Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Access to the DTC system is also available to others, such as securities brokers and dealers, and banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly (Indirect Participants). The rules applicable to DTC and its Participants are on file with the Commission.
Purchases of debt securities under the DTC system must be made by or through Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the debt securities on DTCs records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each debt security (Beneficial Owner) is in turn recorded on the Direct and Indirect Participants records. A Beneficial Owner does not receive written confirmation from DTC of its purchase, but is expected to receive a written confirmation providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of its holdings, from the Direct or Indirect Participants through which such Beneficial Owner entered into the action. Transfers of ownership interests in debt securities are accomplished by entries made on the books of Participants acting on behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial Owners do not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in debt securities, except as described above.
To facilitate subsequent transfers, the debt securities are registered in the name of DTCs partnership nominee, Cede & Co. The deposit of the debt securities with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. will effect no change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual Beneficial Owners of the debt securities; DTC records reflect only the identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts debt securities are credited, which may or may not be the Beneficial Owners. The Participants remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.
Delivery of notice and other communications by DTC to Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners are governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.
Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. consents or votes with respect to the debt securities. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails a proxy (an Omnibus Proxy) to the issuer 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 the debt securities are credited on the record date (identified on a list attached to the Omnibus Proxy).
Principal and interest payments, if any, on the debt securities will be made to DTC. DTCs practice is to credit Direct Participants accounts on the payment date in accordance with their respective holdings as shown on DTCs records, unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payment on the payment date. Payments by Participants to Beneficial Owners are governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in street name, and are the responsibility of such Participant and not of DTC, the trustee or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of principal and interest, if any, to DTC is our or the trustees responsibility, disbursement of such payments to Direct Participants is DTCs responsibility, and disbursement of such payments to the Beneficial Owners is the responsibility of Direct and Indirect Participants.
DTC may discontinue providing its services as securities depository with respect to the debt securities at any time by giving reasonable notice to us or the trustee. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor securities depository is not appointed, debt security certificates are required to be printed and delivered.
We may decide to discontinue use of the system of book-entry transfers through DTC (or a successor securities depository). In that event, debt security certificates will be printed and delivered.
We have obtained the information in this section concerning DTC and DTCs book-entry system from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy of this information.
None of us, any underwriter or agent, the trustee or any applicable paying agent will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial interests in a global security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial interest.
Trustee
The Bank of New York Mellon is to be the trustee under the indentures. The Company and its subsidiaries may maintain accounts and conduct other banking transactions with affiliates of the trustee.