as depositary hereunder and having
become such pursuant to the applicable provision of this
Indenture.
“ Designation Amount
” means, with respect to the designation of a Restricted
Subsidiary or a newly acquired or formed Subsidiary as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary, an amount equal to the sum of:
(1) the net
book value of all assets of the Subsidiary at the time of the
designation in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary; and
(2) the cost
of acquisition or formation in the case of a newly acquired or
formed Subsidiary.
“Equity Offering”
means a public offering or private placement of partnership
interests (other than interests that are mandatorily redeemable)
of:
(3) any
entity that directly or indirectly owns equity interests in the
Partnership, to the extent the net proceeds are contributed to the
Partnership;
(4) any
Subsidiary of the Partnership to the extent the net proceeds are
distributed, paid, lent or otherwise transferred to the Partnership
that results in the net proceeds to the Partnership of at least
$20 million; or
(5) the
Partnership.
A private placement of partnership
interests will not be deemed an Equity Offering unless net proceeds
of at least $20 million are received.
“Euroclear” means
Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system.
“Exchange Act”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exchange Notes”
means the Notes issued in the Exchange Offer, if any, pursuant to
Section 2.06(f) hereof.
“Existing Notes”
means the Partnership’s (1) $82,000,000 principal amount of
7.24% Senior Notes, Series D, due August 1, 2010, (2)
$70,000,000 principal amount of 7.42% Senior Notes, Series E, due
August 1, 2013, (3) $73,000,000 principal amount of 8.87%
Senior Notes, Series C, due August 1, 2009; and (4)
$250,000,000 principal amount of 6 3/4 % Senior Notes due 2014 issued on
April 20, 2004.
“Exchange Offer”
has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Exchange Offer Registration
Statement” has the meaning set forth in the Registration
Rights Agreement.
“Ferrellgas
Partners” means Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
“Flow-Through
Acquisition” means an acquisition by the General Partner
or its parent from a Person that is not an Affiliate of the General
Partner, its parent or the Partnership, of property (real or
personal), assets or equipment (whether through the direct purchase
of assets or the Capital Stock of the Person owning such assets) in
a permitted line of business, which is promptly sold, transferred
or contributed by the General Partner or its parent to the
Partnership or one of its Subsidiaries.
“GAAP” means
generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions
and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements
and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or
in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved
by a significant segment of the accounting profession, in each
case, which are in effect on the date of this Indenture.
“General Partner”
means Ferrellgas, Inc.
“Global Notes”
means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global
Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes deposited with or on behalf
of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A1 hereto and that bears
the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of
Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto,
issued in accordance with Section 2.01, 2.06(b)(3),
2.06(b)(4), 2.06(d)(2) or 2.06(g)(2) hereof.
“Global Note
Legend” means the legend set forth in
Section 2.06(g)(2), which is required to be placed on all
Global Notes issued under this Indenture.
“Government
Securities” means direct obligations of, or obligations
guaranteed by, the United States of America, and the payment for
which the United States pledges its full faith and credit.
“Growth Related Capital
Expenditures” means, with respect to any Person, all
capital expenditures by such Person made to improve or enhance the
existing capital assets or to increase the customer base of such
Person or to acquire or construct new capital assets (but excluding
capital expenditures made to maintain, up to the level thereof that
existed at the time of such expenditure, the operating capacity of
the capital assets of such Person as such assets existed at the
time of such expenditure).
“Holder” means a
Person in whose name a Note is registered.
“IAI Global Note”
means a Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A1
hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement
Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the
name of the Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a
denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes
sold to Institutional Accredited Investors .
“Indebtedness”
means, as applied to any Person, without duplication:
(1) (a) any
indebtedness for borrowed money and (b) all obligations
evidenced by any (i) bond, note, debenture or other similar
instrument or (ii) letter of credit, or reimbursement
agreements in respect thereof, but only for any drawings that are
not reimbursed within five Business Days after the date of such
drawings, which in each case the Person has, directly or
indirectly, created, incurred or assumed;
(2) any
indebtedness for borrowed money and all obligations evidenced by
any bond, note, debenture or other similar instrument secured by
any Lien in respect of property owned by the Person, whether or not
the Person has assumed or become liable for the payment of the
indebtedness; provided , that the amount of the
indebtedness, if the Person has not assumed the same or become
liable therefor, shall in no event be deemed to be greater than the
fair market value from time to time, as determined in good faith by
the Person of the property subject to the Lien;
(3) any
indebtedness, whether or not for borrowed money (excluding trade
payables and accrued expenses arising in the ordinary course of
business) with respect to which the Person has become directly or
indirectly liable and which represents the deferred purchase price,
or a portion thereof, or has been incurred to finance the purchase
price, or a portion thereof, of any property or business acquired
by, or service performed on behalf of, the Person, whether by
purchase, consolidation, merger or otherwise;
(4) the
principal component of any obligations under Capital Leases to the
extent the obligations would, in accordance with GAAP, appear on
the balance sheet of the Person;
(5) all
Attributable Debt of the Person in respect of Sale and Leaseback
Transactions not involving a Capital Lease;
(6) any
indebtedness of any other Person of the character referred to in
the foregoing clauses (1)-(5) of this definition with respect to
which the Person whose indebtedness is being determined has become
liable by way of a guarantee; and
(7) all
Redeemable Capital Stock of the Person valued at the greater of its
voluntary or involuntary maximum fixed repurchase price plus
accrued dividends.
For purposes hereof, the
“maximum fixed repurchase price” of any Redeemable
Capital Stock which does not have a fixed repurchase price shall be
calculated in accordance with the terms of the Redeemable Capital
Stock as if it were purchased on any date on which Indebtedness
shall be required to be determined pursuant to this Indenture and
if the price is based upon, or measured by, the fair market value
of the Redeemable Capital Stock, the fair market value shall be
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the issuer of
the Redeemable Capital Stock. For purposes hereof, the term
“Indebtedness” shall not include (x) accrual of
interest, the accretion of accreted value and the payment of
interest or any other similar incurrence by the Partnership or its
Restricted Subsidiaries related to Indebtedness otherwise permitted
in this Indenture, (y) Indebtedness under any hedging
arrangement which provides for the right or obligation to purchase,
sell or deliver any currency, commodity or security at a future
date for a specified price entered into to protect such Person from
fluctuations in prices or rates, including currencies, interest
rates, commodity prices, and securities prices, including without
limitation indebtedness under any interest rate or commodity price
swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar
agreement or any forward sales arrangements, calls, options, swaps,
or other similar transactions or any combination thereof,
including, or (z) any Accounts Receivable Securitization.
“Indenture” means
this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
“Indirect
Participant” means a Person who holds a beneficial
interest in a Global Note through a Participant.
“Initial Notes”
means the first $200,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes
issued under this Indenture on the date hereof.
“Initial
Purchasers” means Banc of America Securities LLC, J.P.
Morgan Securities Inc., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Credit Suisse
Securities (USA) LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Fifth
Third Securities, Inc., SG Americas Securities, LLC and Wells Fargo
Securities, LLC.
“Interim Capital
Transactions” means (1) borrowings, refinancings or
refundings of Indebtedness and sales of debt securities (other than
for working capital purposes and other than for items purchased on
open account in the ordinary course of business) by the
Partnership, (2) sales of Capital Stock of the Partnership by the
Partnership and (3) sales or other voluntary or involuntary
dispositions of any assets of the Partnership (other than
(x) sales or other dispositions of inventory in the ordinary
course of business, (y) sales or other dispositions of other
current assets including, without limitation, receivables and
accounts and (z) sales or other dispositions of assets as a
part of normal retirements or replacements), in each case prior to
the commencement of the dissolution and liquidation of the
Partnership.
“Investment” means
as applied to any Person:
(1) any
direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition by the Person of
stock or other securities of any other Person; or
(2) any
direct or indirect loan, advance or capital contribution by the
Person to any other Person and any other item which would be
classified as an “investment” on a balance sheet of the
Person prepared in accordance with GAAP, including without
limitation any direct or indirect contribution by the Person of
property or assets to a joint venture, partnership or other
business entity in which the Person retains an interest, it being
understood that a direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition
by the Person of assets of any other Person, other than stock or
other securities, shall not constitute an “Investment”
for purposes of this Indenture.
The amount classified as Investments
made during any period will be the aggregate cost to the
Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries of all the Investments
made during the period, determined in accordance with GAAP, but
without regard to unrealized increases or decreases in value, or
write-ups, write-downs or write-offs, of the Investments and
without regard to the existence of any undistributed earnings or
accrued interest with respect thereto accrued after the respective
dates on which the Investments were made, less any net return of
capital realized during the period upon the sale, repayment or
other liquidation of the Investments, determined in accordance with
GAAP, but without regard to any amounts received during the period
as earnings (in the form of dividends not constituting a return of
capital, interest or otherwise) on the Investments or as loans from
any Person in whom the Investments have been made.
“ Legal Holiday”
means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions
in the City of New York or at a place of payment are authorized by
law, regulation or executive order to remain closed. If a payment
date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made
at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal
Holiday, and no interest shall accrue on such payment for the
intervening period.
“Lien” means, with
respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien (statutory or otherwise),
pledge, charge, security interest, hypothecation, assignment for
security or other encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset.
A Person shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien any asset which
such Person has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a
vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital
lease or other title retention agreement.
“Net Amount of Unrestricted
Investment” means, without duplication, the sum of:
(1) the
aggregate amount of all Investments made after the date of this
Indenture pursuant to clause (3) of the definition of
Permitted Investment hereto, computed as provided in the last
sentence of the definition of Investment herein; and
(2) the
aggregate of all Designation Amounts in connection with the
designation of Unrestricted Subsidiaries, less all Designation
Amounts in respect of Unrestricted Subsidiaries which have been
designated as Restricted Subsidiaries and otherwise reduced in a
manner consistent with the provisions of the last sentence of the
definition of Investment herein.
“ Net Proceeds ”
means, with respect to any asset sale or sale of Capital Stock, the
proceeds therefrom in the form of cash or cash equivalents
including payments in respect of deferred payment obligations when
received in the form of cash or cash equivalents, except to the
extent that the deferred payment obligations are financed or sold
with recourse to the Partnership or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries, net of:
(1) brokerage commissions and other fees and expenses related
to the Asset Sale, including, without limitation, fees and expenses
of legal counsel and accountants and fees, expenses, discounts or
commissions of underwriters, placement agents and investment
bankers;
(2) provisions for all taxes payable as a result of the Asset
Sale;
(3) amounts
required to be paid to any Person, other than the Partnership or
any Restricted Subsidiary of the Partnership, owning a beneficial
interest in the assets subject to the Asset Sale;
(4) appropriate amounts to be provided by the Partnership or
any Restricted Subsidiary of the Partnership, as the case may be,
as a reserve required in accordance with GAAP against any
liabilities associated with the Asset Sale and retained by the
Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Partnership, as the
case may be, after the Asset Sale, including, without limitation,
pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities, liabilities
related to environmental matters and liabilities under any
indemnification obligations associated with the Asset Sale; and
(5) amounts
applied to the repayment of Indebtedness in connection with the
asset or assets acquired in the Asset Sale, including any
transaction costs and expenses associated therewith and any
make-whole or other premium owed in connection with such
repayment.
“Notes” has the
meaning assigned to it in the preamble to this Indenture. The
Initial Notes, the Additional Notes and the Exchange Notes shall be
treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture,
and unless the context otherwise requires, all references to the
Notes shall include the Initial Notes, any Additional Notes and the
Exchange Notes.
“Officer” means,
with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the
Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer,
the Controller, the Secretary or any Vice-President of such
Person.
“Officers’
Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the
Issuers by two Officers of the Issuers, one of whom must be the
principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the
principal accounting officer of the Issuers, that meets the
requirements of Section 11.05 hereof.
“Opinion of
Counsel” means an opinion from legal counsel who is
reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, that meets the requirements
of Section 11.05 hereof. The counsel may be an employee of or
counsel to the Issuers, any Subsidiary of the Issuers or the
Trustee.
“Participant”
means, with respect to the Depositary, a Person who has an account
with the Depositary.
“Partnership”
means Ferrellgas, L.P., without its consolidated subsidiaries.
“Permitted
Investments” means any of the following:
(1) Investments made or owned by the Partnership or any
Restricted Subsidiary in:
(a) marketable obligations issued or unconditionally
guaranteed by the United States, or issued by any agency thereof
and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in
each case maturing one year or less from the date of acquisition
thereof;
(b) marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the
United States or any political subdivision of any such state or any
public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the
date of acquisition thereof and having as at such date the highest
rating obtainable from either Standard & Poor’s Ratings
Group (“S&P”) and its successors or Moody’s
Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) and its
successors;
(c) commercial paper maturing no more than 270 days from
the date of creation thereof and having as at the date of
acquisition thereof one of the two highest ratings obtainable from
either S&P or Moody’s;
(d) certificates of deposit maturing one year or less from the
date of acquisition thereof issued by commercial banks incorporated
under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the
District of Columbia or Canada;
(e) the
commercial paper or other short term unsecured debt obligations of
which are as at such date rated either “A-2” or better
(or comparably if the rating system is changed) by S&P or
“Prime-2” or better (or comparably if the rating system
is changed) by Moody’s;
(f) the
long-term debt obligations of which are, as at such date, rated
either “A” or better (or comparably if the rating
system is changed) by either S&P or Moody’s
(“Permitted Banks”);
(g) eurodollar time deposits having a maturity of less than
270 days from the date of acquisition thereof purchased
directly from any Permitted Bank;
(h) bankers’ acceptances eligible for rediscount under
requirements of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System and accepted by Permitted Banks; and
(i) obligations of the type described in clauses
(a) through (e) above purchased from a securities dealer
designated as a “primary dealer” by the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York or from a Permitted Bank as counterparty to a
written repurchase agreement obligating such counterparty to
repurchase such obligations not later than 14 days after the
purchase thereof and which provides that the obligations which are
the subject thereof are held for the benefit of the Partnership or
a Restricted Subsidiary by a custodian which is a Permitted Bank
and which is not a counterparty to the repurchase agreement in
question;
(2) the
acquisition by the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary of
Capital Stock or other ownership interests, whether in a single
transaction or in a series of related transactions, of a Person
located in the United States, Mexico or Canada and engaged in
substantially the same business as the Partnership such that, upon
the completion of such transaction or series of transactions, the
Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) the
making or ownership by the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary
of Investments (in addition to any other Permitted Investments) in
any Person incorporated or otherwise formed pursuant to the laws of
the United States, Mexico or Canada or any state thereof which is
engaged in the United States, Mexico or Canada; provided ,
that the aggregate amount of all such Investments made by the
Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries following the date of
this Indenture and outstanding pursuant to this third clause shall
not at any date of determination exceed 7.5% of Total Assets;
(4) the
making or ownership by the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary
of Investments:
(a) arising
out of loans and advances to employees incurred in the ordinary
course of business;
(b) arising
out of extensions of trade credit or advances to third parties in
the ordinary course of business; or
(c) acquired by reason of the exercise of customary
creditors’ rights upon default or pursuant to the bankruptcy,
insolvency or reorganization of a debtor;
(5) the
creation or incurrence of liability by the Partnership or any
Restricted Subsidiary, with respect to any guarantee constituting
an obligation, warranty or indemnity, not guaranteeing Indebtedness
of any Person, which is undertaken or made in the ordinary course
of business;
(6) the
creation or incurrence of liability by the Partnership or any
Restricted Subsidiary with respect to any hedging agreements or
arrangements;
(7) the
making by any Restricted Subsidiary of Investments in the
Partnership or another Restricted Subsidiary and the making by the
Partnership of Investments in any Restricted Subsidiary;
(8) the
present value, determined on the basis of the implicit interest
rate, of all basic rental obligations under all synthetic leases of
the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary; and
(9) the
creation or incurrence of liability by the Partnership or any
Restricted Subsidiary or the making or ownership by the Partnership
or any Restricted Subsidiary of Investments in any Person with
respect to any Accounts Receivable Securitization.
“Permitted Liens”
means any of the following:
(1) Liens
for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges, the payment
of which is not yet due or the payment of which is being contested
in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly initiated and
diligently conducted and as to which reserves or other appropriate
provision, if any, as shall be required by GAAP, shall have been
made therefor and be adequate in the good faith judgment of the
obligor;
(2) Liens of
lessors, landlords and carriers, vendors, warehousemen, mechanics,
materialmen, repairmen and other like Liens incurred in the
ordinary course of business for sums not yet due or the payment of
which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
promptly initiated and diligently conducted and as to which
reserves or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be
required by GAAP, shall have been made therefor and be adequate in
the good faith judgment of the obligor, in each case:
(a) not
incurred or made in connection with the borrowing of money, the
obtaining of advances or credit or the payment of the deferred
purchase price of property; or
(b) incurred in the ordinary course of business securing the
unpaid purchase price of property or services constituting current
accounts payable;
(3) Liens,
other than any Lien imposed by the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as may be amended from time to time, incurred
or deposits made in the ordinary course of business:
(a) in
connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance
and other types of social security; or
(b) to
secure or to obtain letters of credit that secure the performance
of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bids,
leases, performance bonds, purchase, construction or sales
contracts and other similar obligations, in each case not incurred
or made in connection with the borrowing of money;
(4) other
deposits made to secure liability to insurance carriers under
insurance or self-insurance arrangements;
(5) Liens
securing reimbursement obligations under letters of credit,
provided in each case that such Liens cover only the title
documents and related goods and any proceeds thereof covered by the
related letter of credit;
(6) any
attachment or judgment Lien, unless the judgment it secures shall
not, within 60 days after the entry thereof, have been
discharged or execution thereof stayed pending appeal or review, or
shall not have been discharged within 60 days after expiration
of any such stay;
(7) leases
or subleases granted to others, easements, rights-of-way,
restrictions and other similar charges or encumbrances, which, in
each case either are granted, entered into or created in the
ordinary course of the business of the Partnership or any
Restricted Subsidiary or do not materially impair the value or
intended use of the property covered thereby;
(8) Liens on
property or assets of any Restricted Subsidiary securing
Indebtedness of the Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Partnership
or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(9) Liens on
assets of the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary existing on
the date of this Indenture;
(10) Liens
on personal property leased under leases entered into by the
Partnership or its Restricted Subsidiaries which are accounted for
as operating leases in accordance with GAAP;
(11) Liens
securing Indebtedness arising under an Accounts Receivable
Securitization (including the filing of any related financing
statements naming the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary as
the debtor thereunder in connection with the sale of accounts
receivable by the Partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P. or any Restricted
Subsidiary to an SPE in connection with any such permitted Accounts
Receivable Securitization);
(12) Liens
securing Indebtedness incurred in accordance with:
(a) clauses
(3) and (6) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness;
and
(b) Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred under
Section 4.09 hereof to the extent incurred:
(i) to
finance the making of expenditures for the improvement or repair
(to the extent the improvements and repairs may be capitalized on
the books of the Partnership and the Restricted Subsidiaries in
accordance with GAAP) of, or additions including additions by way
of acquisitions of businesses and related assets to, the assets and
property of the Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries; or
(ii) by
assumption in connection with additions including additions by way
of acquisition or capital contributions of businesses and related
assets to the property and assets of the Partnership and its
Restricted Subsidiaries;
provided , that, in the case of Indebtedness incurred in
accordance with clauses (i) and (ii) above, the principal
amount of the Indebtedness does not exceed the lesser of the cost
to the Partnership and its Restricted Subsidiaries of the
additional property or assets and the fair market value of the
additional property or assets at the time of the acquisition
thereof, as determined in good faith by an authorized financial
officer of the General Partner;
(13) Liens
existing on any property of any Person at the time it becomes a
Subsidiary of the Partnership, or existing at the time of
acquisition upon any property acquired by the Partnership or any
Subsidiary through purchase, merger or consolidation or otherwise,
whether or not assumed by the Partnership or the Subsidiary, or
created to secure Indebtedness incurred to pay all or any part of
the purchase price (a “Purchase Money Lien”) of
property including, without limitation, Capital Stock and other
securities acquired by the Partnership or a Restricted Subsidiary;
provided , that:
(a) the
Lien shall be confined solely to the item or items of property and,
if required by the terms of the instrument originally creating the
Lien, other property which is an improvement to or is acquired for
use specifically in connection with the acquired property;
(b) in the
case of a Purchase Money Lien, the principal amount of the
Indebtedness secured by the Purchase Money Lien shall at no time
exceed an amount equal to the lesser of:
(A) the cost
to the Partnership and the Restricted Subsidiaries of the property;
and
(B) the fair
market value of the property at the time of the acquisition thereof
as determined in good faith by an authorized financial officer of
the General Partner;
(c) the
Purchase Money Lien shall be created not later than 360 days
after the acquisition of the property; and
(d) the
Lien, other than a Purchase Money Lien, shall not have been created
or assumed in contemplation of the Person’s becoming a
Subsidiary of the Partnership or the acquisition of property by the
Partnership or any Subsidiary;
(14) easements, exceptions or reservations in any property of
the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary granted or reserved
for the purpose of pipelines, roads, the removal of oil, gas, coal
or other minerals, and other like purposes, or for the joint or
common use of real property, facilities and equipment, which are
incidental to, and do not materially interfere with, the ordinary
conduct of the business of the Partnership or any Restricted
Subsidiary;
(15) Liens
arising from or constituting permitted encumbrances under the
agreements and instruments securing the obligations under the
Existing Notes and the Credit Agreement; and
(16) any
Lien renewing or extending any Lien permitted by clauses
(9) through (13) and (15) above; provided ,
that, the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by any such
Lien shall not exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness
outstanding immediately prior to the renewal or extension of the
Lien, and no assets encumbered by the Lien other than the assets
encumbered immediately prior to the renewal or extension shall be
encumbered thereby.
“ Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness” means Indebtedness incurred by the
Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary to substantially and
concurrently (excluding any notice period on redemptions) repay,
refund, renew, replace, extend or refinance, in whole or in part,
any Permitted Indebtedness of the Partnership or any Restricted
Subsidiary or any other Indebtedness incurred by the Partnership or
any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 4.09, to the
extent:
(1) the
principal amount of the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not
exceed the principal or accreted amount plus the amount of accrued
and unpaid interest of the Indebtedness so repaid, refunded,
renewed, replaced, extended or refinanced (plus the amount of all
expenses and premiums incurred in connection therewith);
(2) with
respect to the repayment, refunding, renewal, replacement,
extension or refinancing of the Issuers’ Indebtedness, the
Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness ranks no more favorably in right
of payment with respect to the Notes than the Indebtedness so
repaid, refunded, renewed, replaced, extended or refinanced;
and
(3) with
respect to the repayment, refunding, renewal, replacement,
extension or refinancing of the Issuers’ Indebtedness, the
Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a Weighted Average Life to
Stated Maturity and stated maturity equal to, or greater than, and
has no fixed mandatory redemption or sinking fund requirement in an
amount greater than or at a time prior to the amounts set forth in,
the Indebtedness so repaid, refunded, renewed, replaced, extended
or refinanced;
provided, however , that Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness shall not include Indebtedness incurred by a
Restricted Subsidiary to repay, refund, renew, replace, extend or
refinance Indebtedness of the Partnership.
“ Person” means
any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated
organization, limited liability company or government or other
entity.
“ Preferred Stock
,” as applied to the Capital Stock of any Person, means
Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated), which
is preferred as to the payment of distributions, dividends, or upon
any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such
Person, over shares or units of Capital Stock of any other class of
such Person; provided , that any limited partnership
interest of the Partnership will not be considered Preferred
Stock.
“Principal” means
James E. Ferrell.
“Private Placement
Legend” means the legend set forth in
Section 2.06(g)(1) hereof to be placed on all Notes issued
under this Indenture except where otherwise permitted by the
provisions of this Indenture.
“QIB” means a
“qualified institutional buyer” as defined in
Rule 144A.
“Redeemable Capital
Stock” means any shares of any class or series of Capital
Stock, that, either by the terms thereof, by the terms of any
security into which it is convertible or exchangeable or by
contract or otherwise, is or upon the happening of an event or
passage of time would be, required to be redeemed prior to the
stated maturity of the principal of the Notes or is redeemable at
the option of the holder thereof at any time prior to the stated
maturity of the principal of the Notes, or is convertible into or
exchangeable for debt securities at any time prior to the stated
maturity of the principal of the Notes.
“Registration Rights
Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated
as of August 4, 2008, among the Ferrellgas, L.P., Finance
Corp. and the Initial Purchasers, as such agreement may be amended,
modified or supplemented from time to time.
“Regulation S” means Regulation S
promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Regulation S Global
Note” means a Regulation S Temporary Global Note or
Regulation S Permanent Global Note, as appropriate.
“Regulation S Permanent
Global Note” means a permanent Global Note in the form of
Exhibit A1 hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the
Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and
registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in
a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the
Regulation S Temporary Global Note upon expiration of the
Restricted Period.
“Regulation S Temporary
Global Note” means a temporary Global Note in the form of
Exhibit A2 hereto deposited with or on behalf of and
registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in
a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the
Notes initially sold in reliance on Rule 903 of
Regulation S.
“Related Party”
means any of the following:
(1) any
immediate family member or lineal descendant of the Principal;
(2) any
trust, corporation, partnership or other entity, the beneficiaries,
stockholders, partners, owners or Persons beneficially holding an
80% or more controlling interest of which consist of any one or
more Principals and/or such other Persons referred to in the
immediately preceding clause (1);
(3) the
Ferrell Companies, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Trust (“FCI
ESOT”);
(4) any
participant in the FCI ESOT whose account has been allocated shares
of Ferrell Companies, Inc.;
(5) Ferrell
Companies, Inc.; or
(6) any
Subsidiary of Ferrell Companies, Inc.
“ Responsible
Officer,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means
any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee
(or any successor group of the Trustee) or any other officer of the
Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed
by any of the above designated officers and also means, with
respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer
to whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of and
familiarity with the particular subject.
“Restricted
Period” means the 40-day distribution compliance period
as defined in Regulation S.
“Restricted
Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the Partnership, which,
as of the date of determination, is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary
of the Partnership.
“Rule 144”
means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 144A”
means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 903”
means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 904”
means Rule 904 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“ Sale and Leaseback
Transaction” means any arrangement (other than between
the Partnership and a Restricted Subsidiary or between Restricted
Subsidiaries) whereby property has been or will be disposed of by a
transferor to another entity with the intent of taking back a lease
on the property pursuant to which the rental payments are
calculated to amortize the purchase price of the property over its
life.
“SEC” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities Act”
means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Shelf Registration
Statement” means the Shelf Registration Statement as
defined in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Significant
Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a
“significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1,
Rule 1–02 of Regulation S–X, promulgated
pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation is in effect on
the date of this Indenture.
“SPE” means any
special purpose Unrestricted Subsidiary established in connection
with any Accounts Receivable Securitization.
“Subsidiary”
means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) any
corporation, association or other business entity of which more
than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock
entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to
vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees of the
corporation, association or other business entity is at the time
owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one
or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination
thereof); and
(2) any
partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing
general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such
Person or (b) the only general partners of which are that
Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any
combination thereof).
“Termination Capital
Transactions” means any sale, transfer or other
disposition of property of the Partnership occurring upon or
incident to the liquidation and winding up of the Partnership.
“TIA” means the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C.
§§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date on which
this Indenture is qualified under the TIA, except as provided in
Section 9.03 hereof.
“Total Assets”
means, as of any date of determination, the consolidated total
assets of the Partnership and the Restricted Subsidiaries as would
be shown on a consolidated balance sheet of the Partnership and the
Restricted Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP as of that
date.
“ Trustee” means
the party named as such in the preamble to this Indenture until a
successor replaces it in accordance with the applicable provisions
of this Indenture and thereafter means the successor serving
hereunder.
“Unrestricted Global
Note” means a permanent global Note substantially in the
form of Exhibit A attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend
and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the
Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or
on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary.
“Unrestricted Definitive
Note” means one or more Definitive Notes.
“ Unrestricted
Subsidiary ” means (a) Ferrellgas Receivables, LLC,
(b) R-4 Technical Center – North Carolina, LLC,
(c) Uni-Asia, Ltd. and (d) any other Person (other than
Finance Corp.) that is designated as such by the General Partner;
provided , that no portion of the Indebtedness of such
Person:
(1) is
guaranteed by the Partnership or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) is
recourse to or obligates the Partnership or any Restricted
Subsidiary in any way; or
(3) subjects
any property or assets of the Partnership or any Restricted
Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to
the satisfaction thereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Partnership or a Restricted Subsidiary may guarantee or agree to
provide funds for the payment or maintenance of, or otherwise
become liable with respect to Indebtedness of an Unrestricted
Subsidiary, but only to the extent that the Partnership or a
Restricted Subsidiary would be permitted to:
(1) make an
Investment in the Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to the third
clause of the definition of Permitted Investments; and
(2) incur
the Indebtedness represented by the guarantee or agreement pursuant
to Section 4.09(a) hereto. The Board of Directors may
designate an Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary;
provided, that immediately after giving effect to the designation
there exists no Event of Default or event which after notice or
lapse or time or both would become an Event of Default, and if the
Unrestricted Subsidiary has, as of the date of the designation,
outstanding Indebtedness other than Permitted Indebtedness, the
Partnership could incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness other than
Permitted Indebtedness.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
Subsidiary may be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary if the
Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, holds Capital Stock of a
Restricted Subsidiary.
“U.S. Person”
means a U.S. Person as defined in Rule 902(k) under the Securities
Act.
“Voting Stock” of
any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person
that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board
of Directors of such Person.
“Weighted Average Life to
Stated Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness
at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:
(1) the sum
of the products obtained by multiplying:
(a) the
amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial
maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment
at final maturity, in respect thereof, by
(b) the
number of years, calculated to the nearest one-twelfth, that will
elapse between such date and the making of such payment, by
(2) the then
outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness;
provided, however , that with respect to any revolving
Indebtedness, the foregoing calculation of Weighted Average Life to
Stated Maturity shall be determined based upon the total available
commitments and the required reductions of commitments in lieu of
the outstanding principal amount and the required payments of
principal, respectively.
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Section 1.02 Other
Definitions.
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Defined
in
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Section
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4.11
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3.09
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2.02
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“Change of
Control Offer”
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4.14
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“Change of
Control Payment”
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4.14
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“Change of
Control Payment Date”
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4.14
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8.03
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2.03
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6.01
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4.10
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4.09
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Preamble
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8.02
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3.09
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3.09
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2.03
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4.09
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3.09
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2.03
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4.07
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Section 1.03 Incorporation by
Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
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Whenever this Indenture refers to a
provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in
and made a part of this Indenture.
The following TIA terms used in this
Indenture have the following meanings:
“indenture
securities” means the Notes;
“indenture security
Holder” means a Holder of a Note;
“indenture to be
qualified” means this Indenture;
“indenture
trustee” or “institutional trustee”
means the Trustee; and
“obligor” on the
Notes means the Issuers and any successor obligor upon the
Notes.
All other terms used in this
Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to
another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA have the
meanings so assigned to them.
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Section 1.04 Rules of
Construction.
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Unless the context otherwise
requires:
(1) a term
has the meaning assigned to it;
(2) an
accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to
it in accordance with GAAP;
(3)
“or” is not exclusive;
(4) words in
the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the
singular;
(5)
“will” shall be interpreted to express a command;
(6) provisions apply to successive events and transactions;
and
(7) references to sections of or rules under the Securities
Act will be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor
sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time.
ARTICLE 2.
THE NOTES
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Section 2.01 Form and Dating.
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(a) General . The Notes
and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication will be
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto. The Notes may
have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock
exchange rule or usage. Each Note will be dated the date of its
authentication. The Notes shall be in denominations of $1,000 and
integral multiples thereof.
The terms and provisions contained in
the Notes will constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of
this Indenture and the Issuers and the Trustee, by their execution
and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and
provisions and to be bound thereby. However, to the extent any
provision of any Note conflicts with the express provisions of this
Indenture, the provisions of this Indenture shall govern and be
controlling.
(b) Global Notes . Notes
issued in global form will be substantially in the form of
Exhibit A attached hereto (including the Global Note Legend
thereon and the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the
Global Note” attached thereto). Notes issued in definitive
form will be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached
hereto (but without the Global Note Legend thereon and without the
“Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note”
attached thereto). Each Global Note will represent such of the
outstanding Notes as will be specified therein and each shall
provide that it represents the aggregate principal amount of
outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby
may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to
reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note
to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate
principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby will be
made by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the
Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder
thereof as required by Section 2.06 hereof.
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Section 2.02 Execution and
Authentication.
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An Officer must sign the Notes for
the Issuers by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a
Note no longer holds that office at the time a Note is
authenticated, the Note will nevertheless be valid.
A Note will not be valid until
authenticated by the manual or facsimile signature of the Trustee.
The signature will be conclusive evidence that the Note has been
authenticated under this Indenture.
On the date of this Indenture, the
Trustee shall, upon a written order of the Issuers signed by an
Officer (an “ Authentication Order ”),
authenticate the Initial Notes for original issue up to
$200,000,000 in aggregate principal amount and, upon delivery of
any Authentication Order at any time and from time to time
thereafter, the Trustee shall authenticate Additional Notes for
original issue in an aggregate principal amount specified in such
Authentication Order.
The Trustee may appoint an
authenticating agent acceptable to the Issuers to authenticate
Notes. An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the
Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to
authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such
agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to
deal with Holders or an Affiliate of the Issuers.
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Section 2.03 Registrar and Paying
Agent.
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The Issuers will maintain an office
or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer
or for exchange (“ Registrar ”) and an office or
agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“ Paying
Agent ”). The Registrar will keep a register of the Notes
and of their transfer and exchange. The Issuers may appoint one or
more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The
term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar and the term
“Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent.
The Issuers may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice
to any Holder. The Issuers will notify the Trustee in writing of
the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If
the Issuers fail to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar
or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. The Partnership or
any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.
The Issuers initially appoint The
Depository Trust Company ( “DTC” ) to act as
Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.
The Issuers initially appoint the
Trustee to act as the Registrar and Paying Agent and to act as
Custodian with respect to the Global Notes.
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Section 2.04 Paying Agent to Hold
Money in Trust.
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The Issuers will require each Paying
Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying
Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Trustee
all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal,
premium or interest on the Notes, and will notify the Trustee of
any default by the Issuers in making any such payment. While any
such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to
pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Issuers at any time
may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the
Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if
other than the Issuers or a Subsidiary) will have no further
liability for the money. If the Partnership or a Subsidiary acts as
Paying Agent, it will segregate and hold in a separate trust fund
for the benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying
Agent. Upon any bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings relating
to the Issuers, the Trustee will serve as Paying Agent for the
Notes.
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Section 2.05 Holder Lists.
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The Trustee will preserve in as
current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list
available to it of the names and addresses of all Holders and shall
otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not
the Registrar, the Issuers will furnish to the Trustee at least
seven Business Days before each interest payment date and at such
other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such
form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of
the names and addresses of the Holders of Notes and the Issuers
shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a).
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Section 2.06 Transfer and
Exchange.
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(a) Transfer and Exchange of
Global Notes . A Global Note may not be transferred except as a
whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a
nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee
of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a
successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. All
Global Notes will be exchanged by the Issuers for Definitive Notes
if:
(1) the
Issuers deliver to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that it
is unwilling or unable to continue to act as Depositary or that it
is no longer a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act
and, in either case, a successor Depositary is not appointed by the
Issuers within 120 days after the date of such notice from the
Depositary;
(2) the
Issuers in their sole discretion determine that the Global Notes
(in whole but not in part) should be exchanged for Definitive Notes
and delivers a written notice to such effect to the Trustee;
provided that in no event shall the Regulation S
Temporary Global Note be exchanged by the Issuers for Definitive
Notes prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and
(B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required
pursuant to Rule 903(b)(3)(ii)(B) under the Securities Act;
or
(3) there
has occurred and is continuing a Default or Event of Default with
respect to the Notes.
Upon the occurrence of either of the
preceding events in (1) or (2) above, Definitive Notes
shall be issued in such names as the Depositary shall instruct the
Trustee. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole
or in part, as provided in Sections 2.07 and 2.10 hereof.
Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu
of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this
Section 2.06 or Section 2.07 or 2.10 hereof, shall be
authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global
Note. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other
than as provided in this Section 2.06(a), however, beneficial
interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as
provided in Section 2.06(b), (c) or (f) hereof.
(b) Transfer and Exchange of
Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes . The transfer and
exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be
effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions
of this Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Beneficial
interests in the Restricted Global Notes will be subject to
restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth herein to
the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of beneficial
interests in the Global Notes also will require compliance with
either subparagraph (1) or (2) below, as applicable, as well
as one or more of the other following subparagraphs, as
applicable:
(1) Transfer
of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note . Beneficial
interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to
Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial
interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the
transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend;
provided, however , that prior to the expiration of the
Restricted Period, transfers of beneficial interests in the
Regulation S Temporary Global Note may not be made to a U.S.
Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than
an Initial Purchaser). Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted
Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof
in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global
Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be
delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in
this Section 2.06(b)(1).
(2) All Other
Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global
Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of
beneficial interests that are not subject to
Section 2.06(b)(1) above, the transferor of such beneficial
interest must deliver to the Registrar either:
(A) both:
(i) a
written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given
to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures
directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a
beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to
the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged; and
(ii) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable
Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account
to be credited with such increase; or
(B) both:
(i) a
written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given
to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures
directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in
an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or
exchanged; and
(ii) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar
containing information regarding the Person in whose name such
Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or
exchange referred to in (1) above;
provided that in no event
shall Definitive Notes be issued upon the transfer or exchange of
beneficial interests in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note
prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and
(B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required
pursuant to Rule 903 under the Securities Act.
Upon consummation of an Exchange Offer, if any, by the Issuers
in accordance with Section 2.06(f) hereof, the requirements of
this Section 2.06(b)(2) shall be deemed to have been satisfied
upon receipt by the Registrar of the instructions contained in the
Letter of Transmittal delivered by the Holder of such beneficial
interests in the Restricted Global Notes. Upon satisfaction of all
of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial
interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes
or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall
adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant
to Section 2.06(h) hereof.
(3) Transfer
of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note. A
beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be
transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a
beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the
transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(2)
above and the Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the
transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest
in the 144A Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a
certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the
certifications in item (1) thereof;
(B) if the
transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest
in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note or the
Regulation S Permanent Global Note, then the transferor must
deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto,
including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and
(C) if the
transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest
in the IAI Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a
certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the
certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by
item (3) thereof, if applicable.
(4) Transfer
and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note
for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note. A
beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged
by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted
Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof
in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note
if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of
Section 2.06(b)(2) above and:
(A) such
exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to any Exchange Offer in
accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of
the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an
exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies
in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a
Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution
of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate
(as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuers;
(B) such
transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement
in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) such
transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to any Exchange
Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration
Rights Agreement; or
(D) the
Registrar receives the following:
(i) if the
holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note
proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial
interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such
holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the
certifications in item (1)(a) thereof; or
(ii) if the
holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note
proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall
take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an
Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the
form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item
(4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in
this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the
Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form
reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such
exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and
that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the
Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to
maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
If any such transfer is effected
pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above at a time when
an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuers
shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in
accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall
authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate
principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of
beneficial interests transferred pursuant to subparagraph
(B) or (D) above.
Beneficial interests in an
Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to
Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial
interest in a Restricted Global Note.
(c) Transfer or Exchange of
Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.
(1) Beneficial
Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Restricted Definitive
Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted
Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a
Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest
to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted
Definitive Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the
following documentation:
(A) if the
holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note
proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted
Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of
Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(a)
thereof;
(B) if such
beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance
with Rule 144A, a certificate to the effect set forth in
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item
(1) thereof;
(C) if such
beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an
offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or
Rule 904, a certificate to the effect set forth in
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2)
thereof;
(D) if such
beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption
from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in
accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a)
thereof;
(E) if such
beneficial interest is being transferred to an Institutional
Accredited Investor in reliance on an exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act other than those
listed in subparagraphs (B) through (D) above, a certificate
to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the
certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by
item (3) thereof, if applicable;
(F) if such
beneficial interest is being transferred to the Issuers or any of
their Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b)
thereof; or
(G) if such
beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective
registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to
the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the
certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,
the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the
applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to
Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Issuers shall execute and the
Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in
the instructions a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal
amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial
interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this
Section 2.06(c) shall be registered in such name or names and
in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of
such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through
instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect
Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the
Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive
Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted
Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(1) shall bear the
Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions
on transfer contained therein.
(2) Beneficial
Interests in Regulation S Temporary Global Note to Definitive
Notes. Notwithstanding Sections 2.06(c)(1)(A) and
(C) hereof, a beneficial interest in the Regulation S
Temporary Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note or
transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a
Definitive Note prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted
Period and (B) the receipt by the Registrar of any
certificates required pursuant to Rule 903(b)(3)(ii)(B) under
the Securities Act, except in the case of a transfer pursuant to an
exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act
other than Rule 903 or Rule 904.
(3) Beneficial
Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive
Notes. A holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global
Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted
Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a
Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted
Definitive Note only if:
(A) such
exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer, if
any, in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the
holder of such beneficial interest, in the case of an exchange, or
the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the
applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a
Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution
of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate
(as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuers;
(B) such
transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement
in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) such
transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to any Exchange
Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration
Rights Agreement; or
(D) the
Registrar receives the following:
(i) if the
holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note
proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted
Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of
Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b)
thereof; or
(ii) if the
holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note
proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall
take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive
Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in
this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the
Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form
reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such
exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and
that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the
Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to
maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(4) Beneficial
Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive
Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in an
Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial
interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial
interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a
Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set
forth in Section 2.06(b)(2) hereof, the Trustee will cause the
aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be
reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and
the Issuers will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and
deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive
Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note
issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this
Section 2.06(c)(4) will be registered in such name or names
and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder
of such beneficial interest requests through instructions to the
Registrar from or through the Depositary and the Participant or
Indirect Participant. The Trustee will deliver such Definitive
Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered.
Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest
pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(4) will not bear the Private
Placement Legend.
(d) Transfer and Exchange of
Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests.
(1) Restricted
Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global
Notes. If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes
to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted
Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes to a
Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial
interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the
Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the
Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such
Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a
certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto,
including the certifications in item (2)(b) thereof;
(B) if such
Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in
accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate to the effect set
forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in
item (1) thereof;
(C) if such
Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S.
Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903
or Rule 904, a certificate to the effect set forth in
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item
(2) thereof;
(D) if such
Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an
exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act
in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set
forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in
item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) if such
Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to an Institutional
Accredited Investor in reliance on an exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act other than those
listed in subparagraphs (B) through (D) above, a certificate
to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the
certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by
item (3) thereof, if applicable;
(F) if such
Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to the Issuers or
any of their Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b)
thereof; or
(G) if such
Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an
effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a
certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto,
including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,
the Trustee will cancel the
Restricted Definitive Note, increase or cause to be increased the
aggregate principal amount of, in the case of clause
(A) above, the appropriate Restricted Global Note, in the case
of clause (B) above, the 144A Global Note, in the case of
clause (C) above, the Regulation S Global Note, and in
all other cases, the IAI Global Note.
(2) Restricted
Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global
Notes. A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange
such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note
or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes
delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an
Unrestricted Global Note only if:
(A) such
exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer, if
any, in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the
Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case
of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal
that it is not (i) a Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person
participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or
(iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in
Rule 144) of the Issuers;
(B) such
transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement
in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) such
transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to any Exchange
Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration
Rights Agreement; or
(D) the
Registrar receives the following:
(i) if the
Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for
a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a
certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto,
including the certifications in item (1)(c) thereof; or
(ii) if the
Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to
a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a
beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate
from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including
the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in
this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the
Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form
reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such
exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and
that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the
Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to
maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
Upon satisfaction
of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this Section
2.06(d)(2), the Trustee will cancel the Definitive Notes and
increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of
the Unrestricted Global Note.
(3)
Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in
Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of an Unrestricted
Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in
an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a
Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial
interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt
of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee will
cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or
cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the
Unrestricted Global Notes.
If any such
exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a beneficial
interest is effected pursuant to subparagraphs (2)(B), (2)(D) or
(3) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not
yet been issued, the Issuers will issue and, upon receipt of an
Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof,
the Trustee will authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes
in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of
Definitive Notes so transferred.
(e) Transfer and Exchange of
Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon request by a Holder
of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the
provisions of this Section 2.06(e), the Registrar will
register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to
such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder
must present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes
duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer
in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder
or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the
requesting Holder must provide any additional certifications,
documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the
following provisions of this Section 2.06(e).
(1) Restricted
Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted
Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of
Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted
Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the
transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A, then the
transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(B) if the
transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904,
then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of
Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item
(2) thereof; and
(C) if the
transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the
transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of
Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable.
(2) Restricted
Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Any
Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof
for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or
Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted
Definitive Note if:
(A) such
exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer, if
any, in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the
Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case
of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal
that it is not (i) a Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person
participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or
(iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in
Rule 144) of the Issuers;
(B) any such
transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement
in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) any such
transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to any Exchange
Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration
Rights Agreement; or
(D) the
Registrar receives the following:
(i) if the
Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange
such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from
such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the
certifications in item (1)(d) thereof; or
(ii) if the
Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer
such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form
of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder
in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications
in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in
this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests, an Opinion of
Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the
effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the
Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained
herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required
in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(3)
Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive
Notes. A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer
such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an
Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a request to register
such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted
Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder
thereof.
(f) Exchange Offer. Upon
the occurrence of the Exchange Offer, if any, in accordance with
the Registration Rights Agreement, the Issuers will issue and, upon
receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with
Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee will authenticate:
(1) one or
more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount
equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interests in the
Restricted Global Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer
by Persons that certify in the applicable Letters of Transmittal
that (A) they are not Broker-Dealers, (B) they are not
participating in a distribution of the Exchange Notes and
(C) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of
the Issuers; and
(2) Unrestricted Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal
amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Definitive
Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer by Persons that
certify in the applicable Letters of Transmittal that (A) they
are not Broker-Dealers, (B) they are not participating in a
distribution of the Exchange Notes and (C) they are not
affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuers.
Concurrently with the issuance of
such Notes, the Trustee will cause the aggregate principal amount
of the applicable Restricted Global Notes to be reduced
accordingly, and the Issuers will execute and the Trustee will
authenticate and deliver to the Persons designated by the Holders
of Definitive Notes so accepted Unrestricted Definitive Notes in
the appropriate principal amount.
(g) Legends. The
following legends will appear on the face of all Global Notes and
Definitive Notes issued under this Indenture unless specifically
stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of this
Indenture.
(1) Private
Placement Legend .
(A) Except
as permitted by subparagraph (B) below, each Global Note and
each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or
substitution thereof) shall bear the legend in substantially the
following form:
“THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY
STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS NOTE, NOR ANY INTEREST OR
PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED,
PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH
REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT
SUBJECT TO THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE
HOLDER OF THIS NOTE, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES NOT TO OFFER,
SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE WHICH
IS ONE YEAR AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND
THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE COMPANY OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY
WAS THE OWNER OF THIS NOTE (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF THIS NOTE) (THE
“RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”), EXCEPT THAT THE
NOTES MAY BE TRANSFERRED (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY
THEREOF, (B) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE NOTES
ENDORSED THEREON ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“RULE 144A”), TO A PERSON IT
REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL
BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN
ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO
WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON
RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO NON-U.S.
PERSONS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF
AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT,
(E) TO AN INSTITUTIONAL “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” (AS
DEFINED IN RULE 501(A)(1), (2), (3) OR (7) OF REGULATION
D UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES
THE TRUSTEE A SIGNED LETTER CONTAINING CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND
AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF THE NOTES AND, IF SUCH
TRANSFER IS IN RESPECT OF AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOTES
LESS THAN $250,000, AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE ISSUERS
THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT, OR
(F) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE
COMPANY’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH
OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER (1) PURSUANT TO CLAUSE (D) PRIOR
TO THE END OF THE 40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD WITHIN THE
MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO
CLAUSE (F) PRIOR TO THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE TO
REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/OR
OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM, AND (2) IN
EACH OF THE FOREGOING CASES, TO REQUIRE THAT A CERTIFICATE OF
TRANSFER IN THE FORM APPEARING ON THIS NOTE IS COMPLETED AND
DELIVERED BY THE TRANSFEROR TO THE TRUSTEE. THIS LEGEND WILL BE
REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF A HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION
TERMINATION DATE.”
(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or
Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraphs (b)(4), (c)(3),
(c)(4), (d)(2), (d)(3), (e)(2), (e)(3) or (f) of this
Section 2.06 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or
substitution thereof) will not bear the Private Placement
Legend.
(2) Global
Note Legend . Each Global Note will bear a legend in
substantially the following form:
“THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN
THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR
THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT
TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT
(I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE
REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06 OF THE INDENTURE, (II) THIS
GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO
SECTION 2.06(a) OF THE INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY
BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION
2.11 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED
TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE
ISSUERS.
UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES
IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A
WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A
NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF
THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A
SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.
UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET,
NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”), TO THE ISSUERS OR THEIR
AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY
CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR
SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER
ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC),
ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY
OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER
HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”
(3)
Regulation S Temporary Global Note Legend. The
Regulation S Temporary Global Note will bear a Legend in
substantially the following form:
“THE RIGHTS ATTACHING TO THIS REGULATION S TEMPORARY
GLOBAL NOTE, AND THE CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING ITS
EXCHANGE FOR CERTIFICATED NOTES, ARE AS SPECIFIED IN THE INDENTURE
(AS DEFINED HEREIN). NEITHER THE HOLDER NOR THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS
OF THIS REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO
RECEIVE PAYMENT OF INTEREST HEREON.”
(4) Tax
Legend . With respect to the Initial Notes, and with respect to
Additional Notes issued with original issue discount for U.S.
federal income tax purposes, each Global Note and each Definitive
Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“THIS NOTE WAS ISSUED WITH ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT UNDER
SECTION 1272, 1273 AND 1275 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986,
AS AMENDED. YOU MAY CONTACT THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF
FERRELLGAS, L.P., 7500 COLLEGE BOULEVARD, SUITE 1000, OVERLAND
PARK, KS 66210, WHO WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE ISSUE PRICE, THE
AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT, THE ISSUE DATE, AND THE YIELD TO
MATURITY OF THE NOTE.”
(h) Cancellation and/or
Adjustment of Global Notes. At such time as all beneficial
interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for
Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed,
repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global
Note will be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in
accordance with Section 2.11 hereof. At any time prior to such
cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is
exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery
thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note
or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented
by such Global Note will be reduced accordingly and an endorsement
will be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the
Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such
reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or
transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form
of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global
Note will be increased accordingly and an endorsement will be made
on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the
direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.
(i) General Provisions
Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.
(1) To
permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuers will
execute and the Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and
Definitive Notes upon receipt of an Authentication Order in
accordance with Section 2.02 hereof or at the
Registrar’s request.
(2) No
service charge will be made to a Holder of a beneficial interest in
a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any
registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuers may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar
governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any
such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon
exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.10, 3.06, 3.09,
4.10, 4.15 and 9.05 hereof).
(3) The
Registrar will not be required to register the transfer of or
exchange of any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part,
except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in
part.
(4) All
Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of
transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes will be
the valid obligations of the Issuers, evidencing the same debt, and
entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Global
Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of
transfer or exchange.
(5) Neither
the Registrar nor the Issuers will be required:
(A) to
issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during
a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before
the day of any selection of Notes for redemption under
Section 3.02 hereof and ending at the close of business on the
day of selection;
(B) to
register the transfer of or to exchange any Note selected for
redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of
any Note being redeemed in part; or
(C) to
register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a record
date and the next succeeding interest payment date.
(6) Prior to
due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the
Trustee, any Agent and the Issuers may deem and treat the Person in
whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such
Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and
interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the
Trustee, any Agent or the Issuers shall be affected by notice to
the contrary.
(7) The
Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in
accordance with the provisions of Section 2.02 hereof.
All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel
required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this
Section 2.06 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange
may be submitted by facsimile.
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Section 2.07 Replacement
Notes.
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If any mutilated Note is surrendered
to the Trustee or the Issuers and the Trustee receives evidence to
its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the
Issuers will issue and the Trustee, upon receipt of an
Authentication Order, will authenticate a replacement Note if the
Trustee’s requirements are met. An indemnity bond must be
supplied by the Holder that is sufficient in the judgment of the
Trustee and the Issuers to protect the Issuers, the Trustee, any
Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss that any of them
may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Issuers may charge for their
expenses in replacing a Note.
Every replacement Note is an
additional obligation of the Issuers and will be entitled to all of
the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with all
other Notes duly issued hereunder.
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Section 2.08 Outstanding
Notes.
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The Notes outstanding at any time are
all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those
canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those
reductions in the interest in a Global Note effected by the Trustee
in accordance with the provisions hereof, and those described in
this Section as not outstanding. Except as set forth in
Section 2.09 hereof, a Note does not cease to be outstanding
because the Issuers or an Affiliate of the Issuers holds the Note;
however, Notes held by the Issuers or a Subsidiary of the Issuers
shall not be deemed to be outstanding for purposes of
Section 2.08 hereof.
If a Note is replaced pursuant to
Section 2.07 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding unless the
Trustee receives proof