EXHIBIT 4.1
NEWPAGE CORPORATION
AND EACH OF THE GUARANTORS PARTY
HERETO
11.375% SENIOR SECURED NOTES DUE
2014
INDENTURE
Dated as of September 30,
2009
The Bank of New York
Mellon
Trustee
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*
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Trust Indenture
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Indenture Section
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310(a)(1)
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7.10
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(a)(2)
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7.10
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(a)(3)
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N.A.
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(a)(4)
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N.A.
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(a)(5)
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7.10
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(b)
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7.10
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(c)
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N.A.
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311(a)
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7.11
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(b)
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7.11
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(c)
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N.A.
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312(a)
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2.05
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(b)
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12.03
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(c)
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12.03
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313(a)
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7.06
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(b)(2)
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7.06; 7.07
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(c)
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7.06; 12.02
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(d)
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7.06
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314(a)
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4.03;12.02; 12.05
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(c)(1)
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12.04
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(c)(2)
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12.04
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(c)(3)
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N.A.
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(e)
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12.05
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(f)
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N.A.
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315(a)
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7.01
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(b)
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7.05; 12.02
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(c)
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7.01
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(d)
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7.01
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(e)
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6.11
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316(a) (last sentence)
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2.09
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(a)(1)(A)
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6.05
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(a)(1)(B)
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6.04
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(a)(2)
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N.A.
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(b)
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6.07
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(c)
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2.12
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317(a)(1)
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6.08
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(a)(2)
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6.09
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(b)
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2.04
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318(a)
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12.01
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(b)
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N.A.
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(c)
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12.01
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N.A. means not
applicable.
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*
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This Cross
Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
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Section 1.01
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Definitions
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1
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Section 1.02
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Other
Definitions
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39
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Section 1.03
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Incorporation
by Reference of Trust Indenture Act
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40
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Section 1.04
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Rules of
Construction
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40
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ARTICLE 2
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THE NOTES
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Section 2.01
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Form and
Dating
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40
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Section 2.02
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Execution and
Authentication
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42
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Section 2.03
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Registrar and
Paying Agent
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42
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Section 2.04
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Paying Agent to
Hold Money in Trust
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43
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Section 2.05
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Holder
Lists
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43
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Section 2.06
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Transfer and
Exchange
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43
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Section 2.07
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Replacement
Notes
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55
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Section 2.08
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Outstanding
Notes
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55
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Section 2.09
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Treasury
Notes
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56
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Section 2.10
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Temporary
Notes
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56
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Section 2.11
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Cancellation
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56
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Section 2.12
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Defaulted
Interest
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56
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Section 2.13
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CUSIP
Numbers
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57
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ARTICLE 3
REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT
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Section 3.01
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Notices to
Trustee
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57
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Section 3.02
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Selection of
Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased
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57
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Section 3.03
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Notice of
Redemption or Purchase
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58
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Section 3.04
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Effect of
Notice of Redemption or Purchase
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59
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Section 3.05
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Deposit of
Redemption or Purchase Price
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59
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Section 3.06
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Notes Redeemed
or Purchased in Part
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59
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Section 3.07
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Optional
Redemption
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59
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Section 3.08
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Mandatory
Redemption
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60
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Section 3.09
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Offer to
Purchase by Application of Excess Proceeds
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61
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ARTICLE 4
COVENANTS
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Section 4.01
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Payment of
Notes
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62
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Section 4.02
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Maintenance of
Office or Agency
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63
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Section 4.03
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Reports
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63
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Section 4.04
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Compliance
Certificate
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64
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Section 4.05
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Taxes
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65
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Section 4.06
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Stay, Extension
and Usury Laws
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65
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i
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Section 4.07
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Restricted
Payments
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65
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Section 4.08
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Dividend and
Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries
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70
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Section 4.09
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Incurrence of
Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and Preferred
Stock
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71
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Section 4.10
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Asset
Sales
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76
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Section 4.11
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Transactions
with Affiliates
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78
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Section 4.12
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Liens
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80
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Section 4.13
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Business
Activities
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80
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Section 4.14
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Corporate
Existence
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80
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Section 4.15
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Offer to
Repurchase Upon Change of Control
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81
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Section 4.16
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Payments for
Consent
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82
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Section 4.17
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No Amendment to
Subordination Provisions
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83
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Section 4.18
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Limitation on
Sale and Leaseback Transactions
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83
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Section 4.19
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Additional
Subsidiary Guarantees
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83
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Section 4.20
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Designation of
Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries
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83
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ARTICLE 5
SUCCESSORS
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Section 5.01
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Merger,
Consolidation, or Sale of Assets
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84
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Section 5.02
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Successor
Corporation Substituted
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85
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ARTICLE 6
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
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Section 6.01
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Events of
Default
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86
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Section 6.02
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Acceleration
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88
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Section 6.03
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Other
Remedies
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88
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Section 6.04
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Waiver of Past
Defaults
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88
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Section 6.05
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Control by
Majority
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89
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Section 6.06
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Limitation on
Suits
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89
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Section 6.07
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Rights of
Holders to Receive Payment
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89
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Section 6.08
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Collection Suit
by Trustee
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90
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Section 6.09
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Trustee May
File Proofs of Claim
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90
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Section 6.10
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Priorities
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90
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Section 6.11
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Undertaking for
Costs
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91
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ARTICLE 7
TRUSTEE
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Section 7.01
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Duties of
Trustee
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91
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Section 7.02
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Rights of
Trustee
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92
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Section 7.03
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Individual
Rights of Trustee
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93
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Section 7.04
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Trustee’s
Disclaimer
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93
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Section 7.05
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Notice of
Defaults
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93
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Section 7.06
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Reports by
Trustee to Holders
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94
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Section 7.07
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Compensation
and Indemnity
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94
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Section 7.08
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Replacement of
Trustee
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95
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Section 7.09
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Successor
Trustee by Merger, etc.
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96
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Section 7.10
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Eligibility;
Disqualification
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96
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Section 7.11
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Preferential
Collection of Claims Against Company
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96
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ii
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ARTICLE 8
LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT
DEFEASANCE
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Section 8.01
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Option to
Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance
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96
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Section 8.02
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Legal
Defeasance and Discharge
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96
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Section 8.03
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Covenant
Defeasance
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97
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Section 8.04
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Conditions to
Legal or Covenant Defeasance
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97
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Section 8.05
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Deposited Money
and Government Securities to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous
Provisions
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98
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Section 8.06
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Repayment to
Company
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99
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Section 8.07
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Reinstatement
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99
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ARTICLE 9
AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND
WAIVER
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Section 9.01
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Without Consent
of Holders
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100
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Section 9.02
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With Consent of
Holders
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101
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Section 9.03
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Compliance with
Trust Indenture Act
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102
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Section 9.04
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Revocation and
Effect of Consents
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102
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Section 9.05
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Notation on or
Exchange of Notes
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102
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Section 9.06
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Trustee to Sign
Amendments, etc.
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103
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ARTICLE 10
COLLATERAL AND SECURITY
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Section 10.01
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Equal and
Ratable Sharing of Collateral by Holders of Priority Lien
Debt
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103
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Section 10.02
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Ranking of
Parity Liens
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103
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Section 10.03
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Release of
Liens in Respect of Notes
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104
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Section 10.04
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Relative
Rights
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104
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Section 10.05
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Compliance with
Trust Indenture Act
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105
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Section 10.06
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Collateral
Trustee
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105
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Section 10.07
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Further
Assurances; Insurance
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106
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Section 10.08
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Limitation on
Duty of Collateral Trustee in Respect of Collateral;
Indemnification
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107
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ARTICLE 11
SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES
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Section 11.01
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Guarantee
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107
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Section 11.02
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Limitation on
Guarantor Liability
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108
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Section 11.03
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Execution and
Delivery of Subsidiary Guarantee
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108
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Section 11.04
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Guarantors May
Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms
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109
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Section 11.05
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Releases
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110
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ARTICLE 12
SATISFACTION AND
DISCHARGE
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Section 12.01
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Satisfaction
and Discharge
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110
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Section 12.02
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Application of
Trust Money
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111
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ARTICLE 13
MISCELLANEOUS
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Section 13.01
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Trust Indenture
Act Controls
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111
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iii
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Section 13.02
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Notices
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112
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Section 13.03
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Communication
by Holders with Other Holders of Notes
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113
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Section 13.04
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Certificate and
Opinion as to Conditions Precedent
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113
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Section 13.05
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Statements
Required in Certificate or Opinion
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113
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Section 13.06
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Rules by
Trustee and Agents
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114
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Section 13.07
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No Personal
Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and
Stockholders
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114
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Section 13.08
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Governing
Law
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114
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Section 13.09
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No Adverse
Interpretation of Other Agreements
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114
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Section 13.10
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Successors
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114
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Section 13.11
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Severability
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114
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Section 13.12
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Counterpart
Originals
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114
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Section 13.13
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Table of
Contents, Headings, etc.
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115
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Section 13.14
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Waiver of Jury
Trial
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115
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Section 13.15
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Force
Majeure
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115
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EXHIBITS
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Exhibit A1
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FORM OF
NOTE
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Exhibit A2
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FORM OF
REGULATION S TEMPORARY GLOBAL NOTE
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Exhibit B
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FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
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Exhibit C
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FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
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Exhibit D
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FORM OF
NOTATION OF GUARANTEE
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Exhibit E
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FORM OF
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
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iv
INDENTURE dated as of
September 30, 2009 among NewPage Corporation (the “
Company” ), a Delaware corporation, the Guarantors (as
defined) and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee.
The Company, the Guarantors and the
Trustee agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the
equal and ratable benefit of the Holders (as defined) of the
11.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2014 (the “ Notes
”):
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
Section 1.01
Definitions.
“ 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.
“ ABL Collateral
” means all now owned or hereafter acquired
(a) “accounts” and “payment
intangibles,” other than “payment intangibles”
(as defined in Article 9 of the UCC) which constitute identifiable
proceeds of the Shared Collateral and/or the Separate Collateral,
(b) “inventory” (as defined in Article 9 of the
UCC) or documents of title for any inventory;
(c) “deposit accounts” (as defined in Article 9 of
the UCC), “securities accounts” (as defined in Article
8 of the UCC), including all monies, “uncertificated
securities,” and “securities entitlements” (in
each case, as defined in Article 8 of the UCC) contained therein
(including all cash, marketable securities and other funds held in
or on deposit in either of the foregoing),
“instruments” (as defined in Article 9 of the UCC),
including Intercompany Notes of Subsidiaries, and “chattel
paper” (as defined in Article 9 of the UCC); provided,
however , that to the extent that instruments or chattel paper
constitute identifiable proceeds of the Shared Collateral or the
Separate Collateral or other identifiable proceeds of the Shared
Collateral or the Separate Collateral are deposited or held in any
such bank accounts or securities accounts after an Enforcement
Notice, then such instruments, chattel paper or other identifiable
proceeds shall be treated as Shared Collateral or Separate
Collateral (as applicable); (d) General Intangibles pertaining
to the other items of property included within clauses (a), (b),
(c), (e) and (f) of this definition of ABL Collateral,
including, without limitation, all contingent rights with respect
to warranties on inventory or accounts which are not yet
“payment intangibles” (as defined in Article 9 of the
UCC); (e) “records” (as defined in Article 9 of
the UCC), “supporting obligations” (as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC) and related Letters of Credit, commercial
tort claims or other claims and causes of action, in each case, to
the extent related primarily to any of the foregoing; and
(f) substitutions, replacements, accessions, products and
proceeds (including, without limitation, insurance proceeds,
licenses, royalties, income, payments, claims, damages and proceeds
of suit) of any or all of the foregoing.
“ ABL Facility ”
means that certain Revolving Loan Credit and Guarantee Agreement,
dated as of December 21, 2007, by and among the Company, the
guarantors party thereto, the lenders party thereto, Goldman Sachs
Credit Partners L.P., as Administrative Agent, Joint Lead Arranger,
Joint Bookrunner and Co-Syndication Agent, UBS Securities LLC, as
Joint Lead Arranger, Joint Bookrunner and Co-Syndication Agent, and
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as revolving loan collateral
agent.
“ Acquired Debt ”
means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) Indebtedness of any other Person
existing at the time such other Person is merged with or into or
became a Subsidiary of such specified Person, whether or not such
Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation
of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming a
Restricted Subsidiary of, such specified Person; and
1
(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien
encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.
“ Acquisition ”
means the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement dated
as of January 14, 2005 as amended, between Escanaba Timber LLC
(formerly named Maple Acquisition LLC) and MeadWestvaco
Corporation, including the borrowings under the Credit Agreements
and the offering of the Existing Second Lien Notes and the Existing
Senior Subordinated Notes.
“ Act of Required
Debtholders ” means, as to any matter at any
time:
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(1)
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prior to the
Discharge of Priority Lien Obligations, a direction in writing
delivered to the Collateral Trustee by or with the written consent
of the holders of more than 50% of the sum of:
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(a)
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the aggregate
outstanding principal amount of Priority Lien Debt (including
outstanding letters of credit whether or not then available or
drawn); and
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(b)
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other than in
connection with the exercise of remedies, the aggregate unfunded
commitments to extend credit which, when funded, would constitute
Priority Lien Debt; and
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(2)
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at any time
after the Discharge of Priority Lien Obligations, a direction in
writing delivered to the Collateral Trustee by or with the written
consent of the holders of Parity Debt representing the Required
Parity Lien Debtholders.
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For purposes of this definition,
(a) Secured Debt registered in the name of, or beneficially
owned by, the Company or any Affiliate of the Company (other than
Notes or Existing Second Lien Notes held by any Person that is an
Affiliate of the Company as of May 2, 2005 and that is
regulated by any banking or insurance authority) will be deemed not
to be outstanding, and (b) votes will be determined in
accordance with the provisions of Section 8.2 of the
Collateral Trust Agreement.
“ Actionable Default
” means (1) the failure to pay any payment of principal
of or interest on any Series of Secured Debt outstanding in the
amount of $25.0 million or more resulting in an event of default
under the applicable Series of Secured Debt after payment is due,
including payments that are due (or if any required offer had been
timely made would be due) in respect of any mandatory offer to
purchase Parity Lien Debt resulting in an event of default under
the applicable Series of Secured Debt, (2) the failure to pay
in full, when due and payable in full (whether at maturity, upon
acceleration or otherwise), the ABL Facility, the Notes, the
Existing Second Lien Notes or any other Series of Secured Debt
outstanding in the amount of $25.0 million or more, (3) the
exercise by the Collateral Trustee or any of its co-trustees or
agents of any right or power that is exercisable by it only upon
default to take sole and exclusive dominion or control over any
deposits in a deposit account, commodity contract in a commodity
account or financial asset in a securities account constituting any
Shared Collateral or the delivery of any instructions to the
Collateral Trustee directing it to foreclose or otherwise enforce,
or to disburse the proceeds of enforcement of, any Lien upon any
Collateral, or (4) the occurrence of any event of default
under the Indenture, the Existing Second Lien Note Indentures or
any Credit Agreement arising from the commencement of any
bankruptcy case, receivership or other Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding by or against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
any similar default provision at any time in effect under any
indenture or agreement governing any Series of Secured
Debt.
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“ Additional Notes
” means additional Notes (other than the Initial Notes and
the Exchange Notes) issued 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, means 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 Stock of a Person will be deemed to be
control. For purposes of this definition, the terms
“controlling,” “controlled by” and
“under common control with” have correlative
meanings.
“ Alternative Fuel Tax
Credit ” means the alternative fuel mixture excise tax
credit authorized by Section 6426(e) of the Internal Revenue
Code in connection with black liquor used in the Company’s
and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ kraft pulping process, as
well as any similar alternate fuel credit or payment subsequently
permitted by applicable law.
“ Agent ” means
any Registrar, co-registrar, Paying Agent or additional paying
agent.
“ Applicable Premium
” means, with respect to any Note on any redemption date, the
greater of:
(1) 1.0% of the principal amount of
such Note; or
(2) the excess of:
(a) the present value at such
redemption date of (i) the redemption price of such Note at
March 31, 2012, (such redemption price being set forth in the
table appearing in Section 3.07(c) hereof) plus
(ii) all required interest payments due on such Note through
March 31, 2012 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the
redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the
Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 50 basis
points; over
(b) the principal amount of such
Note.
“ Applicable Procedures
” means, with respect to any transfer, redemption 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, redemption or exchange.
“ Asset Sale ”
means:
(1) the sale, lease, conveyance or
other disposition of any assets or rights; provided that the
sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries taken as a whole shall be governed by Sections 4.15
and 5.01 of this Indenture and not by Section 4.10 of this
Indenture; and
(2) the issuance of Equity Interests
in any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries or the sale
of Equity Interests in any of its Subsidiaries (other than
directors’ qualifying Equity Interests or Equity Interests
required by applicable law to be held by a Person other than the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary).
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Notwithstanding the preceding, none
of the following items will be deemed to be an Asset
Sale:
(1) any single transaction or series
of related transactions that involves assets having a Fair Market
Value of less than $10.0 million;
(2) a transfer of assets between or
among the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(3) an issuance of Equity Interests
by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or to a
Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(4) the licensing of intellectual
property or other general intangibles to third persons on customary
terms as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith and the
ordinary course of business;
(5) the sale or disposition in the
ordinary course of business of any property or equipment that has
become damaged, worn-out or obsolete, in the ordinary course of
business;
(6) to the extent allowable under
Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, any
exchange of like property for use in a Permitted
Business;
(7) the sale or other disposition of
cash or Cash Equivalents;
(8) a Restricted Payment that does
not violate Section 4.07 of this Indenture or a Permitted
Investment;
(9) the sale, lease, sub-lease,
license, sub-license, consignment, conveyance or other disposition
of equipment, inventory or other assets in the ordinary course of
business, including leases with respect to facilities that are
temporarily not in use or pending their disposition, or accounts
receivable in connection with the compromise, settlement or
collection thereof;
(10) the creation of a Lien (but not
the sale or other disposition of property subject to such Lien);
and
(11) the transfer or sale of
Receivables and Related Assets of the type specified in the
definition of “Qualified Receivables Transaction” to a
Receivables Entity or to any other Person in connection with a
Qualified Receivables Transaction or the creation of a Lien on any
such Receivables or Related Assets in connection with a Qualified
Receivables Transaction.
“ Attributable Debt
” in respect of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction means, as at the
time of determination, the present value (discounted at the
interest rate borne by the Notes, compounded annually) of the total
obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining
term of the lease included in such Sale/Leaseback Transaction
(including any period for which such lease has been extended);
provided, however , that if such Sale/Leaseback Transaction
results in a Capital Lease Obligation, the amount of Indebtedness
represented thereby will be determined in accordance with the
definition of “Capital Lease Obligation.”
“ 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
after the passage of time. The terms “Beneficially
Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have a
corresponding meaning.
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“ Board of Directors
” means:
(1) with respect to a
corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any
committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such
board;
(2) with respect to a
partnership, the Board of Directors of the general partner of the
partnership;
(3) with respect to a limited
liability company, the managing member or members or any
controlling committee or board of directors of such company or of
the sole member or of the managing member thereof; and
(4) 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) 85% of the face amount of all
accounts receivable owned by the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter
preceding such date that were not more than 180 days past due;
plus
(2) 75% of the book value of all
inventory, net of reserves, owned by the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter
preceding such date;
provided that any accounts receivable or inventory that
are utilized in connection with a Qualified Receivables Transaction
will be excluded from the Borrowing Base.
“ Broker-Dealer ”
has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights
Agreement.
“ Business Day ”
means any day other than a Legal Holiday.
“ Capital Lease
Obligation ” means, at the time any determination is to
be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease
that would at that time be required to be capitalized on a balance
sheet prepared 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 prepaid by the lessee without payment of a
penalty.
“ Capital Stock ”
means:
(1) in the case of a
corporation, corporate stock;
(2) in the case of an
association or business entity, any and all shares, interests,
participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of
corporate stock;
(3) in the case of a
partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests
(whether general or limited) or membership interests;
and
(4) any other interest or
participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share
of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the
issuing Person, but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt
securities convertible into Capital Stock, whether or not such debt
securities include any right of participation with Capital
Stock.
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“ Cash
Equivalents” means:
(1) United States
dollars;
(2) securities issued or directly
and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or
any agency or instrumentality of the United States government (
provided that the full faith and credit of the United States
is pledged in support of those securities) having maturities of not
more than 360 days from the date of acquisition;
(3) certificates of deposit and
eurodollar time deposits with maturities of six months or less from
the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities
not exceeding six months and overnight bank deposits, in each case,
with any lender party to the Credit Agreements or with any domestic
commercial bank having capital and sur plus in excess of
$500.0 million and a Thomson Bank Watch Rating of “B”
or better at the time of acquisition;
(4) repurchase obligations for
underlying securities of the types described in clauses
(2) and (3) above entered into with any financial
institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause
(3) above;
(5) commercial paper having at the
time of acquisition one of the two highest ratings obtainable from
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard &
Poor’s Rating Service and, in each case, maturing within nine
months after the date of acquisition;
(6) securities issued by any state
of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any
such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within
one year from the date of acquisition thereof and at the time of
acquisition thereof, having one of the two highest ratings
obtainable from either Standard & Poor’s Rating
Services or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.;
(7) money market funds at least 95%
of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds
described in clauses (1) through (6) of this definition;
and
(8) local currencies held by the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, from time to time in
the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practice.
“ Casualty Event
” means any taking under power of eminent domain or similar
proceeding and any insured loss, in each case relating to property
or other assets that constituted Shared Collateral.
“C hange of Control
” means the occurrence of any of the following:
(1) the direct or indirect
sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than
by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related
transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or
assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any
“person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of
the Exchange Act) other than a Principal or a Related Party of a
Principal;
(2) the adoption of a plan
relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the
Company;
6
(3) the consummation of any
transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or
consolidation), the result of which is that any
“person” (as defined above), other than a Principal or
a Related Party of a Principal, becomes the Beneficial Owner,
directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of the
Company, measured by voting power rather than number of shares;
or
(4) after an initial public
offering of the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the
Company, the first day on which a majority of the members of the
Board of Directors of the Company are not Continuing
Directors.
“ Class ” means
(1) in the case of Parity Lien Debt, all Series of Parity Lien
Debt, taken together, and (2) in the case of Priority Lien
Debt, all Series of Priority Lien Debt, taken together.
“ Clearstream ”
means Clearstream Banking, S.A. and any successor
thereto.
“ Collateral ”
means, collectively, the Shared Collateral and the Separate
Collateral.
“ Collateral Trust
Agreement ” means that certain collateral trust
agreement, dated as of May 2, 2005, as amended as of
September 11, 2009, by and among the Collateral Trustee, the
trustee under the Existing Second Lien Notes, and the
administrative agent under the Term Loan Credit and Guaranty
Agreement dated as of December 31, 2007, as amended,
supplemented, restated, modified, renewed or replaced (whether upon
or after termination or otherwise), in whole or in part from time
to time, or any other successor agreement and whether among the
same or any other parties.
“ Collateral Trustee
” means The Bank of New York Mellon, in its capacity as
Collateral Trustee under the Collateral Trust Agreement, together
with its successors in such capacity.
“ Company ” means
NewPage Corporation, a Delaware corporation, and any and all
successors thereto.
“ Consolidated Adjusted
EBITDA ” means, with respect to any specified Person for
any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such
period plus , without duplication:
(1) an amount equal to any
extraordinary loss plus any net loss realized by such Person
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset
Sale, to the extent such losses were deducted in computing such
Consolidated Net Income; plus
(2) provision for taxes based on
income or profits of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries
for such period, to the extent that such provision for taxes was
deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;
plus
(3) Interest Expense of such Person
and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent that
such Interest Expense was deducted in computing such Consolidated
Net Income; plus
(4) depreciation, amortization
(including amortization of intangibles but excluding amortization
of prepaid cash expenses that were paid in a prior period) and
other non-cash expenses (excluding any such non-cash expense to the
extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash
expenses in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash
expense that was paid in a prior period) of such Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for such period to the extent that such
depreciation, amortization and other non-cash expenses were
deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;
plus
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(5) nonrecurring charges or expenses
made or incurred in connection with the Transactions, any purchase,
redemption, acquisition or retirement of any Permitted Indebtedness
and any restructuring and transaction costs incurred in connection
with any future acquisition, to the extent deducted in computing
such Consolidated Net Income; minus
(6) non-cash items increasing such
Consolidated Net Income for such period, other than the accrual of
revenue in the ordinary course of business,
in each case, on a consolidated
basis and determined in accordance with GAAP.
“ Consolidated Coverage
Ratio ” means with respect to any specified Person for
any period, the ratio of the Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of such
Person for such period to the Interest Expense of such Person for
such period. In the event that the specified Person or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries incurs, assumes, guarantees, repays,
repurchases, redeems, defeases or otherwise discharges any
Indebtedness (other than ordinary working capital borrowings) or
issues, repurchases or redeems Disqualified Stock subsequent to the
commencement of the period for which the Consolidated Coverage
Ratio is being calculated and on or prior to the date on which the
event for which the calculation of the Consolidated Coverage Ratio
is made (the “Calculation Date”), then the Consolidated
Coverage Ratio will be calculated giving pro forma effect to such
incurrence, assumption, Guarantee, repayment, repurchase,
redemption, defeasance or other discharge of Indebtedness, or such
issuance, repurchase or redemption of Disqualified Stock, and the
use of the proceeds therefrom, as if the same had occurred at the
beginning of the applicable four-quarter reference
period.
In addition, for purposes of
calculating the Consolidated Coverage Ratio:
(1) acquisitions that have been made
by the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries,
including through mergers or consolidations, or any Person or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquired by the specified Person or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, and including any related
financing transactions and including increases in ownership of
Restricted Subsidiaries, during the four-quarter reference period
or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to the
Calculation Date will be given pro forma effect (in accordance with
Regulation S-X under the Securities Act), including Pro Forma Cost
Savings whether or not such Pro Forma Cost Savings comply with
Regulation S-X, as if they had occurred on the first day of the
four-quarter reference period;
(2) the Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA
attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in
accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses (and ownership
interests therein) disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will
be excluded (including by adding back the amount of any
attributable Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA that was
negative);
(3) the Interest Expense
attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in
accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses (and ownership
interests therein) disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will
be excluded, but only to the extent that the obligations giving
rise to such Interest Expense will not be obligations of the
specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries following
the Calculation Date;
(4) any Person that is a Restricted
Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed to have been a
Restricted Subsidiary at all times during such four-quarter
period;
(5) any Person that is not a
Restricted Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed not to
have been a Restricted Subsidiary at any time during such
four-quarter period; and
8
(6) if any Indebtedness bears a
floating rate of interest, the interest expense on such
Indebtedness will be calculated as if the rate in effect on the
Calculation Date had been the applicable rate for the entire period
(taking into account any Hedging Obligation applicable to such
Indebtedness if such Hedging Obligation has a remaining term as at
the Calculation Date in excess of 12 months).
“ Consolidated
Liquidity ” means, with respect to any specified Person
for any period, on a consolidated basis, the amount equal to the
sum of (i) the average Unrestricted Cash cash-on-hand of the
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the fifteen
(15) day period ending on the date of determination,
plus (ii) Excess Revolving Credit
Availability.
“ Consolidated Net
Income ” means, with respect to any specified Person for
any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis,
determined in accordance with GAAP; provided
that:
(1) the Net Income (but not loss) of
any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted
for by the equity method of accounting shall be included only to
the extent of the amount of dividends or similar distributions paid
in cash to the specified Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of the
Person;
(2) the Net Income of any Restricted
Subsidiary shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or
payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted
Subsidiary of that Net Income is not at the date of determination
permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not
been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by operation of the
terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment,
decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable
to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders;
(3) the cumulative effect of a
change in accounting principles will be excluded;
(4) all goodwill impairment charges
will be excluded;
(5) non-cash compensation charges or
other non-cash expenses or charges arising from the grant of or
issuance or repricing of stock, stock options or other equity-based
awards to directors, officers or employees of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries will be excluded;
(6) transaction costs and
restructuring charges incurred in connection with the Acquisition,
in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10.0 million, will be
excluded;
(7) solely for purposes of
calculating Consolidated Net Income as it relates to clause
(3)(A) of Section 4.07(a), any proceeds of the
Alternative Fuel Tax Credit applied to repurchase, redeem or
otherwise acquire any Existing Second Lien Notes pursuant to clause
(14)(ii) of Section 4.07(b) will be excluded;
and
(8) cancellation of indebtedness
income will be excluded.
“ Continuing Directors
” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the
Board of Directors of the Company who:
(1) was a member of such Board
of Directors on the date of this Indenture; or
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(2) was nominated for election
or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a
majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board
of Directors at the time of such nomination or election.
“ Contractual
Obligation ” means, as applied to any Person, any
provision of any Security issued by that Person or of any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, contract, undertaking,
agreement or other instrument to which that Person is a party or by
which it or any of its properties is bound or to which it or any of
its properties is subject.
“ Corporate Trust Office of
the Trustee ” means the principal office of the Trustee
at which at any time its corporate trust business shall be
administered, which office at the date hereof is located at 101
Barclay Street, Floor 8 West, New York, New York 10286, Attention:
Corporate Trust Administration, or such other address as the
Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders
and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any
successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee
may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the
Company).
“ Credit Agreements
” means the ABL Facility, including any related notes,
Guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements
executed in connection therewith, and, in each case, as amended,
restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced (whether upon or
after termination or otherwise) or refinanced (including by means
of a receivables financing or sales of debt securities to
institutional investors) in whole or in part from time to time,
including any agreement extending the maturity of, refinancing,
replacing or otherwise restructuring (including increasing the
amount of available borrowings or letters of credit thereunder or
adding Subsidiaries of the Company as additional borrowers or
guarantors thereunder) all or any portion of the Indebtedness under
such agreement or any successor or replacement agreement and
whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of
lenders.
“ Credit Facilities
” means, one or more debt facilities (including, without
limitation, the Credit Agreements), indentures or commercial paper
facilities, in each case, with banks or other institutional lenders
or a trustee 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 or
issuances of notes, in each case, as amended, restated, modified,
renewed, refunded, replaced (whether upon or after termination or
otherwise), substituted or refinanced (including by means of sales
of debt securities to institutional investors) in whole or in part
from time to time.
“ Custodian ”
means the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes issuable
or issued in whole or in part in global form, or any successor
entity thereto appointed as Custodian hereunder and having become
such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this
Indenture.
“ Default ” means
any event that is, or with the passage of time or the giving of
notice 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 or
Section 2.10 hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A1
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.
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“ Designated Non-cash
Consideration ” means the Fair Market Value of non-cash
consideration received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary
in connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as
Designated Non-cash Consideration pursuant to an Officers’
Certificate delivered to the Trustee, setting forth the basis of
such valuation.
“ Discharge of Priority
Lien Obligations ” means the occurrence of all of the
following:
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(1)
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termination or
expiration of all commitments to extend credit that would
constitute Priority Lien Debt;
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(2)
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payment in full
in cash of the principal of and interest and premium (if any) on
all Priority Lien Debt (other than any undrawn letters of
credit);
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(3)
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discharge or
cash collateralization (at the lower of (1) 105% of the
aggregate undrawn amount and (2) the percentage of the
aggregate undrawn amount required for release of liens under the
terms of the applicable Priority Lien Document) of all outstanding
letters of credit constituting Priority Lien Debt; and
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(4)
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payment in full
in cash of all other Priority Lien Obligations that are outstanding
and unpaid at the time the Priority Lien Debt is paid in full in
cash (other than any obligations for taxes, costs,
indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities in
respect of which no claim or demand for payment has been made at
such time).
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“ Disqualified Stock
” means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms
of any security into which it is convertible, or for which it is
exchangeable, in each case, at the option of the holder of the
Capital Stock), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is
mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or
otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital
Stock, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days
after the date on which the Notes mature. Notwithstanding the
preceding sentence, any Capital Stock that would constitute
Disqualified Stock solely because the holders of the Capital Stock
have the right to require the Company to repurchase such Capital
Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale
will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital
Stock provide that the Company may not repurchase or redeem any
such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions unless such
repurchase or redemption complies with Section 4.07 hereof.
The amount of Disqualified Stock deemed to be outstanding at any
time for purposes of this Indenture will be the maximum amount that
the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may become obligated to
pay upon the maturity of, or pursuant to any mandatory redemption
provisions of, such Disqualified Stock, exclusive of accrued
dividends.
“ Domestic Subsidiary
” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that was
formed under the laws of the United States or any state of the
United States or the District of Columbia or that Guarantees or
otherwise provides direct credit support for any Indebtedness of
the Company.
“ Enforcement Notice
” means a written notice delivered pursuant to the
Intercreditor Agreement, at a time when an event of default under
the ABL Facility or an event of default under the Priority Lien
Documents has occurred and is continuing, by either Secured Debt
Representative thereunder to the other, specifying the relevant
event of default.
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“ Equally and Ratably
” means, in reference to sharing of Liens or proceeds thereof
as between holders of Secured Obligations within the same Class,
that such Liens or proceeds:
(1) will be allocated and
distributed first to the Secured Debt Representative for each
outstanding Series of Secured Debt within that Class, for the
account of the holders of such Series of Secured Debt, ratably in
proportion to the principal of, and interest and premium (if any)
and reimbursement obligations (contingent or otherwise) with
respect to letters of credit, if any, outstanding (whether or not
drawings have been made under such letters of credit) on each
outstanding Series of Secured Debt within that Class when the
allocation or distribution is made, and thereafter,
(2) will be allocated and
distributed (if any remain after payment in full of all of the
principal of, and interest and premium (if any) and reimbursement
obligations (contingent or otherwise) with respect to letters of
credit, if any, outstanding (whether or not drawings have been made
on such letters of credit) on all outstanding Secured Obligations
within that Class) to the Secured Debt Representative for each
outstanding Series of Secured Obligations within that Class, for
the account of the holders of any remaining Secured Obligations
within that Class, ratably in proportion to the aggregate unpaid
amount of such remaining Secured Obligations within that Class due
and demanded (with written notice to the applicable Secured Debt
Representative and the Collateral Trustee) prior to the date such
distribution is made;
provided, however
that, for the purpose of defining
“equally and ratably” during the pendency of any
Actionable Default, and subject to Section 3.4 of the
Collateral Trust Agreement, if any payment or distribution is made
in cash to any holders of Priority Lien Obligations from or on
account of Separate Collateral by reason of enforcement of Liens or
realization in a bankruptcy case, receivership or other Insolvency
or Liquidation Proceeding, then any concurrent or subsequent
payment or distribution that is to be made in cash to such holders
from or on account of Shared Collateral by reason of any such
enforcement or realization shall be reduced, and any concurrent or
subsequent payment or distribution that is to be made in cash to
the remaining holders of Priority Lien Obligations from or on
account of Shared Collateral by reason of any such enforcement or
realization shall be increased, to the extent necessary to cause
the aggregate amount of all payments and distributions made in cash
to all holders of Priority Lien Obligations (whether made from or
on account of Separate Collateral or from or on account of Shared
Collateral) by reason of any such enforcement or realization to be
distributed equally and ratably as fully as if the Separate
Collateral had been Shared Collateral; provided further that
during the pendency of any Actionable Default, and subject to
Section 3.4 of the Collateral Trust Agreement, if any payment
or distribution is made in cash to any holders of Parity Lien
Obligations from or on account of Separate Collateral by reason of
enforcement of Liens or realization in a bankruptcy case,
receivership or other Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, then
any concurrent or subsequent payment or distribution that is to be
made in cash to such holders from or on account of Shared
Collateral by reason of any such enforcement or realization shall
be reduced, and any concurrent or subsequent payment or
distribution that is to be made in cash to the remaining holders of
Parity Lien Obligations from or on account of Shared Collateral by
reason of any such enforcement or realization shall be increased,
to the extent necessary to cause the aggregate amount of all
payments and distributions made in cash to all holders of Parity
Lien Obligations (whether made from or on account of Separate
Collateral or from or on account of Shared Collateral) by reason of
any such enforcement or realization to be distributed equally and
ratably as fully as if the Separate Collateral had been Shared
Collateral.
“ Equity Interests
” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other
rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security
that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital
Stock).
“ Equity Offering
” means an offer and sale of Qualified Capital Stock of the
Company or a direct or indirect parent of the Company (other than
to a Subsidiary of the Company) pursuant to a registration
statement that has been declared effective by the SEC pursuant to
the Securities Act (other than a registration statement on Form S-8
or otherwise relating to equity securities issuable under any
employee benefit plan of the Company).
12
“ Euroclear ”
means Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear
system and any successor thereto.
“ Excess Revolving Credit
Availability ” means, as of any date of determination,
(a) the average “Excess Availability” (as defined
in the ABL Facility) for the fifteen (15) day period ending on
the date of determination or (b) if the ABL Facility shall no
longer be in effect or the definition of “Excess
Availability” is no longer defined in the ABL Facility,
(i) the lesser of (1) the revolving commitments of all
the lenders party to any revolving credit agreement replacing or
refinancing the ABL Facility and (2) if applicable, the
borrowing base on the date of determination, provided such
Indebtedness is permitted to be incurred under the Senior Debt
Documents, less (ii) the average total utilization of
such revolving credit commitments for the fifteen (15) day
period ending on the date of determination (whether from loans, the
issuance of any letters of credit or any other extensions of credit
thereunder), less (iii) the aggregate amount of all of
the outstanding and unpaid trade payables and other obligations of
the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that are not paid
within 60 days past the due date according to their original terms
of sale, in each case as of the date of determination, less
(iv) the amount of checks issued by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries to pay trade payables and other obligations
which are not paid within 60 days past the due date according to
their original terms of sale, in each case as of such date of
determination, but which checks either have not yet been sent or
are subject to other arrangements which are expected to delay the
prompt presentation of such checks for payment.
“ Exchange Act ”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“ Exchange Notes
” means the Notes issued in the Exchange Offer pursuant to
the Registration Rights Agreement.
“ Exchange Offer
” has the meaning set forth for such term in the Registration
Rights Agreement.
“ Exchange Offer
Registration Statement ” has the meaning set forth in the
Registration Rights Agreement.
“ Excluded
Contributions ” means the net cash proceeds received by
the Company after the date of this Indenture from
(i) contributions (other than from any Subsidiary) to its
common equity capital and (ii) the sale (other than to any
Subsidiary or any management equity plan or stock option plan or
any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement of the
Company or any Subsidiary) of Capital Stock (other than
Disqualified Stock) of the Company, in each case designated as
Excluded Contributions on the date of receipt pursuant to an
Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee.
“ Existing Indebtedness
” means Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(other than Indebtedness under the Credit Agreements, the Notes,
the Existing Second Lien Notes and the Existing Senior Subordinated
Notes) in existence on the date of this Indenture.
“ Existing Second Lien Note
Indentures ” means the Senior Secured Fixed Rate Note
Indenture and the Senior Secured Floating Rate Note
Indenture.
“ Existing Second Lien
Notes ” means, collectively, the Senior Secured Fixed
Rate Notes and the Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes.
13
“ Existing Senior
Subordinated Notes ” means the 12.0% Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2013 issued pursuant to the Senior Subordinated Note
Indenture.
“ Fair Market Value
” means the value that would be paid by a willing buyer to an
unaffiliated willing seller in a transaction not involving distress
or necessity of either party, determined in good faith by the Board
of Directors of the Company (unless otherwise provided in this
Indenture).
“ Foreign Subsidiary
” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is not
a Domestic Subsidiary.
“ GAAP ” means
generally accepted accounting principles which are in effect on the
date of this Indenture, set forth in the Accounting Standards
Codification 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 or in the rules
and regulations of the SEC governing the inclusion of financial
statements (including pro forma financial statements) in periodic
reports required to be filed pursuant to Section 13 of the
Exchange Act, including opinions and pronouncements from the staff
of the SEC.
“ General Intangibles
” means “general intangibles” (as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC), but excluding “payment
intangibles” (as defined in Article 9 of the UCC), claims
under agreements of the type described under clauses (1),
(2) and (3) of the definition of “Hedging
Obligations” and Intellectual Property (as defined in the
Intercreditor Agreement) and any rights thereunder.
“ Global Note Legend
” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(2)
hereof, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued
under this Indenture.
“ 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 Depository 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(b), 2.06(b)(3), 2.06(b)(4),
2.06(d) or 2.06(f) hereof.
“ Government Securities
” means direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by,
the United States of America (including any agency or
instrumentality thereof), and the payment for which the United
States pledges its full faith and credit.
“ Guarantee ”
means a guarantee other than by endorsement of negotiable
instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business,
direct or indirect, in any manner including, without limitation, by
way of a pledge of assets or through letters of credit or
reimbursement agreements in respect thereof, of all or any part of
any Indebtedness (whether arising by virtue of partnership
arrangements, or by agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets,
goods, securities or services, to take or pay or to maintain
financial statement conditions or otherwise).
“ Guarantors ”
means each of:
(1) each of the Company’s
Domestic Subsidiaries that are Restricted Subsidiaries as of the
date of this Indenture and NewPage Port Hawkesbury Corp.;
and
(2) any other Subsidiary of the
Company that executes a Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with the
provisions of this Indenture,
14
and their respective successors and
assigns, in each case, until the Subsidiary Guarantee of such
Person has been released in accordance with the provisions of this
Indenture.
“ Hedging Obligations
” means, with respect to any specified Person, the
obligations of such Person under:
(1) interest rate swap
agreements (whether from fixed to floating or from floating to
fixed), interest rate cap agreements, interest rate collar
agreements and other agreements or arrangements designated for the
purpose of fixing, hedging or swapping interest rate
risk;
(2) other agreements or
arrangements designed to manage interest rates or interest rate
risk; and
(3) other agreements or
arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations
in currency exchange rates or commodity prices.
“ HoldCo Indenture
” means the HoldCo Notes indenture, dated May 2, 2005,
among NewPage Holding Corporation and HSBC Bank USA, National
Association.
“ HoldCo Notes ”
means the floating rate senior unsecured notes issued by the Parent
pursuant to the HoldCo Indenture, any exchange notes issued in
connection with any registration of such notes, and any additional
floating rate senior unsecured notes issued by the Parent as
payment of interest.
“ Holder ” means
a Person in whose name a Note is registered.
“ Indebtedness ”
means, with respect to any specified Person, any indebtedness of
such Person (excluding accrued expenses and trade payables),
whether or not contingent:
(1) in respect of borrowed
money;
(2) evidenced by bonds, notes,
debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or
reimbursement agreements in respect thereof) (other than letters of
credit issued in respect of trade payables entered into in the
ordinary course);
(3) in respect of banker’s
acceptances;
(4) representing Capital Lease
Obligations;
(5) representing the balance
deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or
services due more than six months after such property is acquired
or such services are completed; or
(6) representing any Hedging
Obligations,
if and to the extent any of the
preceding items (other than letters of credit and Hedging
Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of
the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition,
the term “Indebtedness” includes all Indebtedness of
others secured by a Lien on any asset of the specified Person
(whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the specified
Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the Guarantee by
the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any other
Person.
15
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in
connection with the purchase by the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary of any business, the term “Indebtedness”
will exclude post-closing payment adjustments to which the seller
may become entitled to the extent such payment is determined by a
final closing balance sheet or such payment depends on the
performance of such business after the closing; provided,
however , that at the time of closing, the amount of any such
payment is not determinable and, to the extent such payment
thereafter becomes fixed and determined, the amount is paid within
30 days thereafter.
“ 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 $1,700,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes
issued under this Indenture on the date hereof.
“ Initial Purchasers
” means Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman,
Sachs & Co., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Barclays
Capital Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and UBS Securities
LLC.
“ Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding ” means:
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(1)
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any case
commenced by or against the Company or any other Pledgor under
Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the
relief of debtors, any other proceeding for the reorganization,
recapitalization or adjustment or marshalling of the assets or
liabilities of the Company or any other Pledgor, any receivership
or assignment for the benefit of creditors relating to the Company
or any other Pledgor or any similar case or proceeding relative to
the Company or any other Pledgor or its creditors, as such, in each
case whether or not voluntary;
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(2)
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any
liquidation, dissolution, marshalling of assets or liabilities or
other winding up of or relating to the Company or any other
Pledgor, in each case whether or not voluntary and whether or not
involving bankruptcy or insolvency; or
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(3)
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any other
proceeding of any type or nature in which substantially all claims
of creditors of the Company or any other Pledgor are determined and
any payment or distribution is or may be made on account of such
claims.
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“ Insurance Financing
Arrangements ” means any agreement between the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries with an insurance carrier or an Affiliate
of such issuance carrier providing insurance maintained by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of
business which enables the Company and its Subsidiaries to pay any
insurance premiums and applicable financing charges due in respect
of any such insurance coverage in installments over the term of the
applicable insurance policy.
“ Intercompany Notes of
Subsidiaries ” means all indebtedness owing by any of the
Company’s Subsidiaries to the Company or any of the
Company’s other Subsidiaries, whether or not represented by a
note or agreement.
“ Intercreditor
Agreement ” means that certain intercreditor agreement,
dated as of May 2, 2005, among the Company, NewPage Holding
Corporation, certain subsidiaries of the Company, the revolving
loan collateral agent under the ABL Facility and the Collateral
Trustee, as amended, supplemented, restated, modified, renewed or
replaced (whether upon or after termination or otherwise), in whole
or in part from time to time, or any other successor agreement and
whether among the same or any other parties.
16
“ Interest Expense
” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period,
the sum, without duplication, of:
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(1)
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the
consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted
Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued, including,
without limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs and
original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest
component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest
component of all payments associated with Capital Lease
Obligations, imputed interest with respect to commissions,
discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter
of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings, and net of the
effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging
Obligations in respect of interest rates; plus
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(2)
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the
consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted
Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period, whether paid
or accrued; plus
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(3)
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any interest on
Indebtedness of another Person that is guaranteed by such Person or
one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets
of such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether or
not such guarantee or Lien is called upon; plus
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(4)
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the product of
(a) all dividends, whether paid or accrued and whether or not
in cash, on any series of Disqualified Stock of such Person or any
Disqualified Stock or preferred stock of any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries, other than dividends on Equity Interests payable
solely in Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified
Stock) or to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company,
times (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the
denominator of which is one minus the then current combined
federal, state and local statutory tax rate of such Person,
expressed as a decimal,
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in each case, determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“ Investments ”
means, with respect to any Person, all direct or indirect
investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates
of such Person) in the forms of loans (including Guarantees or
other obligations), advances or capital contributions (excluding
(i) commission, travel and similar advances to officers and
employees made in the ordinary course of business and
(ii) extensions of credit to customers or advances, deposits
or payment to or with suppliers, lessors or utilities or for
workers’ compensation, in each case, that are incurred in the
ordinary course of business and recorded as accounts receivable,
prepaid expenses or deposits on the balance sheet of such Person
prepared in accordance with GAAP), purchases or other acquisitions
for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other
securities, together with all items that are or would be classified
as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP.
If the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company sells or
otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or
indirect Restricted Subsidiary of the Company such that, after
giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no
longer a Subsidiary of the Company, the Company will be deemed to
have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or disposition
equal to the Fair Market Value of the Company’s Investments
in such Subsidiary that were not sold or disposed of in an amount
determined as provided in Section 4.07(c) hereof. Except as
otherwise provided in this Indenture, the amount of an Investment
will be determined at the time the Investment is made and without
giving effect to subsequent changes in value.
17
“ 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.
“ Letter of Credit
” means any present and future “letter of credit”
(as defined in Article 5 of the UCC).
“ Letter of Transmittal
” means the letter of transmittal, or its electronic
equivalent in accordance with the Applicable Procedures to be
prepared by the Company and sent to all Holders for use by such
Holders in connection with the Exchange Offer.
“ Lien ” means,
with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge,
security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such
asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under
applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title
retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or
other agreement to sell or give a security interest in such
asset.
“ Lien Sharing and Priority
Confirmation ” means:
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(1)
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as to any
Series of Parity Lien Debt, the written agreement of the holders of
such Series of Parity Lien Debt, as set forth in the indentures,
credit agreement or other agreement governing such Series of Parity
Lien Debt, for the enforceable benefit of all holders of each
existing and future Series of Priority Lien Debt and Parity Lien
Debt, each existing and future Priority Lien Representative and
Parity Lien Representative and each existing and future holder of
Permitted Liens:
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(a)
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that all Parity
Lien Obligations will be and are secured equally and ratably by all
Parity Liens at any time granted by the Company or any Guarantor to
secure any Obligations in respect of such Series of Parity Lien
Debt, whether or not upon property otherwise constituting Shared
Collateral for such Series of Parity Lien Debt, and that all such
Parity Liens will be enforceable by the Collateral Trustee for the
benefit of all holders of Parity Lien Obligations equally and
ratably; provided that the holders of any future Parity Lien
Debt that constitutes a “security” for purposes of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, will not be entitled to be
secured by any Separate Collateral;
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(b)
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that the
holders of Obligations in respect of such Series of Parity Lien
Debt are bound by the provisions of the Collateral Trust Agreement,
including the provisions relating to the ranking of Parity Liens
and the order of application of proceeds from the enforcement of
Parity Liens;
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(c)
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consenting to
and directing the Collateral Trustee to perform its obligations
under the Collateral Trust Agreement and the other Security
Documents; and
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(d)
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consent to the
terms of the Intercreditor Agreement; and
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18
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(2)
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as to any
Series of Priority Lien Debt, the written agreement of the holders
of such Series of Priority Lien Debt, as set forth in the credit
agreement, indenture or other agreement governing such Series of
Priority Lien Debt, for the enforceable benefit of all holders of
each existing and future Series of Parity Lien Debt, each existing
and future Parity Lien Representative and each existing and future
holder of Permitted Liens:
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(a)
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that all
Priority Lien Obligations will be and are secured equally and
ratably by all Priority Liens at any time granted by the Company or
any other Pledgor to secure any Obligations in respect of such
Series of Priority Lien Debt, whether or not upon property
otherwise constituting collateral for such Series of Priority Lien
Debt, and that all such Priority Liens will be enforceable by the
Collateral Trustee for the benefit of all holders of Priority Lien
Obligations equally and ratably; provided that the holders
of any future Priority Lien Debt that constitutes a
“security” for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, will not be entitled to be secured by any Separate
Collateral;
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(b)
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that the
holders of Obligations in respect of such Series of Priority Lien
Debt are bound by the provisions of the Collateral Trust Agreement,
including the provisions relating to the ranking of Priority Liens
and the order of application of proceeds from enforcement of
Priority Liens;
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(c)
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consenting to
and directing the Collateral Trustee to perform its obligations
under the Collateral Trust Agreement and the other Security
Documents; and
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(d)
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consenting to
the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement.
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“ Net Income ”
means, with respect to any specified Person, the net income (loss)
of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any
reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends, excluding,
however:
(1) any gain (or loss),
together with any related provision for taxes on such gain (or
loss), realized in connection with: (a) any Asset Sale
(without giving effect to the $10.0 million threshold provided in
the definition thereof); or (b) the disposition of any
securities by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or
the extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries;
(2) any extraordinary gain (or
loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such
extraordinary gain (or loss); and
(3) any unrealized non-cash
gains or losses in respect of Hedging Obligations, to the extent
that such gains or losses are deducted in computing Net
Income.
“ Net Proceeds ”
means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Company or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale or
Casualty Event (including, without limitation, any cash received
upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration,
including Designated Non-cash Consideration, received in any Asset
Sale), net of the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale or
Casualty Event, including, without limitation, legal, accounting
and investment banking fees, appraisal and insurance adjuster fees,
and sales commissions, and any relocation expenses incurred as a
result of the Asset Sale or Casualty Event, as the case may be,
taxes paid or payable as a result of the Asset Sale or Casualty
Event, in each case, to the extent applicable to such Asset Sale or
Casualty Event, after taking into account, without duplication,
(1) any reserve or payment with respect to liabilities
associated with such asset or assets and retained by the Company or
a Restricted Subsidiary after such sale or other disposition
thereof, including, without limitation, severance costs, pension
and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities
related to environmental matters or against any indemnification
obligations associated with such transaction, (2) any reserves
for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset
established in accordance with GAAP, and (3) any cash escrows
in connection with purchase price adjustments, reserves or
indemnities (until released).
19
“ NewPage Group ”
means NewPage Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation and the direct
parent corporation of Parent.
“ Non-Recourse Debt
” means Indebtedness:
(1) as to which neither the
Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) provides
credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, agreement or
instrument that would constitute Indebtedness), (b) is
directly or indirectly liable as a guarantor or otherwise, or
(c) constitutes the lender;
(2) no default with respect to
which (including any rights that the holders of the Indebtedness
may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted
Subsidiary) would permit upon notice, lapse of time or both any
holder of any other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other
Indebtedness or cause the payment of the Indebtedness to be
accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity; and
(3) as to which (a) the
explicit terms provide that there is no recourse against any assets
of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or
(b) the lenders have been notified in writing that they will
not have any recourse to the stock or assets of the Company or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
“ Note Documents
” means this Indenture, the Notes and the Security
Documents.
“ Non-U.S. Person
” means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.
“ Notes ” has the
meaning assigned to it in the preamble to this Indenture. The
Initial Notes and any Additional Notes subsequently issued under
this Indenture will be treated as a single class for all purposes
under this Indenture, including, without limitation, waivers,
amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase, and unless the
context otherwise requires, all references to the Notes shall
include the Initial Notes and any Additional Notes.
“ Obligations ”
means any principal (including reimbursement obligations with
respect to letters of credit whether or not drawn), interest
(including all interest accrued thereon after the commencement of
any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding at the rate, including any
applicable post-default rate, specified in the Priority Lien
Documents, even if such interest is not enforceable, allowable or
allowed as a claim in such proceeding), premium (if any), fees,
indemnifications, reimbursements, expenses and other liabilities
payable under the documentation governing any such
Indebtedness.
“ Offering
Circular” means the Company’s offering circular
dated September 17, 2009, relating to the initial offering of
the 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
Company by two Officers of the Company, one of whom must be the
principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the
principal accounting officer of the Company, that meets the
requirements of Section 13.05 hereof.
20
“ Opinion of Counsel
” means an opinion from legal counsel that meets the
requirements of Section 13.05 hereof. The counsel may be an
employee of or counsel to the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company.
“ Parent ” means
NewPage Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation and the direct
parent entity of the Company.
“ Parity Lien ”
means a Lien granted by a Security Document to the Collateral
Trustee, at any time, upon any property of the Company or any
Guarantor to secure Parity Lien Obligations.
“ Parity Lien Debt
” means:
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(1)
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the Existing
Second Lien Notes (including any related Exchange Notes) and the
related guarantees issued on May 2, 2005 and December 21,
2007, and all other Obligations of the Company or the Guarantors
under the Existing Second Lien Note Indentures; and
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(2)
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any other
Indebtedness of the Company (including Additional Notes), which may
be guaranteed by the Guarantors, that is secured equally and
ratably with the Existing Second Lien Notes by a Parity Lien that
was permitted to be incurred and so secured under each applicable
Secured Debt Document; provided that:
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(a)
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the net
proceeds are used to refund, refinance, replace, defease, discharge
or otherwise acquire or retire Priority Lien Debt or other Parity
Lien Debt; or
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(b)
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on the date of
incurrence of such Indebtedness, after giving pro forma effect to
the incurrence thereof and the application of the proceeds
therefrom, the Consolidated Coverage Ratio for the Company’s
most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal
financial statements are available immediately preceding the date
on which such additional Indebtedness is incurred would have been
at least 2.0 to 1.0, as if the additional Indebtedness had been
incurred at the beginning of such four-quarter period;
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provided, further
, in the case of any Indebtedness
referred to in clause (2) of this definition:
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(a)
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on or before
the date on which such Indebtedness is incurred by the Company,
such Indebtedness is designated by the Company, in an
Officers’ Certificate delivered to each Parity Lien
Representative and the Collateral Trustee, as “Parity Lien
Debt” for the purposes of this Indenture, the Existing Second
Lien Note Indentures and the Collateral Trust Agreement;
provided that no Series of Secured Debt may be designated as
both Parity Lien Debt and Priority Lien Debt;
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(b)
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such
Indebtedness is governed by an indenture, credit agreement or other
agreement that includes a Lien Sharing and Priority Confirmation;
and
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(c)
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all
requirements set forth in the Collateral Trust Agreement as to the
confirmation, grant or perfection of the Collateral Trustee’s
Liens to secure such Indebtedness or Obligations in respect thereof
are satisfied (and the satisfaction of such requirements and the
other provisions of this clause (c) will be conclusively
established if the Company delivers to the Collateral Trustee an
Officers’ Certificate stating that such requirements and
other provisions have been satisfied and that such Indebtedness is
“Parity Lien Debt”).
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“ Parity Lien Documents
” means, collectively, the Existing Second Lien Note
Indentures, any note instrument evidencing Parity Lien Debt, and
each indenture, credit agreement or other agreement governing each
other Series of Parity Lien Debt and the Security Documents (other
than any Security Documents that do not secure Parity Lien
Obligations).
“ Parity Lien
Obligations ” means Parity Lien Debt and all other
Obligations in respect thereof.
“ Parity Lien
Representative ” means:
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(1)
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in the case of
each series of the Existing Second Lien Notes, the applicable
trustee for such series; or
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(2)
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in the case of
any other Series of Parity Lien Debt, the trustee, agent or
representative of the holders of such Series of Parity Lien Debt
who maintains the transfer register for such Series of Parity Lien
Debt and (a) is appointed as a Parity Lien Representative (for
purposes related to the administration of the Security Documents)
pursuant to an indenture, credit agreement or other agreement
governing such Series of Parity Lien Debt, together with its
successors in such capacity, and (b) has become a party to the
Collateral Trust Agreement by executing a joinder in the form
required under the Collateral Trust Agreement.
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“ Participant ”
means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, a
Person who has an account with the Depositary, Euroclear or
Clearstream, respectively (and, with respect to DTC, shall include
Euroclear and Clearstream).
“ Permitted Business
” means any business engaged in by the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of this Indenture and any
business or other activities that are reasonably similar,
ancillary, complementary or related to, or a reasonable extension,
development or expansion of, the businesses in which the Company
and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the date of this
Indenture.
“ Permitted Investments
” means:
(1) any Investment in the
Company or in a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(2) any Investment in Cash
Equivalents;
(3) any Investment by the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in a Person, if
as a result of such Investment:
(a) such Person becomes a Restricted
Subsidiary of the Company; or
(b) such Person is merged,
consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys
substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the
Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(4) any Investment made as a
result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from (a) an
Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with
Section 4.10 hereof or (b) a sale or other disposition of
assets not constituting an Asset Sale;
22
(5) any acquisition of assets
or Capital Stock solely in exchange for the issuance of Equity
Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or a
direct or indirect parent of the Company;
(6) any Investment acquired by
the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries:
(a) in exchange for any other
Investment or accounts receivable held by the Company or any such
Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a
bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of a Person
or the good faith settlement of delinquent obligations of a Person
or of a litigation, arbitration or other dispute, or
(b) as a result of a foreclosure by
the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to
any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to
any secured Investment in default;
(7) Investments represented by
Hedging Obligations;
(8) loans, Guarantees of loans,
advances, and other extensions of credit to or on behalf of current
and former officers, directors, employees, and consultants of the
Company, a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, or a direct or
indirect parent of the Company made in the ordinary course of
business or for the purpose of permitting such Persons to purchase
Capital Stock of the Company or any direct or indirect parent of
the Company or in connection with any relocation costs related to
the relocation of the corporate headquarters of the Company, in an
amount not to exceed $10.0 million at any one time
outstanding;
(9) repurchases of the
Notes;
(10) any Investment of the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries existing on the date
of this Indenture and any extension, modification or renewal of
such existing Investments, to the extent not involving any
additional Investment other than as the result of the accrual or
accretion of interest or original issue discount or the issuance of
pay-in-kind securities, in each case pursuant to the terms of such
Investments as in effect on the date of this Indenture;
(11) Guarantees otherwise
permitted by the terms of this Indenture;
(12) receivables owing to the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, prepaid expenses, and
deposits, if created, acquired or entered into in the ordinary
course of business;
(13) payroll, business-related
travel, and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at
the time of such advances to be ultimately treated as expenses for
accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of
business;
(14) Investments resulting from
the acquisition of a Person, otherwise permitted by this Indenture,
which Investments at the time of such acquisition were held by the
acquired Person and were not acquired in contemplation of the
acquisition of such Person;
(15) any Investment in a
Receivables Entity or any Investment by a Receivables Entity in any
other Person in connection with a Qualified Receivables
Transaction, including Investments of funds held in accounts
permitted or required by the arrangements governing the Qualified
Receivables Transaction or any related Indebtedness; and
23
(16) other Investments in any
Person other than an Affiliate of the Company having an aggregate
Fair Market Value (measured on the date each such Investment was
made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value),
when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to
this clause (16) that are at the time outstanding not to
exceed the greater of $50.0 million or 2.5% of Total
Assets.
“ Permitted Liens
” means:
(1) any Liens held by the
Collateral Trustee securing (A) the Notes and the Subsidiary
Guarantees to be issued on the date of this Indenture and the
Exchange Notes and the related Subsidiary Guarantees to be issued
pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, (B) any other
Priority Lien Debt incurred after the date of this Indenture if the
aggregate principal amount thereof, together with the aggregate
principal amount of clause (A) above does not exceed the
Priority Lien Cap as of any date of incurrence and (C) all
Priority Lien Obligations relating to any of the
foregoing;
(2) Liens held by the
Collateral Trustee equally and ratably securing (A) the
Existing Second Lien Notes issued on May 2, 2005 and
December 21, 2007 and all future Parity Lien Debt that was
permitted by all applicable Secured Debt Documents to be incurred
and (B) all related Parity Lien Obligations; provided,
that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any future Parity Lien Debt
that does not constitute a “security” for purposes of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, will be permitted to be
secured by Separate Collateral pursuant to the clause (2) even
if the Liens held by the Collateral Trustee securing such
Indebtedness do not equally and ratably secure the Existing Second
Lien Notes (and the related exchange notes) and any future Parity
Lien Debt that constitutes a “security” for purposes of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(3) Liens securing
(A) Revolving Credit Debt up to the Revolving Credit Cap and
(B) all related Revolving Credit Obligations, together with
Liens on the Shared Collateral granting limited access rights with
respect to the ABL Collateral;
(4) Liens in favor of the
Company or the Guarantors;
(5) Liens to secure the
performance of tenders, completion guarantees, statutory
obligations, surety or appeal bonds, bids, leases, government
contracts, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature
incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(6) Liens to secure
Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations) or Attributable
Debt permitted by Section 4.09(b)(6) hereof covering only the
assets acquired with or financed by such Indebtedness or in the
case of real property or fixtures, including additions and
improvements, the real property on which such assets is
attached;
(7) Liens existing on the date
of this Indenture;
(8) Liens for taxes,
assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet
delinquent or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings promptly instituted and diligently concluded;
provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as
is required in conformity with GAAP has been made
therefor;
(9) Liens imposed by law, such
as carriers’, warehousemen’s, landlords’,
mechanics’, suppliers’, materialmen’s and
repairmen’s Liens, or in favor of customs or revenue
authorities or freight forwarders or handlers to secure payment of
custom duties, in each case, incurred in the ordinary course of
business;
24
(10) any state of facts an
accurate survey would disclose, public and private roads, timber
cutting and hauling contracts, timber sales contracts, prescriptive
easements or adverse possession claims, minor encumbrances,
easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, pursuant to
any leases, licenses, rights-of-way or other similar agreements or
arrangements, development, air or water rights, sewers, electric
lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other utility lines,
pipelines, service lines, railroad lines, improvements and
structures located on, over or under any property, drains, drainage
ditches, culverts, electric power or gas generating or
co-generation, storage and transmission facilities and other
similar purposes, zoning or other restrictions as to the use of
real property, or minor defects in title, which were not incurred
to secure payment of Indebtedness and that 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;
(11) Liens created for the
benefit of (or to secure) the Notes (or the related Subsidiary
Guarantees);
(12) Liens to secure any
Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under
this Indenture (other than Revolving Credit Debt, Parity Debt or
Priority Lien Debt); provided, however , that the new Lien
shall be limited to all or part of the same property and assets
that secured or, under the written agreements pursuant to which the
Indebtedness being refinanced arose, could secure the original Lien
( plus improvements and accessions to, such property or
proceeds or distributions thereof);
(13) Liens incurred in the
ordinary course of business of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company with respect to Indebtedness and other obligations that do
not exceed $20.0 million at any one time outstanding;
(14) Liens upon specific items
of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing
such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’
acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to
facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or
other goods;
(15) Liens incurred or pledges
or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection
with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other
types of social security and employee health and disability
benefits, or casualty—liability insurance or self insurance
including any Lien securing letters of credit issued in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in
connection therewith;
(16) judgment and attachment
Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default and notices of lis
pendens and associated rights related to litigation being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which
adequate reserves have been made in conformity with
GAAP;
(17) Liens securing Hedging
Obligations incurred pursuant to clause (b)(11) of
Section 4.09;
(18) any extension, renewal or
replacement, in whole or in part, of any Lien described in clauses
(6), (7), (20), (21) or (22) of the definition of
“Permitted Liens”; provided that any such
extension, renewal or replacement is no more restrictive in any
material respect than the Lien so extended, renewed or replaced and
does not extend to any additional property or assets, in conformity
with GAAP;
25
(19) Liens on Receivables and
Related Assets of the type specified in the definition of
“Qualified Receivables Transaction” to secure
Indebtedness incurred and outstanding under clause (b)(2) of
Section 4.09;
(20) any interest or title of a
lessor, licensor or sublicensee under any operating lease, license
or sublicense, as applicable;
(21) Liens on assets of Foreign
Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause
(b)(18) of Section 4.09; and
(22) Liens in favor of
collecting or payor banks having a right of setoff, revocation,
refund or chargeback with respect to money or instruments of the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary thereof on deposit with or in
possession of such bank.
“ Permitted Payments to
Parent ” means, without duplication as to
amounts:
(1) payments to any direct or
indirect parent of the Company to permit such direct or indirect
parent to pay reasonable accounting, legal and administrative
expenses of such Person when due, in an aggregate amount for all
such Persons not to exceed $2.0 million per annum (or $5.0
million per annum following the completion of an
underwritten public offering of common stock of any such direct or
indirect parent holding company);
(2) payments to Parent, NewPage
Group or any indirect parent to permit Parent, NewPage Group or any
indirect parent to pay reasonable accounting, legal and
administrative expenses incurred in connection with Parent’s,
NewPage Group’s or any indirect parent’s obligations
under the HoldCo Notes or the SuperHoldco Notes and the related
registration rights agreements when due, in an aggregate amount not
to exceed $1.5 million per annum ; and
(3) for so long as the Company
is a member of a group filing a consolidated or combined tax return
with any direct or indirect parent of the Company, payments to such
direct or indirect parent in respect of an allocable portion of the
tax liabilities of such group that is attributable to the Company
and its Subsidiaries (“ Tax Payments ”) and to
pay franchise or similar taxes and fees of such direct or indirect
parent required to maintain such direct or indirect parent’s
corporate existence. The Tax Payments shall not exceed the lesser
of (i) the amount of the relevant tax (including any penalties
and interest) that the Company would owe if the Company were filing
a separate tax return (or a separate consolidated or combined
return with its Subsidiaries that are members of the consolidated
or combined group), taking into account any carryovers and
carrybacks of tax attributes (such as net operating losses) of the
Company and such Subsidiaries from other taxable years and
(ii) the net amount of the relevant tax that the direct or
indirect parent actually owes to the appropriate taxing authority.
Any Tax Payments received from the Company shall be paid over to
the appropriate taxing authority within 60 days of the direct or
indirect parent’s receipt of such Tax Payments or refunded to
the Company.
26
“ Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness ” means:
(1) any Indebtedness of the
Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than
Disqualified Stock) issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of
which are used to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or
discharge other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Disqualified Stock and
intercompany Indebtedness); provided that:
(a) the principal amount (or
accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted
value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness renewed, refunded,
refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged ( plus all
accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all fees and
expenses, including the amount of any reasonably determined premium
and defeasance costs, incurred in connection therewith and other
amounts necessary to accomplish such refinancing);
(b) such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness has a final maturity date equal to or later than the
final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity
equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of,
the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced,
defeased or discharged;
(c) if the Indebtedness being
renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged is
subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, such Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the
Notes on terms at least as favorable to the Holders as those
contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being
renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged;
and
(d) such Indebtedness is incurred
either by the Company or by the Restricted Subsidiary who is the
obligor on the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced,
replaced, defeased or discharged; and
(2) any Disqualified Stock of
the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in
exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to extend,
refinance, renew, refund, replace, defease or discharge other
Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Company or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness or Disqualified
Stock held by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
including intercompany Indebtedness); provided
that:
(a) the liquidation or face value of
such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the
principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the
Indebtedness, or the liquidation or face value of the Disqualified
Stock, as applicable, so renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced,
defeased or discharged ( plus all accrued interest or
dividends thereon and the amount of any reasonably determined
premium incurred in connection therewith);
(b) such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness has a final redemption date equal to or later than the
final maturity or redemption date of, and has a Weighted Average
Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life
to Maturity of, the Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock being
renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or
discharged;
(c) such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes on
terms at least as favorable to the Holders as those contained in
the documentation governing the Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock
being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or
discharged; and
(d) such Disqualified Stock is
issued either by the Company or by the Restricted Subsidiary who is
the issuer of the Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock being renewed,
refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged.
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“ Person ” means
any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated
organization, limited liability company or government or other
entity.
“ Pledgors ”
means the Company, the Guarantors and any other Person (if any)
that provides collateral security for any Secured Debt
Obligations.
“ Principal ”
means Cerberus Capital Management L.P. or any Affiliate thereof,
and any fund or account managed by Cerberus Capital Management L.P.
or an Affiliate thereof.
“ Priority Lien ”
means a Lien granted by a Security Document to the Collateral
Trustee, at any time, upon any property of the Company or any other
Pledgor to secure Priority Lien Obligations.
“ Priority Lien Cap
” means, as of any date, an amount equal to the sum of
(i) the amount permitted to be borrowed on that date under
clause (1) of the definition of Permitted Debt plus
(ii) the amount permitted to be borrowed on that date under
clauses (5) and (20) of the definition of Permitted Debt
plus (iii) up to $75.0 million of additional
Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred less
(y) the amount of Revolving Credit Debt outstanding on that
date and less (z) the amount of Parity Lien Debt
incurred after the date of this Indenture, the net proceeds of
which are used to repay Priority Lien Debt . For purposes of
this definition, all letters of credit will be valued at the face
amount thereof, whether or not drawn and all Hedging Obligations
will be valued at zero.
“ Priority Lien Debt
” means:
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(1)
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the Notes
issued pursuant to this Indenture (including any related Exchange
Notes) and the related Subsidiary Guarantees and all other
Obligations of the Company or the Guarantors under this Indenture
that was permitted to be incurred and secured under each applicable
Secured Debt Document (or as to which the lenders under this
Indenture obtained an Officers’ Certificate at the time of
incurrence to the effect that such Indebtedness was permitted to be
incurred and secured by all applicable Secured Debt
Documents);
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(2)
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any other
Indebtedness of the Company (including Additional Notes), which may
be guaranteed by the Guarantors, that is secured by a Priority Lien
that was permitted to be incurred and so secured under each
applicable Secured Debt Document; provided , in the case of
any Indebtedness referred to in this clause (2), that:
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(a)
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on or before
the date on which such Indebtedness is incurred, such Indebtedness
is designated by the Company, in an Officers’ Certificate
delivered to each Secured Debt Representative and the Collateral
Trustee, as “Priority Lien Debt” for the purposes of
the Secured Debt Documents; provided that no Series of
Secured Debt may be designated as both Parity Lien Debt and
Priority Lien Debt;
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(b)
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such
Indebtedness is governed by an indenture, credit agreement or other
agreement that includes a Lien Sharing and Priority Confirmation;
and
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(c)
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all
requirements set forth in the Collateral Trust Agreement as to the
confirmation, grant or perfection of the Collateral Trustee’s
Lien to secure such Indebtedness or Obligations in respect thereof
are satisfied (and the satisfaction of such requirements and the
other provisions of this clause (c) will be conclusively
established if the Company delivers to the Collateral Trustee an
Officers’ Certificate stating that such requirements and
other provisions have been satisfied and that such Indebtedness is
“ Priority Lien Debt ”); and
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(3)
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Hedging
Obligations of the Company (which may be guaranteed by the
Guarantors) incurred to hedge or manage interest rate risk with
respect to Priority Lien Debt or Parity Lien Debt, or to protect
the Company against fluctuations in currency exchange rates or
commodity prices; provided that:
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(a)
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such Hedging
Obligations are secured by a Priority Lien on all of the assets and
properties that secure the Priority Lien Debt in respect of which
such Hedging Obligations are incurred; and
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(b)
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such Priority
Lien is senior to or on a parity with the Priority Liens securing
the Priority Lien Debt in respect of which such Hedging Obligations
are incurred.
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“ Priority Lien
Documents ” means the Note Documents and any other
indenture, credit agreement or other agreement pursuant to which
any Priority Lien Debt is incurred and the related Security
Documents (other than any Security Documents that do not secure
Priority Lien Obligations).
“ Priority Lien
Obligations ” means the Priority Lien Debt and all other
Obligations in respect of Priority Lien Debt.
“ Priority Lien
Representative ” means, in the case of any Series of
Priority Lien Debt, the trustee, agent or representative of the
holders of such Series of Priority Lien Debt who maintains the
transfer register for such Series of Priority Lien Debt and is
appointed as a representative of the Priority Lien Debt (for
purposes related to the administration of the Security Documents)
pursuant to the credit agreement or other agreement governing such
Series of Priority Lien Debt.
“ Pro Forma Cost
Savings ” means, with respect to any period, the
reduction in net costs and related adjustments that (i) were
directly attributable to an acquisition that occurred during the
four quarter period or after the end of the four quarter period and
on or prior to the Calculation Date and calculated on a basis that
is consistent with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act as in
effect and applied as of May 2, 2005, (ii) were actually
implemented by the business that was the subject of any such
acquisition within six months after the date of the acquisition and
prior to the Calculation Date that are supportable and quantifiable
by the underlying accounting records of such business or
(iii) relate to the business that is the subject of any such
acquisition and that the Company reasonably determines are probable
based upon specifically identifiable actions to be taken within six
months of the date of the acquisition and, in the case of each of
(i), (ii) and (iii), are described, as provided below, in an
Officers’ Certificate, as if all such reductions in costs had
been effected as of the beginning of such period. Pro Forma Cost
Savings described above shall be accompanied by a certificate
delivered to the Trustee from the Company’s chief financial
officer that outlines the specific actions taken or to be taken,
the net cost savings achieved or to be achieved from each such
action and that, in the case of clause (iii) above, such
savings have been determined to be probable.
“ 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.
“ Qualified Capital
Stock ” means any Capital Stock that is not Disqualified
Stock.
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“ Qualified Proceeds
” means any of the following or any combination of the
following:
(1) Cash Equivalents;
and
(2) the Fair Market Value of
the Capital Stock of any Person engaged primarily in a Permitted
Business if, in connection with the receipt by the Company or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries of such Capital Stock, such Person
becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or such Person is merged or
consolidated into the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary.
“ Qualified Receivables
Transaction ” means any transaction or series of
transactions that may be entered into by the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to which the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary may sell, convey, contribute to capital or
otherwise transfer to a Receivables Entity, or may grant a security
interest in or pledge, any Receivables or interests therein and any
assets related thereto, including, without limitation, all
collateral securing such Receivables, all contracts and contract
rights, purchase orders, security interests, financing statements
or other documentation in respect of such Receivables, any
Guarantees, indemnities, warranties or other documentation in
respect of such Receivables, any other assets that are customarily
transferred or in respect of which security interests are
customarily granted in connection with asset securitization
transactions involving receivables similar to such Receivables and
any collections or proceeds of any of the foregoing (collectively,
the “Related Assets”), which transfer, grant of
security interest or pledge is funded in whole or in part, directly
or indirectly, by the incurrence or issuance by the transferee or
any successor transferee of Indebtedness, fractional undivided
interests, or other securities that are to receive payments from,
or that represent interests in, the cash flow derived from such
Receivables and Related Assets or interests in Receivables and
Related Assets, it being understood that a Qualified Receivables
Transaction may involve:
(1) one or more sequential
transfers or pledges of the same Receivables and Related Assets, or
interests therein, and
(2) periodic transfers or
pledges of Receivables or revolving transactions in which new
Receivables and Related Assets, or interests therein, are
transferred or pledged upon collection of previously transferred or
pledged Receivables and Related Assets, or interests therein, and
provided that:
(a) the Board of Directors of the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary which is party to such
Qualified Receivables Transaction shall have determined in good
faith that such Qualified Receivables Transaction is economically
fair and reasonable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary as
applicable, and the Receivables Entity, and
(b) the financing terms, covenants,
termination events and other provisions thereof shall be market
terms (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary which is party to such
Qualified Receivables Transaction).
The grant of a security interest in
any accounts receivables of the Company or any of Restricted
Subsidiary to secure Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Credit
Agreements shall not be deemed a Qualified Receivables
Transaction.
“ Receivables ”
means accounts receivable (including all rights to payment created
by or arising from the sale of goods, or the rendition of services,
no matter how evidenced (including in the form of chattel paper)
and whether or not earned by performance) of the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary, whether now existing or arising in the
future.
“ Receivables Entity
” means any Person formed for the purposes of engaging in a
Qualified Receivables Transaction with the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary which engages in no activities
30
other than in connection with the financing of
Receivables of the Company and Restricted Subsidiaries, all
proceeds thereof and all rights (contractual or other), collateral
and other assets relating thereto, and any business or activities
incidental or related to such business, and which is designated by
the Board of Directors of the Restricted Subsidiary that is the
direct parent company of such Receivables Entity, or, if the
Receivables Entity is not a Subsidiary of the Company, by the Board
of Directors of any Restricted Subsidiary participating in such
Qualified Receivables Transaction (in each case as provided below),
as a Receivables Entity and:
(1) no portion of the
Indebtedness or any other obligations (contingent or otherwise) of
which:
(a) is guaranteed by the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary other than a Receivables Entity
(excluding any guarantees (other than Guarantees of the principal
of, and interest on, Indebtedness and Guarantees of collection on
Receivables) pursuant to Standard Securitization
Undertakings);
(b) is recourse to or obligates the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than a Receivables
Entity) in any way other than pursuant to Standard Securitization
Undertakings; or
(c) subjects any property or asset
of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than a
Receivables Entity, directly or indirectly, contingently or
otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof, other than pursuant to
Standard Securitization Undertakings;
(2) with which neither the
Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary other than a Receivables
Entity has any material contract, agreement, arrangement or
understanding other than on terms which the Company reasonably
believes to be no less favorable to the Company or such Restricted
Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at that time from
Persons that are not Affiliates of the Company; and
(3) to which neither the
Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has any obligation to
maintain or preserve such entity’s financial condition or
cause such entity to achieve certain levels of operating results
(other than pursuant to Standard Securitization
Undertakings).
Any such designation by the Board of
Directors of the applicable Restricted Subsidiary shall be
evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified
copy of the resolution of such Board of Directors giving effect to
such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that
such designation complied with the foregoing conditions.
“ Receivables Financing
” means any transaction (including, without limitation, any
Qualified Receivables Transaction) pursuant to which the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary may sell, convey or otherwise transfer or
grant a security interest in any Receivables or Related Assets of
the type specified in the definition of “Qualified
Receivables Transaction.”
“ Registration Rights
Agreement ” means the Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement, dated as of the date of this Indenture, among the
Company, the Guarantors and the other parties named on the
signature pages thereof, as such agreement may be amended, modified
or supplemented from time to time and, with respect to any
Additional Notes, one or more registration rights agreements among
the Company, the Guarantors and the other parties thereto, as such
agreement(s) may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to
time, relating to rights given by the Company to the purchasers of
Additional Notes to register such Additional Notes under the
Securities Act.
31
“ 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:
(1) any controlling
stockholder, partner, member, 80% (or more) owned Subsidiary, or
immediate family member (in the case of an individual) of any
Principal; or
(2) any trust, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company or other entity, the
beneficiaries, stockholders, partners, members, 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).
“ Required Parity Lien
Debtholders ” means, at any time, the holders of a
majority in aggregate principal amount of all Parity Lien Debt then
outstanding, calculated in accordance with the provisions of
Section 8.2 of the Collateral Trust Agreement. For purposes of
this definition, Parity Lien Debt registered in the name of, or
beneficially owned by, the Company or any Affiliate (other than
Existing Second Lien Notes held by any Person that is an Affiliate
of the Company as of May 2, 2005 and that is regulated by any
banking or insurance authority) of the Company will be deemed not
to be outstanding.
“ 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) having direct responsibility for
the administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect
to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom
such matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of
and familiarity with the particular subject and that has direct
responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
“ Restricted Definitive
Note ” means a Definitive Note bearing the Private
Placement Legend.
“ Restricted Global
Note ” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement
Legend.
“ Restricted Investment
” means an Investment other than a Permitted
Investment.
“ Restricted Period
” means the 40-day distribution compliance period as defined
in Regulation S.
“ Restricted Subsidiary
” of a Person means any Subsidiary of the referent Person
that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
32
“ Revolving Credit
Agent ” means, at any time:
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(1)
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the Person
serving at such time as the “Agent” or
“Administrative Agent” under the ABL Facility or any
other representative then most recently designated in accordance
with the applicable provisions of the ABL Facility, together with
its successors in such capacity; and
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(2)
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in the case of
any other revolving credit Indebtedness, the trustee, agent or
representative of the holders of such revolving credit Indebtedness
who maintains the transfer register for such revolving credit
Indebtedness and (a) is appointed as a Revolving Credit Agent
(for purposes related to the administration of the Security
Documents) pursuant to the agreement governing such revolving
credit Indebtedness, together with its successors in such capacity,
and (b) has become a party to the Collateral Trust Agreement
by executing a joinder in the form required under the Collateral
Trust Agreement.
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“ Revolving Credit Debt
” means:
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(1)
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Indebtedness of
the Company (which may be guaranteed by the Guarantors) under the
ABL Facility that was permitted to be incurred and secured under
each applicable Secured Debt Document (or as to which the lenders
under such Credit Agreement obtained an Officers’ Certificate
at or before the time of incurrence to the effect that such
Indebtedness was permitted to be incurred and secured by all
applicable Secured Debt Documents); and
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(2)
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any other
Indebtedness of the Company (which may be guaranteed by the
Guarantors) that is secured by a Lien on ABL Collateral that was
permitted to be incurred and so secured under each applicable
Secured Debt Document; provided, in the case of any Indebtedness
referred to in this clause (2) that on or before the date on
which such Indebtedness is incurred, such Indebtedness is
designated by the Company, in an Officers’ Certificate
delivered to each Secured Debt Representative and the Collateral
Trustee, as “Revolving Credit Debt” for the purposes of
the Secured Debt Documents; provided, further , that no
Series of Secured Debt may be Designated as Revolving Credit Debt
and Priority Lien Debt or Parity Lien Debt;
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provided further
that no Indebtedness will be
considered to be “Revolving Credit Debt” if on the date
it was incurred the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding
Revolving Credit Debt exceeds the Revolving Credit Debt Cap as of
such date (unless the lenders under the applicable Credit Facility
obtained an Officers’ Certificate at or before the time of
incurrence to the effect that such Indebtedness was permitted to be
incurred and secured by all applicable Secured Debt
Documents).
For purposes of this definition,
letters of credit may constitute “Revolving Credit
Debt.” All outstanding letters of credit will be deemed to
have a principal amount equal to the maximum potential liability of
the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries thereunder.
“ Revolving Credit Debt
Cap ” means an amount equal to the amount of Indebtedness
permitted to be incurred pursuant to clauses (1) or
(20) of the definition of Permitted Debt less (A) any
Indebtedness incurred under clauses (1) or (20) of the
definition of Permitted Debt that has been designated Priority Lien
Debt and (B) less any Parity Lien Debt applied to repay
revolving credit Indebtedness incurred under clauses (1) or
(20) of the definition of Permitted Debt.
“ Rule 144 ”
means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“ Rule 144A ”
means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.
33
“ Rule 903 ”
means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“ Rule 904 ”
means Rule 904 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“ Rumford L.P. ”
means Rumford Cogeneration Company Limited Partnership, a Maine
limited partnership.
“ Sale of a Guarantor
” means (1) any Asset Sale to the extent involving a
sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of the Capital Stock
of a Guarantor or (2) the issuance of Equity Interests by a
Guarantor, other than (a) an issuance of Equity Interests by a
Guarantor to the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary of the
Company, and (b) directors’ qualifying
shares.
“ Sale of Shared
Collateral ” means any Asset Sale to the extent involving
a sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of Shared
Collateral.
“ Sale/Leaseback
Transaction ” means an arrangement relating to property
owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary on the date of this
Indenture or thereafter acquired by the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary whereby the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary transfers
such property to a Person and the Company or a Restricted
Subsidiary leases it from such Person.
“ SEC ” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
“ Secured Debt ”
means, collectively, all Parity Lien Debt and Priority Lien
Debt.
“ Secured Debt
Documents ” means the Parity Lien Documents and the
Priority Lien Documents.
“ Secured Debt
Representative ” means each Parity Lien Representative
and each Priority Lien Representative.
“ Secured Leverage
Ratio ” means, on any date, the ratio of:
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(1)
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the aggregate
principal amount of Secured Debt, Revolving Credit Debt and Capital
Lease Obligations outstanding on such date plus all Indebtedness of
Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company that are not Guarantors
outstanding on such date (and, for this purpose, letters of credit
will be deemed to have a principal amount equal to the face amount
thereof, whether or not drawn), net of Unrestricted Cash on the
balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of
such date, to:
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(2)
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the aggregate
amount of the Company’s Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the
most recent four-quarter period for which financial information is
available.
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In addition, for purposes of
calculating the Secured Leverage Ratio:
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(1)
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acquisitions that have been made
by the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries,
including through mergers or consolidations, or any Person or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquired by the specified Person or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, and including any related
financing transactions and including increases in ownership of
Restricted Subsidiaries, during the four-quarter reference period
or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to the date
on which the event for which the calculation of the Secured
Leverage Ratio is made (the “ Secured Leverage Calculation
Date ”) will be given pro forma effect (in accordance
with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act),
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34
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including Pro Forma Cost Savings
whether or not such Pro Forma Cost Savings comply with
Regulation S-X, as if they had occurred on the first day of
the four-quarter reference period;
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(2)
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the
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA attributable to discontinued
operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations
or businesses (and ownership interests therein) disposed of prior
to the Secured Leverage Calculation Date, will be excluded
(including by adding back the amount of any attributable
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA that was negative);
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(3)
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the Interest
Expense attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in
accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses (and ownership
interests therein) disposed of prior to the Secured Leverage
Calculation Date, will be excluded, but only to the extent that the
obligations giving rise to such Interest Expense will not be
obligations of the specified Person or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries following the Secured Leverage Calculation
Date;
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(4)
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any Person that
is a Restricted Subsidiary on the Secured Leverage Calculation Date
will be deemed to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at all times
during such four-quarter period;
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(5)
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any Person that
is not a Restricted Subsidiary on the Secured Leverage Calculation
Date will be deemed not to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at any
time during such four-quarter period; and
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(6)
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if any
Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest, the interest
expense on such Indebtedness will be calculated as if the rate in
effect on the Secured Leverage Calculation Date had been the
applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any
Hedging Obligation applicable to such Indebtedness if such Hedging
Obligation has a remaining term as at the Secured Leverage
Calculation Date in excess of 12 months).
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“ Secured Obligations
” means, collectively, all Parity Lien Obligations and all
Priority Lien Obligations.
“ Security ”
means any stock, shares, partnership interests, voting trust
certificates, certificates of interest or participation in any
profit sharing agreement or arrangement, options, warrants, bonds,
debentures, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness, secured or
unsecured, convertible, subordinated or otherwise, or in general
any instruments commonly known as “securities” or any
certificates of interest, shares or participations in temporary or
interim certificates for the purchase or acquisition of, or any
right to subscribe to, purchase or acquire, any of the
foregoing.
“ Securities Act
” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“ Security Documents
” means the Collateral Trust Agreement, the Intercreditor
Agreement, each Lien Sharing and Priority Confirmation, and all
security agreements, pledge agreements, collateral assignments,
mortgages, deeds of trust, collateral agency agreements, control
agreements or other grants or transfers for security executed and
delivered by the Company or any other Pledgor creating (or
purporting to create) a Lien upon Collateral in favor of the
Collateral Trustee, in each case, as amended, modified, renewed,
restated or replaced, in whole or in part, from time to time, in
accordance with its terms and the provisions of Section 8.1 of
the Collateral Trust Agreement.
“ Senior Secured Fixed Rate
Notes ” means the 10% Senior Secured Notes due 2012
issued pursuant to the Senior Secured Fixed Rate Note
Indenture.
35
“ Senior Secured Fixed Rate
Note Indenture” means the 10% Senior Secured Note
Indenture, dated May 2, 2005, among NewPage Corporation, the
guarantors party thereto and HSBC Bank USA, National Association as
Trustee.
“ Senior Secured Floating
Rate Notes ” means the Floating Rate Senior Secured Notes
due 2012 issued pursuant to the Senior Secured Floating Rate Note
Indenture.
“ Senior Secured Floating
Rate Note Indenture” means the Senior Secured Floating
Rate Note Indenture, dated May 2, 2005, among NewPage
Corporation, the guarantors party thereto and HSBC Bank USA,
National Association as Trustee.
“ Senior Subordinated Note
Indenture” means the Senior Subordinated Note Indenture,
dated May 2, 2005, among NewPage Corporation, the guarantors
party thereto and HSBC Bank USA, National Association.
“ Separate Collateral
” means Stock of Subsidiaries and Intercompany Notes of
Subsidiaries unless, at the relevant time of consideration, such
Intercompany Notes of Subsidiaries secure Obligations under the ABL
Facility.
“ Series of Parity Lien
Debt ” means, severally, the Existing Second Lien Notes
and each other issue or series of Parity Lien Debt for which a
single transfer register is maintained.
“ Series of Priority Lien
Debt ” means, severally, the Notes and the Indebtedness
outstanding under any Credit Facility that constitutes Priority
Lien Debt.
“ Series of Secured
Debt ” means each Series of Parity Lien Debt and each
Series of Priority Lien Debt.
“ Shared Collateral
” means all properties and assets at any time owned or
acquired by the Company or any of the other Pledgors,
except:
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(3)
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any properties
and assets in which the Collateral Trustee is required to release
its Liens pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.1 of the
Collateral Trust Agreement; and
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(4)
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any properties
and assets that no longer secure the Notes or any Obligations in
respect thereof pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.4. of
the Collateral Trust Agreement;
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provided that, in the case of clauses (3) and (4),
if such Liens are required to be released as a result of the sale,
transfer or other disposition of any properties or assets of the
Company or any other Pledgor, such assets or properties will cease
to be excluded from the Collateral if the Company or any other
Pledgor thereafter acquires or reacquires such assets or
properties.
“ Shelf Registration
Statement ” means the Shelf Registration Statement as
defined in the Registration Rights Agreement.
36
“ 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.
“ Special Interest
” means all special interest then owing pursuant to the
Registration Rights Agreement.
“ Standard Securitization
Undertakings ” means all representations, warranties,
covenants, indemnities, performance guarantees and servicing
obligations entered into by the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company (other than a Receivables Entity) which are customary in
connection with any Qualified Receivables Transaction.
“ Stated Maturity
” means, with respect to any installment of interest or
principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which the
payment of interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the
documentation governing such Indebtedness as of the date of this
Indenture, and will not include any contingent obligations to
repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to
the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
“ Stock of Subsidiaries
” means all Capital Stock of, and Equity Interests in,
Subsidiaries of the Company.
“ 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 and after giving effect to any voting
agreement or stockholders’ agreement that effectively
transfers voting power) 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);
provided, however , that notwithstanding the foregoing,
Rumford L.P. shall not constitute a Subsidiary of the Company,
unless and until the Company directly or indirectly acquires all of
the limited partner interests in Rumford L.P.
“ Subsidiary Guarantee
” means the Guarantee by each Guarantor of the
Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes,
executed pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture.
“ SuperHoldCo Notes
” means the floating rate senior unsecured notes due 2015
issued by NewPage Group on December 21, 2007, any exchange
notes issued in connection with any registration of such notes, and
any additional floating rate senior unsecured notes issued by
NewPage Group as payments of interest thereon.
“ TIA ” means the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S.C.
§§ 77aaa-77bbbb).
“ Total Assets ”
means the total consolidated assets of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, as shown on the most recent internal
balance sheet of the Company prepared on a consolidated basis
(excluding Unrestricted Subsidiaries) in accordance with
GAAP.
37
“ Transactions ”
means the amendments entered into on September 11, 2009 to
certain provisions of the Term Loan Credit and Guaranty Agreement
and the ABL Facility, together with the issuance of the Notes on
the date of this Indenture.
“ Treasury Rate ”
means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity as of such
redemption date of United States Treasury securities with a
constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent
Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become
publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the
redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer
published, any publicly available source of similar market data))
most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to
March 31, 2012; provided, however , that if the period
from the redemption date to March 31, 2012, is less than one
year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States
Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year
will be used.
“ Trustee ” means
The Bank of New York Mellon, until a successor replaces it in
accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and
thereafter means the successor serving hereunder.
“UCC
” means the Uniform Commercial
Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York or,
when the context implies, the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect
from time to time in any other applicable jurisdiction.
“ Unrestricted Cash
” means, with respect to any specified Person for any date,
the aggregate amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on the
consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries which is free and clear of all Liens (other than
Permitted Liens), other than segregated cash and Cash Equivalents
the use of which, as of such date, is restricted by law or
Contractual Obligation to any specific purpose.
“ Unrestricted Definitive
Note ” means a Definitive Note that does not bear and is
not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.
“ Unrestricted Global
Note ” means a Global Note that does not bear and is not
required to bear the Private Placement Legend.
“ Unrestricted
Subsidiary ” means Consolidated Water Power
Company (until such time, if any, when Consolidated Water
Power Company ceases to constitute an Unrestricted Subsidiary
under the terms of this Indenture) and any other Subsidiary of the
Company that is designated by the Board of Directors of the Company
as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a resolution of the Board
of Directors, but only to the extent that such
Subsidiary:
(1) has no Indebtedness other than
Non-Recourse Debt;
(2) except as permitted by
Section 4.11 hereof, is not party to any agreement, contract,
arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary of the Company unless the terms of any such agreement,
contract, arrangement or understanding are no less favorable to the
Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might be
obtained at the time from Persons who are not Affiliates of the
Company;
(3) is a Person with respect to
which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
has any direct or indirect obligation (a) to subscribe for
additional Equity Interests or (b) to maintain or preserve
such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to
achieve any specified levels of operating results; and
38
(4) has not guaranteed or otherwise
directly or indirectly provided credit support for any Indebtedness
of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries unless such
Guarantee or credit support is released upon its designation as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary.
“ U.S. Person ”
means a U.S. Person as defined in Rule 902(k) promulgated under the
Securities Act.
“ Voting Stock ”
of any specified 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
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 of the Indebtedness, 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.
Section 1.02 Other
Definitions.
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Defined in
Section
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“Affiliate
Transaction”
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4.11
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“Asset Sale Offer”
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3.09
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“Authentication
Order”
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2.02
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“Change of Control
Offer”
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4.15
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“Change of Control
Payment”
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4.15
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“Change of Control Payment
Date”
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4.15
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“Covenant
Defeasance”
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8.03
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“DTC”
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2.03
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“Event of Default”
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6.01
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“Excess Proceeds”
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4.10
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“incur”
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4.09
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“Legal Defeasance”
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8.02
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“Offer Amount”
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3.09
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“Offer Period”
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3.09
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“Paying Agent”
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2.03
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“Payment Default”
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6.01
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“Permitted Debt”
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4.09
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“Purchase Date”
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3.09
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“Redemption Date”
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3.07
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“Registrar”
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2.03
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“Restricted
Payments”
|
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4.07
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39
Section 1.03 Incorporation by Reference of
Trust Indenture Act.
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 and the Subsidiary Guarantees;
“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 and the Subsidiary
Guarantees means the Company and the Guarantors, respectively, and
any successor obligor upon the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees,
respectively.
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 and not
otherwise defined herein have the meanings so assigned to them
either in the TIA or SEC rule.
Section 1.04 Rules of
Construction.
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, the Exchange Act or the TIA will be
deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or
rules adopted by the SEC from time to time.
ARTICLE 2
THE NOTES
Section 2.01 Form and
Dating.
(a) General . The Notes and
the Trustee’s certificate of authentication will be
substantially in the form of Exhibits A1 and A2 hereto. The Notes
may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock
exchange rule or usage to which the Company is subject, if any.
Each Note will be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes
shall be issued in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples
of $1,000 in excess of $2,000.
40
The terms and provisions contained
in the Notes will constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part
of this Indenture and the Company, the Guarantors 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 Exhibits
A1 or A2 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 A1 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 thereof and transfers of interest therein. 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.
(c) Temporary Global Notes.
Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S will be issued
initially in the form of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note,
which will be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes
represented thereby with the Trustee, at its New York office, as
custodian for the Depositary, and registered in the name of the
Depositary or the nominee of the Depositary for the accounts of
designated agents holding on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream,
duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as
hereinafter provided. The Restricted Period will be terminated upon
the receipt by the Trustee of:
(1) a written certificate from
the Depositary, together with copies of certificates from Euroclear
and Clearstream certifying that they have received certification of
non-United States beneficial ownership of 100% of the aggregate
principal amount of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note (except
to the extent of any beneficial owners thereof who acquired an
interest therein during the Restricted Period pursuant to another
exemption from registration under the Securities Act and who will
take delivery of a beneficial ownership interest in a 144A Global
Note bearing a Private Placement Legend, all as contemplated by
Section 2.06(b) hereof); and
(2) an Officers’
Certificate from the Company.
Following the termination of the
Restricted Period, beneficial interests in the Regulation S
Temporary Global Note will be exchanged for beneficial interests in
the Regulation S Permanent Global Note pursuant to the Applicable
Procedures. Simultaneously with the authentication of the
Regulation S Permanent Global Note, the Trustee will cancel the
Regulation S Temporary Global Note. The aggregate principal amount
of the Regulation S Temporary Global Note and the Regulation S
Permanent Global Note may from time to time be increased or
decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee and the
Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, in connection with
transfers of interest as hereinafter provided.
(3) Euroclear and
Clearstream Procedures Applicable. The provisions of the
“Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System” and
“Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear” and
the “General Terms and Conditions of Clearstream
Banking” and “Customer Handbook” of Clearstream
will be applicable to transfers of beneficial interests in the
Regulation S Temporary Global Note and the Regulation S Permanent
Global Note that are held by Participants through Euroclear or
Clearstream.
41
Section 2.02 Execution and
Authentication.
At least one Officer must sign the
Notes for the Company 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 signature of the Trustee or its
authenticating agent as provided below. The signature will be
conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this
Indenture.
The aggregate principal amount of
Notes which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture
is unlimited.
The Trustee will, upon receipt of a
written order of the Company signed by at least one Officer (an
“ Authentication Order ”), authenticate Notes
for original issue that may be validly issued under this Indenture,
including any Additional Notes. The aggregate principal amount of
Notes outstanding at any time may not exceed the aggregate
principal amount of Notes authorized for issuance by the Company
pursuant to one or more Authentication Orders, except as provided
in Section 2.07 hereof.
The Company may, subject to Article
4 and the terms of this Indenture and applicable law, issue
Additional Notes and Exchange Notes under this Indenture. The
Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the
Company to authenticate Notes. Unless otherwise provided in the
appointment, 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 Company.
Section 2.03 Registrar and Paying
Agent.
The Company 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 Company 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 Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice
to any Holder. The Company will notify the Trustee in writing of
the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If
the Company fails to appoint or maintain another entity as
Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. The
Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or
Registrar.
The Company initially appoints The
Depository Trust Company ( “DTC” ) to act as
Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.
The Company initially appoints the
Trustee to act as the Registrar and Paying Agent and to act as
Custodian with respect to the Global Notes, and the Trustee hereby
agrees to so initially act.
42
Section 2.04 Paying Agent to Hold Money in
Trust.
The Company 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 Special Interest, if any, or interest on the Notes, and
will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company 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 Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money
held by it for the purpose of making payments on the Notes to the
Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if
other than the Company or a Subsidiary) will have no further
liability for the money, as Paying Agent, other than to account to
the Trustee and the Company for any funds disbursed. If the Company
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 Event of Default under Sections
6.01(7) and 6.01(8) hereof relating to the Company, the Trustee
will serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.
Section 2.05 Holder
Lists.
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 Company will furnish or cause the Registrar to
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 and the Company shall otherwise comply with TIA
§ 312(a).
Section 2.06 Transfer and
Exchange.
(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 Company for Definitive Notes
if:
(1) the Company delivers 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 Company within 120
days after the date of such notice from the Depositary;
(2) the Company in its sole
discretion determines 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 Company 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.
43
(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. None of the Company, the
Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee will have any
responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating
to or payments made on account of beneficial interests of a Global
Note or maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating
to such beneficial interests. 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
44
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 by the Company 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; and
(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.
(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 the 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 Company;
(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 the 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
45
(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 Company
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;
46
(E) if such beneficial interest is
being transferred to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a
certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including
the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(F) 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 Company 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 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 Company;
(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 the 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
47
(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 Company 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;
48
(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 the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B
hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof;
or
(F) 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 and in the case of
clause (C) above, the Regulation S 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 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 Company;
(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 the 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
49
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 Company 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.
50
(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 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 Company;
(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 the 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 in accordance with the
Registration Rights Agreement, the Company will issue and, upon
receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with
Section 2.02 hereof and the documents required by
Section 13.04 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 Company; and
51
(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 Company.
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 Company 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 (OR ITS
PREDECESSOR) WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM
REGISTRATION UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND THIS NOTE MAY NOT
BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH
REGISTRATION OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION THEREFROM. EACH PURCHASER
OF THIS NOTE IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE SELLER OF THIS NOTE MAY BE
RELYING ON THE EXEMPTION FROM THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 OF THE
SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144A THEREUNDER.
THE HOLDER OF THIS NOTE AGREES FOR
THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT (A) THIS NOTE MAY BE OFFERED,
RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED, ONLY (I) IN THE
UNITED STATES TO A PERSON WHOM THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A
QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT) IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE
144A, (II) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN
ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 904 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (III) PURSUANT
TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED
BY RULE 144 THEREUNDER (IF AVAILABLE) OR (IV) PURSUANT TO AN
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, IN EACH
OF CASES (I) THROUGH (IV) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE
SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND (B) THE
HOLDER WILL, AND EACH SUBSEQUENT HOLDER IS REQUIRED TO, NOTIFY ANY
PURCHASER OF THIS NOTE FROM IT OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED
TO IN (A) ABOVE.”
(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.
52
(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 (1) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH
NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.01 AND
SECTION 2.06 OF THE INDENTURE, (2) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE
EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(a) OF
THE INDENTURE, (3) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE
TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.11 OF THE INDENTURE
AND (4) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR
DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE
COMPANY.
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 COMPANY OR ITS
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.”
“THIS NOTE (OR ITS
PREDECESSOR) WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN A TRANSACTION ORIGINALLY
EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE
TRANSFERRED IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR
BENEFIT OF, ANY U.S. PERSON EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE
EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT
AND ALL APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. TERMS USED ABOVE HAVE THE
MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT.”
(4) Original Issue Discount
Legend. Each Note issued with original issue discount will bear
a legend in substantially the following form:
“FOR THE PURPOSES OF SECTIONS
1272, 1273 AND 1275 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS
AMENDED, THIS SECURITY IS BEING ISSUED WITH ORIGINAL ISSUE
DISCOUNT; FOR EACH $1,000 PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THIS SECURITY, THE
ISSUE PRICE IS $
, THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT IS $
, THE ISSUE DATE IS
, 200 AND THE YIELD TO MATURITY IS
% PER
ANNUM.”
53
(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 Company 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 Company or the Trustee 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) 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 Company, 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.
(4) Neither the Registrar nor the
Company 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 mailing of a
notice of redemption of the Notes to be redeemed under
Section 3.02 hereof and ending at the close of business on the
day of such mailing;
(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;
(C) to register the transfer of or
to exchange a Note between a record date and the next succeeding
interest payment date; or
(D) to register the transfer of or
to exchange a Note tendered and not withdrawn in connection with a
Change of Control Offer or an Asset Sale Offer.
54
(5) Prior to due presentment for the
registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and
the Company 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, premium and Special Interest, if
any, and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and
none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Company shall be affected by
notice to the contrary.
(6) The Trustee will authenticate
Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions
of Section 2.02 hereof.
(7) 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.
(8) The Trustee shall have no
obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to
compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this
Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of
any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among
depositary participants or beneficial owners of interests in any
Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates
and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by,
and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this
Indenture, and to examine the same to determine compliance as to
form with the express requirements hereof.
(9) Neither the Trustee nor any
Agent shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not
taken by the Depositary.
Section 2.07 Replacement
Notes.
If any mutilated Note is surrendered
to the Trustee or the Company and the Trustee receives evidence to
its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the
Company will issue and the Trustee, upo