INDENTURE

 

SWIFT ENERGY COMPANY,

as Issuer

and

WELLS FARGO BANK,

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

INDENTURE

Dated as of May 19, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INDENTURE dated as of May 19, 2009, between Swift Energy Company, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Texas (hereinafter sometimes called the “Company”), and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (hereinafter sometimes called the “Trustee”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness to be issued in one or more series unlimited as to principal amount (herein called the “Debt Securities”), as in this Indenture provided.

All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement to the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH

That in order to declare the terms and conditions upon which the Debt Securities are authenticated, issued and delivered, and in consideration of the premises, and of the purchase and acceptance of the Debt Securities by the holders thereof, the Company and the Trustee covenant and agree with each other, for the benefit of the respective Holders from time to time of the Debt Securities or any series thereof, as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01   Certain Terms Defined.   The terms defined in this Section 1.01 (except as herein otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) for all purposes of this Indenture and of any Indenture supplemental hereto shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section 1.01.  All other terms used in this Indenture which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act or which are by reference therein defined in the Securities Act (except as herein otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires), shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Indenture Act and in the Securities Act as in force as of the date of original execution of this Indenture.

 “ 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 the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

 

 “ Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper in an official language of the country of publication customarily published at least once a day, and customarily published for at least five days in each calendar week, and of general circulation in such city or cities specified pursuant to Section 2.03 with respect to the Debt Securities of any series.  Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any business day in such city.

 “ Bank Indebtedness ” means any and all amounts payable under or in respect of (i) the Credit Agreement, as supplemented, amended, modified, refinanced or replaced at any time from time to time, and (ii) any lines of credit and letters of credit of the Company, in each case, including principal, premium (if any), interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company whether or not a claim for post-filing interest is allowed in such proceedings), fees, charges, expenses, reimbursement obligations, guarantees and all other amounts payable thereunder or in respect thereof.

 “ Banks ” has the meaning specified in the Credit Agreement.

 “ Board of Directors ” means either the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee or subcommittee of such Board, except as the context may otherwise require.

 “ business day ” means, when used with respect to any Place of Payment specified pursuant to Section 2.03, any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in such Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law to close, except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.03.

 “ Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as a capitalized lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP; and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with GAAP; and the Stated Maturity thereof shall be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date upon which such lease may be terminated by the lessee without payment of a penalty.

 “ Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests (including partnership interests) in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

 “ Commodity Price Protection Agreement ” means, in respect of any Person, any forward contract, commodity swap agreement, commodity option agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in commodity prices.

 “ Common Stock ” means the common stock ($0.01 par value), of the Company, which stock is currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

 

 “ Company ” means Swift Energy Company, a Texas corporation, and, subject to the provisions of Article X, shall also include its successors and assigns.

 “ Company Order ” means a written order of the Company, signed by its Chairman of the Board, President or any Vice President and by its Treasurer, Secretary, any Assistant Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary.

 “ Corporate trust office of the Trustee ” or other similar term means the office of the Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally administered in the United States of America, which office at the date of execution is located at Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, 1445 Ross Avenue, 2 ^nd floor Attn: Corporate Trust Services, Dallas TX 75202-2812.

 “ Credit Agreement ” means the First Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective June 29, 2004, as amended by the First Amendment to First Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective November 1, 2005, by the Second Amendment to First Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective December 28, 2005, by the Third Amendment to First Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective October 2, 2006, by the Fourth Amendment to First Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective May 1, 2008 and by the Fifth Amendment to First Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective May 1, 2009, among the Company, Swift Energy Operating, LLC, the Banks party thereto, and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and as supplemented, amended, modified, refinanced or replaced at any time thereafter from time to time.

 “ Currency ” means Dollars or Foreign Currency.

 “ Currency Exchange Protection Agreement ” means, in respect of any Person, any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement, currency option or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

 “ Debt Security ” or “ Debt Securities ” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any debt security or debt securities, as the case may be, of any series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

 “ Default ” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

 “ Depositary ” means, unless otherwise specified by the Company pursuant to either Section 2.03 or 2.15, with respect to registered Debt Securities of any series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, or any successor thereto registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act or other applicable statute or regulations.

 “ Designated Senior Indebtedness ” means (i) the Bank Indebtedness and (ii) any other Senior Indebtedness of the Company.

 

 

 “ Disqualified Stock ” of a Person means Redeemable Stock of such Person as to which the maturity, mandatory redemption, conversion or exchange or redemption at the option of the holder thereof occurs, or may occur, on or prior to the Stated Maturity of the Debt Securities.

 “ Dollar ” or “ $ ” means such currency of the United States as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

 “ Dollar Equivalent ” means, with respect to any monetary amount in a Foreign Currency, at any time for the determination thereof, the amount of Dollars obtained by converting such Foreign Currency involved in such computation into Dollars at the spot rate for the purchase of Dollars with the applicable Foreign Currency as quoted by Citibank, N.A. (unless another comparable financial institution is designated by the Company) in New York, New York at approximately 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the date two business days prior to such determination.

 “ Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.

 “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 “ Floating Rate Security ” means a Debt Security that provides for the payment of interest at a variable rate determined periodically by reference to an interest rate index specified pursuant to Section 2.03.

 “ Foreign Currency ” means a currency issued or adopted by the government of any country other than the United States or a composite currency the value of which is determined by reference to the values of the currencies of any group of countries.

 “ GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect as of the date on which the Debt Securities of the applicable series are issued, including those 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 approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession.  All ratios and computations based on GAAP contained in this Indenture shall be computed in conformity with GAAP consistently applied.

 “ Global Security ” means with respect to any series of Debt Securities issued hereunder, a Debt Security which is executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary’s instruction, all in accordance with this Indenture and any Indentures supplemental hereto, or resolution of the Board of Directors and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, which shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee and which shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of, all the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or any portion thereof, in either case having the same terms, including, without limitation, the same original issue date, date or dates on which principal is due and interest rate or method of determining interest.

 

 

 “ Government Contract Lien ” means any Lien required by any contract, statute, regulation or order in order to permit the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to perform any contract or subcontract made by it with or at the request of the United States or any State thereof or any department, agency or instrumentality of either or to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to the United States or any State thereof or any department agency or instrumentality of either pursuant to the provisions of any contract, statute, regulation or order.

 “ Guarantee ” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation of such other Person or (ii) entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part); provided , however , that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.  The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 “ Hedging Obligations ” of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate Protection Agreement, Currency Exchange Protection Agreement or Commodity Price Protection Agreement or other similar agreement.

 “ Holder ,” “ Holder of Debt Securities ” or other similar terms mean, with respect to a Registered Security, the Registered Holder.

 “ Incur ” means issue, assume, Guarantee, incur or otherwise become liable for; provided , however , that any Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) shall be deemed to be incurred by such Subsidiary at the time it becomes a Subsidiary.  The terms “Incurred”, “Incurrence” and “Incurring” shall each have a correlative meaning.

 “ Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without duplication),

 

 

For purposes of this definition, the maximum fixed redemption, repayment or repurchase price of any Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock that does not have a fixed redemption, repayment or repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Stock as if such Stock were redeemed, repaid or repurchased on any date on which Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to this Indenture.

 “ Indenture ” means this instrument as originally executed, or, if amended or supplemented as herein provided, as so amended or supplemented and shall include the form and terms of particular series of Debt Securities as contemplated hereunder, whether or not a supplemental indenture is entered into with respect thereto.

 “ Interest Rate Protection Agreement ” means, in respect of any Person, any interest rate swap agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate floor agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest rates.

 “ Lien ” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien or charge of any kind (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or lease in the nature thereof).

 “ Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President or any Vice President and by the Treasurer, chief accounting officer, the Secretary or any Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Secretary of the Company.  Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 13.05, if applicable.

 “ Opinion of Counsel ” means an opinion in writing signed by legal counsel for the Company (which counsel may be an employee of the Company), or outside counsel for the Company.  Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 13.05, if applicable.

 

 

 “ Original Issue Discount Debt Security ” means any Debt Security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration or acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01.

 “ Outstanding ” when used with respect to any series of Debt Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Debt Securities of that series theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, Debt Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Debt Securities which the Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded.  Debt Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Debt Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt Securities or an Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor.  In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Debt Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of an original Issue Discount Debt Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01.  In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Debt Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the Dollar Equivalent, determined

 

 

in the manner provided as contemplated by Section 2.03 on the date of original issuance of such Debt Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of any Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar Equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the amount determined as provided in the preceding sentence above) of such Debt Security.

 “ pari passu ”, as applied to the ranking of any Indebtedness of a Person in relation to other Indebtedness of such Person, means that each such Indebtedness either (i) is not subordinate in right of payment to any Indebtedness, or (ii) is subordinate in right of payment to the same Indebtedness as is the other, and is so subordinate to the same extent, and is not subordinate in right of payment to each other or to any Indebtedness as to which the other is not so subordinate.

 “ Permitted Liens ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) pledges or deposits by such Person under worker’s compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws, social security laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person or deposits of cash or bonds to secure performance, surety or appeal bonds to which such Person is a party or which are otherwise required of such Person, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import duties or for the payment of rent or other obligations of like nature, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business; (b) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, laborers’, materialmen’s, landlords’, vendors’, workmen’s, operators’, factors and mechanics liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; (c) Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies not yet delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; (d) survey exceptions, encumbrances, easements or reservations of or with respect to, or rights of others for or with respect to, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric and other utility lines and usages, telegraph and telephone lines, pipelines, surface use, operation of equipment, permits, servitudes and other similar matters, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties which were not incurred in connection with Indebtedness and which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person; (e) Liens existing on or provided for under the terms of agreements existing on the Issue Date (including, without limitation, under the Credit Agreement); (f) Liens on property at the time the Company or any of its Subsidiaries acquired the property or the entity owning such property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Company; provided , however , that any such Lien may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (g) Liens securing a Hedging Obligation so long as such Hedging Obligation is of the type customarily entered into for the purpose of limiting risk; (h) Purchase Money Liens; (i) Liens securing only Indebtedness of a Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of the Company; (j) Liens on any property to secure Indebtedness incurred in connection with the construction, installation or financing of pollution control or abatement facilities or other forms of industrial revenue bond financing or Indebtedness issued or Guaranteed by the United States, any state or any department, agency or instrumentality thereof; (k) Government Contract Liens; (l) Liens securing Indebtedness of joint ventures in which the Company or a Subsidiary has an interest to the extent such Liens are on property or assets of, such joint ventures; (m) Liens resulting from the deposit

 

 

of funds or evidences of Indebtedness in trust for the purpose of defeasing Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (n) legal or equitable encumbrances deemed to exist by reason of negative pledges or the existence of any litigation or other legal proceeding and any related lis pendens filing (excluding any attachment prior to judgment lien or attachment lien in aid of execution on a judgment); (o) any attachment Lien being contested in good faith and by proceedings promptly initiated and diligently conducted, unless the attachment giving rise thereto will not, within sixty days after the entry thereof, have been discharged or fully bonded or will not have been discharged within sixty days after the termination of any such bond; (p) any judgment Lien, unless the judgment it secures will not, within sixty days after the entry thereof, have been discharged or execution thereof stayed pending appeal, or will not have been discharged within sixty days after the expiration of any such stay; (q) Liens to banks arising from the issuance of letters of credit issued by such banks (“issuing banks”) on the following: (i) any and all shipping documents, warehouse receipts, policies or certificates of insurance and other document accompanying or relative to drafts drawn under any credit, and any draft drawn thereunder (whether or not such documents, goods or other property be released to or upon the order of the Company or any Subsidiary under a security agreement or trust or bailee receipt or otherwise), and the proceeds of each and all of the foregoing; (ii) the balance of every deposit account, now or at the time hereafter existing, of the Company or any Subsidiary with the issuing banks, and any other claims of the Company or any Subsidiary against the issuing banks; and all property claims and demands and all rights and interests therein of the Company or any Subsidiary and all evidences thereof and all proceeds thereof which have been or at any time will be delivered to or otherwise come into the issuing bank’s possession, custody or control, or into the possession, custody or control of any bailee for the issuing bank or of any of its agents or correspondents for the account of the issuing bank, for any purpose, whether or not the express purpose of being used by the issuing bank as collateral security or for the safekeeping or for any other or different purpose, the issuing bank being deemed to have possession or control of all of such property actually in transit to or from or set apart for the issuing bank, any bailee for the issuing bank or any of its correspondents for other acting in its behalf, it being understood that the receipt at any time by the issuing bank, or any of its bailees, agents or correspondents, or other security, of whatever nature, including cash, will not be deemed a waiver of any of the issuing bank’s rights or power hereunder; (iii) all property shipped under or pursuant to or in connection with any credit or drafts drawn thereunder or in any way related thereto, and all proceeds thereof; (iv) all additions to and substitutions for any of the property enumerated above in this subsection; (r) rights of a common owner of any interest in property held by such Person; (s) any defects, irregularities or deficiencies in title to easements, rights-of-way or other properties which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of such properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person; and (t) Liens to secure any refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement (or successive refinancings, refundings, extensions, renewals or replacements), as a whole, or in part, of any indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (e) through (l); provided , however , that (i) such new Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same property that secured the original Lien (plus improvements on such property) and (ii) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien at such time is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (A) the outstanding principal amount or, if greater, committed amount of the indebtedness described under clauses (e) through (l) at the time the original Lien became a Permitted Lien under this Indenture and (B) an amount

 

 

necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums, related to such refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement.

 “ Person ” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.

 “ Place of Payment ” means, when used with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, the place or places where the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, the Debt Securities of that series are payable as specified pursuant to Section 2.03.

 “ Preferred Stock ” as applied to the Capital Stock of any corporation, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such corporation.

 “ Purchase Money Lien ” means a Lien on property securing Indebtedness Incurred by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to provide funds for all or any portion of the cost of acquiring, constructing, altering, expanding, improving or repairing such property or assets used in connection with such property.

 “ Redeemable Stock ” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock which by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event (i) matures or is mandatorily redeemable pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, (ii) is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness (other than Preferred Stock) or Disqualified Stock or (iii) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part.

 “ Registered Holder ” means the Person in whose name a Registered Security is registered in the Debt Security Register (as defined in Section 2.07(a)).

 “ Registered Security ” means any Debt Security registered as to principal and interest in the Debt Security Register (as defined in Section 2.07(a)).

 “ Registrar ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07(a).

 “ Representative ” means the trustee, agent or representative (if any) for an issue of Indebtedness.

 “ responsible officer ” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the Trustee, including any Vice President, any Second Vice President, any trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee performing functions similar to those performed by the persons who at the time shall be such officers, and any other officer of the Trustee to whom corporate trust matters are referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

 

 

 “ Restricted Subsidiary ” means a Subsidiary of the Company that shall at the time, directly or indirectly, through one or more Subsidiaries or in combination with one or more Subsidiaries or the Company, owns or leases a Principal Property.

 “ Secured Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness of the Company secured by a Lien.

 “ Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 “ Senior Indebtedness ” means, as to any series of Debt Securities subordinated pursuant to the provisions of Article XII, the Indebtedness of the Company identified as Senior Indebtedness in the resolution of the Board of Directors and accompanying Officers’ Certificate or supplemental Indenture setting forth the terms, including as to subordination, of such series.

 “ Stated Maturity ” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision (but excluding any provision providing for the repurchase of such security at the option of the holder thereof upon the happening of any contingency beyond the control of the issuer unless such contingency has occurred).

 “ Subsidiary ” of any Person means any corporation, association, partnership 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 thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

 “ Temporary Cash Investments ” means any of the following: (i) investments in U.S. Government Obligations maturing within 90 days of the date of acquisition thereof, (ii) investments in time deposit accounts, certificates of deposit and money market deposits maturing within 90 days of the date of acquisition thereof issued by a bank or trust company which is organized under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or any foreign country recognized by the United States having capital, surplus and undivided profits aggregating in excess of $500,000,000 (or the Dollar Equivalent thereof) and whose long-term debt is rated “A” or higher according to Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (or such similar equivalent rating by at least one “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Rule 436 under the Securities Act)), (iii) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than 7 days for underlying securities of the types described in clause (i) above entered into with a bank meeting the qualifications described in clause (ii) above and (iv) investments in commercial paper, maturing not more than 90 days after the date of acquisition, issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate of the Company) organized and in existence under the laws of the United States or any foreign country recognized by the United States with a rating at the time as of which any investment therein is made of “P-1” (or higher) according to Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or “A-1” (or higher) according to Standard and Poor’s Corporation.

 

 

 “ Trade Payables ” means, with respect to any Person, any accounts payable or any Indebtedness or monetary obligation to trade creditors created, assumed or Guaranteed by such Person arising in the ordinary course of business of such Person in connection with the acquisition of goods or services.

 “ Trustee ” initially means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and any other Person or Persons appointed as such from time to time pursuant to Section 7.08, and, subject to the provisions of Article VII, includes its or their successors and assigns.  If at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Debt Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of that series.

 “ Trust Indenture Act ” (except as herein otherwise expressly provided) means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date of this Indenture as originally executed and, to the extent required by law, as amended.

 “ United States ” means the United States of America (including the States and the District of Columbia), its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

 “ U.S. Government Obligations ” means securities that are (x) direct obligations of the United States for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (y) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

 “ Yield to Maturity ” means the yield to maturity calculated at the time of issuance of a series of Debt Securities, or, if applicable, at the most recent redetermination of interest on such series and calculated in accordance with accepted financial practice.

SECTION 1.02   Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.   This Indenture is subject to the mandatory provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, which are incorporated by reference in and made a part of this indenture.  The following Trust Indenture Act terms have the following meanings:

 “ indenture securities ” means the Debt Securities.

 “ indenture security holder ” means a Holder.

 “ indenture to be qualified ” means this Indenture.

 “ indenture trustee ” or “ institutional trustee ” means the Trustee.

 “ obligor ” on the indenture securities means the Company and any other obligor on the Debt Securities.

All other Trust Indenture Act terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the Trust indenture Act, reference to another statute or defined by rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission have the meanings assigned to them by such definitions.

 

 

SECTION 1.03   Rules of Construction.   Unless the context otherwise requires:

ARTICLE II

Debt Securities

SECTION 2.01   Forms Generally.   The Debt Securities of each series shall be in substantially the form established without the approval of any Holder by or pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors or in one or more Indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate (and, if not contained in a supplemental Indenture entered into in accordance with Article IX, as are not prohibited by the provisions of this Indenture) or as may be required or appropriate to comply with any law or with any rules made pursuant thereto or with any rules of any securities exchange on which such series of Debt Securities may be listed, or to conform to general usage, or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Debt Securities as evidenced by their execution of the Debt Securities.

The definitive Debt Securities of each series shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Debt Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Debt Securities.

 

 

SECTION 2.02   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.   The Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication on all Debt Securities authenticated by the Trustee shall be in substantially the following form:

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Debt Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee

By:  _________________________

Authorized Signatory

SECTION 2.03   Principal Amount; Issuable in Series.   The aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities which may be issued, executed, authenticated, delivered and outstanding under this Indenture is unlimited.

The Debt Securities may be issued in one or more series.  There shall be established, without the approval of any Holders, in or pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more Indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Debt Securities of any series any or all of the following:

 

 

 

 

All Debt Securities of any one series appertaining thereto shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to such resolution of the Board of Directors and as set forth in such Officers’ Certificate or in any such Indenture supplemental hereto.

 

 

SECTION 2.04   Execution of Debt Securities.   The Debt Securities shall be signed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Vice Chairman, its President or a Vice President and by its Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, a Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer.  Such signatures upon the Debt Securities may be the manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such authorized officers and may be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Debt Securities.  The seal of the Company, if any, may be in the form of a facsimile thereof and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Debt Securities.

Only such Debt Securities as shall bear thereon a certificate of authentication substantially in the form hereinbefore recited, signed manually by the Trustee, shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.  Such certificate by the Trustee upon any Debt Security executed by the Company shall be conclusive evidence that the Debt Security so authenticated has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.

In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Debt Securities shall cease to be such officer before the Debt Securities so signed shall have been authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, or disposed of by the Company, such Debt Securities nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though the Person who signed such Debt Securities had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Debt Security may be signed on behalf of the Company by such Persons as, at the actual date of the execution of such Debt Security, shall be the proper officers of the Company, although at the date of such Debt Security or of the execution of this Indenture any such Person was not such officer.

SECTION 2.05   Authentication and Delivery of Debt Securities.   At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Debt Securities of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver said Debt Securities to or upon a Company Order.  In authenticating such Debt Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Debt Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.01.) shall be fully protected in relying upon:

 

 

Such Opinion of Counsel need express no opinion as to whether a court in the United States would render a money judgment in a currency other than that of the United States.

The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Debt Securities under this Section 2.05 if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive committee or a trust committee of directors, trustees or vice presidents shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders.

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent reasonably acceptable to the Company to authenticate Debt Securities of any series.  Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate Debt Securities 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 any Registrar, paying agent or agent for service of notices and demands.

Unless otherwise provided in the form of Debt Security for any series, each Debt Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

SECTION 2.06   Denomination of Debt Securities.   Unless otherwise provided in the form of Debt Security for any series, the Debt Securities of each series shall be issuable only as Registered Securities in such denominations as shall be specified or contemplated by Section 2.03.  In the absence of any such specification with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, the Debt Securities of such series shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

SECTION 2.07  Registration of Transfer and Exchange.  

 (a)  The Company shall keep or cause to be kept a register for each series of Registered Securities issued hereunder (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Debt Security Register”), in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Registered Securities and the transfer of Registered Securities as in this Article II provided.  At all reasonable times the Debt Security Register shall be open for inspection by the Trustee.  Subject to Section 2.15, upon due presentment for registration of transfer of any Registered Security at any office or agency to be maintained by the Company in

 

 

accordance with the provisions of Section 4.02, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in the name of the transferee or transferees a new Registered Security or Registered Securities of authorized denominations for a like aggregate principal amount.

Unless and until otherwise determined by the Company by resolution of the Board of Directors, the register of the Company for the purpose of registration, exchange or registration of transfer of the Registered Securities shall be kept at the corporate trust office of the Trustee and, for this purpose, the Trustee shall be designated “Registrar”.

Registered Securities of any series (other than a Global Security) may be exchanged for a like aggregate principal amount of Registered Securities of the same series of other authorized denominations.  Subject to Section 2.15, Registered Securities to be exchanged shall be surrendered at the office or agency to be maintained by the Company as provided in Section 4.02, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor the Registered Security or Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange shall be entitled to receive.

 (b)  All Registered Securities presented or surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange or payment shall (if so required by the Company, the Trustee or the Registrar) be duly endorsed or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and the Registrar, duly executed by the Registered Holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

All Debt Securities issued in exchange for or upon transfer of Debt Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Debt Securities surrendered for such exchange or transfer.

No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Debt Securities (except as provided by Section 2.09), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto, other than those expressly provided in this Indenture to be made at the Company’s own expense or without expense or without charge to the Holders.

The Company shall not be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Debt Securities for a period of 15 days next preceding any mailing of notice of redemption of Debt Securities of such series or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange any Debt Securities selected, called or being called for redemption.

Prior to the due presentation for registration of transfer of any Debt Security, the Company, the Trustee, any paying agent or any Registrar may deem and treat the Person in whose name a Debt Security is registered as the absolute owner of such Debt Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, such Debt Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Debt Security is overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee, any paying agent or Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

 

None of the Company, the Trustee, any agent of the Trustee, any paying agent or any Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

SECTION 2.08   Temporary Debt Securities.   Pending the preparation of definitive Debt Securities of any series, the Company may execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver temporary Debt Securities (printed, lithographed, photocopied, typewritten or otherwise produced) of any authorized denomination, and substantially in the form of the definitive Debt Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form and with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Debt Securities, all as may be determined by the Company with the concurrence of the Trustee.  Temporary Debt Securities may contain such reference to any provisions of this Indenture as may be appropriate.  Every temporary Debt Security shall be executed by the Company and be authenticated by the Trustee upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with like effect, as the definitive Debt Securities.

If temporary Debt Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Debt Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay.  After the preparation of definitive Debt Securities of such series, the temporary Debt Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Debt Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Debt Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company at a Place of Payment for such series, without charge to the Holder thereof, except as provided in Section 2.07 in connection with a transfer, and upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Debt Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Debt Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor.  Until so exchanged, temporary Debt Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Debt Securities of such series, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.03(17) with respect to the payment of interest on Global Securities in temporary form.

Upon any exchange of a portion of a temporary Global Security for a definitive Global Security or for the individual Debt Securities represented thereby pursuant to Section 2.07 or this Section 2.08, the temporary Global Security shall be endorsed by the Trustee to reflect the reduction of the principal amount evidenced thereby, whereupon the principal amount of such temporary Global Security shall be reduced for all purposes by the amount so exchanged and endorsed.

SECTION 2.09   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Debt Securities.   If (i) any mutilated Debt Security is surrendered to the Trustee at its corporate trust office (in the case of Registered Securities) or (ii) the Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Debt Security, and there is delivered to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any paying agent harmless, and neither the Company nor the Trustee receives notice that such Debt Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, then the Company shall execute and, upon a Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security, a new Debt Security of the same series of like

 

 

tenor, form, terms and principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously Outstanding.  Upon the issuance of any substituted Debt Security, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses connected therewith.  In case any Debt Security which has matured or is about to mature or which has been called for redemption shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company may, instead of issuing a substituted Debt Security, pay or authorize the payment of the same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Debt Security) if the applicant for such payment shall furnish the Company and the Trustee with such security or indemnity as either may require to save it harmless from all risk, however remote, and, in case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence to the satisfaction of the Company and the Trustee of the destruction, loss or theft of such Debt Security and of the ownership thereof.

Every substituted Debt Security of any series issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 2.09 by virtue of the fact that any Debt Security is destroyed, lost or stolen shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security shall be found at any time, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Debt Securities of that series duly issued hereunder.  All Debt Securities shall be held and owned upon the express condition that the foregoing provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Securities, and shall preclude any and all other rights or remedies, notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the replacement or payment of negotiable instruments or other securities without their surrender.

SECTION 2.10   Cancellation of Surrendered Debt Securities.   All Debt Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any paying agent or a Registrar, be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation by it, or if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be canceled by it, and no Debt Securities shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture.  All canceled Debt Securities held by the Trustee shall be destroyed (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act) and certification of their destruction delivered to the Company, unless otherwise directed.  On request of the Company, the Trustee shall deliver to the Company canceled Debt Securities held by the Trustee.  If the Company shall acquire any of the Debt Securities, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented thereby unless and until the same are delivered or surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation.  The Company may not issue new Debt Securities to replace Debt Securities it has redeemed, paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

SECTION 2.11   Provisions of the Indenture and Debt Securities for the Sole Benefit of the Parties and the Holders.   Nothing in this Indenture or in the Debt Securities, expressed or implied, shall give or be construed to give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, the Holders or any Registrar or paying agent, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Indenture, or under any covenant, condition or provision herein contained; all its covenants, conditions and provisions being for the sole benefit of the parties hereto, the Holders and any Registrar and paying agents.

 

 

SECTION 2.12  Payment of Interest; Rights Preserved.  

 (a)  Interest on any Registered Security that is payable and is punctually paid or duly provided for on any interest payment date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such interest notwithstanding the cancellation of such Registered Security upon any transfer or exchange subsequent to the regular record date.  Payment of interest on Registered Securities shall be made at the corporate trust office of the Trustee (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.03), or at the option of the Company, by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Debt Security Register or, if provided pursuant to Section 2.03 and in accordance with arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee, at the option of the Registered Holder by wire transfer to an account designated by the Registered Holder.

 (b)  Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.12 and Section 2.17, each Debt Security of a particular series delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Debt Security of the same series shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Debt Security.

SECTION 2.13  Securities Denominated in Foreign Currencies.  

 (a)  Except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.03 for Registered Securities of any series, payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, Registered Securities of such series will be made in Dollars.

 (b)  For the purposes of calculating the principal amount of Debt Securities of any series denominated in a Foreign Currency or in units of two or more Foreign Currencies for any purpose under this Indenture, the principal amount of such Debt Securities at any time Outstanding shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of such principal amount as of the date of any such calculation.

In the event any Foreign Currency or currencies or units of two or more Currencies in which any payment with respect to any series of Debt Securities may be made ceases to be a freely convertible Currency on United States Currency markets, for any date thereafter on which payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the Debt Securities of a series is due, the Company shall select the Currency of payment for use on such date, all as provided in the Debt Securities of such series.  In such event, the Company shall, as provided in the Debt Securities of such series, notify the Trustee of the Currency which it has selected to constitute the funds necessary to meet the Company’s obligations or such payment date and of the amount of such Currency to be paid.  Such amount shall be determined as provided in the Debt Securities of such series.  The payment to the Trustee with respect to such payment date shall be made by the Company solely in the Currency so selected.

SECTION 2.14   Wire Transfers.   Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary in this Indenture, the Company may make any payment of monies required to be deposited with the Trustee on account of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the Debt

 

 

Securities (whether pursuant to optional or mandatory redemption payments, interest payments or otherwise) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Trustee on or before the date such moneys are to be paid to the Holders of the Debt Securities in accordance with the terms hereof.

SECTION 2.15  Securities Issuable in the Form of a Global Security.  

 (a)  If the Company shall establish pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.03 that the Debt Securities of a particular series are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, then the Company shall execute and the Trustee or its agent shall, in accordance with Section 2.05, authenticate and deliver, such Global Security or Securities, which (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of, the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series to be represented by such Global Security or Securities, or such portion thereof as the Company shall specify in an Officers’ Certificate, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Security or securities or its nominee, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee or its agent to the Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary’s instruction and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially to the following effect:  “Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual Debt Securities represented hereby, this Global Security 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”, or such other legend as may then be required by the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities.

 (b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.15 or of Section 2.07 to the contrary, and subject to the provisions of paragraph (c) below, unless the terms of a Global Security expressly permit such Global Security to be exchanged in whole or in part for definitive Debt Securities in registered form, a Global Security may be transferred, in whole but not in part and in the manner provided in Section 2.07, only by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary for such Global Security, or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary to a successor Depositary for such Global Security selected or approved by the Company, or to a nominee of such successor Depositary.

 (c) (i)  If at any time the Depositary for a Global Security or Securities notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or Securities or if at any time the Depositary for the Debt Securities for such series shall no longer be eligible or in good standing under the Exchange Act or other applicable statute, rule or regulation, the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to such Global Security or Securities.  If a successor Depositary for such Global Security or Securities is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee or its agent, upon receipt of a Company order for the authentication and delivery of such individual Debt Securities of such series in exchange for such Global Security, will authenticate and deliver, individual Debt Securities of such series of like tenor and terms in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security in exchange for such Global Security or securities.

 

 

(ii)  The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine that the Debt Securities of any series or portion thereof issued or issuable in the form of one or more Global Securities shall no longer be represented by such Global security or securities.  In such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of individual Debt Securities of such series in exchange in whole or in part for such Global Security, will authenticate and deliver individual Debt Securities of such series of like tenor and terms in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such series or portion thereof in exchange for such Global Security or Securities.

(iii)  If specified by the Company pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.03 with respect to Debt Securities issued or issuable in the form of a Global Security, the Depositary for such Global Security may surrender such Global Security in exchange in whole or in part for individual Debt Securities of such series of like tenor and terms in definitive form on such terms as are acceptable to the Company, the Trustee and such Depositary.  Thereupon the Company shall execute, and the Trustee or its agent upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Debt Securities of such series shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge, (1) to each Person specified by such Depositary a new Debt Security or Securities of the same series of like tenor and terms and of any authorized denomination as requested by such Person in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Persons beneficial interest in the Global Security; and (2) to such Depositary a new Global Security of like tenor and terms and in an authorized denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities delivered to Holders thereof.

(iv)  In any exchange provided for in any of the preceding three paragraphs, the Company will execute and the Trustee or its agent will authenticate and deliver individual Debt Securities.  Upon the exchange of the entire principal amount of a Global Security for individual Debt Securities, such Global Security shall be canceled by the Trustee or its agent.  Except as provided in the preceding paragraph, Registered Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee or the Registrar.  The Trustee or the Registrar shall deliver such Registered Securities to the Persons in whose names such Registered Securities are so registered.

 (v)  Payments in respect of the principal of and interest on any Debt Securities registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee will be payable to the Depositary or such nominee in its capacity as the registered owner of such Global Security.  The Company and the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name the Debt Securities, including the Global Security, are registered as the owner thereof for the purpose of receiving such payments and for any and all other purposes whatsoever.  None of the Company, the Trustee, any Registrar, the paying agent or any agent of the Company or the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for (a) any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of the beneficial ownership interests of the Global Security by the Depositary or its nominee or any of the Depositary’s direct or indirect participants, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of the Depositary, its nominee or any of its direct or indirect participants relating to the beneficial

 

 

ownership interests of the Global Security, (b) the payments to the beneficial owners of the Global Security of amounts paid to the Depositary or its nominee, or (c) any other matter relating to the actions and practices of the Depositary, its nominee or any of its direct or indirect participants.  None of the Company, the Trustee or any such agent will be liable for any delay by the Depositary, its nominee, or any of its direct or indirect participants in identifying the beneficial owners of the Debt Securities, and the Company and the Trustee may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from the Depositary or its nominee for all purposes (including with respect to the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the Debt Securities to be issued).

SECTION 2.16   Medium Term Securities.   Notwithstanding any contrary provision herein, if all Debt Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary for the Company to deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate, resolutions of the Board of Directors, supplemental Indenture, Opinion of Counsel or written order or any other document otherwise required pursuant to Section 2.01, 2.03, 2.05 or 13.05 at or prior to the time of authentication of each Debt Security of such series if such documents are delivered to the Trustee or its agent at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first such Debt Security of such series to be issued; provided, that any subsequent request by the Company to the Trustee to authenticate Debt Securities of such series upon original issuance shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Company that, as of the date of such request, the statements made in the Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.05 or 13.05 shall be true and correct as if made on such date and that the Opinion of Counsel delivered at or prior to such time of authentication of an original issuance of Debt Securities shall specifically state that it shall relate to all subsequent issuances of Debt Securities of such series that are identical to the Debt Securities issued in the first issuance of Debt Securities of such series.

A Company Order delivered by the Company to the Trustee in the circumstances set forth in the preceding paragraph, may provide that Debt Securities which are the subject thereof will be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or its agent on original issue from time to time upon the telephonic or written order of Persons designated in such written order (any such telephonic instructions to be promptly confirmed in writing by such Person) and that such Persons are authorized to determine, consistent with the Officers’ Certificate, supplemental Indenture or resolution of the Board of Directors relating to such written order, such terms and conditions of such Debt Securities as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate, supplemental Indenture or such resolution.

SECTION 2.17   Defaulted Interest.   Any interest on any Debt Security of a particular series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on the dates and in the manner provided in the Debt Securities of such series and in this Indenture (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Registered Holder thereof on the relevant record date by virtue of having been such Registered Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (i) or (ii) below: