Table of Contents
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 21, 2023
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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OREGON
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
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93-0557988
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
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201 NE Park Plaza Drive, Suite 100
Vancouver, Washington 98684
360-397-6250
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Scott Montross
President and Chief Executive Officer
Northwest Pipe Company
201 NE Park Plaza Drive, Suite 100
Vancouver, Washington 98684
360-397-6250
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
with copies to:
Alison M. Pear, Esq.
Buchalter, a Professional Corporation
805 SW Broadway, Suite 1500
Portland, Oregon 97205
503-226-1191
From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
(Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public)
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated filer
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Accelerated filer
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Non-accelerated filer
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Smaller reporting company
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Emerging growth company
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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED November 21, 2023
PROSPECTUS
$150,000,000
COMMON STOCK
PREFERRED STOCK
DEBT SECURITIES
WARRANTS
UNITS
From time to time, we may offer and sell our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, and warrants that have an aggregate initial offering price of up to $150,000,000 in one or more offerings. We may offer these securities separately, together, or as units with other securities in any combination. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell shares of our common stock, shares of our preferred stock, debt securities, or warrants, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering. The supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus.
We may offer our securities through agents, underwriters, or dealers or directly to investors. Each prospectus supplement will provide the amount, price, and terms of the plan of distribution relating to the securities to be sold pursuant to such prospectus supplement. We will set forth the names of any underwriters or agents in the accompanying prospectus supplement, as well as the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale. In addition, the underwriters, if any, may over-allot a portion of the securities.
You should carefully read this prospectus and all prospectus supplements before you invest in the securities described in the prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement that describes those securities.
Our common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “NWPX.” On November 7, 2023, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market was $26.19.
Investing in the securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully read and consider the discussion under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 1 regarding information included and incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this Prospectus is , 2023
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing the “shelf” registration process. Under this registration statement, we may sell up to a total dollar amount of $150,000,000 of any combination of the securities described in this prospectus from time to time and in one or more offerings. When we use the term “securities” in this prospectus or in any supplement to this prospectus, we mean any of the securities that we may offer under this prospectus, unless we say otherwise. This prospectus only provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the terms of that sale. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in any documents that we have incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Before purchasing the securities, you should carefully read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, and any related free writing prospectus, together with the additional information incorporated by reference herein as described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated By Reference.”
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with information in addition to, or different from, that contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, and any related free writing prospectus. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where their offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, or any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of the document (unless the information specifically indicates that another date applies) and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus or of any sale of the securities.
When used in this prospectus or in any applicable prospectus supplement, the terms “the Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to Northwest Pipe Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified.
ABOUT NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY
Northwest Pipe Company is a leading manufacturer of water-related infrastructure products. In addition to being the largest manufacturer of engineered steel water pipeline systems in North America, we manufacture stormwater and wastewater technology products; high-quality precast and reinforced concrete products; pump lift stations; steel casing pipe, bar-wrapped concrete cylinder pipe, and one of the largest offerings of pipeline system joints, fittings, and specialized components. Strategically positioned to meet growing water and wastewater infrastructure needs, we provide solution-based products for a wide range of markets under the ParkUSA, Geneva Pipe and Precast, Permalok®, and Northwest Pipe Company lines. Our diverse team is committed to safety, quality, and innovation while demonstrating our core values of accountability, commitment, and teamwork. We are headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, and have 13 manufacturing facilities across North America.
Our water infrastructure products are sold generally to installation contractors, who include our products in their bids to federal, state, and municipal agencies, privately-owned water companies, or developers for specific projects. We believe our sales are substantially driven by spending on urban growth and new water infrastructure with a recent trend towards spending on water infrastructure replacement, repair, and upgrade. Within the total range of products, our steel pipe tends to fit the larger-diameter, higher-pressure pipeline applications, while our precast concrete products mainly serve stormwater and sanitary sewer systems.
Our principal executive offices are located at 201 NE Park Plaza Drive, Suite 100, Vancouver, Washington 98684 and our telephone number is 360‑397‑6250. Our website address is www.nwpipe.com. Information contained on our website is not part of this prospectus.
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in any applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus, as well as the risk factors set forth in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and any material changes to those risk factors set forth in a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. You should also refer to the other information in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, including our financial statements and the related notes incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not yet identified may also materially harm our business, operating results and financial condition and could result in a complete loss of your investment.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the information in this prospectus and in the documents that we incorporate by reference into this prospectus contains, and supplements to this prospectus may contain, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) that are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections about our business, management’s beliefs, and assumptions made by management. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “forecasts,” “should,” “could,” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Statements that we make in this prospectus, in a prospectus supplement, and in the documents that we incorporate by reference into this prospectus are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of important factors. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, those that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by us include:
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changes in demand and market prices for our products;
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product mix;
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bidding activity and order modifications or cancelations;
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the timing of customer orders and deliveries;
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production schedules;
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price and availability of raw materials;
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excess or shortage of production capacity;
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international trade policy and regulations;
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changes in tariffs and duties imposed on imports and exports and related impacts on us;
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economic uncertainty and associated trends in macroeconomic conditions, including potential recession, inflation, and the state of the housing market;
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interest rate risk and changes in market interest rates, including the impact on our customers and related demand for our products;
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our ability to identify and complete internal initiatives and/or acquisitions in order to grow our business;
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our ability to effectively integrate Park Environmental Equipment, LLC (“ParkUSA”) and other acquisitions into our business and operations and achieve significant administrative and operational cost synergies and accretion to financial results;
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effects of security breaches, computer viruses, and cybersecurity incidents;
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timing and amount of share repurchases;
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impacts of U.S. tax reform legislation on our results of operations;
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adequacy of our insurance coverage;
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supply chain challenges;
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labor shortages;
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ongoing military conflicts in areas such as Ukraine and Israel, and related consequences;
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operating problems at our manufacturing operations including fires, explosions, inclement weather, and floods and other natural disasters;
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material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and our ability to remediate such weaknesses;
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impacts of pandemics, epidemics, or other public health emergencies, and
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other risks discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the year ended December 31, 2022, in any applicable prospectus supplement related hereto, any applicable free writing prospectus, and from time to time in our other SEC filings and reports.
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Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. If we do update or correct one or more forward-looking statements, investors and others should not conclude that we will make additional updates or corrections with respect thereto or with respect to other forward-looking statements.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including, without limitation, making acquisitions of assets, businesses, or securities, share repurchases, repayment or refinancing of debt, payment of obligations under outstanding leases, and capital expenditures. When a particular series of securities is offered, the prospectus supplement relating thereto will set forth our intended use of the net proceeds we receive from the sale of the securities. Pending the application of the net proceeds, we may invest our net proceeds temporarily.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES WE MAY SELL
We, directly or through agents, dealers or underwriters that we may designate, may offer and sell, from time to time, up to $150,000,000 aggregate initial offering price of shares of our common stock, shares of our preferred stock, warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock, or debt securities, debt securities, which may be either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities, in each case consisting of notes or other evidence of indebtedness, or any combination of these securities. We may offer and sell these securities either separately, together, or as units, each on terms to be determined at the time of the offering. We may issue debt securities and/or preferred stock that are exchangeable for and/or convertible into common stock or any of the other securities that may be sold under this prospectus. When particular securities are offered, a supplement to this prospectus will be delivered with this prospectus, which will describe the terms of the offering and sale of the offered securities.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
We are authorized to issue 15,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. As of November 7, 2023, there were 10,014,196 shares of common stock outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the common stock that we may offer separately, upon exercise of a warrant, upon conversion or exchange of a debt security, or upon conversion or exchange of our preferred stock, as well as the general terms and provisions of our preferred stock that we may issue separately or upon exercise of a warrant or upon conversion or exchange of a debt security. The following description of our common stock and preferred stock is summarized from, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, our Second Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, (the “Articles of Incorporation”) a copy of which has been filed with the SEC and is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. This summary is not intended to give full effect to provisions of statutory or common law. We urge you to review the following documents because they, and not this summary, define your rights as a holder of shares of common stock:
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the Oregon Business Corporation Act, as it may be amended from time to time;
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our Articles of Incorporation, as amended to date and as may be amended or restated from time to time; and
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our Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws, as may be amended or restated from time to time.
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Common Stock
Holders of common stock are entitled to receive such dividends as may from time to time be declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor, subject to any preferential dividend rights granted to the holders of any outstanding series of preferred stock. We currently intend to retain our earnings for use in our business and, therefore, we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our capital stock. In the future, the decision to pay any cash dividends will depend upon our results of operations, financial condition, and capital expenditure plans, as well as such other factors as our board of directors, in its sole discretion, may consider relevant. Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters on which the holders of common stock are entitled to vote and do not have any cumulative voting rights. Holders of common stock have no preemptive, conversion, redemption, or sinking fund rights. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, holders of common stock are entitled to share equally and ratably in our assets, if any, remaining after the payment of all of our debts and liabilities and the liquidation preference of any outstanding class or series of preferred stock. The outstanding shares of common stock are, and the shares of common stock offered by us hereby when issued will be, fully paid and nonassessable. The rights, preferences, and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to any series of preferred stock that we may issue in the future as described below.
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “NWPX.”
Preferred Stock
We may issue shares of our preferred stock from time to time, in one or more series. Under our Articles of Incorporation, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by shareholders, to designate up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share, in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications, and restrictions granted to or imposed upon the preferred stock, including but not limited to dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption, liquidation preference, and sinking fund terms, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of the common stock.
If we issue preferred stock, we will fix the rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications, and restrictions of the preferred stock of each series that we sell under this prospectus and applicable prospectus supplements in an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation. We will also incorporate by reference into the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, the form of any amendment to the Articles of Incorporation that describes the terms of the series of preferred stock we are offering before the issuance of the related series of preferred stock. We urge you to read the prospectus supplement related to any series of preferred stock we may offer, as well as the complete amendment to the Articles of Incorporation that contains the terms of the applicable series of preferred stock. It is not possible to state the actual effect of the issuance of any shares of preferred stock upon the rights of holders of our common stock until our board of directors determines the specific rights of the holders of the preferred stock. However, these effects might include restricting dividends on the common stock, diluting the voting power of the common stock, impairing the liquidation rights of the common stock, and delaying or preventing a change in control of our company.
Anti-takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Oregon Law, the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
Oregon Business Combination Act. We are subject to the Oregon Business Combination Act (“Business Combination Act”). The Business Combination Act generally provides that in the event a person or entity acquires 15% or more of the voting stock of an Oregon corporation, thereby becoming an “interested shareholder,” the corporation and the interested shareholder, or any affiliated entity, may not engage in certain business combination transactions for a period of three years following the date the person became an interested shareholder. Business combination transactions for this purpose include:
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a merger or plan of share exchange;
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any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer, or other disposition of the assets of the corporation where the assets have an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of the aggregate market value of the corporation’s assets or outstanding capital stock; or
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certain transactions that result in the issuance of capital stock of the corporation to the interested shareholder.
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These restrictions imposed by the Business Combination Act are not applicable if:
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as a result of the transaction in which a person became an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder will own at least 85% of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation (excluding shares owned by directors who are also officers and certain employee benefit plans);
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the board of directors approves the business combination or transaction that resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder; or
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the board of directors and the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation (excluding shares owned by the interested shareholder) approve the business combination after the interested shareholder has acquired 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock.
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Oregon Control Share Act. We are also subject to provisions of Oregon law that may restrict the ability of our significant shareholders to exercise voting rights. The Oregon Control Share Act generally applies to a person who acquires voting stock of an Oregon corporation in a transaction that results in that person holding more than one-fifth, one-third, or one-half of the total voting power of the voting shares of the corporation. If such a transaction occurs, the person cannot vote the shares acquired in the acquisition unless voting rights are restored to those shares by a vote of:
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the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of each voting group entitled to vote; and
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the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting shares, excluding the acquired shares and shares held by the corporation’s officers and inside directors.
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The restricted shareholder may, but is not required to, submit to the corporation a statement setting forth information about itself and its plans with respect to the corporation. The statement may request that the corporation call a special meeting of shareholders to determine whether voting rights will be granted to the shares acquired. If a special meeting of shareholders is not requested, the issue of voting rights of the acquired shares will be considered at the next annual or special meeting of shareholders that is held more than 60 days after the date the shares are acquired.
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Our Articles of Incorporation contain provisions that (i) classify the board of directors into three classes, each of which serves for a three-year term with one class elected each year, (ii) provide that directors may be removed by shareholders only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of 75% of the outstanding shares of common stock, (iii) permit the board of directors to issue preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the number of shares constituting any such series, the voting powers, and all other rights and preferences of any such series, without any further vote or action by our shareholders, and (iv) require the approval of the holders of not less than sixty-seven percent (67%) of the outstanding shares of the Company for any agreement of merger or consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, or dissolution or liquidation of the Company.
Our Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws contain provisions requiring that (i) any action to be taken by our shareholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of shareholders, except where such action is taken by the unanimous written consent of all shareholders entitled to vote on such action; and (ii) any shareholder seeking to present proposals before a meeting of shareholders or to nominate candidates for election to the board of directors at a meeting of shareholders must provide notice in writing in a timely manner in advance of any such action.
The staggered terms for directors, the provisions allowing the removal of directors only for cause, the availability of preferred stock for issuance without shareholder approval, the limitation on shareholder action by less than unanimous written consent, and the advance notice requirement for proposals and nominations by shareholders may have the effect of lengthening the time required for a person to acquire control of us through a proxy contest or the election of a majority of the board of directors and may deter any potential unfriendly offers or other efforts to obtain control. This could deprive our shareholders of opportunities to realize a premium for their common stock and could make removal of incumbent directors more difficult. At the same time, these provisions may have the effect of inducing any persons seeking control of us to negotiate terms acceptable to the board of directors.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock, or debt securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any other securities pursuant to any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement between us and the warrant recipient or, if the recipients are numerous, a warrant agent identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any warrants to be issued and a description of the material provisions of the applicable warrant agreement will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any warrants offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement, as well as the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any warrants in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered, including, where applicable, the following:
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the title of such warrants;
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the aggregate number of such warrants;
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the price or prices at which and the currency or currencies in which such warrants will be issued;
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the designation, number, and terms of the securities purchasable upon exercise of such warrants;
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the date, if any, on and after which such warrants and the securities will be separately transferable;
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the price at which and the currency or currencies in which the securities purchasable upon exercise of such warrants may be purchased;
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the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants that may be exercised at any one time;
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any provisions for adjustment of the number or amount of the securities receivable upon exercise of the warrants or the exercise price of the warrants;
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the dates or periods during which the warrants are exercisable;
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the designation and terms of any securities with which the warrants are issued;
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the rights, if any, we have to redeem the warrants;
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any terms, procedures, and limitations relating to the transferability, exchange, or exercise of the warrants;
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the name of the warrant agent;
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information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;
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a discussion of certain federal income tax considerations applicable to the warrants; and
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any other material terms of such warrants.
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Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any.
Each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase for cash the amount of debt securities or number of shares of preferred stock or common stock at the exercise price as will in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of the series in a supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the supplement to what extent the general terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to a particular series of debt securities.
We may issue debt securities either separately, or together with, or upon the conversion or exercise of or in exchange for, other securities described in this prospectus. Debt securities may be our senior, senior subordinated, or subordinated obligations and, unless otherwise specified in a supplement to this prospectus, the debt securities will be our direct, unsecured obligations and may be issued in one or more series.
The debt securities will be issued under an indenture between us and a third party to be identified therein as trustee. We have summarized select portions of the indenture below. The summary is not complete. The form of the indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement and you should read the indenture for provisions that may be important to you. Capitalized terms used in the summary and not defined herein have the meanings specified in the indenture.
General
The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a resolution of our board of directors, in an officer’s certificate, or by a supplemental indenture. The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series.
We can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities under the indenture that may be in one or more series with the same or various maturities, at par, at a premium or at a discount. We will set forth in a prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities being offered, the aggregate principal amount and the following terms of the debt securities, if applicable:
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the title and ranking of the debt securities (including the terms of any subordination provisions);
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the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) at which we will sell the debt securities;
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any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;
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the date or dates on which the principal of the securities of the series is payable;
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the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or the method used to determine the rate or rates (including any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the debt securities will bear interest, the date or dates from which interest will accrue, the date or dates on which interest will commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;
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the place or places where principal of, and interest, if any, on the debt securities will be payable (and the method of such payment), where the securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to us in respect of the debt securities may be delivered;
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the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which we may redeem the debt securities;
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any obligation we have to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder of debt securities and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and in the terms and conditions upon which securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
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the dates on which and the price or prices at which we will repurchase debt securities at the option of the holders of debt securities and other terms and provisions of these repurchase obligations;
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the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;
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whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of certificated debt securities or global debt securities;
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the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the principal amount;
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the currency of denomination of the debt securities, which may be U.S. Dollars or any foreign currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;
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the designation of the currency, currencies, or currency units in which payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities will be made;
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if payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to these payments will be determined;
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the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities will be determined, if these amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index, or financial index;
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any provisions relating to any security provided for the debt securities;
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any addition to, deletion of, or change in the Events of Default described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities and any change in the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;
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any addition to, deletion of, or change in the covenants described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;
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any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents, or other agents with respect to the debt securities;
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the provisions, if any, relating to conversion or exchange of any debt securities of such series, including if applicable, the conversion or exchange price and period, provisions as to whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion or exchange price, and provisions affecting conversion or exchange;
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any other terms of the debt securities, which may supplement, modify, or delete any provision of the indenture as it applies to that series, including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the securities; and
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whether any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries will guarantee the debt securities of that series, including the terms of subordination, if any, of such guarantees.
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We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the United States federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Transfer and Exchange
Each debt security will be represented by either one or more global securities registered in the name of a depositary (we will refer to any debt security represented by a global debt security as a “book-entry debt security”), or a certificate issued in definitive registered form (we will refer to any debt security represented by a certificated security as a “certificated debt security”) as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Certificated Debt Securities. You may transfer or exchange certificated debt securities at any office we maintain for this purpose in accordance with the terms of the indenture. No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with a transfer or exchange. You may affect the transfer of certificated debt securities and the right to receive the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on certificated debt securities only by surrendering the certificate representing those certificated debt securities and either reissuance by us or the trustee of the certificate to the new holder or the issuance by us or the trustee of a new certificate to the new holder.
Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System. Each global debt security representing book-entry debt securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a depositary, registered in the name of the depositary or a nominee of the depositary, and follow the applicable procedures of the depositary. Please see “Forms of Securities.”
Covenants
We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement any restrictive covenants applicable to any issue of debt securities.
Consolidation, Merger, and Sale of Assets
We may not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer, or lease all or substantially all of our properties and assets to any person (a “successor person”) unless:
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we are the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes our obligations on the debt securities and under the indenture;
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immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and
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certain other conditions are met.
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Notwithstanding the above, any of our subsidiaries may consolidate with, merge into, or transfer all or part of its properties to us.
Events of Default
“Event of Default” means with respect to any series of debt securities, any of the following:
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default in the payment of any interest upon any debt security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of the payment is deposited by us with the trustee or with a paying agent prior to the expiration of the 30-day period);
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default in the payment of principal of any security of that series at its maturity;
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default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty by us in the indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than that series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after we receive written notice from the trustee or the Company and the trustee receives written notice from the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series as provided in the indenture;
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certain voluntary or involuntary events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company; and
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any other Event of Default provided with respect to debt securities of that series that is described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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No Event of Default with respect to a particular series of debt securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any other series of debt securities. The occurrence of certain Events of Default or an acceleration under the indenture may constitute an event of default under certain indebtedness of ours or our subsidiaries outstanding from time to time.
If an Event of Default with respect to debt securities of any series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, by a notice in writing to us (and to the trustee if given by the holders), declare to be due and payable immediately the principal of (or, if the debt securities of that series are discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all debt securities of that series. In the case of an Event of Default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding debt securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities. At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to debt securities of any series has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may rescind and annul the acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal and interest, if any, with respect to debt securities of that series, have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture. We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of such discount securities upon the occurrence of an Event of Default.
No holder of any debt security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any remedy under the indenture, unless:
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that holder has previously given to the trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to debt securities of that series; and
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the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and offered indemnity or security satisfactory to the trustee, to the trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee, and the trustee has not received from the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with that request and has failed to institute the proceeding within 60 days.
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Notwithstanding any other provision in the indenture, the holder of any debt security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal of, premium, and any interest on that debt security on or after the due dates expressed in that debt security and to institute suit for the enforcement of payment.
The indenture requires us, within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement as to compliance with the indenture. If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the securities of any series and if it is known to a responsible officer of the trustee, the trustee shall deliver (or electronically deliver while Notes are in global form) to each Security holder of the securities of that series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a responsible officer of the trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any series of any Default or Event of Default (except in payment on any debt securities of that series) with respect to debt securities of that series if the trustee determines in good faith that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of those debt securities.
Modification and Waiver
We and the trustee may modify, amend, or supplement the indenture or the debt securities of any series without the consent of any holder of any debt security:
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to cure any ambiguity, defect, or inconsistency;
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to comply with covenants in the indenture described above under the heading “Consolidation, Merger, and Sale of Assets;”
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to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to or in place of certificated securities;
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to add guarantees with respect to debt securities of any series or secure debt securities of any series;
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to surrender any of our rights or powers under the indenture;
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to add covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders of debt securities of any series;
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to comply with the applicable procedures of the applicable depositary;
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to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder of debt securities;
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to provide for the issuance of and establish the form, terms, and conditions of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indenture;
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to effect the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to the debt securities of any series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture to provide for or facilitate administration by more than one trustee; or
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to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
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We may also modify and amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modifications or amendments. We may not make any modification or amendment without the consent of the holders of each affected debt security then outstanding if that amendment will:
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reduce the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
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reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any debt security;
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reduce the principal of or premium on or change the fixed maturity of any debt security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation with respect to any series of debt securities;
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reduce the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity;
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waive a default in the payment of the principal of, premium, or interest on any debt security (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities of any series by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
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make the principal of, premium, or interest on any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt security;
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make any change to certain provisions of the indenture relating to, among other things, the right of holders of debt securities to receive payment of the principal of, premium, and interest on those debt securities and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and to waivers or amendments; or
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waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security.
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Except for certain specified provisions, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series waive our compliance with provisions of the indenture. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all the debt securities of such series waive any past default under the indenture with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of, any premium, or any interest on any debt security of that series; provided, however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from the acceleration.
Defeasance of Debt Securities and Certain Covenants in Certain Circumstances
Legal Defeasance. The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, we may be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the debt securities of any series (subject to certain exceptions). We will be so discharged upon the deposit with the trustee, in trust, of money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. Dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money or U.S. government obligations in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities.
This discharge may occur only if, among other things, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the beneficial owners of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain, or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance, and discharge and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit, defeasance, and discharge had not occurred.
Defeasance of Certain Covenants. The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, upon compliance with certain conditions:
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we may omit to comply with the covenant described under the heading “Consolidation, Merger, and Sale of Assets” and certain other covenants set forth in the indenture, as well as any additional covenants which may be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement; and
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any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of that series (“covenant defeasance”).
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The conditions include:
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depositing with the trustee money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. Dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal of, premium, and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities; and
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delivering to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain, or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and related covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit and related covenant defeasance had not occurred.
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Governing Law
The indenture and the debt securities, including any claim or controversy arising out of or relating to the indenture or the securities, will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue units consisting of any combination of the other types of securities offered under this prospectus in one or more series. We may evidence each series of units by unit certificates that we will issue under a separate agreement. We may enter into unit agreements with a unit agent. Each unit agent will be a bank or trust company that we select. We will indicate the name and address of the unit agent in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of units.
The following description, together with the additional information included in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the general features of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. You should read any prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to the series of units being offered, as well as the complete unit agreements that contain the terms of the units. Specific unit agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions and we will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from another report that we file with the SEC, the form of each unit agreement relating to units offered under this prospectus.
If we offer any units, certain terms of that series of units will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, including, without limitation, the following, as applicable:
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the title of the series of units;
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identification and description of the separate constituent securities comprising the units;
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the price or prices at which the units will be issued;
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the date, if any, on and after which the constituent securities comprising the units will be separately transferable;
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a discussion of certain United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the units; and
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any other terms of the units and their constituent securities.
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FORMS OF SECURITIES
Each debt security, warrant, and unit will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. Certificated securities in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent, or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities, warrants, or units represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company, or other representative, as we explain more fully below.
We may issue the registered debt securities, warrants, and units in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary, or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.
If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.
Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters, or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer, or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.
So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, or unit agreement. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form, and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, or unit agreement. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, or unit agreement. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, guaranteed trust preferred security, or unit agreement, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.
Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities, and any payments to holders with respect to warrants or units, represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. None of the Company, the trustee, the warrant agents, the unit agents or any other agent of the Company, agent of the trustee, or agent of the warrant agents or unit agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising, or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.
We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest, or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.
If the depositary for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the relevant trustee, warrant agent, unit agent, or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at prices determined as the prospectus supplement specifies. We may sell securities to one or more underwriters for public offering and sale by them or may sell securities to investors directly or through agents. We will name any underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of securities in the prospectus supplement.
Underwriters may offer and sell the securities at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed. Underwriters may also offer and sell securities at market prices, at prices related to market prices, or at negotiated prices. We also may authorize underwriters acting as our agents to offer and sell the securities upon the terms and conditions set forth in any prospectus supplement. In connection with the sale of securities, we may be deemed to have paid compensation to the underwriters in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions. Underwriters may also receive commissions from purchasers of securities for whom they may act as agent.
Underwriters may sell securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions, or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions (which may be changed from time to time) from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent.
The accompanying prospectus supplement will set forth the terms of the offering and the method of distribution and will identify any firms acting as underwriters, dealers, or agents in connection with the offering, including:
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the name or names of any underwriters;
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the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds to us from the sale;
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any underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriter compensation;
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any public offering price;
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any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and
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any securities exchange on which the securities offered in the prospectus supplement may be listed.
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Under the Securities Act, underwriters, dealers, and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commissions they receive and any profit they realize on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions. We may enter into agreements with underwriters, dealers, and agents providing them indemnification against and contribution toward specified civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and reimbursement for various expenses.
Underwriters, broker-dealers, or agents who may become involved in the sale of the common stock may engage in transactions with and perform other services for us in the ordinary course of their business for which they receive compensation.
We may also make direct sales through subscription rights distributed to our shareholders on a pro rata basis, which may or may not be transferable. In any distribution of subscription rights to shareholders, if all of the underlying securities are not subscribed for, we may then sell the unsubscribed securities directly to third parties or may engage the services of one or more underwriters, dealers, or agents, including standby underwriters, to sell the unsubscribed securities to third parties.
We will indicate the extent to which we anticipate that a secondary market for the securities will be available in the prospectus supplement. Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Except as indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, securities other than common stock are not expected to be listed on any securities exchange.
This prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time, if required, to describe a specific plan of distribution.
LEGAL MATTERS
Except as otherwise provided in any applicable prospectus supplement, Buchalter, a Professional Corporation, Portland, Oregon, will pass upon the validity of the securities being offered hereby.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of Northwest Pipe Company (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2022 incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Annual Report on Form 10‑K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, have been audited by Moss Adams LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, (which report expresses an unqualified opinion on the consolidated financial statements and an adverse opinion on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting due to a material weakness) which is incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual reports, quarterly reports, current reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are also available to the public on the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.
We make available, free of charge, on our website at http://www.nwpipe.com, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports and statements as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the SEC. The contents of our web site are not part of this prospectus, and the reference to our web site does not constitute incorporation by reference into this prospectus of the information contained at that site.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement to register the securities offered by this prospectus under the Securities Act. This prospectus is part of that registration statement, but omits some information contained in the registration statement, as permitted by SEC rules. For further information with respect to the Company and this offering, reference is made to the registration statement and the exhibits and any schedules filed with the registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any document referred to are not necessarily complete and in each instance, if the document is filed as an exhibit, reference is made to the copy of the document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, each statement being qualified in all respects by that reference.
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC permits us to “incorporate by reference” the information and reports that we file with it. This means we can disclose important information to you by referring to another document. The information that we incorporate by reference is considered part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules):
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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed on March 16, 2023;
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the portions of our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A (filed on April 27, 2023) that were incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022;
|
| |
|
|
| |
•
|
our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023, and September 30, 2023, as filed on May 4, 2023, August 3, 2023, and November 3, 2023 respectively;
|
| |
|
|
| |
•
|
our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on February 28, 2023 (as amended on April 13, 2023), April 13, 2023, April 21, 2023, June 23, 2023, July 3, 2023, and November 2, 2023; and
|
| |
|
|
| |
•
|
the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on November 2, 1995, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
|
Notwithstanding the foregoing, information furnished under Items 2.02 and 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K, including the related exhibits under Item 9.01, is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
All reports and other documents that we subsequently file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering, including all such reports and documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to effectiveness of the registration statement will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of filing of such reports and documents, provided that all documents and information “furnished” by the Company to the SEC and not “filed” are not deemed to be incorporated by reference herein.
Any statement contained in any document incorporated by reference herein will automatically be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that information in this prospectus or in a later filed document that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference modifies or supersedes such statement. Information in future filings incorporated by reference in this prospectus updates and supplements the information provided in this prospectus. Any statements in any future filings will automatically be deemed to modify and supersede any information in any document we previously filed with the SEC that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference to the extent that statements in the later filed document modify or replace such earlier statements.
Upon written or oral request, we will furnish to each person, including any beneficial owner, without charge, a copy of any or all documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with the prospectus, including exhibits which are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Any requests for documents should be delivered to Investor Relations, Northwest Pipe Company, 201 NE Park Plaza Drive, Suite 100, Vancouver, Washington 98684, telephone 360‑397‑6250.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table provides the various expenses payable by Northwest Pipe Company in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered, other than underwriting discounts and commissions. All amounts shown are estimates except the SEC registration fee.
|
SEC registration fee
|
|
$ |
22,140** |
|
|
Printing fees and expenses*
|
|
|
* |
|
|
Transfer agent fees and expenses*
|
|
|
* |
|
|
Accounting fees and expenses*
|
|
|
* |
|
|
Legal fees and expenses*
|
|
|
* |
|
|
Trustee fees and expenses*
|
|
|
* |
|
|
Blue Sky fees and expenses*
|
|
|
* |
|
|
Miscellaneous fees and expenses*
|
|
|
* |
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
* |
|
|
*
|
Estimated expenses are not presently known because they depend upon, among other things, the number of offerings that will be made pursuant to this registration statement, the amount and type of securities being offered, and the timing of such offerings. The foregoing sets forth the general categories of expenses (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) that we anticipate we will incur in connection with the offering of securities under this registration statement on Form S-3. An estimate of the aggregate expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being offered will be included in the applicable prospectus supplement.
|
|
**
|
Includes $2,457 previously paid pursuant to a Form S-3 declared effective on November 3, 2020 (Registration No. 333-249637) and $13,908 previously paid pursuant to a Form S-3 declared effective on September 17, 2017 (Registration No. 333-216802).
|
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
As an Oregon corporation, the Company is subject to the Oregon Business Corporation Act (“OBCA”) and the exculpation from liability and indemnification provisions contained therein. Pursuant to Section 60.047(2)(d) of the OBCA, Article IV of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation eliminates the liability of the Company’s directors to the Company or its shareholders, except for any liability related to breach of the duty of loyalty, actions not in good faith, and certain other liabilities.
Section 60.387 et seq. of the OBCA allows corporations to indemnify their directors and officers against liability where the director or officer has acted in good faith and with a reasonable belief that actions taken were in the best interests of the corporation or at least not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, if in a criminal proceeding, the individual had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct in question was unlawful. Under the OBCA, corporations may not indemnify against liability in connection with a claim by or in the right of the corporation but may indemnify against the reasonable expenses associated with such claims. Corporations may not indemnify against breaches of the duty of loyalty. The OBCA provides for mandatory indemnification of directors against all reasonable expenses incurred in the successful defense of any claim made or threatened whether or not such claim was by or in the right of the corporation. Finally, a court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances whether or not the director or officer met the good faith and reasonable belief standards of conduct set out in the statute.
The OBCA also provides that the statutory indemnification provisions are not deemed exclusive of any other rights to which directors or officers may be entitled under a corporation’s articles of incorporation or bylaws, any agreement, general or specific action of the board of directors, vote of shareholders, or otherwise. The Articles require the Company to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent not prohibited by law.
We hold an insurance policy covering directors and officers with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise.
Item 16. Exhibits.
The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement:
| |
Number |
Description |
| |
|
|
| |
1.1 |
Form of Underwriting Agreement* |
| |
|
|
| |
2.1
|
Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of January 31, 2020 among Northwest Pipe Company, Hatch Acquisition Corporation, Geneva Pipe Company, Inc., the Shareholders of Geneva Pipe Company, Inc., and Kurt Johnson, as Shareholder Representative (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 6, 2020)
|
| |
|
|
| |
2.2
|
Membership Interest Purchase Agreement dated as of October 5, 2021 by and among Northwest Pipe Company, EBSR, LLC, the equity holders of EBSR, LLC, and Park Environmental Equipment, LLC (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8‑K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 6, 2021)
|
| |
|
|
| |
3.1
|
Second Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form 10‑K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 16, 2022)
|
| |
|
|
| |
3.2
|
First Amendment to Second Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibits to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3, as amended, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 20, 2006, Commission Registration No. 333-137923)
|
| |
|
|
| |
3.3
|
Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 12, 2022)
|
| |
|
|
| |
4.1
|
Form of Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibits to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, effective November 30, 1995, Securities and Exchange Commission Registration No. 333‑97308)
|
| |
|
|
| |
4.2
|
Amendment to Articles of Incorporation for Preferred Stock*
|
| |
|
|
| |
4.3
|
Form of Preferred Stock Certificate*
|
| |
|
|
| |
4.4
|
Form of Indenture
|
| |
|
|
| |
4.5
|
Form of Debt Securities*
|
| |
|
|
| |
4.6
|
Form of Warrant*
|
| |
|
|
| |
4.7
|
Form of Warrant Agreement*
|
| |
|
|
| |
4.8
|
Form of Unit Agreement (including Unit Certificate)*
|
| |
|
|
| |
5.1
|
Opinion of Buchalter, a Professional Corporation as to the legality of the securities being registered
|
| |
|
|
| |
23.1
|
Consent of Buchalter, a Professional Corporation (included in Exhibit 5.1)
|
| |
|
|
| |
23.2
|
Consent of Moss Adams LLP
|
* To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and incorporated herein by reference, if applicable.
** To be filed separately under electronic form type “305B2” in accordance with Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
Item 17. Undertakings.
|
(a)
|
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
|
| |
(1)
|
To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
|
| |
(i)
|
To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
|
| |
(ii)
|
To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Filing Fee” table in the effective registration statement;
|
| |
(iii)
|
To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is a part of the registration statement.
|
| |
(2)
|
That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
|
| |
(3)
|
To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
|
| |
(4)
|
That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
|
| |
(i)
|
Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
|
| |
(ii)
|
Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
|
| |
(5)
|
That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
|
| |
(i)
|
Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
|
| |
(ii)
|
Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
|
| |
(iii)
|
The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
|
| |
(iv)
|
Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
|
|
(b)
|
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
|
|
(c)
|
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
|
|
(d)
|
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (the “Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act.
|
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Vancouver, State of Washington, on November 21, 2023.
| |
NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
By:
|
/s/ Scott Montross
|
|
| |
|
Scott Montross
|
|
| |
|
Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Richard A. Roman and Scott Montross, and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement and any subsequent registration statement for the same offering which may be filed under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing which they, or any of them, may deem necessary or advisable to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or any substitute or substitutes for any or all of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been duly signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on November 21, 2023.
|
Signature
|
|
Title
|
| |
|
|
|
/s/ Richard A. Roman
|
|
Director and Chairman of the Board
|
|
Richard A. Roman
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
/s/ Scott Montross
|
|
Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
Scott Montross
|
|
(principal executive officer)
|
| |
|
|
|
/s/ Aaron Wilkins
|
|
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Corporate Secretary
|
|
Aaron Wilkins
|
|
(principal financial and accounting officer)
|
| |
|
|
|
/s/ Michael C. Franson
|
|
Director
|
|
Michael C. Franson
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
/s/ Amanda Julian
|
|
Director
|
|
Amanda Julian
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
/s/ Keith Larson
|
|
Director
|
|
Keith Larson
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
/s/ Irma Lockridge
|
|
Director
|
|
Irma Lockridge
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
/s/ John T. Paschal
|
|
Director
|
|
John T. Paschal
|
|
|
Exhibit 4.4
NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY
INDENTURE
Dated as of __________, 20__
[__________],
Trustee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| |
Page
|
| |
|
|
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
|
1
|
|
Section 1.1.
|
Definitions.
|
1
|
|
Section 1.2.
|
Other Definitions.
|
3
|
|
Section 1.3.
|
Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
|
3
|
|
Section 1.4.
|
Rules of Construction.
|
4
|
| |
|
|
|
ARTICLE II. THE SECURITIES
|
4
|
|
Section 2.1.
|
Issuable in Series.
|
4
|
|
Section 2.2.
|
Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.
|
4
|
|
Section 2.3.
|
Execution and Authentication.
|
6
|
|
Section 2.4.
|
Registrar and Paying Agent.
|
6
|
|
Section 2.5.
|
Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
|
7
|
|
Section 2.6.
|
Securityholder Lists.
|
7
|
|
Section 2.7.
|
Transfer and Exchange.
|
7
|
|
Section 2.8.
|
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.
|
7
|
|
Section 2.9.
|
Outstanding Securities.
|
8
|
|
Section 2.10.
|
Treasury Securities.
|
8
|
|
Section 2.11.
|
Temporary Securities.
|
9
|
|
Section 2.12.
|
Cancellation.
|
9
|
|
Section 2.13.
|
Defaulted Interest.
|
9
|
|
Section 2.14.
|
Global Securities.
|
9
|
|
Section 2.15.
|
CUSIP Numbers.
|
10
|
| |
|
|
|
ARTICLE III. REDEMPTION
|
10
|
|
Section 3.1.
|
Notice to Trustee.
|
10
|
|
Section 3.2.
|
Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.
|
11
|
|
Section 3.3.
|
Notice of Redemption.
|
11
|
|
Section 3.4.
|
Effect of Notice of Redemption.
|
11
|
|
Section 3.5.
|
Deposit of Redemption Price.
|
12
|
|
Section 3.6.
|
Securities Redeemed in Part.
|
12
|
| |
|
|
|
ARTICLE IV. COVENANTS
|
12
|
|
Section 4.1.
|
Payment of Principal and Interest.
|
12
|
|
Section 4.2.
|
SEC Reports.
|
12
|
|
Section 4.3.
|
Compliance Certificate.
|
12
|
|
Section 4.4.
|
Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.
|
13
|
| |
|
|
|
ARTICLE V. SUCCESSORS
|
13
|
|
Section 5.1.
|
When Company May Merge, Etc.
|
13
|
|
Section 5.2.
|
Successor Corporation Substituted.
|
13
|
| |
|
|
|
ARTICLE VI. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
|
13
|
|
Section 6.1.
|
Events of Default.
|
13
|
|
Section 6.2.
|
Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.
|
14
|
|
Section 6.3.
|
Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.
|
15
|
|
Section 6.4.
|
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
|
15
|
|
Section 6.5.
|
Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.
|
16
|
|
Section 6.6.
|
Application of Money Collected.
|
16
|
|
Section 6.7.
|
Limitation on Suits.
|
16
|
|
Section 6.8.
|
Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.
|
16
|
|
Section 6.9.
|
Restoration of Rights and Remedies.
|
17
|
|
Section 6.10.
|
Rights and Remedies Cumulative.
|
17
|
|
Section 6.11.
|
Delay or Omission Not Waiver
|
17
|
|
Section 6.12.
|
Control by Holders.
|
17
|
|
Section 6.13.
|
Waiver of Past Defaults.
|
17
|
|
Section 6.14.
|
Undertaking for Costs.
|
18
|
| |
|
|
|
ARTICLE VII. TRUSTEE
|
18
|
|
Section 7.1.
|
Duties of Trustee.
|
18
|
|
Section 7.2.
|
Rights of Trustee.
|
19
|
|
Section 7.3.
|
Individual Rights of Trustee.
|
19
|
|
Section 7.4.
|
Trustee’s Disclaimer.
|
19
|
|
Section 7.5.
|
Notice of Defaults.
|
20
|
|
Section 7.6.
|
Reports by Trustee to Holders.
|
20
|
|
Section 7.7.
|
Compensation and Indemnity.
|
20
|
|
Section 7.8.
|
Replacement of Trustee.
|
21
|
|
Section 7.9.
|
Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.
|
21
|
|
Section 7.10.
|
Eligibility; Disqualification.
|
21
|
|
Section 7.11.
|
Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.
|
21
|
| |
|
|
|
ARTICLE VII. SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE
|
22
|
|
Section 8.1.
|
Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.
|
22
|
|
Section 8.2.
|
Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.
|
22
|
|
Section 8.3.
|
Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series.
|
23
|
|
Section 8.4.
|
Covenant Defeasance.
|
24
|
|
Section 8.5.
|
Repayment to Company.
|
24
|
|
Section 8.6.
|
Reinstatement.
|
25
|
| |
|
|
|
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
|
25
|
|
Section 9.1.
|
Without Consent of Holders.
|
25
|
|
Section 9.2.
|
With Consent of Holders.
|
25
|
|
Section 9.3.
|
Limitations.
|
26
|
|
Section 9.4.
|
Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.
|
26
|
|
Section 9.5.
|
Revocation and Effect of Consents.
|
26
|
|
Section 9.6.
|
Notation on or Exchange of Securities.
|
27
|
|
Section 9.7.
|
Trustee Protected.
|
27
|
| |
|
|
|
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS
|
27
|
|
Section 10.1.
|
Trust Indenture Act Controls.
|
27
|
|
Section 10.2.
|
Notices.
|
27
|
|
Section 10.3.
|
Communication by Holders with Other Holders.
|
28
|
|
Section 10.4.
|
Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
|
28
|
|
Section 10.5.
|
Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
|
28
|
|
Section 10.6.
|
Rules by Trustee and Agents.
|
28
|
|
Section 10.7.
|
Legal Holidays.
|
29
|
|
Section 10.8.
|
No Recourse Against Others.
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29
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Section 10.9.
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Counterparts.
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29
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Section 10.10.
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Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction.
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29
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Section 10.11.
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No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
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29
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Section 10.12.
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Successors.
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29
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Section 10.13.
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Severability.
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30
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Section 10.14.
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Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.
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30
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Section 10.15.
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Securities in a Foreign Currency.
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30
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Section 10.16.
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Judgment Currency.
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30
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Section 10.17.
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Force Majeure.
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31
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Section 10.18.
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U.S.A. Patriot Act.
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31
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ARTICLE XI. SINKING FUNDS
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31
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Section 11.1.
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Applicability of Article.
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31
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Section 11.2.
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Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.
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31
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Section 11.3.
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Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.
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32
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NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY
Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and
Indenture, dated as of __________, 20__
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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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Not Applicable
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(a)(4)
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Not Applicable
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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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§ 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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Not Applicable
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§ 312(a)
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2.6
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(b)
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10.3
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(c)
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10.3
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§ 313(a)
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7.6
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(b)(1)
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7.6
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(b)(2)
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7.6
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(c)(1)
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7.6
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(d)
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7.6
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§ 314(a)
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4.2, 10.5
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(b)
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Not Applicable
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(c)(1)
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10.4
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(c)(2)
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10.4
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(c)(3)
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Not Applicable
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(d)
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Not Applicable
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(e)
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10.5
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(f)
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Not Applicable
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§ 315(a)
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7.1
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(b)
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7.5
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(c)
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7.1
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(d)
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7.1
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(e)
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6.14
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§ 316(a)
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2.10
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(a)(1)(A)
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6.12
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(a)(1)(B)
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6.13
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(b)
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6.8
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(c) |
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9.5 |
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§ 317(a)(1)
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6.3
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(a)(2)
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6.4
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(b)
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2.5
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§ 318(a)
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10.1
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Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.
Indenture dated as of __________, 20__ between NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY, a company incorporated under the laws of the State of Oregon (“Company”), and [__________] (“Trustee”).
Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Section 1.1. Definitions.
“Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on Holders specified herein or therein and which are owing to such Holders.
“Affiliate” of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.
“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent.
“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.
“Business Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York, New York (or in connection with any payment, the place of payment) on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
“Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock.
“Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.
“Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by an Officer.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business related to this Indenture shall be principally administered.
“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
“Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depositary for such Series by the Company, which Depositary shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of such Series.
“Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.
“Dollars” and “$” means the currency of The United States of America.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of The United States of America.
“Foreign Government Obligations” means, with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.
“GAAP” means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect as of the date of determination.
“Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depositary for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or nominee.
“Holder” or “Securityholder” means a person in whose name a Security is registered.
“Indenture” means this Indenture as amended or supplemented from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.
“interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.
“Maturity” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
“Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, and any Vice President of the Company.
“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any Officer.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company. The opinion may contain customary limitations, conditions and exceptions.
“person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
“principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.
“Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office having responsibility for administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.
“Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof.
“Stated Maturity” when used with respect to any Security, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or interest is due and payable.
“Subsidiary” of any specified person means any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that person or a combination thereof.
“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.
“Trustee” means the person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.
“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities which are direct obligations of, or guaranteed by, The United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depositary receipt.
Section 1.2. Other Definitions.
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TERM
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DEFINED IN SECTION
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“Bankruptcy Law”
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6.1
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“Custodian”
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6.1
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“Event of Default”
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6.1
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“Judgment Currency”
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10.16
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“Legal Holiday”
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10.7
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“mandatory sinking fund payment”
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11.1
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“New York Banking Day”
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10.16
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“Notice Agent”
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2.4
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“optional sinking fund payment”
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11.1
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“Paying Agent”
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2.4
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“Registrar”
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2.4
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“Required Currency”
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10.16
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“Specified Courts”
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10.1
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“successor person”
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5.1
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Section 1.3. 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:
“Commission” means the SEC.
“indenture securities” means the Securities.
“indenture security holder” means a Securityholder.
“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.
“indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.
“obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.
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 are used herein as so defined.
Section 1.4. Rules of Construction.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(c) “or” is not exclusive;
(d) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and
(e) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.
ARTICLE II.
THE SECURITIES
Section 2.1. Issuable in Series.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officer’s Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
Section 2.2. Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.
At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2.1 and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.2.2 through 2.2.23) by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate:
2.2.1. the title (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series) and ranking (including the terms of any subordination provisions) of the Series;
2.2.2. the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;
2.2.3. any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6);
2.2.4. the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;
2.2.5. the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;
2.2.6. the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, where the Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered, and the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;
2.2.7. if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;
2.2.8. the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
2.2.9. the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;
2.2.10. if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;
2.2.11. the forms of the Securities of the Series and whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities;
2.2.12. if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;
2.2.13. the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;
2.2.14. the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be made;
2.2.15. if payments of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;
2.2.16. the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;
2.2.17. the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series;
2.2.18. any addition to, deletion of or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;
2.2.19. any addition to, deletion of or change in the covenants set forth in Articles IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;
2.2.20. any Depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein;
2.2.21. the provisions, if any, relating to conversion or exchange of any Securities of such Series, including if applicable, the conversion or exchange price, the conversion or exchange period, provisions as to whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory, at the option of the Holders thereof or at the option of the Company, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price or exchange price and provisions affecting conversion or exchange if such Series of Securities are redeemed;
2.2.22. any other terms of the Series (which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series), including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of Securities of that Series; and
2.2.23. whether any of the Company’s direct or indirect Subsidiaries will guarantee the Securities of that Series, including the terms of subordination, if any, of such guarantees.
All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate referred to above.
Section 2.3. Execution and Authentication.
An Officer shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.
A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.
The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.
Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officer’s Certificate complying with Section 10.4, and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.
The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not be taken lawfully; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or vice-presidents or a committee of Responsible Officers shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.
Section 2.4. Registrar and Paying Agent.
The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered (“Notice Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands; provided, however, that any appointment of the Trustee as the Notice Agent shall exclude the appointment of the Trustee or any office of the Trustee as an agent to receive the service of legal process on the Company.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional notice agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional notice agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Notice Agent” includes any additional notice agent. The Company or any of its Affiliates may serve as Registrar or Paying Agent.
The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.
Section 2.5. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee in writing 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 to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent. Upon any bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to the Company, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Securities.
Section 2.6. Securityholder Lists.
The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten 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 Securityholders of each Series of Securities.
Section 2.7. Transfer and Exchange.
Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company 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 tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6).
Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days immediately preceding the sending of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day such notice is sent, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.
Section 2.8. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.
If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity bond as may be required by each of them to hold itself and any of its agents harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon receipt of a Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.
Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
Section 2.9. Outstanding Securities.
The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding.
If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser.
If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.
The Company may purchase or otherwise acquire the Securities, whether by open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise. A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Security (but see Section 2.10 below).
In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.
Section 2.10. Treasury Securities.
In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, Securities of a Series owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver only Securities of a Series that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.
Section 2.11. Temporary Securities.
Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon receipt of a Company Order shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.
Section 2.12. Cancellation.
The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall destroy such canceled Securities (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act and the Trustee) and deliver a certificate of such cancellation to the Company upon written request of the Company. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Section 2.13. Defaulted Interest.
If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Securityholders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least 10 days before the special record date, the Company shall send to the Trustee and to each Securityholder of the Series a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.
Section 2.14. Global Securities.
2.14.1. Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities.
2.14.2. Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depositary for such Security or its nominee only if (i) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of such event or (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.
Except as provided in this Section 2.14.2, a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depositary, by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such a successor Depositary.
2.14.3. Legends. Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY. THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND 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 ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.”
In addition, so long as the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) is the Depositary, each Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“UNLESS THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY GLOBAL NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS 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 THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”
2.14.4. Acts of Holders. The Depositary, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.
2.14.5. Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.
2.14.6. Consents, Declaration and Directions. The Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary or by the applicable procedures of such Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.
Section 2.15. CUSIP Numbers.
The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.
ARTICLE III.
REDEMPTION
Section 3.1. Notice to Trustee.
The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee in writing of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the notice at least 15 days before the redemption date, unless a shorter period is satisfactory to the Trustee.
Section 3.2. Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.
Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Securities of the Series to be redeemed will be selected as follows: (a) if the Securities are in the form of Global Securities, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary, (b) if the Securities are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Securities are listed, or (c) if not otherwise provided for under clause (a) or (b) in the manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate, including by lot or other method, unless otherwise required by law or applicable stock exchange requirements, subject, in the case of Global Securities, to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Securities to be redeemed shall be selected from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. Portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $1,000 may be selected for redemption. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selected for redemption shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2.10, the minimum principal denomination for each Series and the authorized integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.
Section 3.3. Notice of Redemption.
Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall send or cause to be sent by first-class mail or electronically, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed.
The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:
(a) the redemption date;
(b) the redemption price;
(c) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(d) if any Securities are being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date and upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Security shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Security;
(e) that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;
(f) that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date unless the Company defaults in the deposit of the redemption price;
(g) the CUSIP number, if any; and
(h) any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.
At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense, provided, however, that the Company has delivered to the Trustee, at least 10 days (unless a shorter time shall be acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the notice date, an Officer’s Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice.
Section 3.4. Effect of Notice of Redemption.
Once notice of redemption is sent as provided in Section 3.3, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. Except as otherwise provided in the supplemental indenture, Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate for a Series, a notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to the redemption date.
Section 3.5. Deposit of Redemption Price.
On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.
Section 3.6. Securities Redeemed in Part.
Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.
ARTICLE IV.
COVENANTS
Section 4.1. Payment of Principal and Interest.
The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture. On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the applicable payment date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of each Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.
Section 4.2. SEC Reports.
To the extent any Securities of a Series are outstanding, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA § 314(a). Reports, information and documents filed with the SEC via the EDGAR system will be deemed to be delivered to the Trustee as of the time of such filing via EDGAR for purposes of this Section 4.2.
Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under this Section 4.2 are for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of the foregoing shall not constitute constructive or actual notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of their covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).
Section 4.3. Compliance Certificate.
To the extent any Securities of a Series are outstanding, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officer’s Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his/her knowledge the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which the Officer may have knowledge).
Section 4.4. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities; and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
ARTICLE V.
SUCCESSORS
Section 5.1. When Company May Merge, Etc.
The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”) unless:
(a) the Company is the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes the Company’s obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture; and
(b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.
The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officer’s Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and any supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture.
Notwithstanding the above, any Subsidiary of the Company may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to the Company. Neither an Officer’s Certificate nor an Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered in connection therewith.
Section 5.2. Successor Corporation Substituted.
Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person has been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale, conveyance or other disposition (other than a lease) shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.
ARTICLE VI.
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
Section 6.1. Events of Default.
“Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:
(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the 30th day of such period); or
(b) default in the payment of principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity; or
(c) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than defaults pursuant to paragraphs (a) or (b) above or pursuant to a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or
(d) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(i) commences a voluntary case,
(ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,
(iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or
(v) generally is unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or
(e) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,
(ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or
(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or
(f) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2.18.
The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
The Company will provide the Trustee written notice of any Default or Event of Default within 30 days of becoming aware of the occurrence of such Default or Event of Default, which notice will describe in reasonable detail the status of such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take in respect thereof.
Section 6.2. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(d) or (e)) then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal and interest, if any, of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.3. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.
The Company covenants that if
(a) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or
(b) default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, or
(c) default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, if any, when and as due by the terms of a Security,
then, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and any overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.
If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
Section 6.4. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and
(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same, and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 6.5. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.
All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the compensation, reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
Section 6.6. Application of Money Collected.
Any money or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money or property on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
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To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7; and |
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Second:
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To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and
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To the Company. |
Section 6.7. Limitation on Suits.
No Holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless
(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;
(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by the Trustee in compliance with such request;
(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series;
it being understood, intended and expressly covenanted by the Holder of every Security with every other Holder and the Trustee that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders of the applicable Series.
Section 6.8. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
Section 6.9. Restoration of Rights and Remedies.
If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 6.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.
Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.8, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
Section 6.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver.
No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
Section 6.12. Control by Holders.
The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that
(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,
(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction,
(c) subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability, and
(d) prior to taking any action as directed under this Section 6.12, the Trustee shall be entitled to indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
Section 6.13. Waiver of Past Defaults.
The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series, by written notice to the Trustee and the Company, waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.14. Undertaking for Costs.
All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).
ARTICLE VII.
TRUSTEE
Section 7.1. Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(i) The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others.
(ii) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the form requirements of this Indenture.
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.
(ii) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.
(iii) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series in accordance with Section 6.12.
(d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraph (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.
(e) The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in performing such duty or exercising such right or power.
(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
(g) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if adequate indemnity against such risk is not assured to the Trustee in its satisfaction.
(h) The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections and immunities as are set forth in paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of this Section and in Section 7.2, each with respect to the Trustee.
Section 7.2. Rights of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document (whether in its original or facsimile form) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.
(c) The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depositary shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depositary.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, provided that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct or negligence.
(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder without willful misconduct or negligence, and in reliance thereon.
(f) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(g) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(h) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities generally or the Securities of a particular Series and this Indenture.
(i) In no event shall the Trustee be liable to any person for special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.
(j) The permissive right of the Trustee to take the actions permitted by this Indenture shall not be construed as an obligation or duty to do so.
Section 7.3. Individual Rights of Trustee.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.
Section 7.4. Trustee’s Disclaimer.
The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its authentication.
Section 7.5. Notice of Defaults.
If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall send to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as its corporate trust committee or a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Securityholders of that Series.
Section 7.6. Reports by Trustee to Holders.
Within 60 days after each anniversary of the date of this Indenture, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar, a brief report dated as of such anniversary date, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA § 313.
A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Securityholders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each national securities exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing when Securities of any Series are listed on any national securities exchange.
Section 7.7. Compensation and Indemnity.
The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree upon in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.
The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee (including for the cost of defending itself) against any cost, expense or liability, including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it except as set forth in the next paragraph in the performance of its duties under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder, unless and to the extent that the Company is materially prejudiced thereby. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have one separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee.
The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee through willful misconduct or negligence.
To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Securities of that Series.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture.
Section 7.8. Replacement of Trustee.
A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.
The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company at least 30 days prior to the date of the proposed resignation. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:
(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;
(b) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;
(c) a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.
If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.
If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.7, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to each Securityholder of each such Series. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.7 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it for actions taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with its rights, powers and duties under this Indenture prior to such replacement.
Section 7.9. Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.
If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee, subject to Section 7.10.
Section 7.10. Eligibility; Disqualification.
This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall always have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA § 310(b).
Section 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.
The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated.
ARTICLE VIII.
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE
Section 8.1. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.
This Indenture shall upon Company Order be discharged with respect to the Securities of any Series and cease to be of further effect as to all Securities of such Series (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.1), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when
(a) either
(i) all Securities of such Series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(ii) all such Securities of such Series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation
(1) have become due and payable by reason of sending a notice of redemption or otherwise, or
(2) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or
(3) have been called for redemption or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, or
(4) are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.3, as applicable; and the Company, in the case of (1), (2) or (3) above, shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount of money or U.S. Government Obligations, which amount shall be sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest are due;
(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and
(c) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.7, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2 and 8.5 shall survive.
Section 8.2. Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Sections 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4.
(b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.
(c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Order any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Sections 8.3 or 8.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.
Section 8.3. Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series.
Unless this Section 8.3 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.2, to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of any Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, upon receipt of a Company Order, execute instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:
(a) the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;
(b) the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 7.7, 8.2, 8.3, 8.5 and 8.6; and
(c) the rights, powers, trusts and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith; provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(d) the Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest and such sinking fund payments are due;
(e) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(f) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;
(g) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;
(h) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and
(i) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
Section 8.4. Covenant Defeasance.
Unless this Section 8.4 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2 to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company may omit to comply with respect to the Securities of any Series with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6 and 5.1 and, unless otherwise specified therein, any additional covenants specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series under Section 6.1) and the occurrence of any event specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2.18 and designated as an Event of Default shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities will be unaffected thereby; provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(a) with reference to this Section 8.4, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest are due;
(b) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(c) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;
(d) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm, subject to customary exclusions, that the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, covenant defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, covenant defeasance and discharge had not occurred;
(e) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and
(f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
Section 8.5. Repayment to Company.
Subject to applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years. After that, Securityholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.
Section 8.6. Reinstatement.
If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money deposited with respect to Securities of any Series in accordance with Section 8.1 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Company under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series and under the Securities of such Series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.1 until such time as the Trustee or the Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.1; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent after payment in full to the Holders.
ARTICLE IX.
AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
Section 9.1. Without Consent of Holders.
The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Securityholder:
(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
(b) to comply with Article V;
(c) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities;
(d) to add guarantees with respect to Securities of any Series or secure Securities of any Series;
(e) to surrender any of the Company’s rights or powers under this Indenture;
(f) to add covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders of Securities of any Series;
(g) to comply with the applicable procedures of the applicable depositary;
(h) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder;
(i) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture;
(j) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee; or
(k) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA.
Section 9.2. With Consent of Holders.
The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Securityholders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.
It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall send to the Holders of Securities affected thereby, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to send such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.
Section 9.3. Limitations.
Without the consent of each Securityholder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:
(a) reduce the principal amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;
(c) reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;
(d) reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;
(e) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
(f) make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;
(g) make any change in Sections 6.8, 6.13 or 9.3 (this sentence); or
(h) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security, provided that such redemption is made at the Company’s option.
Section 9.4. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.
Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.
Section 9.5. Revocation and Effect of Consents.
Until an amendment is set forth in a supplemental indenture or a waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date of the supplemental indenture or the date the waiver becomes effective.
Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Securityholder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (h) of Section 9.3. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.
The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the second immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to revoke any consent previously given or take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 120 days after such record date.
Section 9.6. Notation on or Exchange of Securities.
The Company or the Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon receipt of a Company Order in accordance with Section 2.3 new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.
Section 9.7. Trustee Protected.
In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both complying with Section 10.4. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures upon delivery of such an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel or both, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture.
ARTICLE X.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.1. Trust Indenture Act Controls.
If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.
Section 10.2. Notices.
Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other, or by a Holder to the Company or the Trustee, is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), facsimile transmission, email or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to the others’ address:
if to the Company:
[__________]
Attention: [__________]
Telephone: [__________]
with a copy to:
[__________]
Attention: [__________]
Telephone: [__________]
if to the Trustee:
[__________]
Attention: [__________]
Telephone: [__________]
with a copy to:
[__________]
Attention: [__________]
Telephone: [__________]
The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
Any notice or communication to a Securityholder shall be sent electronically or by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary. Failure to send a notice or communication to a Securityholder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders of that or any other Series.
If a notice or communication is sent or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Securityholder receives it.
If the Company sends a notice or communication to Securityholders, it shall send a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security, where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption) to a Holder of a Global Security (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given to the Depositary for such Security (or its designee) pursuant to the customary procedures of such Depositary.
Section 10.3. Communication by Holders with Other Holders.
Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).
Section 10.4. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:
(a) an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(b) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
Section 10.5. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA § 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA § 314(e) and shall include:
(a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 10.6. Rules by Trustee and Agents.
The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Securityholders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.
Section 10.7. Legal Holidays.
A “Legal Holiday” is any day that is not a Business Day. 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 for the intervening period.
Section 10.8. No Recourse Against Others.
A director, officer, employee or stockholder (past or present), as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.
Section 10.9. Counterparts.
This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.
Section 10.10. Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction.
THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE INDENTURE OR THE SECURITIES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND THE HOLDERS (BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES) EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the non exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail (to the extent allowed under any applicable statute or rule of court) to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The Company, the Trustee and the Holders (by their acceptance of the Securities) each hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim any such suit, action or other proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section 10.11. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
Section 10.12. Successors.
All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.
Section 10.13. Severability.
In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 10.14. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.
The Table of Contents, Cross Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
Section 10.15. Securities in a Foreign Currency.
Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in more than one currency, then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be determined by converting any such other currency into a currency that is designated upon issuance of any particular Series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, such conversion shall be at the spot rate for the purchase of the designated currency as published in The Financial Times in the “Currency Rates” section (or, if The Financial Times is no longer published, or if such information is no longer available in The Financial Times, such source as may be selected in good faith by the Company) on any date of determination. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
All decisions and determinations provided for in the preceding paragraph shall, in the absence of manifest error, to the extent permitted by law, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Trustee and all Holders.
Section 10.16. Judgment Currency.
The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
Section 10.17. Force Majeure.
In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services, it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable best efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
Section 10.18. U.S.A. Patriot Act.
The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act, the Trustee is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.
ARTICLE XI.
SINKING FUNDS
Section 11.1. Applicability of Article.
The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series if so provided by the terms of such Securities pursuant to Section 2.2 and except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.
Section 11.2. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.
The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (2) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been repurchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.2, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.
Section 11.3. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.
Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.2, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date will be selected in the manner specified in Section 3.2 and the Company shall send or cause to be sent a notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in and in accordance with Section 3.3. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
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NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY
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By:
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Name:
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Its:
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[__________], as Trustee
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By:
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Name:
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Its:
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Exhibit 5.1
OPINION OF BUCHALTER, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
Buchalter, APC
805 SW Broadway
Suite 1500
Portland, OR 97205
503.226.1191
November 21, 2023
Northwest Pipe Company
201 NE Park Plaza Drive, Suite 100
Vancouver, WA 98684
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as securities counsel to Northwest Pipe Company, an Oregon corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) a Registration Statement on Form S‑3 (the “Registration Statement”) for the purpose of registering for sale from time to time, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), up to $150,000,000 of any combination of the following securities of the Company (“Securities”) in one or more series: (i) shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”); (ii) shares of preferred stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”); (iii) debt securities of the Company (the “Debt Securities”), which shall be issued under an indenture to be entered into between the Company, as issuer, and a third party to be identified therein, as trustee (the “Trustee”) (the “Indenture”); (iv) warrants of the Company to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”), which may be issued under one or more warrant agreements (each, a “Warrant Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and the warrant agent to be named therein (the “Warrant Agent”); and (v) units comprised of one or more of the foregoing Securities in any combination (the “Units”), to be issued under one or more unit agreements to be entered into among the Company, a bank or trust company, as unit agent (the “Unit Agent”), and the holders from time to time of the Units (each such unit agreement, a “Unit Agreement”). The offering of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants and Units will be as set forth in the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”), as supplemented by one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”).
This opinion letter is rendered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S‑K under the Securities Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) with respect thereto, other than as expressly stated herein.
We, as your counsel, have relied upon and examined originals or copies of (i) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (ii) the form of Indenture filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, (iii) the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, each as amended to the date hereof, (iv) corporate proceedings of the Company relating to the registration of the Securities and related matters and (v) such other agreements, proceedings, documents and records and such matters of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to enable us to render this opinion.
In connection with rendering the opinions expressed herein, we have, without independent inquiry or investigation, assumed that (i) all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and complete, (ii) all documents submitted to us as copies conform to authentic, complete originals, (iii) all documents filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been executed will conform to the forms thereof, (iv) all signatures on all documents that we reviewed are genuine, (v) all natural persons executing documents had and have the legal capacity to do so, (vi) all statements in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company that we reviewed were and are accurate and (vii) all representations made by the Company as to matters of fact in the documents that we reviewed were and are accurate. In addition, we have assumed the accuracy and completeness of all records, documents, instruments and materials made available to use by the Company.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
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1.
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When the necessary corporate action on the part of the Company has been taken to authorize the issuance and sale of such shares of Common Stock proposed to be sold by the Company, and when such shares of Common Stock are issued and delivered in accordance with the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor (in excess of the par value thereof) or upon conversion or exercise of any Security offered under the Registration Statement (the “Offered Security”), in accordance with the terms of such Offered Security or the instrument governing such Offered Security providing for such conversion or exercise as approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, for the consideration approved by such Board of Directors (which consideration is not less than the par value of the Common Stock), such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully-paid and non-assessable. |
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2.
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With respect to any particular series of shares of Preferred Stock, when the necessary corporate action on the part of the Company has been taken to authorize the issuance and sale of such shares of Preferred Stock proposed to be sold by the Company, including the designation of the relative rights, preferences and limitations of any series of Preferred Stock by the Board of Directors of the Company and the proper filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Oregon of articles of amendment to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation relating to such series of Preferred Stock, and when such shares of Preferred Stock are issued and delivered in accordance with the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor (in excess of the par value thereof) or upon conversion or exercise of any Offered Security, in accordance with the terms of such Offered Security or the instrument governing such Offered Security providing for such conversion or exercise as approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, for the consideration approved by such Board of Directors (which consideration is not less than the par value of the Preferred Stock), such shares of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
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3.
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With respect to any series of Debt Securities to be issued under an Indenture, when the Trustee is qualified to act as Trustee under the Indenture and the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended; the Indenture and any supplemental indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and the Company; the specific terms of a particular series of Debt Securities have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Indenture; and such Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the Indenture and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor or upon exercise of Warrants to purchase Debt Securities, such Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms. |
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4.
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With respect to any Warrants, when the Warrant Agreement to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Warrants has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Warrant Agent and the Company; the specific terms of the Warrants have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Warrant Agreement; and such Warrants have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the Warrant Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms. |
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5.
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With respect to any Units, when the Unit Agreement to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Units has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Unit Agent and the Company; the specific terms of the Units have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Unit Agreement; and such Units have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the Unit Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms. |
The opinions set forth in paragraphs (3) through (5) above are subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and by general principles of equity (whether applied by a court of law in equity or at law). Such principles of equity include without limitation, concepts if materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and also the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief.
In connection with the opinions expressed above, we have assumed that, at or prior to the time of the delivery of any such security, (i) the Board of Directors of the Company shall have duly established the terms of such security and duly authorized the issuance and sale of such security and such authorization shall not have been modified or rescinded; (ii) the Company shall remain validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Oregon; (iii) the Registration Statement shall have been declared effective and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or rescinded; (iv) a prospectus supplement and any required pricing supplement will have been filed with the SEC describing the Securities offered thereby, (v) all Securities will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement, the applicable Prospectus Supplement and any applicable pricing supplement, (vi) a definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement with respect to any Securities offered will have been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the other party or parties thereto, (vii) any Securities issuable upon conversion, exchange, redemption or exercise of any Securities being offered will be duly authorized, created and, if appropriate, reserved for issuance upon such conversion, exchange, redemption, or exercise, (viii) with respect to shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock offered, there will be sufficient shares of unissued Common Stock or Preferred Stock authorized under the Company’s organizational documents and not otherwise reserved for issuance at the time of issuance thereof, (ix) in the case of an Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement, or other agreement pursuant to which any Securities are to be issued, there shall be no terms or provisions contained therein that would affect the opinions rendered herein and all such agreements shall be governed by the laws of the state of Oregon, or with respect to the Debt Securities, New York, (x) the Indenture (as modified by any applicable supplemental indenture),Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement, and any other agreement pursuant to which any Securities are to be issued are each valid, binding and enforceable agreements of each party thereto (other than as expressly covered above in respect of the Company); and (xi) there shall not have occurred any change in law affecting the validity or enforceability of such Security. We have also assumed that the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of any Security whose terms are established subsequent to the date hereof (a) require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official other than as stated herein and (b) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, any public policy, any provision of applicable law or regulation or any judgment, injunction, order or decree or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company.
Our opinion is limited to the matters set forth herein, and we express no opinion other than as expressly set forth herein. In rendering the opinions set forth above, we do not express any opinion concerning laws other than the Federal securities laws of the United States and the laws of the State of Oregon and, with respect to the Debt Securities, the State of New York. We are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction or the securities or “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction (except federal securities laws). Our opinion is expressed as of the date hereof and is based on laws currently in effect. Accordingly, the conclusions set forth in this opinion letter are subject to change in the event that any laws should change or be enacted in the future. We are under no obligation to update this opinion letter or to otherwise communicate with you in the event of any such change.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement referred to above and any amendment thereto, including any post-effective amendment, and further consent to the reference to our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ Buchalter |
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BUCHALTER |
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A Professional Corporation |
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Exhibit 23.2
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S‑3 of Northwest Pipe Company of our report dated March 16, 2023, relating to the consolidated financial statements and the financial statement schedule of Northwest Pipe Company (the “Company”) and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of the Company, (which report expresses an unqualified opinion on the consolidated financial statements and an adverse opinion on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting due to a material weakness), appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10‑K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.
/s/ Moss Adams LLP
Portland, Oregon
November 21, 2023
Exhibit 107
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
Form S-3
(Form Type)
Northwest Pipe Company
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered Securities
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Security
Type
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Security
Class
Title
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Fee
Calculation
or Carry
Forward
Rule
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Amount
Registered
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Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Unit
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Maximum
Aggregate
Offering
Price
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Fee
Rate
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Amount of
Registration
Fee
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Carry
Forward
Form
Type
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Carry
Forward
File
Number
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Carry
Forward
Initial
effective
date
|
|
Filing Fee
Previously
Paid In
Connection
with
Unsold
Securities
to be
Carried
Forward
|
|
|
Newly Registered Securities
|
|
|
Fees to Be Paid
|
Equity
|
|
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share
|
|
457 (o)
|
|
|
(1 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
|
Fees to Be Paid
|
Equity
|
|
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share
|
|
457 (o)
|
|
|
(1 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees to Be Paid
|
Debt
|
|
Debt Securities
|
|
457 (o)
|
|
|
(1 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees to Be Paid
|
Equity
|
|
Warrants
|
|
457 (o)
|
|
|
(1 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees to Be Paid
|
Equity
|
|
Units
|
|
457 (o)
|
|
|
(1 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees to Be Paid
|
Unallocated (Universal) Shelf
|
|
|
(1 |
) |
457 (o)
|
|
|
(1 |
) |
|
|
(2 |
) |
|
$ |
150,000,000 |
|
|
0.00014760 |
|
$ |
22,140 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Total Offering Amounts
|
|
|
$ |
150,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
$ |
22,140 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Total Fees Previously Paid
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Total Fee Offsets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
16,365 |
(3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Net Fee Due
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
5,775 |
(3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
(1)
|
There are being registered under this registration statement (“Registration Statement”) an indeterminate number of shares of common stock, an indeterminate number of shares of preferred stock, an indeterminate principal amount of debt securities, an indeterminate number of warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock, or debt securities, and an indeterminate amount of units, as may be sold by the registrant from time to time, which together shall have an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $150,000,000. If any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount, the offering price of such debt securities shall be in such greater principal amount as shall result in an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $150,000,000, less the aggregate dollar amount of all securities previously issued pursuant to this Registration Statement. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable upon conversion, exchange, exercise, or settlement of any securities registered hereunder. In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement also registers such indeterminate amounts of securities as may be issued upon conversion of, or in exchange for, any convertible preferred stock or debt securities, or upon exercise of any warrant, and such indeterminate number of shares of common stock and preferred stock as may be issued from time to time upon conversion or exchange as a result of stock splits, stock dividends, or similar transactions, or pursuant to any anti-dilution provisions of any securities. In no event will the aggregate initial offering price of all securities issued from time to time by the registrant pursuant to this Registration Statement exceed $150,000,000 or the equivalent thereof in one or more foreign currencies, foreign currency units, or composite currencies, excluding accrued interest, if any, on any debt securities issued under the Registration Statement.
|
| |
(2)
|
The proposed maximum aggregate offering price per unit and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price for each class of securities registered hereunder will be determined from time to time by the registrant in connection with the issuance by the registrant of the securities registered hereunder and is not specified as to each class of security as provided by Item 16(b) of Form S‑3 under the Securities Act.
|
| |
(3)
|
The registrant previously paid registration fees of $2,457 with respect to the registration of an indeterminate number of shares of common stock, an indeterminate number of shares of preferred stock, an indeterminate principal amount of debt securities, an indeterminate number of warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock, or debt securities, and an indeterminate amount of units on its registration statement on Form S‑3 filed on October 23, 2020 and declared effective on November 3, 2020 (Commission File No. 333‑249637) (the “2020 Registration Statement”) and $13,908 with respect to the registration of an indeterminate number of shares of common stock, an indeterminate number of shares of preferred stock, an indeterminate principal amount of debt securities, an indeterminate number of warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock, or debt securities, and an indeterminate amount of units on its registration statement on Form S‑3 filed on March 17, 2017 and declared effective on September 15, 2017 (Commission File No. 333‑216802) (the “2017 Registration Statement”). Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(5), on November 3, 2023, the 2020 Registration Statement expired with no securities sold thereunder. Pursuant to Rule 457(p) under the Securities Act, the Registrant hereby offsets the total registration fee due under this Registration Statement by $16,365, which represents the aggregate registration fees previously paid with respect to $150,000,000 of unsold securities previously registered under the 2020 Registration Statement, including $120,000,000 of unsold securities previously registered under the 2017 Registration Statement. |
Table 2: Fee Offset Claims and Sources
| |
|
Registrant
or Filer
Name
|
|
Form
or
Filing
Type
|
|
File
Number
|
|
Initial
Filing
Date
|
|
Filing
Date
|
|
|
Fee Offset
Claimed
|
|
|
Security
Type
Associated
with Fee
Offset
Claimed
|
|
Security
Title
Associated
with Fee
Offset
Claimed
|
|
Unsold
Securities
Associated
with Fee
Offset
Claimed
|
|
|
Unsold Aggregate
Offering
Amount
Associated
with Fee
Offset
Claimed
|
|
Fee Paid
with Fee
Offset
Source
|
|
|
Rule 457(p)
|
|
Fee Offset Claims
|
|
Northwest Pipe Company
|
|
S-3
|
|
333-249637
|
|
10/23/2020
|
|
|
|
$
|
2,457
|
(1)
|
|
Unallocated (Universal Shelf)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Unallocated (Universal Shelf)
|
|
|
$150,000,000
|
|
|
|
|
Fee Offset Sources
|
|
Northwest Pipe Company
|
|
S-3
|
|
333-249637
|
|
|
|
10/23/2020
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$2,457(1)
|
|
|
Fee Offset Claims
|
|
Northwest Pipe Company
|
|
S-3
|
|
333-216802
|
|
03/17/2017
|
|
|
|
$
|
13,908
|
(1)
|
|
Unallocated (Universal Shelf)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Unallocated (Universal Shelf)
|
|
|
$120,000,000
|
|
|
|
|
Fee Offset Sources
|
|
Northwest Pipe Company
|
|
S-3
|
|
333-216802
|
|
|
|
03/17/2017
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$13,908(1)
|
|
| |
(1)
|
The registrant previously paid registration fees of $2,457 with respect to the registration of an indeterminate number of shares of common stock, an indeterminate number of shares of preferred stock, an indeterminate principal amount of debt securities, an indeterminate number of warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock, or debt securities, and an indeterminate amount of units on its registration statement on Form S‑3 filed on October 23, 2020 and declared effective on November 3, 2020 (Commission File No. 333‑249637) (the “2020 Registration Statement”) and $13,908 with respect to the registration of an indeterminate number of shares of common stock, an indeterminate number of shares of preferred stock, an indeterminate principal amount of debt securities, an indeterminate number of warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock, or debt securities, and an indeterminate amount of units on its registration statement on Form S‑3 filed on March 17, 2017 and declared effective on September 15, 2017 (Commission File No. 333‑216802) (the “2017 Registration Statement”). Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(5), on November 3, 2023, the 2020 Registration Statement expired with no securities sold thereunder. Pursuant to Rule 457(p) under the Securities Act, the Registrant hereby offsets the total registration fee due under this Registration Statement by $16,365, which represents the aggregate registration fees previously paid with respect to $150,000,000 of unsold securities previously registered under the 2020 Registration Statement, including $120,000,000 of unsold securities previously registered under the 2017 Registration Statement. |
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