Registration Rights Agreement - Birch Telecom Inc., Lehman Brothers Inc. and BT Alex. Brown Inc.
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated as of June 23, 1998
by and among
BIRCH TELECOM, INC.
and
LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
and
BT ALEX. BROWN INCORPORATED
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This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and
entered into as of June 23, 1998 by and between Birch Telecom, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and Lehman Brothers Inc. and BT Alex. Brown
Incorporated (each an "Initial Purchaser," and together, the "Initial
Purchasers"), who have agreed to purchase Units (the "Units"), each consisting
of $1,000 principal amount of the Company's 14% Senior Notes due 2008 (the
"Series A Notes") and a Warrant to purchase 12.25856 shares of its Common Stock,
par value $.001 per share pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated June
18, 1998 (the "Purchase Agreement"), by and among the Company, the Subsidiaries
named therein and the Initial Purchasers. In order to induce the Initial
Purchasers to purchase the Units, the Company has agreed to provide the
registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of
this Agreement is a condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchasers set
forth in Section 7 of the Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms used herein and
not otherwise defined shall have the meaning assigned to them the Indenture,
dated as of June 23, 1998, between the Company and Norwest Bank Minnesota,
National Association, as trustee, relating to the Series A Notes and the Series
B Notes (the "Indenture").
The parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have
the following meanings:
Affiliate: An Affiliate of any specified Person means any other Person
directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect
common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition,
"control" (including, with correlative meanings, the terms "controlling,"
"controlled by" and "under common control with"), as used with respect to any
Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise.
Board of Directors: The Board of Directors of the Company, or any
authorized committee of the Board of Directors.
Broker-Dealer: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.
Business Day: Any day other than a Legal Holiday.
Capital Stock: (a) In the case of a corporation, corporate stock, (b)
in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests,
participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate
stock, (c) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company,
partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited) and (d) any
other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a
share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing
Person.
Closing Date: June 23, 1998.
Commission: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
Consummate: An Exchange Offer shall be deemed "Consummated" for
purposes of this Agreement upon the occurrence of (a) the filing and
effectiveness under the Act of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
relating to the Series B Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (b) the
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maintenance of such Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective
and the keeping of the Exchange Offer open for a period not less than the period
required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof and (c) the delivery by the Company to
the Trustee under the Indenture of Series B Notes in the same aggregate
principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of Series A Notes tendered by
Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
Effectiveness Deadline: As defined in Section 3(a) and 4(a) hereof.
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Exchange Offer: The exchange and issuance by the Company of a principal
amount of Series B Notes (which shall be registered pursuant to the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement) equal to the outstanding principal amount of
Series A Notes that are tendered by such Holders in connection with such
exchange and issuance.
Exchange Offer Registration Statement: The Registration Statement
relating to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.
Exempt Resales: The transactions in which the Initial Purchasers
propose to sell the Series A Notes to certain "qualified institutional buyers,"
as such term is defined in Rule 144A under the Act and pursuant to Regulation S
under the Act.
Filing Deadline: As defined in Sections 3(a) and 4(a) hereof.
Holders: As defined in Section 2 hereof.
Indemnified Holder: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.
Legal Holiday: A Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking
institutions in the City of New York or at a place of payment are authorized by
law, regulation or executive order to remain closed. If a payment date is a
Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the
next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue on
such payment for the intervening period.
Notes: Series A Notes and Series B Notes.
Participating Broker-Dealer: Any Broker-Dealer that holds Series B
Notes that were acquired in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Series A Notes
that such Broker-Dealer acquired for its own account as a result of market
making activities or other trading activities (other than Series A Notes
acquired directly from the Company or any of its affiliates).
Person: Any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or
government or agency or political subdivision thereof (including any subdivision
or ongoing business of any such entity or substantially all of the assets of any
such entity, subdivision or business).
Prospectus: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement at the
time such Registration Statement is declared effective, as amended or
supplemented by any prospectus supplement and by all other amendments thereto,
including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference
into such Prospectus.
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Recommencement Date: As defined in Section 6(d) hereof.
Registration Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Company
relating to (a) an offering of Series B Notes pursuant to an Exchange Offer or
(b) the registration for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to
the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, (i) that is filed pursuant to
the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) including the Prospectus included
therein, all amendments and supplements thereto (including post-effective
amendments) and all exhibits and material incorporated by reference therein.
Regulation S: Regulation S promulgated under the Act.
Rule 144: Rule 144 promulgated under the Act.
Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Series B Notes: The Company's 14% Series B Senior Notes due 2008 to be
issued pursuant to the Indenture: (i) in the Exchange Offer or (ii) as
contemplated by Section 4 hereof.
Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 4 hereof.
Suspension Notice: As defined in Section 6(d) hereof.
TIA: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. Section 77aaa-77bbbb)
as in effect on the date of the Indenture.
Transfer Restricted Securities: Each Series A Note until the earlier to
occur of (a) the date on which such Series A Note has been exchanged by a person
other than a Broker-Dealer for a Series B Note in the Exchange Offer, (b)
following the exchange by a Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer of a Series A
Note for a Series B Note, the date on which such Series B Note is sold to a
purchaser who receives from such Broker-Dealer on or prior to the date of such
sale a copy of the Prospectus, (c) the date on which such Series B Note has been
effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance
with the Shelf Registration Statement or (d) the date on which such Series B
Note is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act
or is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act.
Voting Stock: The Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time
entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.
SECTION 2. HOLDERS
A Person is deemed to be a holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
(each, a "Holder") whenever such Person owns Transfer Restricted Securities.
SECTION 3. REGISTERED EXCHANGE OFFER
(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permitted by applicable
federal law (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a)(i) below have been
complied with), the Company shall (i) cause the
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Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be filed with the Commission as soon as
practicable after the Closing Date (the "Exchange Offer Filing Date"), but in no
event later than 90 days after the Closing Date (such 90th day being the "Filing
Deadline"), (ii) use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Exchange
Offer Registration Statement to become effective at the earliest possible time,
but in no event later than 150 days after the Closing Date (such 150th day being
the "Effectiveness Deadline"), (iii) in connection with the foregoing, (A) file
all pre-effective amendments to such Exchange Offer Registration Statement as
may be necessary in order to cause it to become effective, (B) file, if
applicable, a post-effective amendment to such Exchange Offer Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act and (C) cause all necessary
filings, if any, in connection with the registration and qualification of the
Series B Notes to be made under the Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as are
necessary to permit Consummation of the Exchange Offer and (iv) upon the
effectiveness of such Exchange Offer Registration Statement, commence and
Consummate the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall be on the appropriate
form permitting registration of the Series B Notes to be offered in exchange for
the Series A Notes that are Transfer Restricted Securities and to permit resales
of Series B Notes by Broker-Dealers that tendered into the Exchange Offer for
Series A Notes that such Broker-Dealer acquired for its own account as a result
of market making activities or other trading activities (other than Series A
Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its Affiliates) as
contemplated by Section 3(c) below.
(b) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement to be effective continuously, and shall keep the Exchange
Offer open for a period of not less than the minimum period required under
applicable federal and state securities laws to Consummate the Exchange Offer;
provided, however, that in no event shall such period be less than 20 Business
Days. The Company shall cause the Exchange Offer to comply with all applicable
federal and state securities laws. No securities other than the Series B Notes
shall be included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement. The Company
shall use its best efforts to cause the Exchange Offer to be Consummated on the
earliest practicable date after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has
become effective, but in no event later than 30 Business Days thereafter.
(c) The Company shall include a "Plan of Distribution" section in the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and indicate
therein that any Broker-Dealer that holds Transfer Restricted Securities that
were acquired for the account of such Broker-Dealer as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities (other than Transfer Restricted
Securities acquired directly from the Company or any Affiliate of the Company),
may exchange such Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer;
however, such Broker-Dealer may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Act and must, therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting the
requirements of the Act in connection with its initial sale of any Series B
Notes received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer and that the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement may be used to
satisfy such prospectus delivery requirement. Such "Plan of Distribution"
section shall also contain all other information with respect to such sales by
such Broker-Dealers that the Commission may require in order to permit such
sales pursuant thereto, but such "Plan of Distribution" shall not name any such
Broker-Dealer or disclose the amount of Transfer Restricted Securities held by
any such Broker-Dealer, except to the extent required by the Commission as a
result of a change in policy, rules or regulations after the date of this
Agreement.
To the extent necessary to ensure that the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement is available for sales of Series B Notes by Broker-Dealers, the
Company agrees to use its best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the
provisions of Section 6(c) hereof and in conformity with the requirements of
this Agreement, the Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the
Commission as announced from time to time, for a
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period of 180 days from the date on which the Exchange Offer is Consummated, or
such shorter period as will terminate when all Transfer Restricted Securities
held by such Broker-Dealers covered by such Registration Statement have been
sold pursuant thereto (unless such period is extended pursuant to Section 6(d)
below). The Company shall promptly provide sufficient copies of the latest
version of such Prospectus to such Broker-Dealers promptly upon request, and in
no event later than one day after such request, at any time during such period.
SECTION 4. SHELF REGISTRATION
(a) Shelf Registration. If (i) the Exchange Offer is not permitted by
applicable law or Commission policy (after the Company has complied with the
procedures set forth in Section 6(a)(i) below) or (ii) if any Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities shall notify the Company within 20 Business Days following
the Consummation of the Exchange Offer that (A) such Holder was prohibited by
law or Commission policy from participating in the Exchange Offer or (B) such
Holder may not resell the Series B Notes acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to
the public without delivering a prospectus and the Prospectus contained in the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not appropriate or available for such
resales by such Holder or (C) such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Series A
Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its Affiliates, then the
Company shall:
(x) cause to be filed, on or prior to 90 days after the earlier of (i)
the date on which the Company determines that the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement cannot be filed as a result of clause (a)(i) above and (ii) the date
on which the Company receives the notice specified in clause (a) (ii) above
(such earlier date, the "Filing Deadline"), a shelf registration statement
pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act (which may be an amendment to the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement (the "Shelf Registration Statement")), relating to
all Transfer Restricted Securities, and
(y) shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shelf
Registration Statement to become effective on or prior to 150 days after the
Filing Deadline (such 150th day the "Effectiveness Deadline").
If, after the Company has filed an Exchange Offer Registration
Statement that satisfies the requirements of Section 3(a) above, the Company is
required to file and make effective a Shelf Registration Statement solely
because the Exchange Offer is not permitted under applicable federal law, then
the filing of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement shall be deemed to
satisfy the requirements of clause (x) above; provided that, in such event, the
Company shall remain obligated to meet the Effectiveness Deadline set forth in
clause (y).
The Company shall use its best efforts to keep any Shelf Registration
Statement required by this Section 4(a) continuously effective, supplemented and
amended as required by and subject to the provisions of Sections 6(b) and (c)
hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for sales of
Transfer Restricted Securities by the Holders thereof entitled to the benefit of
this Section 4(a), and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this
Agreement, the Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as
announced from time to time, for a period of at least two years (as extended
pursuant to Section 6(d)) following the date on which such Shelf Registration
Statement first becomes effective under the Act, or such shorter period as will
terminate when all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration
Statement (i) have been sold pursuant thereto or (ii) are no longer restricted
Securities (as defined in Rule 144 under the Act).
(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with the
Shelf Registration Statement. No Holder of Transfer Restricted
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Securities may include any of its Transfer Restricted Securities in any Shelf
Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder
furnishes to the Company in writing, within 20 days after receipt of a request
therefor, the information specified in Item 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K, as
applicable, under the Act for use in connection with any Shelf Registration
Statement or Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus included therein. No Holder of
Transfer Restricted Securities shall be entitled to liquidated damages pursuant
to Section 5 hereof unless and until such Holder shall have provided all such
information. Each selling Holder agrees to promptly furnish additional
information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously
furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading.
SECTION 5. LIQUIDATED DAMAGES
(a) If (i) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is not
filed with the Commission on or prior to the applicable Filing Deadline, (ii)
any such Registration Statement has not been declared effective by the
Commission on or prior to the applicable Effectiveness Deadline, (iii) the
Exchange Offer has not been Consummated within 30 Business Days after the
Effectiveness Deadline with respect to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
or (iv) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is filed and
declared effective but shall thereafter cease to be effective or fail to be
usable for its intended purpose without being succeeded immediately by a
post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement that cures such failure
and that is itself declared effective immediately (except as permitted in
paragraph (b) of this Section 5; such period of time during which any such
Registration Statement is not effective or any such Registration Statement or
the related Prospectus is not usable being referred to as a "Blackout Period")
(each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iv), a "Registration
Default"), then the Company hereby agrees to pay to each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities affected thereby liquidated damages in an amount equal to
$.05 per week per $1,000 of the principal amount of Transfer Restricted
Securities held by such Holder for each week or portion thereof that the
Registration Default continues for the first 90-day period immediately following
the occurrence of such Registration Default. The amount of the liquidated
damages shall increase by an additional $.05 per week per $1,000 of the
principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities with respect to each
subsequent 90-day period until all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to
a maximum amount of liquidated damages for all Registration Defaults of $.50 per
week per $1,000 of the principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, (1) upon filing of
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (and/or, if applicable, the Shelf
Registration Statement), in the case of (i) above, (2) upon the effectiveness of
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (and/or, if applicable, the Shelf
Registration Statement), in the case of (ii) above, (3) upon Consummation of the
Exchange Offer, in the case of (iii) above, or (4) upon the filing of a
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or an additional
Registration Statement that causes the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
(and/or, if applicable, the Shelf Registration Statement) to again be declared
effective or made usable in the case of (iv) above, the liquidated damages
payable with respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities as a result of such
clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), as applicable, shall cease.
(b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 5(a)(iv) shall be
deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Registration
Statement or the related Prospectus if (i) the Blackout Period has occurred
solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective amendment to such Shelf
Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited financial information with
respect to the Company where such post-effective amendment is not yet effective
and needs to be declared effective to permit Holders to use the related
Prospectus or (y) the occurrence of other material events with respect to the
Company that would need to be described in such Registration Statement or the
related Prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the Company is proceeding
promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement (including by way of filing
documents under the Exchange Act which are incorporated by reference into the
Registration Statement) such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus
to
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describe such events: provided, however, that in any case if such Blackout
Period occurs for a continuous period in excess of 30 days, a Registration
Default shall be deemed to have occurred on the 31st day of such Blackout Period
and liquidated damages shall be payable in accordance with the above paragraph
from the day such Registration Default occurs until such Registration Default is
cured or until the Company is no longer required pursuant to this Agreement to
keep such Registration Statement effective or such Registration Statement or the
related Prospectus usable; provided further, however, that in no event shall the
total of all Blackout Periods exceed 60 days in the aggregate in any 12-month
period.
All accrued liquidated damages shall be paid to the Holders entitled
thereto, in the manner provided for the payment of interest in the Indenture, on
each Interest Payment Date, as more fully set forth in the Indenture and the
Notes. All obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding paragraph that
are outstanding with respect to any Transfer Restricted Security at the time
such security ceases to be a Transfer Restricted Security shall survive until
such time as all such obligations with respect to such Security shall have been
satisfied in full.
SECTION 6. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the
Exchange Offer, the Company shall comply with all applicable provisions of
Section 6(c) below, shall use its best efforts to effect such exchange and to
permit the resale of Series B Notes by Broker-Dealers that tendered in the
Exchange Offer Series A Notes that such Broker-Dealer acquired for its own
account as a result of its market making activities or other trading activities
(other than Series A Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its
Affiliates) being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of
distribution thereof, and shall comply with all of the following provisions:
(i) If, following the date hereof there has been announced a
change in Commission policy with respect to exchange offers such as the
Exchange Offer, that in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the
Company raises a substantial question as to whether the Exchange Offer
is permitted by applicable federal law, the Company hereby agrees to
seek a no-action letter or other favorable decision from the Commission
allowing the Company to Consummate an Exchange Offer for such Transfer
Restricted Securities. The Company hereby agrees to pursue the issuance
of such a decision to the Commission staff level. In connection with
the foregoing, the Company hereby agrees to take all such other actions
as may be requested by the Commission or otherwise required in
connection with the issuance of such decision, including without
limitation (A) participating in telephonic conferences with the
Commission, (B) delivering to the Commission staff an analysis prepared
by counsel to the Company setting forth the legal bases, if any, upon
which such counsel has concluded that such an Exchange Offer should be
permitted and (C) diligently pursuing a resolution (which need not be
favorable) by the Commission staff of such submission.
(ii) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange
Offer, each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (including,
without limitation, any Holder who is a Broker Dealer) shall furnish,
upon the request of the Company, prior to the Consummation of the
Exchange Offer, a written representation to the Company (which may be
contained in the letter of transmittal contemplated by the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an
Affiliate of the Company, (B) it is not engaged in, and does not intend
to engage in, and has no arrangement or understanding with any person
to participate in, a distribution of the Series B Notes to be issued in
the Exchange Offer and (C) it is acquiring the Series B Notes in its
ordinary course of business. Each Holder using the Exchange Offer to
participate in a distribution of the Series B Notes hereby acknowledges
and agrees that, if the resales are of
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Series B Notes obtained by such Holder in exchange for Series A Notes
acquired directly from the Company or an Affiliate thereof, it (1)
could not, under Commission policy as in effect on the date of this
Agreement, rely on the position of the Commission enunciated in Morgan
Stanley and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital
Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the
Commission's letter to Shearman & Sterling (available July 2, 1993),
and similar no-action letters (including, if applicable, any no-action
letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above), and (2) must comply with
the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Act in
connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a
secondary resale transaction must be covered by an effective
registration statement containing the selling security holder
information required by Item 507 or 508, as applicable, of Regulation
S-K.
(iii) Prior to effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, the Company shall provide a supplemental letter
to the Commission (A) stating that the Company is registering the
Exchange Offer in reliance on the position of the Commission enunciated
in Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), Morgan
Stanley and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) as interpreted in the
Commission's letter to Shearman & Sterling (available July 2, 1993),
and, if applicable, any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause
(i) above, (B) including a representation that the Company has not
entered into any arrangement or understanding with any Person to
distribute the Series B Notes to be received in the Exchange Offer and
that, to the best of the Company's information and belief, each Holder
participating in the Exchange Offer is acquiring the Series B Notes in
its ordinary course of business and has no arrangement or understanding
with any Person to participate in the distribution of the Series B
Notes received in the Exchange Offer and (C) any other undertaking or
representation required by the Commission as set forth in any no-action
letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above, if applicable.
(b) Shelf Registration Statement. In connection with the Shelf
Registration Statement, the Company shall comply with all the provisions of
Section 6(c) below and shall use its best efforts to effect such registration to
permit the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in accordance
with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof (as indicated in the
information furnished to the Company pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof), and
pursuant thereto the Company will prepare and file with the Commission a
Registration Statement relating to the registration on any appropriate form
under the Act, which form shall be available for the sale of the Transfer
Restricted Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of
distribution thereof within the time periods and otherwise in accordance with
the provisions hereof.
(c) General Provisions. In connection with any Registration Statement
and any related Prospectus required by this Agreement, the Company shall:
(i) use its best efforts to keep such Registration Statement
continuously effective and provide all requisite financial statements
for the period specified in Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement, as
applicable; upon the occurrence of any event that would cause any such
Registration Statement or the Prospectus contained therein (A) to
contain a material misstatement or omission or (B) not to be effective
and usable for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities during the
period required by this Agreement, the Company shall file promptly an
appropriate amendment to such Registration Statement curing such
defect, and, if Commission review is required, use its best efforts to
cause such amendment to be declared effective as soon as practicable;
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(ii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and
post-effective amendments to the applicable Registration Statement as
may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the
applicable period set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as the case may
be; cause the Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus
supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424
under the Act, and to comply fully with Rules 424, 430A and 462, as
applicable, under the Act in a timely manner; and comply with the
provisions of the Act with respect to the disposition of all securities
covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable period in
accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the
sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement
to the Prospectus;
(iii) advise the selling Holders promptly and, if requested by
such Persons, confirm such advice in writing, (A) when the Prospectus
or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been
filed, and, with respect to any applicable Registration Statement or
any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become
effective, (B) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the
Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus
or for additional information relating thereto, (C) of the issuance by
the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement under the Act or of the suspension by any state
securities commission of the qualification of the Transfer Restricted
Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation
of any proceeding for any of the preceding purposes, (D) of the
existence of any fact or the happening of any event that makes any
statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto or any document
incorporated by reference therein untrue, or that requires the making
of any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement in order
to make the statements therein not misleading, or that requires the
making of any additions to or changes in the Prospectus in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. If at any time the Commission
shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, or any state securities commission or other
regulatory authority shall issue an order suspending the qualification
or exemption from qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities
under state securities or Blue Sky laws, the Company shall use its best
efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the
earliest possible time;
(iv) subject to Section 6(c)(i), if any fact or event
contemplated by Section 6(c)(iii)(D) above shall exist or have
occurred, prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement or related Prospectus or any document
incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document
so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of Transfer
Restricted Securities, the Prospectus will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(v) furnish to the Initial Purchasers and, if requested by any
selling Holder, to such Holder, named in any Registration Statement or
Prospectus in connection with such sale, if any, before filing with the
Commission, copies of any Registration Statement or any Prospectus
included therein or any amendments or supplements to any such
Registration Statement or Prospectus (including all documents
incorporated by reference after the initial filing of such Registration
Statement), which documents will be subject to the review and comment
of such Holders in connection with such sale, if any, for a period of
at least five Business Days, and the Company will not file any such
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to
any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (including all such
documents
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incorporated by reference) to which the selling Holders of the Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement in
connection with such sale, if any, shall reasonably object within five
Business Days after the receipt thereof. A selling Holder shall be
deemed to have reasonably objected to such filing if such Registration
Statement, amendment, Prospectus or supplement, as applicable, as
proposed to be filed, contains a material misstatement or omission or
fails to comply with the applicable requirements of the Act;
(vi) upon the reasonable request of any selling Holder,
promptly prior to the filing of any document that is to be incorporated
by reference into a Registration Statement or Prospectus, provide
copies of such document to the selling Holders in connection with such
sale, if any, make the Company's representatives available for
discussion of such document and other customary due diligence matters,
and include such information in such document prior to the filing
thereof as any selling Holder may reasonably request;
(vii) in the case of any Shelf Registration, make available at
reasonable times for inspection by the selling Holders participating in
any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement and any
attorney or accountant retained by such selling Holders, all financial
and other records, pertinent corporate documents of the Company and
cause the Company's officers, directors and employees to supply all
information reasonably requested by any such selling Holder, attorney
or accountant in connection with such Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto subsequent to the filing thereof and
prior to its effectiveness, in each case as shall reasonably be
necessary to enable such persons to conduct a reasonable investigation
within the meaning of Section 11 of the Act; provided, however, that
the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall be coordinated
on behalf of the Initial Purchasers and such selling Holders by you and
on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel designated by and on
behalf of such other parties as described in Section 7 hereof,
provided, further, that any records, documents, properties or
information that are designated by the Company as confidential at the
time of delivery of such records, documents, properties or information
shall be kept confidential by such persons, unless (i) such records,
documents, properties or information are in the public domain or
otherwise publicly available, (ii) disclosure of such records,
documents, properties or information is required by court or
administrative order or (iii) disclosure of such records, documents,
properties or information, in the written opinion of counsel to such
person, is otherwise required by law (including, without limitation,
pursuant to the requirements of the Act);
(viii) subject to Section 4(b) hereof, if reasonably requested
by selling Holders of a majority of the principal amount of Transfer
Restricted Securities being sold in connection with such offering, if
any, promptly include in any Registration Statement or Prospectus,
pursuant to a supplement or post-effective amendment if necessary, such
information as such selling Holders may reasonably request to have
included therein, including, without limitation, information relating
to the "Plan of Distribution" of the Transfer Restricted Securities;
and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Company is
notified of the matters to be included in such Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment; provided, however, that the Company shall not
be required to take any action pursuant to this Section 6(c)(viii) that
would, in the opinion of counsel for the Company reasonably
satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, violate applicable law;
(ix) furnish to each selling Holder in connection with such
sale, if any, without charge, at least one copy of the Registration
Statement, as first filed with the Commission, and of each
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and
schedules, and, if the
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<PAGE> 12
Holder so requests in writing, all documents incorporated by reference
therein and all exhibits (including exhibits incorporated therein by
reference);
(x) deliver to each selling Holder, without charge, as many
copies of the Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) and
any amendment or supplement thereto as such selling Holder reasonably
may request; the Company hereby consents to the use (in accordance with
law and subject to the provisions of this Agreement) of the Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders
in connection with the offering and the sale of the Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto;
(xi) upon the request of any selling Holder, enter into such
agreements (including underwriting agreements) and make such
representations and warranties and take all such other actions in
connection therewith in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition
of the Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to any applicable
Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement as may be
reasonably requested by any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities in
connection with any sale or resale pursuant to any applicable
Registration Statement, and in such connection, the Company shall:
(A) Upon the request of any selling Holder, furnish (or in the
case of paragraphs (2) and (3), use its best efforts to cause to
be furnished) to each selling Holder, upon the effectiveness of
the Shelf Registration Statement or upon Consummation of the
Exchange Offer, as the case may be:
(1) a certificate, dated such date, signed on behalf
of the Company by (x) the Chief Executive Officer or President
and (y) the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer of the
Company, as set forth in Section 7(j) of the Purchase
Agreement and such other similar matters as are customary and
as the selling Holders may reasonably request;
(2) an opinion, dated the date of Consummation of the
Exchange Offer, or the date of effectiveness of the Shelf
Registration Statement, as the case may be, of counsel for the
Company covering matters similar to those set forth in of
Section 7(d) of the Purchase Agreement and such other matters
as the selling Holders may reasonably request, and in any
event including a statement to the effect that such counsel
has participated in conferences with officers of the Company
and with the independent public accountants for the Company
concerning the preparation of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may
be, and although such counsel has made certain inquiries and
investigations in connection with such preparation, it is not
passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the
accuracy or completeness of the statements contained in such
Registration Statements, except insofar as such statements
relate to such counsel, and on the basis of the foregoing,
such counsel's work in connection with this matter did not
disclose any information that gave such counsel reason to
believe that the applicable Registration Statement, at the
time such Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereto became effective, or the Prospectus
contained in such Registration Statement as of its date, and,
in the case of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, as
of the date of Consummation of the Exchange Offer, contained
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading; and
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<PAGE> 13
(3) a customary comfort letter, dated the date of
Consummation of the Exchange Offer, or as of the date of
effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case
may be, from the Company's independent accountants, in the
customary form and covering matters of the type customarily
covered in comfort letters to underwriters in connection with
underwritten offerings, and meeting the requirements set forth
in the comfort letters delivered pursuant to Section 7(i) of
the Purchase Agreement;
(B) Set forth in full or incorporate by reference in the
underwriting agreement, if any, the indemnification provisions and
procedures of Section 8 hereof with respect to all parties to be
indemnified pursuant to said Section; and
(C) Deliver such other customary documents and certificates as
may be reasonably requested by the selling Holders to evidence
compliance with clause (A) above and with any customary conditions
contained in any agreement entered into by the Company pursuant to
this clause (xi).
If at any time the representations and warranties of the Company set
forth in the certificate contemplated in clause (A)(1) above cease to be true
and correct, the Company shall so advise the Initial Purchasers and the
underwriter(s), if any, and each selling Holder promptly and, if requested by
such Persons, shall confirm such advice in writing;
(xii) prior to any public offering of Transfer Restricted
Securities, cooperate with the selling Holders and their counsel in
connection with the registration and qualification of the Transfer
Restricted Securities under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such
jurisdictions as the selling Holders may request and do any and all
other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition
in such jurisdictions of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by
the applicable Registration Statement; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be required to register or qualify as a foreign
corporation where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that
would subject it to the service of process in suits, other than as to
matters and transactions relating to the Registration Statement, in any
jurisdiction where it is not now so subject;
(xiii) issue, upon the request of any Holder of Series A Notes
covered by any Shelf Registration Statement contemplated by this
Agreement, Series B Notes having a principal amount equal to the
principal amount of Series A Notes surrendered to the Company by such
Holder in exchange therefor or being sold by such Holder; such Series B
Notes to be registered in the name of such Holder or in the name of the
purchaser(s) of such Series B Notes, as the case may be; in return, the
Series A Notes held by such Holder shall be surrendered to the Company
for cancellation;
(xiv) in connection with any sale of Transfer Restricted
Securities that will result in such securities no longer being Transfer
Restricted Securities, cooperate with the selling Holders to facilitate
the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing
Transfer Restricted Securities to be sold and not bearing any
restrictive legends; and to register such Transfer Restricted
Securities in such denominations and such names as the selling Holders
may request at least two Business Days prior to such sale of Transfer
Restricted Securities pursuant to such Registration Statements;
(xv) use its best efforts to cause the disposition of the
Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Registration Statement to
be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or
authorities as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof
to
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<PAGE> 14
consummate the disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities,
subject to the proviso contained in clause (xii) above;
(xvi) provide a CUSIP number for all Transfer Restricted
Securities not later than the effective date of a Registration
Statement covering such Transfer Restricted Securities and provide the
Trustee under the Indenture with printed certificates for the Transfer
Restricted Securities which are in a form eligible for deposit with The
Depository Trust Company;
(xvii) otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally
available to its security holders with regard to any applicable
Registration Statement, as soon as practicable, a consolidated earnings
statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 (which need not be
audited) covering a twelve-month period beginning after the effective
date of the Registration Statement (as such term is defined in
paragraph (c) of Rule 158 under the Act);
(xviii) (A) if the Notes have been rated prior to the initial
sale of such Notes, use its best efforts to confirm that such ratings
will apply to the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by a
Registration Statement, or (B) if the Notes were not previously rated,
use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be rated with the
appropriate rating agencies, if so requested by the Holders of a
majority of the principal amount of Notes covered thereby or the
managing underwriter(s), if any;
(xix) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the TIA not
later than the effective date of the first Registration Statement
required by this Agreement and, in connection therewith, cooperate with
the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as
may be required for such Indenture to be so qualified in accordance
with the terms of the TIA; and execute and use its best efforts to
cause the Trustee to execute, all documents that may be required to
effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be
filed with the Commission to enable such Indenture to be so qualified
in a timely manner; and
(xx) provide promptly to each Holder upon request each
document filed with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(d) Restrictions on Holders. Each Holder agrees by acquisition of a
Transfer Restricted Security that, upon receipt of the notice referred to in
Section 6(c)(i) or any notice from the Company of the existence of any fact of
the kind described in Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof (in each case, a "Suspension
Notice"), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Transfer
Restricted Securities pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement until
(i) such Holder has received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus
contemplated by Section 6(c)(iv) hereof, or (ii) such Holder is advised in
writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed, and has
received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated
by reference in the Prospectus (in each case, the "Recommencement Date"). Each
Holder receiving a Suspension Notice hereby agrees that it will either (i)
destroy any Prospectuses, other than permanent file copies, then in such
Holder's possession which have been replaced by the Company with more recently
dated Prospectuses or (ii) deliver to the Company (at the Company's expense) all
copies, other than permanent file copies, then in such Holder's possession of
the Prospectus covering such Transfer Restricted Securities that was current at
the time of receipt of the Suspension Notice. The time period regarding the
effectiveness of such Registration Statement set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof,
as applicable, shall be extended by a number of days equal to
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<PAGE> 15
the number of days in the period from and including the date of delivery of the
Suspension Notice to the date of delivery of the Recommencement Date.
SECTION 7. REGISTRATION EXPENSES
(a) All expenses incident to the Company's performance of or compliance
with this Agreement will be borne by the Company, regardless of whether a
Registration Statement becomes effective, including without limitation: (i) all
registration and filing fees and expenses; (ii) all fees and expenses of
compliance with federal securities and state Blue Sky or securities laws; (iii)
all expenses of printing (including printing of Prospectuses), messenger and
delivery services and telephone; (iv) all reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Company and one firm of counsel designated by the Holders of a
majority of the principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities to act as
counsel for the Holders in connection therewith; (v) all application and filing
fees in connection with listing the Series B Notes on a national securities
exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the requirements hereof; and
(vi) all fees and disbursements of independent certified public accountants of
the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and comfort letters
required by or incident to such performance).
The Company will, in any event, bear its internal expenses (including,
without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees
performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the
fees and expenses of any Person, including special experts, retained by the
Company.
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement required by this
Agreement (including, without limitation, the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and the Shelf Registration Statement), the Company will reimburse the
Initial Purchasers and the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities being
tendered in the Exchange Offer and/or resold pursuant to the "Plan of
Distribution" contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or
registered pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable, for the
reasonable fees and disbursements of not more than one counsel, who shall be
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, New York, New York, unless another firm shall
be chosen by the Holders of a majority of the principal amount of Transfer
Restricted Securities for whose benefit such Registration Statement is being
prepared.
(c) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities will pay all
underwriting discounts, if any, and commissions and transfer taxes, if any,
relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder's Transfer Restricted
Securities.
SECTION 8. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder of
Transfer Restricted Securities, its officers and employees and each person, if
any, who controls any such Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or
several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any
loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of
Transfer Restricted Securities), to which that Holder, officer, employee or
controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise,
insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is
based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus or
Prospectus (in each case as amended or supplemented) or (ii) the omission or
alleged omission to state in any Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus
or Prospectus (in each case as amended or supplemented) any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make
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<PAGE> 16
the statements therein not misleading; and shall reimburse each such Holder and
each such officer, employee or controlling person promptly upon demand for any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Holder, officer, employee or
controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to
defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such
expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable
in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Registration Statement,
preliminary prospectus or Prospectus (in each case as amended or supplemented)
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such
Holder furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for
inclusion therein and provided further, however, that the Company shall not be
liable to any Holder under the indemnity agreement in this subsection (a) with
respect to any preliminary prospectus to the extent that any such loss, claim,
damage or liability of such Holder results from the fact that such Holder sold
Transfer Restricted Securities to a person as to whom there was not sent or
given, at or prior to written confirmation of such sale, a copy of the
Prospectus or of the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented if the Company
had previously furnished copies thereof in the quantity requested and in a
timely manner in accordance with Section 6(c)(x) hereof to such Holder and the
loss, claim, damage or liability of such Holder results from an untrue statement
or omission of a material fact contained in the preliminary prospectus and
corrected in the Prospectus or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented. The
foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the Company
may otherwise have to any Holder or to any officer, employee or controlling
person of that Holder.
(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, severally and not
jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers and
employees, each of its directors, and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, from and against any loss,
claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof,
to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may
become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus or Prospectus (in each case as
amended or supplemented) or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in
any Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus or Prospectus (in each case
as amended or supplemented) any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only
to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information concerning such Holder furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
that Holder specifically for inclusion therein, and shall reimburse the Company
and any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director, officer or
controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to
defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such
expenses are incurred. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any
liability which any Holder may otherwise have to the Company or any such
director, officer, employee or controlling person.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8
of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to
notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it
may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially
prejudiced by such failure and, provided further, that the failure to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to
an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or
action shall be brought against an indemnified
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<PAGE> 17
party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it
wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume
the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its
election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party
shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal
or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection
with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. Any
Holder shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and
participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel
shall be at the expense of the indemnified party unless (i) the employment of
such counsel shall have been specifically authorized in writing by the
indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the
defense of such action or employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party or (iii) the named parties to any such action (including any
impleaded parties) include both the Company and the Holder, and the Holder shall
have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses
available to it which are different from or additional to those available to the
Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to assume the
defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party). Such counsel shall
be designated in writing by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities which are subject to such claim. No indemnifying
party shall (i) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties
(which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened
claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or
contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are
actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement,
compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified
party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding,
or (ii) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its
written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if
settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final
judgment of the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or
liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any
reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party
under Section 8(a) or 8(b) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability,
or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying
party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss,
claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion
as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company
from the offering and sale of the Notes, on the one hand, and the Holders from
their sale of Transfer Restricted Securities, on the other, or (ii) if the
allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits
referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on
the one hand and the Holders on the other with respect to the statements or
omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in
respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Holder shall be required to
contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total received by such Holder with respect to the sale of its Transfer
Restricted Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement exceeds the amount of
any damages which such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. The
relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Holders, the
intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and
the Holders agree that it would not be just and
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<PAGE> 18
equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were to be determined
by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by
an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or
action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section shall be deemed to
include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders' obligations to contribute as provided
in this Section 8(d) are several in proportion to the respective principal
amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities held by each of the Holders
hereunder and not joint.
SECTION 9. RULE 144A
The Company hereby agrees with each Holder, for so long as any Transfer
Restricted Securities remain outstanding and during any period in which the
Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to make
available, upon request of any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, to any
Holder or beneficial owner of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection with
any sale thereof and any prospective purchaser of such Transfer Restricted
Securities designated by such Holder or beneficial owner, the information
required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Act in order to permit resales of such
Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144A.
SECTION 10. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) Remedies. The Company acknowledges and agrees that any failure by
the Company to comply with its obligations under Sections 3 and 4 hereof may
result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders
for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to
measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such
failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be
required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Sections 3 and
4 hereof. The Company further agrees to waive the defense in any action for
specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not, on or after the
date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities
that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or
otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The Company has not previously
entered into any agreement granting any registration rights with respect to its
securities to any Person. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in
any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the
holders of the Company's securities under any agreement in effect on the date
hereof.
(c) Adjustments Affecting the Notes. The Company will not take any
action, or permit any change to occur, with respect to the Notes that would
materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holders to Consummate any
Exchange Offer.
(d) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be
amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given unless (i) in the case of Section 5
hereof and this Section 10(d)(i), the Company has obtained the written consent
of Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) in the
case of all other provisions hereof, the Company has obtained the written
consent of Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer
Restricted Securities (excluding Transfer Restricted Securities
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<PAGE> 19
held by the Company or its Affiliates). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver
or consent to departure from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to
the rights of Holders whose securities are being tendered pursuant to the
Exchange Offer and that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights of
other Holders whose securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange
Offer may be given by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal
amount of Transfer Restricted Securities subject to such Exchange Offer.
(e) Third Party Beneficiary. The Holders shall be third party
beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one
hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to
enforce such agreements directly to the extent they may deem such enforcement
necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of Holders hereunder.
(f) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail
(registered or certified, return receipt requested), telex, telecopier, or air
courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:
(i) if to a Holder, at the address set forth on the records of
the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under
the Indenture; and
(ii) if to the Company:
Birch Telecom, Inc.
1004 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 900
Kansas City, Missouri 64105
Telecopier No.: (816) 842-7507
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
With a copy to:
Latham & Watkins
885 Third Avenue, Suite 1000
New York, New York 10022
Telecopier No.: (212) 751-4864
Attention: Kirk A. Davenport, Esq.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business
Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt
acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day, if timely delivered
to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be
concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the
address specified in the Indenture.
Upon the date of filing of the Exchange Offer or a Shelf Registration
Statement, as the case may be, notice shall be delivered to Lehman Brothers Inc.
on behalf of the Initial Purchasers (in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A)
and shall be addressed to: Attention: Compliance Department, 3 World Financial
Center, New York, New York 10285.
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(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties,
including without limitation and without the need for an express assignment,
subsequent Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; provided, that nothing
herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition
of Transfer Restricted Securities in violation of the terms hereof or of the
Purchase Agreement or the Indenture. If any transferee of any Holder shall
acquire Transfer Restricted Securities in any manner, whether by operation of
law or otherwise, such Transfer Restricted Securities shall be held subject to
all of the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Transfer
Restricted Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to
be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement,
including the restrictions on resale set forth in this Agreement and, if
applicable, the Purchase Agreement, and such Person shall be entitled to receive
the benefits hereof.
(h) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(i) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(j) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE
CONFLICT OF LAW RULES THEREOF.
(k) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions
contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of
any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions
contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(l) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a
final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive
statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of
the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises,
warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein
with respect to the registration rights granted with respect to the Transfer
Restricted Securities. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.
20
<PAGE> 21
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the
date first written above.
BIRCH TELECOM, INC.
By: /s/ Bradley Moline
___________________
Name: Bradley Moline
Title: V.P. Finance Birch Telecom, Inc.
<PAGE> 22
LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
By: /s/ Paul Zoidis
______________________________
Name: Paul Zoidis
Title: Managing Director
BT ALEX. BROWN INCORPORATED
By: /s/ Gerry McConnell
______________________________
Name: Gerry McConnell
Title: Principal
<PAGE> 23
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF FILING OF
A/B EXCHANGE OFFER REGISTRATION STATEMENT
To: Compliance Department
3 World Financial Center
New York, NY 10285
From: Birch Telecom, Inc.
1004 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 900
Kansas City, Missouri 64105
Re: 14% Senior Notes due 2008
Date ______________________, 199_____
For your information only (NO ACTION REQUIRED):
Today, ______, 199_, we filed [an A/B Exchange Registration Statement/a Shelf
Registration Statement] with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We
currently expect this registration statement to be declared effective within
______ business days of the date hereof.