Exhibit 10.2
THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “
ACT ”), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD UNLESS
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SUCH ACT OR UNLESS AN EXEMPTION FROM SUCH
REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE.
SENIOR PROMISSORY
NOTE
|
|
|
|
|
$1,000,000,000
|
|
New York, New York
|
|
R -
|
|
1
|
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned,
CONSTELLATION ENERGY GROUP, INC., a Maryland corporation (the
“ Company ”), hereby unconditionally promises to
pay to the order of
, a
corporation (the “ Initial Holder ”), or its
assigns (any such assigns, together with the Initial Holder, the
“ Holder ”), the principal sum of ONE BILLION
DOLLARS ($1,000,000,000) on the date specified herein, with
interest on the unpaid balance of such amount from the date hereof
at the rate of interest specified herein.
Capitalized terms and other defined
terms used in this Note shall (unless otherwise provided elsewhere
in this Note) have the meanings given to them in Annex 1
hereto.
All references to Sections contained
herein shall refer to Sections of this Note unless otherwise stated
or the context otherwise requires.
Except as otherwise provided in this
Note, all computations and determinations as to accounting or
financial matters (including financial covenants) shall be made in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied for all applicable
periods, and all accounting or financial terms shall have the
meanings ascribed to such terms by GAAP. All financial statements
to be delivered pursuant to this Note shall be prepared in
accordance with GAAP.
All other undefined terms contained
in this Note shall, unless the context indicates otherwise, have
the meanings provided for by the Code as in effect in the State of
New York to the extent the same are used or defined
therein.
The words “ include
,” “ includes ,” “ including
” and “ such as ” shall be construed as if
followed by the phrase “without limitation.”
The words “ herein
,” “ hereof ” and “ hereunder
” and other words of similar import refer to this Note as a
whole, as the same may from time to time be amended, modified or
supplemented and not to any particular section, subsection or
clause contained in this Note.
Unless the context otherwise
requires, each term stated in either the singular or plural shall
include the singular and the plural, and pronouns stated in the
masculine, feminine or neuter gender shall include the masculine,
the feminine and the neuter.
In the computation of periods of
time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word
“from” means “from and including” and the
words “to” and “until” each mean “to
but excluding” and the word “through” means
“to and including.”
2.1. Principal . The Company
shall pay the entire unpaid principal amount of this Note, together
with accrued and unpaid interest thereon through the date of such
payment, on the Maturity Date.
2.2. Optional Prepayment .
The Company may, at any time, upon three days’ prior written
notice, prepay the outstanding principal amount of this Note,
without premium or penalty, in whole or ratably in part, together
with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, through the date of such
prepayment on the principal amount prepaid. Any such prepayment by
the Company shall be applied in the following order: (i) then
due and payable fees and expenses under the Note; (ii) then
due and payable interest payments on the Note; and (iii) the
principal of the Note.
2.3. Interest .
(a) The Company shall pay interest
on the unpaid principal amount of this Note commencing on the date
hereof until such principal amount shall be paid in full at the
Applicable Rate. Interest shall be payable monthly in arrears on
the last Business Day of each month and on the date of each payment
or prepayment of the principal hereof. All payments of interest
hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the
number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the
last day).
(b) If any payment on this Note
becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the
maturity thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business
Day and, with respect to payments of interest thereon, shall be
payable at the then Applicable Rate during such
extension.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing,
if any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the
Company shall pay interest on (i) the unpaid principal amount
hereof, payable on demand, at a rate per annum equal to the
Applicable Rate plus 3.0% per annum and (ii) the amount
of any cost, expense or other amount payable hereunder that is not
paid when due, from the date such amount shall be due until such
amount shall be paid in full, payable on demand (and in any event
in arrears on the date such amount shall be paid in full), at a
rate per annum equal to the Applicable Rate plus 3.0% per
annum.
-2-
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary set forth in this Section 2.3, if at any time until
the Maturity Date the Applicable Rate exceeds the highest rate of
interest permissible under any law which a court of competent
jurisdiction shall, in a final determination, deem applicable
hereto (the “ Maximum Lawful Rate ”), then, in
such event, and so long as the Maximum Lawful Rate would be so
exceeded, the rate of interest payable hereunder shall be equal to
the Maximum Lawful Rate; provided , however , that,
to the extent permitted by applicable law, if at any time
thereafter the Applicable Rate is less than the Maximum Lawful
Rate, the Company shall continue to pay interest hereunder at the
Maximum Lawful Rate until such time as the total interest received
by Holder hereunder is equal to the total interest which Holder
would have received had the Applicable Rate been (but for the
operation of this paragraph) the interest rate payable since the
date hereof. Thereafter, the interest rate payable hereunder shall
be the Applicable Rate unless and until the Applicable Rate again
exceeds the Maximum Lawful Rate, in which event this paragraph
shall again apply. In no event shall the total interest received by
Holder pursuant to the terms hereof exceed the amount which Holder
could lawfully have received had the interest due hereunder been
calculated for the full term hereof at the Maximum Lawful Rate. If
the Maximum Lawful Rate is calculated pursuant to this paragraph,
such interest shall be calculated at a daily rate equal to the
Maximum Lawful Rate divided by the number of days in the year in
which such calculation is made. If a court of competent
jurisdiction, notwithstanding the provisions of this
Section 2.4(d), shall make a final determination that Holder
has received interest hereunder in excess of the Maximum Lawful
Rate, Holder shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law,
promptly apply such excess first to any interest due and not yet
paid under its Note, then to the principal amount of its Note
(without premium or penalty), then to other unpaid Obligations and
thereafter shall refund any excess to the Company or as a court of
competent jurisdiction may otherwise order.
2.4. Receipt of Payment . The
Company shall make each payment under this Note not later than
12:00 noon (New York City time) on the Business Day when due, in
lawful money of the United States of America, in immediately
available funds to Holder’s depository bank as designated by
Holder from time to time for deposit in Holder’s depositary
account. For purposes only of computing interest hereunder, all
payments shall be applied by Holder to the Note on the day payment
has been received by Holder in immediately available funds as
provided herein.
2.5. Taxes, Etc .
(a) Any and all payments by or on
account of any obligation of the Company hereunder shall be made
without setoff, counterclaim or other defense and free and clear of
and without deduction or withholding for any and all Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Company shall be
required by applicable Requirements of Law to deduct any
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then
(i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that
after making all required deductions Holder receives an amount
equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions or
withholdings been made, (ii) the Company shall make such
deductions or withholdings and (iii) the Company shall timely
pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant
Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Requirements
of Law.
-3-
(b) Status of Holders. The Initial
Holder shall deliver a properly executed Form W-9 to the Company
prior to the date of any payment of interest hereunder. Any Foreign
Holder that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of
withholding tax under United States law (or any treaty to which the
United States is a party) with respect to payments hereunder shall
deliver to the Company, at the time or times prescribed by
applicable law or reasonably requested by the Company, such
properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by
applicable law as will permit such payments to be made without
withholding. In addition, any Holder, if requested by the Company,
shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law
or reasonably requested by the Company as will enable the Company
to determine whether or not such Holder is subject to withholding,
backup withholding, or information reporting
requirements.
2.6. Setoff Right . In the
event a court having valid jurisdiction over a claim or dispute
arising under the Merger Agreement determines by a final
nonappealable judgment that Parent or Merger Sub (as such terms are
defined in the Merger Agreement) owes damages to the Company under
the Merger Agreement (the amount of such damages, the “
recoverable amount ”), the Company shall have the
right to setoff against Obligations then payable hereunder and (if
no Obligations are then payable) principal of this Note an amount
equal to or less than the recoverable amount. At the time of
effecting any such setoff, the Company shall provide Holder notice
describing in reasonable detail the Obligations being
set-off.
|
3.
|
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION
|
3.1. Financial Statements .
The Company covenants and agrees that, from and after the date
hereof and until all the Obligations have been paid in full, it
shall deliver to Holder:
(a) within 45 days after the end of
the first three fiscal quarters of each Fiscal Year, (i) a
copy of the unaudited balance sheets of the Company Parties as of
the close of such quarter and related statements of income and cash
flows for that portion of the Fiscal Year ending as of the close of
such quarter, and (ii) a copy of the unaudited statements of
income of the Company Parties for such quarter, all prepared in
accordance with GAAP (subject to normal year end adjustments) and
accompanied by the certification of the chief executive officer or
chief financial officer of the Company that all such financial
statements present fairly in accordance with GAAP (subject to
normal year end adjustments) the financial position, the results of
operations and the cash flows of the Company Parties as of the end
of such quarter and for the portion of the fiscal year then ended;
and
(b) within 90 days after the close
of each Fiscal Year, a copy of the annual audited financial
statements of the Company Parties, consisting of a balance sheet
and statements of income and retained earnings and cash flows,
setting forth in comparative form in each case the figures for the
previous fiscal year, which financial statements shall be prepared
in accordance with GAAP, certified without a “going
concern” or like qualification or exception, or qualification
arising out of the scope of the audit by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP
or other firm of independent certified public accountants of
recognized national standing reasonably acceptable to the
Holder;
all such financial statements to be
complete and correct in all material respects.
-4-
3.2. Reports, and Other
Information . The Company covenants and agrees that, from and
after the date hereof and until all the Obligations have been paid
in full, it shall deliver to Holder:
(a) concurrently with the delivery
of the financial statements referred to in Sections 3.1(a) and
3.1(b), a certificate of a Responsible Officer stating that, to the
best of such Responsible Officer’s knowledge, the Company
during such period has observed or performed all of its covenants
and other agreements contained in this Note to be observed or
performed by it, and that such Responsible Officer has obtained no
knowledge of any Event of Default, except as specified in such
certificate;
(b) not later than 30 days after the
end of each fiscal year of the Company, a copy of the projections
by the Company of the operating budget and cash flow budget of the
Company and its subsidiaries for the current fiscal year, such
projections to be accompanied by a certificate of a Responsible
Officer to the effect that such projections have been prepared on
the basis of sound financial planning practice and that such
responsible Officer has no reason to believe they are incorrect or
misleading in any material respect
(c) at the same time the same are
sent, copies of all financial statements and reports which the
Company sends to its stockholders, and at the same time the same
are filed, copies of all financial statements and reports which the
Company may make to, or file with, the SEC unless such material is
available electronically at www.sec.gov.; and
(d) promptly, such additional
financial and other information as Holder from time to time may
reasonably request.
The Company covenants and agrees
that from and after the date hereof and until all the Obligations
have been paid in full:
4.1. Payment of Obligations .
The Company shall, and shall cause each of the other Company
Parties to, pay, discharge or otherwise satisfy at or before
maturity or before they become delinquent, as the case may be, all
its obligations of whatever nature, except where the amount or
validity thereof is currently being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings and reserves in conformity with GAAP with
respect hereto have been provided on the books of the Company or
the Company Parties, as the case may be.
4.2. Conduct of Business and
Maintenance of Existence . The Company shall, and shall cause
each of the other Company Parties to, continue to engage in
business of the same general type as now conducted by it and
preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its corporate
existence and status (including, in the case of the Company, its
good standing with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation
of Maryland) and take all reasonable action to maintain all rights,
privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal
conduct of business except as otherwise permitted pursuant to
Section 5.3; comply with all Contractual Obligations and
Requirements of Law except to the extent that failure to comply
therewith could not, in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
-5-
4.3. Maintenance of Property;
Insurance . The Company shall, and shall cause each of the
other Company Parties to, keep all property useful and necessary in
its business in good working order and condition; maintain with
financially sound and reputable insurance companies insurance on
all its property in at least such amounts and against at least such
risks (but including in any event public liability, product
liability and business interruption) as are usually insured against
in the same general area by companies engaged in the same or
similar business; and furnish to Holder, upon request, full
information as to the insurance carried.
4.4. Inspection of Property;
Books and Records . The Company shall keep adequate records and
books of account with respect to its business activities, in which
proper entries, reflecting all of the financial transactions of the
Company Parties, are made in accordance with GAAP and all
requirements of law. The Company shall permit Holder, at
Holder’s expense, to visit and inspect the Company
Parties’ properties, to examine their books of account and
records and to discuss their affairs, finances and accounts with
their officers, all at such reasonable times as may be requested by
Holder; provided , however , that the Company shall
not be obligated pursuant to this Section 4.4 to provide
access to any information which it reasonably considers to be a
trade secret or similar confidential information
4.5. Notices . The Company
shall promptly give notice to Holder of
(a) the occurrence of any Default or
Event of Default;
(b) any litigation or proceeding
affecting the Company or any Company Party in which the amount
involved is $20,000,000 or more and not covered by insurance or in
which injunctive or similar relief is sought; and
(c) the occurrence of any event
having or that could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
Each notice pursuant to this
Section 4.5 shall be accompanied by a statement of a
Responsible Officer setting forth details of the occurrence
referred to therein and stating what action the Company proposes to
take with respect thereto.
The Company covenants and agrees
that from and after the date hereof and until all the Obligations
have been paid in full:
5.1. Limitation on
Indebtedness . The Company shall not, and shall not permit any
other Company Party to, create, incur or suffer to exist any
Indebtedness except:
(a) Indebtedness in respect of the
Note and other obligations under this Note;
(b) the Company (but not any other
Company Party) may incur Indebtedness that is pari passu or
subordinated to the Obligations;
(c) Indebtedness existing on the
Issue Date that was allowed to be outstanding under, or incurred in
accordance with, the terms of the Preferred Stock;
-6-
(d) Qualified Refinancing
Indebtedness; and
(e) BG&E and its Subsidiaries
may incur and have outstanding Indebtedness consistent with past
practice and required regulatory approvals.
5.2. Limitations on Liens .
The Company shall not, and shall not permit any other Company Party
to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of
its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter
acquired, to secure any Indebtedness or Contingent Obligation
except for:
(a) (i) Liens securing
Indebtedness of the Company Parties permitted under
Section 5.1(c) if and to the extent such Indebtedness was
secured on September 19, 2008 and (ii) Liens securing
Qualified Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of Indebtedness
referred to in Section 5.2(a)(i) but only if and to the extent
the refinanced debt was secured;
(b) Liens on assets of BG&E and
its Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness of BG&E and its
Subsidiaries permitted under Section 5.1(e); and
(c) Permitted Liens.
5.3. Limitations on Fundamental
Changes . The Company shall not, and shall not permit any
Company Party to, enter into any merger, consolidation or
amalgamation, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer
any liquidation or dissolution), or convey, sell, lease, assign,
transfer or otherwise dispose of, all or substantially all of its
property, business or assets, or make any material change in its
present method of conducting business, except:
(a) any Subsidiary of the Company
may be merged or consolidated with or into the Company (provided
that the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation)
or with or into any one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of the
Company (provided that the Wholly-Owned Subsidiary or Subsidiaries
shall be the continuing or surviving corporation) and after giving
effect to any of such transactions, no Default or Event of Default
shall exist; and
(b) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary may
sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of its
assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Company or
any other Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company.
5.4. Limitations on Sale of
Assets . The Company shall not, and shall not permit any other
Company Party to, convey, sell, lease, assign, transfer or
otherwise dispose of any of its property, business or assets
(including, without limitation, receivables and leasehold
interests), whether now owned or hereafter acquired,
except:
(a) obsolete or worn out property
disposed of in the ordinary course of business;
(b) as permitted by
Section 5.3(b) and
(c) Permitted
Dispositions.
-7-
5.5. Limitations on Restricted
Payments . The Company shall not, and shall not permit any
other Company Party to, declare or pay any dividend (other than
dividends payable solely in common stock of the Company) on, or
make any payment on account of, or set apart assets for a sinking
or other analogous fund for, the purchase, redemption, defeasance,
retirement or other acquisition of, any shares of any class of
Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any warrants or
options to purchase any such Stock, whether now or hereafter
outstanding, or make any other distribution in respect thereof,
either directly or indirectly, whether in cash or property or in
obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary (such declarations,
payments, setting apart, purchases, redemptions and distributions
being herein called “ Restricted Payments ”)
except that (i) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary may declare and
pay dividends to the Company or, in the case of any Subsidiary that
is wholly owned by any other Subsidiary, to such Subsidiary and
(ii) (A) the Company shall be permitted to continue to
pay regular cash dividends on its common stock at the rate per
annum not to exceed the rate paid at the time of the issuance of
this Note and (B) the Company Parties shall be permitted to
make Permitted Payments, to the extent applicable.
5.6. Limitations on Investments,
Loans and Advances . The Company shall not, and shall not
permit any Company Party to, purchase, hold or acquire beneficially
any stock, other securities or evidences of indebtedness of or make
any loans or advances to, or make or permit to exist any investment
or acquire any interest whatsoever in, any other Person,
except:
(a) extensions of trade credit to
customers in the ordinary course of business;
(b) Permitted
Investments;
(c) loans and advances to officers
and employees of the Company in the ordinary course of business and
consistent with applicable Requirements of Law;
(d) Stock of any Subsidiary that is
a Subsidiary of the Company on the Issue Date;
(e) securities acquired in the
ordinary course of the business of the Company Parties, consistent
with past practice; and
(f) investments made pursuant to
binding commitments existing on the Issue date.
5.7. Acquisitions . The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any other Company Party to,
purchase or otherwise acquire any part of the property of any
Person (or agree to do any of the foregoing at any time), except
that the following shall be permitted:
(a) capital expenditures in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(b) purchases and other acquisitions
of inventory, materials, equipment, intangible property and other
operating assets in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice; and
-8-
(c) leases, subleases or licenses of
real or personal property in the ordinary course of
business.
5.8. Limitation on Optional
Payments and Modifications of Debt Instruments . The Company
shall not, and shall not permit any other Company Party to, make
any optional payment or prepayment on or redemption, defeasance or
purchase of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness under this
Note), or amend, modify or change, or consent or agree to any
amendment, modification or change to any of the terms relating to
the payment or prepayment or principal of or interest on, any such
Indebtedness, other than any amendment, modification or change
which would extend the maturity or reduce the amount of any payment
of principal thereof or which would reduce the rate or extend the
date for payment of interest thereon.
5.9. Transactions with
Affiliates . The Company shall not, and shall not permit any
other Company Party to, enter into any transaction, including,
without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease or exchange of
property or the rendering of any service, with any Affiliate unless
such transaction is (a) otherwise permitted under this
Agreement, (b) in the ordinary course of the Company’s
or such Subsidiary’s business, (c) upon fair and
reasonable terms no less favorable to the Company or such
Subsidiary, as the case may be, than it would obtain in a
comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person which is
not an Affiliate, (d) the issuance of equity-based awards to
officers, directors, employees and consultants of the Company
Parties consistent with past practice, and (e) the entry into
employment and compensation arrangements for officers, employee and
directors in the ordinary course of business..
5.10. Fiscal Year . The
Company shall not permit the fiscal year of the Company to end on a
day other than December 31.
5.11. Limitation on Conduct of
Business . The Company shall not, and shall not permit any
other Company Party to, enter into any business either directly or
through any Subsidiary except for businesses in which the Company
Parties are engaged on the Issue Date and businesses directly
related to such existing businesses.
5.12. Limitation on Issuance of
Stock . The Company shall not permit any other Company Party to
issue any Stock (including by way of sales of treasury stock) or
any options or warrants to purchase, or securities convertible
into, any Stock, except (i) for stock splits, stock dividends
and additional issuances of Stock which do not decrease the
percentage ownership of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in
any class of the Stock of such Subsidiary, and (ii) Company
Parties formed after the Issue Date may issue Stock to the Company
or any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company that is to own such
Stock.
|
6.
|
EVENTS OF
DEFAULT; RIGHTS AND REMEDIES
|
6.1. Events of Default . The
occurrence of any one or more of the following events (regardless
of the reason therefor) shall constitute an “ Event of
Default ” hereunder:
(a) The Company shall fail to pay
any principal of this Note when due in accordance with the terms
hereof.
-9-
(b) The Company shall fail to pay
any interest on this Note, or any other amount payable hereunder
(other than amounts in respect of principal), within three days
after such interest or other amount becomes due in accordance with
the terms hereof.
(c) The Company shall fail to
perform, keep or observe (or fail to cause any other Company Party
to perform, keep or observe, as the case may be) any provision,
covenant or agreement contained in Section 3, Section 4.6
or Section 5 of this Note.
(d) The Company shall fail to
perform, keep or observe (or fail to cause any other Company Party
to perform, keep or observe, as the case may be) any other
provision, covenant or agreement of or contained in this Note
(other than as provided in Sections 6.1 (a), (b) or
(c) and the same shall remain unremedied for a period of 30
days).
(e) Any Company Party
shall:
(i) default in the payment of
principal of or interest of any Indebtedness (other than the Note)
having an aggregate principal amount of $10,000,000 or more, or in
the payment of any Contingent Obligation in an amount of
$10,000,000 or more, beyond the period of grace (not to exceed 30
days), if any, provided in the instrument or agreement under which
such Indebtedness or Contingent Obligation was created;
or
(ii) default in the observance or
performance of any other agreement or condition relating to any
such Indebtedness or any such Contingent Obligation or contained in
any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating
thereto, or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the
effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or
to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or beneficiary
or beneficiaries of such Contingent obligation (or a trustee or
agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or
beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required,
such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity or
such Contingent Obligation to become payable.
(f) (i) Any Company Party shall
commence any case, proceeding or other action (A) under any
existing or future law of any jurisdiction, domestic or foreign,
relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, conservatorship
or relief of debtors, seeking to have an order for relief entered
with respect to it, or seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or
insolvent, or seeking reorganization, arrangement adjustment,
winding-up, liquidation, dissolution, composition or other
relief