As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement is declared effective.
If the securities being registered on this Form are being offered in connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance
with General Instruction G, 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, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
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.
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 EXCHANGE OFFER
Purpose of the Exchange Offer
In
connection with the offer and sale of the Original Notes, we entered into registration rights agreements with certain initial purchasers of the Original Notes. We are making the Exchange Offer to satisfy our obligations under the registration rights
agreements.
Terms of the Exchange Offer
We are offering to exchange, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this prospectus and in the accompanying letter of
transmittal, Exchange Notes for an equal principal amount of Original Notes of each series. The terms of the Exchange Notes are substantially identical in all material respects to those of the corresponding Original Notes, except that the transfer
restrictions, registration rights and related special interest provisions applicable to the Original Notes will not apply to the Exchange Notes. The Exchange Notes will be of the same class as the corresponding Original Notes. The Exchange Notes
will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture. See Description of the Notes. The Exchange Offer is not conditioned upon any minimum aggregate principal amount of Original Notes of any series being tendered or accepted for exchange.
As of the date of this prospectus, $1,300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Original U.S. Notes, consisting of $700,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of 3.250% Senior Notes due 2027 and $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.100% Senior Notes due 2047, and 700,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Original Euro Notes, are outstanding. Original U.S. Notes tendered in
the Exchange Offer must be in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, and Original Euro Notes must be in minimum denominations of 100,000 and integral multiples of 1,000 in excess thereof.
Based on certain interpretive letters issued by the staff of the SEC to third parties in unrelated transactions, holders of Original Notes,
except any holder who is an affiliate of ours within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, who exchange their Original Notes for Exchange Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer generally may offer the Exchange Notes for resale,
resell the Exchange Notes and otherwise transfer the Exchange Notes without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act, provided that the Exchange Notes are acquired in the ordinary course of the
holders business and such holders are not participating in, and have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in, a distribution of the Exchange Notes.
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account in exchange for Original Notes, where the Original Notes were acquired by
the broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the Exchange Notes as described in Plan of Distribution. In
addition, to comply with the securities laws of individual jurisdictions, if applicable, the Exchange Notes may not be offered or sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the jurisdiction or an exemption from registration or
qualification is available and complied with. We have agreed, pursuant to the registration rights agreement, to file with the SEC a registration statement (of which this prospectus forms a part) with respect to the Exchange Notes. If you do not
exchange Original Notes for Exchange Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer, your Original Notes will continue to be subject to restrictions on transfer.
If any holder of the Original Notes is an affiliate of ours, is engaged in or intends to engage in or has any arrangement or understanding
with any person to participate in the distribution of the Exchange Notes to be acquired in the Exchange Offer, the holder would not be able to rely on the applicable interpretations of the SEC and would be required to comply with the registration
requirements of the Securities Act, except for resales made pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirement of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.
13
Expiration Date; Extensions; Termination; Amendments
The Exchange Offer will expire on the Expiration Date, which is 5:00 p.m., New York City time,
on , 2017 unless we, in our sole discretion, extend the period during which the Exchange Offer is open. We reserve the right
to extend the Exchange Offer at any time and from time to time prior to the Expiration Date by giving written notice to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., the exchange agent, and by public announcement communicated by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City
time, on the next business day following the previously scheduled Expiration Date, unless otherwise required by applicable law or regulation, by making a release to PR Newswire or other wire service. During any extension of the Exchange Offer, all
Original Notes previously tendered will remain subject to the Exchange Offer and may be accepted for exchange by us.
The Exchange Date
will promptly follow the Expiration Date. We expressly reserve the right to:
|
|
|
extend the Exchange Offer, delay acceptance of Original Notes due to an extension of the Exchange Offer or terminate the Exchange Offer and not permit acceptance of Original Notes not previously accepted if any of the
conditions set forth under Conditions to the Exchange Offer shall have occurred and shall not have been waived by us; and
|
|
|
|
amend the terms of the Exchange Offer in any manner, whether before or after any tender of the Original Notes.
|
If any termination or material amendment occurs, we will notify the exchange agent in writing and will either issue a press release or give
written notice to the holders of the Original Notes as promptly as practicable. Additionally, in the event of a material amendment or change in the Exchange Offer, which would include any waiver of a material condition hereof, we will extend the
offer period, if necessary, so that at least five business days remain in the Exchange Offer following notice of the material amendment or change, as applicable. Unless we terminate the Exchange Offer prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
Expiration Date, we will exchange the Exchange Notes for the tendered Original Notes promptly after the Expiration Date, and will issue to the exchange agent Exchange Notes for Original Notes validly tendered, not withdrawn and accepted for
exchange. Original Notes not accepted for exchange for any reason will be returned without expense to the tendering holder promptly after expiration or termination of the Exchange Offer. See Acceptance of Original Notes and Delivery of
Exchange Notes.
This prospectus and the accompanying letter of transmittal and other relevant materials will be mailed by us to
record holders of Original Notes and will be furnished to brokers, banks and similar persons whose names, or the names of whose nominees, appear on the lists of holders for subsequent transmittal to beneficial owners of Original Notes.
Procedures for Tendering
To participate
in the Exchange Offer, you must properly tender your Original Notes to the exchange agent as described below. We will only issue the Exchange Notes in exchange for the Original Notes that you timely and properly tender. Therefore, you should allow
sufficient time to ensure timely delivery of the Original Notes, and you should follow carefully the instructions on how to tender your Original Notes. It is your responsibility to properly tender your Original Notes. No letter of transmittal or
other document should be sent to us. Beneficial owners may request their respective brokers, dealers, commercial banks, trust companies or nominees to effect the above transactions for them. Each broker-dealer that receives the Exchange Notes for
its own account in exchange for the Original Notes, where those Original Notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection
with any resale of those Exchange Notes. See Plan of Distribution.
If you have any questions or need help in exchanging your
Original Notes, please contact the exchange agent at the address or telephone numbers set forth below.
14
Original Notes Held with DTC
The Original U.S. Notes are generally held in book-entry form through the DTC. Pursuant to authority granted by DTC, if you are a DTC
participant that has Original U.S. Notes credited to your DTC account and thereby held of record by DTCs nominee, you may directly tender your Original U.S. Notes as if you were the record holder. Accordingly, references herein to record
holders include DTC participants with Original U.S. Notes credited to their accounts. Within two business days after the date of this prospectus, the exchange agent will establish accounts with respect to the Original U.S. Notes at DTC for purposes
of the Exchange Offers.
Tender of Original U.S. Notes will be accepted only in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of
$1,000 excess thereof.
Any DTC participant may tender Original U.S. Notes by effecting a book-entry transfer of the Original U.S. Notes
to be tendered in the Exchange Offers into the account of the exchange agent at DTC and electronically transmitting its acceptance of the Exchange Offers through DTCs Automated Tender Offer Program, which we refer to as ATOP, procedures for
transfer before the Expiration Date of the Exchange Offers.
If ATOP procedures are followed, DTC will verify each acceptance transmitted
to it, execute a book-entry delivery to the exchange agents account at DTC and send an agents message to the exchange agent. An agents message is a message, transmitted by DTC to and received by the exchange agent and
forming part of a book-entry confirmation, which states that DTC has received an express acknowledgement from a DTC participant tendering Original U.S. Notes that the participant has received and agrees to be bound by the terms of the letter of
transmittal and that we may enforce the agreement against the participant. DTC participants following this procedure should allow sufficient time for completion of the ATOP procedures prior to the Expiration Date of the Exchange Offers.
The agents message, and any other required documents, must be transmitted to and received by the exchange agent prior to the Expiration
Date of the Exchange Offers. Delivery of these documents to DTC does not constitute delivery to the exchange agent.
Original Notes
Held with Euroclear or Clearstream
The Original Euro Notes are generally held in book-entry form through Euroclear or Clearstream.
Some Original U.S. Notes may be held in book-entry form through Euroclear or Clearstream. A holder of Original Notes with Euroclear or Clearstream wishing to participate in the Exchange Offer should submit, or arrange to have submitted on its
behalf, an electronic exchange instruction, which we refer to as an Electronic Consent Instruction, through the relevant clearing system in accordance with the procedures of, and within the time limits specified by, the relevant clearing system for
receipt by the exchange agent. By submitting an Electronic Consent Instruction, holders of Original Notes will be deemed to have agreed to the terms of the letter of transmittal.
Only direct participants in Euroclear or Clearstream may submit Electronic Consent Instructions through Euroclear and Clearstream. A holder of
Original Euro Notes that is not a direct participant in Euroclear or Clearstream must arrange for the direct participant through which they hold the Original Euro Notes to submit an Electronic Consent Instruction on their behalf to the relevant
clearing system prior to the deadline specified by the relevant clearing system. Beneficial owners of Original Euro Notes who are not direct participants in Euroclear or Clearstream must contact their custodian bank, depositary, broker, trust
company or other nominee to arrange for the direct participant in Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, through which they hold Original Euro Notes to submit a valid Electronic Consent Instruction to the relevant clearing system prior to the
Expiration Date.
Tenders of Original Euro Notes will be accepted only in minimum denominations of 100,000 and integral multiples of
1,000 excess thereof.
15
The Electronic Consent Instruction means an instruction to Euroclear or Clearstream,
as applicable, that includes:
|
(i)
|
irrevocable instructions:
|
(a) to block any attempt to transfer such participants
tendered Original Notes on or prior to the settlement date; and
(b) to debit such participants account on the settlement date in
respect of all of the Original Euro Notes that such participant has tendered, or in respect of such lesser portion of such Original Euro Notes as are accepted pursuant to the Exchange Offers, upon receipt of an instruction from the exchange agent;
subject in each case to the automatic withdrawal of the instructions in the event that the Exchange Offers are terminated prior to the
Expiration Date, as notified to Euroclear or Clearstream by the exchange agent;
(ii) authorization to disclose the identity of the direct
participant and information about the foregoing instructions; and
(iii) express acknowledgement that such participant has received and
agrees to be bound by the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this prospectus and that Parker may enforce that agreement against such participant.
Tenders of Original Euro Notes, including Electronic Consent Instructions, must be delivered to and received by the applicable clearing system
in accordance with their procedures and the deadlines established by them, which must in any event be at or prior to the Expiration Date. Holders of Original Euro Notes are responsible for informing themselves of those deadlines and for arranging
the due and timely delivery of electronic acceptance instructions to the applicable clearing system.
Terms and Conditions Contained in the Letter of
Transmittal
The accompanying letter of transmittal contains, among other things, the following terms and conditions, which are part of
the Exchange Offer.
The transferring party tendering Original Notes for exchange will be deemed to have exchanged, assigned and
transferred the Original Notes to us and irrevocably constituted and appointed the exchange agent as the transferors agent and
attorney-in-fact
to cause the
Original Notes to be assigned, transferred and exchanged.
The transferor will be required to represent and warrant that it has full power
and authority to tender, exchange, assign and transfer the Original Notes and to acquire Exchange Notes issuable upon the exchange of the tendered Original Notes and that, when the same are accepted for exchange, we will acquire good and
unencumbered title to the tendered Original Notes, free and clear of all liens, restrictions (other than restrictions on transfer), charges and encumbrances and that the tendered Original Notes are not and will not be subject to any adverse claim.
The transferor will be required to also agree that it will, upon request, execute and deliver any additional documents deemed by the exchange agent or us to be necessary or desirable to complete the exchange, assignment and transfer of tendered
Original Notes. The transferor will be required to agree that acceptance of any tendered Original Notes by us and the issuance of Exchange Notes in exchange for tendered Original Notes will constitute performance in full by us of our obligations
under the registration rights agreement and that we will have no further obligations or liabilities under the registration rights agreement, except in certain limited circumstances. All authority conferred by the transferor will survive the death,
bankruptcy or incapacity of the transferor and every obligation of the transferor will be binding upon the heirs, legal representatives, successors, assigns, executors, administrators and trustees in bankruptcy of the transferor.
16
Upon agreement to the terms of the letter of transmittal pursuant to an agents message or
Electronic Consent Instruction, a holder, or beneficial holder of the Original Notes on behalf of which the holder has tendered, will, subject to that holders ability to withdraw its tender, and subject to the terms and conditions of the
Exchange Offer generally, thereby certify that:
|
|
|
it is not an affiliate of ours or our subsidiaries or, if the transferor is an affiliate of ours or our subsidiaries, it will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to
the extent applicable;
|
|
|
|
the Exchange Notes are being acquired in the ordinary course of business of the person receiving the Exchange Notes, whether or not the person is the registered holder; and
|
|
|
|
the transferor has not entered into, engaged in, does not intend to engage in, and has no arrangement or understanding with any other person to engage in a distribution of the Exchange Notes issued to the transferor.
|
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account in exchange for Original Notes where such Original
Notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes. See Plan of
Distribution.
Withdrawal Rights
Original Notes tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date.
For a withdrawal to be effective, a written letter, telegram, telex or facsimile transmission notice of withdrawal must be received by the
institution specified in the accompanying letter of transmittal at the address set forth therein not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date. Any notice of withdrawal must specify the name of such holder, the principal
amount of Original Notes delivered for exchange, a statement that such holder is withdrawing such holders election to have such Original Notes exchanged and number of the account at DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream to be credited with withdrawn
Original Notes and otherwise comply with the ATOP procedures. The exchange agent will return properly withdrawn Original Notes promptly following receipt of notice of withdrawal. Properly withdrawn Original Notes may be retendered by following the
procedures described under Procedures for Tendering above at any time on or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date. All questions as to the validity of notices of withdrawals, including time of receipt, will
be determined by us, and will be final and binding on all parties.
Acceptance of Original Notes and Delivery of Exchange Notes
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Exchange Offer, the acceptance for exchange of Original Notes validly tendered and not
withdrawn and the issuance of the Exchange Notes will be made on the Exchange Date. For purposes of the Exchange Offer, we will be deemed to have accepted for exchange validly tendered Original Notes when and if we have given written notice to the
exchange agent. The Original Notes surrendered in exchange for the Exchange Notes will be retired and cannot be reissued.
The exchange
agent will act as agent for the tendering holders of each series of Original Notes for the purposes of receiving corresponding series of Exchange Notes from us and causing the Original Notes to be assigned, transferred and exchanged. Original Notes
tendered by book-entry transfer into the exchange agents account at DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream pursuant to the procedures described above will be credited to an account maintained by the holder with DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream for the
Original Notes, promptly after withdrawal, rejection of tender or termination of the Exchange Offer.
17
Conditions to the Exchange Offer
Without regard to other terms of the Exchange Offer, we will not be required to exchange any Exchange Notes for any Original Notes and may
terminate the Exchange Offer before the acceptance of any Original Notes for exchange and before the expiration of the Exchange Offer, if:
|
|
|
any action or proceeding is instituted or threatened in any court or by or before any governmental agency with respect to the Exchange Offer that, in our reasonable judgment, might materially impair our ability to
proceed with the Exchange Offer;
|
|
|
|
the Staff of the SEC proposes, adopts or enacts any law, statute, rule or regulation or issues any interpretation of any existing law, statute, rule or regulation that, in our reasonable judgment, might materially
impair our ability to proceed with the Exchange Offer; or
|
|
|
|
any governmental approval or approval by holders of the Original Notes has not been obtained if we, in our reasonable judgment, deem this approval necessary for the consummation of the Exchange Offer.
|
If, in our reasonable judgment, we determine that any of these conditions are not satisfied, we may:
|
|
|
refuse to accept any Original Notes and return all tendered Original Notes to the tendering holders, or, in the case of Original Notes tendered by book-entry transfer, credit those Original Notes to an account
maintained with DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream;
|
|
|
|
extend the Exchange Offer and retain all Original Notes tendered before the expiration of the Exchange Offer, subject, however, to the rights of holders who tendered the Original Notes to withdraw their Original Notes;
or
|
|
|
|
waive unsatisfied conditions with respect to the Exchange Offer and accept all properly tendered Original Notes that have not been withdrawn.
|
If the waiver constitutes a material change to the Exchange Offer, we will promptly disclose the waiver by means of a prospectus supplement
that will be distributed to the registered holders of the Original Notes, and we will extend the Exchange Offer for a period of up to ten business days, depending on the significance of the waiver and the manner of disclosure of the registered
holders of the Original Notes, if the Exchange Offer would otherwise expire during this period.
In addition, we will not accept for
exchange any Original Notes tendered, and no Exchange Notes will be issued in exchange for any Original Notes, if at such time, any stop order has been issued or is threatened with respect to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms
a part, or with respect to the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.
Exchange Agents
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. has been appointed as the exchange agent for the Exchange Offer in respect of the Original U.S. Notes. Elavon Financial
Services DAC, acting through its UK Branch, has been appointed as the exchange agent for the Exchange Offer in respect of the Original Euro Notes. Questions relating to the procedure for tendering, as well as requests for additional copies of this
prospectus or the accompanying letter of transmittal, should be directed to the exchange agent addressed as follows:
By Registered
Certified or Regular Mail or Overnight Courier Delivery:
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Exchange Agent
Corporate Trust Operations
MAC
N9300-070
600 Fourth Street South, 7th Floor
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
18
By Facsimile Transmission (eligible institutions only):
(612) 667-3282
Attention:
Bondholder Communications
For Information or Confirmation by Telephone:
(800) 344-5128, Option 0
Attention: Bondholder Communications
By Registered Certified or Regular Mail or Overnight Courier Delivery:
Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch
Fifth Floor
125 Old Broad
Street, London EC2N 1AR
Attention: Agency Services Europe
By Facsimile Transmission (eligible institutions only):
+44 (0)207 365 2577
Attention:
Agency Services Europe
For Information or Confirmation by Telephone:
+44 207 330 2000
Attention:
Agency Services Europe
Originals of all documents sent by facsimile should be promptly sent to the exchange agent by mail or by overnight
delivery service.
The trustee for the Notes and the exchange agents are not responsible for and make no representation as to the
validity, accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus and any of its contents, and are not be responsible for any of our statements or any other person in this prospectus or in any document issued or used in connection with it or the Exchange Offer. The
trustee and the exchange agents make no recommendation to any holder of Original Notes whether to tender Original Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer or to take any other action.
Solicitation of Tenders; Expenses
We
have not retained any
dealer-manager
or similar agent in connection with the Exchange Offer and we will not make any payments to brokers, dealers or others for soliciting acceptances of the Exchange Offer. We
will, however, pay the exchange agent reasonable and customary fees for its services and will reimburse it for actual and reasonable
out-of-pocket
expenses. The expenses
to be incurred in connection with the Exchange Offer, including the fees and expenses of the exchange agent and printing, accounting and legal fees, will be paid by us.
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations in connection with the Exchange Offer other than those
contained in this prospectus. If given or made, the information or representations should not be relied upon as having been authorized by us. Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor any exchange made in the Exchange Offer will, under any
circumstances, create any implication that there has been no change in our affairs since the date of this prospectus or any earlier date as of which information is given in this prospectus.
The Exchange Offer is not being made to, nor will tenders be accepted from or on behalf of, holders of Original Notes in any jurisdiction in
which the making of the Exchange Offer or the acceptance would not be in compliance with the laws of the jurisdiction. However, we may, at our discretion, take any action as we may deem necessary to make the Exchange Offer in any jurisdiction.
19
Appraisal Rights
You will not have appraisal or dissenters rights in connection with the Exchange Offer.
Transfer Taxes
We will pay all transfer
taxes, if any, applicable to the transfer of Original Notes to us and the issuance of Exchange Notes to you in the Exchange Offerunless you instruct us to issue or cause to be issued Exchange Notes, or request that Original Notes not tendered
or accepted in the Exchange Offer be returned, to a person other than the tendering holder. If transfer taxes are imposed for any such other reason, the amount of those transfer taxes, whether imposed on the registered holder or any other person,
will be payable by the tendering holder.
If satisfactory evidence of payment or exemption from those transfer taxes is not submitted with
the letter of transmittal, if applicable, the amount of those transfer taxes will be billed directly to the tendering holder and/or withheld from any amounts due to such holder.
DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES
The terms of the Original Notes and the Exchange Notes include those stated in the Indenture (as defined below), the applicable Officers
Certificate and the form of notes, as well as those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, which we refer to as the Trust Indenture Act. Each series of Exchange Notes, when issued, will be part of the
same series of corresponding Original Notes under the Indenture. References to the Notes include the Original Notes and the Exchange Notes. The Original Notes constitute, and the Exchange Notes will constitute, senior debt securities
issued under the Indenture. The Exchange Notes offered hereby and any Original Notes not tendered pursuant to the terms hereof will be treated as a single class under the Indenture, including for purposes of determining whether the required
percentage of holders have given approval or consent to an amendment or waiver or joined in directing the trustee to take certain actions on behalf of all holders.
The following description is a summary of the material terms and provisions of the Notes and does not include all of the information included
in the Indenture, the applicable Officers Certificate or the form of notes and may not include all of the information that you would consider important. This summary is qualified by reference to the Trust Indenture Act, and to all of the
provisions of the Indenture, including the definitions of terms therein and those terms made a part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act. The definitions of most of the capitalized terms used in the following summary are set
forth below under Certain Definitions. For purposes of this section, references to Parker, the Company, we, us and our are to Parker-Hannifin Corporation and not to any of
our subsidiaries.
General
Parker-Hannifin Corporation, an Ohio corporation, will issue the Exchange Notes as follows:
|
|
|
$700,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.250% notes due March 1, 2027;
|
|
|
|
$600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.100% notes due March 1, 2047; and
|
|
|
|
700,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 1.125% notes due March 1, 2025.
|
The
Exchange Notes will be issued pursuant to our Indenture dated as of May 3, 1996 between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (as successor to National City Bank), as trustee (the trustee), as supplemented by an Officers
Certificate of the Company related to each series of Exchange Notes (as so supplemented, the Indenture), each to be dated the issue date of the corresponding Exchange Notes.
The Euro Exchange Notes will be subject to an agency agreement (the Agency Agreement) between the Company, Elavon Financial
Services DAC, with its registered office at 2nd Floor, Block E, Cherrywood Science & Technology Park, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin, Ireland, acting through its UK branch from its offices at 125 Old Broad Street, Fifth Floor, London EC2N 1AR,
United Kingdom, under the trade name U.S. Bank Global Corporate Trust Services as paying agent (the Paying Agent, which expression shall include any successor paying agent appointed in accordance with the Agency Agreement) and as
transfer agent (the Transfer Agent which expression shall include any successor transfer agent appointed in accordance with the Agency Agreement), Elavon Financial Services DAC, with its registered office at 2nd Floor, Block E,
Cherrywood Science & Technology Park, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin, Ireland as registrar (the Registrar, which expression shall include any successor registrar appointed under the Agency Agreement) and the trustee.
We may from time to time, without the consent of the holders of a series of Exchange Notes, issue additional senior debt securities of such
series, having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as such series of Exchange Notes offered hereby except for the Issue Price (as defined herein) and issue date and, in some cases, the first Interest Payment Date
(as defined herein) and the initial interest accrual
21
date. Any such additional senior debt securities of such series will, together with the then outstanding Notes of such series, constitute a single class of notes under the Indenture, and as such
will vote together on matters under the Indenture.
The Exchange Notes will be our senior unsecured obligations and will rank equally with
our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt from time to time outstanding.
The Exchange Notes will be subject to satisfaction and
discharge provisions as provided under Satisfaction and Discharge of the Indenture and legal defeasance and covenant defeasance as provided under Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance herein.
The U.S. Exchange Notes will be issued in a form of one or more fully registered global securities, without coupons, in denominations of
$2,000 in principal amount and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Euro Exchange Notes will be issued in a form of one or more fully registered global securities, without coupons, in denominations of 100,000 in principal amount
and integral multiples of 1,000 in excess thereof.
The Exchange Notes will not benefit from any sinking fund.
Principal, Interest and Maturity
The
2027 Exchange Notes offered hereby will be issued in an aggregate principal amount of up to $700,000,000. The 2027 Exchange Notes will bear interest at 3.250% per year and will mature on March 1, 2027. Interest on the 2027 Exchange Notes
will accrue from February 24, 2017, or the most recent interest payment date. Interest on the 2027 Exchange Notes will be payable semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, commencing September 1,
2017, to the persons in whose names the 2027 Exchange Notes are registered at the close of business on the preceding February 15 or August 15 (whether or not a Business Day (as defined below)), as the case may be.
The 2047 Exchange Notes offered hereby will be issued in an aggregate principal amount of up to $600,000,000. The 2047 Exchange Notes will
bear interest at 4.100% per year and will mature on March 1, 2047. Interest on the 2047 Exchange Notes will accrue from February 24, 2017, or the most recent interest payment date. Interest on the 2047 Exchange Notes will be payable
semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, commencing September 1, 2017, to the persons in whose names the 2047 Exchange Notes are registered at the close of business on the preceding February 15
or August 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be.
The Euro Exchange Notes offered hereby will be issued in an
aggregate principal amount of up to 700,000,000. The Euro Exchange Notes will bear interest at 1.125% per year and will mature on March 1, 2025. Interest on the Euro Exchange Notes will accrue from February 24, 2017, or the most
recent interest payment date. Interest on the Euro Exchange Notes will be payable annually in arrears on March 1 of each year, commencing March 1, 2018, to the persons in whose names the Euro Exchange Notes are registered at the close of
business on the preceding February 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be.
Interest on the U.S. Exchange Notes will
be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Interest on the Euro Exchange Notes will be computed on the basis of the payment convention ACTUAL/ACTUAL (ICMA) as defined in the rulebook of the International Capital
Markets Association.
We will pay the principal of and interest on the Exchange Notes to the registered holder of the U.S. Exchange Notes
in U.S. dollars and the Euro Exchange Notes in euros, provided euros are available to Parker, and in U.S. dollars if euros are not available to Parker at an exchange rate based on the most recently available Market Exchange Rate for euro.
22
Payment for the U.S. Exchange Notes will be made upon presentation of the U.S. Exchange Notes at
the office or agency we maintain for this purpose;
provided
,
however
, that payment of interest may be made at our option by check mailed to the registered holder on the Record Date (as defined herein) at such address as shall appear in
the security register or by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account specified in writing by such holder to us and the trustee prior to the relevant Record Date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this prospectus, so long
as the U.S. Exchange Notes are in book-entry form, we will make payments of principal and interest through the trustee to the Depositary (as defined below) or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of the U.S. Exchange Notes.
Payment for the Euro Exchange Notes will be made in euro upon presentation of the Euro Exchange Notes at the office of the Paying Agent,
currently at 125 Old Broad Street, Fifth Floor, London EC2N 1AR, United Kingdom provided, however, that payment of interest may be made at our option by check mailed to the registered holder on the Record Date (as defined herein) at such address as
shall appear in the security register or by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account specified in writing by such holder to us, the Paying Agent and the trustee prior to the relevant Record Date;
provided, however,
that if
euro is unavailable to us due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond our control or the euro is no longer used by the member states of the European Monetary Union that have adopted the euro as their currency or for the
settlement of transactions by public institutions within the international banking community, then all payments in respect of the Euro Exchange Notes will be made in U.S. dollars until euro is again available to us or so used. The amount payable on
any date in euro will be converted to U.S. dollars on the basis of the then most recently available Market Exchange Rate for euro. Any payment in respect of the Euro Exchange Notes so made in U.S. dollars will not constitute an event of default
under the indenture. Neither the trustee nor the Paying Agent will be responsible for obtaining exchange rates, effecting conversions or otherwise handling redenominations Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this prospectus, so long as the
Euro Exchange Notes are in book-entry form, we will make payments of principal and interest to the common depositary whose nominee is the registered holder of the global securities.
Interest payable on any Interest Payment Date for the U.S. Exchange Notes or the maturity date for a series of U.S. Exchange Notes will be the
amount of interest accrued from, and including, the next preceding Interest Payment Date for that series of U.S. Exchange Notes in respect of which interest has been paid or duly provided for (or from and including the original issue date, if no
interest has been paid or duly provided for with respect to the U.S. Exchange Notes of that series) to, but excluding, such Interest Payment Date or maturity date, as the case may be. If any Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a
Business Day, the interest payment will be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and we will not be liable for any additional interest as a result of the delay in payment.
Interest payable on any Interest Payment Date for the Euro Exchange Notes, any redemption date for the Euro Exchange Notes or the maturity
date for the Euro Exchange Notes, as the case may be, will be the amount of interest accrued from, and including, the next preceding Interest Payment Date for the Euro Exchange Notes in respect of which interest has been paid or duly provided for
(or from and including the original issue date, if no interest has been paid or duly provided for with respect to the Euro Exchange Notes) to, but excluding, such Interest Payment Date, redemption date or maturity date, as the case may be, divided
by the actual number of days in the period from, and including, the preceding Interest Payment Date (or from and including the original issue date, if no interest has been paid or duly provided for with respect to the Notes) to, but excluding, the
next Interest Payment Date. This payment convention is referred to as ACTUAL/ACTUAL (ICMA) as defined in the rulebook of the International Capital Markets Association. If any Interest Payment Date, redemption date or maturity date falls on a day
that is not a Business Day, the payment otherwise required to be made on such date will be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and we will not be liable for any additional interest as a result of the delay in payment.
If a maturity date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the related payment of principal and interest will be made on the next
succeeding Business Day, and no interest will accrue on the amounts so payable for the period from and after such date to the next succeeding Business Day.
23
Optional Redemption
For the purposes of the optional redemption provisions of the Notes, the following additional terms will be applicable:
Quotation Agent means the Reference Dealer (as defined below) selected by the Company.
Comparable Government Bond Rate means the price, expressed as a percentage (rounded to three decimal places, 0.0005 being rounded
upwards), at which the gross redemption yield on the Notes, if they were to be purchased at such price on the third Business Day prior to the date fixed for redemption, would be equal to the gross redemption yield on such Business Day of the
Comparable Government Bond (as defined below) on the basis of the middle market price of the Comparable Government Bond prevailing at 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such Business Day as determined by an independent investment bank selected by us.
Comparable Government Bond means, in relation to any Comparable Government Bond Rate calculation, at the discretion of an
independent investment bank selected by us, a German Bundesanleihe security whose maturity is closest to the maturity of the Notes, or if such independent investment bank in its discretion considers that such similar bond is not in issue, such other
German Bundesanleihe security as such independent investment bank may, with the advice of three brokers of, and/or market makers in, German Bundesanleihe securities selected by such independent investment bank, determine to be appropriate for
determining the Comparable Government Bond Rate.
Redemption Date means any date on which all or any part of the Notes of the
applicable series are to be redeemed.
Reference Dealer means (a) each of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Citigroup
Global Markets Inc. and their respective successors, unless any of them ceases to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a Primary Treasury Dealer), in which case the Company will substitute another Primary
Treasury Dealer and (b) any other Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.
2027 Notes
Prior to December 1, 2026, we may redeem the 2027 Notes, at our option, at any time in whole or from time to time in part at a redemption
price equal to the greater of:
(a) 100% of the principal amount of the 2027 Notes being redeemed, or
(b) as calculated by the Quotation Agent, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments for principal and interest on the
2027 Notes to be redeemed (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360 day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using a
discount rate equal to the sum of the Reference Dealer Rate (as defined below), plus 15 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the notes to be redeemed to, but not including, the Redemption Date.
On or after December 1, 2026, we may redeem the 2027 Notes, at our option, at any time in whole or from time to time in part, at a
redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2027 Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the 2027 Notes to be redeemed to, but not including, the Redemption Date.
If we have given notice as provided in the Indenture and made funds available for the redemption of any 2027 Notes called for redemption
on the Redemption Date referred to in that notice, those 2027 Notes will cease to bear interest on that Redemption Date. Any interest accrued to the Redemption Date will be paid as specified in such notice. We will give written notice of any
redemption of any 2027 Notes to holders of the 2027 Notes to be redeemed at their addresses, as shown in the security register for the 2027 Notes, at least 30 days and
24
not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date. The notice of redemption will specify, among other items, the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price and the aggregate
principal amount of the 2027 Notes to be redeemed.
If we choose to redeem less than all of the 2027 Notes, and if the 2027 Notes are held
by the Depositary, the applicable operational procedures of the Depositary for the selection of 2027 Notes for redemption will apply. If the 2027 Notes are not held by the Depositary, the particular 2027 Notes to be redeemed shall be selected
by the trustee not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date. The trustee will, in its sole discretion, then select the method and the manner, as it shall deem appropriate and fair to be used for purposes of redeeming the 2027 Notes in part.
Reference Dealer Rate means, with respect to any Redemption Date for the 2027 Notes, the arithmetic average of the quotations
quoted in writing to the Company by each Reference Dealer of the average midmarket annual yield to maturity of the 2.250% Treasury Notes due February 15, 2027, or, if such security is no longer outstanding, a similar security in the
reasonable judgment of each Reference Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.
2047 Notes
Prior
to September 1, 2046, we may redeem the 2047 Notes, at our option, at any time in whole or from time to time in part at a redemption price equal to the greater of:
(a) 100% of the principal amount of the 2047 Notes being redeemed, or
(b) as calculated by the Quotation Agent, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments for principal and interest on the
2047 Notes to be redeemed (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360 day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using a
discount rate equal to the sum of the Reference Dealer Rate (as defined below), plus 20 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the notes to be redeemed to, but not including, the Redemption Date.
On or after September 1, 2046, we may redeem the 2047 Notes, at our option, at any time in whole or from time to time in part, at a
redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2047 Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the 2047 Notes to be redeemed to, but not including, the Redemption Date.
If we have given notice as provided in the Indenture and made funds available for the redemption of any 2047 Notes called for redemption on
the Redemption Date referred to in that notice, those 2047 Notes will cease to bear interest on that Redemption Date. Any interest accrued to the Redemption Date will be paid as specified in such notice. We will give written notice of
any redemption of any 2047 Notes to holders of the 2047 Notes to be redeemed at their addresses, as shown in the security register for the 2047 Notes, at least 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date. The notice
of redemption will specify, among other items, the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price and the aggregate principal amount of the 2047 Notes to be redeemed.
If we choose to redeem less than all of the 2047 Notes, and if the 2047 Notes are held by the Depositary, the applicable operational
procedures of the Depositary for the selection of 2047 Notes for redemption will apply. If the 2047 Notes are not held by the Depositary, the particular 2047 Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the trustee not more than 60 days prior to the
Redemption Date. The trustee will, in its sole discretion, then select the method and the manner, as it shall deem appropriate and fair to be used for purposes of redeeming the 2047 Notes in part.
Reference Dealer Rate means, with respect to any Redemption Date for the 2047 Notes, the arithmetic average of the quotations
quoted in writing to the Company by each Reference Dealer of the average midmarket
25
annual yield to maturity of the 2.875% Treasury Notes due November 15, 2046, or, if such security is no longer outstanding, a similar security in the reasonable judgment of each
Reference Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.
Euro Notes
Prior to December 1, 2024, we may redeem the Euro Notes, at our option, at any time in whole or from time to time in part at
a redemption price equal to the greater of:
(a) 100% of the principal amount of the Euro Notes being redeemed, or
(b) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments for principal and interest on the Euro Notes to be redeemed (not
including any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on an annual basis (assuming a 360 day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using a discount rate equal to the sum of the
Comparable Government Bond Rate, plus 20 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Euro Notes to be redeemed to, but not including, the Redemption Date.
On or after December 1, 2024, we may redeem the Euro Notes, at our option, at any time in whole or from time to time in part, at a
redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Euro Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Euro Notes to be redeemed to, but not including, the Redemption Date.
If we have given notice as provided in the Indenture and made funds available for the redemption of any Euro Notes called for redemption on
the Redemption Date referred to in that notice, those Euro Notes will cease to bear interest on that Redemption Date. Any interest accrued to the Redemption Date will be paid as specified in such notice. We will give written notice of any redemption
of any Euro Notes to holders of the Euro Notes to be redeemed at their addresses, as shown in the security register for the Euro Notes, at least 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date. The notice of redemption will specify,
among other items, the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price and the aggregate principal amount of the Euro Notes to be redeemed.
If we choose to redeem less than all of the Euro Notes, the particular Euro Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Paying Agent not
more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date. The Paying Agent will, in its sole discretion, then select the method and the manner, as it shall deem appropriate and fair to be used for purposes of redeeming the Euro Notes in part; provided that if
the Euro Notes are represented by one or more global securities, beneficial interests in the Euro Notes will be selected for redemption by Clearstream Banking,
société anonyme
, which we refer to as Clearstream, or Euroclear Bank
SA/ NV, as operator of the Euroclear System, which we refer to as Euroclear, in accordance with their respective standard procedures therefor or if Euroclear and/or Clearstream prescribes no method of selection, on a pro rata basis or by use of a
pool factor; provided, however, that no Euro Notes of a principal amount of 100,000 or less shall be redeemed in part.
The Euro
Notes are also subject to redemption prior to maturity if certain events occur involving United States taxation. If any of these special tax events do occur, the Euro Notes may be redeemed at a redemption price of 100% of their principal amount plus
accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption. See Redemption for Tax Reasons for the Euro Notes.
Payment of Additional Amounts for the Euro Exchange Notes
All payments of principal and interest in respect of the Euro Exchange Notes will be made free and clear of, and without deduction or
withholding for or on account of, any present or future tax, assessment or other governmental charge required to be deducted or withheld by the United States or a taxing authority in the United States, unless such withholding or deduction is
required by law.
26
We will, subject to the exceptions and limitations set forth below, pay as additional interest on
the Euro Exchange Notes such additional amounts as are necessary in order that the net payment by us or the Paying Agent of the principal of and interest on the Euro Exchange Notes to a holder who is not a United States person (as defined below),
after withholding or deduction for any present or future tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by the United States or a taxing authority in the United States will not be less than the amount provided in the Euro Exchange Notes to be
then due and payable; provided, however, that the foregoing obligation to pay additional amounts shall not apply:
|
(1)
|
to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the holder, or a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder of the holder if the holder is an estate, trust,
partnership or corporation, or a person holding a power over an estate or trust administered by a fiduciary holder, being considered as:
|
|
a.
|
being or having been engaged in a trade or business in the United States or having or having had a permanent establishment in the United States;
|
|
b.
|
having a current or former connection with the United States (other than a connection arising solely as a result of the ownership of the Euro Exchange Notes, the receipt of any payment or the enforcement of any rights
hereunder), including being or having been a citizen or resident of the United States;
|
|
c.
|
being or having been a personal holding company, a passive foreign investment company or a controlled foreign corporation with respect to the United States or a corporation that has accumulated earnings to avoid United
States federal income tax;
|
|
d.
|
being or having been a 10-percent shareholder of Parker as defined in section 871(h)(3)(B) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which we refer to as the Code, or any successor
provision; or
|
|
e.
|
being a bank receiving payments on an extension of credit made pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business;
|
|
(2)
|
to any holder that is a fiduciary, partnership or limited liability company, but only to the extent that a beneficiary or settlor with respect to the fiduciary, a beneficial owner or member of the partnership or limited
liability company would not have been entitled to the payment of an additional amount had the beneficiary, settlor, beneficial owner or member received directly its beneficial or distributive share of the payment;
|
|
(3)
|
to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the failure of the holder or any other person to comply with certification, identification or information reporting
requirements concerning the nationality, residence, identity or connection with the United States of the holder or beneficial owner of the Euro Exchange Notes, if (a) compliance is required by statute, by regulation of the United States or any
taxing authority therein or by an applicable income tax treaty to which the United States is a party as a precondition to exemption from such tax, assessment or other governmental charge and (b) such holder or other person is legally able to
comply with such requirements;
|
|
(4)
|
to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed otherwise than by withholding by us or the Paying Agent from the payment;
|
|
(5)
|
to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for a change in law, regulation, or administrative or judicial interpretation that becomes effective more than 15 days after the
payment becomes due or is duly provided for, whichever occurs later;
|
|
(6)
|
to any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, excise, transfer, wealth, capital gains or personal property tax or similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge;
|
27
|
(7)
|
to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge required to be withheld by the Paying Agent from any payment of principal of or interest on any note, if such payment can be made without such withholding by at least
one other paying agent;
|
|
(8)
|
to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the presentation by the holder of any note, where presentation is required, for payment on a date more than 30 days after the
date on which payment became due and payable or the date on which payment thereof is duly provided for, whichever occurs later, except to the extent that the holder or beneficial owner would have been entitled to such additional amounts on
presenting such note on any date during such 30-day period;
|
|
(9)
|
to any withholding or deduction that is imposed on a payment pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (or any amended or successor version of such sections that is substantially comparable) and related
Treasury regulations and pronouncements (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act); or
|
|
(10)
|
in the case of any combination of items (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) and (9).
|
As used under this heading Payment of Additional Amounts and under the heading Redemption for Tax Reasons for the Euro
Notes, the term United States means the United States of America (including the states and the District of Columbia and any political subdivision thereof), and the term United States person means any individual who is a
citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia
(other than a partnership that is not treated as a United States person under any applicable Treasury regulations), or any estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source. Any
reference in the terms of the Euro Exchange Notes to any amounts in respect of the Euro Exchange Notes shall be deemed also to refer to any additional amounts which may be payable under this provision.
Redemption for Tax Reasons for the Euro Notes
If, as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated under the laws) of the United States (or
any taxing authority in the United States), or any change in, or amendments to, an official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings, which change or amendment is announced or becomes effective on or
after the date of the issuance of the Euro Notes, we become or, based upon a written opinion of independent counsel selected by us, will become obligated to pay additional amounts as described herein under the heading Payment of Additional
Amounts for the Euro Exchange Notes with respect to the Euro Notes, then we may at any time at our option redeem, in whole, but not in part, the Euro Notes on not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior notice, at a redemption price equal to
100% of their principal amount, together with accrued and unpaid interest on those Euro Notes to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption; provided, however, that the notice of redemption shall not be given earlier than 90 days before the
earliest date on which we would be obligated to pay such additional amounts if a payment on the Euro Notes were then due.
Repurchase Upon a Change of
Control
If a Change of Control Triggering Event (as defined below) occurs with respect to the Notes of a series, unless we have
exercised our option to redeem the Notes of that series as described above, we will be required to make an offer (a Change of Control Offer) to each holder of Notes of that series to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an
integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof for Notes denominated in U.S. dollars and equal to 100,000 or an integral multiple of 1,000 in excess thereof for Notes denominated in euros) of that holders Notes of that series on the
terms set forth in those Notes. In a Change of Control Offer, we will be required to offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes of the series repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes of
the series repurchased to the date of repurchase (a Change of Control Payment).
28
Within 30 days following any such Change of Control Triggering Event or, at our option, prior to
any Change of Control (as defined below), but after public announcement of the transaction that constitutes or may constitute the Change of Control, a notice will be mailed, or, with respect to Notes held in global form, to the extent permitted or
required by applicable procedures or regulations of The Depository Trust Company, Euroclear and Clearstream, as applicable, sent electronically to holders of the Notes of the applicable series, with a copy to the trustee under the Indenture and the
Paying Agent that such Notes were issued under, describing the transaction that constitutes or may constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase Notes of such series on the date specified in the notice, which date will
be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed or sent (a Change of Control Payment Date). The notice will, if mailed or sent prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state
that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of Control Triggering Event occurring on or prior to the Change of Control Payment Date.
On each Change of Control Payment Date, we will, to the extent lawful:
|
|
|
Accept for payment all Notes of the applicable series or portions of Notes of the applicable series properly tendered pursuant to the applicable Change of Control Offer;
|
|
|
|
Deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes of the applicable series or portions of Notes of the applicable series properly tendered; and
|
|
|
|
Deliver or cause to be delivered to the trustee, or for Euro Exchange Notes, the Paying Agent, the Notes of the applicable series properly accepted together with an officers certificate stating the aggregate
principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes of the applicable series being repurchased.
|
We will not be required to make
a Change of Control Offer upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event if a third-party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for a Change of Control Offer made by us, and
the third-party repurchases all Exchange Notes of the applicable series properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.
We will
comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Exchange Notes as a result
of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any such securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Offer provisions of the Exchange Notes, we will comply with those securities laws and
regulations and will not be deemed to have breached our obligations under the Change of Control Offer provisions of the Notes by virtue of any such conflict.
If holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of the applicable series validly tender and do not
withdraw such Notes in a Change of Control Offer and the Company, or any third-party making a Change of Control Offer in lieu of the Company, as described above, purchases all of the Notes of the applicable series validly tendered and not withdrawn
by such holders, the Company will have the right, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase pursuant to the Change of Control Offer described above, to redeem all Notes of the
applicable series that remain outstanding following such purchase at a redemption price in cash equal to the applicable Change of Control Payment.
For purposes of the Change of Control Offer provisions of the Notes, the following terms will be applicable:
Change of Control means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance
or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or more related transactions, of all or substantially all of our assets and the assets of our Subsidiaries (as defined below), taken as a whole, to any person, other than
our company or one of our Subsidiaries; (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any person becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and
13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or
29
indirectly, of more than 50% of our outstanding Voting Stock (as defined below), measured by voting power rather than number of shares; (3) we consolidate with, or merge with or into, any
person, or any person consolidates with, or merges with or into, us, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of our outstanding Voting Stock or the Voting Stock of such other person is converted into or exchanged for cash,
securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the shares of our Voting Stock outstanding immediately prior to such transaction constitute, or are converted into or exchanged for, a majority of the Voting Stock of the surviving
person or any direct or indirect parent company of the surviving person, measured by voting power rather than number of shares, immediately after giving effect to such transaction; (4) the first day on which a majority of the members of our
Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors; or (5) the adoption of a plan relating to our liquidation or dissolution. The term person, as used in this definition, has the meaning given thereto in Section 13(d)(3) of the
Exchange Act.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control if (1) we become a
direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of a holding company and (2)(A) the direct or indirect holders of the Voting Stock of such holding company immediately following that transaction are substantially the same as the holders of our Voting
Stock immediately prior to that transaction or (B) immediately following that transaction no person (other than a holding company satisfying the requirements of this sentence) is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of
the Voting Stock of such holding company.
Change of Control Triggering Event means the occurrence of both a Change of Control
and a Rating Event.
Continuing Directors means, as of any date of determination, any member of our Board of Directors who
(1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date the Notes were issued or (2) was nominated for election, elected or appointed to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the directors who were members of such
Board of Directors at the time of such nomination, election or appointment (either by a specific vote or by approval of our proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director, without objection to such
nomination).
Fitch means Fitch Ratings, Inc., and its successors.
Investment Grade Rating means a rating equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by Fitch, Baa3 (or the equivalent) by
Moodys, and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P, and the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any replacement rating agency or rating agencies selected by us.
Moodys means Moodys Investors Service, Inc., and its successors.
Rating Agencies means (1) each of Fitch, Moodys and S&P; and (2) if any of Fitch, Moodys or S&P
ceases to rate the Notes of a series or fails to make a rating of the Notes of a series publicly available for reasons outside of our control, a nationally recognized statistical rating organization within the meaning of
Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act selected by us (as certified by a resolution of our Board of Directors) as a replacement agency for Fitch, Moodys or S&P, or all of them, as the case may be, with respect to the Notes of that
series.
Rating Event means, for the Notes of any series, the rating on the Notes of that series is lowered by at least two of
the three Rating Agencies and the Notes of such series are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by at least two of the three Rating Agencies on any day within the 60-day period (which 60-day period will be extended so long as the rating of the
Notes of such series is under publicly announced consideration for a possible downgrade by any of the rating agencies) after the earlier of (1) the occurrence of a Change of Control and (2) public notice of the occurrence of a Change of
Control or our intention to effect a Change of Control.
S&P means Standard & Poors Financial Services, a
division of McGraw-Hill Financial, Inc., and its successors.
30
Voting Stock means, with respect to any specified person (as that term is
used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) as of any date, the capital stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of directors of such person.
Certain Covenants
We are bound by
certain restrictions in connection with the issuance of the Notes. Other than as described below under Restrictions on Secured Debt, Restrictions on Sales and Leasebacks and Consolidation, Merger
and Sale of Assets, the Indenture does not contain any provisions that would limit our ability to incur indebtedness or that would afford holders of Notes protection in the event of a sudden and significant decline in our credit quality or a
takeover, recapitalization or highly leveraged or similar transaction involving us. Accordingly, we could in the future enter into transactions that could increase the amount of indebtedness outstanding at that time or otherwise affect our capital
structure or credit rating.
Certain Definitions
As used herein the following terms will have the meanings set forth below:
Attributable Debt means the total net amount of rent required to be paid during the remaining primary term of certain leases,
discounted from the due date at a rate per annum equal to the weighted average yield to maturity of the debt securities calculated in accordance with generally accepted financial practices.
Business Day means, with respect to the U.S. Exchange Notes, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a
day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close in (a) New York City or London, (b) with respect to Notes denominated in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars, euro or Australian
dollars, in the principal financial center of the country of the specified currency, (c) with respect to Notes denominated in Australian dollars, in Sydney, (d) with respect to Notes denominated in euros, is also a day on which the
Trans-European Automated Real-Time Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET) System or any successor system is open for business, and (e) with respect to the Euro Exchange Notes, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is
not a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close in (a) New York City or London and (b) on which the Trans-European Automated Real-Time Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET) System
or any successor system is open for business.
Consolidated Net Tangible Assets means the aggregate amount of assets, less
applicable reserves and other properly deductible items, after deducting (i) all liabilities other than deferred income taxes, Funded Debt and shareholders equity and (ii) all goodwill and other intangibles of ours and our
consolidated Subsidiaries computed in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Debt means loans and Notes, bonds, debentures or other similar evidences of indebtedness for money borrowed.
Depositary means The Depository Trust Company.
Funded Debt means (i) all indebtedness for money borrowed having a maturity of more than 12 months from the date as of which
the determination is made or having a maturity of 12 months or less but by its terms being renewable or extendible beyond 12 months from such date at the option of the borrower and (ii) rental obligations payable more than 12 months from such
date under leases which are capitalized in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (such rental obligations to be included as Funded Debt at the amount so capitalized at the date of such computation
and to be included for the purposes of the definition of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets both as an asset and as Funded Debt at the respective amounts so capitalized).
31
Interest Payment Date, with respect to any note, means the date on which, under the
terms of the note, regularly scheduled interest is payable.
Issue Price means the first price at which each note is sold to
the initial purchasers.
Market Exchange Rate means the noon dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers of a
specified currency published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Principal Property means any manufacturing or
processing plant or warehouse owned by us or any Restricted Subsidiary which is located within the United States and the gross book value of which (including related land, improvements, machinery and equipment without deduction of any depreciation
reserves) on the date as of which the determination is being made, exceeds 1% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, with certain exceptions due to materiality to our business or to the use or operation of this property as determined by our board of
directors.
Record Date means, for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the first day of a month in respect of
any series of Notes, the fifteenth day (whether or not a Business Day) of the calendar month next preceding the month during which such Interest Payment Date occurs, or if any Interest Payment Date shall occur on the fifteenth day of a month in
respect of any series of Notes, the first day (whether or not a Business Day) of the calendar month during which such Interest Payment Date occurs.
Restricted Subsidiary means a Subsidiary of ours where substantially all the property is located, or substantially all of the
business is carried on, within the United States and which owns a Principal Property.
Subsidiary means a corporation more
than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by us and/or one or more of our Subsidiaries.
Restrictions on
Secured Debt
We will not, and we will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, incur, issue, assume or guarantee any Debt secured by a
pledge of, or mortgage or other lien on, any Principal Property or any shares of capital stock of, or Debt of, any Restricted Subsidiary (such pledges, mortgages and other liens being hereinafter called Mortgage or
Mortgages), without providing that the Notes are secured equally and ratably with (or, at our option, prior to) such secured Debt.
This obligation will not apply if, after giving effect to the secured Debt, the aggregate amount of all this Debt so secured together with all
Attributable Debt of our and our Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of sale and leaseback transactions (other than sale and leaseback transactions described in Restrictions on Sales and Leasebacks) involving Principal
Properties, would not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.
This obligation will not apply to, and there will be excluded in
computing secured Debt for the purpose of the restriction, Debt secured by:
|
|
|
Mortgages on property, stock or Debt of any corporation, partnership, association or other entity existing at the time that corporation, partnership, association or other entity becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or
obligor under the Indenture;
|
|
|
|
Mortgages in favor of Parker or a Restricted Subsidiary;
|
|
|
|
Mortgages in favor of a governmental body to secure progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or provision of any statute;
|
32
|
|
|
Mortgages on property, stock or Debt existing at the time of acquisition thereof (including acquisition through merger or consolidation) or to secure the payment of all or any part of the purchase price, construction
cost or development cost created or assumed within 180 days after the acquisition or completion of construction or development of this property, stock or Debt;
|
|
|
|
Debt secured by Mortgages securing industrial revenue or pollution control bonds; and
|
|
|
|
any extension, renewal or refinancing (or successive extensions, renewals or refinancings), as a whole or in part, of any of the foregoing, except that this extension, renewal or refinancing Mortgage will be limited to
all or a part of the same property, shares of stock or Debt that secured the Mortgage extended, renewed or refinanced (plus improvements on the property).
|
Restrictions on Sales and Leasebacks
Neither we nor any of our Restricted Subsidiaries may enter into any sale and leaseback transaction involving any Principal Property, unless
the aggregate amount of all Attributable Debt of us and our Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to this transaction plus all secured Debt would not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.
This obligation will not apply to, and there will be excluded in computing Attributable Debt for purposes of this restriction, any sale and
leaseback transaction if:
|
|
|
the sale or transfer of the Principal Property is made within 180 days after the later of its acquisition or completion of construction;
|
|
|
|
the lease secures or relates to industrial revenue or pollution control bonds; or
|
|
|
|
we or our Restricted Subsidiary, within 180 days after the sale is completed, apply (i) to the retirement of the Notes, other Funded Debt of Parker ranking on parity with or senior to the Notes, or Funded Debt of a
Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) to the purchase of other property which will constitute a Principal Property having a value at least equal to the value of the Principal Property leased, an amount equal to the greater of (A) the net proceeds
of the sale of the Principal Property leased or (B) the fair market value of the Principal Property leased.
|
In lieu of
applying proceeds to the retirement of Funded Debt, we may surrender the Notes to the trustee or Paying Agent for retirement and cancellation, or we or any Restricted Subsidiary may receive credit for the principal amount of Funded Debt voluntarily
retired within 180 days after this sale.
This restriction will not apply to any sale and leaseback transaction between Parker and a
Restricted Subsidiary or between Restricted Subsidiaries or involving the taking back of a lease for a period of three years or less.
Consolidation,
Merger and Sale of Assets
The Indenture prohibits us from consolidating with or merging into another business entity, or transferring
or leasing substantially all of our assets, unless:
|
|
|
the surviving or acquiring entity is a United States corporation, partnership or trust and it expressly assumes our obligations with respect to the Notes by executing a supplemental Indenture;
|
|
|
|
immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no default or event of default would occur or be continuing; and
|
|
|
|
we have delivered to the trustee an officers certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that the consolidation, merger, lease or sale complies with the Indenture.
|
33
The Indenture further provides that no consolidation or merger of us with or into any other
corporation and no conveyance, transfer or lease of our property substantially as an entirety to another person may be made if, as a result thereof, any Principal Property of ours or any of our Restricted Subsidiaries or any shares of capital stock
or Debt of a Restricted Subsidiary would become subject to a Mortgage which is not expressly excluded from the restrictions or permitted by the Indenture, unless the Notes are secured equally and ratably with, or prior to, all indebtedness secured
thereby.
Events of Default
The
following events will constitute an event of default with respect to the Notes of any series under the Indenture:
|
|
|
failure to pay interest on the Notes of that series (or payment with respect to the related coupons, if any) and continuation of the default for 30 days past the applicable due date;
|
|
|
|
failure to pay principal of, or premium, if any, on the Notes of that series when due (whether at maturity, upon redemption, declaration of acceleration, required repurchase or otherwise);
|
|
|
|
failure to perform any other covenant or agreement in the Indenture, other than a covenant included in the Indenture solely for appropriate benefit of other notes, which failure continues for 60 days after the trustee
or holders of at least 10% of the outstanding principal amount of the debt securities of that series have given written notice of the failure in the manner provided in the Indenture;
|
|
|
|
acceleration of more than $10,000,000 of our or our restricted subsidiaries other indebtedness under the terms of the applicable debt instrument if the acceleration is not rescinded or the indebtedness is not paid
within ten days after the trustee or holders of at least 10% of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes of that series have given written notice of the default in the manner provided in the Indenture; and
|
|
|
|
specified events relating to our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization.
|
An event of
default with respect to one series of Notes is not necessarily an event of default for another series.
If there is an event of default
with respect to a series of Notes, which continues for the requisite amount of time, either the trustee or holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of that series may declare the principal amount of all of the Notes of that series
to be due and payable immediately. If the Notes were issued at an original issue discount, less than the stated principal amount may become payable. After the declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the Notes of any series, but before the
trustee obtains a judgment or decree for payment of the money due, the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of that series may, on behalf of the holders of all Notes and any related coupons of that series,
rescind and annul the declaration of acceleration if we take specific evincing steps to cure the breach, as specified in the Indenture. In addition, the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of a series may, on
behalf of the holders of all Notes and any related coupons of that series, waive any past default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the security or in
respect of a covenant that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding security of the affected series. Such a waiver causes the event of default to cease to exist and be deemed to have been cured.
The Indenture requires us to file annually with the trustee an officers certificate as to the absence of defaults under the terms of the
Indenture. The Indenture provides that if a default occurs with respect to Notes of any series issued under the Indenture, the trustee will give the holders of the relevant series notice of the default when, as and to the extent provided by the
Trust Indenture Act. However, in the case of any default under any covenant with respect to the series, no notice of default to holders will be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence of the default.
34
The Indenture provides that the trustee will be under no obligation, subject to the duty of the
trustee during the continuance of an event of default to act with the required standard of care, to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders, unless these holders shall have offered
to the trustee satisfactory security or indemnity. Subject to these provisions for indemnification of the trustee, the holders of a majority of the amount of the outstanding Notes of any series will have the right to direct the time, manner and
place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or other power conferred on the trustee, with respect to the Notes of that series.
Satisfaction and Discharge of the Indenture
The Indenture for any series of Notes will generally cease to be of any further effect if:
|
|
|
we have delivered to the applicable trustee or the Paying Agent for cancellation all Notes of that series (with certain limited exceptions); or
|
|
|
|
all Notes and coupons of that series not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation:
|
|
|
|
have become due and payable;
|
|
|
|
will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year; or
|
|
|
|
are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the trustee, and we have deposited with the trustee as trust funds the entire amount sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption
all of those Notes and coupons.
|
For the trustee to execute proper instruments acknowledging the satisfaction and discharge
of the Indenture in either case described above, we must also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable under the Indenture by us, and deliver to the trustee an officers certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that all Indenture
conditions have been met.
Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
Each series of Notes is subject to the defeasance and discharge provisions of the Indenture. We may elect either:
|
|
|
legal defeasance, which will permit us to defease and be discharged from, subject to limitations, all of our obligations with respect to those Notes; or
|
|
|
|
covenant defeasance, which will permit us to be released from our obligations to comply with covenants relating to those Notes as described herein.
|
If we exercise our legal defeasance option with respect to a series of Notes, payment of those Notes may not be accelerated because of an
event of default. If we exercise our covenant defeasance option with respect to a series of Notes, payment of those Notes may not be accelerated because of an event of default related to the specified covenants.
We may invoke legal defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to any series of Notes only if:
|
|
|
we irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in trust:
|
|
|
|
U.S. government obligations which, through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms, will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, an amount in funds; or
|
|
|
|
any combination of funds or U.S. government obligations,
|
35
which are sufficient to pay upon maturity or redemption, as the case may be, the principal of,
premium, if any, and interest on those Notes;
|
|
|
we deliver to the trustee a certificate from a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm expressing their opinion that the combination of funds or U.S. government obligations will provide cash
at times and in amounts as will be sufficient to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest when due with respect to all the Notes of that series to maturity or redemption, as the case may be;
|
|
|
|
90 days pass after the deposit described above is made and, during the 90-day period, no default relating to our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occurs that is continuing at the end of that period;
|
|
|
|
no event of default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit described above after giving effect to the deposit;
|
|
|
|
we deliver to the trustee an officers certificate to the effect that no Note of that series will be delisted as a result of the deposit described above;
|
|
|
|
the deposit will not cause the trustee to have a conflict of interest under the Trust Indenture Act;
|
|
|
|
the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not result in a breach of or default under any other agreement to which we are party or to which we are bound;
|
|
|
|
the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not result in the trust arising from the deposit described above constituting an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 unless registered under the
Investment Company Act or exempt;
|
|
|
|
we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel addressing certain federal income tax matters relating to the defeasance; and
|
|
|
|
we deliver to the trustee an officers certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance and discharge of the Notes of that series as contemplated by the Indenture
have been complied with.
|
Modification and Waiver
We may enter into supplemental Indentures for the purpose of modifying or amending the Indenture with the consent of holders of at least 66
2/3% in aggregate principal amount of each series of our outstanding Notes affected. However, the consent of all of the holders of any series of our Notes that are affected by any modification or amendment is required for any of the following:
|
|
|
to reduce the percentage in principal amount of Notes;
|
|
|
|
to reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any Note or coupon or reduce the amount of any interest payment to be made with respect to any Note or coupon;
|
|
|
|
to reduce the principal of or change the stated maturity of principal of, or any installment of principal of, or interest on, any Note or reduce the amount of principal of any original issue discount security that would
be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of maturity;
|
|
|
|
to reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of any Note or change the time at which any note may or shall be redeemed;
|
|
|
|
to change the place or currency of payment of principal, or any premium or interest on, any Note;
|
|
|
|
to impair the right to bring a lawsuit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the stated maturity of any debt security (or in the case of redemption, on or after the date fixed for redemption); or
|
36
|
|
|
to modify any of the above provisions of the Indenture, except to increase the percentage in principal amount of Notes of any series whose holders must consent to an amendment or to provide that certain other provisions
of the Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Note affected by the modification or waiver.
|
In addition, we and the trustee may enter into supplemental Indentures without the consent of the holders of any series of Notes for one or
more of the following purposes:
|
|
|
to evidence that another person has become our successor under the provisions of the Indenture and that the successor assumes our covenants, agreements and obligations in the Indenture and in the Notes;
|
|
|
|
to surrender any of our rights or powers under the Indenture, to add to our covenants further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the protection of the holders of Notes, and to make a default in any of
these additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions a default or an event of default under the Indenture;
|
|
|
|
to cure any ambiguity or to make corrections to the Indenture, any supplemental Indenture, or any Notes, or to make such other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising under the Indenture that do not
adversely affect the interests of any holders of Notes of any series;
|
|
|
|
to add to or change any of the provisions of the Indenture to provide that bearer securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal or premium with
respect to registered securities or principal, premium or interest with respect to bearer securities, or to permit registered securities to be exchanged for bearer securities, so long as none of these actions adversely affects the interests of the
holders of Notes or any coupons of any series in any material respect;
|
|
|
|
to permit the issuance of Notes of any series in uncertificated form;
|
|
|
|
to secure the Notes, subject to specified restrictions;
|
|
|
|
to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of the Indenture with respect to one or more series of Notes subject to certain limitations;
|
|
|
|
to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor or separate trustee with respect to the Notes of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the Indenture as necessary to
provide for the administration of the Indenture by more than one trustee; and
|
|
|
|
to establish the form or terms of Notes and coupons of any series.
|
Same-Day Settlement and Payment
The Exchange Notes will trade in the same-day funds settlement system of the relevant clearing system until maturity or until issued
in certificated form. The Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream will therefore require secondary market trading activity in the Exchange Notes to settle in immediately available funds. We can give no assurance as to the effect, if any, of settlement
in immediately available funds on trading activity in the Exchange Notes.
Payment and Transfer or Exchange of U.S. Exchange Notes
Principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the U.S. Exchange Notes of each series will be payable, and the U.S. Exchange Notes may be
exchanged or transferred, at the office or agency maintained by us for such purpose. Payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest on a global security registered in the name of or held by the Depositary or its nominee will be made in
immediately available funds to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of such global security. If any of the U.S. Exchange Notes
37
is no longer represented by a global security, payment of interest on certificated notes in definitive form may, at our option, be made by check mailed directly to holders at their registered
addresses. See Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities for U.S. Exchange Notes below.
A holder may transfer or
exchange any certificated U.S. Exchange Notes in definitive form at the same location given in the preceding paragraph. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of U.S. Exchange Notes, but we may require payment of
a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or other similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
We are not required to
transfer or exchange any U.S. Note for redemption for a period of 15 days before mailing of a notice of redemption of the note to be redeemed.
The registered holder of a note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.
All amounts of principal of and premium, if any, or interest on the U.S. Exchange Notes paid by us that remain unclaimed two years after such
payment was due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holders of such U.S. Exchange Notes will thereafter look solely to us for payment.
Payment
and Transfer or Exchange of Euro Exchange Notes
Principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Euro Exchange Notes will be
payable, and the Euro Exchange Notes may be exchanged or transferred, at the office of the Paying Agent, currently at 125 Old Broad Street, Fifth Floor, London EC2N 1AR, United Kingdom. Payment of principal of and premium, if any, and
interest on global securities registered in the name of a nominee for and deposited with a common depositary for Euroclear and Clearstream will be made in immediately available funds to the common depositary or its nominee for Euroclear and
Clearstream, as the registered holder of such global securities. If any of the Euro Exchange Notes is no longer represented by a Global Security, payment of interest on certificated Euro Exchange Notes in definitive form may, at our option, be made
by check mailed directly to holders at their registered addresses. See Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities for Euro Exchange Notes below.
A holder may transfer or exchange any certificated Euro Exchange Notes in definitive form at the same location given in the preceding
paragraph. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Euro Exchange Notes, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or other similar governmental charge payable in connection
therewith.
We are not required to transfer or exchange any Euro Exchange Note for redemption for a period of 15 days before mailing of a
notice of redemption of the note to be redeemed.
The registered holder of a note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.
All amounts of principal of and premium, if any, or interest on the Euro Exchange Notes paid by the Paying Agent that remain unclaimed
two years after such payment was due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holders of such Euro Exchange Notes will thereafter look solely to us for payment.
Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities for U.S. Exchange Notes
The U.S. Exchange Notes have been or will be issued in one or more global securities that will be deposited with the Depositary or its nominee.
Each global security will be issued in the denomination of the aggregate principal amount of securities that it represents. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for U.S. Exchange Notes that are in definitive registered form, a global
security may not be transferred or exchanged except as a whole to the Depositary, another nominee of the Depositary, or a successor of the Depositary or its nominee.
38
Upon the issuance of any global security and its deposit with or on behalf of the Depositary, the
Depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the principal amounts of our U.S. Exchange Notes represented by the global security to the accounts of participating institutions that have accounts with the Depositary or
its nominee. The initial purchasers will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to participating institutions or their clients. The Depositary or its nominee will keep records of
the ownership and transfer of beneficial interests in a global security by participating institutions. Participating institutions will keep records of the ownership and transfer of beneficial interests by their clients. The laws of some
jurisdictions may require that purchasers of our securities receive physical certificates, which may impair a holders ability to transfer its beneficial interests in global securities.
While the Depositary or its nominee is the registered owner of a global security, the Depositary or its nominee will be considered the sole
owner of all of our U.S. Exchange Notes represented by the global security for all purposes under the Indenture. Generally, if a holder owns beneficial interests in a global security, that holder will not be entitled to have our U.S. Exchange Notes
registered in that holders own name, and that holder will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing that holders ownership. Accordingly, if a holder owns a beneficial interest in a global security, the holder must rely on the
Depositary and, if applicable, the participating institution of which that holder is a client to exercise the rights of that holder under the Indenture.
The Depositary may grant proxies and otherwise authorize participating institutions to take any action that a holder is entitled to take under
the Indenture. We understand that, according to existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders, or any owner of a beneficial interest in a global security wishes to give any notice or take any action, the Depositary would authorize
the participating institutions to give the notice or take the action, and the participating institutions would in turn authorize their clients to give the notice or take the action.
Generally, we will make payments on our U.S. Exchange Notes represented by a global security directly to the Depositary or its nominee. It is
our understanding that the Depositary will then credit the accounts of participating institutions, which will then distribute funds to their clients. We also expect that payments by participating institutions to their clients will be governed by
standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of clients registered in street names, and will be the responsibility of the participating institutions. Neither we nor the trustee,
nor our respective agents, will have any responsibility, or bear any liability, for any aspects of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial interests in a global security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing records
relating to beneficial interests.
Generally, a global security may be exchanged for certificated U.S. Exchange Notes only in the
following instances:
|
|
|
the Depositary notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the relevant global security, or it has ceased to be a registered clearing agency, if required to be registered by law;
|
|
|
|
there shall have occurred and be continuing an event of default with respect to the global security; or
|
|
|
|
certain other events set forth in the Indenture have occurred.
|
Neither we nor the trustee
will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial ownership interests in a debt security; for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial
ownership interests; or for any other aspect of the relationship between the Depositary and its participants or the relationship between such participants and the beneficial owners of interests in a note.
Neither we nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by the Depositary, its nominee or any direct or indirect participant in identifying
the beneficial owners of the U.S. Exchange Notes. We and the trustee may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from the Depositary or its nominee for all purposes, including with respect to the registration and
delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the certificated U.S. Exchange Notes to be issued.
39
Two or more fully-registered global securities will be issued for each issue of U.S. Exchange
Notes, which, together, will be in the aggregate principal amount of such issue, and will be deposited with the Depositary. No certificate will be issued with respect to an principal amount that exceeds $500 million, and additional certificates
will be issued with respect to any remaining principal amount of such issue in excess thereof.
The following information concerning the
Depositary and the Depositarys book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness thereof.
The Depositary will act as the Depositary for securities issued in the form of global securities. Global securities will be issued as
fully-registered securities registered in the name of Cede & Co., which is the Depositarys partnership nominee, or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary.
The Depositary is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a banking organization within the
meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a clearing corporation within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a clearing agency registered pursuant to the provisions of
Section 17A of the Exchange Act. The Depositary holds and provides asset servicing for U.S. and non-U.S. equity issues, corporate and municipal debt issues and money market instruments from countries that the Depositarys participants,
referred to herein as direct participants, deposit with the Depositary. The Depositary also facilitates the post-trade settlement among direct participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities, through electronic
computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between direct participants accounts. This eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers,
banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. The Depositary is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or DTCC. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries.
Access to the Depositarys system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct
participant, either directly or indirectly, referred to herein as indirect participants. The DTC Rules applicable to the Depositarys participants are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. More information about the Depositary
can be found at www.dtcc.com and www.dtc.org. Information on or accessible through such websites is not part of this prospectus.
Purchases of U.S. Exchange Notes under the Depositarys system must be made by or through direct participants, which will receive a
credit for the U.S. Exchange Notes on the Depositarys records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each debt security, or the beneficial owner, is in turn to be recorded on the direct and indirect participants records.
Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from the Depositary of their purchase. Beneficial owners are, however, expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their
holdings, from the direct or indirect participant through which the beneficial owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in U.S. Exchange Notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of direct and indirect
participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in the U.S. Exchange Notes, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the U.S. Exchange Notes
is discontinued.
To facilitate subsequent transfers, all U.S. Exchange Notes deposited by direct participants with the Depositary are
registered in the name of the Depositarys partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary. The deposit of U.S. Exchange Notes with the Depositary and their
registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other of the Depositarys nominee do not effect any change in beneficial ownership. The Depositary has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the U.S. Exchange Notes; the
Depositarys records reflect only the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts such U.S. Exchange Notes are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The direct and indirect participants will remain responsible for
keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.
40
Conveyance of notices and other communications by the Depositary to direct participants, by
direct participants to indirect participants and by direct participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to
time. Beneficial owners of U.S. Exchange Notes may wish to take certain steps to augment the transmission to them of notices of significant events with respect to the U.S. Exchange Notes, such as redemptions, tenders, defaults and proposed
amendments to the note documents. For example, beneficial owners of U.S. Exchange Notes may wish to ascertain that the nominee holding the U.S. Exchange Notes for their benefit has agreed to obtain and transmit notices to beneficial owners. In the
alternative, beneficial owners may wish to provide their names and addresses to the registrar and request that copies of notices be provided directly to them.
Redemption notices will be sent to the Depositary. If less than all of the U.S. Exchange Notes within an issue are being redeemed, the
Depositarys practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each direct participant in such issue to be redeemed.
Neither the Depositary nor Cede & Co. (nor any other of the Depositarys nominees) will consent or vote with respect to the U.S.
Exchange Notes unless authorized by a direct participant in accordance with the Depositarys procedures. Under its usual procedures, the Depositary mails an omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after the Record Date. The omnibus proxy
assigns Cede & Co.s consenting or voting rights to those direct participants to whose accounts U.S. Exchange Notes are credited on the Record Date (identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy).
Redemption proceeds, distributions and payments on the U.S. Exchange Notes will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may
be requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary. The Depositarys practice is to credit direct participants accounts upon the Depositarys receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us or our agent, on
the date payable in accordance with their respective holdings shown on the Depositarys records. Payments by participants to beneficial owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities
held for the accounts of customers registered in street name, and will be the responsibility of such participant and not of the Depositary (or its nominee), our agent or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be
in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments to Cede & Co. (or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary) is the responsibility of us or our
agent. Disbursement of such payments to direct participants will be the responsibility of the Depositary, and disbursement of such payments to the beneficial owners will be the responsibility of direct and indirect participants.
The Depositary may discontinue providing its services as depository with respect to the U.S. Exchange Notes at any time by giving reasonable
notice to us or our agent. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor depository is not obtained, certificates for the debt certificates are required to be printed and delivered. In addition, we may decide to discontinue use of the
system of book-entry-only transfers through the Depositary (or a successor securities depository). In that event, certificates for the U.S. Exchange Notes will be printed and delivered to the Depositary.
If the Depositary for a global security is the depository, you may hold interests in the global security through Clearstream or Euroclear, in
each case, as a participant in the Depositary. Euroclear and Clearstream will hold interests, in each case, on behalf of their participants through customers securities accounts in the names of Euroclear and Clearstream on the books of their
respective depositaries, which in turn will hold such interests in customers securities in the depositaries names on the Depositarys books.
Payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other matters relating to the U.S. Exchange Notes made through Euroclear or
Clearstream must comply with the rules and procedures of those systems. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time. We have no control over those systems or their
41
participants, and we take no responsibility for their activities. Transactions between participants in Euroclear or Clearstream, on one hand, and other participants in the Depositary, on the
other hand, would also be subject to the Depositarys rules and procedures.
Investors will be able to make and receive through
Euroclear and Clearstream payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other transactions involving any securities held through those systems only on days when those systems are open for business. Those systems may not be open for
business on days when banks, brokers and other institutions are open for business in the United States.
In addition, because of time-zone
differences, U.S. investors who hold their interests in the U.S. Exchange Notes through these systems and wish on a particular day, to transfer their interests, or to receive or make a payment or delivery or exercise any other right with respect to
their interests, may find that the transaction will not be effected until the next Business Day in Luxembourg or Brussels, as applicable. Thus, investors who wish to exercise rights that expire on a particular day may need to act before the
Expiration Date. In addition, investors who hold their interests through both the Depositary and Euroclear or Clearstream may need to make special arrangements to finance any purchase or sales of their interests between the U.S. and European
clearing systems, and those transactions may settle later than transactions within one clearing system.
Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global
Securities for Euro Exchange Notes
The Euro Exchange Notes will be evidenced on issue by an unrestricted global security (a
Global Security) in registered form, with an ISIN and Common Code, registered in the name of a nominee for, and deposited with a common depositary on behalf of, Euroclear and Clearstream. Beneficial interests in a Global Security may be
held only through Euroclear or Clearstream at any time.
Except in the limited circumstances described below, owners of beneficial
interests in a Global Security will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated Euro Exchange Notes in definitive form. The Euro Exchange Notes are not issuable in bearer form.
Upon the issuance of the global securities and their deposit with or on behalf of the common depositary, the common depositary or its nominee
will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the principal amounts of our Euro Exchange Notes represented by the global securities to the accounts of participating institutions that have accounts with the common depositary or its
nominee. The initial purchasers will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in the global securities will be limited to participating institutions or their clients. The common depositary or its nominee will keep
records of the ownership and transfer of beneficial interests in the global securities by participating institutions. Participating institutions will keep records of the ownership and transfer of beneficial interests by their clients. The laws of
some jurisdictions may require that purchasers of our securities receive physical certificates, which may impair a holders ability to transfer its beneficial interests in global securities.
While the common depositary or its nominee is the registered owner of a Global Security, the depositary or its nominee will be considered the
sole owner of all of our Euro Exchange Notes represented by the relevant Global Security for all purposes under the Indenture. Generally, if a holder owns beneficial interests in a Global Security, that holder will not be entitled to have our Euro
Exchange Notes registered in that holders own name, and that holder will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing that holders ownership. Accordingly, if a holder owns a beneficial interest in a Global Security, the holder
must rely on the common depositary or its nominee and, if applicable, the participating institution of which that holder is a client to exercise the rights of that holder under the Indenture.
The common depositary may grant proxies and otherwise authorize participating institutions to take any action that a holder is entitled to
take under the Indenture. We understand that, according to existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders, or any owner of a beneficial interest in a Global Security wishes to
42
give any notice or take any action, the common depositary or its nominee would authorize the participating institutions to give the notice or take the action, and the participating institutions
would in turn authorize their clients to give the notice or take the action.
Generally, we will make payments on our Euro Exchange Notes
represented by a Global Security directly to the common depositary or its nominee. It is our understanding that the common depositary will then credit the accounts of participating institutions, which will then distribute funds to their clients. We
also expect that payments by participating institutions to their clients will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of clients registered in street names,
and will be the responsibility of the participating institutions. Neither we nor the trustee, nor our respective agents, will have any responsibility, or bear any liability, for any aspects of the records relating to or payments made on account of
beneficial interests in a Global Security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing records relating to beneficial interests; or for any other aspect of the relationship between the common depositary and its participants or the relationship
between such participants and the beneficial owners of interests in a note.
The global securities may be exchanged for certificated Euro
Exchange Notes only in the following instances:
|
|
|
Euroclear or Clearstream notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue to act as depositary, or it has ceased to be a registered clearing agency, if required to be registered by law;
|
|
|
|
there shall have occurred and be continuing an event of default with respect to the Euro Exchange Notes; or
|
|
|
|
certain other events set forth in the Indenture have occurred.
|
Neither we nor the trustee
will be liable for any delay by the common depositary, its nominee or any direct or indirect participant in identifying the beneficial owners of the Euro Exchange Notes. We, our agents and the trustee may conclusively rely on, and will be protected
in relying on, instructions from Euroclear and Clearstream or their common depositary or its nominee for all purposes, including with respect to the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the certificated Euro Exchange
Notes to be issued.
The following information concerning Euroclear and Clearstream and their respective book-entry systems has been
obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness thereof.
Euroclear
and Clearstream each hold securities for their customers and facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions through electronic book-entry transfer between their respective accountholders. Indirect access to Euroclear and
Clearstream is available to other institutions which clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with an accountholder of either system. Euroclear and Clearstream provide various services including safekeeping, administration, clearance and
settlement of internationally-traded securities and securities lending and borrowing. Euroclear and Clearstream also deal with domestic securities markets in several countries through established depositary and custodial relationships. Euroclear and
Clearstream have established an electronic bridge between their two systems across which their respective customers may settle trades with each other. Their customers are worldwide financial institutions including underwriters, securities brokers
and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations. Investors may hold their interests in the global securities directly through Euroclear or Clearstream if they are accountholders, which we refer to as Direct Participants or indirectly,
Indirect Participants, and together with Direct Participants, Participants, through organizations which are accountholders therein.
Each
of the persons shown in the records of Euroclear or Clearstream as the holder of a note evidenced by the relevant Global Security must look solely to Euroclear or Clearstream (as the case may be) for his share of each payment made by the Company to
the holder of such Global Security and in relation to all other rights arising under the relevant Global Security, subject to and in accordance with the respective rules and procedures
43
of Euroclear or Clearstream (as the case may be). The Company expects that, upon receipt of any payment in respect of Euro Exchange Notes evidenced by a Global Security, the common depositary by
whom such note is held, or nominee in whose name it is registered, will immediately credit the relevant participants or accountholders accounts in the relevant clearing system with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective
beneficial interests in the principal amount of the relevant Global Security as shown on the records of the relevant clearing system or its nominee. The Company also expects that payments by Direct Participants in any clearing system to owners of
beneficial interests in the relevant Global Security held through such Direct Participants in any clearing system will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices. Save as aforesaid, such persons shall have no claim directly against
the Company in respect of payments due on the Euro Exchange Notes for so long as the Euro Exchange Notes are evidenced by the global securities and the obligations of the Company will be discharged by payment to the registered holder, as the case
may be, of the relevant Global Security in respect of each amount so paid.
Subject to the rules and procedures of each applicable
clearing system, purchases of Euro Exchange Notes held within a clearing system must be made by or through Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the Euro Exchange Notes on the clearing systems records. The ownership interest of
each actual purchaser of each debt security, or the beneficial owner, is in turn to be recorded on the direct and indirect participants records. Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from the clearing system of their
purchase. Beneficial owners are, however, expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the direct or indirect participant through which the beneficial owner
entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in Euro Exchange Notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of direct and indirect participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive
certificates representing their ownership interests in the Euro Exchange Notes, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the Euro Exchange Notes is discontinued.
No clearing system has knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the Euro Exchange Notes held within such clearing system and their records
will reflect only the identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts such Euro Exchange Notes are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The Participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on
behalf of their customers. Conveyance of notices and other communications by the clearing systems to Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to beneficial owners will
be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Beneficial owners of Euro Exchange Notes may wish to take certain steps to augment the transmission to them of notices
of significant events with respect to the Euro Exchange Notes, such as redemptions, tenders, defaults and proposed amendments to the note documents. For example, beneficial owners of Euro Exchange Notes may wish to ascertain that the nominee holding
the Euro Exchange Notes for their benefit has agreed to obtain and transmit notices to beneficial owners. In the alternative, beneficial owners may wish to provide their names and addresses to the registrar and request that copies of notices be
provided directly to them.
The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain persons take physical delivery in definitive form of
securities. Consequently, the ability to transfer interests in a Global Security to such persons may be limited.
Secondary market sales
of book-entry interests in the Euro Exchange Notes held through Euroclear or Clearstream to purchasers of book-entry interests in the Euro Exchange Notes held through Euroclear or Clearstream will be conducted in accordance with the normal rules and
operating procedures of Euroclear and Clearstream and will be settled using the procedures applicable to conventional Eurobonds.
It is
expected that delivery of Euro Exchange Notes will be made against payment therefore on the closing date, which could be more than three business days following the date of pricing. Settlement procedures in different countries will vary. Purchasers
of Euro Exchange Notes may be affected by such local settlement practices, and purchasers of Euro Exchange Notes between the relevant date of pricing and the closing date should consult their own advisors.
44
Redemption notices will be sent to the clearing systems. If less than all of the Euro Exchange
Notes within an issue are being redeemed, the clearing systems practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each Direct Participant in such issue to be redeemed, provided, however, that no book-entry interest of less than
100,000 principal amount may be redeemed in part.
Neither the common depositary nor its nominee will consent or vote with respect
to the Euro Exchange Notes unless authorized by a Direct Participant in accordance with the clearing systems procedures.
Redemption
proceeds, distributions and payments on the Euro Exchange Notes will be made to the common depositary or its nominee. The clearing systems practice is to credit Direct Participants accounts upon the common depositarys receipt of
funds and corresponding detail information from us or our agent, on the date payable in accordance with their respective holdings shown on the common depositarys records. Payments by participants to beneficial owners will be governed by
standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in street name, and will be the responsibility of such participant and not of the common depositary (or its
nominee), our agent or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments to the common depositary or its nominee is the responsibility
of us or our agent. Disbursement of such payments to Direct Participants will be the responsibility of the common depositary, and disbursement of such payments to the beneficial owners will be the responsibility of direct and indirect participants.
Euroclear and/or Clearstream may discontinue providing its services as depositary with respect to the Euro Exchange Notes at any time by
giving reasonable notice to us or our agent. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor depositary is not obtained, certificates for the debt certificates are required to be printed and delivered. In addition, we may decide to
discontinue use of the system of book-entry-only transfers through Euroclear and/or Clearstream (or a successor securities depositary). In that event, certificates for the Euro Exchange Notes will be printed and delivered to the common depositary.
Trustee, Paying Agent and Security Registrar
The current trustee under the Indenture for our Original Notes is, and, for our Exchange Notes, will be, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., which performs
services for us in the ordinary course of business. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. acts as a depositary for funds of, performs certain other services for, and transacts other banking business with us and certain of our subsidiaries in the normal course of
its business. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is a participating lender under our current U.S. credit facility. We may engage additional or substitute trustees with respect to particular series of our debt securities.
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities International Limited, affiliates of the trustee, were initial purchasers in the
offerings of the Original Notes.
The transferor of any Note denominated in U.S. dollars shall provide or cause to be provided to the
trustee all information necessary to allow the trustee to comply with any applicable tax reporting obligations, including without limitation any cost basis reporting obligations under Internal Revenue Code Section 6045. The trustee may rely on
information provided to it and shall have no responsibility to verify or ensure the accuracy of such information.
The current paying
agent and transfer agent for the Euro Exchange Notes is Elavon Financial Services DAC, acting through its UK branch under the trade name U.S. Bank Global Corporate Trust Services, which performs services for us under the Agency Agreement. The
current registrar for the Euro Exchange Notes is Elavon Financial Services DAC, which performs services for us under the Agency Agreement.
Governing
Law
The Indenture is, the Original Notes are and the Exchange Notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of
the State of New York.
45
CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the exchange of unregistered Original Notes for
registered Exchange Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all the potential tax considerations relating to the Exchange Offer. This summary is based upon the Code, judicial decisions, final,
temporary and proposed Treasury regulations, published rulings and other administrative pronouncements as of the date of this prospectus, changes to any of which subsequent to the date of this prospectus may affect the tax consequences discussed
herein, possibly with retroactive effect. We have not sought and will not seek any rulings from the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, with respect to the statements made in this summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS will not take a
position contrary to these statements or that a contrary position taken by the IRS would not be sustained by a court. This summary is limited to holders that hold Original Notes and will hold Exchange Notes as capital assets within the
meaning of the Code (generally, property held for investment).
This summary does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax
consequences that may be relevant to a holder in light of such holders particular circumstances or to holders subject to special rules, such as banks or other financial institutions, partnerships or other
pass-through
entities or investors therein, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, former citizens or permanent residents of the United States, insurance companies, brokers, dealers in
securities or currencies, traders in securities that elect to use a
mark-to-market
method of accounting for their securities holdings, U.S. holders whose functional
currency is not the U.S. dollar, holders subject to the alternative minimum tax, tax-exempt entities, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies and persons holding the Exchange Notes as part of a straddle,
hedge, conversion transaction or other integrated transaction. This summary also does not address the tax considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state or local jurisdiction, or the effects of any other U.S.
federal tax laws, including the gift and estate tax and the Medicare tax.
The exchange of an Original Note for an Exchange Note pursuant
to the Exchange Offer (described under The Exchange Offer) will not constitute a taxable exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Consequently, you will not recognize any taxable gain or loss upon the receipt of an Exchange Note
pursuant to the Exchange Offer, your holding period for an Exchange Note will include the holding period of the Original Note exchanged therefor, your adjusted tax basis in an Exchange Note will be the same as the adjusted tax basis in the Original
Note immediately before such exchange, and all of the U.S. federal income tax considerations associated with owning an Original Note will continue to apply to the Exchange Note received in exchange therefor.
The preceding summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations is general information only and is not tax advice. Accordingly, you
should consult your own tax advisor as to the particular tax consequences to you of exchanging Original Notes for Exchange Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer, including the applicability and effect of any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign tax
laws, and of any changes or proposed changes in applicable law.
46
CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The following summary regarding certain aspects of ERISA, and the Code is based on ERISA and the Code, judicial decisions and United States
Department of Labor and IRS regulations and rulings that are in existence on the date of this prospectus. This summary is general in nature and does not address every issue pertaining to ERISA or the Code that may be applicable to us, the Exchange
Notes or a particular investor. Accordingly, each prospective investor should consult with his, her or its own counsel in order to understand the issues relating to ERISA and the Code that affect or may affect the investor with respect to this
investment.
ERISA and the Code impose certain requirements on employee benefit plans that are subject to Title I of ERISA and plans
subject to Section 4975 of the Code (each such employee benefit plan or plan, a Plan), on entities whose underlying assets include plan assets by reason of a Plans investment in such entities and on those persons who are
fiduciaries as defined in Section 3(21) of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code with respect to Plans. In considering an investment of the assets of a Plan subject to Part 4 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA in the Exchange
Notes, a fiduciary must, among other things, discharge its duties solely in the interest of the participants of such Plan and their beneficiaries and for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to such participants and beneficiaries and
defraying reasonable expenses of administering the Plan. A fiduciary must act prudently and must diversify the investments of a Plan subject to Part 4 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA so as to minimize the risk of large losses, as well as discharge
its duties in accordance with the documents and instruments governing such Plan. In addition, ERISA generally requires fiduciaries to hold all assets of a Plan subject to Part 4 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA in trust and to maintain the indicia
of ownership of such assets within the jurisdiction of the district courts of the United States. A fiduciary of a Plan subject to Part 4 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA should consider whether an investment in the Exchange Notes satisfies these
requirements.
An investor who is considering acquiring the Exchange Notes with the assets of a Plan must consider whether the acquisition
and holding of the Exchange Notes will constitute or result in a
non-exempt
prohibited transaction. Section 406(a) of ERISA and Sections 4975(c)(1)(A), (B), (C) and (D) of the Code prohibit
certain transactions that involve a Plan and a party in interest as defined in Section 3(14) of ERISA or a disqualified person as defined in Section 4975(e)(2) of the Code with respect to such Plan. Examples of such
prohibited transactions include, but are not limited to, sales or exchanges of property (such as the Exchange Notes) or extensions of credit between a Plan and a party in interest or disqualified person. Section 406(b) of ERISA and Sections
4975(c)(1)(E) and (F) of the Code generally prohibit a fiduciary with respect to a Plan from dealing with the assets of the Plan for its own benefit (for example when a fiduciary of a Plan uses its position to cause the Plan to make investments
in connection with which the fiduciary (or a party related to the fiduciary) receives a fee or other consideration).
ERISA and the Code
contain certain exemptions from the prohibited transactions described above, and the Department of Labor has issued several exemptions, although certain exemptions do not provide relief from the prohibitions on
self-dealing
contained in Section 406(b) of ERISA and Sections 4975(c)(1)(E) and (F) of the Code. Exemptions include Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code
pertaining to certain transactions with
non-fiduciary
service providers; Department of Labor Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption (PTCE)
95-60,
applicable
to transactions involving insurance company general accounts; PTCE
90-1,
regarding investments by insurance company pooled separate accounts; PTCE
91-38,
regarding
investments by bank collective investment funds; PTCE
84-14,
regarding investments effected by a qualified professional asset manager; and PTCE
96-23,
regarding
investments effected by an in-house asset manager. There can be no assurance that any of these exemptions will be available with respect to the acquisition of the Exchange Notes. Under Section 4975 of the Code, excise taxes are imposed on
disqualified persons who participate in
non-exempt
prohibited transactions (other than a fiduciary acting only as such) and such transactions may have to be rescinded.
As a general rule, a governmental plan, as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA (each, a Governmental Plan), a church plan, as
defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA, that has not made an election under Section 410(d) of the Code (each, a Church Plan) and a plan maintained outside the United States primarily for the benefit of
47
persons substantially all of whom are nonresident aliens (each, a
non-U.S.
Plan) are not subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of
the Code. Accordingly, assets of such plans may be invested without regard to the fiduciary and prohibited transaction considerations described above. Although a Governmental Plan, a Church Plan or a
non-U.S.
Plan is not subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, it may be subject to other United States federal, state or local laws or
non-U.S.
laws that regulate its investments (a Similar
Law). A fiduciary of a Government Plan, a Church Plan or a
non-U.S.
Plan should consider whether investing in the Exchange Notes satisfies the requirements, if any, under any applicable Similar Law.
The Exchange Notes may be acquired by a Plan, a Governmental Plan, a Church Plan, a
non-U.S.
Plan or
an entity whose underlying assets include the assets of a Plan, , but only if the acquisition will not result in a
non-exempt
prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or a violation
of Similar Law. Therefore, any investor in the Exchange Notes will be deemed to represent and warrant to us and the trustee that (1)(a) it is not (i) a Plan, (ii) a Governmental Plan, (iii) a Church Plan, (iv) a
non-U.S.
Plan or (v) an entity whose underlying assets include the assets of a Plan, (b) it is a Plan or an entity whose underlying assets include the assets of a Plan and the acquisition and holding of
the Exchange Notes will not result in a
non-exempt
prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or (c) it is a Governmental Plan, a Church Plan, a
non-U.S.
Plan that is not subject to (i) ERISA, (ii) Section 4975 of the Code or (iii) any Similar Law that prohibits or imposes excise or penalty taxes on the acquisition or holding of the
Exchange Notes; and (2) it will notify us and the trustee immediately if, at any time, it is no longer able to make the representations contained in clause (1) above. Any purported transfer of the Exchange Notes to a transferee that does
not comply with the foregoing requirements shall be null and void ab initio.
This offer is not a representation by us that an
acquisition of the Exchange Notes meets any or all legal requirements applicable to investments by Plans, Governmental Plans, Church Plans,
non-U.S.
Plans or entities whose underlying assets include the assets
of a Plan or that such an investment is appropriate for any particular Plan, Governmental Plan, Church Plan,
non-U.S.
Plan or entity whose underlying assets include the assets of a Plan.
48